Bike enthusiast puts his stamp on the classics.

WITH his classic motorbike and sidecar, John Perry is a familiar sight on Merseyside's roads.

But today he will become better known as the face of Royal Mail's new commemorative stamps.

The keen Wirral biker was chosen to help launch six new designs which went on sale this morning.

Each stamp shows a classic British motorbike from the 1914 Royal Enfield t o the 1991 Norton F1.

John's pride and joy is a Vincent Black Shadow which he has owned for 43 years.

He has recently added a sidecar so wife Jenny can travel with him to bike rallies.

With a top speed of 125mph, the Vincent Black Shadow was the height of motorcycle technology in the 1950s. But the couple, who live in Birkenhead, tend to stick to a more moderate pace now.

Although John has collected four motorbikes over the years, the Vincent has remained his favourite.

Production at Vincent's factory ended in 1955 but he has lovingly kept it in top condition by taking it to pieces once a decade and rebuilding it from scratch.

He said: 'Forty years ago this was the fastest bike of its type in the world.

'Unfortunately, they were so expensive that Vincent priced themselves out of the market.

'I tend to take it to bits every 10 years or so and put it back together again, but after 40 years it's still going strong.'

The six stamps feature the following classic British bikes: a 1991 Norton F1, 1969 BSA Rocket 3, 1949 Vincent Black Shadow, 1938 Triumph Speed Twin, 1930 Brough Superior and a 1914 Royal Enfield

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FIRST CLASS KNOWLEDGE: John Perry and his wife Jenny on the Vincent Black Shadow