There is a certain appeal to a motorcycle that wears its battle scars with pride, and this belter is one such bike.
In 1913, motorcycles had really started to take shape. They were no longer motors bolted into bicycle frames which sat on skinny tyres; they now had an identity, and a sense of purpose. The motorcycle market was in full bloom, and there were a variety of competitors that battled for top spot – one of which was New Hudson.
1913 was a positive year for New Hudson as the company started to drop the industry-renowned J.A.P. motors that had been used for some time. They started with their own 3½hp engine that had been developed behind the factory doors. New Hudson had at this point become a well-oiled, self-sufficient machine, and that year they released the 499cc 3½hp.
This fantastic old bike is believed to be a c.1913 New Hudson Model III B, a version of the 3½hp. It is an unrestored relic that carries the patina of over 112 years of use. The dinks and dents wander the mind to its past, and the untold adventures that it has endured – let alone seeing it through both world wars. It is in the hands of Trevor Dale, and as there is not much of a history attached to the machine, we thought it would be worth a look at the history and specification of the 3½hp New Hudson.
In 1913 New Hudson had three distinct machines in their sales brochure – the 2¾hp 292cc JAP, the 3½hp 482cc JAP, and the 3½hp 499cc New Hudson.
The New Hudson 3½hp was built to the tried-and-true formula of the day: an 85mm x 88mm bore and stroke, and in the brochure, it was reported that “every engine is thoroughly tested and guaranteed and made throughout in our own works”. It was a bold statement of independence from the factory.
The company described the Model III B in their catalogue as being “ideal for side car work and a perfect type of machine for mountainous or rough country. It has more power than any other Motor Cycles of equal engine capacity, while the immense advantages of the Armstrong 3-speed Gear and Free Engine Clutch give to this powerful machine that efficiency and reliability in which it excels, and admits of any speed from 5 to 50 miles per hour.”
The Model IIIB was available for £80.00 which included full equipment and the three-speed box (which we will come on to shortly). There was also a Model IIB which used the 3½hp but was specifically intended for sidecar work, and/or the “roughest colonial roads”. It was built like a brick turd house, with a reinforced frame, a larger fuel tank, and added crank clearance (over 5 inches) to deal with rutted and undulating tracks. New Hudson had proven the reliability of their machine when Graham Dixon used a 3½hp machine and became the first side-car outfit under 500cc to climb Sunrising Hill in competition, a performance repeated by Mr W. H. Egginton (a private owner) in the 1912 Open Reliability Trials.
The Model III B featured an impressive transmission setup with an Armstrong three-speed hub in the rear wheel, a feature that afforded the motorcycle more flexibility and performance. The move from single-speed, clutchless motorcycles was a revolution and made the whole experience more comfortable, more practical, and reduced the stress on the rider ten-fold. There was no need for a sprint start to fire the machine into life, and hills were now part of the scenery.
The process of moving through the gears also sounded a dream. In the brochure New Hudson reported “gear changing either up or down is perfectly easy at any engine or road wheel speed, without throttling down, lifting the exhaust valve, or de-clutching. Absolutely no skill is required, and the faster the gear changing lever is moved the better. This may seem too good to be true, but it is a positive fact, and, moreover, the gear changes are effected instantaneously and without the slightest noise or jar”. There is no wonder then, that when New Hudson released their models with the Armstrong setup, they were a popular choice for the discerning rider.
The three-speed hub enabled a range of capabilities in the machine, namely:
LOW GEAR: sufficiently low to enable machines to climb the steepest of hills, whilst for starting purposes in traffic or town riding it is invaluable.
MIDDLE GEAR: useful for general purposes, and will take ordinary hills without pedal assistance.
HIGH GEAR: enables riders to attain an extra 7 or 8 miles per hour on favourable roads, and prevents racing of the engine and consequent over-heating.
It was claimed that the Armstrong three-speed hub enabled a 3½hp engine to do the work of a 6hp!
The III B was never built to set records; it was more a solid utilitarian bike that suited the masses and would reach near to 50mph on a good day with the wind pointing in the right direction. “It is exceedingly comfortable to ride and easy to handle and control under all conditions. The reserve of engine power on the low gear is enormous, and enables the steepest hills to be climbed with ease and certainty at slow or fast speeds as desired”. The brochure was doing a top job of selling the bike!
The motor breathed though a Brown and Barlow carburettor – a popular choice in the early period, while sparks were the by-product of a Bosch magneto, highlighted in the catalogue as giving “spark at all speeds, under all conditions.”
This old survivor still shows the fittings that New Hudson advertised in 1914. The Druid-type girder forks were the latest addition at the time and were a major improvement on the bicycle-style forks that were seen on earlier machines. The catalogue pointed out “stability and ease of control unequalled in its class.” Additional fittings included aluminium footboards, nickel-plated levers, and an petrol tank that the company described as “finished to a high standard, ensuring lasting appearance and durability.”
The riders had to work for their money in those days: a hand pump on the tank delivered the oil direct to the crank (this demanded some concentration – enter a daydream and the bike would soon come to a grinding halt!), while handlebar levers controlled the ignition advance and throttle. The catalogue reminded owners that “lubrication is entirely under the rider’s control, a feature appreciated by experienced motorcyclists.” A reminder that when it all went wrong, it was nothing to do with New Hudson!
What makes this particular Model III B so special is not its specification sheet, but its survival. The tank still carries traces of the original paint beneath the rust, the nickel on the levers is rubbed smooth by a century of hands, and the belt pulley, neatly wound up on the rear carrier, shows the wear of years of road use.
It is a motorcycle that is not afraid to say that it has done its time. Few were built before the Great War redirected production, and fewer remain in this sort of untouched condition – it may not be a polished specimen, but it tells its story, in its own way, and that we love!
If you have any information specific to this machine, please get in touch so that we can pass it on to the owner Trevor.
an article byThe Girder Club
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