Once Britain's best known and longest-lived bicycle maker, Raleigh also manufactured motorcycles from circa 1902 to 1905, and again from 1919 to 1933. More recently, the Nottingham company offered a range of mopeds plus a scooter in the late 1950s/1960s.

This particular Raleigh is an example of the Model 21, a 500cc sidevalve that, like most of the range, would receive a new saddle-style fuel tank for 1928. Purchased circa 1962 by the immediately preceding owner - Mr Alexander Little, father of the current vendor - the machine had spent the preceding 35 years of its life in storage at a motorcycle dealership in Liverpool and had never been registered for the road. A newspaper cutting on file recounts the story of its discovery and states that the delighted owner was looking forward to riding the Raleigh at the VMCC's Banbury Run and Buxton events. Last taxed for the road up to 31st October 1982, since when it has been kept in storage, 'VJA 283' is described by the vendor as in generally good condition and offered with its original old-style logbook and Swansea V5C registration document. Careful re-commissioning and the customary safety checks are advised before returning it to the road.