It was 1958. I had just turned 11 and was living in St. Petersburg, FL with my grandparents for the 6th grade, as my mother was ill in the hospital, and my Dad was too busy to care for me in my native Bronx, NY. On Christmas morning I was surprised with a brand new Royal Lion English bike. It was absolutely gorgeous with a fire red metallic paint job, Sturmey Archer 3-speed hub, and a very comfy brown saddle - the type that had many coil springs running longitudinally beneath the cover. It had chrome fenders and a handlebar that resembled the shape of the handlebar of a Harley Davidson Sportster. I had the handlebar turned down so the grips were parallel to the downtube, and I remember this made for a very comfortable riding position at the time. The bike was the envy of all my friends - really pretty. It had 26" rims and whitewall tires when new. I later moved to the Outer Banks of NC and gave the bike away. I have on many occasions searched for the brand, unsuccessfully until now. I was beginning to think that I had mis-remembered the brand until I saw the post here on the Forum. Thanks, Ron, for confirming my sanity, and thanks to Corey for posting the shot of the headbadge. BTW that badge is as I remember it to be, except it was originally red with gold highlights. Great stuff!

Geary Morton