As ideas go, ‘expensive and exclusive’ is an interesting one, it being the chosen theme for this year’s National Motorcycle Museum display at the Motorcycle Live show, held over November 18-26, 2023, at Birmingham’s NEC.
Curated by National Motorcycle Museum director James Hewing, it chronicles the development of the motorcycle and what became exclusive as time went by. As James pointed out: “I included the 1903 Minerapowered BSA, because, at the time it was made, any motorcycle would’ve been exclusive, and expensive!”
He’s right, of course, because as we progress through the ages, we see how exclusivity soon comes to the fore – in the time of the BSA and the 1912 Brough, motorcycles would’ve been few and far between, but by the 1920s they were a far more common sight. Hence, the well-heeled wanted something a bit more special, witness the McEvoys, the Brough Superiors, the Woolers, the Vincents and so it goes on. It’s a trend we see continuing today, with people prepared to pay for exclusivity.
Before they were packed up and taken to the show, we were afforded the opportunity to photograph them, for our armchair delectation. What a great looking bunch.
To see the machines at the NEC, plus all the other tackle on display, we’ve a ticket competition on page 59, with five pairs up for grabs.
1. 1903 BSA Minerva
One of the world’s best known motorcycle makers, and one which has now returned to motorcycle manufacture, BSA, in its first incarnation, built many thousands of machines for distribution all over the world from 1911 to 1973. It is hard to envisage just what a massive concern BSA was.
The company’s genesis was
