The Matchless Motorcycle Company Matchless was one of the world’s first motorcycle manufacturers – they started out in 1899 when cars were a rare sight and the overwhelming majority of humanity was still getting around on horses or their own two feet. From very early in the company’s history, racing was an integral part of…
This feature was written by James Hilton, the proprietor of Death Machines of London. When possible we like to give custom builders the opportunity to tell the story of their bike, to give an insight into their thought process and methodology. – Designed in memory of Giovanni Ravelli: WW1 fighter pilot, motorcycle racer, and one of…
As Harley-Davidson entered the sixties so did the dominance of the bikes of the Rising Sun. Bob Dylan sang “The times they are a changin’…” but one of the changes he misses in his iconic song was the progressive decline in “Wrench Competency” amongst motorcycle owners and indeed amongst young people generally. Realizing that much…
The Norton Manx The Norton Manx is a British single cylinder race bike that had an extraordinarily long competitive life. It’s perhaps the most famous of the dominant British singles from the mid-20th century, and amazingly they’re still being built new by licensed suppliers around the world. The Manx was based on the road-going Norton…
The Vincent V-Twin The Vincent Rapide was the first motorcycle from the Stevenage-based motorcycle manufacturer to be fitted with their new V-twin. This engine is considered by many motorcycle historians to be one of the most beautiful twins of all time, and funnily enough it only came to be because of a coincidence on the…
The Norton Atlas was released in 1962 as the replacement for the venerable Norton Dominator. British motorcycle manufacturers were all targeting the colossal American market, typically by appealing to their love of power and speed.
The Honda CX500 was a significant departure from the norm for Honda. The Japanese marque had made a name for themselves by introducing the Honda CB750 and creating what would become the Universal Japanese Motorcycle (or UJM) and have its basic layout copied by the other three major Japanese motorcycle manufacturers.
The Triumph 6T Thunderbird was a British built motorcycle specifically intended for the Americans, who had been asking for more power both for racing, and for sidecar applications. The Brits were the muscle bike kings in the 1940s and 1950s, and the 6T Thunderbird was built to keep that crown firmly in British hands.
The Motoped® Pro The Motoped® Pro is the halfway point between a motocross bike and a downhill mountain bike – with the best characteristics of each, and very few drawbacks. Many countries (and US states) will allow motorized bicycles on the street with engine sizes up to 49cc, but once you creep over this capacity you…
Steve McQueen was a noted collector of both motorcycles and cars, his untimely death in 1980 left behind a trove of remarkable machines including the beautiful 1914 Pope Model K you see here. A Brief History of the Pope Manufacturing Company Although they’re now best remembered for their advanced (for the era) motorcycle designs, the…
The Catalina Grand Prix was a motorcycle race held annually between 1950 and 1958 on the island of Santa Catalina off the coast of Los Angeles. The races were hotly contested, and the rules that governed races on the mainland didn’t apply – meaning it was a hotbed of race testing with cutting edge parts fitted to…
Project bikes don’t get much more interesting than this, although some may not consider it a project at all, preferring to keep it exactly as it is with its hard-earned patina in place. Despite the fact that over 102 years have passed since this Indian was manufactured, it still retains its original frame, engine, and…
