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Vintage Motor Cycle Club
The Vintage Motor Cycle Club (VMCC) is a UK-based vintage motorcycle club with over 14,000 members, which aims to promote and preserve all makes of motorcycles over 25 years old. History The Vintage Motor Cycle Club was founded on 28 April 1946, by 38 enthusiasts at the Lounge Cafe, Hog's Back, near Guildford in Surrey, for owners of motorcycles manufactured before December 1930. Many of the founders rode to the first meeting on vintage motorcycles and had travelled from around the country in poor weather conditions. The first meeting had been organised by former journalist and wartime despatch rider, the late 'Titch' Allen, with the aim of promoting the use and preservation of vintage motorcycles manufactured prior to 31 December 1930. The club's activities have expanded over the years to include rallies, hill climbs, trials, a workshop and museum, a library, a sales and wants system for spares and motorcycles, insurance for difficult cases and an annual dinner. VMCC today Al ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Order Of The British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established on 4 June 1917 by King George V and comprises five classes across both civil and military divisions, the most senior two of which make the recipient either a knight if male or dame if female. There is also the related British Empire Medal, whose recipients are affiliated with, but not members of, the order. Recommendations for appointments to the Order of the British Empire were originally made on the nomination of the United Kingdom, the self-governing Dominions of the Empire (later Commonwealth) and the Viceroy of India. Nominations continue today from Commonwealth countries that participate in recommending British honours. Most Commonwealth countries ceased recommendations for appointments to the Order of the British Empire when they ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Triumph Engineering
Triumph Engineering Co Ltd was a British motorcycle manufacturing company, based originally in Coventry and then in Meriden. A new company, Triumph Motorcycles Ltd, based in Hinckley, gained the name rights after the end of the company in the 1980s and is now one of the world's major motorcycle manufacturers. Origins The company was started by Siegfried Bettmann, who had emigrated from Nuremberg, part of the German Empire, to Coventry in England in 1883. In 1884, aged 20, Bettmann had founded his own company, the S. Bettmann & Co. Import Export Agency, in London. Bettmann's original products were bicycles, which the company bought and then sold under its own name. Bettmann also distributed sewing machines imported from Germany. In 1886, Bettmann sought a more specific name, and the company became known as the Triumph Cycle Company. A year later, the company was registered as the New Triumph Co. Ltd, now with funding from the Dunlop Pneumatic Tyre Company. During that year, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Motor Cycling (magazine)
''Motor Cycling'' was the first British motorcycle magazine. It was launched in 1902 by Temple Press as an offshoot of Motor magazine. It was withdrawn after a few months but relaunched in 1909. The Motor Cycle—which was launched by Iliffe in April 1903—coined the slogan on its masthead: "Established in 1903 and for over six years the only paper solely devoted to the pastime". the front covers often had varying degree of green background, green or contrasting text and B&W illustrations or photographic images. This common theme resulted in almost a 'trademark' appearance, being called "The Green 'un", distinguishing it from its rival publication ''The Motor Cycle'' which had variation on blue background colouring with contrasting text and images ("The Blue 'un"). Early years Graham Walker edited the magazine from 1938 to 1954. He was a dispatch rider in the First World War and had a successful racing career with Rudge, Sunbeam, and Norton, winning the Ulster Grand Prix ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Motor Cycle (magazine)
''The Motor Cycle'' was one of the first British magazines about motorcycles. Launched by Iliffe and Sons Ltd in 1903, its blue cover led to it being called "The Blue 'un" to help distinguish it from its rival publication ''Motor Cycling (magazine), Motor Cycling'', which, using a green background colour, was known as "The Green 'un". Many issues carried the strapline "Circulated throughout the World". The covers eventually used a variety of different background colours after 1962, with a name-change to ''Motor Cycle''. Features Noted for detailed road tests of contemporary motorcycles and articles on readers' bikes, the magazine had regular features, including "Current Chat" and "Letters to the Editor" where many of the key issues relating to British motorcycling of the day were debated. The contributors often signed their pieces with pseudonyms such as ''Torrens'' (Arthur Bourne, one of the Editors) and the famous ''Ixion'' (Canon B.H. Davies). Recent history From 1962, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Driver And Vehicle Licensing Agency
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA; cy, Asiantaeth Trwyddedu Gyrwyr a Cherbydau) is the organisation of the UK government responsible for maintaining a database of drivers in Great Britain and a database of vehicles for the entire United Kingdom. Its counterpart for drivers in Northern Ireland is the Driver and Vehicle Agency (DVA). The agency issues driving licences, organises collection of vehicle excise duty (also known as ''road tax'' and ''road fund licence'') and sells personalised registrations. The DVLA is an executive agency of the Department for Transport (DfT). The current Chief Executive of the agency is Julie Lennard. The DVLA is based in Swansea, Wales, with a prominent 16-storey building in Clase and offices in Swansea Vale. It was previously known as the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Centre (DVLC). The agency previously had a network of 39 offices around Great Britain, known as the Local Office Network, where users could attend to apply for licenc ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Royal Enfield
Royal Enfield was a brand name under which The Enfield Cycle Company Limited of Redditch, Worcestershire sold motorcycles, bicycles, lawnmowers and stationary engines which they had manufactured. Enfield Cycle Company also used the brand name "Enfield" without the "Royal". The first Royal Enfield motorcycle was built in 1901. The Enfield Cycle Company is responsible for the design and original production of the Royal Enfield Bullet, the longest-lived motorcycle design in history. Royal Enfield's spare parts operation was sold to Velocette in 1967, which benefitted from the arrangement for three years until their closure in early 1971. Enfield's remaining motorcycle business became part of Norton Villiers in 1967 with the business eventually closing in 1978. History George Townsend set up a business in 1851 in Redditch making sewing needles. In 1882 his son, also named George, started making components for cycle manufacturers including saddles and forks. By 1886 complete bicycl ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Levis (motorcycle)
Levis motorcycles (1911–1940), manufactured by Butterfields Ltd. of Birmingham, England were for many years one of England's leading marques of Two-stroke engine, two-stroke motorcycle. Levis built two-stroke machines from 1911, adding a line of four-strokes in 1928, which ran to 1941 when production ceased. The first Levis was made in the Norton Motorcycle Company, Norton works by designer Howard (Bob) Newey, but James Lansdowne Norton, James Norton turned it down. Newey then joined with the Butterfields, Arthur and Billy, and sister Daisy, to set up a motorcycle company (Newey later married Daisy). Their first model had a capacity of 211 cc. Two-strokes In 1916, the 211 cc vertical two-stroke engine produced . An enclosed chain from the crankshaft drove the Fellows magneto and drive to the rear wheel was by Pedley ‘Vee’ belt. The machine weighed approximately . Their first racing success was in the Lightweight 250 class within the 1920 Isle of Man TT Junior ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Scott Motorcycle Company
The Scott Motorcycle Company was owned by Scott Motors (Saltaire) Limited, Shipley, West Yorkshire, England and was a well-known producer of motorcycles and light engines for industry. Founded by Alfred Angas Scott in 1908 as the ''Scott Engineering Company'' in Bradford, Yorkshire, Scott motorcycles were produced until 1978. Development Scott's inspiration In an article in ''Motor Cycle'' magazine in 1914, Alfred Scott wrote that he was drawn to the two-stroke engine because he was trained on high speed steam and marine engines, and when turning his attention to gas and petrol engines the regular power strokes of the two-stroke (or Day cycle as he sometimes called it), seemed preferable to the one power stroke in four of the Otto cycle. He said this attraction to the two stroke was further enhanced by the reliable and excellent service from a two stroke engine designed by his brother (A. F. Scott M.I.M.E) and used to drive machinery in his experimental workshop. Experimen ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ariel Motorcycles
Ariel Motorcycles was a British maker of bicycles and then motorcycles in Bournbrook, Birmingham. It was an innovator in British motorcycling, part of the Ariel marque. The company was sold to BSA in 1951 but the brand survived until 1967. Influential Ariel designers included Val Page and Edward Turner. The last motorcycle-type vehicle to carry the Ariel name was a short-lived three-wheel tilting moped in 1970. Ariel made bicycles before making motorcycles, and also made cars. Car production began in 1902, moved to Coventry in 1911 and ceased in 1925. The 'Ariel' name was reused in 1999 for the formation of Ariel Ltd, a sports car producer. History Bicycles and early motorised vehicles The original company was established in 1870 by James Starley and William Hillman. They built wire-spoke wheels under the first British patent; this allowed them also to build a lighter "penny farthing" bicycle which they named 'Ariel' (the spirit of the air). They put the name on the fact ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Norton Motorcycle Company
The Norton Motorcycle Company (formerly Norton Motors, Ltd.) is a brand of motorcycles, originally based in Birmingham, England. For some years around 1990, the rights to use the name on motorcycles was owned by North American financiers. From 2008 to 2020, a line of motorcycles was produced under owner and chief executive Stuart Garner. Due to financial failure with large debts, in April 2020 administrators BDO agreed to sell certain aspects of Garner's business to Project 303 Bidco Limited, a new business established for the purpose with links to Indian motorcycle producer TVS Motor Company. The business was founded in 1898 as a manufacturer of "fittings and parts for the two-wheel trade".Holliday, Bob, ''Norton Story'', Patrick Stephens, 1972, p.11. By 1902 the company had begun manufacturing motorcycles with bought-in engines. In 1908 a Norton-built engine was added to the range. This began a long series of production of single and eventually twin-cylinder motorcycles, and ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Birmingham Small Arms Company
The Birmingham Small Arms Company Limited (BSA) was a major British industrial combine, a group of businesses manufacturing military and sporting firearms; bicycles; motorcycles; cars; buses and bodies; steel; iron castings; hand tool, hand, power tool, power, and machine tool, machine tools; coal cleaning and handling plants; sintered metals; and hard chrome process. After the Second World War, BSA did not manage its business well, and a government-organised rescue operation in 1973 led to a takeover of such operations as it still owned. Those few that survived this process disappeared into the ownership of other businesses. History of the BSA industrial group Machine-made guns BSA began in June 1861 in the Gun Quarter, Birmingham, England. It was formed by a group of fourteen gunsmith members of the Birmingham Small Arms Trade Association specifically to manufacture guns by machinery. They were encouraged to do this by the War Office which gave the BSA gunsmiths free access ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Burton Upon Trent
Burton upon Trent, also known as Burton-on-Trent or simply Burton, is a market town in the borough of East Staffordshire in the county of Staffordshire, England, close to the border with Derbyshire. In United Kingdom Census 2011, 2011, it had a population of 72,299. The demonym for residents of the town is ''Burtonian''. Burton is located south-west of Derby, north-west of Leicester, west-south-west of Nottingham and south of the southern entrance to the Peak District National Park. Burton is Brewers of Burton, known for its brewing. The town grew up around Burton Abbey. Burton Bridge was also the site of two battles, in Battle of Burton Bridge (1322), 1322, when Edward II of England, Edward II defeated the rebel Thomas, Earl of Lancaster, Earl of Lancaster and in Battle of Burton Bridge (1643), 1643 when royalists captured the town during the First English Civil War. William Paget, 1st Baron Paget, William Lord Paget and his descendants were responsible for extending the m ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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