Rickman Motorcycles

Rickman initially supplied frame kits to the public, as no major British motorcycle manufacturers would sell engines separately.

The frame kits were built for many engines, including Triumph twins, BSA singles and Matchless.

[1] In the mid-1960s, Rickman also produced road-racing frames for AJS 7R singles, and in the 1970s they began selling chassis kits for Japanese bikes like the Honda CB750 and Kawasaki Z1.

[4] Other innovations included the use of large diameter telescopic forks (1-5/8" or 41.2mm) and oil carried in the frame tubes to help dissipate heat and save weight.

After the Royal Enfield factory closed, a little over 200 Series II Interceptor engines were stranded at the dock in 1970, originally on their way to Floyd Clymer (of Clymer repair manuals and Enfield "Indians" fame) in the United States, but unfortunately he had just died, and his export agents, Mitchell's of Birmingham, were left to dispose of them.

[1] In 1999 a new enthusiast arrived on the scene and set up a new company (Métisse Motorcycles) and bought Pat French's business including some later parts and the rights to use the word 'Metisse'.

The company name was also licensed to Adrian,[12] and later passed to him, enabling the production of genuine Rickman Motorcycles to continue as they always had done.