National Motorbike Museum

The National Motorbike Museum was the brainchild of the Midlands millionaire and bike lover Roy Richards who originally opened it in 1981.

Located just off Junction 6 of the M42 motorway, more than 250,000 fans of two-wheeled transport visit the museum every year.

The original museum featured around 350 different models of motorbike, but today the collection has nearly tripled in size to contain over a thousand models of different make, size and age.

Naturally, the centrepiece of the collection is the exhibition called “60 Glorious Years” which celebrates the six decades of British motorcycles ruling the road. Here you can expect to see countless examples of iconic machines from manufacturers like Triumph, BSA and Royal Enfield.

There are two really outstanding examples from other makers too. The Brough Superior Golden Dream is one of the world’s most valuable motorbikes and is on permanent display. This particular model was built in 1938 for the Olympia Show, but the outbreak of the Second World War the next year brought a halt to production, ensuring its value as a true rarity of biking.

The second iconic machine is the Wilkinson Luxury Tourer, built by the Wilkinson Sword Company and intended for military use. It even came with a sidecar complete with a machine gun.

More than a hundred of the prized motorbikes were damaged during a fire in 2003 but most of them were lovingly restored to full manufacturer’s specifications, and are still on display today.

A trip to the National Motorbike Museum is certainly recommended for fans of all ages, with a great selection of pristine motorcycle engineering and a fond look back at the industry’s rich history in Britain.