Innholdsfortegnelse for July 2025 i Classic Bike

June 1976, Post-TT international, Mallory Park Mallory Park’s Post-TT meeting, taking place on the Sunday after race week, used to be a huge event, attracting big crowds to the compact Leicestershire circuit. Top TT riders would race on the Island on the Saturday, then catch the ferry and drive down from Liverpool to be at Mallory to race on Sunday. In 1976, John Williams (#5) had won the previous day’s six-lap Classic TT, with Tony Rutter (#12) in third and Charlie Williams (#25) fourth. Mick Grant (#3) had retired on lap one, so he’d been able to catch an earlier ferry and presumably get a better night’s sleep. Here, Barry Sheene wheelies off the start of the 20-lap Motor Cycle News Superbike race – but Barry Ditchburn (#4) beat him…

Have you just bought a new project? Or have you finished a project, taken part in an event or just been for a ride? Do you have pictures of you or your friends from your biking past? Or can you identify the riders or a face in the crowd from the Startline image on page four? Please write and tell us Startline How many riders from the 1976 startline can you identify? Your classics Just acquired a new project, completed a restoration or been for a great ride? Letters Want to start a conversation about bike values or commend good service? The Way We Were Have you got pictures and a story from your biking past? Let us know. Contact us at… letters@classicbike.co.uk 6 issues for £29.99 Turn to page…

£5000-7000 1973 Suzuki GT750K A very original looking K model, with genuine original exhaust, this US-market machine has only had one UK owner since being imported in 2023. In good condition, and said to be in good running order. spicersauctioneers.com £3000-5000 2000 Laverda 750S Laverda’s Zane-built 1990s bikes are now sought-after classics. This is from towards the end of the production run (with numerous updates). Described as in remarkable condition, with 11,647km showing. iconicauctioneers.com £10,950 1972 Kawasaki H2 Imported from the USA by triples guru Rick Brett, this H2 had a recent engine rebuild with Wossner pistons and a crank rebuild. Currently fitted with standard exhaust, it comes with a spare set of Higgspeed pipes. Private sale 07761 283877 £4000-6000 1959 Velocette Venom Non-matching numbers machine, but looks like a…

’How much?’ Gez Kane on classic values Vintage (pre-1931) bikes seem to have largely avoided the worst of the overall decline in the old bike market. Exotica like Brough Superiors, Indian V-twins, and FN, Henderson and Ace inline fours still make top money, But there are plenty of more affordable options. And although many vintage machines are sold via word of mouth on the vintage grapevine, auctions seem to be a happy hunting ground as well. The best value in the vintage sector appears to lie in the middle-of-the-road machines. A good 500cc four-stroke single – with enough power to handle Sunrising Hill on the Banbury Run – could be yours for around the £5000 mark. With performance to handle most of the stress modern traffic can throw at you, a…

Not just one Metisse… the whole company. Owner Gerry Lisi is selling up and is inviting offers for the brand and the rights to produce 150 McQueen Desert Racers (currently selling for £18,660 a pop). The sale includes the trademark and endorsement from the McQueen estate. Lisi has been involved with Metisse since 1999 and sole owner since 2001. He’s not only built the famous Rickman-brothers designed frames, but also commissioned and built a brand new parallel-twin engine for the Mk5. The company will be sold through a sealed bid auction – deadline for bids is July 15. Call Gerry on 07990 063393 if you’re interested.…

It’s taken 17 years for Nigel Harte to transform this 1985 GSX-R750F from basket case to minter, but the project’s completion is bitter-sweet for the former process engineer. “I had my left hip replaced in 2022, part way through the resto, and it’s not been right since,” he explains. “My knee won’t bend so, as yet, I’ve not been able to ride the bike in its finished state. That’s the aim, but I’m not there yet.” Nigel’s playing catch up, having only passed his test in 2005. “I never got around to it, I guess,” he grins; the glint in his eyes suggesting there’s more to this than discovering bikes later in life. “I got into bikes when I was 13. My brother had a Suzuki TS125. Then I moved…

Even as a child, I didn’t like the ’70s. All the grown-up stuff about three-day weeks and Ireland’s ‘Troubles’ sounded grim and I couldn’t see how ugly, angular beige cars or avocado bathroom suites made up for it. But if there was light shining in that tunnel it came from the elevation of the 250cc two-stroke twin from the drudgery of life as an economy commuter to the glamour of L-plate mania and beyond. I’m really enjoying getting to know the Mediterranean beauty you see on these pages – but maybe that’s a bad way to put it, because this kind of bike doesn’t really take much learning. Choke is generally needed for starting, except when very warm – it’s operated by a lever on the left carb, so…

‘This sport was born here; riders all over the world want to try this competition’ Guy Martin 1958 Triumph Tiger Cub Guy Martin closes in on the summit of the Pipeline in the shot above. “I first did the Scottish Two Day nine years ago on an Ariel – I was impressed with how bad I was,” he said. More recently, he bought the Cub because he “wanted to get into summat”. Now he does both pre-65 and modern trials. “I never walk sections – I can’t be arsed. I didn’t take a day off work to go walking! And I’m not going to win, anyway. I’ll sometimes be queueing for my turn and I can see the rider ahead of me go for it – that’s enough for me.…

From specials to perfect restorations “I’ve had this workshop for about 20 years. Creating it has been an ongoing process – you need one thing and then you need another. It morphed into the way it is. I’d like it bigger, obviously – but the bigger you go, the more rubbish you collect. The bike in the foreground is a genuine original T120 that came from America and it was so original – it’s never been touched from the day it left the factory. It would have been a crime to do what we’ve done to that TR6 behind it. If I find a bike, I always try and keep it as original as possible – every nut and bolt, the paintwork… everything. If somebody gave you a Picasso painting…

The largest-displacement liquid-cooled two-stroke on the market from 1971-1977 sold 71,000 units worldwide. No wonder. Reliable, handsome, comfortable, plenty fast enough in its day, the ‘Kettle’ was a symbol of the ’70s. Dubbed the ‘Water Buffalo’ in North America, its wet weight of 550lb (250kg) was undoubtedly a factor in attracting that rather cruel tag. And that from a nation whose domestic offerings could tip the balance at 750lb plus –and struggle vainly to hit 100mph. While Kawasaki’s 750cc H2 triple was the tearaway’s choice, the slightly more sedate Suzuki was always the connoisseur’s option. Smooth, quiet and clean (for a ’70s stroker) the GT’s benign handling was a massive plus – and even two-up, loaded with camping gear it still behaved itself. It was a Gran Turismo machine, after…

George Greenland began riding trials as a teenager in 1950. 75 years later, at the age of 92, he died in his sleep on April 21 whilst attending a trial in Belgium; George was there to support his daughter Karen and son-in-law Neil, who were both competing on Wasp-Bantams. George was a legendary off-road figure; not just as a successful lifelong competitor on two and three wheels, but on the technical and organisational side as well. His parents helped him into the trials world, and whilst an engineering apprentice he chalked up wins on a 500T Norton. He kept riding trials – and winning – during National Service, then on return to civvy street he worked for BMC at Cowley and rode under the Oxford Ixion Club banner. After returning…

Jota’s 50th birthday party Laverda owners are invited to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Jota at The New Inn, Willersey, Warwickshire on August 3. It follows last year’s meeting at the same venue, at which 260 Laverdas were present. The Slater brothers and Laverda racers are expected to attend. Pre-book only at coxeng@gmx.com NMM Raffle Top prize in the National Motorcycle Museum’s Sumer Raffle is a 1981 Triumph Bonneville Royal Wedding (Limited Edition). Buy tickets at thenmm.co.uk Winner of the winter raffle, a 1972 Norton Commando Production Racer, was Bernard Rodemark from East Sussex. Ride the Lakes Fancy riding the fantastic roads in and around The Lake District? The Westmorland Motor Club’s Three Day Road Runs will take place on July 7-9. They club has also arranged for a…

As Steve Parrish launches into yet another raucous story involving pranks, pretty girls and his late best mate Barry Sheene, a thought occurs to me. What could he have achieved if he had dicked around less and concentrated on his racing more? After all, it’s easy to forget how sublime Steve’s riding talent was – as an amateur, he beat factory riders to win a British championship at 22, got a factory 500 ride the following year as Sheene’s team-mate and came fifth in the world championship despite not knowing any of the tracks. He was a world-class talent. I blurt out the question, expecting Steve to deflect it with more solid-gold anecdotes as we await our food at his favourite local restaurant. Instead, he pauses, as if mentally shifting…

Confusingly, the ‘2C’ model code can refer to the 125 or 250 model. The 125cc 2C was also a two-stroke twin with a bore and stroke of 42.5 x 44mm, producing a claimed 18bhp at 8100rpm. Both models were first seen in 1972, with iron cylinder barrels and drum brakes. Both models had electronic ignition (hence the ‘Elettronica’ emblem on the side panel) from 1974, acquiring a disc front brake and ‘Series 2’ status in 1975 and remaining in production until 1986. Benelli is unusual among motorcycle makers is having a female founder. Widowed Signora Teresa Boni Benelli used her late husband’s inheritance to set up her six sons in business at Pesaro on Italy’s Adriatic coast in 1911. They produced their first motorcycle in 1919, graduating to building their…

1960 BSA A10 Flash “I’ve still got an old A10 Flash and I will never sell that, it’s a brilliant bike. I built it nearly 40 years ago and it taught me that a bike doesn’t need to be fast, or have brilliant suspension or be fancy to be a lovely ride. I’ve been to the Isle of Man umpteen times on it and still love riding it.” Trident cafe racer “This is an early ’70s Trident engine in a 1954 Manx frame that I built years ago. I learned so much. It was a difficult process and I realised that everything I did had a knock-on effect to the rest of the bike. I designed it all on the back of a fag packet, but it eventually got into…

It’s not what you think. See, it was all Judy’s idea. I’d done some work on her Scott over winter, but hadn’t found time to take it for a test run. So, given that our pal Will was running-in his latest Triumph build, she asked him to drag me out of the shed next time he was going for a ride out. Well, Triumph’s 1950s marketing slogan read ‘For the man who rides fast and far’ – and regrettably it proved a bit too fast and far for the Scott… It was running well, then started spitting back viciously through the carb. It had whiskered a plug – strange, as this is supposedly caused by lead in petrol. Equally strange, but more worrying, the plug looked like new otherwise, with…

Nostalgic Mount I really enjoyed your ‘Summertime at the seaside’ article in the April 2025 issue about Oliver’s Mount in Scarborough – specifically the details written about the various sections of the circuit. It prompted me to share a photograph I have of my father, Tony Aykroyd, racing there in the early ’50s. The photo was taken by a local sports reporter and shows him exiting the Mere Hairpin. The motorcycle was a home-made affair named ‘Moto Torro’. It had a 1920s Benelli frame, a 125cc Villiers engine and a Burman four-speed close-ratio gearbox. It was an era when a privateer like my father could race against the big names like John Surtees. The motorcycle is still within the family, adorning my brother’s bedroom.  Peter Aykroyd, Castle Donington Sunday outing…

Thanks to Rick for another excellent informative ride report on the BMW K100 in the May issue. I would agree with his comment that it is the kind of bike that perhaps would suit a retired professional. However, there is another side to this motorcycle. They appear to be the weapon of choice for teams competing in the BEARS (British European American Racing Series) sidecars at classic and historic race meetings. They are extremely fast and brilliant to watch. I would encourage all to visit a round of the BHRC (British Historic Racing Club) and see them in action. The sight and sound of the likes of Graham Roome and Helen Warner or the Birkett Brothers fighting one these beasts out of North Hill bend at Lydden Hill before flying down…

£4025 1957 MV Agusta 175CS GT This lovely ohc MV shows demand for lightweight Italian classics remains strong. Well restored, with a massive history file detailing work done, this one-year-only model was previously stored in a collection. iconicauctioneers.com £3600 1954 BSA A10 Golden Flash A real period-piece outfit, looking just as it would have in the ’50s. Running, but not used on the road for some time. Sidecar (believed to be a Busmar) is not in great condition, but everything is present and original. eBay £6500 circa 1945 BSA M21 outfit Assembled around 1999, using a refurbished 1939 AA box sidecar hitched to a 1945 M21 chassis, with a 1946 engine. Sold at the Moretonhampstead Motor Museum sale, requiring thorough recommissioning.  charterhouse-bikes.com £8050 1977 Silk 700S One of 138 built…

European regulations aimed at preventing write-offs from either being illegally disposed of, or passed on as legitimate used vehicles, could have a calamitous effect on the UK bike restoration scene. Experts suggest the new rules could label many barn finds as ‘End of Life Vehicles’ (ELVs) and force them to be scrapped. The fact that we’re not in the EU is irrelevant, because the UK has agreed to implement the same measures. The proposed ELV legislation could also: • Apply strict resale conditions for used parts, making selling spares a bureaucratic nightmare.• Ban the sale and export of restoration projects.• Define uninspected or undocumented motorcycles as waste. The good news is that European motorcyclists are already fighting hard. FEMA (the Federation of European Motorcyclist Associations) is campaigning to exclude motorcycles…

This Yamaha FZR750R – aka OW-01 – recently sold for a staggering $80,250 (around £68,000) on US auction website Iconic Motorbikes. It was originally bought by a Canadian dealer, who then sold it – still crated, of course – in 2013 to a collector who kept it in his personal museum before selling through Iconic. In a way, it’s a more extraordinary find than the occasional zero-mile Honda RC30 that crops up, because the Yamaha is so much rarer – only 500 of the homologation specials were ever manufactured. Officially, they were all road bikes complete with lights, speedos and numberplate hangers, but of course their primary purpose was to challenge RC30s on track. That meant a frame built from super-high-quality alloy, an aluminum fuel tank instead of steel, Showa…

RESCUED From grotty to Giro The basket-case 1967 Suzuki K11P pictured above was offered to me by a regular in our pub, as a last resort before taking it to the council tip. He had owned the bike since 1971 – but it had been stored in a damp shed for 50 years after he’d dismantled it in 1973. I did a ‘sympathetic’ rebuild on it, with the help of some original 1970s photographs of the actual bike as a reference, using as many of the original parts as possible. I only replaced parts where it was unsafe or unviable not to. So the wheel rims and spokes, tyres, speedometer, control cables, headlight unit, chain and sprockets, brake pads and the cylinder head are not the original items. The seat…

EARLY DOORS By 1973, Steve was on his way up. He’d ditched the Triumph 500 and Triton he’d started on and got a Yamaha TD2B. This shot is from Snetterton, where he came second. THE RG DAYS When Steve got on an RG500, it was obvious he was going places. This shot is from 1976, on the Dave Moore-supplied RG that Steve says got him his GP ride. He now owns it. CRASHES… … they’ve been a few. One of the closest calls was when Kenny Roberts ran over his head during a pile-up at Donington. Steve later sold his lid at a charity auction and Kenny bought it. THE GP PODIUM Steve scored 21 GP top 10s, but only one podium – at the 1982 French GP. But he…

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Norton fork seal remover Cost: £30 when bought Where: Tool shops “I use this specifically for Norton fork seals, as they can be difficult to get off. You can buy them, but I made this one – it took a few hours, which is quicker than buying online. You usually find that if people haven’t got the right tool, they damage the fork seals to get them on and off.” Triumph tappet knocker Cost: Free Where: Jim’s brain “Triumph barrels have tappet blocks – this knocks them in and out. I make them but don’t label them so when I see them in the drawer I think “what the hell did I make that for?”. There’s all sorts in there and I’ll come to do a job and think “I’m…

Micrometer A good ‘mike’ is the best way to check things like roller wear. 0-1in and 1in-2in are useful bike sizes and there’s plenty around secondhand. Anything in the original box with adjusting tool/instruction sheets is likely to be good, but check it zeros when wound gently closed. Knocking stick Scott cranks are settled into the flywheel using a punch that rests in the countersink. I made this one ready for the reassembly from a scrap (but tough) old wheel spindle. Unlike the original, it doesn’t have a hex socket for tightening the bolt; I’ll have to do that separately. Gasket material Needing thicker cork/rubber gaskets for the Scott’s water jacket, I cut my own using a 3mm sheet from Autohose, suppliers of scarce gasket materials and other good stuff.…

Upgrading to electronic ignition seems almost mandatory nowadays, but can’t cure the weary wiring and component failures behind most ignition faults. Points do have advantages, too. They’re robust, simple and repairable at the roadside, but they do require some know-how. Electronic is ‘fit and forget’, but is more sensitive to minor earth or battery voltage issues – and failure normally means replacement. But later classics with high-revving engines or performance two-strokes definitely benefit from electronic, which has a much more precise advance system than points with their sprung bob-weights. All of which makes electronic a great upgrade for a Honda CB750, Triumph triple or even an Ariel Arrow – but less worthwhile on a BSA M20. Contact breakers are a switch that abruptly cuts current build-up in the primary winding…

I was surprised to see the Catalina Grand Prix sticker on the very nice Britsteel pre-unit Triumph in ‘Rick Rides’ in your wonderful April issue. I have one on my Mountain Cub to acknowledge their domination of the lightweight class back in the day. Your article also reminded me of my own ’52 Triumph bobber, which I owned 55 years ago. The late ’60s/early ’70s was a wonderful era – motorcycles were available here in the States for reasonable prices for us youngsters, as were sport cars such as MGs, Austin Healeys and others. I traded a Honda 305 Super Hawk for a Morris Traveller, which l later traded for the ’52 Triumph. The crankshaft was broken – one of the crankpins at the flywheel. I used a unit motor…