Classic Bike Hub UK

  • NORTH WEST 200 RETURNS: May 1947

    NORTH WEST 200 RETURNS: May 1947

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    As has so often been the case the weather throughout the history of the North West played its part with downpours during most of the afternoon reducing speeds and decimating the entry, with only half finishing the race. Read more in the latest edition of Classic Racer  

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  • Hurley Wilvert: From mechanic to the world stage

    Hurley Wilvert: From mechanic to the world stage

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    Hurley Wilvert in the winners’ enclosure after finishing third in the 1974 Daytona 200 looks on as paddock announcer, Roxy Rockwood, interviews an exhausted winner, Giacomo Agostini. Hurley Wilvert was born in Pennsylvania, one of many in the immediate post Second World War generation who was constantly being relocated, his father being in the Army.…

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  • Bob Smith: the peoples' champion

    Bob Smith: the peoples' champion

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    Bob leads into Scarborough’s Esses on the Suzuki RG 500, ahead of Steve Henshaw, Mark Salle Bob Smith was every part the gritty rider. He was a self-employed diesel fitter throughout the week and he raced at the weekend. Unlike the likes of Hailwood, however, Smith’s apprenticeship wasn’t on ex-works machines on race circuits, it…

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  • McIntosh: The machines

    McIntosh: The machines

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    Lucky boy Terry Stevenson gets to canter the McIntosh Manx. His other race bike remains a ‘work in progress’, an ex-Norris Farrow twin shock McIntosh Suzuki GSX1100 F1 machine, which won the Bike of the Show award at a recent Auckland motorcycle show. Many of the external frame components and engine covers have been machined…

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  • BRISTOL BEATS THE STORMS

    BRISTOL BEATS THE STORMS

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    Winners all – Despite the inclement weather the Bristol Show winners clearly had a great weekend. Living up to pre-show expectations, a trio of bikes from well-known collector and sprint star, Henry Body, drew lots of attention, particularly his 1913 Williamson which is one of just a few rare survivors in the UK. Exhibition manager…

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  • TEAM MOLNAR MANX

    TEAM MOLNAR MANX

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    Young Richard Molnar is planning more of the same in 2016. In addition Richard Molnar won both 350cc and 500cc Club Championships, and finished second in the ACU 500 Classic Championship. The Classic TT didn’t prove quite so successful, with ancillary parts causing problems, while leading both races, was a huge disappointment for the whole…

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  • OBITUARY: STEVE MURRAY

    OBITUARY: STEVE MURRAY

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    Steve giving Tommy Robb some words of advice at Daytona. Steve was taken from us suffering from prostate cancer. Having been friends with Steve since his early trips to race in Ireland, North and South, in the mid/late 1950s I can honestly say there was no one who could make friends faster than Steve. READ…

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  • TRAILBLAZERS: KEEPING MOTORCYCLE HISTORY ALIVE IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

    TRAILBLAZERS: KEEPING MOTORCYCLE HISTORY ALIVE IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

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    Early day photo of Trailblazers founder A.F. Van Order and his family. Such was the case almost 80 years ago in Southern California, when people involved in racing there wondered what had become of some of the greats of the sport who had thrilled them years before as they sped around the legendary board tracks…

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  • Ken McIntosh: The legend lives on

    Ken McIntosh: The legend lives on

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    Cameron Donald, racing the 25th Anniversary McIntosh to another victory, at Hampton Downs 2015. It was a time when many aftermarket European frame manufacturers were thriving, with the likes of Harris, Rickman, Egli, Magni, Moto Martin and Bimota all producing frames for large capacity motorcycles. And for more than half a decade New Zealand-built and…

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  • Thierry Rapicault TZ250: That's a works bike!

    Thierry Rapicault TZ250: That's a works bike!

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    Fast Frenchman Thierry Rapicault in flat out action. What had Carlos Lavado’s experienced eye recognised? He’d seen the brackets for the YPVS motor and the magnesium alloy, adjustable top yoke that were fitted to OW47s and were part of the factory kit supplied to chosen teams in 1983. While much of the factory kit was…

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