Features

Revolving around those who love riding British motorcycles, the Exeter British Motorcycle Club organises several enjoyable outings each year, including the Exe Valley Run, and promises a warm atmosphere on club nights. The aims of the Exeter British Motorcycle Club are to foster, encourage and maintain an interest in British motorcycles, provide technical assistance to…

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MARCH 2017 PREVIEW: Pete Kelly visits Chris Davies at West Midlands Triumph Tiger Cub specialists Meriden Off Road, to learn about his latest product plus preparations for his forthcoming speed record attempt on Pendine Sands in South Wales. Triumph Terrier and Tiger Cub machines must still be coming out of the woodwork, for ever since…

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MARCH 2017 PREVIEW: Harry Stanistreet recalls a nightmare trip to the Elephant Rally with his young wife Lesley and a group of friends in 1970, when just about everything that could go wrong did go wrong – but the kindness of people they met along the way ensured that everything turned out all right in…

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MARCH 2017 PREVIEW: Following Suzuki’s sometimes puzzling marketing philosophy of the 1970s, Steve Cooper traces the birth and development of the GT185 two-stroke twin. Back in the day, the way in which Suzuki divvied up new models was somewhat haphazard to say the least. Some models enjoyed long life spans and often morphed into more…

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MARCH 2017 PREVIEW: Sun motorcycles were manufactured from 1911 until 1961, but their roots go back to the Victorian Birmingham brass foundry of James Parkes & Son. We delved into our archive to show some of the motorcycles, autocycles and scooters that proudly carried the Sun name. The ‘Sun’ brand name, which first appeared in 1885,…

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Mention of The Motor Cycle’s late Vic Willoughby in a recent ‘Prattle’ prompted Simon Warner to send us these recollections of both the Bar-None Motor Cycle Club and the Bar-One Motor Cycle and Racing Club, the latter with which Vic was involved. The North Africa Campaign (June 10, 1940 to May 13, 1943) had a great influence…

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During the 90th anniversary year of the Royal Signals’ White Helmets motorcycle display team, Pete Kelly relives every moment of a day he spent training with them at Catterick, North Yorkshire, during the summer of 1971. Sounding like a tortured lawnmower, a penny-farthing, complete with Cyclemaster engine in the rear wheel, spluttered into view. Did…

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Bridgestone built some of the most advanced two-stroke bikes in the world, so why pull the plug 45 years ago? Steve Cooper explains. When the classic scene got going and folk finally realised there were other high end marques beyond Broughs and Vincents, the nascent scene was occasionally enlivened by the appearance of the odd…

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