"Motorcycle Clubs in Britain During the Interwar Period, 1919 – 1939: Their Social and Cultural Importance"

Motorcycle clubs were and remain an important part of the motorcycling scene, primarily for their unifying aspects, as a means of indulging in social and sporting functions, and as forums for the interchange of ideas regarding technical problems. This essay explores the phenomenon of clubs using the primary source of contemporary technical journals such as The Motor Cycle and Motor Cycling, and the secondary source of the few related modern texts on the social and cultural aspects of motoring. It goes into detail regarding club activities, the usefulness of such clubs for the individual motorcyclist, and shows the increasing need to become politically aware in the light of government legislation. The relationship between clubs and their governing body, the Auto Cycle Union, is explored, as is their influence on the industry. The overall picture is of a thriving pastime, socially acceptable to the majority and undertaken by an enthusiastic cross-section of society.