James Cadet

A 1954 James Cadet J5 motorcycle in the grounds at Beaulieu

Key facts

  • Year

    1954

  • Country

    Great Britain

  • Capacity

    122cc

  • Cylinders

    1

  • Valves

    2-stroke

  • Maximum speed

    48mph

  • Performance

    0 – 30mph 7.2 seconds

  • Price new

    £87

  • Owner

    National Motor Museum Trust

  • Manufacturer

    The James Cycle Company Ltd

A small utility motorcycle of the 1950s, the James Cadet is typical of many thousands of similar machines built by British manufacturers. The J5 model was introduced in 1953 and was short lived, being replaced by the J15 version with larger Villiers 150cc engine in 1955. This machine was owned by the same family from new until coming to the Museum in 2008.

James built their first motorcycle in 1902. Financial problems in the years after World War Two led to a take-over by Associated Motorcycles (AMC) in 1951. From 1957 James motorcycles were identical to those from Francis-Barnett, another of the many AMC brands.

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Panoramic view of the first floor of the National Motor Museum

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