Brief Histories

A Brief History of the BMW 2002 – One Of The Most Important BMWs Of All Time

The BMW 2002 proved to be a major milestone for the company as it worked to build itself up again after the Second World War. To catch a glimpse of the process BMW had been through during the 1940’s and 1950’s we need to remember that two vehicles that had played a major role in the company’s fight for survival were the little Italian designed Issetta bubble car, and the Volkswagen like BMW 700. Small, inexpensive cars that BMW was able to produce and sell in sufficient numbers to keep the company afloat.

Ben Bickell Ariel 500cc Square Four motocycle Brooklands

The Ariel Square Four is one of the most famous names among Britain’s original “big” bikes, standing side-by-side with the likes of Brough Superior and Vincent HRD.

Introduction: The Defender That Wasn’t The development process that would lead to the Land Rover Defender began four years before the new model that would later be named the Defender made its debut. The 1979 forerunner of the Defender was the Series III Land Rover Stage One V8. The Stage One V8 was a Series…

When the Land Rover was first created it was only expected to be a stop-gap vehicle that would be in production for three years or so until war ravaged austerity Britain was “back on her feet” and Rover could go back to making nice luxury cars for doctors and other such professional people.

Land Rover Series I Oxford and Cambridge Expedition

Written by Jon Branch The Land Rover, like the original Volkswagen, has been a car that defied the norms of automotive marketing. The motor industry has been in a mindset of wanting to constantly create a new model, sometimes every year, and lots of variations on that model, seeming to think that people are constantly…

5 Minute Histories The Indian Chief 1 hires 450x330 - 5 Minute Histories: The Indian Chief

Brief Histories

Introduction The story of the Indian Chief is one that is not quite of the order of sadness of a Shakespearean tragedy but it is nonetheless one that evokes a number of “what if” questions from motorcycle enthusiasts and especially Indian enthusiasts. The Chief was first produced in 1922 fitted with a 62 cu. in….

Honda CB750 5 450x330 - A Brief History of the Universal Japanese Motorcycle

The creation of the Japanese sword gives us an insight into the thinking behind the creation of the Universal Japanese Motorcycle (UJM). In the time prior to the Japanese creating their own sword design they used a variety of design concepts mostly borrowed from China. But there came a point at which they seem to have collectively decided that the two handed sabre was the best choice…

eBay Facebook 5 Minute Template Yamaha SR400 SR500 450x330 - 5 Minute Histories: The Yamaha SR400 & SR500

Back in 1978 when Yamaha first created the SR500 it was intended to be a Japanese replacement for British thumpers like the Manx Norton – yet Yamaha also made it a bike for entry level riders by building the SR series to be easy to ride and easy to maintain.

eBay Facebook 5 Minute Black Shadow 450x330 - 5 Minute Histories: The Vincent Black Shadow

If the Brough Superior was the Rolls-Royce of motorcycles, then the Vincent Black Shadow was the Aston Martin. When Vincent began back in 1928 they started out the way they meant to keep going as “the makers of the world’s fastest motorcycles”.

eBay Facebook 5 Minute Template Commando 450x330 - 5 Minute Histories: The Norton Commando

Introduction The Norton Commando is a vintage British motorcycle whose name would become so iconic it’s still a household name decades after the originals left production. Most people with even a passing interest in motorcycles will have heard of it. Given that the Norton Commando was created using a dated parallel twin engine and certainly…

eBay Facebook 5 Minute Done 450x330 - 5 Minute Histories: The Honda CB750

Motorcycles were a market that was to be a natural opening for Japanese industry. Although the British, Americans, Italians, and Germans were making motorcycles that sold well they were steeped in traditional ideas of what a motorcycle should and should not be. The Japanese were not. Japan had worked on creating a motorcycle industry especially in the post war period.

triumph 5 minute 450x330 - 5 Minute Histories: Triumph TR6 Trophy - The Desert Sled

Introduction to the Triumph TR6 – The Desert Sled The Triumph TR6 Trophy, otherwise known as the “Desert Sled” is perhaps best remembered as the bike Steve McQueen used in “The Great Escape” – albeit a TR6 that had been camouflaged to look a little more German. Over the course of its production, the iconic Triumph…

Brief Histories

A Brief History of the BMW 2002 – One Of The Most Important BMWs Of All Time

A Brief History of the Ariel Square Four

A Brief History of the Land Rover Defender

A Brief History of the Land Rover Series II, IIA and IIB FC

A Brief History of the Land Rover Series I

5 Minute Histories: The Indian Chief

A Brief History of the Universal Japanese Motorcycle

5 Minute Histories: The Yamaha SR400 & SR500

5 Minute Histories: The Vincent Black Shadow

5 Minute Histories: The Norton Commando

5 Minute Histories: The Honda CB750

5 Minute Histories: Triumph TR6 Trophy – The Desert Sled