Made in the Midlands
Made in the Midlands: Sunbeamland — The Wolverhampton Factory That Finished Motorcycles Like Fine Furniture
Mike Bowden Made in the Midlands motorcycle history sunbeam wolverhampton
There are factories remembered for the number of machines they produced, factories remembered for racing success and factories remembered because their name survived long after their doors closed. Sunbeamland earned its place in British motorcycle history for something harder to measure: the feeling that whatever left its gates should have been made properly.
Made in the Midlands, Francis-Barnett, Villiers, British Motorcycle History
Mike Bowden Francis-Barnett Made in the Midlands motorcycle history Villiers
There is something rather special about visiting a classic motorcycle show and discovering that a seemingly insignificant detail can unlock an entire chapter of British motorcycling history. At the recent Stafford motorcycle show, several Francis-Barnett
Made in the Midlands: The Birmingham Tubes That Changed Motorcycling
Mike Bowden Made in the Midlands motorcycle history norton Reynolds Birmingham
There is a habit in motorcycle history of giving all the credit to the name painted on the petrol tank. We talk about a Norton, a BSA or a Triumph as though every tube, bearing and bracket emerged from one self-contained factory.
Made in the Midlands: The Goodmans of Hall Green and the Velocette Story
Mike Bowden Goodman family Velocette Veloce Ltd Birmingham Velocette LE police motorcycle
Veloce Ltd was a small Birmingham family company living beside much larger neighbours. It could not overwhelm the market with volume, so it relied on engineering, competition success and an almost stubborn concern for doing things its own way. At times that independence produced motorcycles of extraordinary quality.
Made in the Midlands - Ariel Motorcycles and the Sangsters of Selly Oak
Mike Bowden Ariel Motor British Motorcycles Made in the Midlands Motorcycle Heritage
Some motorcycle companies are remembered for a single machine. Ariel left us several: the Square Four, Red Hunter, military W/NG, Leader and Arrow all belong to very different chapters of British motorcycling.