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Motorcycle History

Explore the Motorcycling Timeline

As a leading purveyor of motorcycle apparel at a time when retro style has never been more popular, we thought it would be interesting to delve into the history of motorcycling, with a view to understanding how motorcycle clothing and protective wear have developed over the last 100 years or so.

We commissioned a motorcycle historian and writer to develop what one might term a history of motorcycling timeline. Whether your interest is in the way that the machines themselves have evolved, or in the social context that has always surrounded them, we think you might find our review informative.

1900-1945

The Pioneers

1945-1960

The Post War Motorcycle Boom

1960-1970

The Café Racer is born

1970-1985

Motorcycling goes mainstream

1985-2010

An Obsession with Road Racing

2010-Today

Motorcycling as a lifestyle

We hope you found our motorcycle timeline interesting; in particular our conclusion that there has been a fragmentation in the market that has seen riders segment into a number of distinctive groups or ‘tribes’, as we have called them.

If you’re interested in seeing whether you fall into one of these motorcycling categories, simply click below and take the test.

Do it swiftly and instinctively, without too much deliberation and thought. You may be surprised by what you discover about the kind of motorcyclist you really are!

Mini Motorcycling Timeline


Motorcycling timeline by Motolegends

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International timelines

Are we missing a crucial part of motorcycling history in your country? We are looking for local experts to write supplements to our timeline. If you're interested in contributing, read the brief and get in touch now motorcycling timeline international contributions