Beschreibung:

Formed by the acquisition in 1894 of the Rudge Cycle Company Ltd by the Pugh family’s Whitworth Cycle Company, Rudge-Whitworth built its first motorcycle in 1910 and is best remembered for its pioneering use of four-valve cylinder heads. Rudge Whitworth’s first four-valve production motorcycle appeared in 1924, and the company persevered with the layout until manufacture ceased at the outbreak of WW2. The motorcycling public’s response to this new four-valve, four-speed model was enthusiastic, and by the end of 1924 twice as many machines had been produced as in 1923. The full potential of Rudge’s four-valves-per-cylinder design was slow to emerge but in 1928 Graham Walker’s works 500 became the first motorcycle to win a road race - the Ulster Grand Prix - at an average speed in excess of 80mph, a feat which led to the introduction of the legendary ‘Ulster’ model. A variety of valve arrangements was tried across a range of 250, 350 and 500cc models, and by the mid-1930s had stabilised, the 500 Special employing a parallel layout and the Ulster a parallel/semi-radial combination. It should be noted that despite its name the Special was the touring 500, the Ulster being the sports version. Landmark developments included the enclosure of the valve-gear for 1937 and the switching of the gearchange lever from the left-hand to the right-hand side of the gearbox. A compact machine with a willing engine and powerful linked brakes, the 500 Special is a delight to ride and copes easily with present-day traffic conditions. Acquired by its late owner in February 2004, ‘AKG 370’ is presented in generally good condition and offered with copies of related literature, a quantity of expired SORNs, old-style continuation logbook (issued 1966) and Swansea V5C registration document.