Royal Enfield Crusader Sports

Extreme difficulties were being experienced in the late 1950`s and early 1960`s with the British motorcycle industry being seriously disadvantaged by Japanese motorcycle manufacturers . Royal Enfield were not alone in seeking an answer to the challenge set by the Japanese motorcycle imports and were determined improve the performance of their models. Roland Cross founder and Managing Director of Cross Manufacturing Company (1938) Ltd. based in Bath was an acknowledged internal combustion engine authority, not least for his Cross Rotary Valve engines used for motorcycles and cars from the early 1920`s. Roland, a member of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers and former Chairman of the Automobile Division was closely acquainted with another member Tony Wilson-Jones the Chief Engineer at Royal Enfield Motorcycles. In 1959 Tony Wilson-Jones approached Roland Cross to ask if he could design an engine system or modification that would improve the performance of their (Royal Enfield) engines. Cross had as early as three decades previously used aluminium liner-less cylinders barrels and special high carbon piston rings of his design and manufacture for his powerful rotary valve engines. He decided to design and employ something similar for the Royal Enfield project. This 250cc Crusader Sports is one of several used by the company as a road test motorcycle during the project and the success of the Roland Cross design is immediately evident. With an aluminium liner-less cylinder barrel, special piston and piston rings a maximum recorded top speed of 93 mph was achieved compared to 78 mph for an `off the shelf` model. The Crusader is in original condition, unrestored having covered a considerable `hard ridden` test mileage. From the Cross Manufacturing Company museum and exhibited by kind permission of Richard and Edward Cross.