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  • February 01, 2025 5 min read

    Gonna Write Ride a Classic

    Older LAMkins, i.e. about 80% of the membership may remember a soft rock number from the early 80s by Adrian Gurvitz. 

    Well, most of us are never going to write a classic – but we can certainly ride one! If you have a garage or a secure shed or other storage – and that is a big if – it’s easy enough to combine a classic with ownership of a modern bike.

    Some of the things you’ll get out of it:

    Affordability – while nothing in the world of motorcycling is ‘cheap’ this is a good time to buy. A glance at ‘Car and Classic’ reveals a tidy looking 1949 Sunbeam S8 – 500cc shaft drive with fore and aft cylinders for £3,500; 1972 Honda SL for £2300; 1976 CB750 with Hondamatic £2995; 1960 BSA A10 for £5,250 etc. etc.

    Don’t ever think that you’re buying an ‘investment’ – you’re unlikely to ever get back more than you paid, but you avoid the dramatic depreciation that comes with buying a new bike. Repairs and spares are on the whole reasonably priced in comparison with modern bikes and older bikes can usually cope with rough and tumble without cracking vulnerable and expensive body panels, snapping footpegs and levers etc. There’s also cheap insurance and if it qualifies under the forty year ‘historic vehicle’ rule no road tax or congestion charge.

    A different experience – When you ride a bike without all the modern riding aids – neutral indicators, ABS, electronic suspension, hill hold, self-cancelling indicators etc etc you’re reliant on your input alone – you’re on a machine, not a computer.  This can help your understanding of both your riding technique and the bike’s systems. The relatively low power output of most classics does make them more forgiving than modern high-performance machines, but effort you have to put into keeping up a decent average speed and the connection you feel as a hard-working air-cooled engine responds means that you do get a sensation of speed at relatively low actual road speeds.

    Self-reliance and mechanical sympathy – The quirkier a bike is, the more you have to get to know it, to sense when things may be going wrong with the mechanical or electrical system. You get to know the sort of problems that may occur on the road and to carry the tools and spares needed to deal with them. While an older bike may be inclined to have problems of some kind in the course of daily usage – these can usually be dealt with by the roadside; whereas a modern bike that fails to start or shows a black screen will almost certainly need to be recovered.

    Routine maintenance too can for the most part be carried out by anyone with basic skills without the expense and inconvenience of dealer servicing, though you may want to invest in a multi-meter, stroboscope and vacuum gauges. You’ll find a plethora of advice on online forums – though you’ll have to be cautious as to what to follow and what to ignore.

    As with any area of motorcycling, there are a range of ideologies – from the extreme ‘museum quality’ brigade, whose bikes are pampered in their heated garages and are transported between classic events during the season; devotees, knowing or not of the Japanese concept of wabi-sabi – the idea that beauty can be found in imperfection and that all knocks, scratches and general wear and tear should be proudly born as part of the bikes history – the idea of ‘restoration’ is anathema to them; ‘nut and bolt’ restorers, who aim get their bike to look as it was when it left the factory and the ‘restomod’ crowd who will happily add modern braking, suspension and electrical systems. Most people on the classic scene look upon it as a bit of fun, but you’ll always find, and learn to avoid, the obsessives and bores who make up a percentage of devotees.

     

    Next steps:

    If you want to dip your toe in the water: What are you going to use it for? If it’s two hour bimble around the lanes then why not a simple cheap two stroke like a BSA Bantam or Francis-Barnett for around a grand, or there are Japanese or Italian options; if you want to go further or faster the next step up might be a Japanese offering from the 70s or 80s, though some models such as the Yamaha RD 250 and 400 LC models reach fancy prices, air cooled are more reasonable.

    ‘77 Bonneville - current bid £2700 - I'm tempted myself!

    Any serious riding on a classic you’ll be looking at 500cc +. Triumphs and Nortons will always be popular, and there are a lot of them about but most will have been through multiple ownership and varying degrees of bodging along the way. Honda 750 fours and Suzuki ‘kettles’ are also sought after and while you may have to pay more in the first instance, you’ll always be able to sell it again when the time comes. Litre capacity bikes from the Japanese big four  from the 80s and 90s are a practial proposition though some models are very sought after.

    Is there a specialist you can turn to? There often comes a time when dealing with a troublesome issue when you have to make the decision to put it in the hands of an expert. It’s worth finding out if this resource does exist within reasonable travelling distance before you commit to a bike. It may also be worth getting your newly acquired bike recommissioned by someone who knows their stuff, particularly if it has not been used for a while.

    If you have narrowed it down to a particular make or type it’s worth joining the relevant club before committing, so that you have access to knowledge and advice.

    Where to buy from? In order I would say first preference – via a club, a club member is unlikely to knowingly sell a pup; second preference a specialist website such as Car and Classic, or a classic auction if you have the time and nerves for it; third preference Ebay – I’m sure there are good deals there but….

    Remember:

    Don’t buy the first one you see – there’s often a huge variation in condition at a given price point and some sellers have unrealistic ideas.

    As always, history is important – if receipts and invoices have been retained over the years this is evidence of careful ownership.

    Tyres – most classics don’t do a high mileage so tyres may look ok, but the rubber has probably hardened: the cost of replacing these as well as any recommissioning are a good negotiating points.

    If in doubt – keep your money in your pocket.

    John McNally

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