Lot 174: c.1948 Brockhouse Corgi 98cc

A development of the wartime Welbike, a small ‘fold-away’ lightweight motorcycle designed for dropping by parachute, the Corgi appeared in 1948. Manufactured by Brockhouse Engineering of Southport, it was powered by a built-under-license Excelsior Spryt 98cc two-stroke single. The ‘monkey bike’ of its day, the Corgi carried its horizontal engine in a low-slung tubular frame on top of which sat the fuel tank. The saddle was mounted bicycle-fashion on a tubular seat post and the handlebars could be folded down flat. The wheels carried 12.5”-diameter tyres and there was no kick-starter on early models. A kick-starter and dog clutch were soon introduced and then in 1949 a two-speed gearbox and telescopic forks became available as options. The two-speed model lasted until 1954. Finished in military green, this example is offered with Swansea V5C registration document.