Features
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From The Classic Motorcycle Archives: Proving a Point – The ACU Heads West in 1919
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In 1919, the Auto Cycle Union sought to demonstrate that it was more than a London-centric organisation by holding a major gathering in Bristol. In this historical feature from The Classic Motorcycle, Simon Robinson explores the event, the motorcycles pictured beside Clifton Suspension Bridge and the notable visitors who attended. Simon Robinson reports… In 1919…
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Pa and His Pa: The Norton Founder, a 1921 Photograph and an Extraordinary Motorcycle Adventure
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Though always known as ‘Pa’ Norton, this picture shows the company founder with his own pa. Plus, some famous faces look on. Simon Robinson reports… The Norton motorcycle company sprang from the Norton Manufacturing Company, which was set up in 1869 by James Lansdowne Norton to manufacture bicycle chains. It was in 1902 that Norton…
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Wearwell: The Wolverhampton Motorcycle Pioneer Brought Down by Scandal
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From bicycle manufacturing to early motorcycles, Wearwell looked set to become a major name in the British motorcycle industry. But financial wrongdoing brought the company’s promising future to an abrupt end. Like so many, Wearwell started out as a bicycle manufacturer. The Cogent Cycle Co was founded by Henry Clarke and the business included his…
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Colin Edwards: 20 Years of Hurt – The MotoGP Victory That Got Away
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Colin Edwards came close to winning a MotoGP race two decades ago, but didn’t quite manage it… In fact, he was heartbreakingly close… Colin raced in MotoGP from 2003 through to 2014, when he retired halfway through the season. Bertie Simmonds reports… He raced for Aprilia, Honda and Yamaha. He would take 12 podiums in…
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Ken Craven’s 1966 American Adventure: A Triumph Thunderbird, the Wild West and a Black Widow Spider
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In 1966, veteran motorcycle traveller Ken Craven set off alone through the American West on a borrowed Triumph Thunderbird. His adventure took him across desert landscapes, over remote roads and into a Mexican hospital following an unexpected encounter. Once in a while we come across a story from way back that we feel is worth…
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The remarkable story of Joan Crawford’s Bond Minibyke – and its surprising history
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From a chance discovery in a remarkable private motorcycle collection to award-winning appearances at the Isle of Man TT, Joan Crawford’s much-loved Bond Minibyke has a fascinating story. In a letter published in Old Bike Mart, Joan shares how she acquired the little 125cc machine and uncovered its connections to the Bond manufacturing business. For…
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Hidden Gems: Kawasaki Z650
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Steve Cooper takes a look at the Kawasaki Z650, now rather overlooked but with a claim to being one of the best middleweight machines ever built. Most fans of Japanese classics will know the story of the Z1’s development, how Kawasaki was pipped at the post by Honda’s CB750 with its first four, but then…
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Remembering Rod Pallant: a drag racing original
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A couple of months on from the sad news of Rod Pallant’s death, we look back at Keith Lee’s tribute to one of British drag racing’s most memorable characters. First published in Old Bike Mart, the piece below is reproduced verbatim. The drag racing community has lost a memorable bike racer with the passing of…
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Wartime DKW emerges from the River Danube
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Global warming across the world has resulted in water levels in rivers, lakes and reservoirs dropping, leading to the reemergence of long-submerged buildings and even villages. But in Budapest, a decrease in the level of the Danube has led to a particularly interesting discovery. People walking along the side of river in Batthyány Square opposite…
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Bazza’s First: Barry Sheene’s Landmark 500cc Grand Prix Victory That Changed Racing History
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Fifty One years ago, Barry Sheene achieved one of the most defining victories in Grand Prix motorcycle racing history, securing his first-ever 500cc Grand Prix win — a result that would reshape his career and set the foundations for back-to-back world championships. The victory came just months after Sheene’s near-fatal crash at Daytona, a recovery…
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