1957 Douglas Dragonfly, 350 cc. Registration number TYP 218....
1957 Douglas Dragonfly, 350 cc. Registration number TYP 218. Frame number 1541/6. Engine number 1541/6.
Sold with the V5C, V5, V.E.60 and various paperwork.
The Dragonfly was the last motorcycle produced by the company, the 1955 Dragonfly was an all-new motorcycle built to use an improved version of an existing engine. Despite its riding comfort, which was "equal to a car's", it did not sell well, and only 1,457 Dragonfly motorcycles were produced before the company was taken over and production ended in 1957.
It was based on the Mark V Douglas and aiming to overcome the outdated image, designers were commissioned from the Reynolds Tube Company to develop a completely new open duplex frame of welded tubing, including a swinging arm with twin Girling dampers with leading link front suspension.
As well as suffering from production delays, the Dragonfly was bigger and heavier than its predecessors and its raw power was too difficult to handle for most riders, Douglas decided to concentrate on importing Vespa scooters which were increasing in popularity.
By 1968 TYP was with Paul Sims in Southampton, then Mark Spade and probably his son Christopher. In 2005 rebuilt the engine with new piston rings. In 2018 he managed to resurrect the registration from DVLA selling it to our vendor in 2021. Little used it will require recommissioning.
1957 Douglas Dragonfly, 350 cc. Registration number TYP 218. Frame number 1541/6. Engine number 1541/6.
Sold with the V5C, V5, V.E.60 and various paperwork.
The Dragonfly was the last motorcycle produced by the company, the 1955 Dragonfly was an all-new motorcycle built to use an improved version of an existing engine. Despite its riding comfort, which was "equal to a car's", it did not sell well, and only 1,457 Dragonfly motorcycles were produced before the company was taken over and production ended in 1957.
It was based on the Mark V Douglas and aiming to overcome the outdated image, designers were commissioned from the Reynolds Tube Company to develop a completely new open duplex frame of welded tubing, including a swinging arm with twin Girling dampers with leading link front suspension.
As well as suffering from production delays, the Dragonfly was bigger and heavier than its predecessors and its raw power was too difficult to handle for most riders, Douglas decided to concentrate on importing Vespa scooters which were increasing in popularity.
By 1968 TYP was with Paul Sims in Southampton, then Mark Spade and probably his son Christopher. In 2005 rebuilt the engine with new piston rings. In 2018 he managed to resurrect the registration from DVLA selling it to our vendor in 2021. Little used it will require recommissioning.
