It's the Festival of 1000 Bikes this weekend and Beezumph 20 is looming, so here's one from the archives; Martin Gelder presents ten top tips for having a terrific time on track... More...

What do Sunbeam, BSA, Rover and Humber have in common? Ozboy likes classic motorcycles and loves a good list...
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Do you remember your first bike? Phil Speakman's was a Honda 750-4, and they've just enjoyed a reunion after all these years... More...

Have you ever wondered why people write 'matching numbers' on their adverts when they are selling a bike? David B Bullivant is puzzled by this tactic, and shares his confusion herewith... More...

You can use a motorcycle to travel from A to B. Or you can just go motorcycling. Jim Peace does both, and on the way he continues his quest to find those magic roads... More...

No matter how much (probably useless) information you acquire, there is always more. Frank Westworth looks back on a life of lore... More...

Message board regulars Anarchy and MartynCB750 don't exactly see eye to eye about Suzuki's water cooled GT750. A personal view from leftfield meets a former owner's opinion.. More...

How do some folk get to be famous? Why do people rate Triumph and Norton engines so highly? Frank Westworth champions the AJS & Matchless underdog... More...

Where did it all start? No no, not the AJS and Matchless marques; Frank Westworth's fascination with AMC motorcycles, that's what... More...

"Tom Loughbridge eventually finished fifteenth in class and eighteenth overall after a five lap dice with Shallcross." Who cares? Not Martin Gelder, that's for sure... More...

During his competition years, half a century ago, Cornishman Vian Curtis turned a 350 rigid Velo into a 250 swinging arm scrambler, among other adventures. Whatever happened to that Velocette single...? More...

Stuart Morrisson takes up our challenge to explain how his interest in classic motorcycles has developed over the years. Will he ever be brave enough to buy a Brit?... More...

Steve Benson (aka AJSBSA) goes on a verbal bimble to explain what old bikes mean to him, and to his family...
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Do you harbour a hankering for a particular model? Do you lie awake at night wondering whether your dream machine is waiting for you? Frank Westworth savours simple delusions... More...

Would you like some sound advice about old bikes? Laurie Packer has racked up nearly half a century with classic motorcycles, and reckons you shouldn't be shy of taking the plunge... More...

Why do we ride the bikes that we ride? KarlB and Graham tell us about their formative years, and why one was turning Japanese while the played other British Bulldogs... More...

Things rarely turn out the way you expect, even if your expectations were pretty modest! Frank Westworth always wanted to be an expert... More...

PaulG80 is having trouble telling his Amal from his exhaust (or something like that). He needs a sure-fire method for Finding The Right Bit at autojumbles... More...

Never a lender nor a borrower be … sound advice when it comes to motorcycles. Frank Westworth has some good and bad memories... More...

It's easy to pick a winner, isn't it? Ah. Not always. PaulG80 bravely enters the fray to give an inside view on how hard it is to judge the concours awards at a classic bike show... More...

John Whapshott and Geoff Staples bring you the final part of the Herlock Sholmes adventure. Can they regain the Missing Magneto?
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John Whapshott and Geoff Staples bring you part 2 of the latest Herlock Sholmes adventure. Can they solve Whitworth's dilemma?
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Christmas comes but once a year, and you should be grateful for that, because it brings with it all sorts of sillyness. This year's festive frivolity comes courtesy of John Whapshott and Geoff Staples, who bring you a brand new Herlock Sholmes adventure... More...

An Electric-start Matchless? Frank Westworth waxes nostalgic for a bike he's never owned (although he did get close)...
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We have enough trouble deciding amongst ourselves which motorcycles are classic, without dragging the rest of the world into the argument. Martin Gelder stirs things up with his collection of exotic foreign magazines... More...

Frank Westworth is supposed to know lots about AJS and Matchless motorcycles. So, naturally, people ask him questions about Nortons which turn out to be Matchlesses really. Really! More...

Who would have thought that so many people cared so much about the hows and whys of a classic bike show? Rowena Hoseason explains some of the behind-the-scenes stuff... More...

"It seemed that the real show was out here in the bike park, in the rain." Anarchy at Ardingly...
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Frank Westworth loves his AJS and Matchless motorcycles and makes a point of securing spare parts for them whenever possible. Here, in an unusual example of Hoarder's Downfall, he explains how his prize collection of AMC originals gets beaten to bits... More...

"I hear a gem that makes me stop, put down my spanners and walk to the gate." Melbourne Métisse doesn't have to look (or listen) too hard to find reason to finish his Triumph engined Rickman framed special... More...

Why do you ride the bike you do? Why do you not ride the bikes you don't? Frank Westworth has a head filled with puzzles...
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In an attempt to broaden our horizons, Jim Rendell reports on road conditions and traffic conventions in Italy's capital city. (We have to include the obvious quotation next, it's in the contract). When in Rome... More...

Things change. Sometimes for the better; sometimes not. Frank Westworth is a keen observer of how this change affects the AJS and Matchless machines of his acquaintance... More...

It's Matchless memory time! Frank Westworth remembers distant days when he used to ride bikes from time to time, and A Glowing Tribute to The Wobbly Bike Shoppe... More...

Why do you wear protective headgear? NVNL considers convention, compulsion and compliance...
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The TT is as Real as it gets, and is certainly Classic. Martin Gelder counts the cost of competition...
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AMC bikes are superb examples of the very best British motorcycle engineering. But RealClassic readers already know that. Frank Westworth does a little missionary positioning... More...

What is it that prompts motorcyclists to sport facial hair? Jim Rendell considers the RealClassic readership and the various forms of hairy and hairless... More...

From R1 to T160. It's not an obvious development, is it? NVT explains how he made the change from modern superbikes to classic motorcycles... More...

There's been quite a bit of fuss about the new V5C 'logbook', but it isn't quite as scary as it seems. That's the good news. The bad news is that older motorcyclists might have triggered the next steps in prohibitive rider licensing... More...

Living in the past is one thing; being reunited with it is quite another. Frank Westworth exhumes an old friend...
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The path to classic biking need not necessarily be a direct one. NVT explains how he took a wandering route via trials, touring and an enforced absence... More...

All you need to know about restoring your classic bike? Or, more like, PaulG80's tongue in cheek look at rebuilding old nails...
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Lore has it that you are never too old to learn. Frank Westworth hopes that this in fact the case...
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A wonderful experience, not to be missed? Martin Gelder didn't think so when he traipsed along Main Street a few years back...
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Real Classic regular Graham W was worried by what he was hearing about proposed legislation affecting the use of classic vehicles. So he did something about it... More...

Frank Westworth attempts to expand his knowledge about AJS and Matchless 650 twins and their Royal Enfield equivalent...
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Old? New? British? European? Concours or Contemporary? Martin Gelder rounds up the Real Classic Regulars and asks them the Regular Real Classic Question... More...

Have you ever wondered how the lubricant in your engine gets from tank to sump and back again? Frank Westworth gets pumped up, and then strikes oil... More...

You can't out-run time's winged chariot for ever, but even on an old bike you can give it a damn good try. NVNL enjoys an hour's ride around Cornwall, for John... More...

There's more than immediately meets the eye lurking in the ranks of the AJS and Matchless marques; it's not all CSR sports twins, you know. Frank Westworth has endured some lecturing over the years... More...

It's Show Time! Is there anything of interest at the NEC for the Real Classic Motorcyclist? Real Mart pounds the halls so that you don't have to... More...

We've had the last ride of summer (in RC08). Now NVNL's attention turns to wintry things and the one shed; the shed that is one though the rooms be many... More...

When someone mentioned putting engines in the oven in RealClassic magazine, Gary P Pledger thought maybe a few recipes would come in handy. No special skills are required and, for the sensitive, there's the comfort of knowing that all engines will have died a natural death... More...

Frank Westworth has been digging through his photo albums, digging out AJS and Matchless memorabilia for fellow AMC Anoraks... More...

It's becoming something of a theme: eschew the modern and look back for the future. Goat Maison explains how he has taken one step at a time (backwards)... More...

What's so great about modern motorcycle engines? Jim Rendell ponders, and discovers that there are more questions than answers... More...

Posted to a Spitfire Squadron in Italy in 1944, Frank Authers needed to visit a young lady on the other side of the country. Luckily, there was a bike on the unit which no one else was using... More...

Frank Westworth cut his classic biking teeth on AJS and Matchless machinery, and would like to share a little of his enthusiasm for the marque with you. This month, we think it shows that he's been reading old magazines for far too long... More...

Frank Authers started riding British bike in 1934, and finally bought his dream Norton some four years later. And then World War Two broke out... More...

How do you get youngsters interested in classic bikes? Graham Ham responds to FW's editorial in RC02, and considers how to encourage the next lot... More...

Riding a bike is as easy as falling off a log. Especially the falling off bit, as Real Mart found out on the way back from Beezumph... More...

Frank Authers has ridden bikes since 1934, and much of his motorcycling was done during his 30 years of service in the RAF. But before then he learned how to keep carbide lights working... More...

It's that Beezumph time of the year again, as anyone who's looked at a weather forecast recently can confirm. Trackday veteran Real Mart has ten top tips for having a terrific time on track... More...

You'll have your own reasons for being interested in classic bikes. We all do. PaulG80 asks the question: why? And what next?
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Oh no, he's opened the can of Gatso worms again. Real Mart finally snaps after narrowly missing someone panic braking from 35 to 25mph to avoid a speed camera on a road with a 40mph limit... More...

Rowena Hoseason discovers that as she gets older, so do her classic bikes...
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In the previous episode, The Oldest Rocker In Town introduced us to the ton-up boys, the Ace Cafe, and spaghetti bolognaise. This time it's mods, rockers, beehive haircuts and binning a Velocette Venom... More...

Jim Rendell inherited the biking bug from his father, and once trained an Alsatian dog to ride pillion on a Francis Barnett. These days, a Dominator does the trick (minus dog)... More...

Ready for a spot of time travel? The Oldest Rocker In Town is your guide to the era of coffee bars, rock 'n' roll and the ton-up cult of Britbike riding... More...

We're never slow to grumble about classic bike dealers who get it wrong. In his search for the perfect classic, Martin Peacock met a couple of traders who got it very right... More...

After a particularly difficult day, Russ Gannicott would like to share his ten reasons why not to buy a classic Italian bike (and how to survive if you do)... More...

How can you deal with riding over poor road surfaces? Paul Friday recommends that you start with no road surface whatsoever... More...

It's National Motorcycle Safety Week this week. No, we didn't know either. To celebrate, Real Mart goes under observation and Paul Friday tells why he took his advanced test... More...

Do the technicques taught on advanced riding courses really translate to classic bike riding? Paul Friday took his test (and wants to know how many roundabouts make four, exactly)... More...

We tried to find out what the UK's forthcoming road fund licence and vehicle registration regulations actually mean for classic bike owners. But Frank Westworth's brain melted before we could figure it all out... More...

The speeding debate won't go away (and we're not talking about Graham and Daisy this time), and what affects modern motorcyclists will inevitably afflict classic bike riders too. Paul Friday looks hard at the statistics... More...

This was going to be a "We go to Buntingford and admire some real classic sidecars" feature, but then Real Mart made a sudden left turn and started rambling... More...

Strange things happen when your Shed is not quite as it should be. When there are no sparks but there is plenty of Christmas spirit (the kind which comes in bottles). Frank Westworth sought seasonal solace... More...

After consuming several pints of Gunk and consulting the Mystic Oily Rag, this is what Old Bore foresees for the world of classic motorcycling in 2004... More...

Have you spent a fortune on shiny new spares and then been sadly disappointed? Claude Nomonet has. Never mind the quality, he says, look at the price! More...

In order to successfully restore an old Britbike there are several essential items. You need a classic motorcycle. You need tools. You need spare parts. You need dedication, inspiration and anti-deodorant. And, says Jim Algar, you need Something Else... More...

Ever felt like you're not... quite... in... control? Emm's been getting a lot of that lately, and so would like to introduce you to a whole new perspective... More...

Frank Westworth is always looking for the perfect motorcycle. He only has about twenty slightly imperfect classic motorcycles already, but at the truly enormous Netley Marsh Eurojumble he found yet more candidates for Shed stardom... More...

Even classic bikes can get caught by speed cameras when travelling at vintage velocities. Paul Friday explains that not every camera is your enemy, while Real Mart sees Big Brother wherever he turns... More...

After a steamy summer, Paul Friday muses about the correct riding kit for classic bike riders. It's not that he hasn't got a thing to wear, rather; what can he (and we) wear sensibly? More...

All bikers are tolerant, creative and supportive of each other. True? You wouldn't think so if you read the RealClassic message board! Kindly, amiable octogenarian Napoleon Ozonolysis rides down memory lane… More...

Tom Workman wisely got his bike licence before all that nasty test business arrived. Wouldn't it be great to go back to the days when life was that straightforward? More...

Never afraid to plough a new furrow, Paul Friday introduces a new concept in road-testing: the nearly-new versus the nearly-old. What an idea! (What... an idea?) More...

'When I was born, I had no Shed, my eye was single, and my body was filled with light...' Frank Westworth misquotes good poetry, and comments On Shedlessness... More...

What's the difference between the greatest ever, or the most likeable bike? Dave Minton conducts a philosophical investigation...
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Do you belong to a good bike club? Rowena Hoseason does. But she's also heard of some which are less wonderful...
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Are you looking to buy a classic bike this summer? Frank Westworth is always looking for the perfect motorcycle and at Cheltenham and Kempton Park autojumbles he found several likely candidates... More...

The One Shed has been half transported halfway across the country. All is chaos. Frank Westworth discovers patience and the philosophical way... More...

They always sound so wonderful, those gleaming machines described in the Small Ads. The fabulously delicious Typing Person has seen and typed them all in her time. And she knows how to read between the lines... More...

The Big Shed is on the move! Well, not the shed itself, but the contents, the inner bits that transform any old shed into The Shed. Frank Westworth writes, to avoid packing... More...

Some people like to live dangerously. Steve The Toast is plainly a man on the edge (of insanity? Of a Harley? Is that the same thing?). His bike buying guide should inspire ire and indignation and several other things beginning with 'I'... More...

Just when you thought you were safe from the club/pub 'expert' here in the virtual world of RealClassic.co.uk, Old Sidevalve somehow splutters into the ether. Just be glad he's not sitting in your local... More...

Been sat behind a desk far too long. Time to get out and about, and see what's happening in the classic bike world. Here's how Rowena Hoseason and Frank Westworth have spent their spring weekends thus far... More...

Why ride a Tiger 100 across Canada when there are far more suitable bikes for the job? Why ride a Tiger 100? Why ride, at all? Dave Minton addresses this business of why More...

John Wheater reckons that 'Of bikes, I've had a few, but then again too few to mention.' Just to disprove that statement, here he is, mentioning them. In detail! More...

Frank Westworth asks why does the sun shine when he's spannering, and why is it raining now the bike's fixed? Life in The Big Shed rarely runs smoothly. More...

It ain't what you got, reckons Dave Minton. It ain't even what you do with what you got; it's WHY you do, what you do, with what you got... More...

Why the Big Shed? Because it's a shed, and because it's, well, big. In fact, there are three Sheds, and not many people know that. Sheds have a tendency to grow, until the whole place is packed with them. More...