Friday 18 December 2009

O.K Supreme - HRD - Vincent, History Shyeet


O.K Supreme


These O.K Supreme bikes have been knocking around for yonks. As early as 1882
the company Humphries and Dawes Ltd had a shop in Birmingham producing bicycle parts under the Criterion
Trade mark. In 1906 they did a bit of motorcycle dabbling using an SOS engine which they manufactured
on behalf of the company Smith's O'Saltley.
They were involved in many things in the following years, including racing motorcycles in the isle of Mann TT's
and making bomb fuses during world war 1?(On Two Wheels vol 6)

The company Humphries and Dawes used a few different engines in there machines, F.E. Baker, ABC and NSU
graced the bike carcasses.

In 1926 the two (Humphries & Dawes) seperated. Charles Dawes Created Dawes Bicycles, which still operates
Today. Huphries did motorcycles.


Humphries had a bee in his bonnet about creating an O.K bike that was better than all previous efforts and branding it the O.K Supreme.
He shared a space with the Velocette lot for a bit and nocked up a mode using a JAP 350cc side valve motor.

This bit hails from the On Two Wheels Vol 6:-
Humphries did more than lure E J Massey from HRD. Late in 1927 he bought the moribund HRD company, and after selling of the remaining stocks of
Spares, raw materials and machine tools, ended a profitable deal by disposing of the HRD trademark to newcomer Phil Vincent.

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