Features

1929 Saltburn Sand Racing: Broken Handlebars, 100mph Speeds and a Dramatic Finish

by

Mark Lancaster

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7th November 2026

A photograph published in The Motor Cycle on July 18, 1929, captured JG Parsons and his passenger tackling the Saltburn Championship on a Norton sidecar outfit. This archive feature revisits the racing, the extraordinary speeds achieved on sand and some remarkable incidents from the event. Spectacular style on the sand Organised by the Middlesbrough and…
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Jack Findlay: The Remarkable Story of Motorcycle Racing’s Continental Circus Hero

by

Mark Lancaster

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31st October 2026

From an aspiring Australian racer to a 500cc world championship runner-up, Jack Findlay became one of motorcycle racing’s enduring characters. This archive feature revisits his extraordinary career, the story behind his Jakeman Matchless and the years he spent competing across Europe. Hero of the continental circus The headline used here is also the title of…
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The 1928 Amateur TT’s Unlikely Hero: A Sunbeam, a Raincoat and a Remarkable Photograph

by

Mark Lancaster

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27th October 2026

A remarkable photograph published in The Motor Cycle on September 13, 1928, captures S Lees riding his Sunbeam over Ballig Bridge during the Junior Amateur TT. This archive feature revisits the race, the riders and the story behind one of the event’s most memorable images. This great picture was published in The Motor Cycle of…
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The Remarkable 1912 Pierce Single: A Motorcycle Kept in One Family for Over 100 Years

by

Mark Lancaster

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22nd October 2026

Though it was mainly four-cylinder machines that the Pierce Motorcycle Company built, they made some quality singles too, as exemplified by this fabulous example. Simon Robinson reports… The Pierce-Arrow Motor Car Company was established in 1901, but the motorcycle business was born from the earlier Pierce Cycle concern in 1908 when Percy Pierce took over…
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From the archive: Honda Dax ST70 – We all need a little smile!

by

Mark Lancaster

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21st October 2026

In 1969, the world was a hugely different place. The world was finally getting out of the grips of the Second World War and staring to move on to more rosy times. The culture reflected this, with the Easy Rider film, the ‘Stones, Led Zeppelin, Woodstock and watching the USA put a man on the…
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From The Classic Motorcycle Archives: Proving a Point – The ACU Heads West in 1919

by

Mark Lancaster

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20th October 2026

In 1919, the Auto Cycle Union sought to demonstrate that it was more than a London-centric organisation by holding a major gathering in Bristol. In this historical feature from The Classic Motorcycle, Simon Robinson explores the event, the motorcycles pictured beside Clifton Suspension Bridge and the notable visitors who attended. Simon Robinson reports… In 1919…
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Pa and His Pa: The Norton Founder, a 1921 Photograph and an Extraordinary Motorcycle Adventure

by

Mark Lancaster

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17th October 2026

Though always known as ‘Pa’ Norton, this picture shows the company founder with his own pa. Plus, some famous faces look on. Simon Robinson reports… The Norton motorcycle company sprang from the Norton Manufacturing Company, which was set up in 1869 by James Lansdowne Norton to manufacture bicycle chains. It was in 1902 that Norton…
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Wearwell: The Wolverhampton Motorcycle Pioneer Brought Down by Scandal

by

Mark Lancaster

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15th October 2026

From bicycle manufacturing to early motorcycles, Wearwell looked set to become a major name in the British motorcycle industry. But financial wrongdoing brought the company’s promising future to an abrupt end. Like so many, Wearwell started out as a bicycle manufacturer. The Cogent Cycle Co was founded by Henry Clarke and the business included his…
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Ken Craven’s 1966 American Adventure: A Triumph Thunderbird, the Wild West and a Black Widow Spider

by

Mark Lancaster

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13th October 2026

In 1966, veteran motorcycle traveller Ken Craven set off alone through the American West on a borrowed Triumph Thunderbird. His adventure took him across desert landscapes, over remote roads and into a Mexican hospital following an unexpected encounter. Once in a while we come across a story from way back that we feel is worth…
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The remarkable story of Joan Crawford’s Bond Minibyke – and its surprising history

by

Mark Lancaster

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10th October 2026

From a chance discovery in a remarkable private motorcycle collection to award-winning appearances at the Isle of Man TT, Joan Crawford’s much-loved Bond Minibyke has a fascinating story. In a letter published in Old Bike Mart, Joan shares how she acquired the little 125cc machine and uncovered its connections to the Bond manufacturing business. For…
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