James I17 125 ts 1937 Ultra lightweight

IN 1937, JAMES WAS DOING ALL RIGHT. THEY HAD been building bicycles, motorised bicycles and motorcycles since before 1902 and had a reputation for innovative designs, like the 'Safety', which had hub-centre steering and their own design of engine . They had to move to larger premises in Greet, just south of Small Heath, Birmingham and continued to grow.

James bikes were known for quality and in 1911 the company bought Osborn motorcycles, one of the first British small two-stroke manufacturers. But they were also designing and building SOOccV-twins like the Model 7 which later grew to a 750 and with a healthy, broad range, the company enjoyed a good period after the First World War.

In 1930, a short-lived manufacturer, Baker Motorcycles was bought, including the patent for their bolt-together, 'brazeless frame'. Along with the widely available, and more