British motorcycle brand is making a return after being dormant for decades

If you love vintage bikes, here’s a cool comeback story: a historic British motorcycle brand is roaring back to life after decades away.

Once a household name in early motorcycling, the brand is returning with a stylish retro roadster that looks ready to take on the modern-classic crowd.

It’s another reminder that old-school cool never really dies.

Sometimes, it just waits for the right moment to fire back up.

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The British motorcycle brand played a major role in both World Wars

Phelon & Moore’s story begins all the way back in 1904 in Cleckheaton, Yorkshire.

Founded by Joah Carver Phelon and Richard Moore, the company played a surprisingly important role in motorcycle history.

The pair filed a groundbreaking patent where the engine doubled as the frame’s main down tube, creating one of the first true motorcycle chassis designs.

At a time when most bikes were little more than bicycles with engines bolted on, this was revolutionary stuff.

The British motorcycle brand became best known for its ‘Panther’ motorcycles: big, sturdy machines powered by large, low-revving single-cylinder engines.

These bikes earned a reputation for toughness and reliability, selling in large numbers.

In fact, they even served the British military during both World Wars as dispatch bikes and sidecar haulers.

Unfortunately, like many British manufacturers, Phelon & Moore struggled to compete once lighter, cheaper, and more advanced Japanese motorcycles flooded the market.

By the 1960s, production ceased, and the brand slipped into obscurity.

Blending retro vibes with modern details

That long hiatus finally ended in 2022, when a group of European and American investors revived the company.

Today, Phelon & Moore follows a familiar modern strategy: design and development are handled in Italy, while manufacturing takes place in China under European supervision.

This is the same strategy employed by Moto Morini, allowing the historic Italian brand to sell bikes for only $6,500.

The result of this rebirth is the Brighton-6 Roadster, a modern classic powered by a 550cc liquid-cooled parallel twin producing 60 horsepower.

The Brighton-6 blends retro styling with modern hardware, including ABS, traction control, a TFT display, and smartphone connectivity.

While its hefty weight may raise eyebrows, its design details, like the teardrop fuel tank, tasteful pinstriping, and subtle Union Jack embossing, nail the heritage vibe.

A scrambler variant adds light off-road flair for riders wanting something tougher.

Set for a mid-2026 launch, the Brighton-6 signals the return of an iconic British motorcycle brand.

Whether it becomes a big success or a niche favorite, one thing’s clear: Phelon & Moore is back, and the British motorcycling legacy just received a new breath of life.

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