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How to win, according to Jeff Smith
If winning is your aim, Jeff Smith knows a thing or two about how it’s done.
Features - Alex Bestwick
September 22, 2023
Playing a pivotal role: How Green Meanie met Uni-Trak
In the enduro world smaller is often better, especially if it has a superb rear suspension like Kawasaki’s Uni-Trak system.
Features -
September 21, 2023
Speed is Expensive: the Vincent story told by the people who were there in new documentary
A new documentary follows the life and career of legendary motorcycle designer Philip Vincent, told by the people who were there. Alex Bestwick speaks to director David Lancaster about bringing the Vincent story to the screen.
Features - Alex Bestwick
September 15, 2023
Battery hen
Bantams were the answer in the past – and could well be the future, too
Features -
August 11, 2023
The Wee Run Frae The Doc’s Auld Hoose
This year sees the fourth running of the splendidly named Wee Run Frae The Doc’s Auld Hoose.
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July 21, 2023
Time travel: Horace Meadowcroft’s motorcycle showroom, exactly 100 years ago - Readers' Letters
I thought that this photograph, taken exactly 100 years ago this July, may be of interest to readers of OBM.
Features - Arianne Davey
July 21, 2023
Your guide to... Honda VT500
Any used import is an unknown quantity of variable quality. Some need little more than an oil change, a wipe-down, and a battle with the DVLA to get a registration number. My own BSA Starfire was one of those. It’s broken down many times since then, but that’s more to do with it being a late-1960s BSA than anything a transatlantic owner had inflicted. At the other end of the scale are bikes like a mate’s Kawasaki four, bought unseen from a far-away importer. It became a money pit, resulting in a
Features - Alex Bestwick
July 10, 2023
Top 10 concept bikes - from wicked to wacky!
Concept bikes… those machines you see at bike shows which may (or may not) make it into production. Alan Dowds checks out some of the craziest.
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July 4, 2023
Modern Retro: BMW R18
We tested the giant BMW cruiser a few months ago in Germany, but wanted to see what it was like to live with. Matt stole one to find out.
Features - Matt Hull
June 23, 2023
Did you see how much these motorcycles sold for at Bonhams Stafford Spring auction?!
These motorcycles went to auction at The Spring Stafford Sale at The International Classic MotorCycle Show in April 2023. Have you seen how much they sold for? Take a look here...
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June 19, 2023
Three Motorcycle Events You Don't Want to Miss in June
Celebrate Father's Day or enjoy a day out in the sun with a classic bike show or event, during the rest of June.
Features - Arianne Davey
June 15, 2023
The second coming - 1972 Moto Guzzi V7 Sport
After a long lay-up, this 1972 Moto Guzzi V7 Sport is back on the road and enjoying a second wind, though still sporting much of its original patina.
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June 8, 2023
Stealth fighter! - Kawasaki ZRX1100R test ride
Kawasaki’s ZRX1100/1200 family are pretty-looking but steady away road bikes – but what happens when you put one into stealth mode?
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June 6, 2023
Boxer Beat - the Douglas DT5 still giving
This 96-year old Douglas is not only fun for the rider and his family, but it also makes everyone watching smile and gives any competitors a run for their money! Proving that these bikes should be used and not tucked away, meet the Douglas DT5…
Features - Matt Hull
June 5, 2023
Rossi vs Biaggi
The greatest rivalry of Valentino Rossi’s career was with Max Biaggi. Now that both men have retired and the dust has settled, Classic Racer discovers why they hated each other with such intensity.
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May 23, 2023
Your guide to... Suzuki T500
We look at one man’s superb example of Suzuki’s large two-stroke that shows they are as useable as any other bike.
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May 17, 2023
To the moon by Zed
Bob Heywood has owned his 1982 Kawasaki Z650 F3 from brand new – and he’s covered nearly 230,000 miles in the 40 years since. Here’s the story of a man’s lifelong passion for his bike.
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May 5, 2023
From the archive: A momentous day...
In front of the jubilant home crowd, a young lad sets out his stall for future success in the heady world of motocross GPs.
Features - Classic Bike Hub UK
May 4, 2023
A few tips on buying a classic bike
Everyone wants you to enjoy your classic bike! But be aware that old bikes can break, leak and misfire. They assume some common sense – brakes are poor and lights are terrible. Most problems old bike specialists see are owners who don’t realise what they’ve got into, so follow our guide...
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April 25, 2023
Racer-replica!
In a rich history of ‘racer-replicas’ they don’t get much better than this...
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April 25, 2023
Electric envoy
Kaye Don was a man of many achievements, from powerboat and car record breaker and racer, to sporting motorcyclist and manufacturer. He was also the first to put an electric start British motorcycle into production.
Features - Alex Bestwick
April 18, 2023
Book of the Week: Agostini on the British Circuits
Our latest book of the week is the new Agostini on the British Circuits by James Robinson, out next week and available to pre-order now!
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April 3, 2023
Chicken from scratch - building a Hesketh superbike
When the Hesketh superbike was launched, Tim Bolton knew that he could never afford one. But little did he know that, within a few short years, he would bebuilding his own from scratch…
Features - Web Editor
March 30, 2023
The Sun that never set
All motorcycles are interesting, as well we know. But some come with history that brings an extra element to their stories. This is one such machine, as John Milton discovers.
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March 21, 2023
The first Moto Morini - Moto Morini 125T
Moto Morini’s first attempt at a motorcycle came from the DKW RT125, just like BSA’s Bantam. Yet despite a lack of experience, style certainly wasn’t forgotten...
Features - Classic Bike Guide
March 20, 2023
Twins? - Real versus Retro Kawasaki Z650/Z650RS
These two may look alike, but do they supply the same emotions? It’s a battle of the classic four-cylinder Kawasaki Z650 versus it’s twin-cylinder doppelgänger – the modern Z650RS ‘retro’. Game on!
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March 17, 2023
Your guide to... Honda CB175
We look at the baby CB750, the CB175, and also what it’s like to live with... with grateful help from John Child, his gorgeous CB175 and the wonderful Suffolk sunshine
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March 16, 2023
The Dukes of Wellington
Nitro-burning Ducatis, a short-stroke Pantah that revved to over 14,000rpm, one of the very first 851 Superbike engines housed in a custom frame. Things got a little crazy in New Zealand in the 1980s. And then came Robert Holden to ride them.
Features - Web Editor
March 15, 2023
Panther Model 95
One of only three Model 95s that the Panther Owners Club is aware survives. Sandy Bloy’s example is a great study in restoration, while keeping a bike’s story on its sleeve
Features - Web Editor
March 13, 2023
Your guide to... Francis-Barnett Cruiser 91 Sports
We look at a fantastic restoration of one of Francis-Barnett’s more outlandish models
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March 1, 2023
Ducati 900 SSD Darmah
“You won’t get me off an old bevel.” So says the owner of this rare example of when Ducati aimed its sights at a sports tourer. With help from the storeman raiding the 900SS and Darmah shelves, this is the result of the work...
Features - Classic Bike Guide
February 24, 2023
Sweet Swiss stroker
Although largely unknown outside its home country, this neat little machine has ended up in the UK, via a famous Northern Irish 1960s Manx Norton tuner.
Features - Web Editor
February 21, 2023
Fantastic Fabrizio!
Fabrizio Pirovano was the original ‘pocket rocket’ and his all-action style, clambering all over his BYRD Yamaha OW-01 in the early 1990s, was the stuff of legend.
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February 21, 2023
Growing old disgracefully!
We love bikes. We love fettling them and riding them, but... some classics are big and heavy, and we’re not getting any younger. So what can we do about it? Steve Cooper finds out…
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February 20, 2023
Celebrate more than 120 years of Triumph with The Classic MotorCycle editor’s new book!
It’s a triumph! In fact, many Triumphs spanning a dozen decades, beautifully portrayed in the pages of a new book by editor of The Classic MotorCycle, James Robinson.
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February 16, 2023
Book of the Week: Phil Read
This week's book pick is a tribute to the late, great Phil Read.
Features - Alex Bestwick
January 30, 2023
Buyer's Guide: Kawasaki KE100
A well-known fast food franchise recently ran an advertising campaign with a slogan that read – ‘Like getting your money's worth?’ Well, the Kawasaki KE100 rather neatly fits into the same slot!
Features - Alex Bestwick
January 13, 2023
Book of the Week: Triumph: Pictorial History of the Great British Marque
In our latest book of the week, James Robinson takes a deep dive into the history of Triumph.
Features - Alex Bestwick
January 9, 2023
Triumph Tiger 500SC - Jack Pine
Triumph’s success in American off-road competition gave birth to a dedicated racer with lights – the T100SC
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December 30, 2022
Mighty Atlas - Norton Atlas
Norton’s first 750cc twin, reluctantly designed for the power-hungry Americans, shook at speed, but, today, its many virtues make it a highly desirable classic.
Features - Alex Bestwick
December 29, 2022
Classy Café Racing
The Rickman brothers’ Metisse motorcycles found success on both dirt and road racing stages, while their sporty road offering was a splendid piece of kit too.
Features - Alex Bestwick
December 22, 2022
Velocette KTT
The LE might have been for humdrum duties, but it came from the maker of one of the finest racing machines ever – the long-lived Velocette KTT
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December 21, 2022
Custom Cream! Yamaha XS650SE takes the biscuit
Scoop reckons the Yamaha XS650SE Custom takes the biscuit as the most cost-effective way of buying one of these big twins: yummy!
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December 16, 2022
Honda CB250RS
Lightweight and agile, Honda’s CB250RS conflicted with its own Superdream for sales and was never as popular. Now, they can be a great back-lane bike with big H reliability.
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December 14, 2022
Your guide to... Matchless G11 & AJS Model 30
AMC twins may be oft overlooked but are another wonderful way into British twin ownership
Features - Alex Bestwick
December 14, 2022
The remarkable Olga Kevelos
One of this country’s most noted female trials and enduro riders, Olga Kevelos was, to put it mildly, quite a lady, as John Milton relates.
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December 7, 2022
Lightweight Performer - A history of BSA's Bantam
BSA's Bantam is everywhere in trials today, but how did it all begin? Tim Britton takes a look back at the early days.
Features - Alex Bestwick
November 25, 2022
Happy 50th Birthday, Z
Kawasaki introduced the Z1 50 years ago, in 1972. We have a look at the early story of this, the original Kawasaki superbike
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November 22, 2022
Your guide to... Moto Parilla MSDS 175
This wonderful bike has a wonderful story behind it, and the result is stunning.
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November 22, 2022
Gus Kuhn Commando
Gus Kuhn was a speedway rider and TT racer, and competed in most other two-wheel sports. He also ran his own shop, but will always be best known for a bike he never saw – the Gus Kuhn Commando.
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November 21, 2022
Fast Eddie: Mondello to Macau!
Ireland has produced more than its fair share of top motorcycle racers over the years, and Eddie Laycock is one who made it all the way. His story is one of many ups and downs: here’s part 1.
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November 11, 2022
When will I be famous... Honda Bros 400 and 650
Underrated, undersold, overlooked and over here. The Honda Bros 400 or 650 is one of the greatest, best-looking bikes around, especially if you like your bikes small and nimble
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November 11, 2022
All our gifts wrapped up in 2022 Christmas catalogue
Christmas is just around the corner and we’ve lined up a huge range of special gifts for your loved ones (or yourself)… including a selection of subscriptions, books, show tickets and merchandise.
Features - Alex Bestwick
November 9, 2022
Adding colour
Thanks to a software programme update, we are now able to colourise pictures, pretty much with the click of a button. The results are, we think, rather extraordinary.
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October 27, 2022
Top 10 Triumphs
In the December 2022 edition of The Classic MotorCycle, we’ve a feature on 10 notable Triumphs from the National Motorcycle Museum, the story produced in collaboration with Motorcycle Live!, the annual NEC, Birmingham, show, this year held over November 19-27.
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October 27, 2022
These fuelish things!
It seems that Mark has had some issues with his bikes and their reliability…
Features - Arianne Davey
October 25, 2022
The 39th Loch Ness Rally
One of the most keenly anticipated events of the summer in the Scottish Highlands is the Highland Classic Motorcycle Club’s Loch Ness Rally and we are delighted that the club’s membership secretary Dode Fraser was there with his camera.
Features - Alex Bestwick
October 25, 2022
Death throes of a once-great industry
Looking back at his Motor Cycle years during the mid-1970s, Pete Kelly recalls the drawn-out saga of Norton Villiers Triumph and the Meriden workers’ co-operative along with a few more memorable tales.
Features - Alex Bestwick
October 24, 2022
Wonderful Whippet!
Our Andy places his posterior on a perfectly lovely little two-stroke that he’s been gagging to ride for years: Yamaha’s SDR200.
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October 24, 2022
BSA my way
It’s a brave move these days to create a personal take on such a model as the BSA Gold Star. Here’s one man’s amazing take on a classic – and it’s not even silver!
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October 18, 2022
Summer love!
Honda’s street-scrambler CL350 twin was never officially imported into the UK, so that makes it an exotic head-turner wherever it’s parked, says John Nutting
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October 18, 2022
Reasons to work in advertising for Mortons Media Group
Are you looking for a job in advertising? Here’s why the Advertising Sales Execuitve role with Mortons Media Group is the perfect fit.
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September 27, 2022
Tribute Twin
Ariel enthusiast Dave Owen owns one of a small run of alloy-engined KHA twins built to celebrate the marque’s fine achievements in the ISDT.
Features - Alex Bestwick
September 23, 2022
Saving lives with a Sunbeam
Meet Harry, on the road helping to save lives
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September 22, 2022
Vindication!
Back in 1981 I knew I had a chance, and was confident of an Isle of Man TT victory when I lined up for the start of the Formula One race.
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September 21, 2022
From the archive: Miss Porter and her Sloper
This intrepid lady rider had visited the site of what was ultimately a flawed attempt at setting a world speed record.
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September 20, 2022
Family affair!
Delwyn Llewellyn lives in Tonypandy in the Rhondda Valley and he had an urge to get himself his dream bike... again. What followed was a joyous team effort from the trio of dad, son and grandson…
Features - Arianne Davey
September 14, 2022
Blast from the Past - AMC Anorak 20 - Playing in the Dirt
If you want to ride your classic bike roughshod, then you simply can’t beat the real thing! Frank Westworth’s been playing in the dirt…
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September 13, 2022
Classic Motorcycle Mechanic's Workshop Q&A
Our very own wizened sages, Messrs Mark Haycock and Steve Cooper, are here to answer all of your woes, be they mechanical or spiritual. Every month we will be giving advice, as well as some general tips. Don’t forget to send in your own tips, too.
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September 12, 2022
From the archive: 1962 was the year when…
…Sammy Miller won his first of five SSDTs and the quarter litre scrambles class gained world championship status.
Features - Arianne Davey
September 8, 2022
Winds of Change
By 1936, BSA were in a trough. For once, their competition team ofBert Perrigo, Jack Amott, Harold Flook and Marjorie Cottle failed to win a major trial, and sales, although steady, weren’t picking up, as the UK struggled out of the world recession. Time for a different approach.
Features - Richard Rosenthal
September 8, 2022
From the archive: 1952 was the year when…
Sometimes a chance comment changes the direction of a feature ever so slightly… in this case, by spanning a few more decades.
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September 8, 2022
Dressed to Thrill: BSA Rocket Gold Star
This BSA Rocket Gold Star isn’t perhaps what it appears to be – but then its owner is perfectly happy to acknowledge that.
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September 8, 2022
Book of the Week: Taking it to the Limit
Our book of the week this time around is Taking it to the Limit by the award-winning Peter Starr!
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September 5, 2022
Blast from the Past- AMC Anorak 19 - Life of Lore
No matter how much (probably useless) information you acquire, there is always more. Frank Westworth looks back on a life of lore…
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September 2, 2022
Blast from the Past - AMC Anorak 18 - Underdog
How do some folk get to be famous? Why do people rate Triumph and Norton engines so highly? Frank Westworth champions the AJS & Matchless underdog…
Features - Alex Bestwick
August 22, 2022
Blast from the Past - AMC Anorak 17 - First Love
Where did it all start? No no, not the AJS and Matchless marques; Frank Westworth’s fascination with AMC motorcycles, that’s what
Features - Alex Bestwick
August 17, 2022
Blast from the Past - AMC Anorak 16 - Dream Machine
Do you harbour a hankering for a particular model? Do you lie awake at night wondering whether your dream machine is waiting for you? Frank Westworth savours simple delusions…
Features - Alex Bestwick
August 17, 2022
Blast from the Past - AMC Anorak 15 - Swearing's Caring
Things rarely turn out the way you expect, even if your expectations were pretty modest! Frank Westworth always wanted to be an expert…
Features - Alex Bestwick
August 17, 2022
Blast from the Past - Amc Anorak 14 - Stop and Go
An Electric-start Matchless? Frank Westworth waxes nostalgic for a bike he’s never owned (although he did get close)…
Features - Alex Bestwick
August 16, 2022
Blast from the Past- AMC Anorak 13 - Sold!
Frank Westworth is supposed to know lots about AJS and Matchless motorcycles. So, naturally, people ask him questions about Nortons which turn out to be Matchlesses really. Really!
Features - Alex Bestwick
August 16, 2022
Blast from the Past - AMC Anorak 11 - Burning Questions
Why do you ride the bike you do? Why do you not ride the bikes you don’t? Frank Westworth has a head filled with puzzles…
Features - Alex Bestwick
August 10, 2022
Blast from the Past: Teenage Kicks - AMC Anorak 10
Things change. Sometimes for the better; sometimes not. Frank Westworth is a keen observer of how this change affects the AJS and Matchless machines of his acquaintance…
Features - Alex Bestwick
August 9, 2022
Blast from the Past - Spare Parts - AMC Anorak 12
Frank Westworth loves his AJS and Matchless motorcycles and make a point of securing spare parts for them whenever possible. Here, in an unusual example of Hoarder’s Downfall, he explains how his prize collection of AMC originals gets beaten to bits…
Features - Alex Bestwick
August 9, 2022
Blast from the Past: Reminiscing - AMC Anorak 9
It’s Matchless memory time! Frank Westworth remembers distant days when he used to ride bikes from time to time, and A Glowing Tribute to The Wobbly Bike Shoppe
Features - Alex Bestwick
August 9, 2022
Blast from the Past: AMC Anorak 8
AMC bikes are superb examples of the very best British motorcycle engineering. But RealClassic readers already know that. Frank Westworth does a little missionary positioning…
Features - Alex Bestwick
August 9, 2022
Totally Top Triple!
Was the last of the triples the best of the bunch? Frank Westworth thinks so. Well, he thinks so today, at least.
Features - Web Editor
August 8, 2022
Laps of the Gods!
For the 1967 Senior TT Mike Hailwood faced a bit of a challenge in his bid to score his second hat-trick of wins around the Isle of Man course – but lady luck was smiling…
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August 8, 2022
Mission Impossible
Did anyone really think that even with the combination of Steve Hislop’s amazing talent and the sheer speed of the Norton NRS588 that they would win the 1992 Senior TT?
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August 5, 2022
Talented Tony
From enjoying a short but spectacular career as a racer, to running one of the country’s best bike dealerships, to guiding the career of a TT legend, Tony Jefferies’ entire life revolved around motorcycles.
Features - Alex Bestwick
August 5, 2022
Hammer of the Gods!
Twenty years ago, a sound was emanating from the tracks and pit lanes in Grand Prix racing that hadn’t been heard in quite some time...
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August 5, 2022
The New Naughty 90s Hall at The Classic Motorcycle Mechanics Show
'Classic' is in the eye of the beholder and well, it's time for the new guard to make their mark at Stafford.
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August 4, 2022
Costa Brava Trial
They do things differently over on the Continent, you know… two-day trials are much more of a social occasion as well as a competition and there are many popular events.
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August 4, 2022
Your guide to ... The early Tiger Cubs
The Tiger Cub can turn its hand from originally being a learner bike to a great starter classic, a fun run-a-round, country lane champion, and even a competitive classic trials bike.
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August 3, 2022
Book of the Week: Classic Superbikes II
Our first book of the week for August is the recently published Classic Superbikes II.
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August 1, 2022
Moveo and shaker
Preparing for the 1910 TT, fascinating pioneer motorcyclist Bert Houlding, with his JAP-powered racer. 
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July 27, 2022
Noisy Neighbours
Members of The Motor Cycle’s editorial team take to the residential streets, for a noise testing experiment.
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July 27, 2022
The Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride
We all like an excuse to dress up occasionally, especially for a good cause
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July 26, 2022
Frank Westworth looks back at his favourite bikes: Triumph TR5T Trophy Trail
Continuing with his hybrid theme, Frank Westworth, the founder of Classic Bike Guide, looks at the one that got away – Triumph’s TR5T Words by Frank with photos from Mortons Archive
Features - Alex Bestwick
July 26, 2022
Rocket Ron
It’s refreshing to have a colour photo from the archive for once and Ron Haslam’s smile sums up the love so many have of racing. The scene appears to show a typical club racing scene, with friends helping out. There may be no factory overalls or promo ladies but the Mal Carter Pharaoh team van makes up for that, with ‘Ron Haslam Superstar’ on it!
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July 26, 2022
The late Anthony F Wilding
Fabulous Zenith V-twin transporting a Wimbledon tennis champion and steered by an Olympic gold medal winner.
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July 26, 2022
Endurance Test
Covering upwards of 2000 miles, on a 350cc sidecar outfit carrying two full-grown men, in February, sounds like purgatory, though it was in the name of publicity…
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July 26, 2022
TSS on trial
The eight-valve Bonneville twin which could’ve perhaps been original Triumph’s saviour.
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July 26, 2022
Muddied Waters
Slightly mysterious Ariel, ridden by the Cambridge cox, as he arrives for training at Putney Boathouse, prior to the 1946 boat race.
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July 26, 2022
FROM THE ARCHIVE: The longest day
France’s Bol d’Or 24-hour race celebrates its centenary this year. Here, we have a brilliant action photograph from the 1924 edition, where solos and sidecars ran together.
Features - Web Editor
July 26, 2022
Tested: Alcosense Lite 2
Being only 18, I’m new to both bikes and alcohol, so my dad got me one of these for Christmas: the AlcoSense Lite 2. He felt it was important for me to be careful about the ‘morning after’ when it came for me to head out on my Yamaha TW125 or TDR125 when I needed to head off to work as a trainee tree surgeon.
Features - Classic Bike Hub
June 16, 2022
Tested: ABBA Superbike Stand
After 10 years of faithful service, my ABBA Superbike Stand has been retired. Well, sort of… it’s gone to another home.
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June 16, 2022
Our Best Picks: Vintage and Classic Motorcycle Diary of 1000 Rides
An absolute must-have for motorbike enthusiasts is the VMCC's new book: Vintage and Classic Motorcycle Diary of 1000 Rides!
Features - Sam Hewitt
May 11, 2022
A whole world of engineering history
You’ve been in the motorcycle equivalent of hibernation for what feels like an age...
Features - Arianne Davey
April 4, 2022
Commuters, also-rans & alternatives: Honda VF400/500
Honda has, it cannot be denied, consistently been one of the most innovative and ingenious automotive companies that the world has ever seen but, argues Steve Cooper, with the VF400 and VF500, was it just too clever for its own good?
Features - Sam Hewitt
March 11, 2022
BSB's British BOOST! - Niall Mackenzie and James Whitham
British motorcycle racing in the mid-1990s was a disparate amalgam of various series, TV-only events and confusing formulae which only the committed race fan could understand… then came ‘BSB’ with an added BOOST!
Features - Sam Hewitt
March 8, 2022
BSA Bantham D3 - The little grey fellow
This relatively rare interim 148cc Bantam, between the 125cc and the 175cc, was still a useful step up from the popular D1.
Features - Sam Hewitt
March 7, 2022
ShowStoppers: the Evolution of the Motorcycle
You might not expect to find an amazing array of outstanding motorcycles displayed at a club event in New Zealand.
Features - RowenaH
March 6, 2022
Think about yourself
Matt thinks it’s good to be selfish…
Features - Matt Hull
February 3, 2022
Refreshing a Ducati 750SS
Reader, David, most kindly sent in his observations when working on a Ducati 750SS he bought. Much is said about Ducatis, but it’s often forgotten they are nice bikes to work on.
Features - Classic Bike Hub
January 26, 2022
Fun in the sun Winter!
Old bikes don’t need wrapping up for the winter. We spend the day with a brace of ES2s and have a chilly blast.Words: Matt NevillePhotography: Chippy ‘I’ve got a 5 Series’ Wood
Features - Arianne Davey
January 20, 2022
Royal Enfield Clipper: Worker’s playtime
NOT ALL MOTORCYCLES are glamorous.
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December 20, 2021
A glance at… Jackson’s Ajay
Trials they were a-changing… so AMC sanctioned something special for Gordon Jackson’s 1961 works machine.
Features - Classic Bike Hub
December 9, 2021
TT legend Phillip McCallen to kickstart 2022 Classic Bike Show season
TT legend Phillip McCallen will be guest of honour at the Classic Bike Guide Winter Classic Show in a new year treat for motorcycle fans.
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November 17, 2021
Follow award-winning filmmaker Peter Starr around the world on two wheels in Motorcycle Traveler
Following a cancer diagnosis in 2004, Peter Starr was determined to live a purposeful life and see the world by motorcycle, exploring 12 new places across the globe.
Features - Shannon Butcher
November 4, 2021
ARCHIVE: History of the iconic 'Nifty Fifties'
Think of 50cc bikes as ‘just’ a 16-year-old’s steed at your peril – these tiddlers have seen some serious racing action over the years.
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September 29, 2021
Top tips for selling your classic motorcycle
Try to consider your own bike - the bike you're selling - through the eyes of the buyer.
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September 9, 2021
Learner’s guide to motorcycle insurance
Right, so you’ve passed your CBT, bought some kit and found a bike you like – what’s left to do before you can ride on the road legally? That’s right. You’ve still got to sort some insurance.
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September 9, 2021
Is the future electric?
As the electric bicycle/motorcycle concept increases in popularity, will it go the way of pioneer motorcycling... or autocycles?
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September 9, 2021
50 Years of the Super Glide
Take a trip back in time with the 1971 H-D Super Glide Boat Tail...
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August 5, 2021
Weird and wonderful
This amazing photograph of a Wallis-JAP at Brooklands is noteworthy for its unusual subject, and its clarity. The rider-designer, George Wallis, was later the man who initiated the concept which spawned the Ariel 3.
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May 18, 2021
Archive: In search of sunshine
Despite the economic hardships of the time and the fact the exchange rate was terrible, a European tour was still undertaken.
Features - Shannon Butcher
May 12, 2021
The first modern motorcycles?
With an overhead camshaft engine and fully circulating oil system, plus sparkling performance, the first generation ‘cammy’ Velocettes certainly make a case.
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May 10, 2021
Where does the passenger go?
Dictionaries inform the sidecar is: ‘a jaunting-car; small car attached to the side of a motorcycle; kind of cocktail.’ We’ll forget jaunting-cars and cocktails, but how did the world arrive at the sidecar? And what came before?
Features - Shannon Butcher
May 7, 2021
International Women's Day: Celebrating women in motorcycling
Forget about motorcycling being a lads’ world. There are – and always have been – plenty of women riding fast and far.
Features - Sam Hewitt
March 8, 2021
On this day: Beryl Swain was born
On what would have been her 85th birthday, we take a look at back at the first woman ever to achieve a solo finish in a TT race, Beryl Swain.
Features - Sam Hewitt
January 22, 2021
John Newbold: From Darley Moor to Grand Prix winner
John Newbold, born in Jacksdale, Nottinghamshire on December 14 1952, but he was raised in South Normanton where his parents ran a butcher’s shop.
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December 15, 2020
Our Black Friday magazine subscription sale is now on!
Black Friday is here and we’ve been busy driving down the prices on some of our favourite products for a limited time only.
Features - Sam Hewitt
November 26, 2020
Rev your engines, Classic Superbikes by Frank Melling is here
There are many great books about classic motorcycling which are packed with fascinating technical information and critical dates in a bike’s production life. Classic Superbikes, by Frank Melling, isn’t one of them.
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October 8, 2020
The story behind the name: Sunbeam
It is a wonderfully provocative and positive name, Sunbeam, isn’t it?
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September 18, 2020
Barry Sheene: Life and career in pictures
Tributes to the late Barry Sheene have been paid on what would have been his 70th birthday. Here are some of the best photos of Sheene in action.
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September 11, 2020
On this day: TT winner Reg Armstrong born
A rash of chain breakages hindered his title aspirations – luckily the TT one happened at the right moment!
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September 1, 2020
Does BSA's Clubman DB32 have a claim as the best Gold Star?
There are myriad different Gold Stars, each with acclaim as being the ‘best’ – but the late 350cc version, the Clubman DB32, makes a strong claim.
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August 24, 2020
Archive: 1930 European Grand Prix at Spa
At Spa Francorchamps on July 17, riders roar away from the startline of the 1930 European Grand Prix in Belgium.
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August 7, 2020
Life after COVID-19: Lessons from past pandemics
With lockdown restrictions easing slightly in UK, this is perhaps a time to reflect on the past months, and look forward to what a world could look like once the COVID-19 pandemic has gone, if ever.
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August 6, 2020
Beautiful 650cc Triumph Bonneville does not disappoint
This beautiful 650cc Bonneville from what was arguably the pre-unit T120’s top year, does not disappoint.
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July 10, 2020
Hislop vs Foggy: Best battle in TT history?
Arguably the Norton Rotary racer’s finest hour – Steve Hislop winning the 1992 Senior TT.
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July 9, 2020
Barry Sheene's first 500cc Grand Prix win
It took Barry Sheene nearly four years to win a GP again.
Features - Sam Hewitt
June 5, 2020
Archive: John Surtees wins the 1960 Senior TT
Magnificent shot of John Surtees in 1960, en route to winning the Senior TT.
Features - Sam Hewitt
June 4, 2020
Look inside the June issue of Classic Bike Guide
Check out part one of our illustrious British Bike Guide! Plus, we escape Europe in lockdown on a classic!
Features - Sam Hewitt
June 3, 2020
Magni MV Agusta 750S Tributo test
The names Magni and MV Agusta are well acquainted, but only now are the two united in one bike – the 750S Tributo.
Features - Sam Hewitt
June 3, 2020
Trio of Brough Superiors, right? Wrong.
Three big V-twins, featuring plated petrol tanks and even at a glance a fine specification, with speedometers and lighting sets apparent. Brough Superiors, right? Wrong…
Features - Sam Hewitt
May 13, 2020
Can you help find this wedding BSA Shooting Star?
Classic Bike Guide reader John King is trying to track down his old BSA for a romantic reunification. Could you help him?
Features - Sam Hewitt
May 7, 2020
Austin Hockley: The Fearless Fighter
Ask any of the competitors who raced regularly against Austin Hockley and the most common description they give him is ‘fearless’.
Features - Nigel Devereux
May 4, 2020
Archive: Testing Royal Enfield Super 5
Before Royal Enfield’s sensationally-styled Continental GT made its debut, the 250cc Crusader line had already evolved into two variations on a very agreeable five-speed theme.
Features - Nigel Devereux
April 30, 2020
Archive: Bob MacIntyre gets gold in Belgium
After a recent run of back luck, Bob McIntyre got his Grand Prix season back on track with a stunning win in Belgium in 1962.
Features - Nigel Devereux
April 17, 2020
Rebuilding a 1970 Suzuki 370N
Classic Dirt Bike checks out a 1970 370RN Suzuki development model.
Features - Nigel Devereux
April 17, 2020
Bernard Hargreaves: Engineering, racing and war
Bernard Hargreaves’ life has been one of kitchen sink glamour.
Features - Nigel Devereux
April 17, 2020
Ariel factory prototypes and a BSA/Leader special
A reader’s letter in last month’s issue about a fine BSA Bantam/Ariel Leader special brought two enlightened replies which, between them, lay all possible confusion about the legendary ‘Bleader’ to rest.
Features - Nigel Devereux
April 16, 2020
Anglo-Dutch Trial bringing veteran machinery together
The 16th Anglo-Dutch Trial brought together a host of veteran machinery for four days of historic riding.
Features - Nigel Devereux
April 9, 2020
How to improve lighting performance of classic motorcycles
Mick Payne discovers many ways of improving the lighting performance of classic motorcycles as he talks to Paul Goff.
Features - Nigel Devereux
April 8, 2020
Archive: When all motorcycling was a rocky adventure
At one time all motorcycling was an adventure, but as roads improved the adventurous had to look elsewhere…
Features - Nigel Devereux
April 6, 2020
Triumphant return of sprinting in Kent
On August 15-16, sprinting returned to east Kent, as Ramsgate reverberated to the sound of racing.
Features - Nigel Devereux
April 6, 2020
Fascinating story of Australian legend Rex Wolfenden..
Photography: Stephen Piper If any one person deserves credit for creating the ongoing historic racing success story that is Australia’s post-classic road racing category, it’s T-Rex Racing Developments’ affable proprietor Rex Wolfenden. Alan Cathcart tells
Features - Nigel Devereux
April 6, 2020
Love your bikes? Then you’ll love the Bike Bus
Operated by the Caledonian Motorcycle Transport Company, the Bike Bus specialises in professional long-distance motorcycle transport between Scotland and England.
Features - Nigel Devereux
April 2, 2020
Made in Japan: Marusho
We often hear the main Japanese manufacturers referred to as The Big Four, with the occasional oblique reference to Bridgestone acting in the role of George Martin as the fifth member of The Beatles…
Features - Shannon Butcher
March 19, 2020
Can’t get to the shops? We’ve got you covered!
Thanks to these unmissable offers on a digital subscription, you can enjoy instant access to the nation’s favourite modern motorcycle magazines on your favourite device without having to open the front door.
Features - Sam Hewitt
March 19, 2020
How to best fit a sidecar...
Fitting a sidecar with the aim of obtaining the best-possible handling will pay big dividends out on the road, writes Mick Payne.
Features - Nigel Devereux
March 18, 2020
The ‘Black Bomber’ and beyond – what went wrong?
Steve Cooper pulls no punches as he looks back on the 1965 UK debut of Honda’s first technically brilliant ‘big twin’, the CB450, and the enlarged 500T that followed.
Features - Nigel Devereux
March 11, 2020
Throwback to Festival of Legends 2016
The weather is a major concern for any event organiser and the track record for the UK recently hadn’t been that good.
Features - Nigel Devereux
March 5, 2020
The 2015 Bikers’ Classics Spa: July 3-5
During the 13th edition of the Bikers’ Classics on the legendary circuit at Spa-Francorchamps competitors and spectators suffered from a heatwave with temperatures up to 37ºC. Jan Burgers suffered the heat to bring us the
Features - Nigel Devereux
March 5, 2020
Colin Seeley: The machines, The magic, The man
There are some people who’ve done little. There are some people who’ve done a lot. There are others who’ve done more than that. Then there was Colin Seeley.
Features - Shannon Butcher
March 4, 2020
From the Archive: Make yourself at home at the Victoria Bikers’ Pub
If you like the company of fellow motorcyclists in an atmosphere of live music, real ale and no-fuss British food, lots of rideouts and bike gatherings throughout the year, the Victoria Bikers’ Pub could be
Features - Nigel Devereux
March 4, 2020
From the archive: Born to perform?
Pete Kelly turns to the Mortons Motorcycle Archive once again to see how the reporters of the day saw three entirely different kinds of motorcycles named after famous race circuits.
Features - Shannon Butcher
February 6, 2020
A brief history of motorcycle sidecars
Uncommon as they are today, sidecars are an interesting footnote in motorcycling history…
Features - Shannon Butcher
February 4, 2020
Geoff Duke: First global superstar of racing
Geoff Duke was the first global superstar of Grand Prix racing, the first to win three successive world championships and the first to win two in the same year.
Features - Sam Hewitt
January 16, 2020
From the archive: The 2015 Sachsenring Classic – 80 years of motorcycle racing in one weekend
A total of 650 riders competed at the ADAC-Sachsenring-Classic in Hohenstein-Ernstthal in former East Germany. Thousands of spectators came to see the stars during the three-day event like in the old days before the iron
Features - Nigel Devereux
January 16, 2020
Sensational Stroker: DKW SS250
Words: James Robinson | Photography: Joe Dick / MORTONS ARCHIVE / PAUL INGHAM DKW was the leading light in 250cc racing during the 1930s, its works machines all-conquering. There was a privateer version too, of
Features - Nigel Devereux
January 15, 2020
From the Archive: On the Weekend – 2016 Vets MXdN
Words: Vets MXdN and Pics: Nick Haskell A victorious Team Belgium celebrated a sensational double victory at this year’s Vets MXdN at Farleigh Castle in Wiltshire on September 3-4, as they claimed top honours in
Features - Nigel Devereux
January 15, 2020
From our archive: The BSA Bantam: something worth crowing about
Hands up all those who’ve never owned or ridden a BSA Bantam! Even if your arm’s in the air, you probably know someone who did or still does! With the help of the BSA Bantam
Features - Nigel Devereux
January 15, 2020
Discovering the beautiful 1961 BSA Super Rocket
When John Foster first laid eyes on this BSA Super Rocket he was actually in the market for a Velocette, but the stunning pre-unit Beezer was enough to sway John’s affections on the spot.
Features - Nigel Devereux
January 11, 2020
From the archive: What happened to this much-travelled AJS?
Mark Gooding tells the story of his late father-in-law’s 1952 350cc AJS, OMA 859, now thought to be fitted with a 500cc engine, and wonders if any Old Bike Mart reader can help him trace
Features - Nigel Devereux
January 8, 2020
From the Archive: A touch of déjà vu
When Triumph’s twin engine needed a better chassis for ISDT use, eyes turned to Hampshire and Eric Cheney’s workshop. On the face of it Triumph’s twin, designed in the 1930s, ought not to have still
Features - Nigel Devereux
January 8, 2020
From the Archive: Pre-TT Classic May 30-31 2015
An emotional Jamie Coward paid tribute to Ted Woolf and the people who had stood by him after a shattered lower left leg ruled him out for much of 2014. John Watterson shares his story
Features - Nigel Devereux
January 7, 2020
The story of a snowy Colmore Cup Trial in 1932…
Snow and ice are often the bane of competitive winter motorcycling events. But in February 1932, it wasn’t enough!
Features - Nigel Devereux
January 3, 2020
END OF AN ERA: Looking back at the 1938 Senior Manx Grand Prix
As Ken Bills bump-started his 490cc ohc Norton for the 1938 Senior Manx Grand Prix, few would have imagined that he would be the last MGP winner for eight years.
Features - Nigel Devereux
December 30, 2019
‘A restyled British Vincent with an American accent’
A restyled Brit with an American accent, a long way from home in Stevenage, in terms of looks and in actuality.
Features - Nigel Devereux
December 30, 2019
Freddie Spencer and the 1985 championship double…
After Freddie Spencer won his first 500cc title in 1983 at 21, making him the youngest person to do so, Honda created the radical NSR500 V4 for the following year.
Features - Sam Hewitt
December 17, 2019
From the archive: Super Profile – a well-refined Ossa
Take one OSSA, add a dash of works rider, some Spanish enthusiasm and see the result… Words and pics: Tim Britton Mick Andrews’ record with OSSA motorcycles is an excellent one and as well as
Features - Nigel Devereux
December 9, 2019
January issue on sale now!
The Classic MotorCycle magazine offers a lavishly illustrated celebration of legendary machines, riders and races, and news, reviews and rare period images from the golden age of motorcycling.
Features - Sam Hewitt
December 7, 2019
From the archive: You pays your money… …and you takes your choice!
Pete Kelly rifles through Mortons’ Archives and turns up the following road test reports, from 1958 and 1960 respectively, which show how the motorcycle press of the day rated Royal Enfield’s 496cc Meteor Minor de
Features - Nigel Devereux
December 6, 2019
From the archive: First & Last in Line
When Honda debuted the 1981 CR250 they launched many firsts – liquid cooling, Pro-Link suspension – but it was the last to have the Elsinore designation. Words: Tim Britton Pics: Gary Chapman Cast your mind
Features - Nigel Devereux
December 5, 2019
Old Bike Mart Christmas Gift Guide 2019!
Here at Old Bike Mart we are getting all geared up for Christmas, looking at products you can buy for a loved one or as a treat for yourself. Check out our exclusive Christmas Gift
Features - Shannon Butcher
December 4, 2019
A Christmas wish list… from a Classic Dirt Bike editor
Classic Dirt Bike editor Tim Britton, aged 59 ½, who’s been mostly good this year (he knows Santa checks and categorises into ‘naughty’ and ‘nice’ and the lists are viewed twice) shares his 2019 Christmas wish list.
Features - Shannon Butcher
December 3, 2019
From the Archive: Made in Japan: Honda’s CB500 – the four that shaped the future
Inspiring, viceless and utterly reliable – Honda’s CB500 four made so much more sense than its larger-capacity brethren that those same virtues still hold true today, writes Steve Cooper. No review of classic 1970s middleweights
Features - Nigel Devereux
December 3, 2019
From the archive: That was the year… that Graham Noyce was MX King of the World
Words Tim Britton Pics Nick Haskell The swinging Sixties were over, the Seventies almost through and not only was Jeff Smith’s second world MX championship but a distant memory for off-road fans but so was
Features - Nigel Devereux
December 3, 2019
Alf Hagon: When Rab Cook met Mr Success
He’s not very tall, is quiet spoken, wears spectacles and doesn’t seem to dash around in a panic but my goodness, what Alf Hagon has done in his 30 years!
Features - Sam Hewitt
November 30, 2019
John Cooper: The rising star
Motorcycle racer John ‘Moon Eyes’ Cooper found fame and success during the golden age of road racing in the late 1960s and early 1970s.
Features - Sam Hewitt
November 29, 2019
Hailwood’s Hutch: What happened at the 1965 Hutchinson 100?
Over fifty years ago, Mike Hailwood stole Triumph’s thunder by winning the Production class at the 33rd Hutchinson 100.
Features - Nigel Devereux
November 27, 2019
From the archive: Benelli Tours: Touring in style?
Fancy riding an Italian classic in some spectacular scenery? Then this might just be the trip for you. The small town of Tavullia is 10 miles inland from Pesaro on the Adriatic coast. In 1911,
Features - Nigel Devereux
November 27, 2019
Allen Millyard to take star role at London Classic Bike Show at Kempton
It’s the turn of rare bikes, a bustling autojumble and a very special guest at the London Classic Bike Show in Kempton on December 7.
Features - Sam Hewitt
November 27, 2019
Suzuki Hayabusa: 20 years on…
The Suzuki Hayabusa failed to raise many eyebrows when it was announced in 1998. When the bike hit the showrooms in 1999, however, everyone started talking.
Features - Shannon Butcher
November 21, 2019
Show Us Yours again: From Canine To K6!
The decision to have a go at a bike restoration in hindsight was a good one. However, shortly after I got my hands on the bike I seriously began to doubt the sanity of the decision, but I kept telling myself I was only in it for the pleasure of tinkering with bits of oily metal!
Features - Shannon Butcher
November 19, 2019
Wal Handley: No man ever passed this way more bravely
In Wal Handley’s heyday, as far as the Press and public were concerned, he was the greatest motorcycle racer of all time.
Features - Sam Hewitt
November 14, 2019
Dave Potter: The Pride of Yorkshire
During the 1970s onwards there were plenty of privateers eager to challenge the factory Suzuki and Kawasaki riders, but there was one undoubted king of the underdogs – Dave Potter.
Features - Nigel Devereux
November 14, 2019
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