Dunelt Motorcycles

Dunelt Motorcycles
Industry Manufacturing and engineering
Fate Diversified and ceased motorcycle production
Founded 1919
Defunct 1957
Headquarters Sheffield, UK
Key people Dunford and Elliott
Products Motorcycles

Dunelt Motorcycles was a British motorcycle and bicycle[1] [2]manufacturer. Based in Sheffield, the business was founded by two steel makers and engineers, Dunford and Elliott (Dunelt is a combination of their names)[3] of Sheffield in 1919. Their first motorcycle was an innovative supercharged 499 cc two-stroke single. The company specialised in good quality sidecars from 1926 and a Dunelt motorcycle was first to cross the desert from Cairo to Siwa and back in 1924. Dunelt also enjoyed racing success and won the Double Twelve Hour World Record at Brooklands with a Model K in 1928. Dunelt moved into commercial three-wheeled cars but these were not a success. A Dunelt moped was exhibited at the Earls Court show in 1956 but the company diversified into other areas of engineering in 1957.[4]

Contents

History

Founded by steelmakers Dunford & Elliot in 1919, [5] Dunelt made 500 cc single-cylinder two-stroke motorcycles at their works in Birmingham. Noted for their supercharged engines, this was their own patented design, in which the supercharging is achieved by transfer of gases from the crankcase to the cylinder.[6] Dunelt also hoped to increase sales to women motorcyclists; in 1927 a young German woman, Suzanne Koerner, rode a Dunelt motorcycle from Berlin to Birmingham.[7]

In February 1931 Dunelt closed the Birmingham factory and reopened in Sheffield. In 1935 Dunelt produced their last real motorcycle and went on to develop outboard motors,[8] and three wheelers, although they did attempt to launch a moped in 1956.[5]

Models

Model Year Notes
Model K 1926 250 cc two-stroke
Royal 1928
Royal deluxe 1928
Majectic 1928 four-stroke with a 350 cc Sturmey Archer engine.
Model T 1930 250 cc
Model S 1930 250 cc
Model SD 1930 250 cc
Dunelt 297 cc 1931 Sturmey-Archer side-valve engine
Dunelt 348 cc 1931 Sturmey-Archer
Dunelt 346 cc 1931 Villiers two-stroke
Dunelt 496 cc 1931 Sturmey-Archer
Dunelt 598cc 1931 Sturmey-Archer side-valve engine
Dunelt 148 cc 1932 Villiers
Dunelt 350 cc 1932 Villiers
Model T special 1933 Python (Rudge) engine
Dunelt 248 cc 1934 Python (Rudge) engine
Dunelt 499 cc 1934 Python (Rudge) engine
Dunelt 248 cc 1934 Python (Rudge) engine
Dunelt 245 cc 1934 JAP engine
Dunelt 490 cc 1934 JAP engine
Dunelt Moped 1956

References

  1. ^ http://www.sheldonbrown.com/english-3.html#dunelt
  2. ^ http://bikehugger.com/post/view/dunelt-3-speed
  3. ^ "Dunelt Motorcycles". http://www.classicrendezvous.com/British_isles/Dunelt_main.htm. Retrieved 2008-06-14. 
  4. ^ "Dunelt". http://www.ianchadwick.com/motorcycles/britbikes/brit_d.html. Retrieved 2008-06-14. 
  5. ^ a b Slars, Lars-Erik. "Dunelt Motorcycles". http://www.dunelt.se. Retrieved 2008-06-14. 
  6. ^ "Dunelt motor cycles 1928 - super-charged; electric equipped". http://www.antiqbook.com/boox/bar/18446.shtml. Retrieved 2008-06-14. 
  7. ^ Koerner, Steve. "British Women and Motorcycling". http://ijms.nova.edu/March2007/IJMS_Artcl.Koerner.html. Retrieved 2008-06-14. 
  8. ^ "Seagull parts". http://www.britishseagullparts.com/other-outboards/dunelt/models-1932.htm. Retrieved 2008-06-14. 

External links

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