Featured Pages "I wants to make yer flesh creep" Some Gruesome Relics of Bygone Days seen by the Motor Cyclist on Tour
Wayside GibbetsThe Mother of Invention "I recommend that you maintain the business connection with Daimler. His invention is entirely trustworthy, and it will have a future, the magnitude of which we cannot begin to imagine today."
Levassor, Panhard and the woman who brought it all together - Louise SarazinHawker Motorcycles An obscure marque built by an Australian. He is the Hawker of Hurricane and Harrier fame.
Harry Hawker
A fines de 1913, y siguiendo la tendencia en motores de cuatro tiempos refrigerados por agua iniciada por Green-Precision y Williamson, Humber presenta en el Olympia Show su modelo 3 ½ HP monocilíndrico. La pionera fábrica de Coventry pretendía ofrecer una máquina liviana para el uso con sidecar teniendo en cuenta las ventajas de la refrigeración por agua cuando se trabajaba a bajas r.p.m. y se arrastraba un peso adicional.
Para la temporada de 1914 el catálogo de Humber incluía el modelo 2 HP (199 cc), el modelo 2 ¾ HP V-twin TT (350 cc) y dos modelos 3½ HP (499 cc ), uno refrigerado por aire y otro por agua con mayor compresión.
En este ultimo, los radiadores tipo “panal de abejas” eran bien proporcionados y estaban ubicados en forma transversal a cada lado del tanque de combustible, actuando por el principio de termosifón. Los modelos de Humber tenían como estándar engranajes de tres velocidades Sturmey-Archer con embrague operado al pie, carburador Brown & Barlow y horquillas Druids.
El modelo 3 ½ HP refrigerado por agua se fabricó solo esa temporada, por lo que es muy poco común ver algún ejemplar sobreviviente.
Para el año siguiente, Humber presentó un nuevo modelo 6 HP bicilíndrico a 180° longitudinal y refrigerado por agua que estaba destinado como una máquina de sidecar y fue la primera Humber con una caja de cambios de tres velocidades (diseñada y fabricada por la propia Humber). El embrague era multidiscos accionado con el pie y la transmision era por cadena totalmente encerrada. La lubricación era Best y Lloyd por goteo, el magneto C.A.V. y el carburador Claudel Hobson.
Con un diámetro x carrera de 78 x 78 mm (750 cc) y un gran volante externo, el motor tenía la particularidad de tener las válvulas y sus asientos en carcazas desmontables, lo que permitía fácilmente su mantenimiento. Los últimos modelos salieron de fábrica a mediados de 1917.
Durante la Primer Guerra Mundial, el esfuerzo principal de Humber se concentró en la fabricación de conjuntos con sidecars, por lo que la producción civil fue escasa. Finalizada la contienda, las malas condiciones económicas hicieron que los lujosos modelos refrigerados por agua dejaran de ser ofrecidos al mercado.
Water-cooled Humber Motorcycles (1914-1918)
At the end of 1913, following the trend in four-stroke water cooled engines initiated by Green-Precision and Williamson, Humber presented at the Olympia Show their 3 ½ hp model single. The pioneer factory of Coventry intended to provide a light machine for use with sidecars, bearing in mind the advantages of water cooling when working at low rpm and pulling a fair load.
For the 1914 season the Humber catalogue included the 199cc 2 hp model, the 2 ¾ hp V-twin TT model (350 cc) and two 3½ hp 499cc models, one air-cooled and the other water-cooled with a higher compression ratio.
In this last, honeycomb-style radiators were well balanced and they were located on each side of the fuel tank. These motorcycles had as standard three speed Sturmey-Archer gearboxes with foot-operated clutch, Brown & Barlow carburettor and Druid forks.
The 3 ½ hp water cooled model machines were made only that season, so it is very rare to see a survivor.
In 1915 Humber introduced a 6 HP watercooled 180° longitudinal HO twin which was intended for sidecar use and was their first with a countershaft three speed gearbox, designed and manufactured in-house. The clutch was multi-disc with foot change and the primary transmission chain was totally enclosed. Lubrication drip feed was by Best and Lloyd, it had a C.A.V magneto and the carburettor was from Claudel Hobson.
Horizontally Opposed Twin
Examples include BMW, Zundapp and Douglas HO Twins have conrods running on a common crank, with one on the exhaust stroke and the other on inlet.
It had a bore & stroke of 78 x 78 mm (745cc) and a large flywheel, and the valves and their seats were quickly removable allowing for easy maintenance. The last of these models left the factory in mid-1917, but some may have been sold as 1918 models.
During the first world war, Humber focused on the manufacture of military sidecar combinations, and there was scant civilian production. Post-war, the luxurious water-cooled models were no longer offered due to poor economic conditions.
