DOUGLAS
DOUGLAS
Bristol’s finest, Douglas existed on the fringes of UK manufacturing and built some fascinating motorcycles. Its prewar flat twins were the bikes to beat in road racing, sprinting, and speedway, as well as being respected roadsters. BMW reverse-engineered a Douglas engine to create its first motorcycle engine. Postwar, Douglas turned the engine through 90˚ so they looked like tiny BMW twins, but used chain drives rather than a shaft and experimented with off-the-wall suspension systems. The company eventually started importing and building Vespa scooters under licence.
Dragonfly
348cc ohv flat twin || 395Ib || 55mpg || 75mph || 1954-57
A curiously stylish touring 350 twin, the Dragonfly featured Earles forks and a faired headlamp/petrol tank, as well as conventional rear suspension rather than torsion bar set up. An involving, unusual machine with a rev-happy engine providing passable performance and with excellent steering, but with dire brakes and limited specialist support.
Prices: low £4000 || high £5000
Mark Series
348cc ohv flat twin || 340Ib || 65mpg || 75mph || 1949-51
These smart little twins are hard to find for sale and rarely seen on the road. The engineering is remarkably innovative, with their own take on suspension at both ends, using torsion bars in the forks and in the lower frame tubes. The drive to the rear is by chain, despite the BMW-style flat twin layout. Fine handling for their day, they can be a little fragile in the power dept. The engines are sweet, smooth, and gentle. The initial T35 model had a few teething troubles. The Mk3 Sports is the acknowledged one to have; 80-Plus and 90-Plus sporting versions are faster and boast better brakes.
Prices: low £3500 || high £6500
FRANCIS-BARNETT
As well as beefy four-strokes, AMC owned Francis-Barnett, which post-war produced lightweight models. They were fitted with Villiers engines originally, but after a falling-out with Villiers, Francis-Barnetts were fitted with Italian-designed, British-built Piatti engines, though they were not as good as the Villiers. There were many, many different models, most are fairly similar. The bigger Francis-Barnetts are quite charming motorcycles and at the same time relatively cheap, as long as you don’t plan on getting anywhere fast. Parts for the Piatti models are a challenge to get hold of,
