Research is the key to a successful purchase of a classic vintage or motorcycle. This research can be conducted in a number of ways, especially with the wealth of information available on the internet. However, as any historian will point out, the reliability of the source is very important. Therefore, to conduct an accurate historical research, it is advisable to double check your findings.

When validating the authenticity of an old motorcycle, the researcher should try to examine a copy of the original factory build records.

In most cases, copies of these records can be found with the various owners' clubs or library sections of some museums. In the UK a popular and reliable source of information can be found with the VMCC (Vintage Motorcycle Club).

The VMCC has many of the records from the British motorcycle manufacturers—details can be found online of which manufacturers records are available. In addition, they have a comprehensive collection of old race programs, old motorcycling newspapers, magazines, and factory publicity material.

The Manufacturing Process

The process of manufacturing a motorcycle follows a similar path at most of the different manufacturers. Once the production department had “signed off” on a design for a model year, production would begin with the purchasing department placing orders for various components that were not manufactured on-site. These items could be as simple as nuts bolts and other hardware, or as specialized as a set of shocks made specially for a particular bike. Needless to say, items such as tires and chains were always bought in.

The production process (in house) begins with fabrication or machining of various components such as engine cases and frames. The system of record keeping generally begins with the issuing of a frame and engine number—typically these were the same on most British bikes.

Note: The value of a vintage bike can be greatly affected if the bike does not have matching numbers. However, research can prove that the engine and frame were manufactured as part of the same batch. For example, a number of machines were sold to countries with import restrictions on complete bikes. It was, in this case, not uncommon for the manufacturer to sell kits to the importers to be assembled in the purchasing country. If the assemblers were not careful (and this did happen occasionally), an engine with a different frame number could be put together.

Colors

The color of a vintage motorcycle is important. Ideally, the machine will not have been repainted if the original paintwork was in good condition. However, if the bike was restored, the restorer will almost certainly have repainted the bike. Hopefully he or she will have conducted careful research to ensure the color is identical to the original. (New owners should not assume the color is correct without research).

Without official factory records, the color can be checked with magazine articles (where available in color) or from advertisements and posters, many of which become available at auctions.

Engine Specifications

It was not unusual for manufacturers to supply machines with slightly different engine specifications—generally this was done to accommodate a special order such as a police force or a military order. Different carburetor specifications, camshafts, and exhaust systems are all possible areas of variations to a particular model. Proof of the correctness of a motorcycle lies with both the buyer and seller.

For very rare or old machines, the records may be sparse. Another possible location is a local historic society in the town or city where the machine was made. Old newspapers in the locations often had motorcycles advertised, and many of the adverts carried details of the basic specification.