Innehållsförteckning för March 2024 från Real Classic

One of the best bits about acquiring another old bike – either as a replacement or an addition – is getting to know it, becoming familiar with what's what, what it does and where it goes. At least, that works for me, as regular readers of The Shed will know. Maybe I need to add that understanding how it does what it does and exactly how it's fitted to the rest of the bike are especial bonus understandings. These can greatly improve the delight involved with fiddling and fettling. And the more successful that process is, the better the bike is likely to be when it comes to actually riding it. From my own personal viewpoint, AMC machinery rarely poses a problem, because I've been messing around with those since…

Recently I read about the cancellation of a major model railway show. The rising costs and dwindling attendee numbers had finally caught up. The average age group of the model railway enthusiast is a mirror image of the classic motorcycle owner, and the numbers are falling. Similarly, many charities face problems recruiting volunteers. The serious lack of volunteers with mechanical engineering experience means some have to go to Germany for steam loco parts. Those volunteers belong to the same age group as vintage and classic motorcyclists. I volunteer with the Leighton Buzzard Railway. Of the thirteen of us, nine are over 70, one is over 80. The supply of new members has been curtailed by the extending of the retirement age and the need for some to carry on working…

I would appreciate anything anyone can tell me about my dad's Rudge. Mum is on the bike and I would think it was taken in the 1940s in Cardiff. Is it a Leeds registration number? The headlamp seems to have a blackout visor – if so, the photo may have been taken during WW2. Mum and dad married in 1943.1 was born in 1947 and by then he had a car. I only saw this photo after mum had passed away, and I didn't know dad owned a bike. When my elder brother fancied a Douglas Dragonfly as a first bike, dad talked him into having a BCA C11 instead. As an apprentice in 1963 I struggled to afford my first bike, which was a BSA SS80. Dad loaned me…

VINTAGE & VETERAN CELEBRATION Let's clear one thing up straight away: despite its title, the Sunbeam Club is an all-marque organisation, open to everyone. Especially everyone with a bike built before 1940! When formed in 1924 the group originally catered for just Sunbeams, but its scope soon broadened to accept all motorcycle marques. Over time, the Sunbeam MCC became the custodian of the Pioneer Register and the host of the Pioneer Run – the world's largest gathering of truly ancient, pre-1915 machines. Back in the 1920s and 30s, many of the club's members were competitive riders who took part in the earliest speed trials and race meetings. Hence many of the club's modern events are open to any vintage or veteran motorcycle or outfit built before 1940 – and hence…

Vintage Stony is PUB's'season opener1 event, for it is hard to get anything earlier than January 1st (unless one wants to organise a trial starting at midnight). The question was would the weather play ball, especially as it was very wet around that time? The very late answer to that one was yes, and flooded bits of road locally had subsided whilst further rain held off until evening – hooray. Next question, would the Bollée play ball – for it had failed fairly badly at Banbury in 2023 for reasons unknown? Naturally it had been looked at/serviced since then, but nothing untoward found, so a day or so in advance a further check was made, and the engine started. No problem, but it couldn't be taken for a drive because…

You'd think that anyone who spends half the week mucking around with motorbikes and the other half of the week writing about mucking around with motorcycles might do something totally different in their spare time. Like – oh, I don't know skydiving or maeramé. But no. For our day off in January we visited a motorcycle factory, and for our day off in February, we visited a motorcycle show. And it would be tricky to find two more different experiences… Our first outing involved a 450 mile round trip to Hinckley. A quarter century ago, we were regular visitors at the original Triumph factory, fetching test bikes for magazine features. That factory was a typical industrial site – functional and workmanlike, full of hustle and bustle. These days, when you…

Sometimes dreams are expensive. Well, usually they are. Whether your particular dream has two legs and the right parts to go with them, a hull and an outboard motor, four wheels and fuel injection, or two wheels and carbs… dreams will cost you. Motorcycles are my lifelong passion, well at least since age 8, and following a 30-year career in the US Navy, they seem to multiply like rabbits in my shop. I have built or repaired dozens and currently have around 30, of 13 different makes. Since the 1960s and my exposure to the Norton girls, I lusted after a Commando (and of course a Norton girl), finally purchasing a 1974 model about ten years ago. As I planned to keep the bike forever, I lavished many dollars on…

After reading the recent letters about riding lighter motorcycles as we get older, I totally agree that it is something a lot of us need to do, I am rapidly approaching the age of 75 with an arthritic left knee, probably due to the motorbike accident I had at Alexandra Palace in 1965. I suffered six breaks in my left leg around the knee and lost my right leg below the knee. This has not stopped me motorcycling. For the first 25 years of married life we initially owned bicycles, then could afford to buy a Lambretta TV200 and Bambini sidecar. From then I have owned around 50 motorcycles and well over 30 sidecar outfits, one of the best being a 1000cc Moto Guzzi California and Headingham sidecar. Until last…

IZH JUPITER 3 If you're a RealClassic regular, you may remember my friend Geoff's home-built rotary Norton which appeared ib RC220. As you might've gathered, Geoff is rather fond of the unusual. However, it's normally the case that when you come across a bike which is rare then it's either very expensive or very old. The bike featured here is indeed one of the rarest motorcycles that resides in our fair isle, but it isn't expensive nor especially old. What is it, then? You're looking at a 1976 Russian-built IZH 350 twin, the Jupiter 3 model, which was occasionally sold or described as a Cossack or even a Neval. Geoff bought the IZH from a friend, and at that time it had a right-hand sidecar chassis fitted which was topped…

I was at the front of the queue for the Triumph 400. So much so that I was an entire year too early and thus missed the boat – by sailing too soon! I spent my cash this time last year on a street-scrambler 500 twin. Even so, I still fit the bill as a potential purchaser of Triumph's new pint-sized roadster, being distinctly susceptible to something bright, shiny and new. I'm always in the market for a physically compact yet peppy streetbike. Let the hunt begin… I've another machine specifically dedicated to long-distance travel, so full touring kit is surplus to requirement. My bike simply needs sufficient carrying capacity for a laptop and waterproofs. Its engine could be a single or a twin, and cubic capacity is less important…

I know it may seem to some that I'm a little bit obsessed with BSA Bantams, but honestly, this is not the case. It's just that the BSA Bantam seems to have an invigorating effect on others, an effect that involves them mucking about with the things to an incredible degree. These people might chop them, or sprint them, or shoehorn Suzuki RG500 engines into them. They trial them and motocross them and race them. And in Dave Musk's case, they turn them into the ultimate austerity motorcycle. A 5bhp, 190mpg, electric start equipped BSA Bantam Diesel Automatic. Dave says there has already been a diesel Bantam, done in Bobber format. Of course there has. A diesel Bantam Bobber. It's entirely logical. But Dave wanted a Bantam that looked like…

PO BOX 66 BUDE EX23 9ZX HAPPY BIRTHDAY RC! I enjoyed Rowena's Members’ Enclosure last month, looking back at the beginning of RealClassic twenty years ago. I bought my copy of RC01 at Shepton Mallet back in 2004, but I doubt I was the first to buy a copy. Before then I had known of Frank from the AJS and Matchless Owners'Club, where he edited the Jampot, the club's magazine. Your piece made me look back at the first issue of RealClassic, as I am proud to have a collection containing every issue, but was horrified to find I don't seem to have RC02. I couldn't find an issue 13 either, but snuggled between RC12 and RC14 was RC12A, so I guess you were superstitious? The magazine is a great…

In the Rickman Interceptor article in RC238, the problem of removing broken studs was encountered. This can be very tricky and can easily result in damage to the casing. I have found that using left-hand spiral drills to do the drilling out quite often results in the remains of the stud winding out on the drill while drilling. Most good engineers suppliers sell left hand drills. Be very wary of the'easy out'tool. If it snaps off in the part then the only solution is spark eroding. There is a device called a'tap disintegrator'but they are a bit random and can damage the thread. If the part is precious, and you are unsure, take the job to a professional. Great articles by Odgie. Does he wear his underpants over his tights…

As my Russian is a bit rusty, please take the following information with a generous sprinkle of sodium chloride. The general gist is that the Soviet people's committee for the economy issued an order in 1931 that the Izhevsk motorcycle manufacturing plant should be commissioned, with the potential to manufacture 120,000 machines per year. This undertaking was no doubt inspired by the efforts of one Pyotr Mozharov, an automotive designer at the Izhevsk armament plant. Mozharov headed up the'moto department’ and put together several motorcycle prototypes in the late 1920s. The IZH1 of 1928 was a transverse 1200 sidevalve twin which output 24bhp, weighed 300kg and bristled with innovative suspension and drive solutions. Mozharov followed his initial efforts through the 1930s with half a dozen more experimental machines, mainly powered…

HONDA CB450DX The devil finds work for idle hands, they say. So it is with me and classifieds or well-known online auction sites. Itchy fingers just casually window shopping – until the temptation becomes too much… This particular impulse-purchase is the product of an old and recurring itch. I have owned a few Superdreams over the years, both 250 and 400 models. I liked them all yet sold them. When I ask myself why I would sell any machine I quite liked, only to regret it and later buy one similar, I can't really find the answer. It's an affliction and I seem to have done it again. Well – almost. In case you've never tripped over one of these, this is a Honda CB450DX and is, to all intents…

It sometimes feels like the only reason I can produce for hanging on to some of our old clunkers is that they provide seemingly endless opportunities to pass away those frozen, windswept hours out in the unheated environs of The Shed. Like several others, I would prefer to actually ride my machinery more often, but… but… I have the RE Woodsman for winter duties, so can stop pretending that I maintain my weary fleet of two (Triumph T25SS and Matchless G2 CSR) ready to take up Post Office Run duties every time it's salty outside. At the moment, Woody is providing reliable and rugged riding, so why did I get both Matchless and Triumph ready for action a couple of months ago? No idea. Moving swiftly on, then. All the…