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Moto Guzzi Nuovo Falcone 500, Part 2
Steve Hodgson fitted his Falcone with electric starting a while ago. All went well until the MoT moment when the electric leg struck back, and the Guzzi single went into perpetual motion!…
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Moto Guzzi Nuovo Falcone 500, Part 1
Kicking over classic bikes might be part of the ‘charm’ but not everyone appreciates all the fuss. Steve Hodgson went in search of an electric leg for his single-cylinder Guzzi…
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Royal Enfield 500 Bullet Electra XR – Part 2
Alan Cole bought a limited-edition café racer, and he’s now spent two months getting to know this very practical modern classic bike…
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Royal Enfield 500 Bullet Electra XR
Alan Cole bid farewell to his old classic bikes, and road tested a pre-production special edition Enfield Electra in his search for a really practical classic. Did he like it enough to part with his cash?
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Royal Enfield Super 5, Part 2
Every inch of Russ Gannicott’s 250cc Enfield racer has been tweaked and tightened or gas-flowed and lightened. Time to give it a try, then…
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Royal Enfield Super 5, Part 1
Russ Gannicott gets a yen to go classic racing, so finds himself an unusual 250cc Royal Enfield and starts prepping it for action…
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Royal Enfield Bullet 500: Two New Types
The lean-burn Electra X Enfield isn’t everyone’s cuppa tea, so how about heading back to basics with the Spartan Pre-65 trials bike? Or if you prefer to travel on tarmac, maybe the full-dress touring Sixty-5 would suit you, sir?
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Bikes: Royal Enfield Bullet Electra X
A giant leap for mankind? Or just another new Bullet? Rowena Hoseason takes a quick spin on the latest Royal Enfield to go on sale in the UK…
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Bikes: Royal Enfield Bullet 500
What happens when you combine classic motorcycle wiring and feminine intuition? Emm lights the blue touch paper and we should all stand well back…
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DIY Wheel Alignment Tool
Even the best classic bike won’t corner correctly if its wheels are out of line. Les Howard has come up with an ingenious high-tech method to ensure one wheel follows the other, exactly…
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Torquing and Tightening
A combination of modern materials and time-honoured techniques can cause problems when it comes to assembling the bottom end of a classic British bike. RC readers debate the how and the why of it…
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Bikes: Royal Enfield Sixy-5
You need to possess a certain sort of Something to really enjoy owning and riding a classic bike. Does Steve The Toast have that Something? He’s probably going to self-destruct in the attempt to find out…
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Royal Enfield Bullet Sixty-5
After reading various roadtests, Aged P actually bought one. He shares his first impressions of the Enfield Sixty-5 and gives some Real Classic Motorcycle advice to other prospective returning riders…
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Royal Enfield Bullet 500. Again.
We feel that everyone should be told how Emm’s adventures with her Royal Enfield are progressing (even though we run the risk of becoming RealBullet.co.uk). This time, she gets in a bit of a flap…
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Royal Enfield Trials Bullet
Steve Wilson didn’t really need to ride another Enfield straight away, but we wanted to do the ‘out standing in his field’ joke. So he just had to go a-trialling-oh…
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Royal Enfield Bullet 500
Emm collects her new classic bike. Emm loves her new classic bike. The new classic bike wasn’t yet available for comment…
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Royal Enfield Bullet Electra 500-T
Big wide bars? Chunky tyres? Single seat? Someone at Royal Enfield is going the distance to tempt her into buying a new Electra, reckons Rowena Hoseason. But she’s more likely to get a T-shirt for Christmas…
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Shock Absorber Service Tool
As Alan Goff discovered recently, it’s not always easy fit a new set of shock absorbers to your classic bike (particularly if you have just the one set of hands). He built a special service tool to take the strain…
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MZ Supa 5 Brake Modification
Malcolm Thomason loves his MZ, but its going was definitely better than its stopping. He looked at the front brake with an engineer’s eye…
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Pukka Paint For Chassis Parts
If you’re restoring a classic bike at home, then you’ll inevitably need to paint some components. Sending everything off to the professionals can be costly, so Laurie Packer investigates a new DIY option…
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Crankshaft Removal
Classic bikes can create all sorts of problems, especially the more unusual models. Phil Speakman has been puzzling over how to extract a seized crank on his Adler Favorit…
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Petrol Tank Cleaning and Sealing
The sticky business of cleaning and re-sealing fuel tanks can be tricky to get right first time, especially as there are so many cleaners and sealants now on the market. Ian Potter of Tank Care Products shares some of his expertise with us…
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Tank Badge Repair
A damaged mounting can mean the end of an original component’s useful life. Alan Goff didn’t want to throw away the tank badge for his Triumph T90, so set about fixing it…
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The Johnny Brittain Story – DVD
Johnny Brittain won more than 50 trials competitions between 1948 and 1965. In this new DVD he tells his own story. Anarchy (partial to a spot of Enfields off-road riding himself) reviews the film…
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Riding Solo To The Top of The World
Never mind going from Land’s End to John O’Groats, here’s a great documentary about a man who takes his travelling seriously. Would you ride a 350 Bullet to Tibet?
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Ducati 1974 GT 750
Trevor (Ozboy) Brooks finds an unusual Shed Surprise, and discovers a mid-Seventies Ducati twin, complete with an unusual optional extra…
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Ducati 750 Sport
If you’re a Ducati fan then we have something of a Sport fest lined up for you. And it starts here, when Ozboy encounters a true Ducati ‘passionisti’…
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Mototrans Ducati 250cc 24 Horas – Part 2
Kel Boyce bought a Spanish-built Mototrans 24 Horas by mistake, believing it to be a Ducati. No problem; it was built to go racing and so that’s what he did with it…
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Suspension and Handling
Spring is here, and obsessive suspension tinkerer Martin Gelder’s enthusiasm is undamped. Rebounding from a succession of old bikes with interesting steering, he weaves his way through a list of suggestions to help get the most out of a bike’s handling…
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Stretch and Relax: Personal Maintenance for Real Classic Riders
Aching elbows, creaking knees and a dodgy back? Neck stiff and wrists giving you gyp after a long ride? A bit of careful stretching can make all the difference, so we got registered osteopath Eileen Fox to bend us into shape…
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Techniques: Using a Dynabolt to Remove a Blind Bush
Philip Packham shows us how to use an anchor bolt designed for construction to remove a worn bush from a blind hole. Norton Commando kickstart shaft, anyone?
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Dynamo Voltage Regulator
What exactly is a DVR, and why do classic bikes need them? Mike Hutchings explains why he developed a new voltage regulator to suit his BSA A10…
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On page one:
The process of getting the paperwork in place to register a pre-1973 motorcycle appears to be pretty intimidating. Actually, says Stu Thomson, it’s quite straightforward. Here’s his handy guide…
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Petrol Tank Rust Removal
Always on the lookout for quick and cost-effective remedies, Derek Pickard details a smart way to rid a petrol tank of filter-clogging rust…
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Mototrans Ducati 250cc 24 Horas – Part 1
The ’24 Horrors’ has something of an appalling reputation, explains Kel Boyce. He bought one, and took it racing…
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Ducati SD900 Darmah
We’ve just ridden a much-modded Duke Darmah for the magazine, but back in 1978 Dave Minton rode one of the very first of the breed to leave the factory. And he thought it was really rather good…
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Mototrans Ducati 125 – Part Two
In the first instalment of this short saga, we met Ash Gannicott and his miniature Italian cafe-racer project. Russ (Ash’s dad) Gannicott takes up the tale of a first time classic bike rebuild…
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Mototrans Ducati 125 – Part One
Ash Gannicott wanted his own classic bike. One small problem: Ash is only nine. So doting Dad Russ swooped on this ideal opportunity to play with (sorry; rebuild on a tight budget) a miniature Italian cafe racer…
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Three Italian 350s: Ducati, Benelli & Morini
What do you call an assortment of three lively Latin classics? Russ Gannicott compares and contrasts the various components of his Red-Eye collection…
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‘The Dragon Motorcycle Rally’, by Carol Morgan
Only the brave can boast that they’ve attended the mid-winter Dragon Rally. This book explains how it started and what makes it so special…
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Petrol Tank Cleaning and De-Rusting
Les Howard recommends a four stage process for stripping, cleaning, de-rusting and drying the petrol tank on your classic motorcycle. Appropriate clothing should be worn…
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Techniques: The Oil Truth
There are probably more myths and misconceptions about oil and lubrication than any other subject in motorcycling. Gerry Bristow attempts to set straight some of the errors that masquerade as facts…
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Norton Oils, Fuels and Other Liquids
Many classic bike specialists run a technical helpline, and they’re often asked exactly the same question. So we investigated: what’s the most common technical question asked about Norton Commandos…?
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Tony Pearson’s Approach
How would you remove the carbon from an Eastern Bloc two-stroke exhaust? Two RealClassic readers explain how they tackle the task…
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MZ ETZ 250 Tuning
Derek Pickard looks at the stock MZ250 carb situation, tries the alternatives, finds what works and gives the details of how to make your ETZ run super sweet…
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Moto Morini 350 Cambelt Change
Changing the cambelt is probably the most difficult part of servicing one of Morini’s modular v-twins. Paul Compton, Paul Morgan-Knight, Mark Bailey and Martin Gelder show how it’s done using high definition shed-o-vision video and greasy smudge photography…
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Douglas Dragonfly
Rowena wants a Douglas Dragonfly. Why does she want a Douglas Dragonfly? Why would anyone want a Douglas Dragonfly, exactly?
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Donington: The Golden Years by Richard V Jones and Bob Zwarts
A chance find of an old album of photographs led to the publication of this book, which recalls the halcyon days of motorcycle racing at the Donington circuit…
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1956 Norton Dominator Diary, Chapter 10
Jim Algar was galloping on with his restoration on a Norton twin. And then he discovered that his cylinder head has… shrunk!
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1956 Norton Dominator Diary, Chapter 9
Jim Algar’s restoration of a classic Norton twin continues… slowly. Some sundry tasks are accomplished and Jim makes the acquaintance of the World’s Largest Rubber Band…
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Adler MB200/250 Two-Strokes
Phil Speakman has unusual tastes in motorcycles, and finding parts for them isn’t easy. His search for spares finally led him into the eagle’s eyrie…
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Pazon Electronic Ignition for Laverda 750
Stu Thomson wanted to improve the low-rev running on his Laverda 750 twin. So here’s how he fitted a modern electronic ignition unit to it…
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Inspection Pit
If you can’t elevate your classic bike to get at its underside then Andy Bone has a suggestion: borrow a trick from the classic car crowd. Better than laying on the ground, any day!
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Classic Techniques: Amal Premier Carb
Paul Jennings had been perfectly happy with the Mikuni carb fitted to his BSA B44. So he had some misgivings about swapping to a brand new Amal Concentric. Here’s what he discovered…
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Eyes Right: Expert Advice – Part 4
All roads users need clear vision to drive or ride safely. Motorcyclists have to cope with visors and goggles, and classic riders frequently suffer from deteriorating vision, too. Paul Miles, RC’s resident professional eye expert, finishes by looking at contact lenses and going under the knife…
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Eyes Right: Expert Advice – Part 3
All roads users need clear vision to drive or ride safely. Classic riders frequently suffer from deteriorating vision, too. Paul Miles, RC’s resident professional eye expert, continues his explanation and considers lenses, goggles and visors…
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Eyes Right: Expert Advice
All roads users need clear vision to drive or ride safely. Motorcyclists have to cope with visors and goggles, and classic riders frequently suffer from deteriorating vision, too. Paul Miles, RC’s resident professional eye expert, guides us through the available options – starting with getting the most from your eye test…
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Ethanol Update
The first fuel additives are coming onto the market to combat the effects of ethanol in petrol. As yet, they’re unproven, but there are some other things you can do if your old bike is suffering from the ethanol effect…
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Ignition Timing
Karl Bentley investigates a misfire on his Yamaha XS650, and discovers that it’s all in the timing…
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Classic Saddle Repairs
Dave Wooding’s saddle split and he didn’t want to pay top dollar for an inferior replacement. The solution was a leather saddle cover for less than a fiver…
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Carb Balancing with Vacuum Gauges
Transform your juddering and shuddering classic bike into a smooth performer. Always a sucker for a workshop gadget, Martin Gelder presents a balanced approach to carburettor set-up using vacuum dial gauges…
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BSA Gold Star Brake Conversion
One front drum brake not good enough for you? DBD Brian grafted two BSA 8†front drums together to improve the braking on his Gold Star. Here’s how he did it…
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Ariel Square Four Alternator Conversion
Bennet Longman was so frustrated by the electrical shortcomings of his Ariel Square Four that he developed his own alternator conversion. So now he can ride at night with excellent illumination, without having to rev the engine senseless…
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Special Tool Trickery
Neil Cairns didn’t have the correct special tool to hand when he replaced the fork seals on his AJS single. So he… improvised…
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Beezumph is Back
Beezumph is back at Cadwell; the Morini Riders Club are there the day before; the Festival of 1000 Bikes is nearly full, and Thundersprint welcomes modern motorcycles…
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Classic Track Dates Confirmed
The dates for two classic track events in 2013 have been announced, and the first big name star rider confirms his attendance at the Thundersprint…
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Golden moment
While prices of Triumph and Norton twins have risen steadily, BSA’s pre-unit 650 is still eminently affordable. It’s also (don’t tell anyone) a better bike in many respects…
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RAPIDE INDEED
There are several racing Vincents. The Australian way of racing Vincents is fairly extraordinary
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Sportster revisited
Whatever happens to old road test bikes? Phil Mather comes face to face with a favourite from the distant past and discovers the years have changed very little
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Charterhouse auction at the Carole Nash Eurojumble 2015
Images of a selection of lots on sale from the Charterhouse auction being held at the Carole Nash Eurojumble, Netley Marsh, September 4-5.
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A walk in the woods with world champions
IMOLA – MOTOCROSS MECCA When talk turns to Imola it usually concerns a close fought bike or car race – there have been a few – and sadly that it was on the notorious Tamburello curve where Ayrton Senna was killed in 1994. Imola’s 5km Enzo e Dino circuit, which runs anti-clockwise and incorporates a…
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We need your help!
We need to know what you think about Classic Motorcycle Mechanics. What do you like or dislike about the features inside? Which bits are your favourites and what would you change? To help out the Classic Motorcycle Mechanics team, and to be in with a chance of winning one of 12 fantastic prizes, including £150…
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Mick Grant on the Honda NR500
Two minutes. That’s how long it took Mick Grant to consider the offer Honda’s Gerald Davison made. Somewhere behind the team trucks, hardly hidden from the camera’s eye, Davison asked the then Kawasaki rider if he would be interested in joining Honda’s Grand Prix team in 1979. Grant said yes and stood on the brink…
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Golden era for ‘The Southern’
Before the 1954 Manx Grand Prix success of Derek Ennett, George Costain and Sid Mizen, the Southern Motorcycle Club held its race meetings at Andreas Airfield.
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Jock Taylor: Pride of Scotland
Scotland has only had two road racing world champions, Fergus Kenrick Anderson and John Robert Taylor, better known as Jock Taylor. Both were later killed taking part in the sport they loved. Chris Carter takes up the story.
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Doing the Double: Freddie Spencer’s story
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. Teething problems and a broken collarbone relegated him to fourth in the championship, despite three race wins. Fast Freddie tells Alan Cathcart about the road…
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CENTENARIANS CELEBRATE
Held on March 22, on this year’s Pioneer Run every machine was at least 100 years old.
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The ZÜndapp that never was
In early-1970s Germany, popularity of 250cc and 350cc machines increased. At Munich-based Zündapp it was decided to fight the growing army of Japanese strokers, though, sadly, the resulting machine never made it to production.
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The Victory Cup Trial, 1925
This event, which started at the BSA works in Small Heath, marked the midway point in a steady process of standardisation across all the big reliability trials in the Midlands.
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Follow my Leaders
The Beeton family name was well-known in sidecar racing. Many a racer fruitlessly pursued Lincolnshire three-wheeled ace Jackie Beeton and, in another era, his son Pete. Now Pete Beeton is once more a leader, only this time, it’s Ariel Leaders he’s interested in.
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FIRST GENTLEMAN OF RACING
A genuine superstar of motorcycle sport has left us. We recall the highlights of Geoff Duke’s career
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BIG SID’S VINCATI: AN ANGLO ITALIAN MASTERCLASS
The Vincent and Ducati V-twin (although Ducati insist on calling theirs an L-twin), have much in common.
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Over, Onwards
Faster than a speeding Bullet. Quite a lot faster, in fact. The Over Enfield reveals how much performance can be extracted from a decently ancient engine design
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Blue Style meets blue yonder
On their 350cc Jawa/Velorex sidecar outfit, Mick Payne and Katy have set off on the journey of a lifetime. Having reached the Lake District, Mick brings his first impressions of the humble outfit with a big task ahead.
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Great news for British classic bike owners as Rex’s Speed Shop takes Pazon agency
Rex’s Speed Shop, whose operation was highlighted on Steve Cooper’s Japanese pages a year ago, recently became an official Pazon ignition agent in the United Kingdom – and to back it up, the Robertsbridge, East Sussex, firm is now stocking genuine Lucas and PVL products.
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A lifetime of memories with an old police bike
Bernard Ratcliffe tells Pete Kelly about his 61-year love affair with an ex-Metropolitan Police Triumph Speed Twin.
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Remembering that very first Dragon Rally
John Wallis’s report on this year’s Dragon Rally a few issues back reminded Eddie Steptoe of the bitterly cold morning he set off from Ilford with his late wife, Kit, on their Triumph sidecar outfit to attend the very first ‘Dragon’ at Bryn Bras Castle in February 1962.
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Going Dotty
A great idea – pitch a standard bike against a works bike and add in a modern version used regularly… then get a genuine works rider to test them. CDB goes Dotty.
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ISDT: The Manx Decade
The Isle of Man is no stranger to motorcycle sport though generally the action takes place on the 37 or so miles of the Mountain TT race circuit. However, three times a major international event has used much more of the island than the roadways.
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Graham Wiggins: The story of number four
Andy Westlake tells the tale of a young lad who was always at the sharp end of the results in scrambling.
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Top TriBSA
BSA’s Gold Star ruled scrambling in the 50s and early 60s but not everyone could afford one. Luckily, there were alternatives… stunning alternatives. CDB investigates one of the best.
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RealClassic 131 out now
The March edition of RealClassic magazine is now available to order online (but it’s not on sale in the shops). Here’s what cracking classic reading lurks between its covers…
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Anniversary of first speedway at Paradise Park
The anniversary of what is generally accepted as the first speedway meeting in Britain, in 1928, took place on February 15 at the Speedway Museum, Paradise Park, Broxbourne, Herts.
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Top Gear at Excel
Excel, London – February 13 The London Motorcycle Show endeavoured to deliver something for everyone with displays from most manufacturers, a large custom show and a classic area among the attractions.
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Brian ‘Nick’ Nicholls (1930-2015)
What’s the most famous photograph in the history of motorcycle sport? It’s a tricky question, but ultimately it leads to one answer. It’s the picture of Giacomo Agostini at Bray Hill, front wheel aloft, in the 1970 Senior TT. It even led to a section of the track being ‘renamed,’ hence ‘Ago’s leap’.
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