With dramatic studio photography complemented by evocative historical shots, this volume offers an immersive experience of these remarkable machines. Interviews with vintage motorcycle gurus George Barber, Paul d’Orleans, Sammy Miller, Gordon McCall, and Jay Leno add a narrative dimension.
There are many factors that make a motorcycle valuable, such as its condition and provenance. This book presents ten of the most desirable antique motorcycles currently available.
Harley-Davidson JD Model
One of the most valuable antique motorcycles in the world is a 1925 JD model. Its 61- or 74-ci pocket valve V-twin engine was equipped with iron-alloy pistons and the iconic teardrop gas tank that is synonymous with Harley-Davidson.
The recognizable form factor is what makes this bike such an incredibly valuable machine. The 1925 model also boasted a new frame that had the saddle three inches lower than its predecessors and wider but smaller-diameter wheels for a stout look. These changes, coupled with the iconic teardrop tank and a rounded, Henry Ford-esque color option of Olive Drab, made for a look that would endure into the modern era.
These features also made the bike a more capable racer than its predecessors. They were built to rip around high-banked oval board track ‘dromes. Board track racing was a sport that required stripping a bike down to the essentials for speed and performance. This included removing the brakes and clutch, so they were only used to keep the bike on its wheels. This was done to make it easier for the rider to shift gears and to shed weight for maximum performance.
By the end of the 1920s, the company had refined the J into a very capable racing machine and began offering it for road use as well. It was able to carry riders and sidecars at speeds up to 85 mph. Annual engineering improvements improved the engine’s power output, making it a good choice for racing and road use.
This particular JD is a well-preserved example of a true museum piece. It was bought by a collector who kept it in his garage for a while before it was passed to another collector. The next owner kept it in a climate-controlled room and is now ready to display it to the public.
BMW R25/3
After World War II ended, BMW struggled. It pulled parts out of the rubble to make sidecar outfits but didn’t have the funds to design and test a new model. It was only in 1950 that the Allied powers allowed them to make bikes of any size. They began with the R24, a 250cc single that was nearly identical to the pre-war R23. From there, they moved to the R25, and later the /2 and /3. In 1954, the R25/3 was updated to include a modified fuel tank, full hub brakes, and lighter wheel rims. The engine was also re-tuned to improve power output to 13bhp.
The welded steel twin-loop tubular frame could attach a sidecar, and a front mudguard was added to protect the rider from road spray. The OHV single-cylinder four-stroke engine had an air-cooled cylinder and head, with a square bore and stroke of 68mm set vertically in its alloy crankcase. It was breathed through a 22mm Bing carb. The engine was a development of the aero engines that BMW made during the war (they paid their royalty fees on Pratt and Whitney double-wasp radials), so the company knew how to extract horsepower from its inline fours.
Parts are not hard to find for the R25/3, and Larmour rides his around Calgary on a regular basis. He takes it to a vintage motorcycle club meeting or an A&W bike night and even uses it to commute to work. He says it is a great companion to his wife, who has been riding along with him on the two-wheeled machine since he got it in 1984.
Ariel Square Four
The Ariel Square Four is one of Britain’s original “big bikes” alongside the Brough Superior and Vincent HRD. It was born of a surprisingly simple idea – to build a small, efficient overhead camshaft engine capable of packing a lot of power into a very compact powerplant.
Edward Turner came up with the idea for this atypical engine while managing the Chepstow Motors dealership in Peckham Road, London in 1928. He approached several major motorcycle manufacturers, including BSA, with his drawings but was rejected. However, he got a much better reception from Ariel, which allowed him to develop his concept into production in 1931 with the first 500cc Ariel 4F Square Four.
Turner wanted to make the engine small enough for a solo motorcycle but still deliver “really high performance without undue compression or racing cams, big-choke carburetors and the like.” The original OHC engine was designed as two parallel twins with crankshafts linked together in the middle by mighty pinions and a common cylinder head and block.
After Turner left Ariel in 1936, the Square Four continued to evolve under the guidance of Val Page, designer of the J.A. Prestwich V-twin used in the Brough Superior SS100. Page significantly improved the engine, enlarged it, and solved the overheating problem that had plagued early models.
This 1953 example of the Ariel Square Four MK 2 was restored in 2005 and sat in storage until being recently retrieved. It needs recommissioning but will be a stunning addition to any collection. Offered with a dating certificate, old and current MoTs, lots of bills relating to its refurbishment, and a comprehensive history file. A very rare model, this is one of only a handful in existence.
Black Shadow
One of the first post-war motorcycles that made a huge impression on the riding public was the Vincent Black Shadow. The 1948 photograph of Rollie Free at Bonneville stretched out board-like on a pair of Black Shadow twins with a world speed record to his name burned the marque into the consciousness of postwar riders.
The surviving Black Shadows (there were only about 1700 produced) have an enduring appeal that goes well beyond the fact that they were the fastest motorcycles of their time. Their value is primarily in the riding experience they provide. A properly maintained and tuned Black Shadow can comfortably reach speeds of 150 mph on smooth tarmac. The surviving ones are very quick and capable of running in a straight line and cornering at high speed.
This power to go fast was complemented by the ability to stop quickly and efficiently as well. Like the Rapide, the Black Shadow used a set of four drum brakes, but the brake drums were ribbed in order to shed heat as rapidly as possible. Phil Vincent incorporated this detail in his design philosophy as a result of wartime engineering work. He strove to reduce weight by eliminating unnecessary parts from his designs and using lighter alloys wherever possible.
Adding to the Black Shadow’s value was the fact that it could be configured in a variety of ways to suit the rider. A range of height-adjustable saddles was available, and the bike was fitted with a wide choice of engine modifications that increased torque or compression ratio. This flexibility was not lost on racers who frequently used Black Shadows to compete in endurance races such as the 100 mph for 24 hours.
Brough Superior SS100
The Brough Superior SS100 is arguably one of the most impressive motorcycles ever made. It was the first side-valve motorcycle to lap Brooklands at over 100mph, and George Brough, despite his reputation with powerful V-twins, always felt that four-cylinder machines were the future. Only about 68 of these beauties still exist, and they’re in great demand at auction, with the current record holder – a 1930 986cc SS100 outfit (bike and sidecar) – selling for $380,000 at Bonhams last year.
A 1938 model in its original unrestored condition can fetch upwards of $300,000 American dollars at a specialist sale. That’s quite a lot of money, even in these crazy times when the housing market is going through a rollercoaster ride.
But the price tag is well worth it if you’re in the market for a truly special machine. The SS100 is a purebred British sports bike that’s easy to ride, handles and drives like a dream, and looks absolutely stunning with its achingly beautiful patina and fascinating small details.
It’s also a joy to hear the throbbing, pulsing, bevel-driven OHC V-twin engine roar and burble away. It’s not window-shakingly brash or loaded with so much earth-crushing torque that you get tired of riding it, but it has plenty of grunt and power and just enough charm to be enjoyable at all speeds.
The SS100 is not without its faults, and it certainly doesn’t have the road manners or poise of a Triumph Thruxton, Kawasaki Z900RS, or BMW R nineT, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t experience all of the thrills and excitement of riding one. And you’ll never feel anything quite as special as carving through the British countryside in this classic piece of machinery.