Brit bike display is go: Haynes Motor Museum delve into rich British biking history

A major new exhibition telling the story of British motorcycling from its origins to the modern day is about to open at the fabulous Haynes Motor Museum in Somerset.

‘Life on Two Wheels: The British Motorcycling Story’, opens on October 21, 2023 and aims to give a new perspective on the history of the motorcycle and its impact on society, technology, and the economy.

“For the first time ever, this new exhibition will tell the entire story of British motorcycling from its beginnings at the very end of the 19th century to the current day,” said Museum Curator, Dr Luca Hoare.

“It will also highlight the central role the motorbike has played in our society over the decades. The exhibition features many of history’s most iconic motorcycles including a 1930s Brough Superior and a 1970s Triumph Bonneville.”

As well as detailing the evolution of the motorcycle with innovative displays which will allow up-close access to dozens of historically significant bikes, the new exhibition looks at everything from the science of how bikes work to specialised protective clothing. There’s also the role of motorbikes at work and during wartime and an area examining the changing fortunes of British industry.

The exhibition is part-funded by the British Motorcycle Charitable Trust and is the first new permanent display at the museum for three years.

Opened in 1985 by John Haynes OBE, the man behind Haynes Motor Manuals, the museum is home to the UK’s biggest exhibition of cars and motorbikes dating from 1900.

Go to the Haynes Museum website for opening times and ticket info.