By 1939 Rudge motorcycles were struggling and in fact had never really recovered from the depression years. Always an attractive motorcycle their racing heritage from the 1920s to early 1930s was impressive and nowadays ownership of such a motorcycle is up there with Norton Internationals, KTT Velocettes and BSA Gold Stars. Strange really especially after talking to an elderly motorcyclist years ago who said that he could remember Rudge motorcycles being sold on the footpath outside Briscoes in Auckland, and nobody wanted them! Even Grandpa McSnotty owned one. Not that he cared for it much, I found the gearbox being kicked around a paddock by cows in the late 1960s. However they were, and still are a impressive looking machine. I particularly like all the polished aluminium, especially the primary cover.
This catalogue is not of a particularly high quality, perhaps a reflection of Rudges financial situation, but does cover the 250 and 500 models including the Rapid and the Ulster as well as the Syston Sports and Bedford Sports Tourer sidecars. Unique qualities of the make would be the Rudge Coupled Brakes and the Rudge Handlift Stand that is fitted to the 500s. Sadly Rudge did not survive WW2.
Click on the front cover below to see the complete catalogue.
It is a 13 page 2.9M PDF so you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view it.
Click here to see a copy of the report on the Rudge stand at the 1933 Olympia Motorcycle Show held in November of that year.
