Information below translated from an archive of rickman-bikes.de.
RICKMAN HISTORY
The brothers Derek and Don Rickman were successful off-road competition riders in England and Europe in the 1950's and 60s. In 1959 they developed and built their first competition motorcycle, the Rickman Metisse Mark I. A year later, they built the Mark II, and in 1962 the Metisse Mark III appeared, which became the basis for many successful machines using a variety of engines. In 1966, the first two road racing motorcycles were created in collaboration with Tom Kirby. These became very successful in racing, and subsequently street legal motorcycles appeared. In the 70's two new road models were presented: the Rickman CR 750 (Honda) and the Rickman CR 900/1000 (Kawasaki). In 1985 Rickman began with production of the Ranger, an SUV with Ford technology as a kit-car. The Rickman company was sold in March 1991 to the FSV International Group.
| 1948 | Derek Rickman starts successfully participate in trail competitions. |
| 1951 | Don Rickman also begins to participate in off-road events. |
| 1952 | Derek Rickman takes on the British 500cc Grand Prix in part (3rd place). |
| 1953 | Don Rickman (17 years old) takes on 2 British 500cc Grand Prix in part (4th place). |
| 1955 | Don and Derek prove the Hants Grand National as a works driver of the company Enfield places 1 and 2 |
| 1957 | Motocross des Nations 9th place Derek Rickman. |
| April 1958 | Opening of Rickman motorcycle shops in New Milton. |
| 1958 | Don and Derek Rickman are members of the British team for the Motocross des Nations. |
| 1959 | Debut of Metisse Mark I in Bulbarrow. 1st place Derek Rickman. |
| 1959 | GP Italy at Imola: 2nd place Derek Rickman; 3rd place Don Rickman. Both on Metisse Mark I. |
| 1960 | First contacts with the Rickman brothers to Bultaco (Spain). |
| 1960 | Debut of the Rickman Metisse Mark II at Hants Grand National. |
| 1962 | Debut of the Rickman Metisse Mark III, for the first time with its own chassis from Reynolds 531 tubing, new chain tension and using fiberglass parts. In addition, the frame was plated for the first time. |
| 1963 | Bultaco Metisse 196 cc. |
| 1964 | Bultaco Metisse 250 cc. |
| 1965 | First series production of Bultaco Metisse 250 cc. (25 pieces) |
| 1966 | The first two Road Racing Metisse Motorcycles created in collaboration with Tom Kirby, Paul Dunstall and Lockheed. 1st place in the 1st race at Mallory Park. Rider: Bill Ivy. |
| 1966 | Derek Rickman won the "750 Coupe d'Europe". |
| 1966 | On the "Earls Court Show" Rickman presents the first "Street Metisse". |
| 1967 | Debut of the Aermacchi Metisse. |
| 1968 | Metisse Mark IV Engine: BSA Victor. |
| 1969 | Senior TT, Isle of Man, Alan Barnett occupies the second place behind Agostini. |
| 1969 | Metisse Horex Imperator |
| 1969 | The Rickman / Weslake 8-valve cylinder head for Triumph (65 bhp) is presented |
| 1969 | Karl Hoppe is the GP of Germany the 2nd place and is German Champion to 500 cc on URS METISSE |
| 1970 | Debut Rickman Zundapp 125 Montesa 250, Enfield Interceptor |
| 1974 | Rickman gets "Queens Award to Industry". |
| 1974 | Debut Rickman CR 750 |
| 1975 | Debut Rickman CR 900/1000 sec. |
| 1970 | Tony Holland wins on the factory-backed Rickman CR 900, the Production race at Brands Hatch. |
| 1985 | Start of production of the SUV Ranger. |
| March 1991 | Sale of the company Rickman at the FSV. International Group. |
| 1992 | Resolution of the company Rickman. |
|
|
|
2007 - Don and Derek Rickman invested in the "Hall of Fame" of the American Motorcycle Association (AMA)
| STATISTICS | |||||||
| Rickman in the motorcycle world championship | |||||||
| YEAR | CLASS | PLACE | NAME | COUNTRY | MOTORCYCLE | POINTS | |
| 1966 | |||||||
| 500 | 15 | Lewis Young | GB | Metisse-Matchless | 3 | ||
| 1967 | |||||||
| 500 | 3 | JOHN Hartle | GB | Metisse-MatchlesS | 22 | ||
| 15 | BOSSES GRANATH | S | Metisse-Matchless | 3 | |||
| 350 | 7 | Kel Carruthers | OFF | Metisse-Aermacchi | 9 | ||
| 1968 | |||||||
| 500 | 16 | JOHN Hartle | GB | METISSE-MATCHLESS | 4 | ||
| 350 | 3 | KEL CARRUTHERS | GB | METISSE-Aermacchi Aermacchi DRIXTON- |
17 | ||
| 6 | DEREK WOODMAN | GB | METISSE-Aermacchi | 9 | |||
| 1969 | |||||||
| 500 | 5 | ALAN BARNETT | GB | METISSE-MATCHLESS | 32 | ||
| 18 | CHARLES HOPPE | D | METISSE-URS | 12 | |||
| 44 | JOHN WILLIAMS | GB | METISSE-MATCHLESS | 3 | |||
| 53 | STEVE SPENCER | GB | METISSE-MATCHLESS | 1 | |||
| 350 | 33 | MAURICE HAWTHORNE |
GB | METISSE-Aermacchi | 3 | ||
| 40 | JIM CURRY | GB | METISSE-Aermacchi | 3 | |||
| 1970 | |||||||
| 500 | 23 | JOHN WILLIAMS | GB | METISSE-MATCHLESS | 8 | ||
| 1972 | |||||||
| 500 | 43 | ARPAD Juhos | HU | METISSE-MATCHLESS | 2 | ||
| Constructors Championship | |||||||
| 1967 | |||||||
| 500 | 5 | METISSE | 22 | ||||
