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Road Test: Kawasaki 250S1
Still drop dead gorgeous and probably the best looking 250 of the 70s, the Kawasaki S1 inspires many a middle aged man to relive his teens…
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Obituary: Ken Heanes, ‘Mr ISDT’
It is with sadness we learned of Ken Heanes’ death recently. Ken passed away peacefully at his home near Fleet in Hampshire after a period of illness earlier on in the year…
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Classic Dirt Bike experience at show
If there’s one thing even better than rows and rows of bikes to look at, it’s the same bikes being ridden properly by some true classic biking legends…
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Glossy website will match paint
Europe’s leading supplier of motorcycle paint to the aftersales market has launched a new, updated internet site/shop…
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Salon Prive
One of the top classic car events on the calendar, Salon Prive, held in the green of Syon Park, London, has embraced historic motorcycles and this year boasted a stunning and eclectic mix of two-wheelers
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Steering head bearings
Motorcycle steering head bearings take a lot of abuse and if ignored they’ll make a good machine handle like a cranky mule. We show you what’s involved in keeping things smooth and silky… Article continues below… Advert Enjoy more classic motorcycle reading, Click here to subscribe to one of our leading magazines. Article continues below……
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Dunstall discs: iconic accessories
Legendary tuner Paul Dunstall took onboard rider criticisms of the new fangled disc braking systems and released his own accessories which improved braking and appearance…
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Allcomers have a blast at final sprint
Scooters and classic 50cc road racers rubbed shoulders at the last VMCC sprint event of the year at Eelmoor Military Training Circuit, near Aldershot. The event, using the circuit’s 220 yard straight section, was on September 30…
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The way we were: November 1987
Among riders dumped from their works teams at the end of the season were British runner Rob McElnea and American star Randy Mamola (pic)…
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The way we were: November 1962
For 3/6d (less than 20p) motorcyclists could do worse than visit the Earls Court Motorcycle and Cycle Show…
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Classic products
Universal two stroke trials silencers, Norton tuning parts and Triumph Tiger Cub stainless steel hardware to make maintenance easier and an inspirational book, Touching the World…
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Black Bess joins the auction
An exciting late addition has been made to the Bonhams auction at Stafford on October 21 in the shape of ‘Black Bess’ – the SS80 Brough Superior formerly the property of VMCC founder Titch Allen…
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Cheeky chaps ride naked for charity
Members of a classic motorcycle club have stripped down to their boots and been photographed posing with their machines to raise money for charity…
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Straight from the plate: Crystal Palace road races, September 1927
London’s third and final road race meeting of the year was held at Crystal Palace on the penultimate weekend of September 1927. A crowd of 17,000 spectators came along to watch proceedings and were treated to a full programme of heats in the morning with 12 finals in the afternoon, the first of which was…
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Reference: Velocette Viper: iconic engines
Never a major manufacturer in the way of Triumph or BSA, Velocette nevertheless produced some iconic motorcycles generally based around a single-cylinder four-stroke engine…
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Reference: Velocette Viper: iconic engines
Never a major manufacturer in the way of Triumph or BSA, Velocette nevertheless produced some iconic motorcycles generally based around a single-cylinder four-stroke engine…
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Wounded heroes’ 640 charity trek
A team of four amputee soldiers has completed a six day, 640 mile charity ride on the National Motorcycle Museum’s 1937 BSA G14 fitted with a Swallow Sports sidecar…
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Vintage machines under the hammer
A huge selection of classic motorcycles will go under the hammer in Cambridge later this month. Among the lots being sold by Cheffins Auctioneers on October 20 are a rare 1969 Norton Mercury, a 1965 Royal Enfield Continental GT and 1952 Royal Enfield Bullet trials machine…
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Chalfont Hill Climb
Conditions were dire for the VMCC Chalfont Autumn Hill Climb but riders battled through to achieve some exceptional results…
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Revitalise worn out plastics
When you want that brand new NOS plastic look, but don’t want to pay brand new NOS prices, why not save the original plastics that are already on your MX, Enduro or Trials bikes?
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CBG editor wanted
We are looking for an experienced journalist with an encyclopaedic knowledge of classic motorcycles, an enthusiasm for taking them to bits and the organisational skills of a military planner to keep Classic Bike Guide as the best old bike magazine on the planet…
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Tributes paid to veteran motorcycling journalist John
Friends and colleagues have paid tribute to John Brown, one of the UK’s leading motorcycle journalists who has died at the age of 77. In a 60 year career he reported for many of the UK’s leading publications including Motorcycle News and Motorcycle Racing Magazine…
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Hesketh day out
Nostalgia was the order of the day in Towcester Market Square on Saturday, September 7, as locals witnessed a scene that brought a lot of memories flooding back…
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Sports Motorcycles are back
Let’s play word association. Sports Motorcycles… Ducati. Correct! Even after all this time and despite owner Steve Wynne retiring to New Zealand the link will always be there…
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Return of the stroker
The world’s last performance two-stroke is made in England! More proof of the strength of the classic market comes with a newly built, Yamaha OW16 replica from Peregrine Engineering…
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Vinduro Hot Trod 2012
It’s a classic enduro for pre 1987 motorcycles and had over 100 riders for the Saturday’s Hare and Hounds and the full time-card Enduro on Sunday.
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Engine timing
There’s a time and place for everything in life, including that all important spark for your bike’s engine. This month Steve Cooper talks us through flywheel magneto engine timing… Article continues below… Advert Enjoy more classic motorcycle reading, Click here to subscribe to one of our leading magazines. Article continues below… Advert Article continues below……
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Benelli 900SEI
Alan Arnold wanted to build a Benelli 900SEI that looks like a modernised 750. So he did. And now it’s almost finished – time for a shakedown run…
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The way we were: November 1937
German Ernst Henne (500cc supercharged BMW) set a new motorcycle world speed record of 173.57mph along the Frankfurt Autobahn on November 28, 1937…
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VMCC’s Founders Day
The VMCC’s Founders Day is one of the highlights of the calendar for many vintage and classic enthusiasts, so it was a great shame when summer rain forced its July cancellation. But the organising Taverner’s section weren’t to be easily beaten – and the rescheduled September 2 date seemed a natural fit…
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Classic British Legends: Jeff Smith MBE
Twice FIM 500cc Motocross World Champion, twice British Trials Champion, multi British Experts trials wins, a Scottish Six Days Trials win and eight ISDT Gold medals… and there’s more… Article continues below… Advert Enjoy more classic motorcycle reading, Click here to subscribe to one of our leading magazines. Article continues below… Advert Article continues below……
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Rough ride for Vinduro competitors
Almost 100 riders on a selection of twinshock and Evo enduro bikes gathered for the third annual Vinduro Hot Trod. The event, a vintage enduro for machines more than 25 years old, took place at Chatton in Northumberland on September 22-23…
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Be like Kenny Roberts
Jeff Elliot is selling his Yamaha TZ750 flat track replica. The bike, featured in Classic Bike Guide and our sister title Classic Motorcycle Mechanics (July 2010 if you want a back issue) has a TZ750 engine in a homebuilt chassis…
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CBL image galleries
Our favourite images from the recently released Classic British Legends bookazine have just gone live online, and they include rare images of Barry Sheene, Geoff Duke and others…
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Classic British Legends: Geoff Duke
Dominant in the 1950s attaining six world championships, six Isle of Man titles and an OBE to boot – and not forgetting the skintight one piece leathers… Article continues below… Advert Enjoy more classic motorcycle reading, Click here to subscribe to one of our leading magazines. Article continues below… Advert Article continues below… Advert Article…
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Surtees draws crowds to Sussex
Hundreds of classic motorbikes and cars, including some from the collection of racing legend John Surtees, helped pull the crowds to Burpham Motor Racing Club’s third Classic Car and Motorbike Show…
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Not a Norton
From 10 feet away it looks like a Norton RC588. Good enough to fool some knowledgeable Norton experts. And then you notice the slightly-too-long exhaust pipe, Kayaba upside-down forks and six-piston brake calipers off a Yamaha YZF750…
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Custom builds
Old Empire Motorcycles is a custom shop unlike any other. For one thing, the bloke behind it is about half the age of your typical grizzly old bike builder. But Alec Sharp, aged just 24 years old, knows what it takes to build a truly special bike. And he’s got a simple, but clever business…
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‘Honda’ motorcycle number plate going under the hammer
Owners of Honda CB750s and VFR750s will soon have a chance to bid on what may be the ideal number plate for their machine…
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Italian classics unearthed
A fascinating collection of Italian classics has gone on sale at North Leicester Motorcycles. The bikes, which belonged to an ageing Italian aristocrat were offered to NLM owner Stuart Mayhew earlier this year and include some weird, wonderful and very exotic machinery…
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The Motorcycle Wall of Death (Ken Fox)
From The 30th Carole Nash International Classic Motorcycle Show, Saturday 24th & Sunday 25th April 2010, Stafford County Show Ground…
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Classic Bike Guide goes digital
The world moves quickly and Classic Bike Guide has moved with it. Those of you with an ipad can now enjoy CBG as an app (ask your grandkids – they’ll know)…
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Farleigh Castle
Classic Dirt Bike editor Tim Britton visited the Vets MXdN at Farleigh Castle last weekend, September 15, where the best of Evo and Twinshock MX racing took place… Article continues below… Advert Enjoy more classic motorcycle reading, Click here to subscribe to one of our leading magazines. Article continues below… Advert Article continues below… Advert…
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Classic Motorcycle Mechanics on sale
Pocket rocket 125s, Stan Stephens reveals tuning secrets, Yamaha YZF750 rotary Norton replica, buying Honda’s CB500 twin, Yamaha XT500, Suzuki GT550 and Triumph Speed Twin. This month’s issue supplied with FREE cover-mounted reprint of Motor Cycle Weekly…
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Sheene merchandise
Suzuki has launched a clothing line in honour of the legendary and sadly missed Barry Sheene, with 10% of every sale going to the Clic Sargent foundation, which was Barry’s chosen charity…
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Brough founder’s bike under the hammer
The personal 1922 racing SS80 bike of Brough’s founder, George Brough, is to be auctioned off at the Imperial War Museum, Duxford on October 23, and is expected to fetch £250,000-£270,000
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The way we were: October 1912
Thick autumn fog nearly prevented the BMCRC running its Open Championship Meeting on Saturday, October 12, but by midday the Brooklands track was bathed in sunshine as the first event of the day, the One Hour Cyclecar race started. J T Wood (1068cc GWK) led from start to finish…
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Goodwood Revival
Fair weather and lots of bikes saw a successful Goodwood Revival last weekend, September 14-16. Editor of The Classic MotorCycle, James Robinson, was there to capture the highlights with his camera… Article continues below… Advert Enjoy more classic motorcycle reading, Click here to subscribe to one of our leading magazines. Article continues below… Advert Article…
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Racers go down under for classics festival
Classic motorcycles from across Britain will be crated up and shipped down under for three days of racing
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Classic British Legends
An essential guide to the very best of British motorcycling has been launched by the team behind The Classic MotorCycle magazine…
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Triumph Live
Triumph Motorcycles has announced festival favourites Reef as the second headline act for this year’s three-day Triumph Live event, alongside celebrated Brit rockers The Kaiser Chiefs…
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The way we were: October 1937
Londoner Harold Daniell (in picture) enjoyed a bumper day’s racing at BMCRC’s meeting at Brooklands on the Campbell Circuit. In the Junior race, run concurrently with the Lightweight event, Daniell (348cc Norton) led from start to finish. Jock West (New Imperial) took lightweight honours…
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Invitation to put your machine on trial
Owners of well-fettled classic motorcycles are being invited to sign up for the Exeter Long Distance Reliability Trials…
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Desert riders on film
When you’ve got a spare quarter of an hour, have a look at It’s Better in the Wind – it’s a short film of a group of young American riders who head out for a few days…
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Riders warned about Continental road rules
British motorcyclists haven’t a clue when it comes to the rules and regulations which govern riding in Europe, according to a new survey…
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Barbour the Enfield
Barbour clothing has joined forces with Watsonian Squire and Royal Enfield, to produce a one-off sidecar outfit to celebrate Watsonian’s centenary year…
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The way we were: October 1987
Double world 500cc champion Barry Sheene (37) announced he was to emigrate to Australia seeking a warmer, drier climate to help him live with his racing injuries…
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Classic Manx Two Day Trial 2012 – Isle of Man
The Manx GP Classic Festival is more than just racing, there are vintage runs, sprints and a classic two day trial. Taking in the spectacular scenery that is the Isle of Man, competitors on twinshock and classic two and four strokes battled their way round a testing course of mud, rocks, streams and tracks for…
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Boston Consulting Group’s Report
Referred to in the September 2012 issue of Classic Bike Guide, the Boston Consulting Group’s 1975 report was a comprehensive report on how the Japanese achieved market dominance in less than 20 years. It showed the successes of Honda and Suzuki and the enormous failings of the British industries….
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TTRA correction
Handing over ceremony for new TT Riders Association president will be Wednesday 28 November, not November 21 as mentioned in Classic Racer magazine
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Great Western Italian Day
The Italian AutoMoto Club will take its annual autumn meeting to another harbour side location this year – the fascinating (and free!) M Shed museum on Princes Wharf, Bristol. Date for your diary is September 30…
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The way we were: October 1962
Touring the autumn European motorcycle shows, pressmen discovered one of the stars of the German event at Frankfurt was a 50cc Goricke…
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New MoT proposals
Two months after announcing plans to drop the MoT test for pre-1960 vehicles comes word of a new super-test for everything else, and it has far-reaching consequences on older bikes…
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Workshop: Yamaha RD400 clutch
A heavy clutch and signs of slipping? Pete Monks goes deep into his RD400 to restore a smooth and positive transmission
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Workshop: Yamaha RD400 clutch
A heavy clutch and signs of slipping? Pete Monks goes deep into his RD400 to restore a smooth and positive transmission
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Indian Powerplus
During the first thirty years of motorcycle production, America could well be said to have led the world in design, durability, sales and speed. This is the story of the American motorcycle classic – the Indian V-twin Powerplus…
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Festival of nostalgia planned for Manx TT
Proposals for a four-day festival of motorcycling nostalgia at next year’s Manx Grand Prix Festival have been revealed by the Isle of Man Government…
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Road Test: Yamaha RD350LC
Yamaha’s original RD350LC was furious if not as fast as we’d expected. But the two-stroke twin had huge potential which has been explored with a huge range of modifications. John Nutting tested it at MIRA in the early 1980s…
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Road Test: Yamaha RD350LC
Yamaha’s original RD350LC was furious if not as fast as we’d expected. But the two-stroke twin had huge potential which has been explored with a huge range of modifications. John Nutting tested it at MIRA in the early 1980s…
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Netley Eurojumble
The 19th Carole Nash Eurojumble is set for this weekend, Friday and Saturday, September 7-8, at Netley Marsh, near Southampton, Hants. One of the biggest autojumbles in the south, Netley Marsh is the place to be if you’re after that elusive bike part…
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Reference: JAP: a history
There’s a mountain of difference between pioneering a cine camera and manufacturing the world’s most powerful engines, but that’s just what John Prestwich did and successfully too…
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Reference: JAP: a history
There’s a mountain of difference between pioneering a cine camera and manufacturing the world’s most powerful engines, but that’s just what John Prestwich did and successfully too…
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Traditional trial promises green lane adventures
Plans to hold a traditional-style trial have been drawn up by Oswestry and District Motor Club. The Oswestry Classic Road Trial event, on Sunday, September 23, will include around 30 road and green lane sections, starting at Plas Onn farm in the heart of Lomax Trial territory…
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Calling all dirt bike owners!
Motorcyclists who enjoy getting their hands dirty, their feet wet and their machine airborne are being invited to take their place at one of Britain’s biggest bike shows…
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Vincents take it easy at Hever rally
Numbers were down at this year’s Vincent HRD Owners’ Club rally at Hever in Kent but the selection of bikes, solos and sidecars still included a couple of prewar HRDs…
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Straightliners at Ramsey
Part of the Manx Classic Festival the Straightliners Ramsey Sprint, held on August 30, had as broad a mix as any spectator could wish to see – from highly tuned strokers howling at ear splitting decibel level to classic sprint bikes thundering their way along the sea front at Ramsey…
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Classics at the modern Dirt Bike Show
After the successes of the classic element at the Dirt Bike Show at Stoneleigh last year, the classic element returns and will be better than ever…
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Wroughton Speed Trials
Ideal weather brought out a choice selection of vintage and classic machines for the August Wroughton Speed Trials…
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Old Bike Mart Unearthed – September 2012
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.
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RealClassic 101 out now!
Every month RealClassic features ancient, classic and British and international bikes, with in-depth articles by expert and enthusiast authors, reflecting the old bikes we buy and ride in the real world. But RealClassic isn’t normally available in the shops. So if you want to read the latest issue, you’ll need to buy it here…
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19th Ace Cafe Reunion
Brighton will rock to the sound of hundreds of motorcycles when they converge on the seafront for the 19th Ace Cafe Reunion…
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Royal Enfield solid rear
Specialist Hitchcock’s Motorcycles has unveiled a retro fitted rear end for 350 and 500 Royal Enfield Bullets…
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Mono-cycle pits in
Imagine, if you can, that the motorcycle had just been invented and you look at it and thought, ‘Nah. This is how to do it!’
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Road Test: Yamaha XS1
In the early Seventies the world of twins was simple; Ducati produced V-twins, BMWs were horizontally opposed and the British persevered with pushrod parallels… then Yamaha mixed it all up, with the OHC XS1…
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Road Test: Yamaha XS1
In the early Seventies the world of twins was simple; Ducati produced V-twins, BMWs were horizontally opposed and the British persevered with pushrod parallels… then Yamaha mixed it all up, with the OHC XS1…
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Historic championship heats up
There were outstanding performances from riders of classic British machines at the Vintage Motor Cycle Club’s two day Darley Moor event…
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Classics race launched at Imola
Powerful classic motorcycles will thunder around an Italian circuit more closely associated with Formula One cars when a new race is launched…
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Brough on L-plates
Latest DSA testing proposals are even more bonkers than the last ones. But they could create a boom in affordable middleweight classics… and Brough Superiors…
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Waiting almost over for Stafford Show
Though it is a few weeks before the doors open on the 19th Carole Nash Classic Motorcycle Mechanics Show at the Stafford County Showground, on October 20-21, there’s already lots of interesting stuff going on as people prepare for the event…
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Chrome-plated insanity
New proposals from the EU concerning the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and restriction of Chemicals (REACH) will limit the ways in which chromic acid can be used…
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MGP Festival news exclusive!
John McGuinness enjoyed a couple of quick ‘parade’ sessions during the Festival of Jurby aboard the twin cylinder Paton which will be raced by Ryan Farquhar during the Senior Class race, fuelling speculation that McGuinness will compete in the new look 2013 Classic TT…
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First MGP result
A popular podium for Chris Palmer as he wins his third Manx Grand Prix title with classic 350cc victory while Peter Symes takes the honours in the 250cc race…
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Motorcycle Live
Visitors will be able to view the wares of all the major motorcycle manufacturers and rub shoulders with celebrities and legends of the racetrack at this year’s Motorcycle Live…
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Sidecars at Spa
By the time the continental circus reached Spa Francorchamps, high in the Ardenne, in July 1956, the season was in full swing and the championships taking shape…
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Folding MX kick-start
Change footrest position and you can run into problems with the kick-start lever, in which case this tough fold-away MX lever may be the answer to your troubles…
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Profile: Lawrie Watts part one
If you cut your teeth on The Motor Cycle or its sister magazines The Autocar or Flight International, you will recognise Lawrence Watts’ signature immediately as the name on those marvellous cutaway drawings which showed ‘the inside story’
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New products
Sidestand extensions to prevent the bike falling over on soft surfaces and a new tyre pressuring monitoring system, which keeps you legal and is a great safety aid, too…
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Workshop: Yamaha XT500 part one
Rod Gibson dons his workshop overalls and reveals the engine assembly procedure for Yamaha’s big single cylinder trailie, the XT500, then turns his attention to restoring the frame and running gear…
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