Classic Bike Hub

  • Hidden Gems: Suzuki GT500

    Hidden Gems: Suzuki GT500

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    Steve Cooper looks at a machine which survived because of the failure of another Suzuki model. Those that know – or think they do – might tell you to avoid Suzuki’s biggest two-stroke half litre twin. The mighty Titan, Cobra, Charger, T500/5 et al isn’t a sporting two-stroke in the most commonly accepted format. It…

  • Flashback – Italjet 350

    Flashback – Italjet 350

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    As the Spanish industry suffered industrial turmoil Italy was waiting in the wings. Tim Britton remembers… Designing and building a motorcycle from scratch is fairly simple, everyone knows a wheel is needed at either end and an engine in the middle with some form of tubing to keep them all in the right place. This…

  • Sparton: the chapel-built British racer that scared the factory giants

    Sparton: the chapel-built British racer that scared the factory giants

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    For a brief period in the 1970s, one of the most powerful race bikes in the world was being built in a converted chapel in North Wales. Sparton was a collaboration between Barton Engineering and Spondon Engineering. Barton brought the two-stroke engine expertise, Spondon brought the frame-building brilliance, and together they created a machine that…

  • ABC Tricar: the Mini that lost a wheel and became a teenage dream

    ABC Tricar: the Mini that lost a wheel and became a teenage dream

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    John Milton takes a look at the ABC Tricar. The ABC Tricar, in short a three-wheeled BMC Mini, was originally created by Ken Heather and Bill Power for Ken’s son, Trevor. Trevor had really wanted a Morgan three-wheeler, but one suspects that, even in the mid-1960s, Morgans were an expensive choice for a teenager. So…

  • Yamaha YR2C: when Yamaha joined the street scrambler trend

    Yamaha YR2C: when Yamaha joined the street scrambler trend

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    Steve Cooper looks at how Yamaha took its all-new YR1 and jumped aboard the 1960s street scrambler trend. In 1967, Yamaha’s Iwata factory rolled out its most significant machine since the 250cc two-stroke YDS1 of 1959. The all-new Yamaha YR1 350 two-stroke twin was a ground-up design featuring a vertically split crankcase and a clutch…

  • R A Jones Classic Motorcycles: a family passion for proper classic bikes

    R A Jones Classic Motorcycles: a family passion for proper classic bikes

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    For anyone with a love of British classics, restoration projects and interesting old motorcycles, R A Jones Classic Motorcycles is well worth knowing about. Based in Manchester, close to the Trafford Centre and M60, the business is run by Robert Jones and specialises in classic motorcycles, with a particular passion for British machinery. Whether it…

  • Normous Newark to return with Ford & Scooter Classic Day this August

    Normous Newark to return with Ford & Scooter Classic Day this August

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    Normous Newark Autojumble returns to Newark Showground again this summer with an added classic vehicle attraction for visitors, collectors, riders and drivers. Taking place on Sunday, August 9, 2026, the popular autojumble will also host the Ford & Scooter Classic Day, bringing together the usual wide-ranging mix of autojumble traders, parts, projects, tools, memorabilia and…

  • Merlin Rivington AAA jeans combine classic looks with serious rider protection

    Merlin Rivington AAA jeans combine classic looks with serious rider protection

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    Merlin has launched its Rivington AAA Jean, a new men’s motorcycle riding jean designed to offer high-level protection without losing the look and feel of everyday denim. Available in black or blue, the Rivington is a straight-leg jean with a regular rise and easy fit, making it suitable for riders who want something comfortable both…

  • Bonhams returns to Stafford after record-breaking spring sale

    Bonhams returns to Stafford after record-breaking spring sale

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    Following the record-breaking success of the Spring Stafford Sale, Bonhams is now inviting entries for the Autumn Stafford Sale, held alongside the UK’s premier Classic Motorcycle Mechanics Show. For owners considering selling, the sale offers a high-profile route to market, combining Bonhams’ specialist motorcycle expertise with access to an international collector audience. With motorcycle sales…

  • Pip Higham, a tribute

    Pip Higham, a tribute

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    Bob Dixon remembers… One of my fondest memories of my dear friend Pip is a road trip we did together back in the early noughties when I accompanied Pip and his brother Bill (also sadly no longer with us) to participate in the Moto Club Piston Rally in the Picos De Europa. We loaded up…


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