New Imperial 350
New Imperial 350 with overhead ventilated 4-stroke engine
The motorcycles that were made in the interwar period are characterized by a lot of mechanics, partly precision mechanics. The New Imperial that was made in England is no exception, on the contrary. These machines are proof of the great craftsmanship behind the production of the motorcycles from this period. I have taken a closer look at a New Imperial from 1935, a brand that stood out in its time in that their 4-stroke engines were so-called unit construction, i.e. that the engine and transmission were in the same block.
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New Imperial belongs to the "group" of English motorcycle manufacturers that have unfortunately passed into history. The factory located in Birmingham was established in 1903, and made pedal bicycles, typical of the time. The brand's founder Norman Downs started by buying up the pedal bicycle manufacturer "Hearl & Tonk". Shortly after, more precisely in 1903, New Imperial made its first motorized two-wheeler. In the first period, engines from other manufacturers were used, mainly "Precision" and the legendary "JAP".
Isle of Man
New Imperial participated in the Isle of Man as early as 1913. However, it was not a success, but valuable experience was gained with the introduction of technological improvements. However, New Imperial came back stronger a few years later, and in 1922 they set the fastest lap time in the Junior TT class (motorcycles with a displacement of up to 350 cc) with an average speed of just over 90 km/h. New Imperial constantly developed new models, and from 1926 they used their own manufactured engines. They were very successful in this, and the single-cylinder 4-strokes with long stroke and overhead valves were quickly considered elegant, reliable and fast.
Store in the 1930s
Although New Imperial was a well-known brand throughout the 1920s, it was the “hard 30s” that, oddly enough, became the factory’s heyday. Under Novel’s leadership, a whole new model range was now introduced, where all of the motorcycles had engines of the so-called “Unit-construction”. In short, this meant that the engine and transmission were placed in the same unit, which gave a more stable and reliable engine, with less need for maintenance and adjustment. The first model, the “Unit Minor” of 150 cc, was well received and later the models Unit Super of 250 cc, Unit Plus of 350 cc and Unit Major of 500 cc were introduced.
The Death of Novels; or the Beginning of the End
In 1937, the founder of New Imperial, Novel, died. At about the same time, chief designer Matt Wright left in favor of a new job at competitor AJS . Much of the spirit and enthusiasm was suddenly gone. New Imperial had also not achieved the sales effect they had hoped for after a series of triumphs on the racetracks in both the 1920s and 1930s. In 1939, the factory was bought by Triumph / Ariel , which was under the management of Jack Sangster. Rumor has it that Sangster had concrete plans for a new 350-cc with the New Imperial logo on the tank. However, it was only the plans, and the last “New-Imp”, as the brand was colloquially referred to, rolled out of the factory premises in 1939.
Technical data New Imperial 350, 1935 model:
Engine: 1-cylinder 4-stroke, OHV
Displacement: 344 cc
Power: 3.5 hp
No. of gears: 4
Front tires: 3.25 x 19
Rear tire: 3.25 x 19
Tank: 12 liters
Weight: 100 kg
Top speed: 96 km/h
