How to Restore a Vintage Motorcycle

Whether you want to ride it, show it or just want a fun project to work on, there are many reasons to restore a vintage motorcycle. It’s important to realize though, that restoring a vintage motorcycle is not necessarily like restoring an old car or truck. While the process is mostly the same, early motorcycles often were not kept past their useful life, and many classic and vintage motorcycles were scrapped for parts.

The first step to restoring your bike is to purchase a book or manual that outlines servicing that particular vehicle, if possible. It’s also helpful to make sure that the bike will actually run before you go to the expense and trouble of cosmetic restoration. Typically, if the motorcycle has just sat for a little while without running and all the covers are in place on the bike, you can usually get it running to at the very least to turn over without much difficulty.

When beginning the restoration process, dismantle the motorcycle one section at a time, and restore those individual sections before moving on to the next. This can help keep you from getting overwhelmed. The sections you can usually work on individually include the front forks, the rear swing arm and suspension, the engine, the body, and the frame. If you do have a restoration manual for the bike, work through the manual from front to back and try to avoid skipping over steps.

Remember, restoring a vintage motorcycle to its original conditions is very challenging. Some people prefer to customize the bike to their own tastes instead, or create a hybrid. The bike hybrid craze started in England where bike enthusiasts took the best parts of a couple of motorcycles and put them together. One of the more famous of these bikes was the Triton, which was a mix of the Norton Featherbed frame, and suspension with a Triumph engine.

No matter what type of classic or vintage motorcycle you own, we can insure it at Condon Skelly. Your vehicle will fall into the antique category if it is completely original and at least 25 years old. We insure many different types of antique cars, trucks, and motorcycles so we’ll be able to craft the perfect policy for your vehicle. Please contact us today for more information. (866) 291-5694

The Top Reasons to Own a Classic Car

Are you thinking of adding a classic or antique car to your collection, or even purchasing a classic car for the first time? Classic and antique car collecting and restoration is a hobby practiced by people all over the world. Many celebrities even have histories for being car enthusiasts, like Jay Leno for example. He’s known of his huge collection of antique cars and motorcycles going all the way back to the early 20^th century. Here are some of the top reasons to own a classic car.

If you love tinkering.  What car enthusiast wouldn’t love to turn up the hood of a Model T Ford and customize it to their specifications? Or create their own unique “hot rod” from the shell of a discarded car?

If you love car shows. Classic car shows are a great way to share your love of automobiles with other like-minded people. Plus, it’s a great way to show off your pride and joy.

If you want to make a good investment. There are a high number of classic automobiles that are rising in value. Rare cars can only get rarer, and these cars just simply have a “cool” factor.

If you want to preserve history. Many car enthusiasts feel that there is a lot of history involved in each and every classic car, and letting them rust or deteriorate is causing us to lose part of our American heritage.

When you do purchase a classic car, your next step should be insuring it. Remember that a standard auto policy will not cover all the unique financial aspects of owning a classic or antique car. At Condon Skelly, we know how exciting it can be to start a classic car collection. We’ve been helping our customers protect their classics with affordable, industry-leading insurance coverage since 1967. We’re a group of collectors, enthusiasts, and professionals who specialize in insuring all types of collector vehicles. For more information, please contact us today. (866) 291-5694

Antique Motorcycle Insurance: History of the Matchless Motorcycle

Matchless is one of the oldest makes of British motorcycles, with the first models being manufactured at the start of the 20^th century. This is truly a unique vehicle, with the original Matchless motorcycles being produced from 1901 only until the First World War.

Matchless was the trading name of Collier & Sons, the father H.H. Collier and his sons Charlie and Harry. The Matchless tank badge was a winged “M” and the brand actually started as a bicycle manufacturer, as did many motorcycle manufacturers of the time.

The first Matchless motorcycle prototype was made in 1899 with general production starting two years later in a factory in Plumstead, London.  It was the Isle of Man TT (IOM TT) races, though, that put the company on the motorcycle manufacturing map.

Matchless actually had a long history of racing participation and success. A Matchless, ridden by Charlie Collier, won the first single cylinder race in the first IOM TT in 1907 with an average speed of 38.21 mph in a time of 4.08.08. The Matchless machines won again in 1909 and 1910. Versions of the Matchless motorcycle have participated in many IOM TT and Manx Grand Prix races up to 1997 with varying success.

This is just a brief history of the Matchless motorcycle, one of the antique vehicles that we insure at Condon Skelly. Your vehicle will fall into the antique category if it is completely original and at least 25 years old. We insure many different types of antique cars, trucks, and motorcycles so we’ll be able to craft the perfect policy for your vehicle. Please contact us today for more information. (866) 291-5694