Blog

One of life’s genuine real classic riders rode over the horizon in early 2011. Jim Reynolds pays tribute to him… Bruce Pollard and the Big 4 Norton he’d owned since 1972 were inseparable friends. When hundreds of his bike-riding friends gathered to say goodbye to Bruce in May 2011, that faithful old rigid framed 60…

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There are those who believe that classic motorcycles are poetry in motion. Marc Buffery proves that classic bike poetry can inspire all manner of emotions… To-day we have fettling of parts. Yesterday, We had daily cleaning. And to-morrow morning, We shall have what to do after riding. But to-day, To-day we have fettling of parts.…

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Ian Caswell recalls more of his early riding years at the Paddock, and one particular episode which became a local motorcycling myth… As with all memorable summers, the sun shone, and clouds were few. Most importantly some of our number achieved 17 years of maturity and while some drifted away towards car ownership, others got…

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Jim Peace has made many friends on his motorcycling travels. Meet Nebraska, the bug… Riding a motorbike in America is no more dangerous than anywhere else, but there is one hazard that you never see mentioned in any riders manuals. Bugs. I’m not talking about little buzzy things here, like midges or mosquitoes; American bugs…

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Have you ever ridden a real, genuine, internationally successful competition Matchless? Frank Westworth has ridden several, strangely… It is all true. Despite an entire lifetime spent studiously avoiding anything to do with ‘competition’ in most of its sweaty, athletic forms, from time to time I have been forced to ride about on pukka competition machinery.…

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A little knowledge is a dangerous thing. Silence is golden. Frank Westworth ponders a cliché-ridden life and concours cults… ‘It’s completely original and unrestored, you know. Just how you like to see them. And really rare these days.’ Proud Owner was plainly delighted with his excellent motorcycle, and I was delighted for him, I am…

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Dave Wooding recalls his time spent with a Triumph 3T, a BSA B31 (and a Reliant but we won’t mention that) among other old bikes, and ponders the attractions of motorcycling in general… I returned from an earlier than usual ride this morning after a leisurely 50 miles through the autumn countryside in Cheshire. It…

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Richard Jones goes browsing through the classic bikes on offer at Pembrokeshire Classics in south Wales. He encounters a couple of Villiers two-strokes, an Ariel Arrow, a really rare Laverda Jarama and even a Beezer bobber… Mrs Jones and I decided that a short holiday was in order and decided to go to the land…

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Not all verbal exchanges need to be disagreements. Frank Westworth has been talking with other riders and wonders whether they’re as friendly as they used to be… ‘Bikers are not what they used to be,’ he said. I smiled, nervously. What did he actually mean by this? ‘Sunshine Outlaws, Race Heroes and owners of aged…

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Martin Gelder goes to Motorcycle Live at the NEC and comes back with a head full of questions and a camera full of inspiration and distraction in equal measure… There’s something very odd going on in the UK motorcycle market. For many years, the kind of bike that might appeal to a RealClassic rider looking…

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