Vintage Motor Cycle Club
Encyclopedia
The Vintage Motor Cycle Club (VMCC) is a UK-based vintage motorcycle
club with over 16,000 members, which aims to promote and preserve all makes of motorcycles over 25 years old.
, near Guildford
in Surrey
, for owners of motorcycles manufactured before December 1930.
Many of the founders rode to the first meeting on vintage
motorcycles and had travelled from around the country in poor weather conditions.
The first meeting had been organised by former journalist and wartime despatch rider
'Titch' Allen,
with the aim of promoting the use and preservation of vintage motorcycles manufactured prior to 31 December 1930. The club's activities have expanded over the years to include rallies, hill climbs
, trials
, a workshop and museum, a library, a sales and wants system for spares and motorcycles, insurance for difficult cases and an annual dinner.
The club's head office is at Allen House in Burton upon Trent
, Staffordshire
. Current membership is over 16,000.
the most popular section is british historic racing,providing the spectacle of vintage race machines in their proper guise, being ridden hard,with machines of similar age. races are held every year at all the major circuits in the uk and are well attending by competitors and spectators. The club has been organised into regional Sections, most of which have at least one club night each month.
, Norton, Ariel
, Scott
, Levis
and Royal Enfield
; and is the largest collection of motorcycle-related paperwork in the world.
It is also a DVLA
recognised body for age related motorcycle registration numbers. The collection includes catalogues, handbooks, spare parts lists, runs of The Motor Cycle
and Motor Cycling
magazines, as well as other motorcycle magazines and books from the 1880s to the present day. The library also has a comprehensive collection of photographs of motorcycles, riders and events.
Motorcycle
A motorcycle is a single-track, two-wheeled motor vehicle. Motorcycles vary considerably depending on the task for which they are designed, such as long distance travel, navigating congested urban traffic, cruising, sport and racing, or off-road conditions.Motorcycles are one of the most...
club with over 16,000 members, which aims to promote and preserve all makes of motorcycles over 25 years old.
History
The Vintage Motor Cycle Club was founded on 28 April 1946, by 38 enthusiasts at the Lounge Cafe, Hog's BackHog's Back
The Hog's Back is a part of the North Downs in Surrey, England, that lies between Farnham, Surrey in the west and Guildford in the east.-Name:Compared with the main part of the Downs to the east of it, it is a narrow elongated ridge, hence its name....
, near Guildford
Guildford
Guildford is the county town of Surrey. England, as well as the seat for the borough of Guildford and the administrative headquarters of the South East England region...
in Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
, for owners of motorcycles manufactured before December 1930.
Many of the founders rode to the first meeting on vintage
Vintage car
A vintage car is commonly defined as a car built between the start of 1919 and the end of 1930 known as the "Vintage era". There is little debate about the start date of the vintage period—the end of World War I is a nicely defined marker there—but the end date is a matter of a little...
motorcycles and had travelled from around the country in poor weather conditions.
The first meeting had been organised by former journalist and wartime despatch rider
Despatch rider
A despatch rider is a military messenger, mounted on horse or motorcycle.Despatch riders were used by armed forces to deliver urgent orders and messages between headquarters and military units...
'Titch' Allen,
with the aim of promoting the use and preservation of vintage motorcycles manufactured prior to 31 December 1930. The club's activities have expanded over the years to include rallies, hill climbs
Hillclimbing
Hillclimbing is a branch of motorsport in which drivers compete against the clock to complete an uphill course....
, trials
Motorcycle Trials
Motorcycle trials, also termed observed trials, is a non-speed event on specialized motorcycles. The sport is most popular in the United Kingdom and Spain, though there are participants around the globe....
, a workshop and museum, a library, a sales and wants system for spares and motorcycles, insurance for difficult cases and an annual dinner.
VMCC today
All makes are catered for regardless of the country of origin. The VMCC has also broadened the 1930 rule to include all motorcycles over 25 years old and has also set up a Post 1960 Section for motorcycle manufactured between 1961 and 1981. Most significantly, it is no longer necessary to own a motorcycle to join the club, which has developed into an organisation for anyone interested in older two-wheelers.The club's head office is at Allen House in Burton upon Trent
Burton upon Trent
Burton upon Trent, also known as Burton-on-Trent or simply Burton, is a town straddling the River Trent in the east of Staffordshire, England. Its associated adjective is "Burtonian"....
, Staffordshire
Staffordshire
Staffordshire is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. Part of the National Forest lies within its borders...
. Current membership is over 16,000.
the most popular section is british historic racing,providing the spectacle of vintage race machines in their proper guise, being ridden hard,with machines of similar age. races are held every year at all the major circuits in the uk and are well attending by competitors and spectators. The club has been organised into regional Sections, most of which have at least one club night each month.
VMCC library
The VMCC library holds all the original British motorcycle factory records for Triumph, BSABirmingham Small Arms Company
This article is not about Gamo subsidiary BSA Guns Limited of Armoury Road, Small Heath, Birmingham B11 2PP or BSA Company or its successors....
, Norton, Ariel
Ariel Motorcycles
Ariel Motorcycles was a British motorcycle manufacturer based in Bournbrook, Birmingham. It was one of the leading innovators in British motorcycling, and was part of the Ariel marque. The company was sold to BSA in 1944 and the name was discontinued in 1970...
, Scott
The Scott Motorcycle Company
The Scott Motorcycle Company was owned by Scott Motors Limited, Shipley, West Yorkshire, England and was a well known producer of motorcycles and light engines for industry...
, Levis
Levis (motorcycle)
Levis motorcycles , manufactured by Butterfields of Birmingham, were for many years one of England's leading manufacturers of two-stroke motorcycles...
and Royal Enfield
Royal Enfield
Royal Enfield was the name under which the Enfield Cycle Company made motorcycles, bicycles, lawnmowers and stationary engines. This legacy of weapons manufacture is reflected in the logo, a cannon, and their motto "Made like a gun, goes like a bullet". Use of the brand name Royal Enfield was...
; and is the largest collection of motorcycle-related paperwork in the world.
It is also a DVLA
Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency is the organisation of the UK Government responsible for maintaining a database of drivers and a database of vehicles in Great Britain; its counterpart in Northern Ireland is the Driver & Vehicle Agency...
recognised body for age related motorcycle registration numbers. The collection includes catalogues, handbooks, spare parts lists, runs of The Motor Cycle
The Motor Cycle (magazine)
The Motor Cycle was one of the first British magazines about motorcycles. Launched in 1903, its blue cover led to it being called "The Blue 'un" to help distinguish it from its rival publication Motor Cycling but the cover eventually became multi-coloured...
and Motor Cycling
Motor Cycling (magazine)
Motor Cycling was one of the first British motorcycle magazines. Launched in 1903, its green cover led to it being called "The Green 'un" to distinguish it from its rival publication The Motor Cycle. The editor, Graham Walker, was a dispatch rider in the First World War and had a successful racing...
magazines, as well as other motorcycle magazines and books from the 1880s to the present day. The library also has a comprehensive collection of photographs of motorcycles, riders and events.