Sammy Miller’s 'Miller' returns to join famous museum

Sammy Miller MBE, riding legend and owner of the Sammy Miller Museum, has just finished the restoration of arguably his rarest bike yet – the one-off, eponymously named, ‘Miller’.

Although most famous for his 11 British trials championships, being fundamental to the development of the two-stroke trials bike in the 1960s with the Bultaco Sherpa and later also developing trials machines with Honda, it’s less well known that he once designed a trials bike with the intention of mass-producing it under his own name – hence the Miller.

More from MCN

• Sammy Miller wins lifetime achievement award
• Sammy Miller museum extension
• Reasons to visit the National Motorcycle Museum

After working for Honda, Sammy decided to turn his hand to his own trials machines and in 1978 teamed up with Andrea Mosconi who supplied the Hiro two-stroke, single cylinder, 310cc engine.

Sadly, despite the prototype proving successful in competition, the Miller never made it into production – although it came close.

After Sammy and Mosconi decided against going into production themselves, Mosconi approached Armstrong (now CCM) in Bolton which led to boss Alan Clews deciding to manufacture the Armstrong trials machine which had significant success between 1981 and 1987, most famously with Steve Saunders.

The prototype Miller, meanwhile, languished in storage for many years before being meticulously restored to its former glory.

It’s now the latest addition to the museum and is proudly on display alongside the other 500 bike in Sammy’s New Milton, Hampshire, museum.