RealClassic

  • Overland to Vietnam

    Overland to Vietnam

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    On his earlier expeditions, Gordon G May rode a BSA Bantam to the pyramids of Egypt, and then a Royal Enfield Bullet to southern India. His most recent adventure involved a WW2 military Matchless and a circuitous route across Europe to the Black Sea, through the Caucasus and into Central Asia, through China, over high-altitude…

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  • Classic bike bits: anti-ethanol, riding jeans and smart sparks

    Classic bike bits: anti-ethanol, riding jeans and smart sparks

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    Anti-Effinol We’ve discussed the irritating effects of ethanol in petrol before – and the subject becomes ever more relevant as the concentration of ethanol rises. Even ‘super’ high-octane fuels are quite likely to contain some ethanol. It’s entirely possible to purchase fuel-proof pipework and petrol taps but, especially if a bike only gets occasional use,…

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  • The Dragon Rally

    The Dragon Rally

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      Only the boldest and the bravest motorcyclists face winter’s worst weather to participate in the annual Dragon Rally. The ride itself to Snowdonia can be something of a challenge on two wheels – and then comes a weekend of camping. In February. We sent RC regular Richard Jones who (a) cheated, and (b) discovered…

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  • BMW F650

    BMW F650

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    BMW’s original Funduro, soon to celebrate its quarter-century, is one of the firm’s most successful models. Some 50,000 of the original four-valve dual-plug five-speed 650 singles were built in partnership with Rotax and Aprilia in the mid-1990s, before BMW brought production in-house in 2000. Ian Caswell initially thought he’d found a brilliant bargain in the…

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  • DKW and MZ motorcycles

    DKW and MZ motorcycles

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    We frequently find all manner of interesting artefacts while rummaging around in the RC RChive, including factory adverts, original artwork and some stunning bike brochures. We cram as many of them into the magazine as we can, but they often don’t reproduce particularly well in print so we can only use them at relatively small…

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  • Bristol Roving! The best of the west, part two

    Bristol Roving! The best of the west, part two

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      RC’s Continental correspondent takes a second stroll around the Bristol Classic MotorCycle Show at Shepton Mallet and discovers a nifty unit single, the ubiquitous Triumph twin, a distinctly non-standard Trident triple, a Royal Enfield ripe for restoration, a Panther single brought back from the brink – and an old friend from way back when……

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  • Bristol Roving! The best of the west, part one

    Bristol Roving! The best of the west, part one

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      Here in the UK we have a wealth of great shows for the classic bike enthusiast. For Morgan Rue, normally resident en Continent, attending the Carole Nash Classic MotorCycle Show involved a 1700km (that’s a thousand miles in old money) round trip from Luxembourg. Was it worth it? ‘Definitely!’ was Morgan’s reply, and here…

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  • February magazine: out now!

    February magazine: out now!

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      RC154 offers our usual eclectic mix of classic motorcycling, from pioneer British bikes at the turn of the 20th century to Japanese and Italian classics from eight decades later. You won’t find the monthly RealClassic magazine in UK newsagents, so here’s how you can read all about the BSA, Honda, Moto Guzzi, MZ, DKW,…

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  • Have a Blast at Bristol

    Have a Blast at Bristol

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      A certain Brough Superior, previously owned by a certain Mr Lawrence, he of Arabia fame, is the official star of the show at next weekend’s Carole Nash Classic MotorCycle bash at Shepton Mallet. However, we reckon the SS100 faces some pretty stiff competition for the ‘wow’ bike of the weekend award* in the shape…

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  • Springfields Motorbike Show

    Springfields Motorbike Show

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      We are so lucky here in Lincolnshire to get two great motorcycle shows in January, reckons Roy Workman. This two-day event incorporates modern motorcycles and classic bikes alongside celebrity riders, accessories, clubs and the ‘wall of death’ display. It all got off to a smoky start, as Roy explains… The show is held just…

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