November - December 2017

Classic Racer

Where legends live on

Classic Racer2 min read
BEHOLD: Honda's iconic Six
By now, hopefully, you will have noticed that you have something extra with this month’s edition of Classic Racer – a 32 page special looking at arguably the most iconic racebike to ever grace a grid – the Honda Six. If you followed the 2017 Bsennett
Classic Racer6 min readAutomotive
Absolutely Gorgeous!
Words: Tony Carter Photographs: Gary D Chapman What we have here is unique, one of the most rare racing motorcycles ever built. This one in particular is rarer than a Honda 6. Aside from singularly bespoke racing bikes (and let’s face it, those motor
Classic Racer2 min read
August 4-6, 2017 Crmc Donington Classic Festival
Words: Graham Lawlor Photos: Russell Lee, Sport-Pics.co.uk The Donington Park Festival has rapidly developed into one of the world’s leading celebrations of classic motorcycle racing. This year’s event again saw large crowds flocking to the East Midl
Classic Racer1 min read
Mechanical Marvel Just Two Months In The Making
Photograph: Nick Nicholls/Mortons Archive There’s a reason whyClassic Racerhas delved into the archive and dug out this image, and those on the following pages, of the iconic Honda. Firstly, they are colour... and colour photographs of the bike are a
Classic Racer6 min read
BIMOTA TESI YB The Oddest Ball Of All
Words: Alan Cathcart Photos: Phil Masters Tesi means ‘thesis’ in Italian, and that’s how Bimota’s remarkable alternative motorcycle started out, as a combined effort between the company’s then-chief designer Federico Martini, and two Bologna Universi
Classic Racer3 min read
Understanding The Inner Beauty
Pictures: Nick Nicholls/Mortons Archive After a period of total dominance, and in the face of the fast pace of two-stroke racing development, the four cylinder Honda 250 was showing its age. Although team leader Jim Redman (pictured left) won the 196
Classic Racer14 min read
Classic Tt 2017
Words: JohnWatterson Pictures: Peter Faragher Legends of the golden era, Jim Redman and Stuart Graham mixed with top names from the 1970s, such as Alex George, Bill Simpson, Mick Grant and Steve Parrish, at this year’s edition, right through to prese
Classic Racer4 min readAutomotive
Fierce Again
Words: Mark McCloskey. Photos: Mark McCloskey, Big Joe, Jack Corry and John Burke. The Irish road racing championship enjoyed its final three thrilling rounds, the first being the Faugheen 50 which is just outside Carrick-on-Suir in CountyWaterford.
Classic Racer3 min readAutomotive
The Read-Age battle
Words and photography: Jan Burgers Over 150,000 spectators gathered on the grass banks and grandstands of the Hockenheimring Motodrom in Baden-Württemberg, south Germany to watch their heroes in action. The 1932-built circuit was very much a unique o
Classic Racer3 min read
Classic Racer Archive
It was with good reason that Derek Minter was known as the original ‘King of Brands’. His prowess at the Kent circuit had coined him the unofficial title years before it was any sort of ‘recognised’ honour given out by the racing overseers. The reput
Classic Racer2 min read
Welcome To Your Classic Racer Special.
Some things are clearly meant to be. There were many highlights at the 2017 Classic TT for the thousands of fans making the pilgrimage to Mona’s Isle. But the one right at the top of the list for many was the opportunity to see, and more importantly
Classic Racer9 min read
IRELAND: Unsung hero
Words: Mark McCloskey Born and raised in Crosskennan, Co. Antrim, not far from Belfast, Len Ireland first got his hands on a motorbike, a 1949 BSA 350 B31, at the tender age of 15. This pretty much coincided with his decision to finish up at the loca
Classic Racer6 min read
Readerswrite
Then please do.We read every letter, email and comment sent to us and we enjoy hearing from you if you’ve an event coming up, a motorcycle you own or just want to let us know about something you find interesting in Classic Racer’s world. Classic Race
Classic Racer10 min read
The Day I Rode The Six
Photographs: Stephen Davison / Pacemaker Press Long time Classic Racer friend and, as of now, retained tester of some note for this magazine, Steve Plater has always talked of how – if the chance ever presented itself – he’d give away body parts if t
Classic Racer1 min read
Classic Racer Iconicmetal
Illustration by: Mick Ofield In 1972 the Imola Desmo, in the hands of Paul Smart, won the Imola 200 mile race. That victory helped define Ducati’s future approach to racing. The Imola Desmowas, arguably, the most beautiful machine to come fromFabioTa
Classic Racer16 min read
Jim Curry Hot Stuff
Pictures: Jim Curry/Karl Schleuter We’ll let the man himself explain the moment that, arguably, he may well be the most remembered for. Here’s how Jim y introduces that race in which he qualified a write-off on the front row of a Grand Prix grid: “Fo

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