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Phil Speakman landed in Finland with his MZ’s main bearings knocking louder than his knees. Phil doesn’t speak any Finnish and he was about 150 miles away from the MZ rally he was aiming for. Help?

Phil Speakman starts to clock up some miles on his recently rebuilt 250 Trophy… and promptly runs into trouble. No problems, there’s another MZ in the shed. It’ll be fine to ride to Finland. Won’t it?

It’s in one piece and ready to ride. Phil Speakman does the unthinkable, and actually concludes a rebuild saga. Steady on, Phil…

Phil Speakman considers relativity, a brief history of time, and the benefits of an opposable thumb…

Lots of bits have come back, ready for assembly on Phil Speakman’s MZ rebuild. So he ventures into the Devil’s Kitchen and proves that you should never leave a man alone with a tube of strong adhesive…

Phil Speakman has stripped down his MZ, ready to start restoring it to glory — which involves lots of decisions. To shot blast, sand blast or vapour blast? What sort of finish to opt for? And does copper really have the devil in it…?

Phil Speakman started what should have been a straightforward crank rebuild on his stroker, then suffered a strange interlude with aromatic hair care products. Then the whole job went up in the world…

‘What I did on my summer holidays’. Rebuilding a real classic two stroke single almost earned KarlB an A*, but smoking is not permitted on school grounds…

It’s Bonfire Night, so what better time to catch up with the second instalment of PaulG80’s Diary of a Sadman. Time to start making a big pile of bits; anyone got a light?

Seeking a winter project, PaulG80 sought something… unusual, and settled on a two-stroke export from the old East Germany. The first part, then of the Diaries of a Sadman…

Are you ready to rock? Rowena Hoseason has discovered a collection of motorcycle songs which will probably be the Next Big Thing, go live on stage in a West End musical and end up being filmed in Hollywood with Tom Cruise taking the lead role. Or not…

Nolan Woodbury meets 25 classics from the Ducati Museum, immortalised in this high-class publication…

An unusual 500cc Grand Prix racer goes under the hammer this autumn. But there’s more to the Munch marque than this single machine…

We know how much you like reading detailed, informed, in-depth road tests – but too much indulgence is bad for the soul so you’re not getting one today. Peruse instead, Andy C’s outpourings on the subject of… ahh… our mugs…

Dave Minton discovers what might be the definitive description of the Isle of Man TT circuit…

A high quality hardback review of motorcycling from 1910 through to 1969, showcasing half a century of British bikes and the people who rode them…

What was life like for female riders in the 1920s? Mrs Elk recommends a recent reprint of an inter-war classic book…

In between destroying old bikes, Paul Morgan-Knight pauses a while to read about someone who used to build them, back at the old AMC factory in Plumstead…

RealClassic readers have requested info on those modern bikes which fulfil the role of the classic motorcycle. So, by popular demand, Steve The Toast tests Moto Guzzi’s new middleweight streetbike…

This book will be launched at the Stafford Show on October 19th 2013, on the Panther Publishing stand, with superstar riders including Dave Bickers, Jeff Smith, John Banks, Bryan Goss, Dave Nicoll and Alan Clough in attendance. But even if you miss that event, you can still enjoy their exploits in print…

It runs! Quick, take it to bits again! With a deadline in sight, Martin Gelder’s 1982 Moto Morini 350 Sport finally receives some much needed attention after sitting in the shed for two years…

It’s been a while, but Martin Gelder cracks open the toolbox for part seven of his Moto Morini Saga. Time for a burn-up…

The Morini Riders’ Club were desperate to get their hands on one of the new bikes as soon as they landed in the country. David Marlow and Chris Webber rode the first Corsaro to reach the UK…

With Beezumph looming, Martin Gelder tackled his to-do list. Forks, brakes, chains, sprockets, gaskets and cam belts all needed attention. The front end, the back end, and the bitter end?

Most people tend to plump for one of the well-known Morini Sport or Strada models. But at opposite ends of the scale you’ll find the super-sleek Dart and the rufty-tufty Kanguro. So how did Ken Philp comes to own both?

Martin Gelder gets a bit carried away at his first classic track-day. As does his Moto Morini Three-and-a-half. On a trailer. Oh dear…

It’s a winner! When Graham Holt’s gleaming Morini 350 appears at events it has a habit of stealing the show…

More Morini Meanderings from Martin Gelder; this time it’s rearsets, clip-ons and inevitable Italian illectrics – and a philosophical question for Real Classic bike owners…

It rattles, it squeaks, it bounces, it’s uncomfortable, its electrics are iffy – but it’s loud, it’s red, it’s Italian, and it’s just what the doctor ordered. Martin Gelder exchanges real cash for a real classic…

Martin Gelder goes back to the seventies (inevitably) to explain why his personal idea of a Real Classic Motorcycle is small, Italian and has

Looking for a little latin élan? Something small and perfectly formed in the shape of a Morini 350 might just do the job. Rowena Hoseason has met several of the breed…

How many classic motorcycles can you partly dismantle and carry home on an aeroplane as excess baggage? Matt Little explains how to brighten up a winter’s weekend in Sweden…

If you enjoy drooling over exotic racing motorcycles, then this book captures the gems of the Miller Museum between its covers, and does them ultimate justice with glorious presentation…

Gerry Atric’s restoration of his 500cc twin continues, and we’ve discovered some other info about these bikes, too…

A quarter of a century ago, Gerry Atric started a restoration project on a 500cc Royal Enfield twin. And was ably assisted by… a muppet…

Nearly 25 years ago, Gerry Atric started a restoration project. Finished it yet, Gerry? Gerry? Hello….?…

It’s not the most fashionable of British twins, but the 600cc Matchless has a lot going for it, says Neil Thomas of Classic Bike Provence…

When we feature a bike in the RealClassic magazine, there’s often a whole pile of photos left over which don’t get into print and which no one gets to see. Shame! Here you are, then: a selection of previously unseen snaps for your delectation…

Just imagine: you buy a raffle ticket and then you win the classic bike of your dreams. But can it ever live up to them? BikerMarc says yes, it can…

People scoffed at the Harris Matchless when it was launched, and 15 years later some folk are still scoffing. But, wonders Rowena Hoseason, have they ever ridden one?

Frank Westworth reports from the saddle of a 750 Matchless, and includes a great big chunk of personal anecdote, revealing why he has never been comfortable in a leather hat…

He rode for 20 years in the fast lane, and then PaulG80 discovered an entirely different world with Matilda the Matchless…

This book promises ‘the definitive guide to the repair and calibration of Smiths magnetic speedos and tachos’ so you can ‘fix it yourself and never have to pay or wait for repairs again.’ An intrepid RC reader put it to the test…

In 1932, Robert Fulton Jr set off aboard a Douglas twin on a round the world ride from England to America. The essence of that adventure is revealed in images in this rarely-seen hardback book…

Not your usual history about the usual suspects, says Dave Minton, but the essence of inspiring motorcycling lives distilled for your elucidation…

Mention Brough Superiors and TE Lawrence and you run the danger of disappearing under pomp and circumstance. Not so with this charming, enthusiast’s DVD…

Bru Enzer is best known to the RealClassic world as ‘Laverdabru’, and so it was almost inevitable that this book would land in his lap at some point…

Thinking of buying a 750 Laverda twin? Dave Minton rings the changes between the models and offers shoppers well-proven advice…

In the 1970s Dave Minton first greeted the idea of a high-speed, high-mileage 750cc parallel twin with suspicion, but he was fast won over. Here’s how, and why…

Dave Minton has been riding Laverda triples for over 30 years. Meet his favourite and be surprised: it’s no Jota (but it does make all the right sounds)…

This Laverda triple, says Dave Minton, was a memorial to an heroic age, when mighty power made uncompromising demands and the consequences were thunderous. Boom!

Ken Sprayson’s expertise in the design, fabrication and repair of motorcycle frames is the stuff of legend. This autobiography captures an era of the British motorcycle industry when personal skill, enthusiasm and hard work were highly valued…

Who can catch a Kawasaki? Message board regular Kevin sets the bait for a Z900 but reels in a pristine KZ650B2…

Like Honda, Kawasaki built both four-cylinder and two-cylinder 400s in the late 70s and early 1980s. Roy and Chris Workman have been running a twin as regular transport for nearly 20 years…

With the parts back from the chromers, Kim Henry starts rebuilding his Real Classic Kawasaki. But will it start?

“I thought that restoring something old may be what I needed” said Kim Henry, before starting the rebuild of his Real Classic Kawasaki… About 12 years ago I noticed an ad in the local newspaper to sell a BSA 650 look alike that didn’t cost as much as the real thing. I was talking to…

Easy to work on, good handling, but infested with an electrical gremlin. Is Mark White really talking about a Kawasaki Zed One?

What makes your dream bike so special? Andrew Peek’s first Zed One was too loud and too fast — and too good to be true. Here’s how he met his ultimate streetbike…

Jonny Wellard wants to know if his Kawasaki W650 is groovy and fab, or just grubby and sad. People ask him; ‘what’s the point of having one of those when you could buy the real thing?’ And he has an answer for them!

Three decades ago, Ted Simon rode a Triumph Tiger some 63,000 miles through 54 countries on a journey which took four years. Does the story still seem relevant today?…

In 1990, a one-man-band race team in New Zealand attempted to take on the rest of the world in the battle of the twins series. The Britten V1000 was the result, and this DVD tells the story of the bike and the man behind it…

Another new-old bike hits the street, using a familiar Rotax engine in a classic-shaped chassis. Rowena Hoseason tells us all about it…

Which classic bike would you take to the Isle of Man TT races? Phil Speakman’s 46 year old stroker saved the day – and even saw some high speed action on Mad Sunday…

This handsome hardback aims to captures the spirit, excitement and danger of the world’s most famous motorcycle road race series. We asked Bill Nelson to read it and he went quite quiet (for a while)…

This book aims to give advice to cure leaks, reduce vibes and boost performance. So who better to review it than a professional motorcycle engineer?

An ongoing tale, which as yet has no end in sight, about a girl. And a motorbike. And a misfire! Rowena Hoseason loves her Hurricane but doesn’t get to ride it much…

After prepping his vintage motorcycles so they’re ready to be ridden by the RC Crew, Humbernut heads to Founder’s Day and enjoys a grand day out…

Part of the pleasure in going to a classic bike event is getting your machine ready to ride. Always up for a challenge, Humbernut doubled his trouble and opted to get two vintage motorcycles ready for Founder’s Day…

When you develop a fascination with a rare breed of vintage motorcycle, you just can’t stop finding the things. Humbernut unearths, adopts and revitalises another unusual machine…

Looking for a bike which wouldn’t lead him astray with humungous horsepower, Bob Rodgerson decided on a real vintage motorcycle. This is how he became a true Humbernut…

When you think of classic Honda motorcycles, the CB750 normally springs to mind. However, for some folk, the CB900 is the one to have…

You meet the nicest people on a Honda. And Jim Peace…

When you buy an old bike, you’re also buying a lifetime of history. Carmen Sheppard gets to know her classic Honda…

Fancy a true Japanese classic? Steve The Toast has owned and run most examples of the Bike Which Changed The Worldâ„¢ and offers sage advice for 21st century riders…

A CBX1000 might be an awesome thing to admire in a showroom, but what’s it really like to live with? Long term owner John Hall reveals some useful wrinkles…

Let’s go back, back, back in time to when flares were cool the first time around, and the Honda CB350K4 was all the rage. Paul Webb has a fascination for Hondas of 1973/1974 vintage — we blame the parents. His dad said ‘no’ 30 years ago…

Modern marvel? Mechanical milestone? Or just another mediocre mass-market middleweight? 400 Fours were everywhere in the seventies, and now they’re back. This time there’s a Classic label attached but Martin Gelder had one first time round and isn’t convinced…

In theory this book is about Harley-Davidsons but, as Dave Blendell discovers, the marque is almost immaterial. This could be the funniest book you’ll ever read about motorcycling in general…

Which bike do you choose if you want an old fashioned air-cooled triple with all mod cons? This one should be on your shortlist…

You want a modern bike with classic style. How do you choose? Steve The Toast explains how he ended up with a Harley Softail…

In 1954, an adventurer set off on an overland ride from Britain to Australia, aboard a Norton Dominator. These are his diaries, which we asked Dave Blendell to read…

These days you can buy a bike from Italy and have an old Guzzi delivered direct to your door. Talbot Coleman gave it a whirl

Phil Holloway reckons that he’s spent the equivalent of three or four bikes on his pair of Guzzi T3s, but there’s no stopping a man on his hobby horse

When we tested a 350 Guzzi against a 350 Triumph in the magazine, there wasn’t quite space for all the photos and a bit of extra info. So this is what you were missing…

15 years ago, Martin Gelder decided to ride his Guzzi Le Mans to French Le Mans to watch a bit of Easter endurance racing. Judging by the length of this story, he’s never really recovered from the experience…

Warren L Mutz tried to buy a BMW but they wouldn’t sell one to him, so he ended up with a Moto Guzzi T3. And a blister on his toe…

Ask and ye shall receive! Classic Bike Mart readers want more information about the Moto Guzzi Nuovo Falcone, and few know more than Paul Friday

Ambassador built small two-strokes during the 1950s and 1960s. This new book should be hugely helpful to any restorer, says Tony Gutteridge…

RealClassic magazine contributor Colin Sparrow has been quiet for a while, busy compiling his extensive marque history about Greeves motorcycles. There’s precious little Greeves information generally available, so this book will be a boon to owners and enthusiasts…

Last episode, Michael Eustace explained how he found his Greeves and got involved in Pre-65 off-road racing. After one race he had a fair bit of work to do over winter…

Most people ride classic bikes on the Queen’s Highway, but some riders never turn a wheel on tarmac. Michael Eustace took to scrambling…

If you like dipping in and out of an old bike book, rather than following a lengthy narrative, then you probably enjoy the ‘great big list’ formula. Here is possibly the greatest, biggest list we’ve ever encountered…

The man behind the popular Panther single was also responsible for various aero engines and the Sopwith ABC. Plus he had a passion for toroidal engine design. We enlisted an engineer, Jacqueline Bickerstaff, to read and unravel his life’s story…

Sidecars are… different. But fun. Real Fun. Anarchy takes a walk around a German Gold Wing Classic Combo…

When he was 16, Jerry Fiford wanted nothing more than to own a Goldie. 35 years later his dream came true. Was it worth the wait?

Buying a ratty classic bike unseen is always risky but – hey – nothing ventured… Russ Gannicott starts a new project and asks; ‘Can you tell what it is yet?’

When a treasure trove of vintage motorcycle drawings, press cuttings, notebooks and more were discovered, a classic bike enthusiast resolved that they should be shared with the world. So here’s the cream of the crop…