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FROM OUR ARCHIVES Touring holidays can be memorable for reasons both pleasant and decidedly unpleasant, though Mary Adams and husband Huw had a fantastic time in Brittany thanks to Roger and Linda Nicholls of Countryside Holidays in France. Words and photography: MARY ADAMS We (husband Huw and I) first met Roger and Linda Nicholls four…

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Star on two and four wheels, who died on March 10, 2017 Unique’ is an oft-overused word, but that is the only fitting term to describe the achievements of John Surtees, the only man to be world champion in the blue riband category on both two and four wheels. Born on February 11, 1934, in…

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Interested in First World War history and as a motorcyclist myself, I’m always attracted to any mentions of dispatch riders and their machines. ‘The diary of a dispatch rider attached to the Belgian General Staff’ by E van Isacker, in ‘The Sphere,’ December 12, 1914, informs: “Van Isacker was attached to the Belgian General Staff…

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With the Panther pulled apart and engineering work completed, Steve wanted some paintwork doing on the cycle parts. Words: TIM BRITTON Photographs: STEVE PARRISH The world of refinishing motorcycle parts has moved on a long way since the early days of the British industry, and the early days of the restoration hobby too for that…

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❝Frank’s interest was piqued by mention of the Clubman’s TT. And so, aged 52, he decided to have a go.❞ Born in Birmingham, on January 26, 1896, the life and times of Frank Cope make quite remarkable reading – an apprentice gunsmith, the youngest staff sergeant in the British Army, successful businessman, a trials ace,…

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Promoted as the world’s fastest road race, the Ulster GP began 95 years ago as the Ulster Grand Prix Handicap Road Race, for which the organiser’s major award was presented. Its formative years could also be entitled the Joe Craig years. Words: Richard Rosenthal Photographs: Mortons Archive Based in County Antrim, Northern Ireland, the Ulster…

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The DMW trials model was listed for many years, but never really enjoyed much success. It’s perhaps not hard to understand why… Words: Roy Poynting Photographs: Terry Joslin Did you ever ride a DMW trials bike back in the day? I ask Sammy Miller. “No,” comes the immediate and pithy reply, “I’m just glad some…

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Bringing someone’s memoirs to print is a huge undertaking for any author but imagine the pressure should the subject be your parent. Words and photographs: Tim Britton The task facing Richard Bourne, assisted by his brother Robert, was daunting – bringing to publication the memoir of their father, who also happened to be editor of…

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