You were asking

Roe motorcycle

I’ve been advised to contact you as I’m trying to find information for a Roe motorcycle I purchased a little while ago. It was first registered to Robert Corteen in the Isle of Man. I haven’t been able to find any pictures or references relating to any other surviving Roe motorcycles and all sources I’ve tried to date haven’t been able to help.

Simon Butler, via email.

As you know Simon, none of the recognised motorcycle encyclopaedias list the Roe motorcycle, nor is one listed in any of the period Buyer’s Guides published in the later veteran to early vintage period.

The subject Roe’s frame was made using either a frame lug kit of a complete frame kit, which is likely to have been supplied c1914-1922 by Sun Cycle and Fittings. The tank is of a type fitted to Federal, Federation, Connaught, New Knight and other motorcycles, while the seat and mudguards are also proprietary parts. All makers of these parts (and also magnetos, engines, gearboxes etc) would supply in even quite small volumes to tiny motorcycle makers. In effect, if you had the money to buy these parts, they were sold to you. And either directly from the makers or through factors you could also buy the parts individually to build a single motorcycle if you wished to follow this route. The motorcycle weeklies often carried reports or readers’ letters detailing their latest