Vintage British Motorcycles
"And 'tis no little reason bids us speed" Henry IV, Act 1
Anny Deim
Notes on some of the rarer British marques
This page lists brands for which we currently have only an historical precis.
For a more complete listing visit the British Index.
Untitled Motorcycles
Established in 2010, UMC has workshops in London and San Francisco. It designs and builds custom motorcycles for individual buyers and in partnership with Ducati, Triumph, Yamaha, Moto Guzzi, and Zero.
Their UMC-063 XP Zero has won 17 international design awards. The electric motorcycle has an 82kW direct drive motor with a 15.2 kWh battery pack. It delivers 110hp and 146ft-lbs of torque giving a claimed top speed of 124 mph and an acceleration of 0-60mph in 3.7 seconds.
Sources: yankodesign.com, untitledmotorcycles.com.
Unity Equipe
26-30 Lowgates, Staveley, Chesterfield.
Unity Equipe specialised in Manx Norton, Triumph & Triton motorcycles. Alloy and fibreglass tanks were included in the 54 page catalogue of 2015, believed to have been their last. That year they sold the business.
In 1978 the firm bought the rights to the Manx name from John Tickle. The rights were passed to Bernie Allen of Wiltshire in 1989, who sold the name to Andy Molnar in 1994.
Vimp Microcars 1954
Vodac
Mon Oct 13 2014
porzi.wentland at gmx.de
Vodac Sidecars
Hello there!
I am a student for conservation of technological heritage. At the moment I am working on a cycle pulled trailer by the company "Vodac". I can't seem to find any information on this company, I only came across this name on your website referring to the welbikes. It seems to have been a company specialised on side cars or trailers. Do you perhaps have any information concerning "vodac" or know where I could look for it? I'd be very happy if so. I attached some photos. The database says the trailer was manufactured in 1952. Many thanks and greetings from Glasgow,
Eva Wentland
Glasgow
Volta Sidecars 1920s
Warrilow
Manufactured around 1906 by Warrilow & Co. of Weston-Super-Mare, the motorcycles were available with engines of the customer's choice. A known survivor is fitted with a Quadrant 454cc engine verified to be of 1906 manufacture.
Source: Yesterdays
Wessex Sidecars 1950s (Somerset)
White
Manufactured by Norman White of Hampshire.
White motorcycles were first produced in 1990. Having built up his business producing special parts for Norton twins as well as carrying out specialist work on these models, Norman White went on to produce complete cafe-racers and similar specials based on the Norton Atlas and Commando twins.
In 1975 Norman White and Rex Butcher won the Thruxton 500 mile race on a White Norton Commando. Norman White was formerly Norton Villiers & John Player Norton Development Engineer, and Chief Mechanic at Honda Britain.
Sources: Graces Guide, normanwhite.co.uk
Whitlock Frames
Mick Whitlock of Horndean in Hampshire built trials frames, and was involved in the production of the Cheetah trials machines which were supplied in kit form in the mid to late sixties.
He also worked with Beamish, for whom he produced the RL250 frames.
Windle Sidecars
Terry Windle manufactured Formula 1 sidecars with monocoque chassis and Formula 2 sidecars with tubular frames for use in amateur sports as well as in the motorcycle world championship. His machines won a total of five drivers' championship titles between 1977 and 2002. Terry Windle decided at the end of 2009 to retire.
The Windle marque was revived by D&D Sidecars which produced tubular frames for F2 outfits.
Source: Wikipedia DE
Rarer British Marques
