When reminiscing about classic British motorcycles, legendary names such as Triumph, Ariel, Norton, and BSA immediately come to mind. Embark on a nostalgic journey as we explore a curated collection of the finest British bikes, spanning from a 1909 Roadster to a series of remarkable models including a 1913 Rex, 1926 Ariel, 1927 AJS, 1930 BSA, and a 1934 Norton. These meticulously restored machines possess such timeless charm that they could easily be mistaken for museum exhibits. However, their owners continue to ride them regularly, keeping their rich heritage alive.
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MotorTranscript
00:00:00 [MUSIC]
00:00:10 [MUSIC]
00:00:35 For motorcycling enthusiasts today hoping to find a classic British motorcycle of the future,
00:00:42 the choice is pretty much limited to the Triumph models, literally resurrected
00:00:48 in the latter part of the 20th century by visionary businessman John Blore.
00:00:53 It's a sad indictment of an industry that once boasted as many as 700 motorcycle manufacturers,
00:01:02 but it's a tradition that thankfully lives on with the riders and restorers of classic
00:01:08 British motorcycles who refuse to let the nation's best loved transport heritage die.
00:01:14 This program is a celebration of the very best of British motorcycles and will take you on a
00:01:24 nostalgic journey in search of machines that date back to the early 1900s yet still run to
00:01:31 this very day. Inevitably everyone has their own particular favorite but with the names of BSA,
00:01:40 Norton and Triumph topping the familiarity stakes it's often easy to overlook the Ariel,
00:01:51 Velocette, AJS, Matchless, Cotton, Rex or Vincent.
00:02:03 The motorcycles featured reflect this great diversity and although it would be impossible
00:02:12 in an hour to do justice to every mark, hopefully the motorcycle selected will bring back some happy
00:02:19 memories and who knows, acquaint those too young to remember these magnificent machines first hand
00:02:26 with the taste of what they've missed.
00:02:28 Many people today in our high-speed technologically advanced world regard the bicycle as a very humble
00:02:41 means of transportation, although its appearance way back in the 1800s was revolutionary.
00:02:49 Travel quickly became practical and inexpensive thanks to the bicycle and business boomed for the
00:02:57 manufacturers, most notably based in the industrial Midlands.
00:03:01 The step forward from pedal power to motorized power happened somewhere between the late 19th
00:03:11 and early 20th century when an engine was attached to a motorcycle frame. Like many good ideas
00:03:21 throughout history, numerous engineers seem to have been inspired with the same thought
00:03:26 at the same time and in the case of the motorcycle this happened throughout Europe,
00:03:31 in England, Germany and France as well as across the Atlantic in America.
00:03:40 The new craze for motorcycles caught on fast and by 1913 there were 100,000 of them registered in
00:03:49 Great Britain and there were a surprising number of female enthusiasts enjoying the newfound freedom
00:03:56 of the age. Twice in the 20th century, World War halted the progress of motorcycle development
00:04:05 and on both occasions in 1914 and 1939 the manufacturers turned over their production lines
00:04:14 to the war effort. The years between the two world wars proved to be the golden age of the
00:04:23 British motorcycle with innovative new designs launched on a regular basis.
00:04:30 Nevertheless, the Wall Street crash and Great Depression that blighted America also hit hard
00:04:37 in Britain and many of the smaller companies disappeared almost without trace. Those that
00:04:46 survived grew stronger and more competitive in a marketplace full of enthusiastic motorcyclists
00:04:54 ready to put the latest models to the test. This should have been the perfect platform for
00:05:02 the British motorcycle industry to build upon for the future but during the 1950s and 60s this great
00:05:10 legacy was squandered with poor management at a time when Japanese competition was positively
00:05:17 overwhelming. Yet this is a celebration of the classic British motorcycle rather than a lament
00:05:25 for its passing so without further preamble it's time to take to the open road to enjoy the sights,
00:05:32 sounds and thrills of a bygone age.
00:05:37 [Music]
00:05:44 [Music]
00:06:08 In 1907, just after the turn of a brand new century with technology advancing in leaps and
00:06:16 bounds, Triumph began to be known as true pioneers in the field of motorcycling.
00:06:22 This three and a half horsepower 500cc machine is acknowledged more than any other model or make
00:06:32 built within the same time frame as being hugely influential in the blossoming motorcycle industry.
00:06:39 Triumph undoubtedly helped influence the mass acceptance of the motorcycle
00:06:45 which was still looked at with suspicion and fear by the general public before this model.
00:06:51 In itself the bicycle had been of immense importance as an instrument of social change.
00:07:01 For the first time in history the common man could afford to travel and explore new horizons.
00:07:07 No longer was the village idiot a tragically inevitable accident of birth as with the
00:07:15 bicycle came the opportunity for people to move around the countryside. Consequently the gene
00:07:23 pool was strengthened and the working classes became a strong and intelligent force to be reckoned with.
00:07:30 However, the new fangled motorcycles were simply bicycles with engines attached and both men and
00:07:38 women soon realized the freedom this means of transportation offered.
00:07:43 Triumph was quick to exploit the new marketplace and went into production on a grand scale
00:07:52 making motorcycles like the one you see here an aspirational commodity.
00:07:57 Of course it helped a great deal that the popular Isle of Man TT race was won in 1908
00:08:04 by this single cylinder side valve motorbike. This boosted the sales of the Triumph Roadster enormously
00:08:11 and a special TT Roadster soon appeared in the trade catalogues of 1909.
00:08:18 The continued reliability of these early models off the production line
00:08:24 soon led to later models becoming known as trusty Triumphs.
00:08:29 This reliability coupled with a nifty turn of speed came from some solid engineering work that
00:08:42 gained the company a great reputation that they still hold to this day.
00:08:49 The belt driven Roadster had a three-speed rear hub that was similar to the ones used on the ordinary pedal bicycles.
00:08:59 The difference here was that it was fitted with a clutch incorporated into this very hub.
00:09:06 A twin barrel carburettor of Triumph's own design was fitted in 1908
00:09:12 in the year of the Isle of Man TT race win and a magneto system.
00:09:19 As was the case with these early motorized bicycles, the weight of construction was very light indeed,
00:09:27 coming in at around 175 pounds.
00:09:31 The engine was a simple side valve design which managed a comfortable 499 cc and a top speed
00:09:41 of 55 miles per hour and used a direct belt drive to the rear wheel as mentioned before.
00:09:49 The hub gear and clutch made for a much easier life than the alternative fixed gear
00:09:55 which meant a run and bump start after every stop.
00:09:59 The TT model Roadster that was produced briefly had a somewhat shorter frame than the standard model
00:10:09 and the pedaling gear was also dispensed with.
00:10:12 Two sets of adjustable footrests were also supplied.
00:10:18 [Music]
00:10:20 The Isle of Man TT race was a great advertisement for the continued
00:10:25 sales success of the Triumph Roadster 3.5 horsepower model.
00:10:30 Not only did this machine win the single cylinder category in 1908,
00:10:36 but it also managed to be placed well in the 1909 and 1910 TT races too.
00:10:45 This kept the Triumph name in the public eye
00:10:48 and allowed the sales figures to steadily climb into profitability.
00:10:53 In 1911, a motorcyclist called Ivan Hart Davies proved the endurance and reliability of this
00:11:02 Triumph Roadster beyond any reasonable doubt.
00:11:06 He completed the famous route from Lands End in Cornwall
00:11:11 [Music]
00:11:13 to John O'Groats in Scotland.
00:11:18 John O'Groats is the furthest village from Lands End on the British mainland,
00:11:25 an end-to-end route with both points separated by 876 miles.
00:11:31 The name of John O'Groats derives from Yann de Groot,
00:11:37 one of three brothers who arrived in the area in 1496
00:11:42 with a commission from King James IV to operate a ferry
00:11:46 between the mainland and the remote island of Orkney.
00:11:49 The name of Lands End, way down south of John O'Groats,
00:11:56 is, to be honest, rather self-explanatory.
00:11:58 Ivan Hart Davies, riding his trusty Triumph Roadster,
00:12:04 managed this colossal distance in just less than 30 hours
00:12:09 and it was the very last time such a record non-stop run was permitted.
00:12:15 This wonderful old Triumph was the flagship of the industry,
00:12:21 building on the standard set by the earliest three horsepower model,
00:12:25 which had been produced for just a two-year run between 1905 and 1907
00:12:31 before being succeeded by this more advanced machine.
00:12:35 The capacity had been increased by over 163cc
00:12:40 and the improvements were all in the detail.
00:12:43 The new Roadster ran for a longer period than its immediate predecessor,
00:12:54 with an unbroken seven-year run from 1907 through to 1914.
00:13:01 It was the machine that set the stamp for the Triumph Engineering Company Limited
00:13:07 and also prepared the public for the sonic sound of the motorcycle boom.
00:13:13 [Music]
00:13:15 [Music]
00:13:17 [Music]
00:13:19 [Music]
00:13:31 [Music]
00:13:33 [Music]
00:13:45 [Music]
00:13:57 [Music]
00:13:59 [Music]
00:14:11 [Music]
00:14:23 [Music]
00:14:25 [Music]
00:14:36 [Music]
00:14:38 [Music]
00:14:50 [Music]
00:15:02 [Music]
00:15:04 Having just enjoyed such a classic Triumph being put through its paces,
00:15:10 the manufacturer's name is very familiar indeed,
00:15:14 not least because of Triumph motorcycles still being in production today.
00:15:19 However, our next classic, a much-treasured Rex,
00:15:25 dating back to 1913, is a far less well-known mark,
00:15:30 despite having been just as famous as Triumph in the early part of the 20th century.
00:15:36 In fact, as a point of interest,
00:15:40 Rex was actually a larger company than Triumph when this magnificent machine was manufactured
00:15:46 and a Rex was always referred to as the "King of Motorcycles".
00:15:51 This is why, despite its rarity,
00:15:55 the Rex without doubt deserves to be included in this classic collection of great British motorcycles.
00:16:03 When you list this as a 1913 Rex,
00:16:08 although it's immediately recognisable as an early motorcycle,
00:16:13 its age really does need to be put into context.
00:16:16 Just a year before this motorcycle was ridden off the production line,
00:16:22 the Titanic sank on her maiden voyage across the Atlantic.
00:16:26 Fortunately, this Rex has fared much better.
00:16:30 But when you consider that the first rumblings towards the world going to war
00:16:35 were being noticed and the suffragettes were fighting for women's rights to the vote,
00:16:41 you realise that any object preserved from this time has done well to survive.
00:16:48 The fact that this motorcycle has done more than this,
00:16:52 also being in full working order, is more remarkable still.
00:16:56 What undoubtedly has contributed to this fine Rex's survival
00:17:02 is the care lavished on it by its present owner.
00:17:06 It's actually the oldest bike in his collection
00:17:10 and has been in his possession for the last 15 years.
00:17:16 Unlike a number of his motorcycles which came in pieces,
00:17:20 the Rex was purchased in running order
00:17:23 and over time he's repaired it and restored it as necessary.
00:17:27 This is an impressive 890cc V-twin single-speed belt-driven machine
00:17:36 which is wheel-free with an early form of clutch.
00:17:39 The starting mechanism is hand-operated,
00:17:43 which is a great rarity in such an early model
00:17:47 as much later British motorcycle manufacturers stubbornly stuck with kick-starts
00:17:52 even when in the 1950s and 60s their Japanese competitors
00:17:58 used much more user-friendly hand controls to start their machines.
00:18:03 There are girder forks on this Rex,
00:18:08 although the company actually made the first ever telescopic forks in 1906.
00:18:14 Stopping this machine can be surprisingly noisy
00:18:19 as there's a rear brake block that works on a brake ring
00:18:23 and consequently the harder the rider brakes, the louder the screeching.
00:18:28 What you can also see is an exhaust whistle
00:18:34 giving this charming classic motorcycle a unique appearance.
00:18:38 The oil pump too is worthy of mention as it runs on a total loss system
00:18:44 with oil dripping slowly into the engine while the excess is burnt or blown out.
00:18:50 Needless to say, this has to be kept in good order
00:18:55 as a malfunction could prove disastrous.
00:18:58 Yet despite the fact that the majority of motorcycles of this age and quality
00:19:06 are to be found in motor museums,
00:19:09 this Rex not only gets used regularly on the road but also goes on tour.
00:19:14 It's been a popular visitor to rallies in the southwest of Ireland
00:19:20 and has certainly managed a comfortable 1,000 mile trip on a number of occasions.
00:19:25 There's no doubt whatsoever that this is a superb classic motorcycle
00:19:32 and in terms of longevity it has tenaciously stayed the course
00:19:39 which poses the question, whatever happened to Rex, the king of motorcycles?
00:19:44 Like so many of the British motorcycle manufacturers,
00:19:51 Rex was located in the Midlands, Coventry to be more precise.
00:19:56 Brothers William and Harold Williamson, who were car makers,
00:20:01 founded the company in 1899
00:20:04 but by 1904 they'd turned their attention to motorcycles.
00:20:08 The earliest machines used the company's own power units
00:20:14 but they soon dropped them in favour of the very high quality Blackbourne engines.
00:20:20 As already mentioned, Rex engineering was innovative
00:20:26 with the first telescopic forks in 1904
00:20:29 and in the same year they came up with a 372cc motorcycle
00:20:35 that had the silencer cast in one piece with the cylinder.
00:20:39 Further developments included a rotary valve engine in 1906
00:20:46 and in 1908 they were the first manufacturer
00:20:50 to angle the top tube downward to the lower riding position.
00:20:55 It was all change at Rex in 1911 when the company's founders were fired
00:21:01 and new boss George Hemingway took the helm
00:21:05 producing engines and a series of JAP-powered machines for Premier.
00:21:11 However, for the British motorcycle manufacturers
00:21:15 world events were about to change their industry beyond recognition.
00:21:20 When World War I broke out in 1914
00:21:23 the civilian motorcycle market went into decline
00:21:27 but those manufacturers who secured military contracts
00:21:31 ensured a steady flow of trade.
00:21:34 Neighbouring companies like BSA, Triumph and Ariel
00:21:39 all produced military machines for the war effort.
00:21:44 And once the conflict came to an end in 1918
00:21:47 found themselves in a strong position to consolidate their business interests.
00:21:53 Unfortunately for Rex, they failed to produce any military motorcycles
00:22:00 or win any manufacturing contracts.
00:22:03 A great many of the smaller motorcycle companies
00:22:07 were forced to leave the country
00:22:09 and the British government decided to close their doors before the armistice.
00:22:14 Rex survived but without the steady backing of military contracts
00:22:20 the post-war years were always going to be an uphill struggle.
00:22:24 Another Coventry manufacturer, Acme
00:22:29 had also just about managed to stay afloat
00:22:32 and in 1922, the company was forced to close its doors.
00:22:38 In 1922, Rex Acme was formed as an amalgamation of the two companies.
00:22:44 The range included 15 models by 1926
00:22:50 ranging from 172cc to 746cc
00:22:55 and thanks to Rex Acme rider, Walter Hanley
00:23:00 who won many Isle of Man TT races, publicity was excellent.
00:23:06 The British economy was the golden age of motorcycling
00:23:10 but when Walter Hanley left to ride for other makes in 1928
00:23:15 sales of Rex Acme machines fell into a decline.
00:23:20 To add to the company's woes, the Wall Street crash
00:23:26 and subsequent depression had a knock-on effect on British industry
00:23:30 in the early 1930s.
00:23:33 The manufacturer, Middles Fulford bought Rex Acme in 1932
00:23:39 but they dropped all motorcycle production the following year
00:23:43 and the sidecars lasted for just a little longer.
00:23:47 Considering the short lifespan of the Rex Motorcycle Company
00:23:53 this classic machine is all the more special
00:23:57 and entering the realms of 'what if?'
00:24:00 can't help speculating about what this innovative manufacturer
00:24:04 would have come up with if they'd continued production.
00:24:08 [Music]
00:24:24 [Music]
00:24:34 [Music]
00:25:00 It's hard to believe, looking at this fine aerial motorcycle
00:25:05 a 500cc overhead valve model from 1926
00:25:09 that it was actually brought home by its present owner
00:25:12 as a derelict pile of parts in a wheelbarrow.
00:25:16 In fairness, that was 20 years ago
00:25:20 and a great deal of dedicated restoration work
00:25:23 has gone into getting this motorcycle back on the road.
00:25:27 However, the hours spent on restoration
00:25:31 and the sheer engineering ingenuity
00:25:34 that has brought this classic aerial up to speed
00:25:36 has made this a remarkably rewarding enterprise
00:25:40 and for anyone considering taking on such a project
00:25:44 just watching what can only be described as 'poetry in motion'
00:25:48 is truly inspirational.
00:25:50 One of the best places to begin
00:25:55 if you have an interest in classic motorcycles
00:25:58 will be the owners clubs
00:26:00 and if your chosen mark happens to be aerial
00:26:03 then you are indeed very fortunate.
00:26:07 Thanks to the development of the World Wide Web
00:26:10 all the information you could possibly need
00:26:12 will literally be at your fingertips
00:26:15 through the Aerial Owners Club website.
00:26:18 Here you'll find a wealth of experience in the club's membership
00:26:22 and all the inside info on everything
00:26:25 from how to get hold of spare parts
00:26:28 to taking part in classic motorcycle events.
00:26:32 There are those who might ask, "Why aerial?"
00:26:37 "What's the fascination with this particular make of motorcycle?"
00:26:41 As you watch this 1926 aerial in action
00:26:46 these are questions that are easily and immediately answered.
00:26:51 But there's more than just aesthetics to consider.
00:26:55 Because the aerials are not quite so well known or collected
00:27:05 as the likes of Triumph, BSA and Norton
00:27:08 the spares are, generally speaking, more plentiful
00:27:12 and far more reasonably priced.
00:27:15 Also, thanks to the straightforward design
00:27:19 it's even possible to fix many of the mechanical problems
00:27:23 you might encounter at the roadside
00:27:26 which can be very useful indeed.
00:27:29 This aerial is, in fact, very well travelled indeed.
00:27:36 You can, of course, visit museums to view pristine specimens
00:27:40 of any of the classic motorcycles
00:27:43 but all of the machines you'll see in this programme are used
00:27:47 often on a daily basis for the purpose they were designed for.
00:27:52 The proud owner of this 1926 aerial
00:27:56 has actually embarked on many continental tours
00:28:00 and recently completed a charity run to Berlin.
00:28:04 Restoring classic motorcycles is far more than just a pastime.
00:28:10 It is, in fact, a way of life.
00:28:12 And riding, the finished article, as you see so evocatively
00:28:16 demonstrated today, is really what it's all about.
00:28:20 Up until World War I, aerial had focused on developing motorcycles
00:28:39 for a rapidly expanding number of intrepid travellers
00:28:43 and, although the motorcar was beginning to make an appearance
00:28:47 it was definitely a prerogative of the wealthy.
00:28:51 The motorcycle had a price tag that made it far more accessible
00:28:59 to the ordinary man and, for that matter, woman
00:29:03 a circumstance that would remain in the motorcycle's favour
00:29:06 for many years to come.
00:29:10 Interestingly, as all civilian production ceased for the motorcycle
00:29:14 and the motorcar, with Britain going to war in 1914
00:29:18 the car was very much halted in its early stages of production.
00:29:22 In America, where the nation didn't become embroiled in the conflict
00:29:28 until 1917, the car manufacturers advanced far more rapidly
00:29:32 than their British counterparts.
00:29:36 Consequently, when the war was over, the Americans turned
00:29:40 to the already mass-produced car rather than the motorcycle
00:29:44 for their transportation needs.
00:29:48 At the beginning of World War I, there were 200 American
00:29:52 motorcycle manufacturers. By 1920, there were less than 40
00:29:56 and by the early 30s, only Harley Davidson and Indian remained.
00:30:04 In Britain, the car designers were still some way off
00:30:10 producing an accessible, reasonably priced car
00:30:14 so the motorcycle manufacturers continued to dominate the market.
00:30:18 At the Motor Show at London's Olympia in 1919
00:30:24 some 112 makers displayed their wares
00:30:28 and Ariel would have been a household name
00:30:32 albeit for serviceable, if unremarkable vehicles.
00:30:36 Then in 1925, a recruitment decision changed the face of Ariel
00:30:42 distinctly for the better.
00:30:46 A designer by the name of Val Page, who'd been working for J.A.P.
00:30:50 arrived at Ariel and revolutionised the company
00:30:54 as he would later do at B.S.A. and Triumph.
00:30:58 What you've been watching here is an early example of Val Page's work
00:31:02 with this 1926 Ariel.
00:31:06 Although Page got down to work with the design of the car
00:31:16 he was still a bit of a fan of the design of the car
00:31:20 and was a fan of the design of the car
00:31:24 Although Page got down to business very quickly
00:31:28 it's predominantly the engine that marks his involvement with this model.
00:31:32 Ariel customers would have to wait until 1927 for the frame
00:31:44 and cycle parts to catch up with Page's innovation.
00:31:48 and cycle parts to catch up with Page's innovation.
00:31:52 [Music]
00:31:56 [Music]
00:32:00 [Music]
00:32:04 [ Music ]
00:32:34 [ Silence ]
00:32:39 [ Music ]
00:33:09 [ Music ]
00:33:23 1927 was, as we've heard, a significant year for aerial,
00:33:29 and the same was true for the entire British motorcycle industry.
00:33:34 These were great years, when the designers were at their most innovative.
00:33:39 There was a post-World War I euphoria that remained in the air,
00:33:44 and in terms of motorcycles, the roaring '20s was a very apt description of the era,
00:33:50 particularly as the dark days of the Depression and the threat of a second World War
00:33:56 were still some years ahead in the future.
00:34:00 This is the classic vintage of our next motorcycle, a 1927 AJS 500cc side-valve Model H9.
00:34:13 Although this bike's owner has a fine collection of motorcycles,
00:34:17 not least the Rex that was out on parade earlier,
00:34:21 this AJS holds a very special place in his affections.
00:34:26 It was actually the first vintage motorcycle that he bought way back in 1975,
00:34:32 and he paid the grand sum of £50 to acquire such a treasure.
00:34:39 There was a great deal of work to be done, as the machine required a complete rebuild,
00:34:44 and it took until 1977 before he could enjoy the first ride.
00:34:50 But since then, it's been out on the road regularly and toured all over Great Britain and the continent.
00:34:58 The AJS name is certainly a favourite with classic British motorcycle enthusiasts,
00:35:04 although like such magnificent machines as the Vincent and the Velocette,
00:35:10 it's one of the lesser-known marks with the general public.
00:35:14 Again, the company started in the Midlands, but this time in Wolverhampton.
00:35:21 The name is courtesy of founder Albert John Stevens,
00:35:26 who built his own internal combustion engine in 1897.
00:35:32 However, the first commercial enterprises were motorcycle engines for other companies.
00:35:38 Ironically, when Stevens built his inaugural motorcycle in 1905,
00:35:45 he used a JAP V-twin to power the machine,
00:35:49 complete with leading link front forks and a swinging fork bringing up the rear.
00:35:56 AJ Stevens & Co., later to be abbreviated to AJS,
00:36:01 was founded in 1909 and manufactured a complete motorcycle in 1911,
00:36:08 boasting a 292cc side-valve, two-speed engine.
00:36:15 From the very earliest days, AJS concentrated on racing, and the Isle of Man TT in particular.
00:36:24 By 1914, when World War I broke out and threw the motorcycle industry into temporary disarray,
00:36:33 AJS had progressed to a 350cc machine with a four-speed chain drive,
00:36:40 which powered its way to a victorious first, second, third, fourth and sixth place in the Junior TT race of that year.
00:36:51 Throughout the 1920s, AJS continued their policy of speed and innovation,
00:36:58 introducing internal expanding brakes and all-chain drive.
00:37:04 In 1927, when this fine motorcycle was manufactured, they brought in an overhead chain drive camshaft.
00:37:13 This AJS has girder forks with friction dampening, and the large exhaust port earned this H9 model
00:37:22 and many of the other factory racing machines the nickname "Big Ports".
00:37:29 Racing was very definitely AJS's forte,
00:37:41 but in 1927 the company attempted to diversify into cars, commercial vehicles and even radios,
00:37:50 with disastrous consequences.
00:37:53 By 1930, the Stevens brothers of AJS were in financial trouble,
00:37:59 and they sold out to the Collier brothers of Matchless in 1931.
00:38:07 As the 1930s progressed, the AJS name was continued,
00:38:12 and the mark provided the fastest British road racing machines built before the Second World War.
00:38:20 The company became known as Associated Motorcycles, usually shortened to the letters AMC,
00:38:28 and would eventually add the likes of Sunbeam, James, Francis Barnett and Norton to their ranks.
00:38:37 When the privations of the Second World War were over,
00:38:41 and soldiers, sailors and airmen returned to civilian life,
00:38:45 motorcycle trials and racing increased in popularity.
00:38:50 Those who had faced the adrenaline rush of war on a daily basis
00:38:55 needed something to help them settle back into domestic routine.
00:39:01 For the private motorcyclists rather than the works team riders,
00:39:06 the 1949 AJS 348cc OHC Single certainly fitted the mood of the moment.
00:39:16 Officially it was the 7R, but it was forever known as the "Boys Racer",
00:39:23 proving that despite what the young of every new generation might believe, it's all been done before.
00:39:31 For a number of years, AJS and Matchless machines were separately badged,
00:39:38 although there were few differences between them with the same components used.
00:39:44 Inevitably, by the 1950s the AJS name was dropped and the machines were rebadged Matchless.
00:39:53 The era that followed saw the decline of the British motorcycle industry,
00:39:59 and the poor management at AMC certainly contributed to the difficulties.
00:40:05 With the rise in accessibility of the motorcar as prices came within the reach of the average family,
00:40:12 Britain's motoring habits increasingly involved four wheels rather than two.
00:40:18 Also, the Japanese manufacturers Suzuki and Yamaha were producing cost-effective, user-friendly machines
00:40:27 that were dominating the worldwide motorcycle market.
00:40:32 There were a few later AJS models, but in effect, by the end of the 1960s,
00:40:38 the once famous racing name was no more.
00:40:43 This does make this wonderful classic motorcycle all the more special,
00:40:49 and the fine restoration job that its owner has achieved so important.
00:40:54 Thankfully, there are plenty of like-minded enthusiasts the length and breadth of the country,
00:41:01 and for anyone considering a similar rescue mission of a classic British motorcycle,
00:41:07 they are a wealth of information.
00:41:10 Undoubtedly, having spent this nostalgic interlude with this delightful AJS out on the open road,
00:41:19 the true value of classic motorcycle restoration will have been proved beyond question.
00:41:25 However, our journey of discovery is far from over, as the next motorcycle,
00:41:31 a very rare 1930s BSA, makes a well-earned pit stop after a lifetime's international travel.
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00:43:14 When this delightful motorcycle first left the company's Birmingham factory,
00:43:28 BSA held the ever-expanding motorcycle industry in the palm of its giant conglomerate hand,
00:43:36 and wouldn't let go.
00:43:38 The slogan of the time, being emblazoned on adverts all over the country, was "One in Four is a BSA",
00:43:47 and this was a boast that was more than backed up by sales statistics and brand loyalty.
00:43:55 Many reasons are given for BSA's total stranglehold on this booming market,
00:44:01 but the main one seems to be that they simply understood the market they were aiming for.
00:44:07 They realised that the needs of the public were for basic, reliable, undemanding machines
00:44:14 that would comfortably get the rider from point A to point B without breaking down.
00:44:22 The example we have here is a very rare motorbike indeed, of which a limited run were produced.
00:44:29 It is a BSA G30 1000cc V-twin, with a fixed cylinder head, that became available in 1930.
00:44:40 This motorbike had the immense power of the machines used for sidecar production,
00:44:46 but without the added weight and stability of an attached sidecar itself.
00:44:52 In fact, the popular mystery writer of the time, Dorothy L Sayers,
00:44:58 the Oxford University educated creator of the Lord Peter Whimsey series of detective novels,
00:45:05 and advocate of women's motorcycling, regularly wrote about motorbike and sidecar combinations,
00:45:12 and for that matter, all types of motorcycles, in her novels and short stories.
00:45:18 The sidecar was rarely viewed with the same respect that the solo motorcycles enjoyed,
00:45:26 and this practical addition to such a fine machine as this classic BSA was often mocked for its practicality,
00:45:34 as this amusing anecdote from the 1930s demonstrates.
00:45:41 The sidecar, even in those days, tended to be a dead end as a form of transport.
00:45:47 A young man with a solo machine would add on a pillion for his girlfriend and later his wife.
00:45:54 When the first child came along, there would have to be a decision. Sidecar or four wheels?
00:46:01 If economy dictated the sidecar, then four wheels moved still further into the distance.
00:46:08 Solo riders passed him with amused sympathy. Poor devil got married.
00:46:14 Motorists passed with amused understanding. Poor devil can't run a car.
00:46:21 And the police would not bother him. Poor devil got enough on his plate already.
00:46:30 The fact that this BSA 1000cc motorbike was sold without a sidecar makes it a powerhouse of a machine,
00:46:38 with a huge top speed for the era.
00:46:41 In 1930, when this beautiful big bike became available,
00:46:46 the national speed limit of 20 miles per hour was abolished in the Road Traffic Act,
00:46:51 allowing motorbikes of this size and calibre to be bought and ridden by the average man in the street.
00:46:59 Machines of this size had been produced and sold before,
00:47:03 but only to be used in amateur racing, or the clubman scene as it was more commonly known.
00:47:09 In Europe, motor racing took place on public roads, but this had been outlawed in the United Kingdom.
00:47:17 This was why the popular TT races were held on the Isle of Man and not the mainland.
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00:47:29 By the time of the 1930 Road Traffic Act, which took away the 20 mph restriction,
00:47:40 the TT was firmly established as a manx event, and still remains so to this day.
00:47:49 1930 was also the year that the Metropolitan Police of London, England,
00:47:55 established a motorcycle squad using BSA and Matchless machines.
00:48:01 In fact, looking through the documentation of the time,
00:48:05 the Northampton Divisional Police Force created its own mobile special constabulary,
00:48:11 and they bought four of the BSA G30 1000cc motorbikes with the strong V-twin engine,
00:48:19 just like the model seen here.
00:48:22 They were purchased from Percy Spokes, an appropriate name for the agent selling these BSA motorbikes,
00:48:30 who had premises in Henry Street, just off Kettering Road in Northampton itself.
00:48:37 Of course, it's a little-known fact, but just like the author and rider Dorothy L Sayers,
00:48:43 the first police officers to use motorcycles were actually women.
00:48:48 The BSA G30 is a glorious machine, generously lightweight in its design,
00:48:54 with sculptured flowing lines, fluted mudguards, and a simple but effective elegance.
00:49:02 This particular rare example is jokingly described by its owner as the "BSA made in Poland".
00:49:10 As with many classic motorcycles, there's a great story behind this nickname,
00:49:16 due to the fact that shortly after buying this BSA,
00:49:19 the owner was stranded after a breakdown whilst touring Poland.
00:49:24 As is often the case on such occasions,
00:49:28 a group of local motorcycling enthusiasts seemed to appear from nowhere.
00:49:33 Overnight, they opened up a nearby factory, especially to help repair this magnificent machine.
00:49:41 In all, 23 Polish Good Samaritans rebuilt it,
00:49:46 and none of them could speak much more than a few words of English.
00:49:51 When next morning the owner was presented with his repaired motorcycle,
00:49:56 he was delighted and politely asked what he owed them.
00:50:00 The reply was "Nicht", or as we would say, "Nothing".
00:50:05 However, there was a proviso.
00:50:08 If anyone ever asked about the motorcycle, and needless to say, many people do,
00:50:14 he was to say that it was a BSA made in Poland.
00:50:19 Far from being a hardship, this owner has enjoyed telling the story on numerous occasions,
00:50:25 particularly as that all-night motorcycle repair stint happened over 14 years ago.
00:50:32 And this lovely old BSA is still running on the parts
00:50:36 that those generous enthusiasts from Poland put in all that time ago.
00:50:42 So, not only is this BSA an absolute delight to watch out on the open road,
00:50:48 you can also be sure this particular model is absolutely unique.
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00:51:33 The Model 18 has a long history in production with Norton,
00:51:38 starting, as it did, in 1922,
00:51:41 and not ceasing manufacture until an amazing 32 years later in 1954.
00:51:49 The Model 18 was so called because it was, logically enough,
00:51:54 the 18th model that the Norton Manufacturing Company
00:51:58 had made since they started producing motorbikes in 1902.
00:52:03 All of these earlier Norton motorcycles were side valve, belt-driven machines
00:52:09 and were built predominantly for racing.
00:52:13 Eventually, Norton had to bow to the predominant post-World War I trend of motorbikes
00:52:20 with an OHV engine.
00:52:22 That's an engine configuration in which all the valves are located in the cylinder head
00:52:29 and the camshaft is located in the cylinder block.
00:52:33 The camshaft operates the valves via lifters and pushrods.
00:52:39 But it must be noted that James Lansdowne Norton,
00:52:44 the company's founder and principal engineer,
00:52:47 was talking about overhead valves with desmodromic operation as early as 1913,
00:52:54 just before the onset of World War I.
00:53:00 The desmodromic valve control in the engine was an important development in motorcycling history.
00:53:07 The valves in this system are positively closed by a leverage operation
00:53:13 rather than relying on the more conventional springs to close them.
00:53:18 The valves in question are the ones that allow air into the cylinder
00:53:23 and the alternating ones that allow exhaust gases out.
00:53:29 In general mechanical terms, desmodromic is used to refer to mechanisms
00:53:34 that have different controls for their actuation in different directions.
00:53:40 The word desmodromic is derived from two Greek words,
00:53:46 desmo meaning controlled, linked, and dromos meaning course, track.
00:53:53 For an easy example, certainly one that's easier to say,
00:53:57 if you imagine a saw cutting a tree trunk,
00:54:00 the pushing and pulling of the saw is a desmodromic action.
00:54:05 Whereas something like opening a door is not because the handle is only controlled in opening,
00:54:12 while the closing is less controlled as it relies on an automatic spring.
00:54:18 So, with this desmodromic control in the Norton bikes,
00:54:24 no return springs are used and the engine relies on compression to seat the valves.
00:54:31 This allowed for much higher revs per minute and horsepower,
00:54:36 which immediately proved itself in racing,
00:54:39 and racing was the thing that James Lansdowne Norton was most interested in.
00:54:48 In 1922, the first OHV machine, the Model 18, was wheeled out of the factory
00:54:55 after being overseen in production and design by James Norton himself.
00:55:01 Sadly, he never lived to see the continued success of his motorbikes as he died in 1925,
00:55:11 just when the Norton OHV bikes were establishing themselves as a force to be reckoned with on the racetrack.
00:55:19 He did, however, live long enough to see his Model 18 break 18 world records at the Brooklands testing site in 1923.
00:55:31 Brooklands was a motor racing circuit built near Weybridge in Surrey, England in 1907.
00:55:39 It was the first custom-built oval-shaped circuit in the world,
00:55:43 and at the end of the First World War,
00:55:46 the track became the venue for motor car and motorbike manufacturers to test their new models.
00:55:53 The Model 18 used the 70mm x 100mm bore and stroke
00:56:01 and had an engine capacity of 490cc with a top speed of roughly 80mph.
00:56:09 After it had been pre-tested at Brooklands Racing Circuit,
00:56:14 it was immediately used in the famous TT race on the Isle of Man, which it won in 1924.
00:56:24 The sporting prowess of the Model 18 was soon overshadowed with the introduction of the overhead camshaft engine,
00:56:32 which forced the Model 18 to slide comfortably into its niche as a touring rather than a racing vehicle.
00:56:40 Norton's advertising slogan hyped the bike's performance and reliability,
00:56:46 which stemmed from their reputation from the racetrack,
00:56:50 and this is how the Model 18 was marketed - as a thrilling racing bike.
00:56:56 In truth, this machine was a simple, solid and very basic motorbike,
00:57:03 with a high, spindly frame, good forks and a robust nature,
00:57:08 that suited your average motorbike punter in the 1920s and 1930s,
00:57:14 rather than a speed demon who yearned for the fast bends and tight corners of a racetrack.
00:57:21 Because of its sure handling, easy roadholding and decent but tiny brakes,
00:57:28 the Model 18 was the ideal bike to fit a sidecar onto.
00:57:33 This was helped in 1925 by the addition of a four-speed gearbox,
00:57:39 which had a crossover drive that allowed the rear chain to be on the right-hand side of the Model 18,
00:57:46 allowing much easier maintenance accessibility for when a sidecar was bolted on.
00:57:52 During the 1930s, the Model 18 also gained a saddle tank, a proper gear oil pump and an inboard magneto,
00:58:03 which was an ignition device that produced the alternating current for distribution to the spark plugs.
00:58:10 Earlier versions had the magneto in front of the engine, which made it very vulnerable in wet weather
00:58:17 and needed a splash guard fitted to keep the water out.
00:58:21 In 1954, the Model 18, along with the side-valve motorbikes with which it had shared many key parts,
00:58:30 was put to rest and now belongs in the hands of the dedicated classic motorcycling enthusiast.
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00:59:09 And on that note, this trip down memory lane to enjoy these great British classic motorcycles
00:59:16 really has reached the end of the road.
00:59:19 Hopefully, there will have been something to please everyone,
00:59:23 but with so many nostalgic manufacturers to consider, should your own particular favourite have not been included,
00:59:30 this is down to a shortage of time in an hour-long program rather than editorial judgment.
00:59:37 Thankfully, the world of classic motorcycles is alive, well and most definitely thriving in the 21st century
00:59:45 and the future is without doubt set fair.
00:59:49 For as long as enthusiasts like the ones featured here,
00:59:53 who have given us a precious glimpse of their treasured machines,
00:59:57 continue to keep these fascinating bikes in working order and out on the open road,
01:00:04 the golden age of the classic British motorcycle will never die.
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