Humber Motorcycles
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Humber Motorcycles
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1930 Humber 3.49 HP SV 349cc
Nov '02....I found this 1930 Humber, reg no. WD 1835, frame no. 12412. This has a saddle tank and is one of the last motorbikes made by Humber, in Coventry. ( They concentrated on cars after 1930. ) It came with a 1924 SV engine no. 6564. I would like to find a later engine, preferably an OHV. This bike was part of a bereavement sale in Coventry around 1983. There was also another Humber sold at this time, and I wonder if it had my 1930 engine in it.
I am well on with restoring this Humber. The wheels are sound and ready for painting, my friend Bob is rebuilding the SV engine, and the frame & tank will soon be painted. The tank transfers are a problem for 1930, but I think the tank painters can produce some on their computer. I might paint it in 1928 style with blue side panels. Much nicer than the later plain black tanks.
The 1930 Humbers differed from the 1929 range in several ways. The wheels & tyres were different. 21" up to 1929, 19" in 1930; the oil pump was a Pilgrim type, with integral sight glass, mounted on the timing cover. In previous years the sight glass had always been on the side of the petrol tank, used with Humber's own pump. Unusually Humber still used twin levers for the throttle and air on the 1930 SV bike, ( OHV & OHC now had a twistgrip ), and my bike has a twistgrip fitted.
Cosmetic changes saw shiny plated covers on the exposed valve gear on the SV & the OHV, and plated cambox on the OHC.
I guess that the decision to cease motorcycle production in 1930 must have been a sudden one, after these improvements to the range. Or perhaps these changes were a last ditch effort, but didn't lead to any increase in sales in difficult economic times.
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1927 Humber 3.49HP SV
I am looking after a 1927 Humber SV for my friend Mike Browning from Canada. This one has a flat tank. We rode it in Ireland in 2001 and I rode it many times in 2002 including the TT Rally in the Isle of Man and the VMCC Banbury Run.
Mike's bike is fairly original. The only major restoration was a repair and new paint on the petrol tank a few years ago. I am maintaining only as necessary, not restoring. New colletts and collar for the inlet valve to replace the ones lost in the Isle of Man. New piston rings, to replace the one I broke when fitting the valve colletts & decoking, and a new gudgeon pin to replace the loose one. I have also had all the levers and fork nuts nickel plated. Apart from that all he needs is a wipe with that oily rag.
Mike came over from Canada for 3 weeks in Sept '03 and we rode his Humber and Mike's 1929 Triumph many miles on VMCC events in Burton-on-Trent, Scarborough and Grantham. I altered the mag timing on the Humber by 1 tooth, and it is really running well now. I lost the float chamber cap off the original Brown & Barlow carb on a run in August and I have now fitted a brand new 276 Amal pre-monoblock. This seems to work fine.
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My Humber motor cycle projects
I also have the makings of a 1927/28 flat tank Humber, but I am missing hubs & forks. This frame no. 11988 is listed in the VMCC machine register as an OHC. Impossible because the OHC only used a different shape, lower slung saddle tank frame!
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Humber OCS
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Breaking news...Jan'03...I have just acquired a 1928 Humber 3.49hp OCS, which is what Humber called their OHC. It is in bits with plenty missing, (wheels again), and the frame needs some work; but the engine is complete and in good condition, and the frame number 11998 is correct for an OHC. I am now pushing ahead with the 1930 saddle tank restoration, as this is the correct type to put a 1928 OHC engine in, for the time being. The original frame can be sorted at my leisure, to be reunited with the cammy engine eventually.
Nov 03, Tank is painted, forks rebuilt, wheels & frame ready for painting. I have just finished restoring a 1946 Douglas for an old chap in the Isle of Man, (no spark yet!) and then I will be looking at the OHC engine.
Mar 04. OHC engine is nearly ready. Bob Rodgerson has made a new piston kit, and will soon be ready to re-assemble the bottom end with new bevel gears on the cam drive. Bob is also ordering a batch of Humber chain guards and silencers if anyone else needs any.
Humber 350 frame numbers.
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I am updating the list of Humber 350cc frame & engine numbers. E-mail me if you would like a copy.
Humber Flat Twin
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I have an early 20's Humber 4.1/2hp flat twin engine. I bought it with a view to swapping it for later Humber stuff, but I would be interested in buying a suitable frame & forks to go with it.
Dec 03, just acquired a 1911 Humber petrol tank, good condition, needs painting and appears to have had some sealer stuff poured in the bottom. Would swop for 350 Humber tank.
HUMBER 350 NEW SPARES available to order ........ Chain guards.
OHV/OHC silencers. OHC Bevel gears.
Might possibly be a small batch of Humber 350 rear hubs if there is any interest.
e-mail humber349@aol.com
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