Before he passed away on August 27, my father Keith Draper asked me to send a little bit about him to OBM. He was born in Dartford, Kent, on May 5, 1929, and his first
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Happy days remembered
After unearthing these photos of his father Roy, taken in the very early 1950s, Mr M Pitson from Guildford, Surrey, has sent them to OBM for our readers to enjoy. Back then, with petrol rationing
Read moreLightweights with attitude
Pete Kelly takes a look at some of the smaller machines produced by a galaxy of Italian manufacturers during the golden era of the 1950s and 60s. We’ll return to those not mentioned this time,
Read moreWho’s to blame for ‘insane’ classic bike prices?
With wages now falling below living costs, and interest rates at a ridiculous low, those fortunate enough to have savings are looking for ways to safeguard them – and many see classic bikes as the
Read moreOutfits to the fore in Beamish Trophy Trial
Local sidecar crew Ian Reavley and Colin Goode from Blyth, Northumberland, didn’t even have to leave the county to compete in the 45th Beamish Trophy Trial on September 17 – and on their 1935 Norton
Read more1960s’ trials ace Mick Dismore will be guest of honour at 2018 Moidart Run
Open to motorcycles manufactured until 1979, the ninth Moidart Peninsula Classic Motorcycle Road Run will take place on Thursday, May 3, 2018. Organisers Andrew Johnstone and John McCrink have also announced that the guest of
Read moreNorton collection £100k sell-out at Netley Marsh
A collection of classic Norton motorcycles and spares from a deceased estate in Reading was a £100,000-plus sell-out at the Charterhouse auction at the Carole Nash Netley Marsh Eurojumble in September. Amassed over many years
Read moreModdey Dhoo Club raises £1860 for Southern 100
The Isle of Man-based Moddey Dhoo Motorcycle Club, named after the fabled black dog that some would have you believe still haunts Peel Castle, has presented the Southern 100 Supporters’ Club with a cheque for
Read moreAmberley Historic Transport Gathering is 40 years young
With almost 300 exhibitors showing vintage vehicles including motorcycles, and an attendance in excess of 700, the Amberley Museum’s 40th Autumn Historic Transport Gathering on Sunday, October 8 proved a great success. Once visitors had
Read moreCould one of those Pembrokeshire Police Ariel Leaders be our own?
A ‘mystery’ 1961 Mortons Archive photo that we published recently, showing police Ariel Leaders escorting a column of German tanks at a location that several readers later identified as Pembroke, brought this interesting reply:- During
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