The National Motorcycle Museum near Solihull, close to Birmingham, holds more than a thousand British motorcycles. Around 850 are displayed at any one time across five halls. The collection’s earliest machine dates from 1898, while its newer exhibits include British superbikes from this century.
Hall one traces development from 1898 to 1960. Hall two adds prototypes and working motorcycles to its road machines; hall three highlights BSA and Matchless. Hall four brings together Norton, Triumph and Royal Enfield, while hall five covers competition, from road and off-road racing to sprinting and drag racing.
That arrangement invites comparisons between purposes as well as manufacturers: how does a motorcycle change when everyday use, service duties or speed on a circuit takes priority? The photograph shows part of the display in February 2015. For a visit, choose a thread such as one manufacturer’s evolution and follow it across several decades.