The Classic MotorCycle September 2025

One becomes aware that one probably has too many motorcycles, when upon ringing the insurance company to make an amendment, the lady on the other end of the phone – having opened up the policy – says: “Cor, there’s a lot of bikes on here…” Not in a judgmental way, just as an unguarded reaction to the document in front of her. I didn’t think there were that many, and I was ringing to take another pair off, getting the numbers down further… But most of the things on there, by that I mean the insurance policy, all have their ‘place’ and a reason to be kept, while I’d started to run out of justifications even to myself for keeping some of the others. For example, my lovely 1961 Dominator…

This photograph appeared in the September 28, 1922, edition of The Motor Cycle, with the caption: “F W Dixon (998cc Harley-Davidson sidecar) on the starting line.” Now, while some of that statement is correct – the bit about the ‘sidecar’ and ‘starting line’ – the rest of it is obviously wrong. All is revealed in the original reproduction, as next to it is another picture, this one having the following lines underneath: “E Searle (499cc Sheffield-Henderson) awaiting the starter’s signal.” The images run alongside each other, under the heading (in capitals) “SPEED TRIALS ON SCARBOROUGH’S PROMENADE.” All that has happened, is the pictures or caption have been swapped, as this is certainly Ernie Searle, and his machine is certainly a Sheffield-Henderson. It’s also equally certain it’s not F W ‘Freddie’…

Bonhams’ October sale Things are shaping up nicely for Bonhams’ Stafford sale, to be held over October 11/12, 2025. Among the headline lots are a Series A Vincent-HRD Rapide and a Brough Superior SS100, plus there’s the specials of the talented Richard Johns, including his remarkable, self-made ohc AJS V-twin. There’s also the Neil Redley Collection, a tribute to the postwar motorcycles of Midlands’ maker Velocette. Several of the late Mr Redley’s collection were featured in these pages, with among the highlights of the collection the Earls Court Motorcycle Show, 1956 Velocette 499cc Venom (estimate £6000-10,000), originally unveiled at the 1955 Earls Court Motorcycle Show, and featured on the cover of our September 2013 issue. This is the first production model, showcased in its correct ‘Dove Grey’ (beige) livery –…

1900 Although from launch De Dion Bouton engines were the unit of choice for many early motorcycle makers, by 1900 rivals eyeing another lucrative boom – as had happened recently in the cycle world – were offering proprietary engines. Brands include the Swiss ZL (Zurcher and Luthi), Sarolea of Belgium and, from France, the Aster, Buchet and Clement designed and built engines. Others also build De Dion Bouton engines under licence, including MMC (Britain) and Fafnir (Germany). For those who blatantly copied De Dion Bouton engine designs and disregard patents, the French maker issues warning notices – in the USA, De Dion Bouton published: “WARNING… All persons are hereby notified that the De Dion & Bouton Gasoline Companies are patented in the United States (No. 593,877, dated November 16, 1897),…

“The Panther Story” The Story of Phelon & Moore – Revised edition Author: Barry M Jones Published by: Barry M Jones, Unit 2, Rustic Crafts Workshop, Bixley Lane, Beckley, Rye, East Sussex TN31 6TH (First published by Panther Publishing Ltd.) Email: bjrustic@aol.com www.brenelltape.co.uk Softback, 210 x 280mm (portrait) 331 pages with approx 250 photographs and illustrations. ISBN 978-0-9556595-6-0 £30 UK; $41 USD; $55 CAD; $62 AUD. Born out of an association of Joah Phelon with Harry Rayner, the latter being unfortunately killed in a road accident in 1904, a new partnership with Richard Moore founded the long-standing company of Phelon and Moore. Incorporated in 1908, Phelon & Moore Ltd were one of the earliest and most successful of the pioneers of motorcycling, outlasting many more famous names, to finally close…

With the advantage of hindsight, us fans of ‘old bikes’ would most likely look back and think the launch of Triumph’s 1959 range must’ve all been about the Bonneville, as it was the debut of a name which indeed continues to be used by the Triumph company today, and is probably the most famous name in British motorcycling. But, reading the report published in The Motor Cycle of October 23, 1958, which accompanies this picture in its original printing, the new model barely merits a mention, and when it does, it’s near the end and a rather withering opinion, to boot. In a joint report written by Bob Currie and Alan Baker, there’s little pretending anything other than this was a ‘jolly’ – in fact, the piece starts thus: “The…