New & Features

Rare 250 JAP racing model Unfortunately, it might have offered some clues to the bike’s history, as the engine is a rare 250 JAP racing model – one of very few known survivors. It was in remarkably good condition. Ray put it into a 1934 Triumph Tiger 70 frame, which is somewhere near contemporary with…

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Yamaha’s dual purpose machine After losing his ride with the Agostini Yamaha team, Rob McElnea rejoined Suzuki alongside American ace Kevin Schwantz, at the expense of Kenny Irons. After finishing ninth in the 1985 500cc title chase, McElnea had left Suzuki for Ago’s squad. History informs McElnea finished 10th in the 1988 500cc Riders World…

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Sidecar ace Florian Camathias The Swiss rider set 250 and 350cc 100km records at 192.09kph (119.28mph) and posted a new one hour 250cc record. With his last major trials win over a year previously, BSA works scrambler Jeff Smith took a jaunty light hearted approach to the Northern Expert trails to drop 42 marks and…

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Tommy Robb blags a ride In 1964 he simply retired in the 125cc race. He was out of luck in the 250cc race too; though he set off at a flying pace on a year old works Yamaha, he was forced into repeated stops when the plugs fouled up and he had to call it…

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The Classic MotorCycle on sale now! This month's contents includes… • News    • Wight Lightning Rally   • Subscribe and save    • Brighton Speed Trials    • Kop Hill Climb    • Letters   • Men who mattered (Eric Cheney)   • Den and Christine Etheridge interview  • Classic advert    • For various budgets – three-wheeled motorcycles Starting with the…

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American motorcycle enthusiast Ken Lee had ridden his Henderson from Essex, adding to the 26,000 miles he has already done on the bike However, the appeal of this wonderfully casual get-together meant it was still well supported and this small Kentish village became the destination yet again for motorcycle clubs and individual riders to form…

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TT rider R O Clark set a host of records In common with its rivals, AJS was continually developing its models, making its range – transmission-wise – one of the most advanced in the world, with fully enclosed chain guards and countershaft gearboxes for all models displayed at the November 1912 Olympia Show. While the…

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Cartoon showed machine gun in action… Weighing only 16lb (7kg) and capable of firing 220 rounds per minute, the Laird-Menteyene machine gun seemed ideal for mounting on a motorcycle but due to its magazine position and size had to be mounted high above the handlebars. Scott and Cammell Laird hoped the War Department, which was…

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Charger for smaller batteries Paul’s chargers are suitable for 6V and 12V, are safe to use with all types of batteries and feature a quick release plug and socket connection that can be fitted out of sight to enable easy connection without taking the bike apart. Crocodile clips connectors are also supplied. The cost is…

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Don Daly giving it all on his Manx Norton in the 220 yard sprint at Eelmoor Bernie White completed some eight-second runs on his Douglas SW6 with a best of 8.21 and a 80mph terminal speed. Andrew Taylor, on his hill-climbing Ariel ‘Badger’ was more than a second in arrears. Roger Pailes was best of…

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