1905 Riley 9 HP V-Twin

In 1899, the first Riley’s powered by an internal combustion engine were shown. They were a Quadricycle, and a Tricycle, both called 'Royal Riley’s'. Then in 1905, a 'proper' 4-wheeled Riley was developed and went into production. The Car was a light 2-seater, using the V-twin engine and available with an optional hood. Throughout 1906 and 1907, the cars were successful in many of the events (mainly hill climbs) they entered, winning a large number of them outright, although mainly due to handicapping procedures. A significant development that Riley used on these cars was the patented detachable wheel, which meant that the puncture didn't have to be repaired in-situ; the wheel could simply be replaced. During this period, the success of the cars led the Riley Cycle Company to cease production of bicycles by 1911. However, before this, in late 1907, Riley had decided that a larger car was necessary. The early Riley 9hp V Twins are exceedingly rare and only three are known to survive worldwide - one is in the Gaydon Motor Museum, another is in private hands and the third one, chassis number 740 like this car.

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