Sunday, May 08, 2016

The Classic Sunbeam

HH wanted me to tell Avus this Sunbeam is advertised for sale in the June issue of The Classic Motorcycle.  He hasn't ridden it for years, wants the room, and wants something to help pay for the little bitty car we hope to find.  The car should be a smidgeon larger than the Sunbeam.  All the pictures we took of it are so old they're on film instead of digital, but others have photographed it.


 Photos were taken at a show and barbecue at the nearest Triumph dealer's shop.  It's now a parts store because it's too costly to meet all the requirements for a dealership.  HH had a lot of fun with this bike, but he's so taken with bikes he's gotten since, this one's getting nudged out, poor thing.  It was purchased new in Massachusetts in 1947.  The seat was hand made in around 1968 by a daughter who was a leather artist and sold leather goods at street fairs in San Francisco, though looks like it was made for a Studebaker instead of a Sunbeam.  Anyway, he's excited to have the ad out, and wanted to share with you.

Here's the B-31 he's been pinion pulling at, and is planning a little solo trip with to the redwoods.  This is an old photo with the silly seat that it had when he bought it (from New Zealand.)  It's got a nicer seat now.

9 comments:

Avus said...

Thank HH for those piccies Vita. I always wanted a Sunbeam. The S8 version of the S7 you are selling. I was young, still riding my first bike a BSA Bantam, when I went to a London dealer in 1958 to see what he had.
I set my heart on the S8 but the dealer persuaded me to buy a Douglas Dragonfly instead. He had a number in stock and I subsequently learnt that they had been discontinued a couple of years earlier. It was a good bike although far too heavy for its 350cc transverse twin engine. I eventually sold it to finance getting married. But have always yearned for a Sunbeam.
I think I shall do a post soon about them!

Avus said...

PS
Saw your Sunbeam in the mag. It's in good company - if you go up one and to the left one you will see that I am advertising my Royal Enfield Bullet 500 EFI!
Very regretfully, I must add. I am finding it too heavy to push around (particularly backwards)since the stroke. I am fine riding it but my balance is a bit dodgy when off it! Tell HH to enjoy them while he can.
Mustn't grumble, I am 77 and have been riding bikes since I was 17.

Vita said...

Can't help being excited about the good company the Sunbeam is in. We haven't gotten the June magazine here, yet, but when it comes, we'll look. About the Dragonfly, I'll just wait for your post. I'm delighted with your posts of bicycle trips over Romney Marsh.

Vita said...

The magazine came, and there you are just over on the same page. He hasn't gotten but one nibble. Oh, well. Hope you're getting a better response. At least you're not quite as far out of town as we are.

Avus said...

Sorry you have had no bites for the your Sunbeam, Vita. But guess it would not be viable to buy and ship to UK. I had no luck with the Enfield either. I am currently auctioning it on Ebay. It's got to go - I need the room in the garage for the Honda 125, Honda scooter and not forgetting the ebike!
It,s an odd situation - I am selling it but don't really want to part with it.

Avus said...

PS.
If you are interested in the details see:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/191889367274ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1558.l2649

Vita said...

There was another bite. This time from New Zealand. Yay! Fingers crossed. I hope we don't put the Sunbeam on Ebay, which is what he has talked about doing. I'll check yours out tomorrow. It's time to go to rehearsal!

Avus said...

Well, finally managed to get £2150 on Ebay. Not as much as it's worth, but it had to go. It just stood by the garage door looking at me accusingly!

Vita said...

Everything here that runs gets ridden some. Right now the little Ninja is the most deprived, so there's talk of a coastal excursion.