IMPERIAL METRO
In the first decade-anda-half of the 20th century there were no fewer than five British motorcycle manufacturers using Imperial as their name (and we’re not including New Imperial).
Of that quintumvirate, Imperial Metro is about the only one that left more than a line of information behind it – and, ironically, it had changed its name to Metro within a year.
The Imperial Metro was produced in 1914 and 1915 in Saltley, Birmingham, using a 269cc Metro engine with the later option of a ladies model. It must have been quite dull for it failed to inspire The Motor Cycle of November 5,1914, a tome which could be relied upon to gush about every new model but which merely stated: ‘This machine is exactly similar in specification to the diamond frame model which has been sold for some months past’.
This was not an auspicious time to be launching a new motorcycle and even with the change of name to Metro, the marque did not survive the end of 1915.