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.

Editor’s welcome

Battle on the banking • Lacking 400cc, the fore-and-aft Douglas twin of Freddie Dixon keeps ahead of the incoming big V-twins of George Patchett and E W Guyler.

NEWS IN BRIEF

New Kingpin oil taps and website

News & Events

THE WAY WE WERE IN APRIL

Book Review • “Motorcycles, Mates and Memories”

Total devastation • At the start of January, the stunning Top Mountain Crosspoint Museum burned down, taking a raft of historic and valuable machines with it.

THIS MONTH’S STAR LETTER WINS

Readers’ Letters • YOUR VOICE & YOUR OPINIONS

Best laid plans… • Two weeks of fishing, camping and motorcycling in Ireland? What could possibly go wrong…

Best of breed • For many, the 1970 Triumph Bonneville is the model’s ultimate incarnation. Riding one, it’s not hard to be reminded why.

Beautifully preserved • This 1926 BSA B26 De Luxe ‘Round Tank’ has only a few owners from new, covered under 9000 miles in 95 years and thereby provides a fascinating insight.

FINER DETAILS BSA B26 De Luxe Round tank

Gentlemen’s express • Probably the world’s most experienced motorcycle journalist comes away impressed from his first ride on a motorcycle made for a certain type of riding.

ARIEL SQUARE FOUR 4G Mark II

Sammy’s online shop

Serious fun • For over 20 years Ariel has been back in the motoring game, first with a car and most recently, a motorcycle, too.

Fraire breed • Known as the ‘Italian Rickman,’ Michele Fraire made his name – and that of others – by making serious motocrossers from standard road machines; this just might be one of them.

A suitable candidate: the Moto Guzzi Stornello

Store cupboard special • Another month of limited progress… Better than the month before, but, still, not up to the productivity levels of the latter part of 2020.

Comrade Daredevil • The remarkable story of Clem Beckett, whose life is the subject of a forthcoming book. This is part one…

Three thinking II • Getting the triples into production proved difficult for the BSA Group. On the road, the P2 prototypes clocked up the mileage and input from the testers helped development, but another machine caught fire, owing to an air cleaner schemed for the US market. Then the group board involved itself...

WALL AUTO-WHEEL

A brief chat with... Bernard Salvat • Event organiser, motorcycle dealer and collector, author and an all-round enthusiast… not just for motorcycles.

Bernard’s book

Down to the detail • It would be nice if there was dedicated time to do these restorations, but this is real life…

Runs should be fun • The club run is an integral part of the old motorcycle scene. During 2020, a variation on the usual theme emerged, enabling people to ride in the company of like-minded souls.

Sketchbook travels

On any Sunday • The famous film celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, so it’s time for a rewatch, or indeed a first viewing, of a project that brought motorcycle sport to the public’s attention like nothing ever before.

You were asking • Your queries resolved with Richard Rosenthal

Diary

Spoke up • Although Gottlieb Daimler and Wilhelm Maybach’s Einspur, the world’s first petrol driven motorcycle, had wooden spoked wheels, and many modern machines have aluminium or other alloy cast spoked wheels, for the rest of us, our machines use wire wheels.

Velo in the snow • With the white stuff covering much of the UK recently, it seemed an apt time to use a wintry...