Born survivor
The Classic MotorCycle|January 2020
Hardy, resilient and super-versatile, the Panther Model 100 was no head-turner, but it proved one of the most successful machines for the everyman in British motorcycle history.
Rachael Clegg
Born survivor

In his recent Guardian gardening column, horticultural expert James Wong wrote: “If you want a truly indestructible houseplant, there are few that will survive quite such a high level of neglect as an aspidistra. It will tolerate more shade than pretty much any other, not to mention months of drought, the coldest of drafts and almost any pest going. Hence the Victorian common name for the species: ‘cast iron plant”

This is not a gardening column. But it is important to reflect on the qualities of the evergreen perennial because it was after this plant that the Panther became known as ‘the biggest aspidistra in the world’

The Panther Model 100, built by Yorkshire-based company Phelon & Moore, was no showpiece, but it was a reliable, tough, hardy machine that could accommodate even the most prolific of families, complete with their belongings.

But the aspidistra tag applies not only to the Panther 100. Those reliant qualities apply to the operations of the Phelon & Moore marque as a whole. This was a company that persevered – and survived – economic catastrophe and political cataclysm, outliving many of its rival, often much bigger, competitors.

Few motorcycle firms were unaffected by the aftermath of the 1929Wall Street Crash. This seemingly remote event, caused by ruthless speculating at the New York Stock Exchange, triggered the most devastating financial crash in modern history. The domino-effect of this desolation worsened over a period of six years, hitting business – including the British motorcycle industry – especially hard. By 1933 motorcycle production in the UK slumped to its lowest in 20 years, dropping to 52,200 units in 1933, from 160,000 six years earlier.

This story is from the January 2020 edition of The Classic MotorCycle.

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This story is from the January 2020 edition of The Classic MotorCycle.

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