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Rubber Side Down - Motorcycles in American Culture

1952 Sunbeam S8
Courtesy Pat Holmes

ONE OF THE LAST OF ITS KIND

The Sunbeam was known as the "Gentleman's Motorcycle",
in part because of its quality and attention to detail.
Those attributes suffered as the company changed hands many times during the 1930's and 1940's.
Although the S8 was a major improvement over its predecessor the S7,
it was not enough to save the marquis.
Production of the Sumbeam motorcycles ceased in 1956.

The Sunbeam S8 used an air-cooled 4 valve single overhead cam tandem twin 487cc engine.