JAMES Motorcycle PDF Manuals

Above on the page there are several PDF Manuals, Electric Wiring Diagrams & Spare Parts Catalogs for JAMES Motorcycles.

James is one of dozens of motorcycle companies in Britain in the early 20th century.

At that time, in every developed country of the world there were more than a dozen motorcycle companies.

It is explained simply. All of these firms were bicycle manufacturers.

When internal combustion engines appeared, they began to install them on their bicycles.

At first it was difficult to distinguish a motorcycle from a bicycle. But gradually motorcycles took shape.

James produced its first motorcycle in 1902.

Having made good money on the supply of motorcycles and bicycles to the British army, and James motorcycles were also supplied to the Belgian and Russian armies, this company from Birmingham occupied a good position in the market by the beginning of the twenties.

James motorcycles were mostly single-cylinder, 350 and 500 cc.

In 1923, the company swung at the segment of heavy motorcycles.

The James De Luxes 750 went into the series. A motorcycle with a 750 cc V-twin, 10 hp. was considered the top and most expensive model of the company, positioned as a tourist, pleasure motorcycle.

At that time, V-twin motorcycles were considered purely touring.

Single-cylinder motorcycles were considered sports, singles were more powerful, they reached the peak of power faster, this was the specificity of the then technologies. And so it will be until the mid-fifties.

In the meantime, the choice of motorcycle lovers is not great. Either single or V-twin. By the end of the twenties, there will be more choices.

Parallel twins will appear, James will be one of the first to release a motorcycle with such an engine.

Almost half of the heavy motorcycles of that time were equipped with sidecars, this also applied to the James De Luxes 750.

Correctly, an Anglican motorcycle with a sidecar is called a sidecar.

The popularity of such a vehicle is explained not only by its cheapness compared to a car.

The James De Luxes 750 alone cost £80, with a sidecar around £200, depending on the price of the sidecar, bought from third parties to your liking.

The popularity of the sidecar was largely determined by the quality of the roads of that time.

There were enough dirt, potholes and pits on the roads of Europe at that time, the era of autobahns and highways was just beginning, where cars got stuck, and at that time they did not differ in light weight, sidecar easily passed.

If they got stuck, they could be pushed out on their hands, such a trick did not work with a car, together, especially alone, then the car could not be pushed out.

Sidecars were also easy to handle, and you can often see women driving motorcycles of that time.