Strap across the primary cover?

I was looking through some of my photos and found several photos of early K models with a chrome or stainless strap across the primary cover. Having never seen one of these in real life I wonder how long it was in use?

Looks homemade to me!

You don't mind if this photo disagrees with you do ya?

Don't you know what that strap is? It matches the one across the cam and kicker covers!

Robbie

judging by the small size of the screws and the obvious fastenings elsewhere, it must be a cosmetic trim.

Those little screws don't have to hold the strip on as there is none. What they do secure is the outer primary, a little bigger task!
The strip is, as stated, just like all the others used, though on the other side of the bike, for quite a few years longer as alluded to by Robbie.
Although, especially your first picture Chris, appears that there is a strap overlaying the primary, it's in fact just the aluminum cover with a combination matte and, I believe, a polished / brushed finish on the reinforcing rib.
Also uncertain how many years this cover was used but I have one here.

Robbie,
You are correct about it being a polished strip. The confusing thing to me were the screws in the middle and at both ends making it appear to be screwed on.
There is no airbrushing on either of those photos. Photos that had been airbrushed are clearly marked on the Pholman log as COPY. Here you can see what the whole picture looked like. Those guys are mechanics in the factory Service School and that is their class photo. The date on that photo is 1/22/54.

hi, not ever had or seen a k in the flesh, have they got a dry clutch and drip lube on the primary, as three screws doesnt seem enougth to make a dry gasket seal if the primary was an oil bath type.
regards jib

Jib,
The clutch was dry by nature of being encapsulated within the primary, however the chain ran in an oil bath. And the three screws were all there were until the stamped tin cover of the XLCH series. (The KR used a tin cover from the beginning!). The casting was rigid enough that the primary sealed fairly well.
Robbie

There are a couple of locating pins, as well as the three screws. The cast aluminum cover is stout enough to seal all the way around with just the three screws. You could run a dry clutch, with a derby cover over the clutch basket, or leave the cover off, and run a wet clutch. There is a thru hole, between the tranny and the primary, to let the chain run in oil.

IIRC, Royal Enfields have a single central bolt holding the chain case together... mind you, they WERE known as 'Royal Oilfields' back in the day.

cheers guys ,surprises me [but hell, life is full of them] it sealed .
regards jib