Features

MV Agusta 750 30 MV Agusta 750S/Monza, 1974 Legendary Italian factory MV Agusta may have garnered more than three dozen world road racing titles over three decades but its big road bikes offered none of agility of the racers. Based on a 600cc shaft-drive tourer first offered in 1965, the bigger 750S and Monza suffered…

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Frankie Chili is our VIP guest! If you want all that’s best in the world of modern classic motorcycling then you cannot afford to miss the 21st Carole Nash Classic Motorcycle Mechanics Show. Held over the weekend of October 18-19, the show promises to be the best ever! There’s a top guest of honour, all…

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There’s a school of thought that reckons two-stroke motors work best when their individual cylinders are below 125cc capacity. This month’s offering goes a long way to supporting that premise; Yamaha’s 180/200 twins just have to be one of the classic scene’s best kept secrets. Get one of these little chaps in the zone and…

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First, British double champ Carl Fogarty knew that he had to win there to have any hope of the title. Going into the Dutch round he was in third place 19 points behind series leader Troy Corser. With Assen being Foggy’s favourite track, surely he could make up some ground? For Italian Pierfrancesco Chili, it…

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Kawasaki Z1 900 10 Kawasaki Z1 900, 1973 Few bikes had such an impact when launched as Kawasaki’s Z1. Originally planned as a 750 in 1968, the bike was sent back to the designers when Honda’s 750 appeared. But when the Z1 came out in 1973 it eclipsed everything with immense, seamless power that peaked…

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Suzuki XN85 Turbo The strange rush to produce turbo equipped motorcycles at the start of the 1980s was a brief dalliance with a concept that looked like it offered something for nothing or very close to it. Suzuki’s considered suggestion was the XN85 and although it was never a huge seller (allegedly less than 1200…

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Bridgestone 175SR Bridgestone motorcycles were manufactured from 1958 until 1971 with a range of machines from 50cc to 350cc, all two-strokes and all based on disc valve designs. The bikes sold strongly in the US via the Rockford Company of Illinois and were serious rivals for the upcoming Yamaha and Suzuki brands. Known for their…

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Benelli 650 Tornado The Benelli concern has a long and illustrious history, but like many Italian companies it has courted financial disaster several times, and frequently only survived by the skin of its teeth. Founded in 1911 in Pesaro, the company came about when the recently widowed Teresa Benelli was looking to provide gainful employment…

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Kawasaki’s GPZ900R broke the mould Summer 1984. Yours truly has just passed his bike test and bought a (well) used Suzuki GT380. Convinced that this old smoker is the fastest thing on the planet (in my world nothing could possibly go any quicker than this) I spent a week or two challenging anyone to a…

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There’s an old story about asking directions from a village yokel who has little real idea of your intended destination. Lost motorist – “Can you tell me the way to Reading please?” Yokel – “Reading is it? Well, I wouldn’t be starting from here sir!” The same cack-handed logic might also be applied to this…

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