The Classic MotorCycle December 2024

There’s a great mix of motorcycles in this issue, ranging from early Pioneer efforts from some of Britain’s biggest motorcycle-making names, through to the final efforts of those firms in their (vaguely) original incarnations. That spans the remit of the period this magazine loosely follows, though of course we all know any rules aren’t hard and fast and are made for breaking (or at least bending) anyway. But, roughly speaking, that 80-odd years is our period, and what a spell it was. The 40 years since have got nothing on it, in terms of the development and the progress, while the final motorcycles from each of the factories we feature (or at least three, perhaps four, anyway) in our First and last article from page 48, show that the people…

Worthy of a full-page feature in The Motor Cycle of May 19, 1932, plus a pair of paragraphs the week before, the report of the Austrian TT recorded that: “British machines did well.” The initial mention of the race (in the May 12, 1932, number) went thus: “The Continental road-racing season started early this year, several events already having been run. The latest is the Austrian TT, held last weekend. “British machines did well. Schneeweiss (Rudge) won the 500cc class and Leightl (AJS) the 350ccc. The 250cc event went to Cmyral, on the Austrian Puch, and Bohman, on a JAP-engined machine, the 175cc. The fastest lap was made by Runtsch (AJS).” That was followed up the week after with this picture and a fuller explanation of the race. The caption…

Series A twin stars at Stafford With a busy saleroom at The Classic Motorcycle Mechanics Show, Stafford Showground buzzing with excitement, at around 1.30pm on October 13, lot number 297 came up for sale. The machine offered was the 1936 Olympia Motorcycle Show display Series A Vincent-HRD. The model, first shown to the public at large at the 1936 show, boasting – to quote auctioneer Bonhams’ catalogue – ‘undreamed-of performance, and the price of an average house’. Carrying engine number V1001, it was sold off the Vincent-HRD stand in 1936, although was also used for publicity purposes too. While the vast majority of all its owners are known, it – prior to the sale – last changed hands in 1999. It was shown (and was a prizewinner) at April 2017’s…

Organisers of any outdoor event this year have been plagued by the sheer unpredictability of the climate, with some recent motoring festivals suffering ‘a month’s rain in a single day’. Kop Hill Climb, always held so near to the autumn equinox, was once again favoured by the weather gods, opening on Saturday, September 21, with cloudless skies and remaining so for the entire weekend, the meeting concluding on Sunday 22. This resulted in possibly the largest number of spectators ever recorded on Sunday, not certain as still counting, but a brilliant financial outcome for charitable funds raised. This year, two notable anniversaries were celebrated, with 60 years of Lamborghinis and the final event of the celebration of the centenary of the Sunbeam Motor Cycle Club. The organisation displayed a selection…

1924 Better foundations and surfaces were needed for Britain’s roads. A press report had recently reckoned the motorcycling, motoring and commercial vehicle communities were currently being ‘fleeced’ £15,000,000 per annum. Said the press, if all of this money was spent on roads, including the main roads being broken up by heavy lorries, then highways would be satisfactory. Instead, the Government was ‘creaming off’ a substantial percentage of taxes levied on powered road users and with what’s left, maintaining roads in ‘passable’ condition. Alongside this, the report noted, it was worth noting how much damage was done to roads by heavily loaded commercial vehicles running on narrow, often solid, tyres. 1949 Government clout? It had been known for some time motorcyclists and others had been supplementing their petrol ration with methanol…

“Mike the Bike – again” The story of Mike Hailwood’s return to the TT Author: Ted Macauley Forewords by: Bernie Ecclestone and James Toseland. Published by: Published by Veloce Publishing Ltd, 2 Poundbury Business Centre, Middle Farm Way, Poundbury, Dorchester DT1 3W Tel: 01305 260068 Email: sales@veloce.co.ukSoftback, 145 x 210mm (portrait); 108 pages with 38 colour and monochrome photographs. ISBN: 978-1-787113-13-8 £14.99 (UK); $20 USD; £26 CAD; $29 AUD. In June 1978, 11 years after he quit Grand Prix motorcycle racing, Mike Hailwood returned to the Isle of Man TT races, probably the most prestigious, and certainly the most demanding road races in the world. It was ‘against all odds’ stuff; on announcemen, he was aged 38, overweight and unfit, though later going through an intense fitness programme. What is…