Features

If anyone had said to me in the Seventies “what you need son is a 125…” I’d have laughed them out of the place, I knew what I needed, it was the red and black Model 199 325 Bultaco Sherpa, because that’s what ‘Vesty’ and the Lampkins were riding and winning on, or so it…

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Those of us who were youngsters in the early Seventies and reading the motorcycle press of the day had absorbed everything about the ISDT, the long distance trials where Triumph had exceeded all expectations and produced winners. We had focussed on such motorcycles as the TR5, the Trophy 500, we knew all about the wartime…

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As history will record, American Suzuki rider Brad Lackey would finish the season as world champion. However, at this stage in our story that was still to come and the motorcycling press here in the UK was full of how well the British riders could do at their home GP. In a full page preview…

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The way of the magazine world is fascinating in many respects, especially where an archive is involved. Here at Mortons the archive is probably the company’s most valuable resource and also its most enticing department. You see, going in to search for pictures involves looking through boxes of images and magazines too. That’s when things…

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How light is too light and what is needed to create such a light bike? The first question is a difficult thing to quantify, as general thinking in the classic period had it that bikes were becoming too light, yet weighing in at nearly 300lb – 136kg give or take a gram. Once two-strokes hit…

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Words and pics Andy Withers at AW Sportsphoto The Classic Dirt Bike sponsored AMCA British Classic Motocross Championship got off to a cracking start at Yatton Keynall near Bath on April 23. The Pre-65 and Pre-74 classes were run as one race which produced close racing throughout, particularly in race one. Kris Winder on his…

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Words: John McCrink Pictures: John McCrink and Eric Miles What does it take to win the Pre-65 part of our sponsored scrambles series? John McCrink investigates. When Liston Bell won the Scottish Classic Racing Motorcycle Club’s Pre-65 Over 350cc Scrambles Championship back in 2011, everyone agreed that the lad could really ride a bike. However,…

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Time and time again proof arises that the British industry wasn’t short on ideas or talent. Finance on the other hand… Colin Sparrow looks over the Greeves 500. Words: Colin Sparrow Pics: Colin Sparrow, Greeves Archive By the beginning of the 1970s clouds were gathering for the British motorcycle industry and by the end of 1970…

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From our 2016 archive In 1966, while England’s footballers prepared to write their names in World Cup history, a young Yorkshire lad was putting his on the JR Alexander Trophy. Words: Tim Britton Pic: Tim Britton and Morton’s archive “Does it feel 50 years ago?” I asked Alan Lampkin as he posed self-consciously with his…

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FROM OUR ARCHIVES When Triumph’s twin engine needed a better chassis for ISDT use, eyes turned to Hampshire and Eric Cheney’s workshop. Words: Tim Britton Pics: Bill McKeown On the face of it Triumph’s twin, designed in the 1930s, ought not to have still been at the forefront of competition 30 years later, but it…

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