Blog Posts | Classic and Vintage Motorcycles

William Dunlop joins 2015 Classic TT Campaign with NMM Norton

William Dunlop has joined the newly formed Team National Motorcycle Museum Racing for the 2015 Classic TT Races presented by Bennetts. The museum, based in the West Midlands, is home to the largest collection of British Motorcycles in the world with over 100 marques including BSA, Ariel and of course Norton. Dunlop will ride one of the museum's original and iconic Rotary Norton bikes from the 1992 British Championship season in the Motorsport Merchandise Formula 1 Classic TT Race on Monday 31st August 2015. Dunlop has three podium finishes in the TT Races Supersport class in the last three years and also finished runner up in the inaugural ...

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Posted February 17, 2015 by Nigel in News | 2 comments

New CRIGHTON Rotary Race Bike to be launched…

Stop Press! New CRIGHTON Rotary Race Bike to be launched @ VMCC Festival of 1000 Bikes, Mallory Park, 13/14 July 2013. Here is some huge “Stop Press” news with the VMCC Festival of 1000 Bikes providing the stage for the launch of the new Crighton CR700P Rotary Race Bike. You can find an exclusive first view of the new bike attached to this communication. Many enthusiast’s will know that Brian Crighton created the famous (and Championship winning) Norton Rotary race bikes of the late 1980s & early 1990s.Those visiting “1000 Bikes” in recent years will know that due to the help of the National Motorcycle Museum & Brian Crighton these iconic bikes have formed one of the most popular parts of the ...

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Posted June 10, 2013 by Nigel in Events, Features | 1 comment

VMCC Banbury Run Details Announced

The VMCC Ltd is delighted to announce that dates for the 65th VMCC Banbury Run which will be held at the Motor Heritage Centre, Gaydon, Warwickshire on Sunday 16th June 2013. The Event. With the support of event partners Footman James Insurance Brokers, Bonhams Auctioneers & Old Bike Mart the format of the 65th “run” will be similar to 2012 but with new routes and checkpoints to challenge the riders. With 600 entrants the VMCC Banbury Run is the biggest gathering & run in the world for machines manufactured before 1931. Operating over 3 different routes which all converge back on Gaydon the Banbury Run caters for those ...

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Posted December 29, 2012 by Nigel in Events | No comments yet

1929 Grindlay Peerless up for auction….

The 1929 Grindlay-Peerless JAP 500cc ‘Hundred Model’ that is one of only two of its kind known to survive lapped Brooklands at over 100mph in 1937. An extremely rare racing motorcycle from the 1920s that lapped the famous Brooklands race circuit at over 100mph is expected to generate intense competition among bidders at the Bonhams Autumn Stafford Sale on Sunday 21st October 2012. One of only two of its kind known to survive, the 1929 Grindlay-Peerless-JAP 500cc ‘Hundred Model’ (estimate £50,000 - £70,000) won the Brooklands ‘Gold Star’ award in 1937 in the hands of prominent VMCC member, the late Edmond ‘Boy’ Tubb. When Grindlay-Peerless rider C W G ‘Bill’ Lacey ...

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Posted July 30, 2012 by Nigel in News | 2 comments

VMCC Banbury Run Update…

The VMCC’s hard-working events team had to make some last minute re-organisation of the autojumble, the camping and the spectator car parking because of the weather, but on the big day, there was a ‘weather window’ for the 64th Banbury Run. Because of space restrictions in the hastily created hard standing areas the famous “Banbury autojumble” was roughly half its normal size at 70 pitches. However the huge 130+ pitch jumble will be restored to its full size for 2013. Nearly 600 riders coaxed their pre-1931 machines out of the Heritage Motor Centre at Gaydon on to the byways of Oxfordshire and Warwickshire in groups of five starting at ...

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Posted July 28, 2012 by Nigel in Events | No comments yet

Festival of 1000 Bikes News

Nearly 20,000 people visited the Festival of 1000 Bikes in 2011 and the organisers are promising it will be even better for 2012 with GP legend and former World Champion Kevin Schwantz confirmed for the event on July 6th - 8th. Schwantz first rode a 500cc two-stroke at Mallory Park in 1986 and it kick started a fantastic and exciting career. Other names included on the list already include Carl Fogarty, Randy Mamola, Mick Grant and Stan Woods, Neil Hodgson, Paul Smart and many more. And don't forget the autojumble, trials, grass track, sprint, avenue of clubs, trade stands, real ale bar and entertainment. A whopping 1349 bikes are booked to ...

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Posted July 4, 2012 by Nigel in Events, News | No comments yet

Gold Stars at Brooklands…

On 30th June 1937, Wal Handley lapped the famous Brooklands Outer Circuit at 107.57mph on a 500cc BSA Empire Star. For that lap, he was awarded a Brooklands Gold Star, the tiny enamel badge that signified so much. That achievement led the BSA Company to name their top sporting 500 "The Gold Star", which became perhaps the best-known name of any British motorcycle. On 30th June 2012, 75 years to the day, the Gold Star Owners Club plans a commemorative celebration at Brooklands, the world's first purpose circuit for motorsports. The aim is to get more Gold Stars and Rocket Gold Stars in one place at one time ...

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Posted May 21, 2012 by Nigel in Events | No comments yet

Over 600 vintage bikes gather for nostalgic Banbury Run!

Over 600 Veteran and Vintage motorcycles will descend on the Heritage Motor Centre for the 64th nostalgic Vintage Motor Cycle Club Banbury Run ™ on Sunday 17 June. The event, which is the largest gathering of pre-1931 Motorcycles & 3 Wheelers in the World, will also feature Club and Trade Stands, over 100 Autojumble pitches and special interest displays. The Banbury Run ™ is aimed at those who enjoy the thrill of riding with other Vintage, Veteran & Pioneer bikes. Visitors can see the bikes in all their glory as they set off for their annual Run around ...

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Posted May 13, 2012 by Nigel in Events | No comments yet

Are you a Vintage Virgin??

Rider training for “Vintage Virgins” is back in 2012 when the VMCC will be holding two Vintage Motorcycle Training Days following the success of last year’s events. The dates have now been set for the “Southern” and “Midlands” events which will be held at the following locations in May & June- TRAINING DAY SOUTH- Sunday May 6th 2012, Arborfield Barracks, Nr Reading, Berkshire. TRAINING DAY MIDLANDS- Bank Holiday Monday June 4th 2012, Curborough, Nr Lichfield, Staffordshire. The Vintage Training Days give both VMCC members & non members the opportunity to experience the type of machine that they might not normally get the chance to ride. Owners of 1920s and 1930s ...

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Posted January 16, 2012 by Nigel in Events | No comments yet

The Kenny Roberts Interview

Kenny Roberts is certainly one of the all-time racing greats in motorcycling. When I heard that he was visiting Mallory Park for the 2011 Festival of 1000 Bikes, I just had to take the opportunity of meeting him and finding out a little more about him. Along with Barry Sheene, Kenny Roberts was the biggest name in the sport in my younger years, so I was thrilled at this chance. Kenny was born in 1951 and started his hugely successful career on the ...

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Posted August 4, 2011 by Nigel in Interviews | 6 comments

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