Sam Hewitt

Spiritual homage

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Sam Hewitt

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10th September 2020

With lots of late 1960s and 1970s BMWs ending up as café racers this more authentic take, paying tribute to the beautiful Rennsport, makes a refreshing change. Words and photography: IAN KERR In 2014, Michael Dunlop, son of Robert and nephew of TT legend Joey, gave BMW its first solo class TT win since Georg…
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Triple chance of winning

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Sam Hewitt

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8th September 2020

There’s three stunning classics to be won in The National Motorcycle Museum’s latest raffle. The museum receives no external funding so relies on visitors to the museum, but mainly on support from its conference business and two sister hotels. Therefore, times have been and are tough, so the museum has launched a special Covid-19 appeal…
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PREVIEW: October edition of The Classic MotorCycle

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Sam Hewitt

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4th September 2020

The October edition of The Classic MotorCycle magazine offers a lavishly illustrated celebration of legendary machines, riders and races, and news, reviews and rare period images from the golden age of motorcycling. Drawing on an archive stretching back to 1903, The Classic MotorCycle magazine provides an unparalleled insight into more than a century of motorcycle…
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Benellis top the Bonhams bill

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Sam Hewitt

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4th September 2020

Two exquisite grand prix 250cc Benellis were top of the huge Bonhams’ ‘live and online’ summer sale, held behind closed doors from August 14-16. Top price was the £149,500 1964 four (right), used by Tarquinio Provini, to win that year’s Spanish GP. It had an interesting history, being built up from reunited parts, its engine…
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Super superbike?

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Sam Hewitt

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3rd September 2020

The Series A Vincent-HRD Rapide (as featured in the July 2020 top 10) . . . the first and probably the most enigmatic Vincent twin. Introduced in the late 1930s and with a production run of less than 100 machines, not many people would have ridden or even seen one of these handsome machines. “Oh…
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Coventry Eagle: Flying machine

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Sam Hewitt

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1st September 2020

There are few motorcycles which are in an elevated class, separated from the vast majority of their peers. This, though, is one of them. Words: JAMES ROBINSONPhotography: GARY CHAPMAN During the 1920s, the bosses of several firms cast their lines into the waters of the 1000cc ohv V-twin pond, but most quickly found that the…
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Improving the breed

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Sam Hewitt

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1st September 2020

In 1952, I bought a 1932 Velocette GTP 250cc two-stroke for £9. We got it running and I rode it around in the adjoining field, getting used to the clutch and hand change for a while. My brother said it needed sorting out, so it got dismantled and refurbishment began. In 1954, while out on…
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Recommended reads

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Sam Hewitt

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28th August 2020

Although some of us may be able to start getting out and about for a few rides, there’s no likelihood of big congregations or events anytime soon. To keep you entertained, here’s a bit more suggested reading. SPEED: The One Genuinely Modern Pleasure This highly readable hardback has 14 chapters of fascinating, often little-known facts,…
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Chance meeting with a champion

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Sam Hewitt

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28th August 2020

In early June, I learned with sadness of the passing of Carlo Ubbiali at his home near Bergamo North Italy. As a young man, I saw Ubbiali ride in the Ulster Grand Prix. He won his first ‘Ulster,’ the 125cc event, on a Mondial in 1950 at the age of 21. His last UGP wins…
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Attraction of the artist Gordon Horner

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Sam Hewitt

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27th August 2020

As an occasional reader of The Classic MotorCycle (for which I apologise) and Douglas enthusiast, I am usually attracted by the cover picture, this time the classic Thunderbird on the August 2020 issue doing the trick. Having read the articles, I then thumbed through the pages and arrived at the ‘Day at the Races’ (page…
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