War-time Sunbeam motorcycles

Sir,
I refer to the following item: “A 1916 Sunbeam motorcycle with a twin MAG engine, made for export to Russia, has turned up in the Midlands”, which you published in May.

This item interested me as I had a similar machine after the 1914/18 war and wondered if the machine referred to was the one I owned. The Reg. No. of mine was XD 2320.

On May 6th, 1920, I purchased from the Wandsworth Motor Exchange a 1915 3 1/2-h.p. single-cylinder Sunbeam which I believe had seen war service with the RNAS, possibly in Russia. It was in a very rough state, incomplete and a non-runner for which I paid £81. About the same time I purchased a new 1919 3 1/2-h.p. v-twin MAG engine at a cost of £30. I then removed the Sunbeam engine and had fitted the MAG engine. The Sunbeam “cush” drive and both chains running in oil, coupled up to a small twin engine made this a delightful mount.

About this time a Mr. Greening, who was with JAP of Tottenham, the motorcycle engine manufacturers, apparently had the same idea. In conjunction with the Sunbeam people he had fitted to one of their bikes a 3 1/2-h.p. v-twin JAP engine.

B.W. Cox.
Chelsea, SW3.