The components for this Rickman Metisse were all bought in the classic period, but never assembled into a complete machine until 2003. It shows that though Don and Derek Rickman were off-road specialists, the twosome also made high quality road kit too...
By the early 60s, Norton was beginning to make engines which were capable of exploiting the performance of its world-renowned frames, and the 650cc Dominator was one such bike...
Once the country’s most popular commuter, these days BSA Bantams – especially the early, prettier but slower 123cc engined-ones – are more likely to be seen at static displays. Roy Poynting describes the different versions and focuses on a special D1...
The Goodman family – manufacturers of Velocette – stopped making motorcycles circa 1970, right? Well, not quite. In 1998, Simon Goodman, the great grandson of the firm’s founder, made one last machine, and thanks to Neil Redley we’ve scooped a test on this unique machine...
Any marriage of ‘the world’s fastest standard motorcycle engine’ to ‘the world’s best roadholder’ should be a contract made in heaven. And in this particular case, it is. Mike Lewis tells the story of an immaculate Vincent-engined special...
This Velocette Special takes the engine from the LE and slots it into the rolling chassis of the Valiant, creating a tidy little lightweight...
The Hesketh V1000 was conceived from an aristocrat’s ambition to produce ‘the finest motorcycles in the world’, yet the glamorous debutant lacked sufficient pedigree to impress motorcycling society...
We’ve all spent idle hours dreaming up our ideal motorcycle but only a tiny percentage convert their imaginings into metal. One of the few is Irishman Tom Healion who spent six years conceiving and building his 250cc NSU ‘Sportymax’ racer...
Quick and Quickly puns apart, the NSU Quick 50, based on a proven design, became one of the forerunners of the renowned sports 50s of the 1970s, though the diminutive NSUs are now rare...
There were many versions of the Ariel Red Hunter, with its first incarnation a ‘sporting’ four-valver that had little relation to what was to come later. The switch to two-valves came quite quickly after, so the template was established...
• Joan Westbrook interview
• Jerry Thurston column
• Archive photograph
• Which model? (Norton 500cc twins)
• BSA M20 super profile
• Moto Guzzi Bicilindrica – history and test
• Reader’s restoration – Triumph Tiger 100
• Straight from the plate – 1963 Thruxton 500 miler
• Ted Mellors’ reflections
• Bantam engine build
• Restoration guide - Triumph 3T
Where legends come to life...
With roots that stretch back to 1903 and a motorcycling archive without equal, The Classic MotorCycle has more to offer the true vintage motorcycle enthusiast than any other publication.
The Classic MotorCycle is published monthly, and available throughout the world in major outlets or by subscription. It is also available via Zinio digital magazines for PC, Mac or iPad / Android tablets.
• Subscribe today - www.classicmagazines.co.uk