Rickman Metisse

I always admired the Rickman Metisse bikes, beautifully styled and often well turned out, and I know the factory in New Milton also produced the Rickman Ranger kitcar, but why did the company go out of business? What became of the brothers? I do know that the kitcar firm of Lomax bought Rickmans but I don't think they produced any of their cars.

http://en.wikipedia....man_Motorcycles

It seems brothers Don and Derek simply decided it was time to retire.

http://en.wikipedia....man_Motorcycles

It seems brothers Don and Derek simply decided it was time to retire.

Hi, METTISE bikes and parts are available new from a couple of sources.Pat French was making new ones in Bristol untill he moved to Oxfordshire. There was a quite acrimonious break up of a partnership and Pat French lost his share of the Mettise business. Jerry Lisi has been making complete bikes and chassis since that time and is currently working on an engine to give him a power source.The top sidecar racer Roger Measor was in charge of the Bronze Welding-it requires a top craftsman to get those precise "C" shaped beads of bronze around the steering head-untill a few years ago. I dont know who is working there now. Adrian Moss,well known rider,event organiser and entrepaneur can also supply just about anything required. There is a super book about Don and Derek Rickman called, surprisingly enough, the Rickman Story. Dave Gittings is the author and a cracking read it is too. I am pretty sure that the brothers would have seen one of the ESO Motocross bikes of the sixties before they designed the Mettise-the outline is remarkably similar. Please dont think I am making accusations of copying- great minds often come up with similar answers to the same question. Hope this helps,In Sport, Rotrax.