READY, steady, go! The story of British motorcycling – from its origins to the modern day – will be told in a new exhibition.

Haynes Motor Museum, at Sparkford, is set to fire the starting gun on Life on Two Wheels: The British Motorcycling Story, which opens on October 21.

The museum says the display will provide a “fascinating new perspective on the social history of the motorbike and the impact bikes have on society, technology, and the economy”.

Displays will allow up-close access to dozens of historically significant bikes, they added, alongside interactive and hands-on STEM activity stations and layered interpretation designed to engage visitors of all ages and interests.

“For the first time ever, this new exhibition will tell the entire story of British motorcycling from its beginnings at the very end of the 19th century to the current day,” said museum curator, Dr Luca Hoare.

A Norton motorcycle is moved into position for the new display. Picture: Haynes Motor Museum

“It will also highlight the central role the motorbike has played in our society over the decades. The exhibition features many of history’s most iconic motorcycles including a 1930s Brough Superior and Sidecar and a 1970’s Triumph Bonneville.”

The exhibition is part-funded by the British Motorcycle Charitable Trust and is the first permanent new display at the award-winning attraction for three years.

It is also the first to have been undertaken since the museum gained full Arts Council England Accreditation.

As well as detailing the evolution of the motorbike from its early origins to the 21st century, the exhibition will look at everything from the science of how motorcycles work to the specialised protective clothing.

Displays will showcase the role of motorbikes at work and during wartime, as well as for pleasure and leisure, examine the changing fortunes of the British motorcycling industry and exploring current trends.

A 1914 BSA Model K motorcycle that’s set to feature. Picture: Haynes Motor Museum

“Life on Two Wheels is the first of a series of new exhibitions planned for the next few years as we continue the exciting transformation of the Museum into a more accessible destination with wider appeal for multiple audiences with a focus on enthusiasts, families, and the social visitor,” said chief executive, Chris Scudds.

Opened in 1985 by John Haynes OBE, the man behind Haynes Motor Manuals, the museum is home to the UK’s largest exhibition of cars and motorbikes dating from 1900 to the present day.

For more details, call 01963 440804 or log on to www.haynesmuseum.org.