classic motorcycles

Tonkin Tornado: Steve Tonkin’s take on the ultimate café racer

by

Mark Lancaster

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12th September 2026

Steve Tonkin took on the task of building the ultimate café racer. After John Tickle sold the rights to Unity Equipe, they would eventually be acquired by Andy Molnar in 1994. A former TT racer who won the Junior TT in 1981, Steve would partner with Andy Molnar to build the Tonkin Tornado. Built to…
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The Thorough: the short-lived motorcycle that offered unusually long test rides

by

Mark Lancaster

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8th September 2026

At the end of the 19th century George Featherstone was an ironmonger living in Bethnal Green but he had a son who was interested in the great strides that transportation was taking. It seems likely that it was John Featherstone who persuaded his father into producing a motorcycle in 1903. By then, John, now in…
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Hidden Gems: Yamaha YDS6

by

Mark Lancaster

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3rd September 2026

Steve Cooper looks at a single year model that you can still pick up for not a lot of money. That the Japanese motorcycle industry plagiarised the work of others is well documented. In the modern business world such artifice creates what’s known as a second-to-market product and often such offerings have some of the…
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Vindec Special: The German Motorcycle That Nearly Won the First TT

by

Mark Lancaster

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27th August 2026

The Vindec Special was actually built in Germany by Köln-Lindenthaler Metallwerke AG of Cologne. However, it is an interesting footnote in British motorcycling history because its distribution in this country was handled by the South British Trading Company with the assistance and advice of William Huntingdon ‘Billy’ Wells. Wells had moved to London from his…
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From shed-find moped to classic bikes: Pete Chatburn’s motorcycling story

by

Mark Lancaster

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18th August 2026

Pete Chatburn tells us about his start in motorcycling (and that’s how he titled his letter – we’re not being rude!) and wonders whether might be buried treasure on a local airfield. It all started for me in 1965 when I found my Granpa’s abandoned 1959 Raleigh RM1C moped in the shed behind his tailor’s…
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Looking for a Saint? One rider’s search for an ex-Metropolitan Police Triumph

by

Mark Lancaster

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15th August 2026

Given his occupation, readers will not be surprised by the title the Reverend John Lines MBE has have given this article, but he will now set the scene for you… In a previous article (Readers Tales, OBM485) I wrote about my beautiful Triumph Thunderbird that I have managed to get returned to the condition it…
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Hidden Gems: Honda SL350

by

Mark Lancaster

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13th August 2026

Steve Cooper introduces us to one of the prettiest – and most underrated – of Honda’s 1970s offerings. Some would argue that, when Honda dropped the hugely successful CB72/77 for its follow up K Series 250/350 it somehow cheapened the brand. To a point that’s correct, but for good reason – the outgoing models were…
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Remembering… The Verus

by

Mark Lancaster

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22nd July 2026

After the First World War Alfred Wiseman began manufacturing motorcycles in his Glover Street works in Birmingham under the Sirrah name (the name came from reversing the surname of the designer, a Mr Harris), motorcycles which used a number of proprietary engines and were aimed at the budget market. However, to complement the various Sirrah…
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Kempton Park Autojumble returns this July with live Iconic motorcycle auction

by

Mark Lancaster

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7th July 2026

Kempton Park Motorcycle Autojumble returns on Saturday, July 18, with an added attraction for classic, modern and retro motorcycle enthusiasts as Iconic Auctioneers brings its London Motorcycle Sale to the event. Taking place at Kempton Park Racecourse, near London, the well-established autojumble is already a firm favourite in the motorcycle calendar, attracting hundreds of visitors and more…
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Free 100+ page digital magazine celebrates the best of classic motorcycling and scootering

by

Mark Lancaster

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2nd July 2026

Discover more than 100 pages of fascinating features, stunning photography and expert writing from some of Britain’s leading classic motorcycle and scooter magazines – completely free to read online. IF you’re passionate about classic motorcycles and scooters, we’ve got something special for you. We’ve created a brand-new, completely free digital showcase magazine, bringing together some…
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