Classic Bike

Classic Bike helps and inspires enthusiasts to get more from their passion for classic motorcycles. The magazine shares their fascination with motorcycling’s heroic past while also helping them buy, fix and improve the bikes in their shed. Our main areas of content are: - Inspirational and entertaining reads that celebrate the glory of motorcycling, from riding stories that put the reader in the seat of history’s greatest bikes to incredible racing tales - Restoration stories and instructional features that inspire and help people get their tools out and sort out their old bike - In-depth technical features from the most expert and authoritative writers in motorcycling If you share our passion about classic motorcycles from the last century, you'll enjoy reading Classic Bike.

Welcome

Westerly forecast • If this show was anything to go by, it’s going to be a bumper year for classic biking. It was buzzing with showgoers and saturated with sound from the start-up zone. Here are some of the people and bikes we met

Moto Guzzi with a smile • Dr John Wittner, the American dentist turned Moto Guzzi tuner and then Guzzi factory engineer, has died aged 78. Alan Cathcart knew him well

What’s new

I rode Rick’s Ride • Last month’s road test brings back memories for a CB reader

Classic Bike

Show us yours • We love to see your acquisitions, regular rides and projects – keep ’em coming to the address above

MOPED MANIA • For thousands of riders, a 50cc machine was their first taste of independent travel and freedom. We celebrate three decades of change which saw the moped transformed from humble commuter to totem of teen rebellion, with first-hand accounts of why the buzz of these little beauties gets under your skin and can be a difficult habit to kick

Workers’ playtime • The moped was basically a commuter device, but also a passport to freedom for teenagers. Publisher and pedal-pusher David Beare describes his initiation to the road

Now we’re getting Fizzy • Two-time British champion James Whitham cut his motorcycling teeth on Japanese sports mopeds. He explains why they rank amongst the greatest ever inventions from the far east

Demonic tweaks • Despite government legislation, teens managed to get their sports moped fix into the ’80s by using devilish cunning and high-performance mods. Jim Moore tells it how it was

‘Every kid in the street was buying them’ • Ex-racer Alan Duffus opened his Yamaha dealership in 1976 and is still surfing a wave of enthusiasm started by the FS1-E

24 Heures du Mans

April

CLOSE TO THE HEDGE • The Cookstown 100 kicks off in April. If you’ve never watched an Irish road race, Dr Stephen Walsh explains why you really should – and why he went from spectating to racing

How to build a fast CB350 road racer • If you want to get into classic road racing, the K4 Honda makes a fine companion – they’re plentiful, reliable and won’t break the bank. Mark Graham gets the lowdown on the whys and wherefores

BMF Show

SINGLE MINDED • In June, Rod Baraona will be taking his AJS sand-racing bike to Race the Waves in Yorkshire. After 40 years of messing about with AMC singles, he’s learnt how to put together a good one – and they’re all built to ride

SINGLE MINDED • In June, Rod Baraona will be taking his AJS sand-racing bike to Race the Waves in Yorkshire. After 40 years of messing about with AMC singles, he’s learnt how to put together a good one – and they’re all built to ride

Hailwood comeback • Mike Hailwood’s Ducati-mounted win in the Formula One race turned his 1978 TT comeback into legend. But as well as the F1 Ducati, he also rode Martini sponsored 250cc and 500cc Yamahas on the Island that year, albeit with less success. On the 500 he retired at Ballaugh Bridge...