In 1894, Whitworth Cycle Company of Birmingham and Rudge Cycle Company of Coventry, both bicycle makers, formed Rudge Motorcycle Company.
In 1928 Graham Walker, father of Murray Walker, won the British Ulster Grand Prix, on a Rudge works 500cc, the first motorcycle known to win a sanctioned road race at an average speed in excess of 80mph.
Numerous wins followed and this racing success led to the introduction of the legendary ‘ULSTER’ cast bronze head sports model sold to the public, a production racer of sorts.
The 1937 ULSTER featured a 499cc single, four-valve engine, fed by a single Amal carburettor. It produced 26 horsepower and weighed 420 pounds. The four-valve engine really sets the Rudge apart. Not just because it delivers above-average power, but because it shows how bold and innovative the company was back in those olden days.
This Rudge ULSTER was delivered and registered to its first owner in the Isle of Man in 1937 with the registration number 439 UMN.
After that the story is relatively unknown until 1969 when it was given to a Mr Murray for his Museum on the Isle of Man. Thirty five years passed and when the Museum was closing its doors it was bought by the current owner who brought it back and registered it in the UK where it was supplied with the current reg no of 271 XUC.
Having sat for thirty-five years as a static display the bike went through a thorough re-commissioning which included a full engine rebuild from the crank up, testing the electrics and re-wiring as and where needed, replacing oil seals, fluids, brake shoes and generally ensuring that everything was working correctly.
The tank and side panels were repainted in the correct period and vintage way, as were the mudguards and other panels around the bike, and doesn’t that gold pin stripping really set off the bike’s classic look and lines.
Exhausts and various levers, brackets and fittings were re-chromed where appropriate, wheels and brakes were stripped down, cleaned and re-built, but everything was there, all the levers and parts were intact, they had all just needed a good renovation and keeping it as original as possible.
Once the restoration was finished the owner used it a little and entered it in a few classic bike shows and rallies where it often did very well .
In 2010 it had its last MOT, showing 14,007 miles, and it has since put on only 2,500 miles in the last 12 years, being mostly nicely garaged.
The V5 is present and correct and shows the re-registration in the UK in 2005 and only one previous owner.
The original 1937 Isle of Man log book is present, together with the original manuals and a service book , various show awards, and the paperwork relating to its registration in the Isle of Man by Mr Murray in 1970.
Take a look through all the photographs and enjoy the vision of this Grudge ULSTER, it does look great doesn’t it?
The beautiful sweeping classic lines of a bike from this era are nicely emphasized and highlighted by the clever use of the gold pinstripe which stands out vividly on the solid black paintwork.
The are a few rusting and bubbling paint surfaces here and there, and one of the side panels has some damage inflicted by a lever or a biker’s boot rubbing and yes there probably are a few things for a purist to find to still do to take it to an even higher level of perfection.
It’s nice to see the patina of age on various parts of motorcycles like these as it shows that they’ve lived a life and seen some, probably very scary, action in their lives.
Brakes, engine and electrics, for what they are, all function well, it has new tyres and all gauges and levers do the jobs that they are there for.
Mechanically the bike is road worthy and road legal. It started on the first kick after not being started for 3 years so it definitely is a good starter.
As it has sat now for a few years it will be worth giving it a good once-over before attempting any high-speed runs, but it idles nicely and rides easily and comfortably enough for a mid 30’s motorcycle.
The current owner is most certainly a very keen motorcycle enthusiast and so you can be assured that he has cared for this ULSTER very well indeed and is in an overall condition that will surely please the next lucky owner.
The Rudge goes like a really good 500 made two decades later, and the generously sized brakes are better than many offerings from even that period.
There are so many unique Rudge features that make this bike special too. There is the hand lever that that operates the center stand which allows you to park up properly without dismounting, the footbrake that operates the front and rear brakes together, and of course that first use of 4-valves per cylinder.
Dripping with legendary race victories and engineering firsts it is hard to say no to a nice Rudge ULSTER like this one.
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1937 Rudge Ulster 500cc
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