Brough Superior

Built between 1919 and 1940, George Brough’s ‘Superior’ motorcycles are instantly recognisable, admired by the masses as perhaps the ultimate pre-war classic bike. But why, asks Richard Jones, have these speed machines accumulated such kudos? What is it about them which inspires such admiration… and commensurately high prices? Here’s a question for you – are the prices paid for Brough…

BMW Mystic

A Bridgestone 350 won the official award for the best in show bike at this autumn’s Stafford Show. But RC’s editor chose an entirely different classic bike as his machine of the moment. Frank Westworth asks Motorworks to play Mystic for me… Everywhere we look these days, it appears that one of several current great trends is to take an…

Trusty Triumph

While we celebrate the resurgence of modern Triumph motorcycles, it’s easy to overlook the marque’s major contribution to motorcycling itself which took place over a hundred years ago. Had it not been for Triumph’s first ‘era of greatness’, argues Timothy Pickering, the powered two-wheeler could have vanished from Britain’s roads long before the classic bike was invented… Frank Melling’s otherwise…

Triumph Visitor Experience

Triumph has a long history of making motorcycles which stretches all the way back to 1902. The firm’s history falls into two distinct parts* – the classic bike side and the modern motorcycles – and these are reflected in the company’s new Visitor Experience. Frank Melling has visited, and is experienced… First, there is what is usually called ‘Meriden’ Triumph…

Triumph Thunderbird

Back in the early 1980s, Triumph built a budget 650; a short-stroke version of the 750 Bonneville. These days the TR65 Thunderbird is proving to be a rewarding practical classic bike for one regular rider… ‘As I age,’ says RC regular Mark Holyoake, ‘my taste in bikes has changed. Gone are the days of race-reps and the like; I have…

Classic Bike Auction

As usual, the autumn Stafford Show will host a Bonhams auction of classic motorcycles. Some 200 classic bikes will go under the hammer and we’ll be keeping an eye on our favourites. Some folks focus on the exclusive array of upmarket machines in these sales, and there are Gold Stars, Broughs, Vincents and Manx Nortons aplenty. There’s also a superb…