The James Cycle Company was a British firm that had a 70 year run that abruptly ended in 1966 when Japanese imports started to dominate the market. Until then, they produced plenty of bikes (most of which were painted maroon) with Villiers and AMC engines. One of their more popular models was the James Captain you see before you.
Using a Villiers 8E 197cc 2-stroke engine, and a 3-speed transmission, this was barely changed between ’54 and ’59. The ’56 model got a longer silencer and a little bit of extra weight. For all the information you could want about the “Famous James”, check out the James Motorcycle Website.
This specific James Captain is numbers matching and comes with aftermarket carb, new rubber, and a new chain. It’s been restored and is claimed to be in great condition for its age. You’ll also get a spare engine and carb – not bad.
Find this James Captain for sale here on ADVRider (registration required) in Ontario, Canada for $3,500.
Like many motorcycle manufacturers, James Cycle Co started with the production of bicycles. Over time they evolved into motorcycles, and their calling card was red/maroon paint. They typically utilized Villiers engines, though AMC bought them out in 1951 and eventually James started using AMC two-stroke motors instead. By '66, James…
ML stands for Military Lightweight, as this bike was originally designed to be utilized by airborne British and Canadian troops in WW2. A civilian version was offered between 1946 and 1948, after which the model was replaced by the James Comet. There's a folk tale about how the bike got…
Over at Iconic we're helping the Petersen Museum sell some of their collection - one of the bikes that will be finding a new home is a Famous James that's offered with no reserve! ML stands for Military Lightweight, as this bike was originally designed to be utilized by airborne…
