A Brief History of the Ariel Square Four
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.
Brief Histories
A Brief History of the Land Rover Defender
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…
A Brief History of the Land Rover Series 2, 2A and 2B FC
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.
Essential Guide: A Brief History of the Land Rover Series 1
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…
5 Minute Histories: The Indian Chief
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…
The Harley-Davidson XR-750 – What You Need To Know (A Brief History)
In a roundabout way, we owe the existence of the Harley-Davidson XR-750 to the Brits. They didn’t design it or built it of course, but what they did do was complain – loudly and often…
A Brief History of the UJM – 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…
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.
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”.
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…
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.
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…