This rare machine examples a popular early 1920s trend when a collection of proprietary components were brought together to provide basic, reliable transport.
Words: JAMES ROBINSON Photographs: GARY CHAPMAN
In the early 1920s, it seemed there was a motorcycle maker for every letter of the alphabet – in fact, many more than one for the vast majority. Nor was it just every letter of the alphabet, pretty much every city and many larger towns had its very own constructor, too. Take this subject Warwick, a machine about which very little is known but, owing to its name, we can assume where it was built, or at least assembled – but we’ll come to that later.
When our own Richard Rosenthal compiled his Buyer’s Guide – which was later brought together to form a comprehensive reference book, published in 2012 – in the section he mentioned Warwick (number 109, Warwick-WFM), over three pages there was also mentioned ‘Watney,’ ‘Waverley;, Weaver’ and ‘Wee McGregor’ all of which were small manufacturers who operated in the 1921-25 period. And that was just the start of the Ws.
These makers all largely did the same thing, insomuch as they assembled components. Speaking of Waverley, Richard writes: “One of literally hundreds of makers and assemblers that tried to make a fortune as motorcycle manufacturers, using bought-in components including frame kits, fuel tanks and wheels.” Of Warwick he says: “Small volume maker that used proprietary parts, including 247cc Villiers Mk.VI or VII engines, Burman gearboxes and Druid front forks. Most were belt drivers and a single sports model was made with dropped handlebars, which survives today.” And, 15 years later, survive it still does, as that single sports model is the one featured here, which is now in the ownership of Richard’s son, Peter.
Now, regular readers and indeed autojumble-goers will know Peter’s name and face, and while he’s often kind enough to put his ‘stock’ motorcycles at our disposal, this one is, however, very much not for sale.
Looking at the Warwick, it bears more than a passing resemblance to a contemporary Sun – which is no surprise as, more than likely, that’s where the main frame components will have come from. Whether it would have been supplied as whole frame or as lugs and tubes to be brazed together is open to conjecture, but it is fairly safe to assume The Sun Cycle and Fittings Company, of Aston Brook Street, Birmingham, is from whence they originated. Founded by James Parkes in Victorian times, the Sun name was first used in 1885 and by the early 1900s, the firm was a well-established bicycle manufacturer of complete cycles and components, branching off into motorcycle making in 1911. A ‘small maker’ would bring together all of the parts and then put their own name on the petrol tank and, voila, they were a motorcycle manufacturer.
Often, these would-be motorcycle manufacturers were bicycle manufacturers – and it has been suggested that was what Warwick were. But research has led to finding no mention of a Warwick bicycle – but there was a ‘John Warrick Cycles,’ founded by a gunsmith in Reading. Though it clearly says ‘Warwick’ in the script on the petrol tank and in the paperwork, it wouldn’t be the first time that a name has been changed over the passage of time. That the motorcycle bears its original ‘NK’ registration number perhaps adds a little weight to this theory, being as NK is a Luton/Hertfordshire number, which is a lot closer to Reading then Warwick.
John Warrick used both the Warrick and Monarch brands for his bicycles, while Monarch was a name also applied to motorcycles too, twice in fact, once in 1912 and then again after the First World War, reputedly second time around as a ‘budget’ version of the Excelsior, made by the same Walker family that took over Bayliss, Thomas and Co, makers of Excelsior. This Monarch – made around 1919 to 1921 – would have been a similar machine to the one featured here, which all adds to the layers of confusion in trying to establish exactly who did what and when.
This is no mention of John Warrick making motorcycles under his own name, though the firm did apparently make tricycles and later motorised versions of the same, from its factory in Caversham Road, Reading. The army cycle corps and department stores were also supplied, which the firm kept going into the 1970s, having been taken over by John’s son, William. In the early 1920s, John Warrick certainly was involved in motorcycles, as a 1923 brochure for the Burney (the motorcycles made by Cecil and Alec Burney, originally involved with Blackburne) attests: “Manufactured in the works of Messrs John Warrick and Co Ltd, Reading, under the personal supervision of the designer.” It has been suggested that 50 Burneys were built during 1923/24, with their own/Warrick built engines, but there are no known survivors; indeed, the only Burney believed extant is the 680cc V-twin that was made circa 1927 and was the personal machine of Cecil for many years, including when he was involved in the formation of the Vintage Motor Cycle Club. Meanwhile, in Ken Hallworth and Roy Bacon’s excellent British Motorcycle Directory, it states: “Burney motorcycles were initially built in the John Warwick works in Reading, Berkshire.” Note the spelling. It’s easily done.
Now, this is all largely conjecture and proves nothing at all, just a series of coincidences, so let’s get back to what we do know, or have been told. Peter Rosenthal has no real history with the machine, other than what its previous owner Colin (we’ve chosen to not use his surname) had told him. Warwick made 12 ‘normal’ motorcycles and one ‘Sports’ model, the one featured here, which was distinguished as being ‘sporty’ by its down-turned handlebars. It came to Colin 59 years ago, in 1965, as a kit of parts, bought locally and subsequently put together to join several other restorations its owner was involved in at the time; a two-stroke ladies’ model Royal Enfield, a side-valve AJS and a veteran Triumph among them. Later, Colin was to acquire a V-twin Vindec Special, which featured in this magazine some 35 years ago.
The 1924 Warwick Sports boasts a Villiers Mk.VII two-stroke engine, its 67x70mm bore x stroke given a capacity of 247cc. Carburettor is a Birmingham-made Brown and Barlow. The power drives – via a chain primary drive – through a two-speed, hand-change Burman gearbox, with clutch. Final drive is by belt, while there’s a rear brake which operates on the belt rim too. Up front, there’s a stirrup, bicycle type brake, with Druid side-spring forks.
Peter has long lusted after it. “Colin lent it to me for the Banbury Run, the first time in 2004, then again in 2008. I always said I’d like to buy it, then he decided to sell it to me in the summer of 2023.
“It hadn’t been used for a while – though I think Colin took it to a rally in Belgium in about 2011 – but I had it up and running with no problem at all. Despite its [small] size, it doesn’t struggle for power at all. It’s really nice to ride and I want to do a few more outings on it this year.
“I like the condition of it. I literally just put a pair of tyres on it, a new primary chain and a new belt, then cleaned out the carburettor on it and away it went.” The tyres are Dunlop beaded edge, while the belt is a Brammer.
I asked Peter how the rides on it had come about. “I got to know Colin through the Anglian section of the VMCC and we became friends. I new he’d lent the Warwick to people before, so I asked if I could borrow it for Banbury. He just said: ‘Do what you like!’
“I really like it because it’s different – you’ll not run into another one!
“I’d always said to Colin if he wanted to sell it, I’d have it, and eventually he decided I could! I’m looking forward to using it, while a friend, who has also known Colin for years, has asked if he can borrow it too, which I’ll of course let him do. Dad [Richard] remembers it being lent to people as far back as the late 1970s, about the time I was born, so it has a long history of being lent out and of being ridden by different people.”
Now, I was to become the latest to have a turn in the sprung saddle of the neat little machine. First thing one notices is that, yes, it is little, though the seat is set quite high and I didn’t feel in any way cramped. It fires up readily, if a bit smokily, to start with, while Peter reckons it runs best with the air lever wide open – in fact, there’s a rubber band in place to hold it thus. With the air lever out of the way, there’s just the throttle lever and front brake for the right hand to contend with. There’s decompressor and clutch on the other side. The bars are slightly down-turned but in no way extreme, while the footboards mean one is able to find the best and most comfortable place to put one’s feet, rather than being dictated to by footpegs.
Setting off in first and it’s soon a change through to second, as gearing is pretty low. Once into top, the engine settles down and we’re happily buzzing up and down the road. Granted, it’s not fast and as with most motorcycles of this era, it feels much like an overgrown pushbike, but it’s a lovely little thing and I hope it gives Peter many happy miles and memories.
Peter’s wife Rowena has her lovely 350cc side-valve AJS (see our July 2023 issue) to put some miles on this year too, so the Warwick will have some company when it’s out and about, one suspects. Whoever made it, and wherever, it’s great that in its 100th year, it is still going strong.
