With the recent revival of historic motorcycle brand BSA, bringing a new Bantam 350 and B65 Scrambler to these shores, we wanted to take a look back at some of those other historic names which are thriving after being reborn under new owners. BSA follows similar recent reincarnations of Norton, Brough Superior, Indian and more, it seems many of the greatest historic names in motorcycling are now back in the big time, albeit often under the ownership of Chinese or Indian companies looking for a well-known brand upon which to attach to their wares.
Some, however, have done better than others. Norton, for example, although now under Indian TVS control and promising big things, has had a very chequered history that’s yet to reach the heights of the original concern, which created its first bike in 1902 and went on to racing glory in the 1920s and ‘50s.
At the other extreme there’s Triumph, which many seem to be trying to emulate. A world giant in the 1950s and ‘60s the British brand struggled through the ‘70s and collapsed in 1983, before being bought at auction and completely relaunched in 1991. It has now risen to greater heights (and productivity) than the original ever did.
And then there are those revived brands whose success is harder to define. Royal Enfield, for example, today a world giant but actually not quite the same British concern as the original. Or US icon Indian, which was bought in 2011 then relaunched. Or the revived, hand-built Brough Superior which is now made in France or even Italian legends MV Agusta, who’s recent history is even more convoluted than that of Norton?
Which of these are the ‘top’ revived motorcycling brands is subjective, of course, but here is our current pick with a little background and explanation – and maybe we’ll see Norton and BSA in there next time, when they’re a bit more established and proven, too…
Brough Superior
Brough Superior was officially dubbed the ‘Rolls-Royce of motorcycles’ in its pre-war heyday, with fame heightened by its associations with ‘Lawrence of Arabia’ TE Lawrence who, apparently, owned eight of the fabled, V-twin (usually by J.A.P. but also Matchless and others) machines, the last of which he was tragically killed on in 1935. Motorcycle production ended in 1939 as Brough turned to war production, never to return.
That added to its near mythical status, with the result that survivors are now the most revered classic motorcycles of all, regularly posting record auction prices. Brough specialist Mark Upham bought the rights to the brand in 2008 and, in partnership with French firm Boxer Bikes, launched the first new Brough, a modern V-twin with heritage overtones and a £50k+ price, in 2013. Limited production of that bike, the SS100, and its variants, have continued ever since.
They are glorious and impressive, and although their high prices and limited numbers restrict the Brough revival success story, they also preserve the legacy of this most exclusive of motorcycle brands.
https://www.brough-superior.com
MV Agusta
If it was simply down to the significance and history of its name, plus the glorious style and performance of its bikes, MV Agusta would surely come out top of this list – but it isn’t. MV Agusta is almost certainly the most historic, successful and spectacular of motorcycles – or at least they were until the mid-to-late 1970s.
Originally an aeronautical company, motorcycle production began post-WW2 and, in the ‘50s, ‘60s and ‘70s, its range-topping three and four-cylinder bikes dominated GP racing and were the most desirable (and expensive) of all on-road. However, it won its last GP in 1976 and sold its last bike in 1980. After a decade of dormancy, Cagiva bought the rights to the brand in 1991 and, following its sale of Ducati in 1996, turned its attention to reviving MV Agusta with help from 916 designer Massimo Tamburini.
The 1998 MV Agusta 750 F1 with an all-new four-cylinder co-designed by Ferrari was the result. It was glorious yet, due to delays and production difficulties, never quite lived up to its promise. Despite further models, the same could be said of revived MV, leading to repeated sales, takeovers and reorganisations, including a recent dalliance with Pierer Mobility Group. MV Agusta lives on to this day, with limited production claimed to be currently around 7000 units a year, it could, and maybe should, have been very different…
https://www.mvagusta.com/gb/en
Indian
While large manufacturers based in India hoover up historic brands, Indian is (somewhat ironically) an American legend through and through.
A little like MV, Indian is another revived brand which, while successful in many ways, perhaps hasn’t quite fulfilled its potential. Famously referring to itself as ‘America’s First Motorcycle Company’ (so pre-dating great rival Harley-Davidson). Indian motorcycles were built from 1901 and quickly grew to become rivalled only by Harley.
Post-WW2, however, its fortunes plummeted with production ending in 1953. Decades of takeovers, failed revivals and more then ensued until skidoo and quad giant Polaris bought the brand in 2011 then launched an all-new range of Harley-rivalling V-twin cruisers from 2013. Although still successful, both on road and track (in flat track and the new King of the Baggers series), revived Indian sales have yet to get near those of Harley.
https://www.indianmotorcycle.co.uk
Royal Enfield
We don’t question modern Royal Enfield’s global success. We’re just not quite sure if the modern incarnation, now India based, is quite the same things as a revived version of the original British one.
Although originally a British company, like many, borne out of the armaments then bicycling industries, since 1967 Enfield has largely been an Indian concern. A subsidiary, Enfield India, was founded in the 1950s and outlived its British parent (which was closed in 1967). In 1994 it was acquired by commercial giant Eicher Group and renamed Royal Enfield, so completing the ‘revival’ criteria.
In the last decade its motorcycling arm has been rejuvenated under new CEO Siddhartha Lal with a new Technology Centre set up at Bruntingthorpe, Leicestershire, under the guidance of former Triumph product planner Simon Warburton. They’ve launched a range of increasingly modern, but still ‘retro’, machines including the 650 Interceptor, Meteor 350 and more. Whether they are revived, or simply an evolution of that original company, there’s no doubt that Royal Enfield has been one of motorcycling’s success stories in recent years.
Triumph
The first, biggest and (we think) best motorcycle brand revival story of them all is Triumph, a company which is living its golden era right here, right now.
Triumph was the most revered motorcycle brand in the 1950s and ‘60s, with its Bonneville and Steve McQueen associations. However, after failing to compete with new Japanese brands in the early 1970s, the then Warwickshire-based marque collapsed along with most of the rest of the British industry. In 1983, property developer John Bloor bought the rights to the recently liquidated Triumph motorcycles and set about the development of a completely new, modern, range of machines which were unveiled at the Cologne Show in 1990.
Today ‘new’ Triumph is bigger than the old concern ever was, producing over 130,000 machines last year (thanks in no small part to its new range of Indian built 400cc machines), powering all the Moto2 race bikes with a modified version of its 765cc Street Triple engine, being a market leader in modern classics, starring in James Bond movies and has even just re-entered world championship motocross racing. It’s the success story that gives hope to every entrepreneur looking to revive a motorcycle brand.
