The company stopped producing complete motorcycles in 1975, continuing to produce accessories.[1] In the 1980s the Rickmans sold their parts to a company called MRD (Model, Replica & Design until then specialising in model aeroplanes). 'MRD Metisse' was born and run by Pat French, a Rickman Metisse enthusiast. Business was good throughout the late '80s but the early '90s saw a levelling off of the business.[1] In 1999 a new enthusiast arrived on the scene and set up a new company (Métisse Motorcycles Ltd) and bought Pat French's business including some later parts and the rights to use the word 'Metisse'.
Throughout this period another Rickman enthusiast, successful scrambler and friend of the Rickman's Adrian Moss was the first to spot that the mark III would be the most popular model over time. Adrian was already building and racing Rickman bikes and spares. He set up the successful British Bike Bonanza in 1981, for pre-65 machines and enthusiasts, which is still going, and growing, to this day. The company name 'Rickman Motorcycles Limited' was also licensed to Adrian, and later passed to him, enabling the production of genuine Rickman Motorcycles to continue as they always had done.