Reviews

You meet the nicest people on a Honda. And Jim Peace… Once upon a time, many years ago, motorcycle engines had proper capacities like 250, 350 and 500cc. And motorbikes knew their place. Two-strokes and Tiger Cubs were for commuting, 350s could be used for modest touring, 500s were more sporting, and 650s and thousands…

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It was big. Really big. Really extremely big for the 1980s. Steve The Toast debates the virtues of blunderbuss motorcycling and Kawasaki’s classic six-cylinder machine… If anyone ever tells you that they have never made a mistake, you would be relatively safe to draw the conclusion that they have never made anything, as the saying…

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Frank Westworth reports from the saddle of a 750 Matchless, and includes a great big chunk of personal anecdote, revealing why he has never been comfortable in a leather hat… Motorbicyclists are a strange breed. We pride ourselves on our individuality; yet we join clubs and wear club regalia. We pride ourselves on our independence;…

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It’s a winner! When Graham Holt’s gleaming Morini 350 appears at events it has a habit of stealing the show… When Graham Holt bought his 1976, 344cc Strada for £1850 some eight years ago it was in pretty good nick. But ‘pretty good’ wasn’t good enough, so Graham set to work and transformed the Strada…

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Nolan Woodbury meets 25 classics from the Ducati Museum, immortalised in this high-class publication… Comparatively small measured against its competition, Ducati has forged an astonishing record on the global road racing stage. Shunning trend (while establishing it) in favour of its 90-degree L-layout, Ducati combined hi-torque, high-horsepower desmodromics with precise handling to win against heavily-funded…

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You might think that a 1931 ex-works Norton racer belongs in a museum, and indeed Steve Lacey’s Manx GP bike had pride of place at Brooklands for a while. It was originally raced by Ron Harris, then ridden by Phil Heath, and owned by Titch Allen. Steve tells its story This CS1 was built by…

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Got an old British bike? Check. Read ‘Jupiter’s Travels’? Check. Must be time for an extraordinary adventure, then. Goat Maison’s Dominator took him halfway around the world… What’s a Norton Dominator 77? They hardly ever mention them in the classic press. Try asking somebody and they’ll probably tell you that you’ve got it wrong and…

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Reg Everett was a 1960s road racer who found himself up against the likes of Mike Hailwood and Derek Minter on works machines, when he was riding a home-built Greeves-powered special. Colin Sparrow recommends Everett’s autobiography… 1960s road racer Reg Everett has teamed up with respected motorcycle writer Mick Walker to bring us his racing…

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The Square Four had a lifespan of over 25 years, and several incarnations of all sizes from 500cc to 1000cc. If you thought that all old British bikes were 650 twins then read on… Ariel’s Square Four started life in 1931, designed by a young Edward Turner who drew his original idea for the Square…

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So the caff-race Bonnie has a strange riding position, dodgy stoppers and is more than a little lethargic? BikerBabe reckons you shouldn’t believe everything you read in the papers… If you’re of a certain generation, then the word Thruxton probably conjures up images of speed, adrenaline, excitement and of course, racing. Back in the late…

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