Hi All

My local library has kindly found me a copy of British Forces Motorcycles and it lists a few details at the back about the batch that my dear old WM20 was in.
It lists the WD Serial No. Allocation 5545518-5557517 (mine being 5551417), the Contract No. S5209, Cat Ref 36, Frame No. WM20 104818-116817, Quantity Produced 12000, Dates 2/12/43 - 28/7/45 and Price £64.10s.6d

Is it possible to trace any further history from the batch Contract Number or Cat Ref?

email (option): lee@twowheelstested.co.uk

with the price of petrol it will not be long before it will cost the same as the sale price to fill the tank up

Regrettably Lee, the basic contract information brings us no closer to any service history beyond that it was delivered to Royal Ordnance, Chilwell for further allocation.

Deliveries were scheduled for 2000 per month commencing July 1944 and this contract was fitted with 3.25x19 tyres.

The 'Catalogue Ref' is simply a consecutive number allocated to each manufacturer and probably served rather as a check digit in case a mistake was made with the contract number when ordering spares etc.

It's a bit more info that I didn't have (Chilwell delivery, tyres) so thanks Rik, it's much appreciated.

email (option): lee@twowheelstested.co.uk

Hello Lee,

These are sister bikes of your motorcycle:





You could also check the key cards and see what happened with your bike post war...

Cheers,
Jan

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

Thanks for the photos, Jan.

Below is a link to a key card for my WM20 (5551417) and if you can shed a some light on it's past I'd be grateful - I'm no expert on the abreviations used!

http://i1184.photobucket.com/albums/z335/ktm_nut/NewImage.jpg

email (option): lee@twowheelstested.co.uk

Strange positioning of the clutch levers on most of the bikes in the second photo..I wonder what that's about?...Ian

email (option): ian@wright52.plus.com

Hi Lee,

The post war Army registration number of your motorcycle was 35 YD 77. This reg nr replaced the old census number. Engine number is "NA", which means Not Available... And your BSA spent its post war years in the BAOR, or British Army Of the Rhine.

Here are some pictures of BSA motorcycles with a YD registration:











Cheers,
Jan

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

Hi Lee,

The post war Army registration number of your motorcycle was 35 YD 77. This reg nr replaced the old census number. Engine number is "NA", which means Not Available... And your BSA spent its post war years in the BAOR, or British Army Of the Rhine.

Here are some pictures of BSA motorcycles with a YD registration:











Cheers,
Jan

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

i was wondering whether there was any sequence in these registrating number ie does the first number or second number mean the date it was registered or the depot it was in when allocated to the bike like a civilian registration number

My keycard has a date of "C59" - is that simply 3rd 1/4 in 1959 or would that signify something else? Below is a link to the keycard.

http://i1184.photobucket.com/albums/z335/ktm_nut/NewImage.jpg

Ta.

email (option): lee@twowheelstested.co.uk