This belter of a bike is a 1933 O.E.C. TT racer.
The Osborn Engineering Company were pioneers in the industry, and created some very innovative motorcycles out of their factory in Gosport, Hampshire. In 1932, O.E.C. had a revamp of their bikes, primarily in a bid to cut costs and keep the company afloat. The frames were now welded, and in came one serious motor, outsourced from the respected Rudge. It was a 4-valve 499cc 4-stroke single of 85mm x 88mm bore and stroke, with pushrod operated overhead valves. Rudge Whitworth sold the engine under the banner “Python”.
After a period out of the game, O.E.C. entered four machines in the 1933 TT: two 250cc lightweights, and two 500cc Pythons to compete in the Senior. The complex Duplex Steering system was used on one each of the 250cc and 500cc machines, and the more simplistic Webb girder forks were used on the others.
O.E.C. appointed ex-Sunbeam works rider Arthur “Digger” Simcock as their team leader. The first machines built were the Webb-forked pair on which Simcock practiced, and subsequently rode in the TT. The bike pictured, is the 500cc machine that he rode in the race, albeit he unfortunately had a mishap around the track and limped back into the pits, retiring from the race.
The Python engine is matched to a Rudge TT spec gearbox and features O.E.C.s unusual and intricate duplex rear end. It is truly a unique one-off machine and believed to be the only one in the world.
If interested, the bike is up for sale – contact us for more information and we can put you in touch with the owner (note have no association or responsibility connected with the sale).
an article by The Girder Club
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