Uploaded December 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
What happened in the decade between the middle of the 1960s and the middle of the 1970s that destroyed Britain’s motorcycle industry?
From being the world’s biggest exporters in the 1950s, to complete collapse in the 1970s, this series looks in depth at the strange story of the death of an industry that was once exporting millions of pounds worth of bikes to the rest of the world, using contemporary reports and archive footage.
Please do consider subscribing as it costs you nothing but really helps the YouTube algorithm understand that 3Phils is an established channel with interesting content. Thank you.
If you're feeling generous and fancy leaving us a tip, using the Super Thanks button helps keep our channel going. It takes a lot of time, effort and resource to make these videos so we'd really appreciate it. Thank you.
Wobbly Phil would like to personally thank all those viewers who financially supported this video and suggested background research.
Video credits and links:
BSA Archive 'The Best of Everything'
youtube.com/watch?v=HicD2eCvn0E&t=18s
Triumph Meriden - Cov Videos
youtube.com/watch?v=MzuoWx5FGSQ&t=52s
Packing at AMC Factory - Peter Attwood
youtube.com/watch?v=m__gsDj58_A
Triumph Speed Twin 1950 - GilletTDM
youtube.com/watch?v=3oTGCw5zQ1c
King's Motors of Oxford - maxustaxus
youtube.com/watch?v=JCx5dazJYHs&t=122s
1960 NORTON DOMINATOR 99 - Russell James Motorcycles
youtube.com/watch?v=cBliC_pLFts
1960 BSA 650 GOLDEN FLASH TEST RIDE - Motorbikes 1980
youtube.com/watch?v=fG48HDpZfm4
ROYAL ENFIELD'S BIG TWIN! - Volcanic Brown’s Motorcycle World
youtube.com/watch?v=afqgi-LtzAs
MITSUBISHI SILVER PIGEON - YU SASAKI
youtube.com/watch?v=HSBnUNKocFk
Subaru Vintage Garage Fuji Rabbit Scooter - Subaru
youtube.com/watch?v=lC6vpalssJA&t=71s
BSA Winged Wheel - Classic Motorcycles
youtube.com/watch?v=vk-YtS0Yun0
Vespa Douglas 92L2 - Jon Nurse
youtube.com/watch?v=DB5iwAP5B64
BSA Dandy - WB & Sons
youtube.com/watch?v=ve709gM34LQ
2 Wheelers In News (1960) - British Pathe
youtube.com/watch?v=sMt-auUh-qo
Triumph Tina scooter 98cc start up - Mark Watson
youtube.com/watch?v=cv6USktU7xg
1964 BSA Beagle 75cc at Andy Tiernans - Peter Ranson
youtube.com/watch?v=9TRF5gY3dtg
Music credits:
Ishikari Lore by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licence. creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Source: incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100192
Artist: incompetech.com
Recommended reads:
I'm much indebted to Bert Hopwood’s excellent book ‘Whatever Happened To The British Motorcycle Industry?’ Prices on eBay for secondhand copies of this book, which is now out of print but which was originally published by Haynes (the vehicle manuals people), seem quite inflated at the likes of £40-£90 advertised on secondhand sites, but there’s currently (December 2025) several on eBay for around £29.95 incl. p&p.
Report on Japan by Edward Turner, September 1960
https://share.google/vg2eHhlhyi1lbYdz1
The British Motorcycle Industry, 1935-1975 by Steve Koerner
An excellent, thorough and detailed 433 page PHD thesis written in 1995, which was published as the book The Strange Death of the British Motorcycle Industry in 2012.
The book is now hard to find, and consequently pricey. A Used copy will set you back over £100 on Amazon.
amazon.co.uk/Motorcycle-Industry-MOTORCYCLE-Mar-06-2012-Paperback/dp/B00DDSG06Y/ref=sr_1_3?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.r4y1UFjeGU0sEFJ4DdO55u-EJxeb9BGMBSZazrHdVnI.HVQmh5lVs5B2XapOSSUc9R7u1yVJXp2nRy0FUgVbbpI&dib_tag=se&qid=1766250549&refinements=p_27%3ASteve+Koerner&s=books&sr=1-3
However, I did find a copy on eBay for £37.62
ebay.co.uk/itm/376262400174?chn=ps&_ul=GB&norover=1&mkevt=1&mkrid=710-134428-41853-0&mkcid=2&mkscid=101&itemid=376262400174&targetid=2446966182456&device=c&mktype=pla&googleloc=9211141&poi=&campaignid=21697381820&mkgroupid=188145534956&rlsatarget=pla-2446966182456&abcId=10027101&merchantid=5618646067&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=21697381820&gbraid=0AAAAAD_Lr1cbfwoLUJXXknqRlfnsxA94t&gclid=Cj0KCQiAr5nKBhCpARIsACa_NiP5EaQVJc1vMou-S9DJIUujqCnVVX6yTuXDP9gRzLEfEFzbitOJ9qIaAovuEALw_wcB
Don't forget to join us on Facebook too!
facebook.com/profile.php?id=61550349542826
#classicmotorcycles #classicmotorbike #vintagemotorcycle #1970smotorcycles #1970s #motorcycling #oldmotorcycle #BSA #triumphmotorcycles #nortonmotorcycles #P86 #V5 #hondamotorcycles #japanesemotorcycle
What happened in the decade between the middle of the 1960s and the middle of the 1970s that destroyed Britain’s motorcycle industry?
From being the world’s biggest exporters in the 1950s, to complete collapse in the 1970s, this series looks in depth at the strange story of the death of an industry that was once exporting millions of pounds worth of bikes to the rest of the world, using contemporary reports and archive footage.
Please do consider subscribing as it costs you nothing but really helps the YouTube algorithm understand that 3Phils is an established channel with interesting content. Thank you.
If you're feeling generous and fancy leaving us a tip, using the Super Thanks button helps keep our channel going. It takes a lot of time, effort and resource to make these videos so we'd really appreciate it. Thank you.
Wobbly Phil would like to personally thank all those viewers who financially supported this video and suggested background research.
Video credits and links:
BSA Archive 'The Best of Everything'
youtube.com/watch?v=HicD2eCvn0E&t=18s
Triumph Meriden - Cov Videos
youtube.com/watch?v=MzuoWx5FGSQ&t=52s
Packing at AMC Factory - Peter Attwood
youtube.com/watch?v=m__gsDj58_A
Triumph Speed Twin 1950 - GilletTDM
youtube.com/watch?v=3oTGCw5zQ1c
King's Motors of Oxford - maxustaxus
youtube.com/watch?v=JCx5dazJYHs&t=122s
1960 NORTON DOMINATOR 99 - Russell James Motorcycles
youtube.com/watch?v=cBliC_pLFts
1960 BSA 650 GOLDEN FLASH TEST RIDE - Motorbikes 1980
youtube.com/watch?v=fG48HDpZfm4
ROYAL ENFIELD'S BIG TWIN! - Volcanic Brown’s Motorcycle World
youtube.com/watch?v=afqgi-LtzAs
MITSUBISHI SILVER PIGEON - YU SASAKI
youtube.com/watch?v=HSBnUNKocFk
Subaru Vintage Garage Fuji Rabbit Scooter - Subaru
youtube.com/watch?v=lC6vpalssJA&t=71s
BSA Winged Wheel - Classic Motorcycles
youtube.com/watch?v=vk-YtS0Yun0
Vespa Douglas 92L2 - Jon Nurse
youtube.com/watch?v=DB5iwAP5B64
BSA Dandy - WB & Sons
youtube.com/watch?v=ve709gM34LQ
2 Wheelers In News (1960) - British Pathe
youtube.com/watch?v=sMt-auUh-qo
Triumph Tina scooter 98cc start up - Mark Watson
youtube.com/watch?v=cv6USktU7xg
1964 BSA Beagle 75cc at Andy Tiernans - Peter Ranson
youtube.com/watch?v=9TRF5gY3dtg
Music credits:
Ishikari Lore by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licence. creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Source: incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100192
Artist: incompetech.com
Recommended reads:
I'm much indebted to Bert Hopwood’s excellent book ‘Whatever Happened To The British Motorcycle Industry?’ Prices on eBay for secondhand copies of this book, which is now out of print but which was originally published by Haynes (the vehicle manuals people), seem quite inflated at the likes of £40-£90 advertised on secondhand sites, but there’s currently (December 2025) several on eBay for around £29.95 incl. p&p.
Report on Japan by Edward Turner, September 1960
https://share.google/vg2eHhlhyi1lbYdz1
The British Motorcycle Industry, 1935-1975 by Steve Koerner
An excellent, thorough and detailed 433 page PHD thesis written in 1995, which was published as the book The Strange Death of the British Motorcycle Industry in 2012.
The book is now hard to find, and consequently pricey. A Used copy will set you back over £100 on Amazon.
amazon.co.uk/Motorcycle-Industry-MOTORCYCLE-Mar-06-2012-Paperback/dp/B00DDSG06Y/ref=sr_1_3?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.r4y1UFjeGU0sEFJ4DdO55u-EJxeb9BGMBSZazrHdVnI.HVQmh5lVs5B2XapOSSUc9R7u1yVJXp2nRy0FUgVbbpI&dib_tag=se&qid=1766250549&refinements=p_27%3ASteve+Koerner&s=books&sr=1-3
However, I did find a copy on eBay for £37.62
ebay.co.uk/itm/376262400174?chn=ps&_ul=GB&norover=1&mkevt=1&mkrid=710-134428-41853-0&mkcid=2&mkscid=101&itemid=376262400174&targetid=2446966182456&device=c&mktype=pla&googleloc=9211141&poi=&campaignid=21697381820&mkgroupid=188145534956&rlsatarget=pla-2446966182456&abcId=10027101&merchantid=5618646067&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=21697381820&gbraid=0AAAAAD_Lr1cbfwoLUJXXknqRlfnsxA94t&gclid=Cj0KCQiAr5nKBhCpARIsACa_NiP5EaQVJc1vMou-S9DJIUujqCnVVX6yTuXDP9gRzLEfEFzbitOJ9qIaAovuEALw_wcB
Don't forget to join us on Facebook too!
facebook.com/profile.php?id=61550349542826
#classicmotorcycles #classicmotorbike #vintagemotorcycle #1970smotorcycles #1970s #motorcycling #oldmotorcycle #BSA #triumphmotorcycles #nortonmotorcycles #P86 #V5 #hondamotorcycles #japanesemotorcycle
