Mark Lancaster
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Len Vale-Onslow: the maverick who gave motorcycles the welded frame
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From childhood crashes to the first welded production motorcycle frame, Len Vale-Onslow’s story is one of invention, risk-taking and what might have been. The name of Len Vale-Onslow needs little introduction. Born Leslie Vale-Onslow in 1900, he was introduced to motorcycles in 1908 when he rode a machine built by his brothers. A police constable…
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How Saracen rose and fell in Britain’s mini trials motorcycle boom
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Along with friend and scrambler Frank Underwood, trials enthusiast and school teacher Ron Goodfellow designed, built, rode and sold the Saracen mini trials motorcycles in kit form, inspired by a desire to create an affordable alternative to the then-expensive Bultaco models. Working in a small Cirencester workshop, Mr Goodfellow brazed up a chassis using preformed…
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Yamaha YR2C: when Yamaha joined the street scrambler trend
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Steve Cooper looks at how Yamaha took its all-new YR1 and jumped aboard the 1960s street scrambler trend. In 1967, Yamaha’s Iwata factory rolled out its most significant machine since the 250cc two-stroke YDS1 of 1959. The all-new Yamaha YR1 350 two-stroke twin was a ground-up design featuring a vertically split crankcase and a clutch…
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Suzuki’s TC200 came here by accident…
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Steve Cooper looks at the street scrambler that came to these shores by accident… So, as we all know, street scramblers were never sold in the UK, right? Well, why would a company do that when we Brits have always had a reputation for being a conservative bunch when it comes to buying motorcycles? Very…
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Dunlop Debut!
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Fifty years ago… the summer of ’76 — the heatwave, petrol at 76 a gallon, Barry Sheene and James Hunt winning world championships on two and four wheels. Punk rock was on its way to shake up the establishment and one J. Dunlop was about to make his debut at the Isle of Man TT…
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Rare Japanese Lilac Lancer added to museum collection
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The Sammy Miller Motorcycle Museum is delighted to announce the latest addition to its world-renowned collection – a rare Lilac Lancer Mk V 250cc V-Twin, a shaft-driven, four-speed motorcycle built by the Marusho Company of Hamamatsu, Japan. The Marusho Company was founded in 1948 by motorcycle engineer Masashi Ito, who would go on to create…
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R A Jones Classic Motorcycles: a family passion for proper classic bikes
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For anyone with a love of British classics, restoration projects and interesting old motorcycles, R A Jones Classic Motorcycles is well worth knowing about. Based in Manchester, close to the Trafford Centre and M60, the business is run by Robert Jones and specialises in classic motorcycles, with a particular passion for British machinery. Whether it…
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Normous Newark to return with Ford & Scooter Classic Day this August
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Normous Newark Autojumble returns to Newark Showground again this summer with an added classic vehicle attraction for visitors, collectors, riders and drivers. Taking place on Sunday, August 9, 2026, the popular autojumble will also host the Ford & Scooter Classic Day, bringing together the usual wide-ranging mix of autojumble traders, parts, projects, tools, memorabilia and…
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World’s fastest monowheel at Sammy Miller Museum
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The latest addition to the ever-growing Sammy Miller Motorcycle Museum is ‘Trojan’, the world’s fastest monowheel. The UK Monowheel Team, made up of six dedicated enthusiasts (for ‘dedicated enthusiasts’ read ‘bonkers madmen’!) from Lincoln, Nottingham and Northamptonshire, designed, developed and built the extraordinary machine over a period of ten years. It’s the team’s fourth monowheel…
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The cult of LC!
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From the era that style forgot came a machine like no other: Yamaha’s RD350LC. What made this bike (and little brother and subsequent models) so well-loved? Bertie Simmonds explains… At the start of the 1980s, we were under the shadow of The Cold War, Thatcherism had been unleashed upon us, and unemployment was hitting two…
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