BSA Bantam

Richard Smith recalls his early riding times with BSA’s stalwart two-stroke. He started with a fairly standard D7 Super, but soon the 174cc machine evolved into something a little quicker… My first bike was a Honda C100, the Super Cub; a lovely machine, perfect for learning and nipping around locally. When I left home to start my aero-engineering degree, I…

AJS and Matchless lightweights

Not all old British bikes have to cost a fortune. In fact, the AJS and Matchless 250 and 350 lightweight singles are still enticingly affordable. ‘But aren’t they also actually awful?’ you may ask, and Rowena Hoseason has some answers… There is one segment of classic society which remains stalwartly sensible when it comes to cost. That’s because the Associated…