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Buying Guide: Honda CB750 buying guide
Mention Honda CB750 at club night and everyone raises eyebrows, whistles and starts thinking five figure sums. The machine that started it all is quite rightly iconic but it’s also expensive…
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A bit on the side
Well known sidecarrists and charity fundraisers Mick Payne and partner Kate – as in ‘Team Katy’ (see OBM May edition) – had a stand at the recent Carole Nash Bike Extravaganza in Newark, kindly provided by the organisers. It had a Triumph T140E with Charnwood Meteor chair and a Yamaha Virago trike…
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Road Test: Norton military prototype
Taking a crack at the military market, Norton developed this handsome sidevalve twin. Sadly it was not to be. Signalman Reynolds, JE, does a brief tour of duty…
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Classic Camera: Ito on BMW, 1960
Japan’s trailblazing rider Fumio Ito in action during the 1960 Austrian GP. That year, he made his full grand prix debut, finishing sixth in the season opening French Grand Prix, round one of the 500c world championship…
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Top bikes of the Seventies: 4
John Nutting’s top 40 bikes from the Seventies, distilled from over 200 road tests. Final part, numbers 40 to 31…
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Straight from the plate: 1925 Junior TT
Reported as the ‘most furious race the Island has ever seen’ the 1925 Junior saw the first four riders finish in a faster time than the 1924 Senior TT winner, with the fifth place finisher, HRD-mounted Curly Harris – Pip’s father – averaging a speed equal to 1923 Senior TT winner Jim Whalley’s record lap…
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Road Test: Norton military prototype
Taking a crack at the military market, Norton developed this handsome sidevalve twin. Sadly it was not to be. Signalman Reynolds, JE, does a brief tour of duty…
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The Classic MotorCycle on sale – September, 2013
Velocette Venom number one, history of the front fork, 1925 Junior TT, BSA A50, AJS 16 Standard, Bill Faulkner, Festival of 1000 Bikes and all the usual regulars, columnists and archive articles. On sale now!
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Workshop: Yamaha XS650 overhaul: 1
Our 1979 Yamaha XS650 had struggled on the daily commute, then got packed away and forgotten in a damp cellar for almost five years, so it wasn’t a pretty sight. You join the overhaul with the engine already removed from the frame and stripped…
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Buying Guide: Moto Morini V-twins
Ignore the Moto Morini V-twins at you peril. Great, surefooted handling, soulful engines and they look a million dollars, even when parked up…
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Classic Motorcycle Mechanics Reader Survey 2013
As a reader of CMM magazine, we already know that you have firm opinions and excellent judgement – and now we’d love you to tell us what you like and don’t like about the magazine, and why…
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The Classic MotorCycle needs you!
We need to know what you think about The Classic MotorCycle. What do you like or dislike? For your trouble all entries will go into a prize draw, and you could win one of the seven cash prizes, the top prize being £250!
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Buying Guide: Moto Morini V-twins
Ignore the Moto Morini V-twins at you peril. Great, surefooted handling, soulful engines and they look a million dollars, even when parked up…
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750cc fours tested
At the dawn of the 80s the choice of 750cc sportbikes was limited to conventional in-line fours from Honda, Kawasaki and Suzuki. Larger capacity bikes satisfied the power hungry, but the 750s were more agile rides and began to win back support. John Nutting rode three of the best…
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Workshop: Yamaha XS650 overhaul: 1
Our 1979 Yamaha XS650 had struggled on the daily commute, then got packed away and forgotten in a damp cellar for almost five years, so it wasn’t a pretty sight. You join the overhaul with the engine already removed from the frame and stripped…
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Titantic trek on Triumph Terriers
Intrepid Triumph Terrier riders are counting the days until they follow in the footsteps of their forebears by recreating a landmark ride on its 60th anniversary…
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Export block placed on iconic Bentley
In an unusual move an iconic single seater Bentley racing car has had a temporary export bar placed on it to provide a last chance to raise the £5,149,800 needed to keep it in the UK. Similar ‘blocks’ could apply to historically precious motorcycles…
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Brooklands Ton-up day is ace
Ton-Up Day at Brooklands, on June 23, was the first joint venture between the Ace Cafe and the motorcycle section of the Brooklands Museum. With such a broad spread of interest, it was no surprise to find bikes of all ages in corners around the sprawling museum site…
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Sunbeam shines at Founders Day
Organised by the Taverners section of the VMCC, Founders Day continues to attract a huge crowd at its traditional Stanford Hall venue…
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Road Test: Triumph T120R Bonneville
In years gone by, young men dribbled and young women swooned at the very mention of the name. Bonneville. Can the T120 live up to its reputation, even today? Rowena Hoseason examines an icon…
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1000 Bike Show reigns in Africa
The attraction of the only British Hesketh on the continent, plus many other fantastic marques, helped pull in more than 10,000 visitors to the South African Classic Motorcycle Club’s annual 1000 Bike Show…
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Reference: The Grigg side-valve V-twin – August 1923
The August 16, 1923 issue of The Motor Cycle announced that the Grigg Motor & Engineering Company in Winchester Road, Twickenham would be marketing a range of single-cylinder and V-twin engines under the patents of Messrs Bacher and Hellow, who were responsible for B and H engines…
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Reference: The Grigg side-valve V-twin – August 1923
The August 16, 1923 issue of The Motor Cycle announced that the Grigg Motor & Engineering Company in Winchester Road, Twickenham would be marketing a range of single-cylinder and V-twin engines under the patents of Messrs Bacher and Hellow, who were responsible for B and H engines…
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End to end run aims to make £100k for charity
Final preparations are now in hand for Bob Fisher’s sixth John o’ Groats to Land’s End Charity Extravaganza…
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Buying Guide: Suzuki GSXR750
Following the success of the GSX series and Katanas, Suzuki upped the ante with the first GSXRs. A thinly disguised street legal race bike, the GSXR750 was an instant success…
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Buying Guide: Suzuki GSXR750
Following the success of the GSX series and Katanas, Suzuki upped the ante with the first GSXRs. A thinly disguised street legal race bike, the GSXR750 was an instant success…
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Borders, bikes and beer
Borders Classic Bike Show stalwart Jim Reynolds has had his very own ‘show beer’ brewed for him to celebrate 25 years of running the show…
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Road Test: Norton International Model 30
The overhead camshaft Norton is one of those motorcycles; it looks fast standing still. It could go a bit, too…
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Road Test: Kawasaki A7SS
Tighten up your chin strap, slip on some cool shades and politely advise your cardio-vascular system that it’s about to get a good sized dollop of adrenaline; it’s Kawasaki 350cc street scrambler time…
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Road Test: Norton International Model 30
The overhead camshaft Norton is one of those motorcycles; it looks fast standing still. It could go a bit, too…
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Road Test: Kawasaki A7SS
Tighten up your chin strap, slip on some cool shades and politely advise your cardio-vascular system that it’s about to get a good sized dollop of adrenaline; it’s Kawasaki 350cc street scrambler time…
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Celebrity Santa Monica sale
A 1968 Husqvarna 250 T Commando owned by Dennis Hopper and Steve McQueen’s 1931 Harley-Davidson and 1971 ‘Husky’ 400 Cross are three of the lots at this weekend’s Mecum auction in Santa Monica…
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Douglas Special
Back in 1953 people who customised motorcycles were known as ‘bitza-builders’ but as John Mills, writing in the August 20 issue of The Motor Cycle noted, the term didn’t always reflect the quality of machine built from various bits…
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Ducati TT2 part one
In a cross between a fairy story and a romantic novel Malc Wheeler tells the tale of the Moto Cinelli Ducati TT2 and his reunion with it 25 years on. Rose tinted spectacles are required to enjoy this story to the full
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David Dixon
Well known and respected motorcycle journalist, racer, dealer and racing school proprietor David Dixon passed away peacefully in his sleep on July 20…
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August Classic Bike Guide on sale!
Norton Jota, the ultimate hand-built Italian stallion, 22 pages of Triumphs, Moto Guzzi Falcone Sport, plus all the usual regulars and colunists. Don’t miss it!
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Classic TT: sensational rider line-up for 500cc race
The inaugural Classic TT Races is set to open with a sensational line up in the Bennetts 500cc Classic Race with multiple TT and Manx GP winners and world-class teams from across the globe…
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Reference: Triumph Ricardo
A four-valve sporting single seemed out of character for Triumph in 1921. Bob Currie explains the background
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Reference: Super Onslow Special
SOS machines of any age are few and far between, as they were built in such limited numbers. So the even rarer vintage-era machines fall into the ‘hen’s teeth’ category…
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Buying Guide: Moto Guzzi Airone Sport
Mick Walker is to blame, apparently. Before browsing through one of Mick’s Moto Guzzi books, RealClassic reader Roger Slater had been perfectly happy owning and riding bigger V-twins like an 850 Le Mans, a 650TT trail bike and a 500cc Monza. Then Roger was led astray by the printed page…
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Reference: Triumph Ricardo
A four-valve sporting single seemed out of character for Triumph in 1921. Bob Currie explains the background
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Reference: Super Onslow Special
SOS machines of any age are few and far between, as they were built in such limited numbers. So the even rarer vintage-era machines fall into the ‘hen’s teeth’ category…
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Henderson guide
Rare, sought after and well engineered. The Henderson was a fast motorcycle, adopted by police forces in vast numbers…
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Ace Triton and cafe racer day
Bikes and bacon butties on a sunny Sunday afternoon, late June in in North London. There can’t be any better place to host a Triton and Cafe Racer day than the Ace…
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Pre ’65 Scottish Trial
Following several meetings in the aftermath of last May’s washed out and subsequently cancelled pre-’65 2013 Scottish Trial, the Committee has agreed that the riders from 2013 will be offered the chance to guarantee their entry into the 2014 Trial if they complete the entry form which has been posted to them…
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Road Test: Brough Superior combination
Fast, tough and comfortable, the 11.50 combination was designed by its maker George Brough as a fast road train. Over 70 years later, it’s still capable of that role, if given the chance…
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Road Test: Brough Superior combination
Fast, tough and comfortable, the 11.50 combination was designed by its maker George Brough as a fast road train. Over 70 years later, it’s still capable of that role, if given the chance…
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Lotus to make 200bhp superbike
British car maker Lotus is getting ready to release its first ever motorcycle, named the C-01. Details are scarce at the moment, but Lotus is making the bike in collaboration with German car racing team Kodewa, the Holzer Group and designer Daniel Simon…
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AJS Model 16: bikes you must ride
A term I don’t particularly care for is ‘badge engineering’ but it pretty much covers what AMC did with AJS and Matchless motorcycles. Acutely aware of marque loyalty in the market place AMC was careful to have an AJS or Matchless equivalent of each model in its range…
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New Yamaha FS1-E film to debut
It’s not every day a film about the iconic FS1-E is made, but a new movie called Fizzy Days is due for release early next year…
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Full Yamaha SP is rare
You don’t see many of these around any more. ‘Crotch rocket’ haters may sneer but with the YZF750 being 20 years old this year, the sight of this SP is getting rarer…
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Life with a Brough Superior
Witley and District MCC member Derek Prior brought his regularly used Brough Superior SS100 to the recent Ton-Up Day at Brooklands, Surrey…
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Road Test: Sunbeam S7
Shaft-driven Sunbeams were a gentlemanly alternative to the rufty tufty vision of 50s motorcycling, when young men supposedly roared across the countryside on Nortons, Triumphs and BSAs with not a care in the world…
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Road Test: Sunbeam S7
Shaft-driven Sunbeams were a gentlemanly alternative to the rufty tufty vision of 50s motorcycling, when young men supposedly roared across the countryside on Nortons, Triumphs and BSAs with not a care in the world…
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The Spirit of LeMons
It’s not every day you see a converted aeroplane on the roads. Jeff Bloch had an old plane and a van and decided to weld them together – the result is what he calls “The Spirit of LeMons
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Road Test: Norton Old Miracle
Museums are often criticised for having lots of static exhibits. Luckily the Beaulieu collection is more enlightened and actually allows historic machines to run. Jim Reynolds gets on with a legendary Norton…
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Road Test: Norton Old Miracle
Museums are often criticised for having lots of static exhibits. Luckily the Beaulieu collection is more enlightened and actually allows historic machines to run. Jim Reynolds gets on with a legendary Norton…
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August Classic Motorcycle Mechanics on sale now!
Honda CB350 review, Nial Mackenzie’s Yamaha RD350LC’s completed at last, Ducati’s 916 mould breaker, working on starter motors, project Stinger, Honda CBR400RR ‘Baby blade’ and all the usual columnists and regulars…
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New venue for Lancs event
The VJMC Central Lancs section will be running the VJMC North West Motorcycle Show on August 4, which is taking place in the exhibition hall in the Princess Royal stand and will be the first time the VJMC has held an event here…
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The way we were: August 1963
Craig Breedlove became the fastest man on wheels at the Bonneville Salt Flats with his jet propelled three-wheeler, but initially the authorities wouldn’t recognise the vehicle rather than the record…
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Reference: Norton Navigator
The Norton Navigator was never that popular in its day, though then – as now – it had its devotees. One of Norton’s last truly new designs, the lightweight twin thrived on revs – just like another range of small lightweight four-stroke twins soon to emerge from the east…
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Reference: Norton Navigator
The Norton Navigator was never that popular in its day, though then – as now – it had its devotees. One of Norton’s last truly new designs, the lightweight twin thrived on revs – just like another range of small lightweight four-stroke twins soon to emerge from the east…
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Overseas trail riding
If you’ve got a dirt-bike, a brain and don’t fancy the ‘eat my dust’ world of guided trail rides then this two day, old-school, non-GPS map reading event is for you…
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Road Test: Kawasaki GPZ1100
Kawasaki’s GPz1100 cracked the 150mph barrier in 1983, and that alone gives the bike a place in the history books. But was the last and most potent of the big air-cooled Kawasaki fours the best of the bunch? John Nutting reports…
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Road Test: Kawasaki GPZ1100
Kawasaki’s GPz1100 cracked the 150mph barrier in 1983, and that alone gives the bike a place in the history books. But was the last and most potent of the big air-cooled Kawasaki fours the best of the bunch? John Nutting reports…
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Sprint revival’s a national treasure
Aintree Racecourse is set to host the Aintree Sprint and VJMC Northwest Motorcycle Show on August 4. The event is supported by Blackline Sprinting and the Central Lancs VJMC section, and Blackline has taken on the challenge of reviving the Aintree sprint after its demise in 2011…
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Reference: BSA A65 Spitfire MKIV
The Spitfire was BSA’s range leader through the years 1966 to 1968. This is a US market last-season version…
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Reference: Matchless G45
The twin-cylinder Matchless G45 was a slightly bizarre departure for AMC, its conception defying what seemed, to many, basic logic. Instead of boring out the existing 350, the company based the bike on a production 500…
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Reference: BSA A65 Spitfire MKIV
The Spitfire was BSA’s range leader through the years 1966 to 1968. This is a US market last-season version…
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Reference: Matchless G45
The twin-cylinder Matchless G45 was a slightly bizarre departure for AMC, its conception defying what seemed, to many, basic logic. Instead of boring out the existing 350, the company based the bike on a production 500…
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Brooklands Double 12
The Double 12 is a major event in the Brooklands calendar. It was held over the weekend of June 15-16, the weekend closest to the anniversary of the opening of the track, and aims to recapture the atmosphere of the Brooklands events when long distances were raced in two 12-hour sessions…
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Mallory Park: dialogue encouraged
Hinckley & Bosworth Borough Council has confirmed it WILL press ahead with court action over alleged noise level breaches by Mallory Park, unless pre-court discussions can resolve issues amicably…
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Norton Domiracer
These are the first pictures of Norton’s new Domiracer, taken inside the Norton factory. The cover was pulled off as Classic Bike Guide visited the Norton factory last week and we managed to grab these snaps… Article continues below… Advert Enjoy more classic motorcycle reading, Click here to subscribe to one of our leading magazines.
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Buying Guide: BSA B31
In a world of ever increasing technology, there is still much to be said for mechanical simplicity, if only for ease of maintenance. Andrew Wilson reckons that’s why he found this BSA B31 so endearing…
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Road Test: Velocette 250 MOV
Though there may be more glamorous, exotic 1930s Velocettes, few are as capable all-round as the 250cc MOV, an excellent commuter – and surprisingly sprightly sportster, with handling and performance to put many younger bikes to shame…
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Road Test: Velocette 250 MOV
Though there may be more glamorous, exotic 1930s Velocettes, few are as capable all-round as the 250cc MOV, an excellent commuter – and surprisingly sprightly sportster, with handling and performance to put many younger bikes to shame…
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Inaugural Classic TT television deal
ITV has confirmed that it will screen a two-hour special covering this year’s inaugural Classic TT meeting on the Isle of Man. North One TV will produce the programme, which will be aired on ITV4 on Wednesday, August 28 from 9pm…
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New Norton Domiracer uncovered!
These are the first pictures of Norton’s new Domiracer, taken inside the Norton factory. The cover was pulled off as Classic Bike Guide visited the Norton factory last week and we managed to grab these snaps…
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Norton International
Enthusiast Bob Chapman is reluctant to reveal what sacrifices he made in order to purchase this 1954 350 Clubman’s TT International Norton, but he was happy enough to tell Tim Oliver the story…
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Gurston Down hill climb
Gurston Down is a semi-permanent hill climb course, in the Downs near Salisbury. Car events are regular occurrences, but twice a year the National Hill Climb Association (NHCA), joins the car entry to enliven proceedings…
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The way we were: August 1938
While unable to break the late Eric Fernihough’s Gatwick sprint trials record, the 11.87 seconds recorded in his first run in the standing start quarter miles ensured Noel Pope (998cc Brough Superior) was fastest man of the day in the Sunbeam MCC event to secure the Bickell Cup…
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McGuinness and Triumph among Federation award winners
The winners of the first ever British Motorcyclists Federation awards have been announced…
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Bikes central to South West’s largest festival of transport
One of the UK’s biggest transport shows, the annual Gloucestershire Steam & Vintage Extravaganza, will be the place to see a host of superb bikes this summer…
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VMCC Sprint, Thorney Island
The Sprint Section of the VMCC recently held its first event of the season at a new venue, Thorney Island, an airfield near Chichester. The VMCC’s liberal approach to eligible bikes ensured there was a variety of machines, from the twenties right up to date…
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Reference: Triumph Speed Twin test
Triumph’s Speed Twin was restyled in the late 1950s, its demure appearance suggesting life at a much slower pace…
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Dealer visit: Ace Classics (London) Ltd
Bursting through a paper ‘curtain’ covering Ace Classics (London) Ltd’s shop door was the ever youthful John Giles…
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Reference: Triumph Speed Twin test
Triumph’s Speed Twin was restyled in the late 1950s, its demure appearance suggesting life at a much slower pace…
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Straight from the plate: JABS March 1951
By 1951, the racing machine of choice was the Featherbed Manx Norton – but there were too few of those to go round and they were only made available to the select few anyway…
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Hong Kong quay,1956
The crowded quayside area of Hong Kong bay in 1956. The rider of the fairly new Golden Flash BSA pauses to look across the bay. Near to the rider, fisherman aboard their small craft go about their business…
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The Classic MotorCycle on sale – August, 2013
Best buy ever? AMC’s rigid 350 singles had it all, plus Moto Guzzi V8, the ultimate Grand Prix racer, dirt track Douglas, Vincent Black Shadow and all the usual regulars, columnists and archive articles. Plus FREE 1939 TT supplement. Don’t miss it!
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Durham event correction
The Durham autojumble recently advertised in Old Bike Mart will take place on Saturday July 13, NOT as printed in the current issue of OBM…
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Eurojumble celebrating two decades of bargains
One of Britain’s most popular motorcycling autojumbles is gearing up to celebrate a significant landmark…
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Old Bike Mart Unearthed – July 2013
This month’s unearthed readers bikes and finds… Article continues below… Advert Enjoy more classic motorcycle reading, Click here to subscribe to one of our leading magazines. Article continues below… Advert
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Classic Camera: Paso at Brands, August 1968
On May 20, 1973 – coincidentally 40 years ago to the day that this is being written – a dreadful accident at Monza claimed the life of Finnish star Jarno Saarinen and experienced Italian Renzo Pasolini, after Pasolini crashed and Saarinen simply had nowhere to go…
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Dr James Kelly Swanston 1908-2013
The motorcycling fraternity has lost one of its oldest and most accomplished racing competitors with the passing of James Kelly Swanston, who would have been 105 years of age on March 26, 2013…
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Exciting duels at Oulton Park
The second race meeting of the Lansdowne Classic Series was at Oulton Park on May 31-June 1, where Bemsee were the hosts. It was a Friday-Saturday meeting with practice an qualifying on the Friday and a morning warm up and two eight lap races on the Saturday…
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VMCC raffle results
The VMCC held its Jan-June 2013 raffle draw last week and has just released details of the winners. Lucky winner of the top prize, a 1959 Velocette Venom, was Carl Storer from Leeds…
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Reference: Ariel Cyclone
Rock and roll pioneer Buddy Holly went for an Ariel Cyclone just like this one. You can see why. James Robinson reports…
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Road Test: Brough Superior SS80
Just about every classic bike fan knows a little about the Brough Superior SS100. But what of its forerunner, the SS80? Dave Minton introduces us to George Brough’s stylish sidevalve V-twin…
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Honda XL250
Forget Barry Sheene’s RG500, forget Eddie Lawson’s YZRs, forget even Valentino Rossi’s Yamaha or Foggy’s Ducati. This almost standard-looking Honda XL250 cost just £100 and is the most successful race bike in the history of motorcycling. By miles…
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