And a Movie!!
For 1915 Rover were producing a 499cc single cylinder engine of their own design, with a belt drive to a 3 speed Sturmey Archer rear hub. Simple design, with reliability, what more could a customer want. The leaflet has an impressive illustration of the motorcycle and sidecar, as well as the standard specification page should the customer want to know more about the Rover. Should they require a sidecar there was both a coach built body or a basket (woven) available. The basket was advertised as being made from ‘extra tough sea-grass’.
Rovers production of their single cylinder also included motorcycles made for the British and Russian military during WW1. Sadly their motorcycle production ceased in 1927.
Perhaps the delightful segment of this Rover editorial would be the following link to a You Tube video of the manufacture of the Rover Imperial motorcycle from original factory archives. Starting from casting of the cylinder barrel, right through to final assembly it is a great piece of film photography.
The road testing of the motorcycles, including jumps (the testing of the suspension?) and speed tests are impressive. Watching to the end does leave one wondering back then that motorcycles would be causing an annoyance to other road users. I wonder what the poor lady cyclist thought about the 2 Rover riders speeding past in the opposite direction blinding her with dust. No doubt a quill pen was put to parchment and her concerns would have been dispatched to the factory management by the afternoon post. Have a look – it is a great piece of motorcycle film history – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6m8PmMQK76s
Click on the front cover below to see what Rover offered.
It is a 2M PDF.
If you are curious about Rover motorcycles there is a bit more history here, courtesy of cybermotorcycle.com