Join the Classic Bikers Club FREE today!

Classic Bikers ClubRegister FREE today to gain access to our competitions, special offers and bike discussion forums!
There are over 800 motorcycling articles now on-line - with more added daily. Plus, keep up to date with the latest classic news

Create an accountSee subscriber-only offersHelp & FAQ

Reference


This Pilgrim oil pump is an example of a delivery only pump
Oil pumps are usually hidden in the depths of an engine. Unfortunately the age-old saying ‘out of sight, out of mind’ often applies. As they are the heart of our motorcycle engines, lubricating vital bearings and other moving surfaces, they deserve regular health checks...
Now when was it that historical motorcycle booklet
Welcome to the second online serialisation of the book Now when was it that?, a mixed bag of motorcycle snippets and industry trivia, written by Old Bike Mart's founder Ken Hallworth, then recrafted by Jeff Clew...
AJS and Matchless twin - iconic engines
When AMC introduced its parallel twin engine to an eager public in 1948 at the Motorcycle Show, it proved that the firm was not frightened of bucking the trend in engine building...
1949 AB Jackson lightweight 99cc classic motorcycle
Encyclopaedia of Classic Motorcycles: the definitive classic motorcycle guide. To view other content within this reference work, you must be a subscriber
World's fastest Triumph
In a projectile measuring 17ft from nose to tail you would imagine there would be plenty of room for the rider. But that's not so with Joe Dudek's red and white Triumph-powered streamliner. Vic Willoughby explains...
Ariel's pressed frame was ahead of its time
Innovative motorcycle manufacturer Ariel was arguably ahead of its time when it produced the pressed steel frame for the Leader and Arrow. It didn't catch on at the time, sadly...
Viper engine produced impressive power output
Never a major manufacturer in the way of Triumph or BSA, Velocette nevertheless produced some iconic motorcycles generally based around a single-cylinder four-stroke engine...
JAP works in Northumberland Park, Tottenham, London, 1946
There's a mountain of difference between pioneering a cine camera and manufacturing the world's most powerful engines, but that's just what John Prestwich did and successfully too...
Royal Enfield 500cc vertical twin
When was it that Royal Enfield had an un-named twin?
Second version of Crighton’s air-cooled rotary racer 1987
It’s fifty-five years since the first practical Wankel rotary engine was built by NSU in Germany. John Nutting was one of the first journalists to ride a rotary-engined motorcycle when Norton-Villiers-Triumph revealed its ultra-smooth prototype in the 70s...
Hesketh 1200cc Vulcan
British Bike enthusiasts were willing Lord Hesketh to fulfil his dream of building a competitive all-British superbike, but it was not to be. The bikes were badly received and suffered from noisy transmissions and production faults, forcing the company into receivership during the summer of 1982...
View original Amal Monobloc article (pdf)
Four phase check for economy and performance on Amal's popular Monobloc motorcycle carburettor by Don Bridgewood...
Moto Guzzi Le Mans was the range leader for the Italian motorcycle firm
Encyclopaedia of Classic Motorcycles: the definitive classic motorcycle guide
Now when was it that? bookazine
Serialisation of motorcycle industry trivia, offering a fascinating historical insight into the workings and marketing of motorcycles
1974 rotary-engined DKW W2000 classi superbike motorcycle
Encyclopaedia of Classic Motorcycles: the definitive classic motorcycle guide
Life at the Meriden Triumph motorcycle factory (pdf)
Triumph specialist Hughie Hancox spent many happy years at Meriden and had a 'right royal time'. Here he shares some anecdotes, from archery in the Packing Department to covering up for test rider Percy Tait when a policeman chased him into the factory canteen...
Specialist diagnostics (pdf)
Peter Fraser visits a specialist motor cyclist dealer's workshop and deals with cylinder wear, chaincase condensation, oil leaks and clutch trouble
MZ 124cc motorcycle engine in exploded diagram form
The whys and wherefores behind the phenomenally powerful rotary-valved 124cc 200bhp/litre MZ two stroke explained by Vic Willoughby
250cc Honda four racer
Honda's slightly 'oversquare' 250 four is conventionally designed, aside from the four valves per cylinder, contributing to a healthy 45bhp output
Norton Dominator and Dolomite test from 1962
Norton's six-fifty wedded to new Busmar open single-seater sidecar provides 80 mph outfit with snappy acceleration, fine hill-climbing and braking, and light, effortless handling...

Got a Story?

Got a story for us? Let us know by emailing us at articles@email.com

Reference Material

Encyclopaedia of Classic MotorCycles
Over 450 marques in one hardback book. On sale now.
Click Here!

Now When Was it That?
This four-part book series was a compilation of articles originally appearing in Old Bike Mart. The books are not longer available for purchase, but can be found here on Classic Bikers Club!* (In order to access all the reference material, you need to be registered and an active subscriber to our magazines.)