Nestled in the beautiful Hampshire countryside near the New Forest, is the not-to-be-missed Sammy Miller MBE Motorcycle Museum Trust. If you love motorcycles, then this museum is for you. The 400 motorcycles on display have all been acquired and restored by a man who truly knows his bikes, having lived, breathed, raced and collected them for over 50 years - motorcycle legend - Sammy Miller MBE! Sammy himself has been racing for many years and has won over 1400 motorcycle events to date – you can't get better credentials than that. This museum is testimony to Sammy’s great love for, and intimate knowledge of, all things motorcycle.  Not only does his museum house a comprehensive collection of road bikes, exotic prototypes,  Vincents, Nortons and sublime racing bikes like Sammy’s own 250cc DOHC Mondial, but they have almost all been restored to perfect working order and Sammy can be seen disporting himself on them at regular intervals just to prove it! Yet despite its huge collection of bikes, the museum still retains an intimate family feel, it’s almost as if you are visiting a friend’s collection, it really feels personal, helped along by the lovely familiar smell of engine oil and wood!

The museum really does house a comprehensive and eclectic collection – for example - snuggled in amongst the Vincents are some of the planets great ‘also ran’ machines like the Sinclair C5, which are both fascinating and entertaining– somewhere in a parallel universe we are all riding them!

Heard of a daddy long legs? Well, how about the Moto Guzzi Gambalungino (little long leg)? This motorcycle was based on the pre-war Albatross Racer and is a strangely beautiful and unusual skeletal bike, which showed its pedigree winning the 1951 World Championship ridden by Bruno Ruffo.

As if that wasn't enough it's all getting bigger and better! Sammy’s collection is still growing – he has just got planning permission for a 10,000sqft two-storey extension to house many more exhibits and a bigger library, archive and catalogue display.

He is intending to get some more modern motorcycles as well to keep his collection really current, but meanwhile already has three new arrivals booking in A 1964 Grand Prix Bianchi, a 1938 BSA Empire Star and a 1938 Zundapp K800 – 800cc flat-four – seen those before? If you have then you can get reacquainted, but you can be sure that there will be something you haven’t seen there too.

As well as the motorcycle collection you can find alpacas, goats and an aviary of birds and other animals around the grounds to entertain the younger family members, as well as a great children’s play area. There’s a thriving craft shop and an idyllic cafe too, so it is a truly fun day out for the whole family.

The Museum is situated on Bashley Cross Road in Hampshire accessed from the A3055 between Southampton and Bournemouth – a lovely ride on a nice day!

Prices: Adults - £9 and children 7-16 only £5 - so you can make a day of it and it won’t break the bank...and the Motorcycle Museum is open every day 10am – 4.30 so with those summer holidays coming up...what’s not to like!

Further information from: www.sammymiller.co.uk

17/07/19: Was there last week. Well worth a visit.

17/07/19: day ride out on bike have a look around

17/07/19: Been twice and not seen it all. Excellent tea and big slices of cake too.