The Classic MotorCycle

Started in 1903, The Classic MotorCycle has more to offer the true vintage motorcycle enthusiast than any other publication, backed by Europe's largest motorcycle image archive.

Welcome

The Classic MotorCycle

The magnificent monster • Though reportedly it ‘handled like a camel’ and other such unflattering sobriquets, this AJS V-twin would’ve ruled the motorcycle world if it had been down to just good looks.

News & Events

Let’s get started • There aren’t any earlier shows to the year than that at Stony Stratford, held at 9.30am on the first day of the new calendar.

Big boy’s racer • If the AJS 7R was the ‘Boy racer’ then its larger sibling, the Matchless G50, was, what, the choice of the bigger boy?

Season starter • The first event of the classic calendar is the Classic Bike Guide-backed Winter Classic, held at Newark showground.

Readers’ Letters • YOUR VOICE & YOUR OPINIONS

A Stevenage salute • The South of England Classic Motorcycle Show, Ardingly, took place on October 30, 2023.

Pedigree chums • These delightful ‘cammy’ Nortons have been put together by a man who knows what he’s doing, allowing the models’ qualities to shine through.

The spirit of ’72 • It is, so says the man involved, a kind of madness – when a self-proclaimed ‘ageing’ rider becomes obsessed with a motorcycle that is so wrong on so many levels…

To the Manor born • To remind us of summer riding gone by and to look forward to, here’s some details of the Sunbeam Motorcycle Club’s off-road track event in Polegate, East Sussex, at Filching Manor.

Sum of its parts • This rare machine examples a popular early 1920s trend when a collection of proprietary components were brought together to provide basic, reliable transport.

The tin banana • Looking like something from outer space, and given this nickname, the futuristic two-stroke was the last motorcycle from one of Germany’s oldest brands, Victoria.

Travelling by Terrier • So what machine to choose for a Trans Iberian Challenge? A 70-year-old, 150cc Triumph lightweight, of course. Part one of two.

Better than normal • Despite its rather uninspiring name, this ‘Normale’ version of Bianchi’s quarter-litre contender has style and charm in abundance.

An old school slide show • The Veterans’ Speedway Championships were held in Lydd, Kent, in September 2023.

Suspension of belief • It is now accepted that the better a motorcycle’s suspension, the better its handling and roadholding, but for decades, large sectors of enthusiasts resisted buying machines with rear springing, deeming the innovation at best unnecessary and at worst a hindrance.

Triumph TRW

BANKED TRACK HEROES • Presents: The Fast Times of Harry Martin Chapter Two

Patience is a virtue • Working steadily is often the best way to achieve things in a project – skipping stages can cause problems.

Diary

Scouting out developments • Ever heard of the motorcycle manufacturer from Salisbury, Wiltshire? Few will have, but it could’ve had a bearing on history if things had worked out differently.

Plugging the gap • These days, there is a bewildering array of sparking plugs on offer, but is there any advantage to spending the extra for one of the exotic options?

More wrist twisting • Nothing could be simpler than defining the action of a motorcycle twist grip! Until one considers the common types; viz straight pull, dual cable push/pull, side pull, axial, twin pull – and, finally, dual role.