Packman and Poppe Motorcycles

Packman & Poppe (P&P) was a British motorcycle manufacturer. Founded by Erling Poppe (who later went on to design Sunbeam motorcycles and Gordon three wheeler cars) and Gilmour Packman the first motorcycle was produced in 1922 with a 250 cc (15 cu in) two-stroke engine. This was followed by a 976 cc (59.6 cu in) side-valve machine with a JAP V-twin engine in 1923 and the Silent Three using a 350 cc (21 cu in) Barr and Stroud sleeve-valve engine. Packman & Poppe entered three machines in the 1925 Isle of Man TT. Packman was injured in an argument with a salesman and died. In the same year the Packman & Poppe factory was destroyed by a fire and in 1926 sold to John Wooler, who kept up production until the Depression, in 1930.