Classic Motorcycles Archives

Velocette MSS 500

It seems so strange now, but before the 1960s, dirt bikes usually had the same chassis as their road-going counterparts. And if…

Equestrians have a term for the ideal proportions of a horse: conformation. The conformation of a draft horse is obviously different to…

I remember being dumbstruck when the Suzuki Katana was launched back in 1980. And after a period of distaste, I now find…

In the pantheon of oddball motorcycles, the MZ ES reigns supreme. Built in the former German Democratic Republic, it was nicknamed the…

Every now and then, it’s good to go back to square one. To revisit the baseline, if you like. And for me,…

Two years ago Buzz Kanter, Editor-in-Chief of American Iron Magazine, rode his 1915 Harley-Davidson across most of the United States in the…

Most classic motorcycles simply look ‘old’. (Not that there’s anything wrong with that.) But a tiny handful still have the power to…

The lure of the salt at Bonneville Speedweek is strong, and two years ago, the bug bit Vincent Prat of the French…

It’s hard to improve on the Norton Commando. But Bill Becker, creator of the lovely Aermacchi Sprint we featured a little while…

In Italian, “Settebello” is idiom for “seven of diamonds”. And this little 175cc Moto Morini is a real diamond, packing a surprising…

A friend of mine ascribes the recent decline in the number of young motorcyclists to the relentless marketing of Japanese sportbikes in…

I’ve always been fascinated by the Rokon Trail-Breaker. It’s got charmingly oddball looks, and it’s two-wheel drive. But there’s a surprising dearth…

For someone who doesn’t like stock Vincents, Jeff Decker builds a mighty fine Black Lightning. He’s a sculptor as well as a…

The definition of a cafe racer gets looser as the years go by. But this Triton, which will go on sale at…

Bonhams’ high-profile auctions usually throw up some surprises. But few are as big as this one. Most vintage motorcycles worth more than…