Beschreibung:

Bristol-based Douglas commenced motorcycle production in 1907 with a machine powered by a horizontally opposed twin. Fore-and-aft installation made for a slim machine with a low centre of gravity, virtues that were soon demonstrated in competition, Douglas machines taking 1st, 2nd and 4th places in the 1912 Isle of Man Junior TT. When speedway racing arrived in Britain in 1928, the new sport quickly caught the public's imagination and before long almost all major UK manufacturers listed a dirt-track model, Douglas being the first marque to establish dominance with its 500cc DT5 and 600cc DT6 overhead-valve models. The company's inline flat twins had benefited from much prior development on the Australian long tracks, but as shorter tracks became the norm in the UK, the DT's otherwise excellent handling could no longer compensate for the handicap of a longish wheelbase. Nevertheless, away from the speedway tracks, the DT in its less specialised 'SW' form proved a most competitive mount. 'For general racing work, the SW versions were also available at the same prices. These models differed only in the provision of brakes for both wheels, full mudguards, a silencer, a near side footrest and a flywheel clutch. They were eminently suited for sand or grass, as the ever-mounting list of racing successes showed. The additional equipment enabled them to be ridden to meetings without infringing the Road Traffic Acts.' - Jeff Clew, The Douglas Motorcycle. Acquired by the current owner in 1996, this rare overhead-valve Douglas has been used regularly at VMCC events and parades, including the Banbury Run, both in England and the Isle of Man since its restoration in 1997. The machine is offered with dating certificate, old-style logbook, current MoT to February 2012, tax (free) and Swansea V5 registration document.