With the world still in the grasp of the depression motorcycle manufacturers were doing anything to entice buyers to part with whatever hard earned cash they had on the latest motorcycles on offer. Douglas would have been no different and this is reflected in this jam packed edition. At 40 pages this catalogue was not of the highest quality that buyers had come to expect from Douglas brochures from the 1920s however it was still full of the latest offerings including 10 models like the A32 350sv lightweight, the F, K, and M OHV models and the H32, their 750cc model more than suitable for sidecar work. Interestingly Douglas were still advertising their DT5 and DT6 machines (dirt track models). In 1928 and 1929 they were the bike to have for speedway but by 1932 were being outclassed by other marques like BSA and Rudge and demand had dropped right away. And the SW5 and SW6 being advertised were just DT models fitted with a clutch and brakes, and still no kickstarter! Not an appropriate motorcycle to take the new girlfriend out on as pillion. Especially if she has to get off to help push start the bike. Not even Mrs McSnotty would do that.
A very handsome machine – the Douglas 750cc Passenger Combination
I have always regarded the Douglas as a handsome motorcycle. These models are no different and what makes the 1932 machines stand out from other manufacturers models is the smart Scottish tartan design on the chromium plated petrol tanks.
To increase the publics awareness of Douglas’ advancements in technology there is a section on Points in Design which includes a good diagram on their flywheel clutch, description on the lubrication systems, brake drums and a small piece on the hand starter fitted to the 600 sidecar models. A brief description and diagram on the iconic BTH Douglas pancake generator is also included.
Another addition to the brochure is the inclusion of Douglas’ petrol driven trucks that were proving very popular with a variety of companies throughout the United Kingdom choosing to use them..
To complement this there are also testimonials from many happy owners.
An excellent read it is a 9.9M PDF so you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view it.
Click on the front cover below to see the complete publication.
