Grace's Guide To British Industrial History

Registered UK Charity (No. 115342)

Grace's Guide is the leading source of historical information on industry and manufacturing in Britain. This web publication contains 162,257 pages of information and 244,498 images on early companies, their products and the people who designed and built them.

Grace's Guide is the leading source of historical information on industry and manufacturing in Britain. This web publication contains 147,919 pages of information and 233,587 images on early companies, their products and the people who designed and built them.

DKR Scooters

From Graces Guide
September 1957. Dove.
October 1957.
1962.

DKR was a scooter produced in Wolverhampton from 1957 to 1966. DKR was formed in 1957, by Barry Day and Noah Robinson, who were directors of the Willenhall Motor Radiator Co, and industrialist Cyril Kieft, who also built racing cars. The company was run from premises at Pendeford Airport.

  • 1957 The first model was launched, in July, as the Dove. The machine was stylish, if somewhat weighty, and was fitted with a 147cc Villiers 30C engine, fan cooling and a three-speed gearbox.
  • 1958 The Dove was joined by the 148cc 31C engine Pegasus and the 197cc 9E engine Defiant. All were fitted with the same chassis and body. The Defiant was powered by a 197cc, blower-cooled, single-cylinder, two-stroke Villiers engine. It had a Siba Dynastart electric starter, which ensured first time starting, a four-speed gearbox, and a Villiers carburettor. Its maximum speed was 60mph and the petrol consumption was 90mpg at 30mph The machine sold for £189.15s.5d. The Pegasus sold for £177.11s.11d.
  • 1959 The Manx appeared, with a 249cc 2T twin engine.
  • 1960 Saw the 148cc Dove II and the 174cc 2L engine Pegasus II.
  • 1961 Most of the previous models were replaced by the new Capella range, which had new styling and new bodywork. Villiers engines were used - the 148cc 31C, 174cc 2L and the 197cc 9E - and there was also the option of standard and de luxe models. The Capella Standard sold for £152.13s.6d. For the De Luxe models, the 173cc version was priced at £166.10s.10d. and the 200cc version was priced at £173.13s.10d. These models continued for the next five years.
  • 1966 Production ceased due to falling sales and increased foreign competition.


See Also

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Sources of Information

  • The British Motorcycle Directory - Over 1,100 Marques from 1888 - by Roy Bacon and Ken Hallworth. Pub: The Crowood Press 2004 ISBN 1 86126 674 X
  • [1] Wolverhampton Heritage and History Society
  • Powered Vehicles made in the Black Country by Jim Boulton and Harold Parsons. Published 1990. ISBN 0 904015 30 0