Ducati celebrates 100th year with retro Formula 73
In its centenary year, Ducati has done something rather lovely. Instead of chasing lap times, horsepower wars, or the latest aerodynamic origami, the firm from Borgo Panigale has reached back…
Posts by author
Dave
117 posts
Journalist working for more than 50 years across many types of media, including Motor Cycle News, Bike, Top Gear and for the past 20 years in aviation.
Pre-war Benelli 250 DOHC: intoxicating engineering
Few machines capture the intoxicating blend of engineering ambition and racing romance quite like the Benelli 250 DOHC. Benelli’s competition pedigree stretched back to the 1920s, when the company earned…
Vintage Motor Cycle Club celebrates 80th anniversary
The Vintage Motor Cycle Club of Great Britain (VMCC) will mark its 80th anniversary in 2026, celebrating eight decades of preserving, riding and understanding historic motorcycles. Founded in 1946, the…
Entries open for The Banbury Run 2026
Entries are now open for the 76th Banbury Run, which takes place at the British Motor Museum, Gaydon, Warwickshire on Sunday 7 June 2026. This is the flagship event of…
Matchless Silver Hawk flies to $60k auction sale
More than $60,000 for a Matchless! That’s the result from the Mecum classic mogtorcycle auction in Las Vegas in January. Well, it is a very special Matchless, a 1934 Silver…
Over the ton and still going: 100+ years old Rudge and BSA
There’s something very appealing about motorcycles more than 100 years old. The century or ‘ton’ is a milestone in cricket, speed, and probably several other activities. There’s another threshold too:…
World’s biggest classic motorcycles auction: Mecum Las Vegas 2026
The world’s biggest auction of classic motorcycles is the Mecum Annual Vintage & Antique Motorcycle Auction. In 2026, more than 2,000 motorcycle of all types will cross the auction block…
Classic motorcycle racing pioneer Rob Iannucci RIP
Robert ‘Rob’ Iannucci, one of the world’s most passionate and influential men when it came to racing classic motorcycles from the ‘golden age’ of racing – early-1950s to mid-1970s in…
Stolen: Rare Riley sold as ‘1970s Special’ at auction
One of only two surviving Riley motorcycles dating from 1904 has been stolen from the great-grandson of the man who designed it. The 1904 Riley 3.5 Hp Moto-Bi was stolen…
Smoky Treasure: Charlie Sanby’s TT Ducati 750SS
Ducati’s 750SS is already one of the most mythical motorcycles of the 1970s —mgreen-framed, bevel-driven and built in the smallest of numbers. But when one turns up with proper Isle…
Raw and Raucous: 1975 Ducati 900 Super Sport
Somewhere around the mid-1970s, Ducati fever overtook me and half of the motorcycle world. Paul Smart’s win at the ’72 Imola 200 had lit the fuse, and the factory’s road-going…
Iconic Auction shows classic motorcycle prices ‘resetting’
One of the last big auctions of 2025 was the Iconic Auction on 9 November – what did we learn? Iconic boasted it was a success for classic cars, citing…
Scott Flying Squirrel: Two-Stroke Royalty
In the history of great British motorcycles, the Scott Flying Squirrel sits slightly apart — not aloof, just… different. While other marques of the 1920s boomed, barked and thumped their…
Honda CB1000F: will the retro Fireblade match original CB900F?
When the Honda CB900F Super Sports first arrived in 1979, it took a little time to realise just how good it was. After all, wasn’t it just another UJM? –…
1970 Honda CB750: The Original Superbike Heads to Auction
There are few motorcycles that changed the course of motorcycling history quite like the Honda CB750. When it arrived in 1969, it wasn’t just another new model, it was a…
The Curious Case of the 1970 Indian Velocette Venom 500
In the twilight years of the British motorcycle industry, when storied marques were either folding or floundering, an American entrepreneur named Floyd Clymer attempted to write one last heroic chapter.…
1988 Yamaha XT500: Still Crated After All These Years
If you had to pick one motorcycle that set the template for the modern adventure bike, the Yamaha XT500 would be a strong contender. Built from 1975 until 1989, the…
DVLA updates classic motorcycle registration system
The DVLA (Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency) has unveiled a major update to some of its vehicle registration policies, making it significantly easier for enthusiasts to register repaired, restored and…
Route 66 at 100: EagleRider’s Once-in-a-Century Ride
Some roads are just tarmac and paint. Others become legends. And then there’s Route 66 — the Mother Road. The highway that stitched America together, carried dustbowl migrants westward, birthed…
Kawasaki GPz900R: Top Gun Legend That Changed Motorcycling
Some motorcycles are remembered for their technical brilliance. Others for their cultural impact. A select few, like Kawasaki’s GPz900R, manage both. It was the bike that rewrote the rulebook in…
The BSA Bantam 350 flies again
Some names in motorcycling carry more than just letters on a tank. They carry memories. The smell of two‑stroke smoke on a damp morning. The sound of a waspish little…
Climbing Legends: 1928 Harley-Davidson FHAD Hillclimber
In the smoky, oil-rich atmosphere of 1920s American racing, the hillclimb was the gladiator arena of the motorcycle world. Stripped of niceties and bred for brute power and control, these…
BMW R 12 S: Boxer with a Dash of Daytona
BMW has a knack for this sort of thing. Reach back into the archives, pull out a design that had us all swooning in the ’70s, and give it a…
All Routes Italy overtakes Ride 70s tours: 2026 dates
Remember Ride70s, the Italian company running a series of tours of spectacular regions of Italy on classic motorcycles? That business came to a halt last October but has now reinvented…
Royal Enfield kicks off 2025 ‘JDM’ rides in Northants
The first 2025 Royal Enfield ‘Journey, Destination, Memories’ (JDM) event has been announced, with all riders welcome to join the opening ride at Cooperb Motorcycles in Northants on 3 July.…
Insider Guide to National Motorcycle Museum Live 2025
If you love bikes, banter and a good rummage through an autojumble, then clear your diary: NMM Live 2025 is rolling into the National Motorcycle Museum, Solihull, on Saturday 25…
Fancy a bit of Hollywood history? Bud Ekins’ Matchless G80S
If ever a motorbike could wear sunglasses and a leather jacket, this would be it. This 1952 Matchless G80S isn’t just a handsome slab of post-war British iron — it…
Royal Enfield Returns to Wheels & Waves in Biarritz
Royal Enfield is back at Wheels & Waves in Biarritz this 11 to 15 June, bringing with it a new fleet of custom bikes, a racing chopper called Samurai and…
1928 BSA Sloper: A Jolly Green Giant is calling
There’s a certain quality and star status afforded classic motorcycles with girder forks. Partly it’s because many date from a ‘Golden Age’ of motorcycles when there were dozens of manufacturers…
Purpose Built Moto’s Royal Enfield Bobber
There’s something beautifully irreverent about unbolting a brand-new Royal Enfield straight out of the crate and taking an angle grinder to it. Most builders wait until a bike has at…
Slice of Americana: 1918 Harley-Davidson Model F
Meet the 1918 Harley-Davidson Model F, a motorcycle that predates television, the BBC, and sliced bread — but still manages to look like it could roar into town and cause…
First Look: BMW R 12 G/S – Retro Spirit, Modern Grit
You don’t get many motorcycles that wear their heritage so proudly and yet feel like they’ve just burst out of the prototype lab. BMW’s new R 12 G/S does exactly…
A Proper Motorcycle: The 1937 Vincent-HRD Rapide Series-A
Motorcycles are wonderful things. They allow you to enjoy the open road, go quite fast, and in some cases, terrify yourself. And if there’s one bike that does all three…
Honda NRX1800 Valkyrie Rune: Aye, the Druids have it
+VIDEO The Honda NRX1800 Valkyrie Rune, or as some people call it, mostly Druids, the Rune, is one of those motorcycles that makes you pause and wonder what on earth…
Six Of The Best: RC30 heads Charterhouse March auction
Here’s another of our Six Of The Best series, this time from the Charterhouse auction taking place at the Haynes Motor Museum on 13 March. Top of our list of…
1969 Vespa SS90: Speedy Gonzales Of Scooters
Right, let’s talk about something rather special. Not a Ferrari. Not a Spitfire. Not even a particularly well-engineered teapot. No, today, we’re delving into something with two wheels, an 88.5cc…
Six Of The Best: Classic Motorcycles at Bonhams’ Spring Stafford Sale 2025
Bonhams has announced an extraordinary lineup for its highly anticipated Spring Stafford Sale, set to take place on 26-27 April 2025, at the Staffordshire County Showground. Coinciding with the International…
Two-Wheel Time Capsule: Brand New 2005 Honda Fireblade
Let me introduce you to something that’s not just a motorcycle but an engineering masterpiece that could make the hairs on the back of your neck stand on end. Yes,…
UK’s biggest collection of Yamaha racing bikes up for auction
Ah, Yamaha! The mere mention of the name conjures images of thrilling track days, ear-splitting two-stroke exhaust notes, and a history of racing dominance. And now one of the UK’s…
Classic TT stars at 2025 Manx Grand Prix week
Some say the Manx Grand Prix week is more enjoyable than the regular Isle of Man TT races in June with fewer people and less traffic on the island. But…
Suzuki GSX-R750: brilliant racer on the road (despite the nickname)
Whoever came up with the nickname ‘Gixxer’ for Suzuki’s stunning 1980s GSX-R750 was a moron. Dreadful name, bastardised slang, worthy only of the Daily Star on an off day. Ok,…
Triumph launches 2025 range of Modern Classics
Triumph Motorcycles has announced a new collection of seven Modern Classic Icon Editions for 2025, featuring a Triumph logo dating back to 1907. The new bikes will be in showrooms…
World record for Olympia Vincent at Bonhams £3.2m autumn auction
A new world record price was set at Bonhams’ Autumn Stafford Sale in October for a very famous motorcycle: the 1936 Olympia Motorcycle Show Vincent-HRD 998cc Series-A Rapide. The price?…
Six Of The Best: Bonhams Autumn Stafford sale
Here’s another of my personal Six Of The Best – this time from Bonhams Autumn Stafford Sale at the Classic Motorcycle Mechanics Show on 12-13 October 2024. Top of the…
Six Of The Best: Charterhouse Auction October 2024
Here’s a new idea (from me): Six of The Best from an upcoming motorcycle auction. This time it’s the Charterhouse Classic & Vintage Motorcycle Auction on 3 October 2024 at…
First Look: 2025 Triumph Speed Twin 1200 and 1200 RS
Looking for a modern bike with retro looks and plenty of style and performance? Well, at first glance, Triumph has nailed it with the 2025 Speed Twin 1200 and its…
Triumph’s very first ‘unit’ construction twin: the 1957 350cc ‘Twenty-One’
A seismic change in British motorcycle design happened in 1957: the introduction of ‘unit’ construction combining the engine, primary drive and gearbox in one case. The first Triumph twin to…
Shell’s Time Machine: Watch Geoff Duke win the 1954 Dutch TT
+VIDEO Geoff Duke was one of the most successful British motorcycle racers of all time, winning six world championships and six Isle of Man TT races during his racing career…
Barber Vintage Festival beckons US classic motorcycle riders
UPDATED US classic motorcycle enthusiasts are gearing up for one of the events of the year: the Barber Vintage Festival, held over 11-13 October 2024 at Barber Motorsports Parkway in…
Moto Guzzi Spada Royale: The Luton Job
Back in the 1970s and early 80s, Luton dealer Coburn & Hughes was the UK agent for two Italian manufacturers, Ducati and Moto Guzzi. Two very different styles of motorcycle…
Classics included in BMF’s Manifesto for Motorcycling
It’s general election year so expect plenty of politics, debate and lobbying – and motorcycling is on the agenda too. The British Motorcyclists’ Federation (BMF), in partnership with the National Motorcyclists…
Bonhams Spring Sale touches 95% of lots sold
Bonhams Spring Stafford sale on 20-21 April at the International Classic MotorCycle Show reached a total value of £3m. There were 365 lots of collectors’ motorcycles, memorabilia, spares, and dismantled…
Grand Prix roadster: street legal 1962 Honda CR93 racer
Take a good look at this Honda coming up for auction with Charterhouse on 6 June. It’s a rare, and I mean very rare, Honda CR93 from 1962. How rare?…
Govt launches survey on future of classic vehicles
How best to preserve classic vehicles for the future? Where to draw the line between a restoration and a ‘new build’ from parts? How to handle conversions to cleaner tech…
Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride launches ‘Side by Side’ campaign
+VIDEO On Sunday 19 May 2024, The Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride (DGR) is coming to a city near you. The world’s largest charity event for classic and vintage motorcycle enthusiasts will…
Will this 1972 750cc Ducati Imola racer top $1m?
The Big Question in the classic motorcycle auction world right now is: are we about to see a multi-million dollar motorcycle sale? One of only eight 750cc Ducati Imola Desmos…
National Motorcycle Museum Auction Hits 90% Sale Rate
Almost 90 percent of the classic motorcycles and scooters offered for sale at H&H Classics’ first motorcycle and scooter auction of 2024 were successfully hammered away on 27 March, for…
LiveWire launches all-new S2 Mulholland American cruiser
+VIDEO American style cruisers are typically styled around the petrol tank which on an electric motorcycle, clearly, is unnecessary so in a bold move Livewire has styled its latest motorcycle,…
Zero completely updates its A1 S model for 2024
+ VIDEO & GALLERY The Model S is the original Zero electric motorcycle, the longest surviving in the Californian manufacturer’s range. And it continues into 2024 but as an all-new…
What motorcycle licence do I need – and how do I get it?
The motorcycle licence system in the UK seems fiendishly complicated at first glance. It’s designed to make new and young riders start on less powerful motorbikes with some basic training,…
How to get a motorcycle licence: AM Moped
How to get a motorcycle licence : A1 Light Motorcycle —> Read the full article: What motorcycle licence do I need – and how do I get it?
How to get a motorcycle licence : A1 Light Motorcycle
<— How to get a motorcycle licence: AM Moped How to get a motorcycle licence: A2 Motorcycle —> Read the full article: What motorcycle licence do I need – and…
How to get a motorcycle licence: A2 (Motorcycle)
<— How to get a motorcycle licence: A1 Light Motorcycle How to get a motorcycle licence: A Motorcycle (when aged 21 to 23) —> Read the full article: What motorcycle…
How to get a motorcycle licence: Category A Motorcycle (when aged 21 to 23)
<— How to get a motorcycle licence: A2 Motorcycle How to get a motorcycle licence: A Motorcycle (when aged 24 or over) —> Read the full article: What motorcycle…
How to get a motorcycle licence: Category A Motorcycle (when aged 24 or over)
<—How to get a motorcycle licence: A Motorcycle (when aged 21 to 23) Read the full article: What motorcycle licence do I need – and how do I get it?
Royal Enfield ups power and features for 2024 Himalayan 450
Looking for an adventure motorcycle that doesn’t cost the earth to buy, run and insure? One with sensible proportions, power and weight? But one that still delivers on ability and…
Review: Katbo 2-amp battery charger
One of the fun parts about running a motorcycle that’s been restored or rebuilt by someone else is the little things you discover after a few months of ownership. In…
‘Special’ Brough Superior SS100 sells for £241,500
A very special 1938 Brough Superior SS100 sold for an incredible £241,500 at the Iconic Auction staged at the NEC Classic Motor Show, Birmingham on Sunday, 12 November 2023. The…
Mixed fortunes at Charterhouse October auction
What to make of the results from the Charterhouse auction of classic & vintage motorcycles on 26 October 2023? There were some good prices made, a number of bargains, but…
Triumph TR5: the original ‘Trophy’
Over the years, Triumph has bandied around the name ‘Trophy’ willy-nilly. Sometimes it’s attached to a trail bike but more often to a tourer – as recently as 2017 –…
Rare Mondials to appear at world’s biggest motorcycle auction
FB Mondial is one of those motorcycle manufacturers bathed in myth and legend, dominating grand prix racing during the early and mid 1950s. Created by a band of brothers named…
Triumph Scrambler 1200: modern day TR5 (sort of)
In case you haven’t noticed, Triumph is really going for it at the moment. Not only are brand new road models coming out – including this latest Triumph Scrambler –…
Brough Superior SS100 Pendine replica sells for $220,000
Top of the top ten results at the Mecum John Parham auction earlier this month was a 1927 Brough Superior SS100 Pendine Replica, said to be one of the finest…
The Vincent story: Speed Is Expensive DVD released
Speed Is Expensive – yup, we know that and there’s a movie to confirm it. It’s the story of the rise and fall of Vincent motorcycles and the small and…
Ride70s opens bookings for 2024 Italy classic motorcycle tours
Where do you want to ride in Italy and on what classic motorcycle? That’s all you have to answer when booking with Ride70s which offers tours of different regions of…
BSA Bantam GPO: the Little Red Rooster
Mess with institutions at your peril and few have been messed around more than the UK Post Office. Established by King Charles II in 1660, the Royal Mail service was…
Nearly new JMC Norvin classic motorcycle up for auction
A new Norvin… is that even possible? A new Vincent 1,000cc vee-twin engine in a Norton Featherbed frame with modern cycle parts? Yes, and one is coming up for auction…
Fifty? No, just one shade of grey for Venhill cables
Specialist cable maker Venhill has added a new grey colour option to its motorcycle speedo and tacho cable range. The Surrey company says it’s a discreet alternative to black cables…
UK’s National Motorcycle Museum acquires surviving BSA Vetter triple
The sole surviving roadworthy BSA Vetter Rocket 3 – prototype of the Craig Vetter designed triple that became the Triumph X-75 Hurricane – will join the collection of classic motorcycles…
Entries open for next year’s Moto Giro d’Italia
Entries for the 2024 Moto Giro d’Italia are now open and anyone thinking of taking part is urged to register as soon as possible. For the 2023 event, the maximum…
Watch a rusty old Jawa come back to life
US YouTube channel Rescue Story is restoring a 1960s Jawa motorcycle found in a dilapidated state. View the whole series here.
Tony East’s Isle of Man classic motorcycle collection for sale
Lifelong motorcycle enthusiast Tony East amassed a world class collection of classic motorcycles over the years which became a Collection open to the public at Kirk Michael on the Isle…
R90S: the superbike that changed BMW motorcycles for ever
Up until the early 1970s, BMW motorcycles were known for their high quality of manufacture and finish… and also for being a tad dull. Yes, you could ride miles and…
Rare John Player Special Norton Commando in online auction
Live in-person sales aren’t the only way to bid at auctions. Car & Classic is a sales website mainly aimed at classic cars but it also has a large motorcycle…
Pioneer Run for pre-1915 motorcycles set for October
It’s astonishing to think that the youngest motorcycle taking part in this year’s Pioneer Run will be at least 107 years old – there may even be one that’s 126…
Nine classic motorcycles at fair prices in Penzance auction
Where can you find a bargain these days? Specifically, where are the classic motorcycles being sold at fair, not inflated prices? The answer, it appears, is an auction that’s a…
Is this 1987 Matchless G80 the ‘Great Pretender’?
If the heart of a motorcycle is its engine, then it’s hard to say with conviction that this 1987 Harris G80 really lives up to its Matchless name. However, it…
‘Made at the Manx’ lap takes centre stage at Manx GP centennial
A ‘Made at the Manx’ lap will be part of the special events being held to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Manx Grand Prix on Saturday 26 August 2023.…
Private classic motorcycle collection auction in Penzance, Cornwall
Nine classic British motorbikes including Triumph, Norton, Zenith, Ariel and New Imperial come up for sale later this week at an Antiques & Interiors auction being held in Penzance, Cornwall…
Egli-Vincent with 1200cc Godet engine sells for £53k
An Egli-Vincent rebuilt in 2006 by Patrick Godet under licence from Fritz Egli using a new magnesium 1200cc Godet engine sold for £53,000 (+auction costs) at the Charterhouse Classic Motorcycle…
California Dreaming! Stunning BSA X-75 Hurricane up for sale
The early 1970s were a torrid time for the British motorcycle industry. Famous brand names had disappeared or were closing. Others were struggling with out of date motorcycles thanks to…
Historic Triumph Ricardo that changed engine design
A truly historic Triumph motorcycle is up for sale at the H&H classic motorcycle auction at the National Motorcycle Museum on Wednesday, 12 July. It’s a 1923 Triumph Ricardo –…
Lambretta GT200 raced in Isle of Man trials may fetch £20k plus
UPDATED 22 May 2024: OK, I’ll admit straightaway that I cannot see how the auctioneer’s estimate of £22,000 to £24,000 for this 1965 Lambretta GT200 scooter can possibly be right.…
Royal Enfield: Recreating its first 1901 motor-bicycle
How do you recreate a motorcycle first seen in 1901 when you have no surviving examples, no technical drawings and just a handful of period photos? Answer: A combination of…
Seventies Kawasaki Z makes an auction statement
If anyone needed proof of the rising values of 1970s Japanese motorcycles then here it is. A beautifully restored 1975 Kawasaki Z1-B sold on a public Car and Classic internet…
Wow! The Norton Commando is back
Blimey, is it really 50 years since I joined Motor Cycle News as a hugely enthusiastic but very inexperienced journalist? Yep, and my first week at the newspaper, then based…
Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride 2023 sets new records
More than 100,000 riders, across 900 cities in 107 countries, took part in the 2023 Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride on 21 May. It was a record-breaking year, according to the organisers,…
Three Nortons from ‘Norton George’ collection up for sale
Norton George… what a great name! Evocative and intriguing at the same time. And it rang a distant bell, though I’m still not sure from where. Probably my mate Miles…
Moto Guzzi’s military 500cc single Falcone
As well as its more famous vee-twins, Italian manufacturer Moto Guzzi also made a 500cc single cylinder motorcycle. One is coming up for sale at H&H’s classic scooter and motorcycle…
‘Time capsule’ 1958 BMW R50 on auction at National Motorcycle Museum
The speedometer reads 81,115 miles on this 1958 500cc BMW R50 but it hasn’t been ridden in a long while – possibly since 1997 looking at the final tax disc.…