Description
This motorcycle is Lot 216 to be auctioned by Bonhams at The Autumn Stafford Sale (The Classic Motorcycle Mechanics Show) on 12 & 13 October, please see the Bonhams website for full details.
Auction Timings:
Lots 1 - 176 are to be sold from 11:00 on Saturday 12th October 2024.
Lots 201 - 429 are to be sold from 11:00 on Sunday 13th October 2024.
Public Viewing:
Available 12th & 13th October 2024 from 09:00 until 17:00, at The Stafford County Showground (The Classic Motorcycle Mechanics Show).
Lot 216
From the estate of the late Dave Benson
1931 Francis-Barnett 196cc Falcon Model 31
Registration no. Unregistered (see text)
Frame no. C26318
Engine no. KZS3667
Founded by Gordon Francis and Arthur Barnett, Francis-Barnett set up shop in the old Excelsior works in Coventry in 1919. The downturn in the motorcycle market in the early 1920s prompted F-B to switch from producing expensive, high quality machines to the more utilitarian. First seen in 1923, the first of these was the triangulated, pin-jointed, straight-tube frame models whose novel method of construction gave rise to the 'Built Like A Bridge' advertising slogan. To publicise its new models, F-B turned to racer Tommy Meeten, founder of the British Two-Stroke Club. For Meeten's Brooklands campaign a machine was constructed using Villiers' recently announced 172cc Sports engine. Villiers was much more actively involved with the production of sports and racing engines in the between-the-wars years than they would be after WW2, and the Sports was the first of a family of 172cc and 196cc high-performance engines. Riding the special Francis-Barnetts, Meeten set several speed records for the '175' class and won numerous races at Brooklands. Capitalising on his successes, Villiers introduced further evolutions of the Sports engine in the form of the Brooklands and Super Sports TT units.
Unfortunately, little is known about this rare Super Sports-engined Francis-Barnett Falcon Model 31. Despite displaying the registration 'KJ 331' (which appears on the HPI database) neither the frame or engine numbers correlate with the VRN, hence it is offered unregistered. The machine is offered with a selection of photographs and some other material.
All lots are sold 'as is/ where is' and Bidders must satisfy themselves as to the provenance, condition, age, completeness and originality prior to bidding. Visit the Bonhams Motorcycles website for all pertinent auction information.
