Panther motorcycles, formerly P&M motorcycles,were manufactured in Cleckheaton, Yorkshire in the UK from 1900 to 1966

Phelon & Rayner made the first chain-driven motorcycle in 1900. The sloping stressed member concept was patented in 1901 by Joah Phelon and his nephew Harry Rayner.
The Phelan & Rayner 1.75hp machines were only in production until 1903, but they also licensed the design to Humber Motorcycles, which produced motorcycles based on it from 1902 until 1906.
After Harry Rayner died in a car accident, Joah Phelon went into partnership with Richard Moore.

Phelon & Moore was established in 1904, and it's motorcycles were branded P&M.
The 1905 P&M featured an inclined single cylinder 4-stroke engine as a stressed member in the frame with 2-speed gear and chain drive to the rear wheel,
it being the 'first completely chain driven motor cycle'.

The Royal Flying Corps used P&M motorcycles during the First World War, keeping P&M busy throughout the conflict. P&M was also selected as the suppliers
when the Royal Armoured Corps added sidecars to their range of vehicles in 1922.

The last model to carry the P&M name was the 1922, 555cc single. Later models being branded as Panther.

The first Panther was launched in 1924, although the Phelon & Moore name was not dropped until 1929.

In 1932 the Panther 100, the famous 600cc, single cylinder, overhead valve "sloper" was launched.
This was produced until the 1960s, ending its run as the 645cc Panther model 120 of 1967.
This line of Panthers was the most famous of all Phelon & Moore and Panther models which enjoyed the myth of firing once every lamp-post.

Promoted as "The Perfected Motorcycle" they were noted for innovation for most of their history. Panthers were often used for hauling sidecars.
The combination of the advent of cheap motorcars and the collapse of the British motorcycle industry brought production to an end.
They are simple and fairly robust machines which inspire enormous, some might say obsessive, enthusiasm of their owners.
These factors, combined with relatively low cost, have resulted in a many Panthers still being in use as well as a few concours museum pieces.
A "practical classic" and a great bike to ride and tinker with.

This web site gathers together a large amount of P&M and Panther related, material.
Collecting together this information and enabling owners to access it, provides some assistance with keeping Panthers on the road.