The Sun Cycle & Fittings Co. Ltd. was an English manufacturer of

motorcycle A motorcycle (motorbike, bike, or trike (if three-wheeled)) is a two or three-wheeled motor vehicle steered by a handlebar. Motorcycle design varies greatly to suit a range of different purposes: long-distance travel, commuting, cruising ...

moped A moped ( ) is a type of small motorcycle, generally having a less stringent licensing requirement than full motorcycles or automobiles. The term used to mean a similar vehicle except with both bicycle pedals and a motorcycle engine. Mopeds typ ...

s and bicycles. The company was based in Aston,

Birmingham Birmingham ( ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands (county), West Midlands in England. It is the second-largest city in the United Kingdom with a population of 1. ...

. The company was founded as James Parkes & Son, a brass foundry producing lamp fittings and various other products. In 1885 the company started to manufacture frames and fittings for the bicycle trade. In 1897, the company became The Sun Cycle & Fittings Company Limited, and around the same time began making its own bicycles. The first Sun motorcycle was produced in 1911. In the period before WW1 they used F.E. Baker Ltd 'Precision' engines. The company was taken over by

Tube Investments TI Group plc (formerly "Tube Investments") was a holding company for specialised engineering companies. It was based in Abingdon, Oxfordshire. It was registered as ''Tube Investments'' in 1919, combining the seamless steel tube businesses of Tu ...

in 1958, and in 1961 the factory was closed and production moved to the Raleigh factory at

Nottingham Nottingham ( , locally ) is a city and unitary authority area in Nottinghamshire, East Midlands, England. It is located north-west of London, south-east of Sheffield and north-east of Birmingham. Nottingham has links to the legend of Robi ...

. The 'Sun' name was for some time used to badge Raleigh cycles that had been returned to the factory for rectification work.

References

Company history
(archived)

External links

Company information

Defunct motorcycle manufacturers of the United Kingdom Defunct cycle manufacturers of the United Kingdom Defunct companies based in Birmingham, West Midlands Defunct motor vehicle manufacturers of England Vehicle manufacturing companies established in 1885 Vehicle manufacturing companies disestablished in 1961 1885 establishments in England 1961 disestablishments in England British companies disestablished in 1961 British companies established in 1885 {{cycle-manufacturer-stub