UA-133732038-1
Home Coast to Coast 2023 More C2C pictures Events About Us Contact Us Links Gallery

The Magic Wheelers… is the non-territorial Cyclemotor section of the VMCC which organises various runs around the country each year for these small capacity machines,- including the infamous 100 mile run.

We have a club stand once a year at the Founders Day Rally - held at Stanford Hall near Leicester where there are always a number of these interesting machines on show together with their owners who are always happy to answer any questions. These machines can also be seen in action at the meetings the club holds throughout the year at venues across the country.

The Magic Wheelers Cyclemotor Section caters for VMCC members, but for a small fee, (For insurance purposes) non-members can sign in on a one-day membership payment and participate in runs.

To join the Magic Wheelers go to the VMCC membership page by clicking HERE

We organise a healthy programme of events each year, this years events can be seen on the ‘Events’ page of the website. We also hold several static displays through the year both within and outside of the VMCC.

Many Regional VMCC Sections also incorporate cyclemotor-friendly routes. These routes tend to be somewhere between 20 and 30 miles long, and the majority of organisers arrange a recovery service, so you won’t get stranded as our little bikes are known for being a bit temperamental on occasions !

Many of our road runs have been happening for a long time. Amongst these are the annual 100 miler already mentioned. This an event held over a 33⅓ mile route, which can be ridden three times for those stalwarts who want to gain a prestigious 100 mile badge for their efforts. It began in around 1983, and has attracted over 60 riders on several occasions. It has had a few different starting points, but is currently operating from Quainton Memorial Hall in Buckinghamshire.

We also hold camping weekends, the current venue being at Peacehaven Farm, Ickford, by kind invitation of our friend Ivan Dutton, renowned Bugatti specialist and small machine enthusiast. All in all, we have events starting in January, going through to November when we hold our last proper run of the year which is combined with our AGM.

Full details of all our events can be found on the events page of this website.

We hope that anyone with even a mild interest in these little machines will feel inspired to come and see us at any of our events and if your interest has already been raised there are two excellent publications on Cyclemotors, namely:-

THE STINKWHEEL SAGA Episodes 1 & 2.

The Stinwheel Publishing website states:-

“The Stinkwheel Saga books remain the only comprehensive reference works published on the subject of the clip-on cyclemotor engines which were so popular for a brief period in the aftermath of the Second World War.”

Written by David Beare and Philippa Wheeler and published by Stinkwheel Publishing.

They are both available as an e-book from the Stinkwheel Publishing website which can be reached by clicking HERE

© The Magic Wheelers 2022

A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE MAGIC WHEELERS


During the austerity of post-war 1950s Britain many people, particularly the working classes, had their first taste of motorised transport by buying a ‘Clip On Engine’ from one of the many cyclemotor manufacturers in this country and abroad who were making them at that time, and by using an existing bicycle a new freedom was available, all for under £20 taxed and insured.

In those less hurried times a group of Warwickshire Cyclemotor enthusiasts had regular gatherings for social runs and they subsequently formed a club called the "Magic Wheelers" ; - it is their badge we still retain for our club today.

Around 1980 some members of the VMCC who had for some time championed their "pop pops" or "Wilfreds" as they were called, alongside the larger machines they owned decided to form their own Cyclemotor group.

Above: A brace of Nassetti Cyclemotors. It’s rare to see even one of these creatures, let alone two in the same field together !