Innholdsfortegnelse for February 2026 i Classic Bike

May 1979, Nations Grand Prix, Imola, Italy Judging by the shirtless spectators, May 13 was a glorious day at Imola – or, to use its proper title, Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari – for the Nations Grand Prix. Reigning world champion Kork Ballington (#1) was on pole in the 250 race on the disc-valve tandem-twin Kawasaki KR250, and would set the fastest race lap on his way to taking the victory. He had stiff competition, though, including from a young American called Randy Mamola (Yamaha, #39). In his first season, Mamola ran at the front and was second here at Imola, finishing the year fourth overall. He also replaced injured Mike Baldwin in the 500cc class from mid-season, and came second in the Finnish GP on the Suzuki RG500.…

ISDE returns After a 44-year absence, the International Six Day Enduro will come to the UK next year. Called the FIM 6 Days, it will follow the old ISDE’s format, with teams from around the world competing in Wales (where the 1983 event was held – that’s Arthur Browning competing below). More details as we get them. Hossack’s tales Norman Hossack, inventor of the double-wishbone suspension system used on several BMW models, has written a book explaining how he did it, and how he won various British championships along the way. It’s called Out on a Limb and is available for £26.99 on Amazon. New racing museum The FIM has launched its new Racing Motorcycle Museum, in Mies, Switzerland. Bikes on display range from Marc Marquez’s 2025 MotoGP title-winning Ducati to…

When Royal Enfield listed the 350 Bullet in its range in 1932, the factory could have had no idea the model would still be in production today. No Bullets were made from 1940 until 1948, but the model’s ongoing creation makes it the longest-running motorcycle in continuous production. Beloved by adventurers, commuters, trials riders and even road racers, the Bullet remains a favourite – benign and dependable, despite its deathly moniker. “From the 1950s to the early 2000s, Royal Enfield was generally known in India as The Bullet Company,” says RE historian Gordon May. The model defines the company. If you’re after a simple, dependable motorbike to take you into the Himalayas, a 350 Bullet does the job. Inveterate traveller Nick Sanders chose a Bullet for his 1992 trans-global trek.…

Apart from the spoked wheels of the earliest RS models, at first glance there isn’t a lot of difference between the RS (or RT) variants. But a fair bit of development took place over the years the twinshock RS and RT remained in production. The 1981-on bikes have most of the really important upgrades including electronic ignition and a lighter flywheel that helps smoother gearchanges – though it’s worth mentioning that some owners prefer the pre-’81 engine characteristics. And for the full package, a 1983 or 1984 bike will have the revised gear selector camplate, too. Like most classic bikes, R100RS and RT prices have come down of late. There are certainly good ready-to-ride RS models around for less than £5000. Take your time looking and you might find one…

Wooden engine stand “I’m a chippy by trade, so I made this stand to allow me to work on the underside of the CB’s engine. It’s got holes for the barrel studs to slip into, so it’s as steady as a rock when I’m working on the motor. Simple and cheap, yet it’s been really useful.” Oil cans “These Wesco oil cans are donkey’s years old; maybe 60 years old or more – they were my grandad’s originally, then my dad’s, then mine. They’re really handy to have about to lubricate components when I’m building a project. They’ll outlast me…” Oil filter puller “This is an old Honda tool for removing oil filters. I believe in the right tool for the job and that’s exactly what this is. You can’t…

1964 Greeves 24 TES “This was the first Greeves I ever owned – I got it in 1985 when I was 15 (Michael got his at 14) and I used to do scrambles and trials on it. It got me started on Greeves and I probably went through at least eight when I was a youngster.” 1962 Greeves 24 MDS “The 24 MDS was Greeves’ mainstay scrambler for years. It had a 250 Villiers engine with a Greeves head and barrel, and was a copy of Dave Bickers’ 1961 European title-winning machine. We’ve got bike 101 – the first one off the production line.” 1975 Greeves Gauntlet “This is a prototype bike made to try and win an army contract when they ditched BSA. Can-Am got the contract, so Greeves…

1 Think carefully about how it’s going to come apart again. It’s a special; you’re going to be tinkering around with it all the time. Create sub-assemblies which will facilitate the swift removal and replacement of several components at once. Welding nuts or studs into place will save time later on. 2 Consider ergonomics. Put switches where you want them and can easily reach them. 3 If carrying out a twin headlamp conversion, be certain that the charging system will be able to compensate for the extra current draw. Ensure that the headlamp bulbs are of appropriate wattage and include relays to prevent the switchgear from burning out. 4 Admit mistakes. Never bodge your way out of trouble, and be willing to take backward steps. 5 Don’t even think about starting on the…

Reading ‘Rick Rides’ on the XT500 in the January issue, and the timeline leading to the XT600, I recalled having bought both as new bikes. Having toured all the local bike shops looking for a big trail bike, I found the BMWs were too expensive – but at JK Hirst in Bradford I found the XT500, which appealed straight away. So I part-exchanged my Kawasaki KL250 for a new one. As Rick said, road bikes were far more popular in the UK, so it wasn’t swamped out with big trail bikes at the time. From memory, my XT500 gave around 32bhp, with the XT600 I bought later hitting the low 40s. Both bikes were great allrounders. The XT500 wasn’t fast, but could keep up on the motorway. I couldn’t imagine…

Gordon May Nobody knows more about Royal Enfield’s past than their historian Gordon. He helped fill our anniversary feature with insight and wisdom. Pages 26-35 Rick Parkington We put our British bike expert on a multi-valve, multi-cylinder 1980s missile. His test is genuinely insightful, entertaining and revealing. Pages 36-42 Jim Moore There’s nobody better at digging out resto tales than Jim. This month’s two-bike story is a feelgood example of why old bikes are ace. Pages 64-70…

Why you want a Super Blackbird Think of a brand known for making fast bikes and Kawasaki will probably spring to mind. It’s thanks to models like the Z1, GPz900R and ZZ-R1100. In the early ’90s the big ZZ-R was the undisputed King of Speed, and this upset Honda – so they built the CBR1100XX Super Blackbird. Designed to go insanely fast, its 1137cc inline-four engine with over 140bhp and its slippery bodywork let it pass 175mph. But the Blackbird is also refined. The twin balance shafts make it super-smooth, it has the quality responsible for Honda’s reputation, and it’s even all-day comfy. Why now is the time It’s 30 years since the big CBR whooshed into action, and the folk who couldn’t afford one in ’96 – or who…

Photos recently revealed by the FBI show what looks like the ultimate barn find. The 62 motorcycles all crammed into a building in Mexico City include GP racers ranging from a 1984 Freddie Spencer NSR500 to a 2017 Jorge Lorenzo Ducati Desmosedici. But this is no ordinary find. The photos were taken after a raid by Mexican special forces, and the FBI says that the machines were bought by fugitive Ryan Wedding as part of a global operation to launder drug money. The list of motorcycles is phenomenal. It includes several rare and desirable road bikes, including a Suzuki GSX-R750RR and Ducati 888, plus what appear to be Kawasaki ZXR750 WSB machines. But it’s Grand Prix metal that dominates this astounding stash – we can see at least six Ducati…

Many famous names from the golden years of British bike manufacture have been recently revivified after lingering deaths in the 1970s. Triumph, Norton and now BSA ride again. Royal Enfield is alone in boasting continuous production since 1901. The mean-spirited might apply the caveat that production in Chennai, India after the Bradford-on-Avon facility closed in June 1970 does not constitute continuous. But if you’re making motorbikes with RE on the tank, that’s production. It matters not where it takes place. The firm dates back to November 1891, when Bob Walker-Smith and Albert Eadie bought-out needle manufacturer George Townsend & Co of Redditch, Worcestershire. Townsend had begun making bicycles and his venture was attractive to the duo. In 1893 they won a contract to supply parts to The Royal Small Arms…

Royal Enfield did things differently with their Interceptor. While the parallel twins from Triumph and BSA were 650s, the Redditch factory made a tall, distinct, 736cc long-stroke machine with loping torque – and it was smooth, too. “The crank was dynamically balanced, as they had been since the 500 Twin in 1948,” says RE expert Gordon May. “This ensured it didn’t rattle your dentures out at 60mph, unlike others of the era.” The Series 1 Interceptor was wheeled out in 1962 (a few earlier 692cc bikes had been export only), evolved through the Series 1A and Series 2 – and there would have been an 800 Interceptor too, had production not ended in 1970. ‘A really meaty performer, exhilarating when at full cry, yet docile when the houses start to…

There were few, if any, machines around in 1976 that could match the R100RS’s all-round abilities. With a Hans Muth-designed fairing, BMW had invented the sports-tourer. A top speed of around 125mph remains impressive for a ’70s machine, but it’s the ability to maintain improbably high average speeds for hours on end that is its superpower. A well maintained R100RS will lope along at 90mph all day, while keeping riders up to 6ft tall comfortable. The big boxer has proven reliability over thousands of miles – and you’ll have some fun, too. At a claimed 210kg, the BMW is over 25kg lighter than a Kawasaki Z1000 of the same vintage, and the handling is stable and predictable. Although the gearchange isn’t the slickest, due to the engine-speed clutch, the brakes…

What commitment looks like This contorted chap is Swiss engineer and driver Rudi Kurth. His outfits employed monocoque designs, allowing the engine – a two-stroke three-cylinder Crescent boat unit – and the other parts on his ‘kneeler’ to be packaged as tightly as possible. The diminutive devices required extreme tucking by Kurth as well as his passenger Dane Rowe – you can just see her feet poking out the back of the outfit. Dane started riding alongside Bill Copson in the 1960s before meeting innovative sidecar builder Kurth. They were in the habit of transporting the outfit to meetings on the roof of a Citroën DS estate car and were married in 1973. Keeping warm on the home-brew As David and Maureen Lynes have deployed the knitwear in this shot…

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Villiers service tools Cost: Around £50 Where: villiersservices.co.uk “The tool at the top goes onto the cap on the clutch, the one below is for the engine sprocket. The brassy item is for locking the engine sprocket and clutch basket together. Finally, on the right there’s a Hammer Tight spanner.” Stefa flywheel extractor Cost: £22.50 Where: britishbikes1970.com “This is a Greeves flywheel extractor made for later engines.” Gary’s company British Bikes 1970 sells a variety of flywheel extractors, plus dozens of other service tools including Villiers clutch cap tools, clutch pullers and sprocket pullers (for both 25-and 21-tooth). TEC TIG welding torch Cost: £104 Where: Tec Products “This is Michael’s. He sometimes uses it a lot, because if we go quiet in the workshop Michael will switch to fabrication –…

Rattle gun It didn’t work this time – but if you have a compressor, a rattle gun is a great investment. It shocks flywheel or sprocket nuts tight or loose, usually without need to wedge them beyond a firm hand hold. Around £30. Old lathe chuck Obsolete fitting, worn big lathe chucks like this 12in job aren’t worth much to engineers – but they make a very useful tool to hold round things securely, like crank flywheels for big-end replacement. Peg spanners It’s always worth making a peg spanner rather than reaching for a chisel. I made the Bradbury one from a spacer, but I‘ve used an old spanner before. It’s worth keeping old angle grinder ones, too. Next Month Rick’s on a roll now and hoping to get the…

Triumph have confirmed that the new Thruxton 400 is coming to the UK. Based on the big-selling Speed 400, the café racer gets an uprated engine (power is up five percent from 39.5 to 41.5bhp), a more aggressive riding position and a neat nose fairing that makes it look like a mini Speed Triple 1200 RR. The Thruxton will cost £5995 when it arrives in dealers in March.…

The ISDT was without doubt the hardest, nastiest motorcycle competition ever devised. Six consecutive days riding the same bike through the most demanding terrain against the clock, with all entrants maintaining their machines as well as making running repairs. Any competitor hoping to achieve even a Bronze medal (an achievement in itself) would be expected to ‘flash a bladder’ in less than three minutes. That means to remove a wheel, change a tyre inner tube and refit the wheel. All tools and spares had to be carried on the machine by the rider. Along the way there would be special sections, speed trials, brake tests and a motocross round – and all the while the stopwatch was ticking away the seconds, with the timekeepers ready to dock marks from any…

1976 The R100RS debuts at the International Bicycle and Motorcycle Exhibition, Cologne. It’s the first mass-produced bike with a full chassis-mounted fairing, improving rider weather protection, aerodynamics and machine stability. 1977  First year of full production. Spoked wheels standard, cast alloy optional. Twin front brake discs, drum rear. Dual/sports seat options. 1978  Cast alloy wheels are now fitted as standard, and the rear brake is swapped for a disc. The engine receives revised cam timing. Limited edition Motorsport model available alongside the standard R100RS. 1979 Dual seat now becomes the standard fitment. Motor gets a new crank, single-row chain drive to the cam and an oil cooler. Revisions to the points housing/drive. New touring R100RT version released, fitted with a larger fairing (above). 1980 Improved lubrication to rear main bearing.…

Memories matter to Martin Short. His spacious triple-sized garage and adjoining shed/bar – both crammed from wall to wall with bikes, cars, ongoing projects, photographs and items of nostalgia, each from an important time from his past – blur the line between man cave and museum. Both the size and eclectic nature of Martin’s collection are staggering. Amongst it all, there’s a BSA A10 café racer – a 1956 example with a ’61 engine and rear wheel, I’m told. It’s hard to know where to look next, but I also spot a Suzuki RG500, a Yamaha RD350F1, an ultra-rare early ’50s Norton 500 T trials combo next to a Kawasaki Ninja 250 (both inherited from his late father, Bill), and a mint Ducati 748 bought from a now-passed friend’s estate.…

I am trying to save as many of them as possible,” says Gary Bamford, standing in a workshop overflowing with Greeves. Some are freshly restored and in immaculate condition, others are in a sorry state awaiting Gary’s attention. His company – British Bikes 1970 – specialises in all things Greeves, and Gary has been riding or working on them since he was a teenager. Alongside his colleague Mike, he restores and repairs all Greeves models and has a vast collection of original and newly-manufactured parts. ‘I think Greeves bikes are easy to work on… and they’re fun to ride’ “I think they’re easy to work on,” says Gary, “and they’re fun to ride. It’s a well known brand – back in the day everybody had a Greeves so there are…

In response to your photograph of the 1976 Bol d’Or (‘Return of the Big H’, January issue), yes – we were there. We joined the masses invading the track at the end of the race – your pass gave free access to the pits. In a way, it was almost shocking, it all being so dangerous. I had ridden down with my fianceé – the photo on the right is of us on the Guzzi, she with beer in hand – to stay with her brother’s in-laws. We rode down French Route Nationales to Le Mans, there being no motorways at the time. Later, I rode part of the track in the general post-race free-for-all on my Guzzi 850T, taking the in-law’s son on the back – after a few…

This is a picture of me and my gang of motorcycling mates in 1968. I was 18 at the time and having started out on a BSA Bantam, then moved on through a 250 Matchless, Triumph 21 and BSA B32, I’d got myself a Velocette Viper. The blokes in the picture are, from left to right: Chris Allen, Donald Scocroft, myself, Will Siehl, Dick (can’t remember his surname) and Adrian Sutcliffe. Will was from Holland but came over every year, and still does – it was him who found me the Velocette in the first place. You can see the tail end of his BMW 500 with its Dutch plate in the background between Chris and Donald. You’ll also note that he was also the only one of us to…