He raced motorcycles that tied themselves up in knots. He found that extra something that all champions manage to find. He took on – and beat – the best. One big crash and 12 days
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Going it alone: The Kim Newcombe Konig 500
Like something from a Hollywood blockbuster, what a guy from New Zealand managed to make went out on track and stunned the racing world. This is the story of that motorcycle. Words by: Terry Stevenson
Read moreThe 1974 500cc Dutch TT Assen: Yamaha one and two
Words and photographs: Jan & Hetty Burgers Over 150,000 race fans went to see the sixth round of the 500cc world championship at the end of June 1974. They were all eagerly looking forward to
Read moreDevimead: The racing Masons
Words and Photographs: Peter Crawford and Mason Collection. Synonymous with BSA there was far more to Devimead than parallel twins. They flirted with Bartons and Morinis but Pete Crawford found out that it was with
Read moreSkip Aksland: What might have been
Words: Norm DeWitt Photographs: Norm DeWitt and Mortons Archive Skip Aksland was another of the Californians who formed a tidal wave of talent that swept the podiums of the world. Along with Kenny Roberts and Cal
Read moreThe 1974 500cc Italian Grand Prix: A gamble that didn’t pay off
Words and photographs: Jan Burgers A calculated gamble by Yamaha failed at the Italian Grand Prix. The mistake was in the estimation of the fuel consumption of the 500cc Yamaha four. Jan Burgers continues his
Read moreAnd now for something completely different: The Eldee Velocette
Words and photographs Chris Swallow Eagle-eyed observers visiting the Honda museum in Motegi, Japan, will notice soon after paying their yen there is a racing motorcycle devoid of the familiar winged Honda vector. The emblem
Read more1971 revisited: The first ever Anglo-American match races
Words: Bruce Cox – Pictures: Mortons Archive and Bruce Cox Collection In more than a decade and a half of racing, the Transatlantic Trophy Series introduced no fewer than seven American World Champions to British fans.
Read moreHonda 125 Series: A level playing field
Photographs: Mortons Archive and Russ Lee At the beginning of the 1977 road racing season, an all new championship was added to the road racing calendar – the Honda 125cc series. Phil Wain reflects on a
Read moreENDLESS SUMMER: A Month of Racing in the Isle of Man – 1966
The Isle of Man is reliant on the services of the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company to transport the vast majority of the Island’s needs, not least the tourists that flock to Mona’s Isle,
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