RealClassic

Happy Noodle! The first issue of RealClassic for 2024 was written by riders (as always) and assembled by Rowena Hoseason and Frank Westworth of the Cosmic Bike Co Ltd. Chris Abrams at AT Graphics delivered dashing page design; Mortons Media Group Ltd

It is indeed that time again. The time when we need to throw away our old calendars (or in our case, the old year planner) and pin up the new. Welcome to 2024, then, assuming that Santa's little helpers haven't miraculously managed to deliver this is

The pinking I experienced on the R69S wasn't improved by using high octane petrol (it seldom is from my experience), nor any liquid fuel additives. An older, wiser hand made me a present of the aforementioned diamond-shaped lead balls, complete with

Great question in the subscriber newsletter about what got us started with motorbikes, and some fantastic answers in RC235. Just like another reader, it was Lawrence of Arabia for me – the film was what got me going. That beginning, the shots of him

My brother took me camping in Anglesey on his C15. The big end seized in Ruthin on the way home. I learned my mechanic skills at the side of the road as he stripped it down! We borrowed my folks'Moggy Minor to bring it back home. Once I was 16, I bou

I really should say a big thank-you to Mike Tizard and his team at the Salisbury Motorcycle and Light Car Club for the excellent job they do organising the Arbuthnot Trial in early September every year. For those not familiar with this event, it was

I found myself agreeing with Frank's From The Front in RC236. I also ride all year round. Similarly, not to impress but because I don't mind it. There's a car on the drive that doesn't move from one week to the next unless needed for shopping and so

Many thanks to Ted Rivington and Greg Poplar for their letters on my recent AFS Matchless G3 article. I'm glad they both enjoyed it. If Ted's mate is interested he could send details of the bike to the da dating ting offic officer er of of the AJS an

I wonder if any readers have come across one of these rather handsome machines. It is the curiously named New Map, a make I had not heard of. I saw it while I was on holiday in Brittany. The friendly owner told me it dated from 1926. I thought it loo

I think expectation and value sometimes conflict with reality. In 1971 I bought this Ariel for £75 because I needed a bike to get me to the TT. I rode it home.The lights didn't work, the carburation was horrendously wrong but it worked. Going through

Can anyone recommend a good company that I could send my painted petrol tank to? Or a chemical to remove an existing internal tank liner? This was applied many years ago and is now very flaky due to ethanol petrol. I want to also protect external pai

I have restored many old and butchered bikes but nothing like the massive challenge of your correspondent with the Canal rescued Beezer, well done that man. Regarding Frank's piece on the Vincent Comet. I have always been very suspicious of the 21ft

In RC235 there is a report about riding the Moto Giro d'Italia which mentions that the event was in a dormant stage until 1989. It wasn't very dormant in 1968 when I was a member of a team from Lambretta Club of GB riding a SX150! Bike #19 in the pho

➢ There's a RIDE-IN to the Sammy Miller Museum. Park in the courtyard from 10am until 1pm (use the car park if you want to leave earlier). All welcome, no booking needed. Museum open 10am to 3pm with discounted admission everyone who has ridden in. A

Late in the year the National Motorcycle Museum opens its doors for the widely advertised free weekend (unless one attends by car, for which a parking fee remains). As it is not far for PUB, and additional attractions are laid on in the form of talks

Legend has it that back in the mid to late 1950s Velocette boffins proposed a radical new direction for the company. Recognising that they had previous experience making two-stroke sports bikes, it was proposed that instead of constantly mucking abou

Nostalgia is a many-splendoured thing, as someone of a poetic bent might have said. It's likely that we all suffer from nostalgia to some degree or other – I most certainly do, although in truth I do not hanker much for my younger days. The only thin