Desmodromic engines, made popular by Ducati, push the valves actively both when opening and closing, as opposed to regular engines where one of the motions is produced by a compressed spring. For a while it made Ducatis unbeatable in Moto GP. Apparently
JAP patented a desmodromic engine in the 1920's and a prototype was built and forgotten. Then someone in Germany rebuilt it and placed it in a 1924 Royal Enfield. It is now
on display at the German Motorcycle and NSU Museum in Neckarsulm. There is an English translation of an article telling the story in
this site.