Three beefy Britbikes take centre stage in RC170. Few folk can afford a BSA Spitfire Scrambler, so one owner built himself an awesome A10 replica. Another Triumph rider wanted something like a Trophy, so he created a TR5 tribute. But nothing beats a solid big single – enter the Panther sloper; a truly laid-back big cat.
But RealClassic isn’t restricted to one type of bike from any particular era, so you’ll also find a Moto Guzzi V-twin, café racers from Honda, a lightweight Italian single, a Redditch-built Royal Enfield 250 Continental and a more modern Bullet 500 – all being put through their paces; taken apart, mostly put back together again in roughly the right order. Not to mention the history of Husquvarna…
Join Editor Frank Westworth and RC regulars Jacqueline Bickerstaff, Rowena Hoseason, Alan Cathcart and Odgie on their eclectic two-wheeled adventures. If you’ve not read RealClassic before then you can look forward to reading lengthy, in-depth and authoritative features, crafted by the most experienced team in the old bike business. There may also be humour. Or not
If you already know you want to read this issue, then here’s where to order it in paper or digital formats. Or if you’d like more details, here’s the low-down on our in-depth, expert and enthusiast articles:
AMC HYBRIDS
By ‘hybrid’ we mean a Norton Atlas engine in an AJS or Matchless chassis, not some strange combination of electric and ICE engines. And here comes the expert on the subject to shed some light on the AJS Model 33 CS
BSA A10 SPECIAL
If you want to buy a genuine Spitfire Scrambler then you’ll need deep pockets to finance the five-figure price tag. But we found a fella who built himself a seriously trick 650 special for a fraction of the cost
HONDA XBR500
You either like these big singles from the mid-1980s, or not. This owner is so enthusiastic that his pair of XBRs have been joined by a GB400 TT (and a rather less successful CBX250)
HUSQUVARNA V-TWIN
More famous for off-roaders, Husky also built some simply beautiful tarmac tearaways too. Alan Cathcart unearths a stunning pre-war 500 racer, and fills us in on the firm’s history
MI-VAL 125 REBUILD, Part One
In the mid-1950s, Italian manufacturers churned out dozens of different lightweights. The restoration of this 125 two-stroke commences with figuring out what it is, exactly…
MOTO GUZZI 1100
The last of Moto Guzzi’s carb-equipped big V-twins is often overshadowed by its Daytona and Corsa counterparts. This owner argues that this model offers an unbeatable combination of old-style engineering and outright performance at an affordable price
PANTHER 650
It’s always risky trying to recreate memorable moments from your youth, but one long-distance rider was ready to roll the clock back by four decades. His time machine turned out to be Panther’s mighty sloping single
ROYAL ENFIELD BULLET
After several years of daily commuting, a 2002 iron-barrelled Enfield 500 was looking a little tired. So it got the full monty rebuild treatment – but had a few sneaky surprises in store for its owner in the process…
ROYAL ENFIELD CONTINENTAL, Part One
A short series on refurbishing an original 250 Continental GT begins with a bit of background and an entertaining tale about guitars
TRIUMPH T100
When its owner first bought this pre-unit 500 twin, he was aged 18 and the motorcycle was tricked out as a café racer. Four decades later they’re still together, but the bike’s undergone a radical revamp…
PLUS! RC readers debate the merits of Sunbeam’s inline twins and other oddities; celebrate two-wheeled eccentricity in the shape of the DN-01; Jacqueline Bickerstaff enjoys the Felix Burke trial and Bonhams auction, and Frank Westworth fails to mend a Matchless in The Shed…
RealClassic magazine is not on sale in UK newsagents but you can buy the current issue in digital and paper formats here
You can also buy stacks of older issues of RealClassic, but it’s heaps cheaper if you subscribe. Subscribers save 50% on the price of a single issue, and get an exclusive subscriber newsletter every month, and access to the subscriber-only Facebook group, and can win show tickets, RC regalia, bike books and more goodies in our subscriber prize draws
