Ian Riley, Tarrangower Times

Last Saturday was the 47th All British Rally featuring the ride to Main Street Maldon.

I met my wife Robyn through a mutual interest in old motorcycles and her late father Merv Cooper was one of the founder members of the BSA owners club who organise the rally. So you can blame him, or his descendants, for all the fuss last Saturday.

Rally Central is at the Newstead Racecourse and there are usually just under a thousand enthusiasts attending. Some of the originals are still around, although the chat is less about keeping old bikes running and more about keeping the owners going these days.

The photos show just one example of a very significant old British bike, an Ariel Square Four, which was brought out for the 1956 Olympic Games as a police bike and has remained in original condition ever since.

There is a story behind every bike and every rider; it’s a great part of our history.

This article appeared in Tarrangower Times, 2 May 2025.