The Big Car Database

New Hudson Motorcycles

New Hudson Motorcycles was a British motorcycle manufacturer.

Industry Manufacturing and engineering
Fate Taken over by BSA after the Second World War
Founded 1903
Defunct 1957
Headquarters Birmingham, UK

Key people

George Patterson
Products Motorcycles

Founded in 1903 by George Patterson in Birmingham, their first motorcycle was produced in 1902 but was unsuccessful. The New Hudson range expanded between 1910 and 1915 using JAP engines, then the factory joined the war effort until 1919. As well as side-valve and OHV single-cylinder engines of 350 to 600 cc, they also built a 211 cc two-stroke and a number of three-wheelers with MAG engines. In 1927 Bert le Vack broke the 100 miles per hour (160 km/h) record at Brooklands on a 500 cc New Hudson.

The firm stopped motorcycle production in 1932 and changed their name to Girling Ltd – which still exists as a brake-component company. Bikes were made under the New Hudson name after the Second World War, when they became a subsidiary of Birmingham Small Arms Company (BSA) and manufactured successful autocycles until 1957.

Models

Model Year Notes
293cc aiv 1911  
Model 3B 500cc 1912 31/2 HP single-cylinder engine
500cc 'Touring' 1914  
'Big Six' 1916  
220cc 1922 Two-stroke
500cc Type E 1924  
350cc 1926 Twin-port
346cc OHV 1927  
Brooklands 500cc 1929 MSO dry sump engine
596cc SV 1929  
350 SV 1931  
350 OHV 1931  
493 SV 1931  
350 OHV 'Tourist' 1932 Three-speed
493 OHV 1932  
550 SV 1932  
Bronze Wing 1933 500 cc
Autocycle 1940 Villiers JDL engine
Autocycle 1950 98 cc