British

Rare Suzuki at Bonhams Auction to fetch £35,000

by Rob Hull from https://www.dailymail.co.uk A 34-year-old motorcycle with just TWO ‘Push Miles’ on the clock: Rare Suzuki road bike that’s never been ridden is tipped to sell for £35,000 The Suzuki RG500 Gamma is an ultra-rare two-stroke road bike from the 1980s It’s based on the factory 500cc Grand Prix racers of the era that won two titles This example has never been ridden with its two recorded miles accrued while being manoeuvred during storage Bonhams will sell it at auction this weekend with an estimate of £30k to £35k A late eighties Suzuki RG500 motorcycle is set to go under the hammer this weekend with an astonishingly low number of miles clocked in its 34 years – and none of them came from it being driven. The two-stroke road-going replica of the factory Grand Prix race machines of the era is already a hugely collectible motorbike today – but this particular example stands out for having just two miles on the clock. Bonhams, which is offering the bike at its 9 October sale at the Classic Motorcycle Mechanics Show in Stafford, says these are ‘push miles’ only, accrued by owners moving the bike around by hand – meaning it’s never actually been ridden. The auction house has estimated that the motorcycle could sell for between £30,000 and £35,000 – though its like-new condition and lack of use could see it easily eclipse that valuation when bidding commences on Saturday. Bonhams says it represents ‘a possibly once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to acquire an unused and unregistered example of this iconic Suzuki model’. The RG500 ‘Gamma’ was only produced by the Japanese motorcycle brand for two years between 1985 and 1987 and was heavily based on the racing machine used by its factory team. And it was a title-winning package, with Italians […]

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The Flying Wrens: Sisterhood of Motorcycling Heroes

All-Female British dispatch riders of WW-II Originally, the Women’s Royal Naval Service (WRNS) was formed in 1917, during WW-I. Riding on narrow British roads in all weather conditions can be a dangerous enough occupation. Doing so around the clock during WW-II with the German Blitz going on around you required steel nerves. The bikes used were mostly small, single-cylinder affairs, built specifically for military use. Click Here to Read this Feature Article & Historic Photos on Bikernet.com Join the Cantina for more – Subscribe Today. https://www.bikernet.com/pages/custom/subscription.aspx

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New Triumph Tiger 900 Limited Edition Celebrating James Bond

by Shakti Nath Jha from https://www.financialexpress.com New Triumph Tiger 900 Bond Edition Revealed; Limited to just 250 units globally Triumph Motorcycles has revealed the ultra-exclusive Bond Edition of the Triumph Tiger 900. Only 250 units of the new Tiger 900 Bond Edition will be available worldwide. Triumph Motorcycles has officially revealed the new ultra-exclusive Bond Edition of the Triumph Tiger 900. The company has introduced the Tiger 900 Bond Edition to celebrate the iconic British partnership between James Bond and Triumph. The new Triumph Tiger 900 Bond Edition is inspired by the incredible Tiger 900 Rally Pro, which features in amazing stunt sequences in the upcoming 25th ‘007’ James Bond movie, ‘No Time To Die’. This new limited edition motorcycle from Triumph is based on the top-spec Rally Pro variant of the Tiger 900. Triumph Motorcycles has revealed that only 250 units of the new Tiger 900 Bond Edition will be available globally. Each of these limited edition motorcycles will be individually numbered on the handlebar clamp with a signed certificate of authenticity. The Tiger 900 Bond edition will be finished in a unique Matt Sapphire Black paint scheme and it will feature exclusive ‘007’ graphics with blacked-out inserts to make this good-looking ADV even more appealing. The new Triumph Tiger 900 Bond Edition gets exclusive features such as the ‘007’ TFT start-up screen animation, heated rider and pillion seat along with Bond Edition branding on the saddle, a set of high-specification Michelin Anakee wild off-road tyres for advanced off-road capabilities, etc. The new Tiger 900 Bond Edition is the second limited-edition motorcycle from Triumph to be built in collaboration with the Bond franchise. Last year, this British two-wheeler manufacturer launched the Bond Edition of the Scrambler 1200. However, in terms of mechanicals, the Tiger 900 Bond Edition remains the

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Harley-Davidson XL Sportster 1957 & the OHV Engine

The XL commonly known as the Sportster. The original XL Sportster used a lot of parts from the previous K Model, but the real revelation was its new OHV engine. Harley-Davidson was aware of the interest of buyers in customizing. While the humble XL Sportster had made an impact of sorts upon its initial release in 1957, it was the continual evolution of this lighter-weight V-twin engine that cemented it as a staple in the Harley-Davidson range. It has truly helped instill the Harley-Davidson name in motorcycle history. Click Here to Read this Feature Article on Bikernet.com Join the Cantina for more – Subscribe Today. https://www.bikernet.com/pages/custom/subscription.aspx

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Storied Jaguar grew from motorcycle sidecars

by Bill Vance from https://www.timescolonist.com The Jaguar company grew from humble roots planted in 1922. It began when two young motorcycle enthusiasts named William Walmsley and William Lyons formed the Swallow Sidecar Co. to produce stylish aluminum-clad, zeppelin-shaped motorcycle sidecars in a small shop in Blackpool, England. The Swallow sidecar became a popular product and in a few years as their skills grew they progressed to producing stylish open and closed bodies for cars like tiny Austin Sevens, and later for Standards, Swifts, Morrises and Wolseleys. They relocated to Coventry in 1928 and renamed their enterprise Swallow Coachbuilding Co. to reflect its venture into manufacturing cars. It would become S.S. Cars Ltd in 1934, and after the Second World War became Jaguar Cars Ltd. When Swallow Coachbuilding Co. started building its own SS badged cars it used Standard Motor Co. chassis and engines. They were rakish machines emphasizing imaginative styling and low-slung lines. The first SS I introduced in 1931 based on the Standard 16 was a signal that S.S. Cars was on its way as an automobile manufacturer. The SS 1 had Standard’s 2-litre, side-valve six, the beginning of the company’s preference for six cylinder engines. The SS I had dramatic styling with a long louvered hood, front cycle fenders, Rudge-Whitworth centre-lock wire wheels, rear-mounted continental spare tire and no running boards. It was what we would now call a two-plus-two, accommodating two adults in front and two children or small passengers in the rear. Its low profile 1,422 mm (56 in.) height was achieved by lowering the chassis and mounting the springs outside the frame rails. The engine was moved back in the chassis and the wheelbase was a little longer than the Standard model. A smaller SS II was built with a four cylinder engine. The SS

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Bonhams digital auction platform Expands into Europe

from https://www.bonhams.com/press_release/32734/ The Market by Bonhams digital auction platform is set to launch across Europe in September, marking the latest expansion for one of the leading and fastest-growing online marketplaces for classic and collectible car and motorcycle auctions. The Market by Bonhams EU launches for bids on Wednesday 8 September 2021, with the first sales closing on Wednesday 15 September 2021. It marks the latest development in Bonhams Motoring’s ‘always on’ motoring strategy which has a growing focus on daily online auctions. Since its conception in 2016, The Market has become one of the most successful market offerings, combining traditional auction practices on an innovative, exciting digital platform. Delivering industry-leading expertise across the platform’s premier digital offering, The Market has a proven track record for delivering results, service and quality. By expanding the platform internationally, The Market is meeting growing appetite and demand from buyers and sellers across Europe to reach a wider, more global audience. Launching The Market by Bonhams internationally marks a natural progression following the success of the platform in the UK. In 2020, The Market sold £10.6m of hammer value over 640 auctions, while in this current year in the UK, it is working successfully towards a hammer value of £20m. The Market has also had a sale rate of more than 90% for the last four years. In July 2021 the platform sold an ultra-rare metallic blue 1989 Ferrari F40, which had become a worldwide social media star, for a record-breaking £1,000,500, the first seven-figure result for an online platform in the UK and Europe. Users worldwide will be able to benefit from using the same platform that has been successfully deployed in the UK, with the added enhancement of the platform being translated in to multiple languages. All of the established benefits of The

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Veterans’ campaigner Simon Weston gets special gift on 60th birthday

by Enda Mullen from https://www.coventrytelegraph.net Veterans’ campaigner Simon Weston says 60th birthday gift of Triumph trike is dream come true. It followed a crowdfunding campaign organised by former Meriden Triumph engineer Norman Hyde. Veterans’ campaigner and Falkland War survivor Simon Weston has been presented with an extra-special gift to mark his 60th birthday in the shape of a Triumph trike. Simon signed up for the British Army at 15. Aged 20, when serving in the Welsh Guards, he was aboard the logistics ship RFA Sir Galahad – laden with fuels and ammunition – when it was bombed by the Argentine Air Force during the conflict in the South Atlantic. He suffered horrific injuries and underwent prolonged reconstructive surgery. At times Simon said he was close to giving in, but courage and determination saw him emerge positively as a strong advocate for troops’ and veterans’ rights. Along with his many charitable activities he gives inspirational talks on achieving mental wellness. Awarded the OBE in 1992, Simon was made a CBE in 2016. Veterans’ campaigner and Falkland War survivor Simon Weston has been presented with an extra-special gift to mark his 60th birthday in the shape of a Triumph trike. The gift was the result of a crowd-funding campaign which had its roots in a chance conversation at a presentation given by Simon two years ago. Simon revealed to former Meriden Triumph engineer and world speed record holder Norman Hyde that he would really love a trike like the one ridden by Billy Connolly on his TV travel series. It spurred Norman into action and he decided to embark on a mission to fulfil Simon’s dream. He said: “Knowing what Simon had given to our country and knowing what good people there are in the bike world, from manufacturers and importers, through

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Rare 1901 Triumph Motor Bicycle to Make First Public Appearance in 84 Years

by Florina Spînu from https://www.autoevolution.com Salon Privé Week, now in its 16th year, will once again highlight the best of the automotive and motorcycle worlds. Any car enthusiast and motorcycle aficionado will drool at the most incredible supercars and classics and alongside the rarest motorcycles. Triumph will also take part in this year’s series of events and will create a buzz with a rare sight: its first motorcycle ever built. What began in 1886 as the Triumph Cycle Company has become one of the most recognizable of all motorcycle brands, with iconic models including the Speed Twin, Bonneville, and the famous Thunderbird 6T ridden by Marlon Brando in “The Wild One.” Siegfried Bettmann and Moritz Schulte, the company’s founders, started out making Triumph-branded bicycles, but they gradually extended production to include motorcycles as well. That’s how the company’s first “motorcycle” was born. It was a bicycle fitted with a 3/4hp 172cc Belgian Minerva engine. The machine had no clutch or gearbox, and the rider could adjust the rear chain with the use of a rear band brake and an eccentric crank. The Triumph motor bicycle was introduced in September 1901 for the 1902 season. The brand’s reputation for quality and durability was well established by the outbreak of WWI, which eventually led to substantial orders for military use. The rare exemplary will be on display at on the South Lawn at Blenheim Palace as part of the Salon Privé Concours d’Elégance. Its appearance represents a unique opportunity for visitors to see this historic motor bicycle ( which is the forerunner of all subsequent Triumphs) in public for the first time since 1937. On September 1st, Salon Privé Concours d’Elégance will include two classes: Exceptional Motorcycles and Exceptional Competition Motorcycles. Allen Millyard, a well-known motorcycle builder, will be back this year

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BMW Debuts R 18 Transcontinental and R 18 B ‘Bagger’ touring motorcycles

by Florina Spînu from https://www.autoevolution.com According to BMW, the new R 18 Transcontinental and R 18 B will be available worldwide as special R 18 Transcontinental First Edition and R 18 B First Edition models when they hit the market in September. The two new R 18 family members will be unveiled to the public for the first time on August 6th in Sturgis, South Dakota. BMW is expanding the R 18 family with the new R 18 Transcontinental and the R 18 B “Bagger,” one ideal for long-distance rides and one perfect for touring and cruising. You can watch some high-octane scenes with the new models in The Cadillac Three’s new music video, “Get After It.” The collaboration between the American Southern rock group and BMW only came naturally as the new models are built to appeal to those looking for a sportier ride and those going for a more touring-oriented machine. The southern country music is a perfect addition for these bad boys that star in the clip, riding just outside Nashville. The new R 18 Transcontinental is a luxurious tourer that comes with a high windshield, wind deflector, and flaps. Compared to the standard R 18, it has additional lights, a top case, and four analog round instruments. The ride has seat heating as standard to ensure long-distance riding comfort even when two people get on it. On the other hand, the R 18 B has no top case and a lower windscreen that adds to the style of a bagger. Among other features, it sports a smaller seat, wider and more comfortable footrests, and a matt black metallic engine. Like the previous R 18 models, both rides combine the power of the 2-cylinder “Big Boxer” engine with a classic chassis design based on BMW’s historical motorcycle

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Former Jaguar Land Rover CEO to be Chairman of Norton motorcycles Parent Company TVS Motors

by Enda Mullen-COV from https://www.coventrytelegraph.net Former Jaguar Land Rover chief to take up new role at reborn motorcycle maker News of Sir Ralf Speth’s appointment follows Norton Motorcycles’ move to Solihull. In January Norton announced it is to move into the most advanced manufacturing facility in the brand’s 122-year history in Solihull. Jaguar Land Rover’s former boss Sir Ralf Speth is to join the board of legendary motorbike maker Norton Motorcycles. Sir Ralf, who stepped down as CEO of the Coventry car maker in September last year, is to become the chairman of Norton Motorcycles’ parent company, TVS Motor Company. Sir Ralf will take up the role in January 2023. CEO at Jaguar Land Rover for 11 years, Sir Ralf is hailed with transforming the company during his time at the helm. He was the recipient of a knighthood from the Queen in 2018 for his contributions to British industry, and also named as a Fellow of the Royal Society in 2020 for his passion for science. News of his appointment to Norton Motorcycles comes at a time as the company is being reborn under TVS Motor Company’s ownership. The company is currently finalising work on construction of the new Highlands Road factory, which is expected to open by the end of this year. John Russell, interim CEO of Norton Motorcycles, said: “We are truly delighted to welcome Sir Ralf to the TVS Motor Company family. “We know that Sir Ralf is a tremendous leader and his accomplishments in the automotive industry speak volumes. “This excellent appointment comes at a time when the Norton Motorcycles business is on a very positive trajectory but still with much work to do. “We will soon be settled in our state-of-the-art new manufacturing base and the guidance of Sir Ralf will be important for

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