Is this a Douglas..?

[BlueMike1972]

Hello everyone! I recently acquired a family photo with a motorbike in and from a bit of Googling about, I thought that it may be a Douglas? But I really need you expert types to take a look and try and identify it for me! I also have a newspaper advert from the same family member placed that was in 1923, if that helps- though it may not be for the same bike, of course. Over to you!

[cardan]

No.

It's a Matchless, most likely a Model H - their sidecar lugger with a JAP twin engine - from around 1919-22. The angle of the photo makes a positive ID tricky, but you can see the front fork spring enclosed in its cylindrical cover, and the stirrup front brake that points to a pre-1923 date.

So something like this: https://www.handh.co.uk/auction/lot/lot-105---1922-matchless-model-h/?lot=54718

Cheers

Leon

[cardan]

Looking again, I wonder if the clutter on the left side of the tank is a gear change lever (together with the magneto advance/retard lever and the tank-top toolbox). All the three-speeders (Model H etc.) had the change on the right side of the tank, and to get the change on left we have to go back to 1914 when there were a couple of models with this layout - the 2B with a three-speed hub or the 8 with a two-speed counter-shaft gear. Also there is a hint of "wire", rather than flat, mudguard stays at the front. We could be just pre-war rather than just post-war - a better photo would tell.

Cheers

Leon

[BlueMike1972]

Well clearly I am in both the wrong place and the right place all at once! That's a great reply, thank you very much Leon- it certainly looks like the picture you posted.