Nortons were quality bikes and they always produced quality sales material. In my humble opinion the '59 featherbeds were the best looking of post war Nortons. Let's however not talk about the 250 Jubilee launched to celebrate 60 years of Norton - nicely styled bike and the concept was good (look at...

The success of Lewis Leathers has prompted the revival of a couple of other old favourite British motorcycling apparel brands, Mascot and Gold Top. A good friend turned up on their bike with a pair of sheepskin lined Gold Top gauntlets a while back and I felt envious ever since. Luckily Santa Claus...

This is how a gentleman travels. Mid fifties AJS nicely kitted out for touring from a time when a smart pair of trousers, brogues, a cardigan and a gabardine mac were considered the ideal motorcycle adventurer's outfit. How does he manage to stay so clean? Looks like he is enjoying himself. Charming...

Several more pictures from vintage events in the seventies and eighties. Thanks are due once again to Bettie Barber for letting me scan pictures from her family album.Veteran Chater Lea v-twin, Norton CS1 and Rudge Ulsterwere all in the Barber collection.Not so sure about my Sunbeams. I'm going for...

I'm a sucker for period accessories, a regular ebay bargain trawler and own a BMW that doesn't quite have the handling to match it's power. It was just plain inevitable that I would end up with a fork brace for the '76 RS. Very much of an era the fork brace was the child of wobbly seventies and eighties...

A veteran with wicker sidecar being used as a studio prop. The postcard is dated 1909. I've got no idea of the brand of bike. Please comment if you've got a positive id on it.Unidentified veteran with a lovely wicker sideca...

This new to me Record number 34 vice has somehow brought a level of happiness to my life greater than anyone could reasonably expect from so humble an item. Perhaps it is because the vice is one of the most used tools in the workshop, perhaps it is because what it replaced was so very awful.The former...

Am I turning in to an old fart? This young whippersnapper wearing an officer's uniform appears to be about fourteen years old. Either way he is posing with a nice sporting early thirties Matchless. Bell tents in the background and check the unusual tread pattern on his front tyre.Posing with a...

Here's an interesting autojumble find. Even back in the day bike theft was a problem as was petrol theft. Nowadays bikes tend to be chucked in to the back of a van for a quick getaway but in previous generations I guess the preferred method was just to start up and ride off what with no ignition key...

I was sorting out old photos recently and came across this one. It was taken back in 1995 in George Town, Penang, Malaysia when I was on a backpacking trip around Asia. The bike looks well looked after and has the stylish and rare streamlined pannier set. Wonder if it is still around?Malaysian LE ...

Layford Automotive of Hammersmith were the UK importers for a number of different continental mopeds. This brochure promotes both the NSU Quickly and the Peugeot BB ranges. Strange to have two competing brands on one advert but I guess Layfords didn't mind too much which they sol...

The 1936 Vincent HRD range. A surprisingly modest brochure given the product. 1936 Vincent HRD brochure front cover.1936 Vincent HRD brochure page 1.1936 Vincent HRD brochure page 2.1936 Vincent HRD brochure page 3.1936 Vincent HRD brochure page 4.1936 Vincent HRD brochure page 5.1936 Vincent...

Many thanks to ex-President of the VMCC, Bettie Barber, for lending her photo album and giving permission to copy images to the blog. This first small selection of pictures comprises pre-war Nortons from the album. The photos were all taken in the seventies and eighties. Cracking Model 18 Norton....

It's a bit over a year since I bought and reviewed these Rukka three finger gloves so it seems like a good idea to see how they are getting on. The answer is very well. I normally wear them without an inner glove but on occasion of proper freezing temperatures I've been using an inner and my hands...