The company was founded in 1887 as New Imperial Cycles Ltd. founded as a supplier for the booming bicycle production in Birmingham by Norman Duckwood Downes.
in 1901 the company already began to deal with the construction of motorcycles.

The first New Imperial motorcycle designs were initially quite simple with a rear-mounted engine driving the front wheel via a leather transmission belt. Unfortunately, these models proved not to be particularly successful and New Imperial turned back to  the bicycle production.

In 1912 New Imperial attempted the next launch and re-launched motorcycles with built-in motors from J.A.P. one of Tottenham's major built-in motor builders.

Two years later, in 1914, New Imperial released the Light Tourist with a 300cc engine and created quite a bit of interest. Because of its small displacement, it had a weight advantage over many competing models with larger engines.

At the beginning of the 1920s, first racing successes ensured increasing production figures. With the approximately 300 machines that left the plant per month, which eventually enabled the development of its own engines.
In 1925 the development of their own engines got ready for series production, with 146cm³ up to 498cm³ displacement from now on these own engines were installed in the New Imperial machines.