The Classic MotorCycle

Started in 1903, The Classic MotorCycle has more to offer the true vintage motorcycle enthusiast than any other publication, backed by Europe's largest motorcycle image archive.

Welcome

The Classic MotorCycle

Quintet on the Island • For the 1956 Isle of Man TT races, staff of The Motor Cycle took a mixed selection of five machines to use as transport.

News & Events

THE WAY WE WERE IN APRIL

Book Review

From London to Holyhead • The Ealing and District Motor Cycle Club (MCC) Open 24-hour trial saw riders head to the north Welsh coast from the west side of London.

Low-cost publicity tour • In an effort to enlighten the public on the benefits of small capacity machines, an ACU-organised effort brought the motorcycles to the masses. Or at least attempted to.

Readers’ Letters • YOUR VOICE & YOUR OPINIONS

An off-road day out • The Classic Dirt Bike Show is a showcase of all things in the muddy world of old motorcycle competition, displaying some fabulous machinery and celebrating some wonderful characters.

Flight of the Thunderbird • This one-owner-from-new 1982 TR65 Thunderbird, with many unobtrusive improvements, has proved pretty reliable – and a delight to ride.

Feline forgotten • Synonymous with sidecar outfits, Panther motorcycles were built tough and simple, but it’s their groundbreaking early design that deserves to be remembered.

Yellow fever • This Norton-powered special isn’t quite what it seems, in more ways than one.

The ES2’s racing origins • The model started off as the overhead valve version of the cammy CS1, before becoming a solid, dependable mainstay.

Promise unfulfilled? • Though this 500cc EMC prototype offered plenty of promise, it wasn’t to be, though that didn’t stop its indefatigable maker from try, try, trying again.

It’s a washout! • With a 50-year celebration event planned, all looked well for the 2025 Talmag Trial. Then the heavens opened and it was declared, in terms of results, an old-fashioned washout.

Best thing of the year • There was plenty wrong with 1939, as the world plunged into global conflict, though this motorcycle was a bright light in that dark period. This beautiful example of the Velocette KTT Mk.VIII is to be offered in Bonhams’ Stafford auction, on April 27, 2025.

Atomic • Motom – at one stage Italy’s third largest motorcycle manufacturer – had a reputation for making some seriously good smaller capacity machines, which was wholly justified, judging by this example.

BSA A50 500cc

The wire wool treatment • With the engine rebuild temporarily on hold, attention turns to the MZ’s wheels, trying to bring back a sparkle to dimmed components.

Sketchbook Travels presents: MOTORCYCLE SPECIALS Alpha Centuri Specials

On the hunt • Searching for component parts and solutions, a few more issues have been resolved.

Diary

Squeak, rattle and roll

Back to the future? • The electric private vehicle isn’t a new thing, not by a long chalk, though the reasons it went out of favour 125-odd years ago, are still valid today.

Mineral to synthetic • The development of multigrade and later synthetic oils was a real game-changer for engineers, who needed oils which worked efficiently over greater temperature ranges.