Great old motorcycles that had a soul ? .I was one of the bikers that bought most old bikes of the era when they sold for peanuts .I even remember a rusty Brough Superior going through the piles of scrap when I worked for a couple of years for George Cohen Scrapmetal - dismantling steam engines to supply the steelworks furnaces in Sheffield in the U.K. . They brought in lorry loads of bikes [mainly sidevalve Norton & BSA s ] when the A.A. & R.A.C. stopped using motorcycle combinations ,they were piled 10 feet high and most were complete and run .I bought a Norton 16H off the company for £5 and road it home ,it just needed a headlamp glass . I owned it quite a while ,it had some real character and very reliable . When we moved to another part of the country I sold the bike to a lad who worked with my Ma at the local Turf Accountant"s [bookmakers] and last I heard 40+ years later he still has it . Great video ,keep - up the good work ! .
Some years ago in Greece I saw a BSA B21 motorcycle. Probarbly left over from the war, a side valve single, it wept oil from just about every surface. Whilst I was looking and old Greek gentleman of about eighty came over, threw his leg over and in the same movement kicked it into life and drove off. I was impressed!
The B21 was a 250cc overhead valve engine, and production of this model was stopped in 1939 after the outbreak of WW2. What you saw was probably the M21 a 600cc side valve engined bike that was sold to the military during WW2 in enormous numbers and was virtually indestructible.
Tenho 63 anos de idade e testemunhei em meados dos anos 1960 alguns desse antigos modelos e os seus amantes veteranos ainda na ativa na minha cidade aqui do interior do Brasil, época de dificuldades de manter essas motos importadas, não havia peças pra vender, tudo era produzido artesanalmente em oficinas de garagem. Me tornei motociclista por causa deles e também sou um amante desses veículos de duas rodas. Hoje eu tenho uma BMW GS 1200 ano 2012 e uma Yamaha Ténéré 660 ano 2014.
That Vincent towards the end sounded better than new! Amazing sounding engine. In all my 75 years I've never seen one on the road here in the USA. I've seen them in museums, but never on the road. I've seen ONE Vellocette 500. The guy was at an auto parts store, replenishing the oil supply! I've had a few English bikes. A 1965 Matchless 500, a 53 BSA 650, one a Triumph 650 single carb, and a 1968 Triumph Bonneville 650. Nothing quite like the old Brit bikes.
Jerry Woods had an classic bike auction in Deland during Daytona bike week for 20 years. One of the highlights was all the old bikes that people rode to the event, several Vincents made it every year. In 2008 you could pick one up for around $15k, way less than the year before.
My father had a Matchless 500 (Gears on the tank) which was British Army Issue. He was a courier. The Motorcycle was one year old when he bought it from the Army. They issued him with a new Matchless with the gears on the right foot. There was a gun mount on the tank where the gear shift was. He owned the tank shift right up to April, 1951 when he left for Australia. I remember that Matchless 500.
Well this sums up my early childhood! My grandfather had an AJS Isle of Man Racing Replica he used to ride in the 70's in the legendary DJ (Durban-Johannesburg rally in South Africa). The amazing sounds of British bikes still stirs something in me. There is a cadency and throb that cannot be found in other bikes. I spent many years going to the DJ as a kid and remember fondly most of the makes in this vid, as well as the sounds. To this day my heart beats a bit faster when I hear a British bike go by.
Those bikes are a history of the industrial age and should be coveted for the future generational as a looking glass into the past.beautiful endeavors. If they are lost.I.M.O.They are gone fore ever.
I know there are those that believe leaving classic bikes or cars as they are found is the way to go. But that Brough Superior is one of not too many around, and it should be returned to its former glory so that all the young motorcyclists get to see & appreciate one of the best looking motorcycles ever made. And when you add the history concerning T.E. Lawrence ( Lawrence of Arabia) & his ownership of a Brough & death whilst riding it then surely that motorcycle must be rebuilt. To the owner if you put out a call for genuine parts & a "crowd funding" of the cost I think you would not need to spend much of your hard earned at all. How about some comments motorcyclists??
I think that owners have different views on best way to preserve the old machines. In museums I've seen lots of Manx Nortons looking better than when they left the factory. Personally I've kept my Manx with battlescars as it was when raced. Dented chain guard since chain broke on 6th lap 1963 IoM Junior TT. Part of its history. Fun to ride.
In my earlier school days back (I was 11) in 1966, a chap in the village where I lived used to ride to work and back every weekday on an old Rudge Whitworth..I believe it was a 1928 single cylinder..You could set your watch by him going to work and coming home..Plonk, plonk, plonk, plonk, you could here him a mile away!
Not surprised hear that - in the 1980’s (then) hubby restored an old single pot 500cc BSA. Kicking it over with just the header pipes the first time rattled glass loose in every window in the house, scared the hell out of our (then) toddlers, and even once fully restored, when he took it for a ride, I learnt I had a three mile “window” before he got back home - because I could hear him gear down for a certain corner, and the exhaust note on an old single cylinder thumper is unmistakeable in comparison to any other bike on the road…
My friend did just that he has around 110 now! He builds some starting with maybe a frame or a pair of crankcases and out comes a beautiful BSA or Triumph. At the moment he is building a Mike Hailwood replica Honda 4 cyl racer!!! Such a gifted bloke indeed!!!
at 19:47 the boy is using an electric bumpstarter. Theres a kick lever right there!! Perhaps we could forgive him, it loos like he works in an auction house probably starting many bikes each day. Beautiful bikes , all of them. I imagine when I'm really old and chair bound I'll watch vids like this all day. Thanks.
I always remember an old ww2 despatch rider being asked about old brits bikes he came up with this little ditty “ Ride a Raleigh ride a wreck ride a Rudge and break your neck. Wow dunno what he weant
My father had a velocette my uncle Bobs matchless850 was pretty cool we had access to many old bikes over the years BSA ,Norton, Indians and of course Harleys
9:50 as much as I admire the unrestored original condition, I would not want to ride it as is. Nice bikes all around, however, they don't look like they've been out of service for "many years".
Cars have gone insanely costly last few years. A cheap new car would cost me more than four of my good condition classic bikes. Thankfully my rusty old car still works. All about priorities.
Excellent presentation 👌. I wonder why these old motorcycles have a kick start on the right side? It's not ergonomic! Most owners started the bike with their right foot! Bizarre position because the rest of the body has to be turned to the left! In addition, most importantly, most motorcyclists are right-handed! Even a motorcycle with a large engine capacity, e.g. 1,5 liters, can be started more easily from the left side with the right foot, using the strain relief and body weight. I've seen a lot of such constructions in Sweden, perhaps reconstructed. And these are great people, as if created to kick start their motorcycles. Greetings fans!
Most of the everyday bikes, particularly the side valvers were low compression and easy to swing over. so it was quick and easy to start the bike sat astride. After WW2 when most riders wanted sporting singles it became a good bit harder.
It's probably a legacy of 'near' and 'off' sides of a horse. Not sure I get your point, kick starting any reasonable capacity and compression ratio bike is normally done by standing astride a motorcycle with left leg straight and using right leg and body weight for force on the kickstart lever. No turning to the side. Standing off to the side is unergonomic.
@@mickkent1826 You got it right! I believe, as you do, that it is the legacy of riding a horse. Since you sit on it, the foot starter of the motorcycle was designed on the right side by analogy! You enlightened me a lot with that statement! Thank you! Have you seen in this video how a motorcyclist standing next to the "horse" on the right starts the foot starter with his right foot? It was just a curiosity! Standing astride a motorcycle, you can break the parking "legs" if you do not touch the ground with your feet, if only because of the involuntary tilt of the body. Standing on the ground, we have as much energy when starting the machine as standing on a motorcycle - "horse", and we do this activity more safely! Well, everyone has the right to their own opinions, greetings :).
@@ZygmuntKiliszewski Cheers. I've seen videos of people standing off to the side, seems really awkward to me, I have a couple of kick start bikes, always stand astride them.
@@ZygmuntKiliszewski You make good points and I'm sure it has something to do with horse-riding. It also has to do with sidecars. In England the sidecars were mounted to the left, and so kick-starting had to be on the right side. It was also advised by most manufacturers not to start motorcycles on their rear stands, as these would be likely to break very soon from the extra strain. Hence the routine of standing astride the bike to start it. That was me, by the way, starting my Matchless Model X.
Would a billionaire somewhere please start making Matchless/AJS motorcycles as they were back in the Day? Modern electronics, of course, but essentially the same otherwise. Just do it.
Well..if I was to buy an antique bike..it would die on me 200 miles out in the middle of no where...then..I would die...no thanks..I like my 2019 F-150 Ford truck....oh and my 2018 Harley too...lol...not into restoring old stuff..I'm 70 yrs old...and need it first...lol
My first bike was an more than 30 years old Harley some fifty years ago. Never failed me.Even on more than 200 miles trips. But the F250 truck I once bought new just lived 2 months before engine was scrap.
Motorbikes Style les bécanes anglaise de l'époque que ce soit B S A ou ROYAL ENFIELD NORTON TRIUMPH MATCHLES ont le même système de transmission la boîte de vitesses indépendantes du bloc moteur j'ai possédé dans les années 1970 une ROYALE ENFIELD 250 CC ET UNE 350 CC dite moi comment faire pour que je vous envoie la photo de la ROYAL ENFIELD 350 CC que jai acheté on pièce détachées et jai fait le montage moi même
Thanks buddy. Gorgeous bikes, one of my bucket list items is to have a shot of one at the very least, before I die. I've been off work after major surgery so I've seen so many adverts it's not funny anymore, the internet is ruined and TH-cam seems to be one of the worst offenders.
I had a vellocette Benin 500 cc in the 60 s followed by a ex war department Norton 500 followed by a silent vellocette le 200cc all where great but I was getting married and I was told to pick the bikes or her I picked the wrong one and married her
Back when motorcycles was common transportation, they didn't have special clothes. Just wearing everyday clothes. Most factory pictures you see has workers with a tie.
Great to see and hear all these old bikes running, great work🛵
Great old motorcycles that had a soul ? .I was one of the bikers that bought most old bikes of the era when they sold for peanuts .I even remember a rusty Brough Superior going through the piles of scrap when I worked for a couple of years for George Cohen Scrapmetal - dismantling steam engines to supply the steelworks furnaces in Sheffield in the U.K. . They brought in lorry loads of bikes [mainly sidevalve Norton & BSA s ] when the A.A. & R.A.C. stopped using motorcycle combinations ,they were piled 10 feet high and most were complete and run .I bought a Norton 16H off the company for £5 and road it home ,it just needed a headlamp glass . I owned it quite a while ,it had some real character and very reliable . When we moved to another part of the country I sold the bike to a lad who worked with my Ma at the local Turf Accountant"s [bookmakers] and last I heard 40+ years later he still has it . Great video ,keep - up the good work ! .
Some years ago in Greece I saw a BSA B21 motorcycle. Probarbly left over from the war, a side valve single, it wept oil from just about every surface. Whilst I was looking and old Greek gentleman of about eighty came over, threw his leg over and in the same movement kicked it into life and drove off. I was impressed!
The B21 was a 250cc overhead valve engine, and production of this model was stopped in 1939 after the outbreak of WW2. What you saw was probably the M21 a 600cc side valve engined bike that was sold to the military during WW2 in enormous numbers and was virtually indestructible.
Tenho 63 anos de idade e testemunhei em meados dos anos 1960 alguns desse antigos modelos e os seus amantes veteranos ainda na ativa na minha cidade aqui do interior do Brasil, época de dificuldades de manter essas motos importadas, não havia peças pra vender, tudo era produzido artesanalmente em oficinas de garagem. Me tornei motociclista por causa deles e também sou um amante desses veículos de duas rodas. Hoje eu tenho uma BMW GS 1200 ano 2012 e uma Yamaha Ténéré 660 ano 2014.
That Vincent towards the end sounded better than new! Amazing sounding engine. In all my 75 years I've never seen one on the road here in the USA. I've seen them in museums, but never on the road. I've seen ONE Vellocette 500. The guy was at an auto parts store, replenishing the oil supply! I've had a few English bikes. A 1965 Matchless 500, a 53 BSA 650, one a Triumph 650 single carb, and a 1968 Triumph Bonneville 650. Nothing quite like the old Brit bikes.
Jerry Woods had an classic bike auction in Deland during Daytona bike week for 20 years. One of the highlights was all the old bikes that people rode to the event, several Vincents made it every year. In 2008 you could pick one up for around $15k, way less than the year before.
Stunning motorcycle🏆
My father had a Matchless 500 (Gears on the tank) which was British Army Issue. He was a courier. The Motorcycle was one year old when he bought it from the Army. They issued him with a new Matchless with the gears on the right foot. There was a gun mount on the tank where the gear shift was. He owned the tank shift right up to April, 1951 when he left for Australia. I remember that Matchless 500.
British vintage motorcycles always make us love it with beautiful and romantic design and epic sound engine. Nice video👏👏👏
Well this sums up my early childhood! My grandfather had an AJS Isle of Man Racing Replica he used to ride in the 70's in the legendary DJ (Durban-Johannesburg rally in South Africa). The amazing sounds of British bikes still stirs something in me. There is a cadency and throb that cannot be found in other bikes. I spent many years going to the DJ as a kid and remember fondly most of the makes in this vid, as well as the sounds. To this day my heart beats a bit faster when I hear a British bike go by.
incredibly beautiful motorcycles in the video and nice noises
Very interesting. I had never heard of many of these, much less, seen them, or heard them. Thank you.
Those bikes are a history of the industrial age and should be coveted for the future generational as a looking glass into the past.beautiful endeavors. If they are lost.I.M.O.They are gone fore ever.
I'll take the Vincent "Black Shadow", she's a beauty!!
That triumph off-roader at 21:00 sounded sweet!!. All beauty bikes, from a time when vehicles were not only stylish but built to last.......
Amazing how those softly tuned old bikes go first kick.
That Vincent is the sweetest sounding V Twin ever.
Wonderful collaboration of beautiful Bikes Thanks ! 👍👀👍
Douglas sure runs smooth! Velocette MSS is a thumper , great looking bike ! Gotta love em!
all are awesome bikes. i have a 1958 Triumph TRW500.
Precioso video muchas gracias
I know there are those that believe leaving classic bikes or cars as they are found is the way to go. But that Brough Superior is one of not too many around, and it should be returned to its former glory so that all the young motorcyclists get to see & appreciate one of the best looking motorcycles ever made. And when you add the history concerning T.E. Lawrence ( Lawrence of Arabia) & his ownership of a Brough & death whilst riding it then surely that motorcycle must be rebuilt. To the owner if you put out a call for genuine parts & a "crowd funding" of the cost I think you would not need to spend much of your hard earned at all. How about some comments motorcyclists??
Absolutely
never , they ar only original once
@@nitroboy2 Exactly. plenty of machines have been fully restored from bits and pieces gathered at great effort. But complete and original is rare as
I think that owners have different views on best way to preserve the old machines. In museums I've seen lots of Manx Nortons looking better than when they left the factory. Personally I've kept my Manx with battlescars as it was when raced. Dented chain guard since chain broke on 6th lap 1963 IoM Junior TT. Part of its history. Fun to ride.
square 4 = now sir you have a cycle ! = some guy in south australia = has the msot square 4 ariels !
Wow 😮 all beauties 😊
In my earlier school days back (I was 11) in 1966, a chap in the village where I lived used to ride to work and back every weekday on an old Rudge Whitworth..I believe it was a 1928 single cylinder..You could set your watch by him going to work and coming home..Plonk, plonk, plonk, plonk, you could here him a mile away!
Not surprised hear that - in the 1980’s (then) hubby restored an old single pot 500cc BSA. Kicking it over with just the header pipes the first time rattled glass loose in every window in the house, scared the hell out of our (then) toddlers, and even once fully restored, when he took it for a ride, I learnt I had a three mile “window” before he got back home - because I could hear him gear down for a certain corner, and the exhaust note on an old single cylinder thumper is unmistakeable in comparison to any other bike on the road…
@@1ihws 😃😃
Very nice, very cool ❤😎👍
I think the title is somewhat misleading, most of those beauties have been so well restored and maintained they’ve obviously been regularly running.
Ambassador 'Super S'. My first bike, never expected to see another.
とてもいい…素敵だ。
I think it's a very interesting video.
To be able to feel the history of machinery!
Yes, awesome vintage motorcycle engines with nice sounds!
My father had a 1935 Triumph all his life and I bought a Matchless 55G9 when I was 17.
Very enjoyable, thank you.
The Sunbeam S7 and S8 were beautiful
amazing, im from indonesia, and i have BSA m2o 1941
I’m a bsa fan but wow! Lots of interesting makes running! Great video
Ależ to jest Piękne , posłuchać pracy serca , żeby dał znać o życiu , trzeba dać mu kopa ...
If I had kept all the bikes that I had owned in my life, not only would I have an enormous museum but I would be an asset millionaire
Me too.
My friend did just that he has around 110 now! He builds some starting with maybe a frame or a pair of crankcases and out comes a beautiful BSA or Triumph. At the moment he is building a Mike Hailwood replica Honda 4 cyl racer!!! Such a gifted bloke indeed!!!
The Vincent was indeed class...
at 19:47 the boy is using an electric bumpstarter. Theres a kick lever right there!! Perhaps we could forgive him, it loos like he works in an auction house probably starting many bikes each day.
Beautiful bikes , all of them. I imagine when I'm really old and chair bound I'll watch vids like this all day. Thanks.
Sweet looking Royal Enfield twin thou
Royal Enfield always be the top best looking motorcycle design, so nice.
I always remember an old ww2 despatch rider being asked about old brits bikes he came up with this little ditty “ Ride a Raleigh ride a wreck ride a Rudge and break your neck. Wow dunno what he weant
I have a sudden craving for fish and chips
amazing n cool
My father had a velocette my uncle Bobs matchless850 was pretty cool we had access to many old bikes over the years BSA ,Norton, Indians and of course Harleys
"Chocks away old boy" 😂
Great effort and great collection
Essa máquinas no asfalto nada pega velozes top very good
9:50 as much as I admire the unrestored original condition, I would not want to ride it as is.
Nice bikes all around, however, they don't look like they've been out of service for "many years".
nice
I don't like to start my 1937 Ariel Red Hunter on the rear stand. There is no need to do it and it distorts the stand.
Toss up for me between the Levis and the Clyno
2nd one in 0:01 is Jawa from CZ. Thanks for adding her here, great honor! :)
Bola to JAWA.
You're spot on mate 👊
Wondering! The year of manufacture of each bike would make it much more interesting
@TheBandana1969 The year is in black type above the brand name of each bike. Is that what you wanted?
@@rodmact6548 Yes, thanks so much
after many years from manufacture; not many years from last start.
Great historic bikes.
Great video!!!
Love old english bikes class
around 8:46 what happened to the little ride the guy was gonna do? was he another know it all who dumped a beautiful bike on the ground?
I wish me a good classic motorcycle, but one in good condition is more expensive then a car. Sometimes as expensive as a new cheap car.
Cars have gone insanely costly last few years. A cheap new car would cost me more than four of my good condition classic bikes. Thankfully my rusty old car still works.
All about priorities.
It is on that they boffed !
Excellent presentation 👌.
I wonder why these old motorcycles have a kick start on the right side? It's not ergonomic! Most owners started the bike with their right foot! Bizarre position because the rest of the body has to be turned to the left! In addition, most importantly, most motorcyclists are right-handed! Even a motorcycle with a large engine capacity, e.g. 1,5 liters, can be started more easily from the left side with the right foot, using the strain relief and body weight. I've seen a lot of such constructions in Sweden, perhaps reconstructed. And these are great people, as if created to kick start their motorcycles. Greetings fans!
Most of the everyday bikes, particularly the side valvers were low compression and easy to swing over. so it was quick and easy to start the bike sat astride. After WW2 when most riders wanted sporting singles it became a good bit harder.
It's probably a legacy of 'near' and 'off' sides of a horse. Not sure I get your point, kick starting any reasonable capacity and compression ratio bike is normally done by standing astride a motorcycle with left leg straight and using right leg and body weight for force on the kickstart lever. No turning to the side. Standing off to the side is unergonomic.
@@mickkent1826 You got it right! I believe, as you do, that it is the legacy of riding a horse. Since you sit on it, the foot starter of the motorcycle was designed on the right side by analogy! You enlightened me a lot with that statement! Thank you! Have you seen in this video how a motorcyclist standing next to the "horse" on the right starts the foot starter with his right foot? It was just a curiosity! Standing astride a motorcycle, you can break the parking "legs" if you do not touch the ground with your feet, if only because of the involuntary tilt of the body. Standing on the ground, we have as much energy when starting the machine as standing on a motorcycle - "horse", and we do this activity more safely!
Well, everyone has the right to their own opinions, greetings :).
@@ZygmuntKiliszewski Cheers. I've seen videos of people standing off to the side, seems really awkward to me, I have a couple of kick start bikes, always stand astride them.
@@ZygmuntKiliszewski You make good points and I'm sure it has something to do with horse-riding. It also has to do with sidecars. In England the sidecars were mounted to the left, and so kick-starting had to be on the right side. It was also advised by most manufacturers not to start motorcycles on their rear stands, as these would be likely to break very soon from the extra strain. Hence the routine of standing astride the bike to start it. That was me, by the way, starting my Matchless Model X.
❤
I've crashed older motorcycles than any in this video.
Where's the BSA Blue Star in the title photo? Clickbait!!!
Would a billionaire somewhere please start making Matchless/AJS motorcycles as they were back in the Day? Modern electronics, of course, but essentially the same otherwise. Just do it.
Modern electronics, no thanks. Modern bikes will never be classic. Electronic failures without spares prevent that in a decade or two.
Well..if I was to buy an antique bike..it would die on me 200 miles out in the middle of no where...then..I would die...no thanks..I like my 2019 F-150 Ford truck....oh and my 2018 Harley too...lol...not into restoring old stuff..I'm 70 yrs old...and need it first...lol
My first bike was an more than 30 years old Harley some fifty years ago. Never failed me.Even on more than 200 miles trips. But the F250 truck I once bought new just lived 2 months before engine was scrap.
👍✌
Just about all of them are right foot gear changes….things have changed..
Blame the Americans.
I did not see a BSA Bantam or a Francis Barnett 197cc. was hoping.....
I was hoping for an Arial square four.
Those old bikes were doing some talking
Shame about the Brough, you could do yourself an injury riding it. Why let a bike get as bad as that…?
My Dad rode a Norton can't remember the model
Never start A motor cycle on the stand first class way to break or bend the stand!
Nonsense.they do it all the time at the wheels through time museum.
Iam pretty sure that ain't a Norton CS1
I dunno whether I'd want to ride that 1928 Brough Superior 11-50.........The seat looks a bit uncomfortable..
Word.
Motorbikes Style les bécanes anglaise de l'époque que ce soit B S A ou ROYAL ENFIELD NORTON TRIUMPH MATCHLES ont le même système de transmission la boîte de vitesses indépendantes du bloc moteur j'ai possédé dans les années 1970 une ROYALE ENFIELD 250 CC ET UNE 350 CC dite moi comment faire pour que je vous envoie la photo de la ROYAL ENFIELD 350 CC que jai acheté on pièce détachées et jai fait le montage moi même
12:24 90Nm at 50rpm 😂
Starting - definitely, but not after many years...Innocent small lye?
panther ??
Sounds British..
Where’s the smoke?
Was hoping to see a Vincent black shadow but had to switch the video off for adverts. Utterly ruined
Try 17:48 matey.
Thanks buddy. Gorgeous bikes, one of my bucket list items is to have a shot of one at the very least, before I die.
I've been off work after major surgery so I've seen so many adverts it's not funny anymore, the internet is ruined and TH-cam seems to be one of the worst offenders.
@@gillonstewart1601 Know what you mean , hope you're back to throwing your leg over something good soon. Take it easy.
I had a vellocette Benin 500 cc in the 60 s followed by a ex war department Norton 500 followed by a silent vellocette le 200cc all where great but I was getting married and I was told to pick the bikes or her I picked the wrong one and married her
Strange,,,,,,, I watched it and didn't see one advert.
Wtf? You have to wear a dress to ride a Brit bike?
Back when motorcycles was common transportation, they didn't have special clothes. Just wearing everyday clothes. Most factory pictures you see has workers with a tie.
Moj tata mial Ariela 500 to bylo cudo .