Classic Racer

Is it really 20 years since we lost the great man? When we mark occasions like this, we often think ‘what if?’ Imagine the last 20 years of stories, appearances, parade laps and maybe even competitive outings, such as the classic races he enjoyed tow

Two decades ago, Neil Hodgson became the UK’s second World Superbike Champion. A former schoolboy moto-crosser, Neil never described himself as ‘a natural’ on two wheels, but nevertheless by the time he was 13 he was winning everything there was to w

Classic Racer, Mortons Media Group, Media Centre, Morton Way, Horncastle, Lincs, LN9 6JR. CRletters@mortons.co.uk facebook.com/ClassicRacerMag/ Dear CR I’m getting a bit cheesed off right now with Classic Racer… Don’t get me wrong, I love the magazin

Even after he started to hit the headlines, the late great Bill Ivy would, when commitments allowed, go down to Brands Hatch to spectate even at club-level race meetings, just for the enjoyment of the race atmosphere, and simply ‘being there.’ In his

For most of the American marque's 119 years in existence, calling any Harley-Davidson a road racer has seemed pretty much a contradiction in terms. Sure, the Motor Company’s Italian Aermacchi subsidiary won a quartet of 250/350cc GP World titles in t

In 2023 Dave Street celebrates 50 years since he won the Bemsee 500cc championship – the premier club championship of the time. Dave rode an immaculate Matchless G50 Seeley and his pride in machine presentation came from motorcycle dealer and race en

I’m buying breakfast for Nigel Bosworth – known to all as ‘Boz’ in the paddock – where he spent decades as a racer, test rider and team manager. He’s chosen the location (let’s just say it’s not the cheapest) but as I’m paying the bill, I want to sta

After being founded in 1976, Honda Britain Racing had grown to become one of the biggest outfits in almost all areas of motorcycle sport as the 1980s dawned. As part of Honda’s European Championship Endurance winning team (as partner with Honda Franc

There’s not much Nick Jefferies hasn’t done on a motorcycle. Nick, a former factory Honda trials rider in the 1970s, won the Manx Two-Day trial in 1976 before switching to road racing and winning the Senior Manx Grand Prix in 1983 and the Formula 1 T

The 2022 CRMC annual awards and dinner/dance took place at the club’s usual venue, the Mercure Daventry Court Hotel, and despite the cost of living squeeze more than 230 members and guests booked their seats to enjoy the festivities and see the prese

For four decades from 1958 until he passed away in 1999, aged 72, Grand Prix race mechanic Giuseppe Pattoni dedicated his life to constructing the distinctive green Paton road racers. ‘Peppino’, or ‘Pep’ as he was known, would often work long hours i