Hi can anyone help with any info on this frame number
Many thanks
John B

According to the factory ledgers, the bike with frame number WM20.43501 was despatched from the Birmingham factory on September 4th 1941. It was built under RAF contract C/9892, the initial destination was the RAF depot in Hartlebury.




C/9892 was a contract for 1.912 bikes (frame numbers 42116 - 42121 and 42201 - 44106). According to O&M these bikes were fitted with sidecar lugs. As with all RAF contracts, we can't calculate a census number.

These are some pictures of RAF BSA combinations, this is how your bike must have looked like during the war:

email (option): wd.register@gmail.com

Hi Jan,
Thanks for the info it s a great help, the bike isn't mine, just trying to help someone out, would there be any possibility of knowing when it came to of the army?

John B

Jan contract C9892 is listed in O&M as solos, hence this bike has no sidecar lugs. Ron

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

What exactly do you mean John? When it was demobbed? No idea... It is not in the KeyCards, so it wasn't used in the post war British Army. That's all we know I'm afraid.

email (option): wd.register@gmail.com

Hi Ron, O&M don't mention sidecar lugs for the 115 bikes of RAF contract C/9893 (priced at £49.12S). However, they do mention them for the 1.912 bikes of RAF contract C/9892 (priced at £51.9S 6d). Extra money for the lugs? Or the 18" rims and tyres?

email (option): wd.register@gmail.com

And yet, John's bike appears to be from that contract but clearly has no lugs.

It's listed in the frame number section as belonging to Steve Madden? Maybe it went through his hands some years ago?

Ron

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com