1918 Douglas 4hp
Registration no. not registered
Frame no. 7945
Engine no. 6955

The Bristol-based Douglas Foundry took up motorcycle production in 1907 with a machine powered by a horizontally-opposed twin, and the company would keep faith with this engine layout until it ceased motorcycle production in 1957. Fore-and-aft installation made for a slim machine with a low centre of gravity, and the design's virtues were soon demonstrated in competition, Douglas machines taking first, second, and fourth places in the 1912 Junior TT in the Isle of Man. Douglas were quick to realise the advantages of the countershaft gearbox, its three-speed entries gaining the Team Prize in the 1914 Six Days Trial, a conspicuous success which resulted in the firm obtaining a wartime contract for the supply of machines for military use. Among the latter was the 4hp model, which was intended primarily for sidecar pulling. First introduced in 1915, this sidevalve-engined machine employed over-square bore/stroke dimensions of 74.5mm x 68mm for a capacity of 593cc, and like its smaller siblings used the new three-speed gearbox. Re-designated 'B-20' soon after The Great War, the 4hp Douglas cost £110 as a solo, with the optional sidecar an extra £35. There are no documents with this incomplete 4hp Douglas, which is offered for restoration. This machine is listed in the Douglas Register with registration number 'EE 79'.