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    • Home
    • Find out more
    • The Centennial Legend
    • The first (1920)
    • 1920-1925
    • 1926 -1929
    • 1930-1932
    • 1933-1939
    • 1955-1980
  • Home
  • Find out more
  • The Centennial Legend
  • The first (1920)
  • 1920-1925
  • 1926 -1929
  • 1930-1932
  • 1933-1939
  • 1955-1980
Cotton Motorcycles

The Cotton Motorcycles Masterpiece

The Legend of British motorcycles

info@cottonmotorcycles.co.uk

Hello

Welcome to Cotton Motorcycles

 Cotton, The Motorcycle Masterpiece ® is one of the most respected names in British motorcycle history, a marque whose reputation was built on innovation, competition success, and an uncompromising approach to engineering. 


The first Cotton motorcycle was produced in 1920.

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Our story

Iconic winners

Our Community

We are inspired  by the Cotton motorcycle history. The first motorcycle  appeared in 1920. Cotton motorbikes became legendary thanks to the sporting models and their victories in the Isle of Man 'Tourist Trophy' (T.T.) and in the most audacious races of the "British Sixties".



Our Community

Iconic winners

Our Community

  

We envision the creation of community, a vast group of individuals who recognize the core values of an organic motorcycle brand and come together to ride down their unique paths on the basis of shared beliefs and the empowerment that comes from living life on their terms.

Iconic winners

Iconic winners

Iconic winners

   

  In 1922 Stanley Woods rode a Blackburne-engined Cotton to fifth in the 350 cc Junior TT, and the following year, won the 1923 Isle of Man TT, averaging 55.73 miles per hour (89.69 km/h), bettering Douglas rider, Manxman Tom Sheard’swinning 500 cc Senior TT time, an average of 53.15 miles per hour (85.54 km/h). 

Cotton motorcycles took

   

  In 1922 Stanley Woods rode a Blackburne-engined Cotton to fifth in the 350 cc Junior TT, and the following year, won the 1923 Isle of Man TT, averaging 55.73 miles per hour (89.69 km/h), bettering Douglas rider, Manxman Tom Sheard’swinning 500 cc Senior TT time, an average of 53.15 miles per hour (85.54 km/h). 

Cotton motorcycles took a second and third in the Ultra Lightweight TT, and a second in the Lightweight TT. They only  managed a second place in the 1925 Junior TT, and a second place in the lightweight TT but in the 1926 races, awarded the first three places in the Lightweight TT. These victories helped establish Cotton as a race-winning machine, with exceptional handling for its time.


The arrival of the Villiers Starmakerengine in 1962 allowed Cotton to first build the Telstar road racer, on which Derek Minter won the 1964 British 250cc Championship, and then the Conquest in 1965 which Derek Minter, this time with Peter Inchley, took to a class victory in the 1965 500-mile race at Castle Combe. 

Heritage

TT Isle of Man

Iconic winners

   

The Cotton Motorcycle  Company was founded in 1918 by Frank Willoughby Cotton, who led the brand with vision and determination until his retirement in 1953.   The first Cotton motorcycle rolled onto the road in 1920, marking the beginning of a legacy defined by engineering ingenuity and fearless ambition.


Cotton quickly earned legendary

   

The Cotton Motorcycle  Company was founded in 1918 by Frank Willoughby Cotton, who led the brand with vision and determination until his retirement in 1953.   The first Cotton motorcycle rolled onto the road in 1920, marking the beginning of a legacy defined by engineering ingenuity and fearless ambition.


Cotton quickly earned legendary status through  Many of the era’s most iconic champions rode Cotton machines to glory, helping to cement the brand’s reputation for performance, reliability, and innovative design. These achievements didn’t just make history—they set new standards for what a motorcycle could be.

TT Isle of Man

TT Isle of Man

TT Isle of Man

In 1922 Stanley Woods rode a Blackburne-engined Cotton to fifth in the 350 cc Junior TT, and the following year, won the 1923 Isle of Man TT, averaging 55.73 miles per hour (89.69 km/h), bettering Douglas rider, Manxman Tom Sheard’s winning 500 cc Senior TT time, an average of 53.15 miles per hour (85.54 km/h). Cotton motorcycles took a s

In 1922 Stanley Woods rode a Blackburne-engined Cotton to fifth in the 350 cc Junior TT, and the following year, won the 1923 Isle of Man TT, averaging 55.73 miles per hour (89.69 km/h), bettering Douglas rider, Manxman Tom Sheard’s winning 500 cc Senior TT time, an average of 53.15 miles per hour (85.54 km/h). Cotton motorcycles took a second and third in the Ultra Lightweight TT, and a second in the Lightweight TT. They only  managed a second place in the 1925 Junior TT, and a second place in the lightweight TT but in the 1926 races, awarded the first three places in the Lightweight TT. These victories helped establish Cotton as a race-winning machine, with exceptional handling for its time.


The Brand

TT Isle of Man

TT Isle of Man

  

Cotton, The Motorcycle Masterpiece ® is one of the most respected names in British motorcycle history, a marque whose reputation was built on innovation, competition success, and an uncompromising approach to engineering.


 

Cotton Blackburne 350 for 1936

Cotton Blackburne 350 for 1936

Cotton Blackburne 350 for 1936

A sporting Blackburne-engined mount - 350 c.c. overhead-valve Cotton

 

The future

Cotton Blackburne 350 for 1936

Cotton Blackburne 350 for 1936

 We have reimagined the historic Cotton brand to reclaim its place in the future of motorcycling. Building on an extraordinary heritage, we are igniting a new chapter in the Cotton Motorcycles story—one that honors its legendary past while embracing the future with renewed passion, modern craftsmanship, and uncompromising authenticity. 


Hello

1926 Cotton–Blackburne 348cc Model 29 TT

  

The Centennial Legend – 1926–2026


In 1926, Cotton achieved one of the most extraordinary moments in British motorcycle history.

The Cotton–Blackburne 348cc Model 29 TT was the machine that helped secure 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place in the Lightweight TT at the Isle of Man.

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legacy - All models manufactured since 1920

1920

1920 -1925

1920 -1925

 The first Cotton motorcycle was manufactured in 1920. It was the result of Frank Willoughby Cotton’s ideas about improving motorcycle frame design. 


Model 1 -  2½ h.p.  

Model 2-  2¾ H.P. 

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1920 -1925

1920 -1925

1920 -1925

SV Models
Model 1 - 2.5 h.p. 249cc Blackburne SV
Model 5 - 3.5 h.p. JAP 350cc SV 3 Speed
Model 7 - 3.5 h.p. Blackburne 348cc SV 3 Speed
Model 8 - 5.5 h.p. Blackburne 550cc SV 3 Speed

OHV Models
Model 29 - 3.5 hp 348cc Blackburne
Model 9 - 3.5 hp 348cc Blackburne
Model 30 - 2.5 hp 249cc Blackburne
Model 11 - 2.5 hp 249cc Blackburne

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1927-1929

1920 -1925

1931 - 1932

Two-stroke Model
Model 3 - Villiers 343cc

OHV Models
Model 9 - Blackburne 348cc
Model 29 - Blackburne 348cc Twin-port
Model 5 - Blackburne 496cc
Model 25 - Blackburne 496cc Twin-port
Model 9 - JAP
Model 29 - JAP Twin-port
Model 5 - JAP

SV Models
Model 7J - JAP 348cc
Model 7 - Blackburne 348cc
Model 8 - Blackburne 496cc

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1931 - 1932

1931 - 1932

1931 - 1932

1931 

Model 11/J JAP 245cc
Model 29/J JAP 345cc
Model 25/J JAP 49cc
Model 29/RP  Python 4 Valve 349cc
Model 25/RP Python 4 Valve 499cc
Model 9/OSF Blackburne 348cc
Model 29/B Blackburne 348cc 2-port
Model 25/B Blackburne 496cc 2-port
Model 25/SA Sturmey-Archer 496cc 2-port 


1932

Model 1/V – Villiers 148cc Two-Stroke 

Model 2/V – Villiers 246cc Two-Stroke

Model 6/J – JAP 250cc OHV  

Model 9/J - JAP 350cc OHV 

Model 25/J - JAP 500cc OHV

Model 25/j - JAP - Blackburne 350cc OHV

Model 29/B - Blackburne 350cc OHV


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1933 - 1934

1931 - 1932

1933 - 1934

1933

Model 1/V – Villiers 148cc Two-Stroke  

Model 2/V – Villiers 250cc Two-Stroke 

Model 6/J – JAP 250cc OHV

Model 9/J – JAP 350cc OHV  

Model 25/J – JAP 500cc OHV  

Model 29/B – Blackburne 350cc OHV 


1934 

 Model 9/J – JAP 350cc OHV
Model 9/B – Blackburne 350cc OHV
Model 25/J – JAP 500cc OHV
Model 29/RP – Rudge Python 349cc 4-Valve
Model 25/RP – Rudge Python 499cc 4-Valve
Model 29/B – Blackburne 350cc 2-Port
Model 25/B – Blackburne 496cc 2-Port
Model 25/SA – Sturmey-Archer 496cc 2-Port

Model 6/J – JAP 250cc OHV
Model 30/J – JAP 250cc OHV
Model 30/B – Blackburne 250cc OHV
Model 6/B – Blackburne 250cc OHV

Model 1/V – Villiers 148cc Two-Stroke
Model 2/V – Villiers 246cc Two-Stroke
Model 1/B – Blackburne 150cc Sloper
Model 1/J – JAP 150cc Sloper
Model 2/J – JAP 250cc Sloper
Model 2/JC – JAP 250cc Sloper
Model 7/J – JAP 350cc Sloper Super
Model 8/J – JAP 500cc Sloper Super


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1935

1931 - 1932

1933 - 1934

OHV Models
Model 9/JC - 349cc JAP
Model 9/J - 349cc JAP 2-port
Model 29/J - 349cc JAP
Model 29/B - 349cc Blackburne
Model 25/J - 490cc JAP
Model 25/B - 496cc Blackburne
Model 26/J - 596cc JAP
Model 26/B - 596cc Blackburne

OHV 250cc Models
Model 6/J - 249cc JAP OHV
Model 30/J - 249cc JAP OHV Twin-port
Model 6/B - 249cc Blackburne OHV

SV, Two-stroke and 150cc OHV Models
Model 1/V - 150cc Villiers
Model 1/J - 150cc OHV JAP
Model 1/B - 150cc OHV Blackburne
Model 2/JC - 250cc SV JAP
Model 2/J - 250cc SV JAP

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1936

1936

1936

A  range of 17 models was offered in 1936 between 150cc to 600cc. 

These included a 250cc SV, a 250cc OHV, and a 500cc OHV Super-sports. 

Also:

Model 29/B —348 c.c. single-cyl. o.h.v. 

Model 25/J—490 c.c. single-cyl. o.h.v. J.A.P. 

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1937

1936

1936

 

A range of 14 models were produced including:
250cc SV
250cc OHV
350cc OHV
500cc OHV
600cc OHV

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1938

1936

1938

 

Model 9/38 - 350cc OHV JAP
Model 350/38 - 350cc OHV JAP
Model 9/Special - 350cc OHV JAP High-cam
Model 500/38 - 500cc OHV JAP
Model 5/Special - 500cc OHV JAP
Model 25/Special - 500cc OHV JAP High-cam
Model 600/38 - 600cc OHV JAP

250cc Models
Model 6/B - 249cc OHV Blackburne
Model 250/3S - 249cc OHV JAP
Model 30/Special - 249cc OHV JAP

Lightweights
Model 1/V - 150cc Villiers Two-stroke
Model 1/B - 150cc OHV Blackburne
Model 2/JC - 250cc SV JAP
Model 2/J - 250cc SV JAP

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1939

1939

1938

 A range of 14 models was produced 

(150cc - 600cc.)
350cc OHV
500cc OHV
600cc OHV 

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1955 -1980

1955 -1980

1955 -1980

1955

 Cotanza 242cc 

 Vulcan (1955 version) 


1956

 Vulcan (4-speed) 

 Cotanza 322cc Twin 

 Cotton Trials 


1957  

Cotanza Villiers Two-Stroke Twin
Vulcan KC1 197cc & Trials 197cc


1959 -1960

Cotton introduced a broad new line-up:

Herald
Messenger
Double Gloucester
Continental
Corsair
Conquest
 

1961

Vulcan 197cc (4-speed)
Cougar 246cc Scrambler
Corsair 246cc Villiers 31A
Continental 250cc
Double Gloucester roadster
Herald Twin roadster
Messenger 324cc twin
Cougar Scrambler

1962

Telstar & Conquest with Starmaker Engine

1963

Trials Model 250cc
A new Trials model was offered with a Villiers 31A 250cc engine and leading-link forks.

1965

Cossack Scrambler
The Cotton Cossack Scrambler was introduced, powered by a 247cc Villiers Starmaker Mk II engine.
It featured:

  • Metal Profile or Ceriani front forks
     
  • Girling rear dampers
     

This model reinforced Cotton’s off-road credentials.


1968

Cavalier 175cc Trials
The Cavalier 175cc Trials model proved competitive, with Rob Edwards winning the 200cc class of the 1969 Scottish Trial.


1970 -1980

Cavalier 175T continued, with an updated version released in 1972
 




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Contact Us

1955 -1980

1955 -1980

Have questions? Need help? Our team is here to assist you. Contact us by phone or email, or visit us in-store. We are always happy to help.

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Cotton Motorcycles Official

United Kingdom

Copyright © 2026 Cotton Motorcycles - Cotton The Motorcycle Masterpiece LTD

Reg. No  13743247  - info@cottonmotorcycles.co.uk - All Rights Reserved.

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