The Motor Cycle was one of the first British magazines about motorcycles. Launched by Iliffe and Sons Ltd in 1903, its blue cover led to it being called "The Blue 'un" to help distinguish it from its rival publication Motor Cycling, which, using a green background colour, was known as "The Green 'un". Many issues carried the strapline "Circulated throughout the World". The covers eventually used a variety of different background colours after 1962, with a name-change to Motor Cycle.