1897 Humber Coventry Light Roadster

 

Humber’s 1897 merger with the French companies Clement, Gladiator, De Dion Bouton and Metropole turned the company into an even larger international concern, and gave them a foothold in the emerging motorcycle and automobile industries. They had factories at Beeston, Wolverhampton and Coventry.

Coventry machines were the company’s cheaper models, built to cater for customers who did not require the latest Humber features such as duplex front forks and twin chainstays that were used on the Beeston models. Despite more competitive prices, Humber’s Coventry models were as good as any bicycle on the market, and were sold in large quantities at home and abroad.

I’ve determined the model from the 1898 Humber catalogue description, which says that the Coventry ‘Light Roadster’ had 1 1/2″ wheels (while the ‘Model A Roadster’ had 1 3/4″). This example is an excellent original survivor, and ready to jump on and ride.

1897 Humber Coventry Light Roadster

24″ Frame

28″ Wheels

 

 

 

 

 

1898 HUMBER CATALOGUES EXTRACTS