Category: Blog

Matt Swindlehurst recalls a time of dirty carrots, dodging rugby practice, shooting a Lee Enfield rifle – oh, and there’s a Matchless G3 in here somewhere, too… Back in the late 1960s the housewives of Leek in North Staffordshire certainly knew their onions – and their cabbages and their cauliflowers and, in particular, their carrots. Carrots had to be misshaped,…

We’ve just received a press release about the launch of a new British Motorcycle Brand, complete with tantalising computer generated images of a range of Buell Blast based singles. Martin Gelder isn’t sure whether to laugh or cry… In times of recession, good news is always welcome. We all want to hear that there is light at the end of…

In a recent issue of RealClassic magazine, reader Roger Bibbings asked for nominations for the perfect modern motorcycle to suit classic bike riders. And lots of people answered him… Roger’s Quandary I am now 58 years old and have been riding motorcycles (over 45 different machines) almost every day since February 1965, covering somewhere towards 1 million miles (I use…

Jim Peace remembers when the warnings on cigarette packets had nothing at all to do with smoking… Many years ago, when almost everybody smoked, cigarette manufacturers would try to encourage brand loyalty by enclosing one or two picture cards in the packs. These came in sets of fifty so you had to smoke a lot of fags to get a…

You’re reading a website about old bikes, so presumably you like old bikes. But do you ride one? Frank Westworth is dazed and confused… ‘All Velocette dealers are rubbish! Know what I mean?’ An angry man was being angry at me. I am a kindly soul and gazed at him in wonder. Life on a magazine stall at classic bike…

Last time Frank Westworth was dreaming about dream bikes. This time he’s wondering about owning just a single motorcycle. Which would you choose if you could have only one? There could be a theme here, which would be alarmingly professional. Cast your mind back to the last installment, and if your life really has been very quiet you may just…