Classic Bike January 2022

Welcome THE MAGIC OF METISSE THERE WAS ALWAYS something about the way a Rickman Metisse looked, whether it was a desert sled immortalised by the king of cool Steve McQueen or a stripped-for-action road racer, just like the one featured in this issue originally raced by Tony Jefferies. Back in the day, we saw examples of the Rickman Metisse mostly in scrambles events predominantly with Triumph twin engines, or in middleweight road races with Aermacchi singles. The road bikes were a bit of a rarity. I remember going to Elite Motors just to ogle at the line of the Rickman-framed Clymer Enfields surplus stock they had for sale, but don’t recall seeing any kind of Rickman Metisse on the road locally until my mate Rob Underwood shocked us all by…

THERE WAS ALWAYS something about the way a Rickman Metisse looked, whether it was a desert sled immortalised by the king of cool Steve McQueen or a stripped-for-action road racer, just like the one featured in this issue originally raced by Tony Jefferies. Back in the day, we saw examples of the Rickman Metisse mostly in scrambles events predominantly with Triumph twin engines, or in middleweight road races with Aermacchi singles. The road bikes were a bit of a rarity. I remember going to Elite Motors just to ogle at the line of the Rickman-framed Clymer Enfields surplus stock they had for sale, but don’t recall seeing any kind of Rickman Metisse on the road locally until my mate Rob Underwood shocked us all by buying one with a Honda CB750-4 motor.…

WAY WE WERE EVENTS YOUR CLASSICS LETTERS ‘THE VJMC HAS 40 LOCAL SECTIONS AROUND THE UK WHERE MEMBERS REGULARLY MEET UP’ The Vintage Japanese Motorcycle Club (VJMC) celebrates its 40th anniversary this year. Founded back in 1982 by Mike Ridley, the nascent club was almost a spin-off of the American VJMC founded five years previously. Membership was initially in the tens then moved into the hundreds, before finally passing the 1000 mark a few years later. Today, VJMC UK has in excess of 5700 members and continues to grow as enthusiasts of 60s, 70s and 80s bikes relive their youth. The VJMC recognises any Japanese motorcycle over 15 years old, which widens its appeal. With every machine effectively designed and constructed with supposed ‘built-in obsolescence’ it’s been the club’s aim to ensure as…

Classic World VJMC 40 ‘On the road AND in the shed’ That’s the mantra of the Vintage Japanese Motorcycle Club, which celebrates its 40th anniversary in 2022. Here’s the background to a club that encourages riding as much as restoration WORDS: COURTESY OF THE VJMC PHOTOGRAPHY: BAUER ARCHIVE & VJMC WAY WE WERE EVENTS YOUR CLASSICS LETTERS ‘THE VJMC HAS 40 LOCAL SECTIONS AROUND THE UK WHERE MEMBERS REGULARLY MEET UP’ The Vintage Japanese Motorcycle Club (VJMC) celebrates its 40th anniversary this year. Founded back in 1982 by Mike Ridley, the nascent club was almost a spin-off of the American VJMC founded five years previously. Membership was initially in the tens then moved into the hundreds, before finally passing the 1000 mark a few years later. Today, VJMC UK has…

It was a very different Motogiro this year, with the well established Italian road trial held in the cooler and wetter conditions of October, after being postponed from its normal May date due to Covid restrictions. The course ran south from its start at the Misano race circuit near Rimini, zigzagging through the Apennines to meet the Mediterranean coast just south of Spoleto, before returning north. Temperatures fell as low as 3°C at 1300 metres on day four, and rain in the mountains on day one contributed to at least six minor falls, including that of top 10 competitor David Green on his Gilera Extra Rosso 175, costing him 10 minutes. The event is essentially an historical re-enactment of the Giro d’Italia road race, the oldest and most prestigious Italian motorcycle stage…

EVENT MOTOGIRO D’ITALIA OCTOBER 2021 Cooler than ever Postponed Giro presented extra challenges to an already gruelling road trip WORDS BY ALIDA VAN HAM PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF DOMENICO VALLORINI It was a very different Motogiro this year, with the well established Italian road trial held in the cooler and wetter conditions of October, after being postponed from its normal May date due to Covid restrictions. The course ran south from its start at the Misano race circuit near Rimini, zigzagging through the Apennines to meet the Mediterranean coast just south of Spoleto, before returning north. Temperatures fell as low as 3°C at 1300 metres on day four, and rain in the mountains on day one contributed to at least six minor falls, including that of top 10 competitor David Green…