Classic Bike

Observe the sense of relief on my face in the picture below. That’s only partly because it has finally stopped raining. We’ve actually made it to the finish of the last off-road section of the Beamish Trial – and at times during the day that didn’t seem likely. From that location, on the edge of Weardale, all that remains is a 20-mile road run to the finish and, against the odds, my BSA Bantam is still running. That’s despite having been subjected to severe abuse and hideous weather for the whole day. It turns out that the Beamish is quite a challenge for a rigid-framed lightweight and now there’s a long list of items suffering from ‘wear and tear’ that need fixing. And unfortunately, the toolbox lid is lost on…

Gez Kane John Docherty has owned his pre-war Speed Twin since 1980, but has only just got round to restoring it. He trusted Gez to give this revered machine a test ride. Don Cox Racing journalist Don has spent years tracking the tales of Aussie racers like Jack Ahearn who came to Europe seeking glory in the ’50s, ’60s and ’70s. Bruce Dunn Two-strokes are a passion for Bruce, and keeping his Yamaha TZ250 racer in top fettle is a labour of love. He explains exactly what makes them so special. Get in touch at: letters@classicbike.co.uk Next month New, improved Classic Bike magazine hits the newsstands, with extra workshop content, more buying info and a big hit of nostalgia – see page 86 for a taste of things to come……

1936/2024 Velocette 500 Phil Price, 59, artist from New Zealand This is a replica of a 1936 factory bike. We’ve made it all ourselves – we had all the patterns and castings made and machined everything. The engine, girder forks, frame, wheels, tank… it’s all been made from scratch in home workshops by clever amateur types. That takes a long time – it was three years in the making. In 1936, Velocette made some dohc engines for their 350s and put a swingarm on the 500s at the behest of Stanley Woods. Our bike has the swingarm and the dohc, which Velocette never did, but we’ve managed to squeeze it in. We tried the bike at home in New Zealand on the short circuits and it was pretty good, so…

Six-time MotoGP World Champion Marc Marquez (Puch Maxi) leads five-time MotoGP winner Miguel Olivera (another mid-’70s Maxi) and MotoGP wonderkid Pedro Acosta (exceedingly rare KTM Mini Cross). Behind them are fellow MotoGP riders Brad Binder and Jorge Martin. The gang were celebrating Austria’s glorious moped past, prior to the recent Austrian MotoGP, where they led a ride-out of hundreds of classic mopedeers around the GP circuit. NEWS IN BRIEF CB400F Fest If you’re partial to a CB400F, there’s only one place to be on Saturday, September 28: David Silver’s Honda Open Day at his Suffolk museum. To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the CB, David and his team have gathered over 40 400Fs, ranging from race winners to customs to high-mileage hacks. Entry to the museum is free and there…

SANTA POD is likely the place that comes to mind when you think of UK drag racing. And rightly so. The Bedfordshire venue opened for straightline competition in Easter 1966 and was not only the UK’s but also Europe’s first permanent ¼ and ⅛-mile strip. Every motorsport discipline has its own hallowed venue – and the Pod is to drag racing what Brands Hatch is to short circuits or Hawkstone Park is to motocross. It’s a magical place – not just to UK riders and fans, but continental ones too. Sunday, October 13 sees Santa Pod host the Straightliners 2024 Championship finals, and you really should get down there and take a look – spectator tickets cost £21 from santapodtickets.com. Or have a go yourself. With no fewer than nine…

5 Huggy’s Speed Shop Auto Shindig and Swapmeet, Mallory Park Centre, Mallory Park Circuit, Leicestershire. Autojumble meets party as the Huggy’s crew throw open their doors for another of these popular events. Live music, good food and a great excuse to browse the Aladdin’s cave of bikes, memorabilia and parts that is the Speed Shop – as well as the autojumble outside. 01827 712906 5 Rufforth Autojumble, Rufforth Park, Rufforth, North Yorkshire. rufforthautojumble.com 5 Classic Drive and Ride-in, Lakeland Motor Museum, Blackbarrow, Cumbria. Join around 100 drivers and riders as they converge on the museum. Check out the museum collection too – it includes 100 motorcycles and scooters. lakelandmotormuseum.co.uk 6 Pioneer Run, Tattenham Corner, Epsom to Shoreham Airport, West Sussex. The world’s premier event for veteran (pre-1915) motorcycles. It’s a…