Made in the Midlands — 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

Ask riders to name the great British motorcycle manufacturers and the familiar badges arrive quickly: BSA, Triumph, Norton, Royal Enfield and perhaps Matchless or Ariel.

Villiers may take longer.

Yet for decades, countless motorcycles existed because Villiers supplied the component their manufacturers could not afford to design and build themselves—the engine.