Bikes

Norton Dominator 99

by

RowenaH

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11th January 2017

Back in the 1950s when young men dreamed of a Norton this is probably what their fantasy bike looked like. A ‘stylish high performance roadster with first-class steering, roadholding and brakes,’ Norton were justifiably proud of its ‘zestful and tireless engine, remarkably powerful brakes and a well-subdued exhaust. Steering is in the best Norton…
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Triumph 350 sidevalve single

by

RowenaH

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6th January 2017

Back in 1938 all eyes were on Triumph’s latest innovation, the stunning Speed Twin parallel twin. The marque’s sporting singles had also been sprinkled with Edward Turner’s stardust, and many heads were turned by the handsome Tigers. But most working men selected their regular rides from the ‘De Luxe’ end of the range; the…
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BSA C15

by

RowenaH

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1st January 2017

BSA’s stalwart 250 single used to be the obvious choice for learner riders, back in the 1960s. Fifty years later the unit construction C15 has become another obvious choice – this time as a starter classic, a first British bike. We featured a Ceefer in the magazine last year, which inspired John Blackburn to share…
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Classic bikes at Birmingham, part two

by

RowenaH

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17th December 2016

RC’s roving reporter Richard Jones continues his end-of-year review from the NEC, seeking out quirky and iconic vintage motorcycles at the Classic Motor Show and Motorcycle Live… Here’s something you don’t see every day – a 1938 Norton Superior which was built by Bill Higginson and his friend, Maurice Cross. Apparently all you have…
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Classic bikes at Birmingham: part one

by

RowenaH

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16th December 2016

The final weeks of 2016 witnessed not one but two motorcycle shows at the NEC in Birmingham. These featured all manner of vintage motorcycles, classic bikes and modern-day retro replicas which might be of interest to the discerning RealClassic reader. Our roving reporter, Richard Jones, casts a retrospective eye over the highlights at each event,…
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The story behind the Arbuthnot Trophy

by

RowenaH

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14th December 2016

The Arbuthnot Trial is an annual reliability trial for British vintage and classic motorcycles. David Wright explains how this event commemorates a naval officer who died during the battle of Jutland over 100 years ago. The present-day event incorporates ‘the ambience of the 1920s era’ with the emphasis on rigid machines, although later classics are…
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James Superswift Two-Stroke Twin

by

RowenaH

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8th December 2016

‘It’s the finest and dandiest 250 you’ve ever seen,’ said the launch publicity about the new Superswift in the autumn of 1961. ‘The James twin you have been waiting for!’ The new machines, priced at £181.18.8, offered ‘thrilling performance matched only by its superb styling and finish… Ride it here, ride it there, ride…
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Win an AJS Model 18

by

RowenaH

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6th December 2016

If you’re looking for a typical British bike, then the single-cylinder four-strokes built by Associated Motor Cycles immediately after WW2 are the obvious choice. Small wonder then that the National Motorcycle Museum chose an AJS Model 18 as one of the prizes in their winter raffle. Honest, dependable and free of phoney pretensions, the Ajay…
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Cafe racer kits for Hinckley triples

by

RowenaH

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27th November 2016

How to transform an old Hinckley triple into a rapid café racer, no spannering skills required. Don’t do it yourself – let an expert take the strain… After years of restoring classics and building specials, Ian at Café Racer Kits found a simple way to share his experience and expertise. CRK started offering modular kits…
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Hesketh V1000 and Vampire – Part 1

by

RowenaH

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24th May 2016

It ain’t quite a British Bulldog, but the Hesketh motorcycle still demands respect. Despite near-fatal flaws and fiscal foolishness, it simply refused to lay down and die… ‘This bike is a giant. It’s going to become a classic’ – Superbike magazine, June 1980 They were so right – but not immediately. When the Hesketh V1000…
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