1955 Sunbeam 489cc S8
Registration no. RLT 255
Frame no. S8 8008
Engine no. S8 13239

A wartime design by Erling Poppe, the Sunbeam inline twin was introduced by BSA, owners of Sunbeam Cycles Limited, in 1947. A luxury tourer, it was of advanced specification with overhead-camshaft engine, shaft drive and plunger rear suspension. The clutch housing and four-speed gearbox bolted directly to the back of the engine, which was rubber-mounted in the duplex loop frame, an innovation that required a flexible joint in the exhaust system ahead of the silencer. The first S7 version was equipped with balloon tyres, a feature not carried over to the deliberately more conventional, and also lighter and cheaper, S8 introduced in 1949. The front fork and 7" brake were now standard BSA components, and there were numerous other changes made in the interests of rationalisation. Never as popular as BSA's more performance orientated models, the gentlemanly S7 and S8 remained in production until 1957. Kept unused in dry storage for several years, this S8 will require re-commissioning before returning to the road. Sold strictly as viewed, the machine comes with an old-style continuation logbook and is offered without reserve. An incomplete engine/gearbox and final drive is included in the sale.