Classic Bike January 2021

The concept of board track racing blows your mind. The crazy speeds that were attained some 100 years ago are enough to stop you in your tracks, but it’s the sheer madness of using all that timber to create massive motodromes and grandstands to host the ----events that really beggars belief. Especially as there were countless dirt track ovals around at the time, where the racers could ply their trade. Still, motorcycle history is all the richer for boardtrack racing and we can only marvel of what those pioneers achieved back then on such basic machines. What’s more impressive, though, is seeing amazing pictures like the opener on page 64 of Paul Anderson - it looks like it might have been shot today, such is the clarity of the image. The…

Welcome MARVELLOUS MADNESS ARCHIVES A HERL The concept of board track racing blows your mind. The crazy speeds that were attained some 100 years ago are enough to stop you in your tracks, but it’s the sheer madness of using all that timber to create massive motodromes and grandstands to host the ----events that really beggars belief. Especially as there were countless dirt track ovals around at the time, where the racers could ply their trade. Still, motorcycle history is all the richer for boardtrack racing and we can only marvel of what those pioneers achieved back then on such basic machines. What’s more impressive, though, is seeing amazing pictures like the opener on page 64 of Paul Anderson - it looks like it might have been shot today, such…

Classic World SPORT Swiss ’crossers on a roll Switzerland may have famously strict rules governing motorised sporting activities, but it’s also a hotbed for classic and vintage motocross. We gave it a go and met some of the riders involved in this thriving scene WORDS & PHOTOGRAPHY: FABIO AFFUSO EVENTS BOOK REVIEW LETTERS WAY WE WERE YOUR CLASSICS Switzerland banned motorsport on permanent circuits in the wake of the Le Mans car racing tragedy of 1955, but the country has a rich history of motocross, having hosted a World Championship Grand Prix as long ago as 1957. The Swiss have strict legislation governing trail riding or enduros, but there’s a healthy motocross scene, with local village organisations putting on at least two motocross events each per year on private farms.…

EVENTS BOOK REVIEW LETTERS WAY WE WERE YOUR CLASSICS Switzerland banned motorsport on permanent circuits in the wake of the Le Mans car racing tragedy of 1955, but the country has a rich history of motocross, having hosted a World Championship Grand Prix as long ago as 1957. The Swiss have strict legislation governing trail riding or enduros, but there’s a healthy motocross scene, with local village organisations putting on at least two motocross events each per year on private farms. There are very few permanent tracks in the country. Instead, most tracks are laid out on natural terrain; probably not the greatest for modern bikes, which are designed for the technical jumps and rhythm sections of man-made courses, but perfect for classics! Swiss motocross meetings are a mix of modern and classic machines,…

Fifty years ago, in January 1971, Colin Seeley created something of a sensation in the Motor Cycle News Speed Centre at the 10-day Olympia CMCA Industries Association trade show, when he unveiled his brand new Seeley Condor road bike. Not only was the show-stopping Matchless G50-powered café racer an incredibly beautiful looking and powerful machine, but its projected price tag of over £1000 also made it the most expensive road-going production machine in the UK at that time. Seeley was an AMC dealer, and in 1966 purchased all the tooling and spares from AMC’s racing AJS, Matchless and Norton brands. He sold the Manx Norton spares business on to John Tickle, but began producing ready-to-race 500cc Matchless G50 and AJS 350cc single-cylinder machines using his own lightweight rolling chassis. By doing this,…

Classic World SPECIAL A real high flier Half a century ago, Colin Seeley sprung a huge surprise on the British motorcycle industry when he launched the most expensive road bike in the UK. CB looks back on what made it worth every penny PHOTOGRAPHY: PHILLIP TOOTH ARCHIVE & BAUER ARCHIVE Fifty years ago, in January 1971, Colin Seeley created something of a sensation in the Motor Cycle News Speed Centre at the 10-day Olympia CMCA Industries Association trade show, when he unveiled his brand new Seeley Condor road bike. Not only was the show-stopping Matchless G50-powered café racer an incredibly beautiful looking and powerful machine, but its projected price tag of over £1000 also made it the most expensive road-going production machine in the UK at that time. Seeley was…