RealClassic

  • Triumph Bonneville T140

    Triumph Bonneville T140

    by

    Considering your first classic British bike? The Triumph T140 Bonneville (actually a range of 750 twins built between the mid-1970s and early 1980s) is still the obvious choice. There’s always a good selection of 750s up for sale at any time, so you have plenty to pick and choose between. Spares supply is superb. There…

    Continue reading »

  • Honda CB250RS

    Honda CB250RS

    by

    A recent feature about running and riding Honda’s slim and sprightly single as a current day classic prompted Tony Anderson to recall the days when he maintained high-mileage despatch hacks. He highlights some of the 250’s strengths and weaknesses, offering expert advice and technical tips… I was always surprised that Honda, the company that produced…

    Continue reading »

  • BSA Silver Star

    BSA Silver Star

    by

      Even people who don’t like classic motorcycles have heard of the BSA Gold Star. It’s a clear-cut classic bike icon. Its pre-war roadgoing counterpart is rather less well known, however. We featured the 500cc ohv Silver Star in the March magazine, and found some rather wonderful original images in the archive. There’s not a…

    Continue reading »

  • Joey Dunlop: a real racer’s life

    Joey Dunlop: a real racer’s life

    by

      This softback biography of TT legend William Joseph Dunlop is one of the few publications on this subject to be given official approval by the TT Riders’ Association. Written by Ray Knight, himself a road racer of considerable accomplishment, it was published in the year of Dunlop’s death – but the author had already…

    Continue reading »

  • Classic bikes for sale

    Classic bikes for sale

    by

      Each month RealClassic magazine features a selection of classic bikes and old motorcycles which are up for grabs – on sale at dealers or offered by private vendors. And without fail, the RC Crew are always distracted by the array of weird, wonderful and just plain WOW classic motorcycles on the market. So here…

    Continue reading »

  • Hot Stuff: heated motorcycle clothing

    Hot Stuff: heated motorcycle clothing

    by

      Winter’s worst is almost over for this year, which means now is the perfect time to check the bargain bin for bad-weather riding gear. Richard Jones runs a Hinckley Bonneville, blessed with a modern electrical system that can cope with running a central heating system. To survive a wild wintry weekend in Wales, he…

    Continue reading »

  • March magazine: out now!

    March magazine: out now!

    by

    RealClassic isn’t available in the shops, so if you want to read this month’s eclectic collection of classic bikes then here’s how to order the issue. Find out what real-life riders reckon to Moto Guzzi’s Spada, the really rare Matchless 750 twin, the Gold Star’s secret sibling, a pair of uprated Enfields and the entirely…

    Continue reading »

  • Yamaha XS650

    Yamaha XS650

    by

      A few months back, Editor Westworth risked life and limb by suggesting that Yamaha’s air-cooled parallel twin was the first and potentially the best ‘Japanese Bonneville’. It’s stood the test of time, too, as this 40 year old example ably demonstrates. So we were delighted to hear from the man who modified this particular…

    Continue reading »

  • Braking Bad

    Braking Bad

    by

    In the February issue of RealClassic, Dave Bushell noted that ‘my pre-war Scotts and, I think, most girder-forked machines, have their front brake arms facing forward from the pivot point. My post-war Scotts with telescopic forks have them facing rearwards, as do most other makes with some exceptions. If forward facing brake arms provide better…

    Continue reading »

  • Classic bikes for sale

    Classic bikes for sale

    by

      Every issue of the monthly RealClassic magazine includes pages of old motorcycles and classic bikes for sale, offered by private individuals and trade specialists. And every month, some extremely interesting (or just plain strange) small ads attract the eagle eye of Editor Westworth. Here then are six of the best reader ads from the…

    Continue reading »