Classic & Retro
Latest classic & retro motorcycle news, aggregated from independent publishers.
2027 Suzuki GSX-8TT Gets Iconic Red and Gold Colourway
Suzuki has unveiled a bold new colour option for its retro-s2027 Suzuki GSX-8TT Gets Iconic Red and Gold Colourwaytyled Suzuki GSX-8TT, adding a striking Candy Daring Red scheme with gold wheels to its 2027 lineup. The new livery draws direct inspiration from the iconic GS1000S of the late 1970s, reinforcing the model’s neo-retro character.
Everything you need to know about the Stafford Classic Motorcycle Mechanics Show 2026
The Classic Motorcycle Mechanics Show sponsored by Carole Nash returns to Staffordshire Showground on October 10-11, with more than 900 traders, dealers and autojumble stands, a huge club presence, famous racing machinery, special guests and the Bonhams Autumn Stafford Sale.
Everything you need to know about the Stafford Classic Motorcycle Mechanics Show 2026
The Classic Motorcycle Mechanics Show sponsored by Carole Nash returns to Staffordshire Showground on October 10-11, with more than 900 traders, dealers and autojumble stands, a huge club presence, famous racing machinery, special guests and the Bonhams Autumn Stafford Sale.
Everything you need to know about the Stafford Classic Motorcycle Mechanics Show 2026
The Classic Motorcycle Mechanics Show sponsored by Carole Nash returns to Staffordshire Showground on October 10-11, with more than 900 traders, dealers and autojumble stands, a huge club presence, famous racing machinery, special guests and the Bonhams Autumn Stafford Sale.
Everything you need to know about the Stafford Classic Motorcycle Mechanics Show 2026
The Classic Motorcycle Mechanics Show sponsored by Carole Nash returns to Staffordshire Showground on October 10-11, with more than 900 traders, dealers and autojumble stands, a huge club presence, famous racing machinery, special guests and the Bonhams Autumn Stafford Sale.
Flashback Friday: Top 8 Custom Motorcycles of October 2023
For this week’s Flashback Friday, we are diving deep into the Bike EXIF archives to pull out the heavy hitters from exactly three years ago. October 2023 showcased an incredible breadth of engineering, from slammed, bare-knuckle dragsters and carbon-clad café racers to race-bred track weapons and a genuinely unhinged supermoto.
2007 Ducati Sport 1000S Brings 1970s-Inspired Ducati Style to Auction
Ducati’s SportClassic family was conceived as a modern interpretation of the company’s celebrated sporting motorcycles of the 1970s, and few members of the range captured that philosophy as convincingly as the Sport 1000S. Now offered through Collecting Cars, this 2007 Ducati Sport 1000S combines Pierre Terblanche-designed styling with Ducati’s charismatic air-cooled Desmodromic L-twin, while receiving several enthusiast-focused mechanical upgrades.
2000 Bourget 1750cc ‘Dark Rider – Year of Shadow’: A Custom American V-Twin Built for a Charitable Cause
The 2000 Bourget 1750cc Dark Rider – Year of Shadow represents the distinctive custom-motorcycle culture that developed around large-displacement American V-twins at the turn of the millennium. Offered through Bonhams as part of a sale benefiting the Luca Guintoli Foundation, this unusual machine combines the visual identity of the American custom scene with a charitable purpose.
The On 2 Show Ep. 27 | Vintage Tomacs, a Chicken Tribute Bike, New Kit, and More1
Supported by Hits Focus Seltzer and Mother F The Supermotocross World Championship may be done and dusted, but we still have this weekend’s MXoN to look forward to! We had a lot of fun putting this week’s On 2 Show together, especially since our Hits Hard Drive Roulette deep dive produced some young ET3 footage, plus some mythical tape of his mom just ruining swap!
Throwback Thursday—Trail Breaker: K-Speed Mods the Newest (and Littlest) XSR
Based in a country where sub-250cc bikes rule, it’s no surprise that K-Speed has a serious knack for transforming small-displacement models into mean, menacing-looking machines. Despite the Thai shop’s proclivity for pint-sized projects, K-Speed has worked with all manner of donors, including full-size models—which again, shouldn’t come as a surprise considering it completed almost five dozen builds in 2018 alone.
November 2026
The November edition of The Classic MotorCycle magazine offers a lavishly illustrated celebration of legendary machines, riders and races, and news, reviews and rare period images from the golden age of motorcycling. Drawing on an archive stretching back to 1903, The Classic MotorCycle magazine provides an unparalleled insight into more than a century of motorcycle design, development, riding, racing and much more.
National Motor Museum to leave Beaulieu
It has been announced that Beaulieu will not be renewing the lease of the world-famous National Motor Museum which expires in 2030. The museum can trace its origins back to 1952 when Edward, 3rd Baron Montagu of Beaulieu, put on display five veteran cars as a tribute to his pioneering motorist father, John, 2nd Baron Montagu.
Maxxis Tires’ – Classic Steel #222 “1999 Suzuki RM125”
For this edition of Classic Steel, we are going to take a look back at Suzuki’s 1999 RM125. In the fourth year of its development cycle, Suzuki’s RM125 received a significant list of motor and suspension updates in 1999. Photo Credit: Suzuki In…
Josh Hayes: For The Love Of Motorcycle Racing
By Sean Bice If you’re a fan of the Classic Rock genre and, in particular, early-1980s rock ballads, then you’ve certainly enjoyed the sometimes-dulcet, sometimes-raucous musical creations of Michael Lee […] The post Josh Hayes: For The Love Of Motorcycle Racing appeared first on Roadracing World Magazine | Motorcycle Riding, Racing & Tech News.
Wartime DKW emerges from the River Danube
Global warming across the world has resulted in water levels in rivers, lakes and reservoirs dropping, leading to the reemergence of long-submerged buildings and even villages. But in Budapest, a decrease in the level of the Danube has led to a particularly interesting discovery.
Pyramid x Bell Custom 500: Hand-Painted to Match 5 Bikes
Pyramid Motorcycle Accessories of Gainsborough, England, has launched a line of Bell Custom 500 open-face helmets hand-painted to match five retro-styled motorcycles from Triumph, Yamaha, and Kawasaki. Each helmet is painted to order at Pyramid’s custom paint shop, sells for £600, and ships within about six weeks.
FOR SALE: 1975 Ducati 900 SS
The 1975 Ducati 900 SS offered for sale through Collecting Cars is a particularly significant example of Ducati’s early Super Sport lineage. As a first-year 900 SS, it represents one of just 246 examples understood to have been produced for 1975, making it considerably rarer than later versions of the model.
Norton Motorcycles links to racing heritage at 2026 Goodwood Revival
The Goodwood Revival hosts a number of historic races each year. The Barry Sheene Memorial Trophy featured two 25-minute races for motorcycles produced between 1948 and 1966. Each machine was shared by two riders, with the aggregate result across both races determining the overall winner.
Checking a Lot Before Bidding: Shipping Data and VIN History for Your Next Cafe Racer
Building a cafe racer starts long before the first bolt comes off. It starts with the auction lot itself. Two habits separate riders who land a solid donor bike from those who get blindsided later: checking real shipping numbers for the pickup state, and running the VIN before the bid closes rather than after winning.
Two-Stroke Terror: Johnny Cecotto’s 1978 Factory Yamaha 0W31
Formula 750 started out as a noble concept to put big-bore street bikes on the grid. Fans wanted to see Triumph and Kawasaki triples slugging it out with Honda fours on Sunday. Yamaha saw the rulebook, read between the lines and dropped a bomb on the paddock.
Roadskin launches new Ranger Multi-season AAA-Rated Jacket
Roadskin has announced the launch of the new Ranger Multi-season AAA-Rated Jacket, a protective motorcycle jacket designed for riders who want serious safety without giving up comfort or everyday style. Built as Roadskin’s toughest jacket yet, the Ranger combines the highest AAA safety rating with a relaxed olive-green look that feels just as at home off the bike as it does on the road.
How Bad Do You Want This Tiny Retro Honda Scrambler To Be Real?
If there's one thing that modern Honda is good at, it's drawing deeply on past designs and giving them a little neo-retro flare in the 21st century. Team Red isn't the only manufacturer that's good at this, of course; but if you're me, it's incredibly tough to keep visions of the CB1000F from dancing through your head.
The Incredible Story Of Horace’s Norton: 50 Years In The Making
Horace Jowsey developed his lifelong love of motorcycles from the sidecar of his father’s Norton. His Dad, William Jowsey, ran the outfit in the town of Thorpe in Yorkshire, not far from Leeds. Horace and his five siblings were a regular sight in it, often with their grandmother aboard as well.
How does the Bell Bullet GT retro helmet stack up when sportsbike nut Joe gave it a go?
A change of pace is an understatement this year as I hang up my sporty leathers and lid with a spoiler for something a little more classy. After years of wearing sporty helmets, I fancied something different, and while scrolling through the endless options online, the Bell Bullitt GT kept catching my eye.
BSA Gold Star 650 gets special edition Birmingham Blue and Brooklands Black colours
BSA has taken its list of colour options aboard the iconic Gold Star 650 to eight, courtesy of two special edition liveries based on historic periods for the British-born motorcycle company. The first colourway is aptly named ‘Birmingham Blue’, which pays tribute to the brand's historical roots in the West Midlands.
FOR SALE: 1969 Egli-Vincent Cafe Racer by Godet
Few motorcycles combine British V-twin heritage and specialist chassis engineering as convincingly as the Egli-Vincent. Currently offered on Bring a Trailer, this café racer was built by Godet Motorcycles of Malaunay, France, in 2002, pairing a newly assembled 998cc Vincent-based V-twin with a nickel-plated Egli frame produced under license from Swiss engineer Fritz Egli.
From Desert Sleds to Street Sleepers: The 9 Best Custom Triumphs of 2020
When we looked back at the custom motorcycle landscape in 2020, Triumph stood as a titan of the scene. From the evergreen air-cooled Bonnevilles of the 1960s to the modern, liquid-cooled powerhouses rolling off the Hinckley assembly line, builders around the world have utilized British engineering to push the boundaries of design.
MotoAmerica: More From Sunday At NJMP
A Wet Goodbye: MotoAmerica’s Feature Classes Close Out The 2026 Season At NJMP. Binder Caps His Title With A Race 2 Classic, Wyman Salvages The Weekend In Baggers, And Rain […] The post MotoAmerica: More From Sunday At NJMP appeared first on Roadracing World Magazine | Motorcycle Riding, Racing & Tech News.
FOR SALE: 1981 Honda CX500 Custom Cafe Racer
A 1981 Honda CX500 Custom listed on Bring a Trailer with no reserve transforms Honda’s unconventional middleweight V-twin into a purpose-built cafe racer. Retained by its original owner until 2018, the motorcycle was subsequently rebuilt with extensively reworked chassis, braking, electrical, and bodywork systems.
Racing stars and stunning weather draw big crowd to Cadwell Moto celebration weekend at Cadwell Park
Riders from across the country descended on Lincolnshire’s Cadwell Park for the final weekend of September to mark a number of key motorcycling milestones and celebrate the best in retro performance bike culture. Running from September 26-27, the event known as ‘Cadwell Moto’ offered over 18 hours of on-track action, plus new bike test rides, club stands displaying a wide array of pristine classic machines, and guest appearances from the likes of three-time British Superbike (BSB) champion John Reynolds, four-time World Superbike champion Carl Fogarty, and current BSB front-runner Ryan Vickers.
MotoAmerica Support: MotoAmerica’s Feature Classes Close Out The 2026 Season At NJMP
MotoAmerica Support Classes: A Wet Goodbye: MotoAmerica’s Feature Classes Close Out The 2026 Season At NJMP, Binder Caps His Title With A Race 2 Classic, Wyman Salvages The Weekend In Baggers, And Rain Cancels The Final Word In Talent Cup And Twins…
Grab-and-go: A custom kit for the Honda CB350 from Taiwan
Whether you're a new reader or just missed it the first time around, we’re digging into the Bike EXIF archives to revisit some of our all-time favorite builds. This article was originally published on November 27, 2023. The modern-day Honda CB350 is one of those motorcycles we wished was available in more parts of the world.
Flashback Friday: The Top 10 Custom Motorcycles of September 2025
If there is one thing September 2025 proved, it is that the custom motorcycle world is constantly evolving. Builders continue to move well beyond basic aesthetic mods; the builders featured this month treated their donor bikes as blank canvases for serious engineering, aeronautical-inspired fabrication, and race-bred performance.
Cafe Racer Ebikes: What to Check Before You Buy
A bike can look right in a photograph and feel wrong at the first intersection. The silhouette and seating layout that caught your eye still have to work when you pedal, turn, stop, and put the bike away. Before buying an electric bike for its motorcycle-inspired styling, find out what that styling asks of you in everyday use.
9 Best Café Racers to Look Out for at the 2026 Autumn Stafford Sale
The Autumn Stafford Sale, held as part of the Classic Motorcycle Mechanics Show on 11 October 2026, brings together an unusually strong selection of motorcycles suited to the café-racer collector. Among the 200-plus motorcycles catalogued by Bonhams are several machines that either helped define the genre or represent later interpretations of its stripped-back, performance-focused philosophy.
Give Us This Cheap As Hell Retro Honda Motorcycle Now!
Don't know if you've noticed, but things are extremely expensive these days. That doesn't mean people don't want things like motorcycles, but it's just become more difficult to afford them and still be financially OK when most start at around $15,000.
FOR SALE: 2006 Ducati SportClassic Sport 1000 Monoposto
A 2006 Ducati SportClassic Sport 1000 Monoposto is currently offered on Bring a Trailer with no reserve, presenting a particularly well-equipped example of Ducati’s modern interpretation of the classic cafe racer. Introduced at the 2003 Tokyo Motor Show, the SportClassic family combined period-inspired styling with Ducati’s air-cooled desmodromic V-twin architecture and contemporary chassis technology.
For Sale: A Vintage 1968 BSA A65 “Spitfire America”
This is a 1968 BSA A65 MK IV Spitfire America, it benefits from a restoration, and it’s now presented in excellent period-correct condition throughout. The BSA Spitfire name graced three distinctly different motorcycles between the 1950s and the 1960s, always at the upper end of the BSA model range and always targeted squarely at the American performance market.
Barber Vintage Festival Set for 21st Edition
BIRMINGHAM, Al — For three days in early October, all eyes will turn to Barber Motorsports Park and the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum. The 21st annual Barber Vintage Festival, Friday, […] The post Barber Vintage Festival Set for 21st Edition appeared first on Roadracing World Magazine | Motorcycle Riding, Racing & Tech News.
Classic TT 2026: Dunlop’s treble, McGuinness’s milestone and a race against the weather
Dunlop’s treble, McGuinness’s milestone, new lap records and the schedule changes that delivered the 2026 Classic TT programme. Plus David Johnson’s injury update and the 2027 TT timetable. The post Classic TT 2026: Dunlop’s treble, McGuinness’s milestone and a race against the weather appeared first on MCNews.
Second wind: A Yamaha DT175 reconfigured for the road
Whether you're a new reader or just missed it the first time around, we’re digging into the Bike EXIF archives to revisit some of our all-time favorite builds. This article was originally published on May 10, 2021. The Yamaha DT175 is one of those classic bikes that look ‘just right.’
Readers’ Tale: A year to remember
John Stevenson (aka 5012094 SAC Stevenson J) looks back on a special year in his life. Many people I think have a special year – always to be remembered. It could be national, such as the 1966 football World Cup or it could be personal. Perhaps trivial, perhaps not.
Fernando Alonso on his talks with F1 as classic tracks "killed" by current rules
Fernando Alonso details his conversations with F1 chiefs about his future.
12 Best Motorcycle Upgrades for 2026: Essential Gear for Safety, Comfort and Reliability
Motorcycle accessories are a massive market, but not every product deserves space on a bike. The most useful upgrades are the ones that solve genuine problems: protecting the rider, improving visibility, reducing distraction, preventing mechanical failures, or making long-distance riding easier.
Isle of Man TT star facing “long road to recovery” following Classic TT accident
Australian road racer David Johnson remains hospitalised one month on from his accident in the Historic Senior Classic TT. Johnson was riding a Manx Norton when the inner tube inside the rear tyre burst, causing him to crash at Glen Helen Johnson, who achieved his best Isle of Man TT finish one year ago with fifth place in the Superbike TT, suffered injuries to both legs, including his left heel.
Isle of Man TT rider remains hospitalised one month after Classic TT incident
David Johnson has provided an update on his recovery following his Classic TT accident in August, which has kept him hospitalised nearly a month later. Johnson, who recorded his best Isle of Man TT finish in 2025 with fifth-place in the Superbike race, suffered the crash when the inner tube inside the rear tyre burst on his Manx Norton.
For Sale: A Vintage Suzuki LT250R QuadRacer From 1992
This is an original Suzuki LT250R QuadRacer from 1992, it’s one of the first generations of true quad bikes, debuting in an era utterly dominated by three-wheelers, and then out-performing and ultimately replacing them. Whether the QuadRacer name was the original source of the use of the word “Quad” for all four-wheeled ATVs remains the subject of some debate, but what isn’t open to debate is the critical importance the QuadRacer had in transforming the ATV industry.
October 2026
The October 2026 issue of Rider Magazine has arrived! On the cover: Cruising down the streets of St. Augustine, Florida, aboard the Royal Enfield Classic 650. Photo by Royal Enfield Additional stories in the October 2026 issue of Rider Magazine. The post October 2026 appeared first on Rider Magazine.
Weise Michigan 2.0 Jacket: Retro Redefined
The Michigan has been a firm favourite with riders who want timeless looks – and the air of a classic leather jacket – backed by thoroughly modern textile weather protection, comfort and practicality. Re-engineered for 2026, the Michigan 2.0 keeps that character intact and upgrades the substance underneath.
FOR SALE: 2006 Ducati Paul Smart 1000 Limited Edition
The Ducati Paul Smart 1000 Limited Edition remains one of Ducati’s most distinctive modern tributes to its racing heritage. Designed by Pierre Terblanche, the PS1000LE was inspired by the Ducati 750 Imola racer ridden by Paul Smart to victory at the 1972 Imola 200.
Bonhams Motorcycles Announces The Autumn Stafford Sale I 11 October 2026
Bonhams presents a celebration of motorcycling history at the Autumn Stafford Sale, featuring championship-winning racers, legendary collections, iconic British marques and more than 200 exceptional motorcycles to cross the auction block at Stafford.
Rare Minibike For Sale: A 1994 Honda Z50 “Baja”
This is an original Honda Z50J2 Baja from 1994, it’s one of the rarer Honda minibikes from the golden age of the pint-sized motos, and they were kitted out to look like the Honda Baja desert racing bikes of the era. These minibikes weren’t just for show, they’re 100% functional and ridable by both kids and adults.
AHRMA Announces Featured Class For 2027 Vintage Cup
AHRMA Vintage Cup Returns: Formula 750 named featured class for the 2027 season. (September 21, 2026, Knoxville, TN) The American Historic Racing Motorcycle Association (AHRMA) is proud to announce Formula […] The post AHRMA Announces Featured Class For 2027 Vintage Cup appeared first on Roadracing World Magazine | Motorcycle Riding, Racing & Tech News.
Breaking the Mold: The Top 7 Custom Royal Enfield Builds of 2022
When it comes to platforms that absolutely dominated the custom motorcycle scene in 2022, Royal Enfield stood in a class of its own. Between the wildly popular 650 Twins and the venerable air-cooled singles, builders around the globe used the Indian marque's machines to craft everything from land-speed racers to rugged scramblers.
Pair of Joey Dunlop, John McGuinness Vimto Honda TT bikes head to auction
Two of the TT’s most recognised names Joey Dunlop and John McGuinness rode Vimto-inspired Honda SP-1 motorcycles in 2000, both of which are now expected to fetch huge sums at a UK auction this winter. Both race bikes will go under the hammer as part of the Iconic Motorcycle Sale at the NEC Classic Motor Show 2026, which takes place on Sunday, November 15.
Carl Fogarty to headline special classic bike anniversary weekend at Cadwell Park in Lincolnshire
Some of Britain’s best historic race bikes, and well-kept classic motorcycles will descend on Lincolnshire’s Cadwell Park this coming weekend, with two days of on- and off-track fun planned at the leafy circuit. Called Cadwell Moto, the event is being run by Classic Bike Trackdays – who specialise in circuit experiences for machinery built prior to 2000, as well as those in keeping with the theme – such as the latest crop of retro styled machinery.
Top 20 Most Expensive Café Racers Ever Sold at Auction
Café racers started as stripped-down, performance-focused motorcycles built by enthusiasts who wanted to travel quickly between cafés. Lightweight chassis, low handlebars, rear-set controls and tuned engines defined the movement, which emerged in Britain during the 1950s and 1960s.
Forza Ducati! The Multistrada reimagined as a cafe racer
Whether you're a new reader or just missed it the first time around, we’re digging into the Bike EXIF archives to revisit some of our all-time favorite builds. This article was originally published on February 26, 2020 We’re always impressed when a custom motorcycle design is so cohesive, it could easily be a factory effort.
James Bond Rode One In “Diamonds Are Forever” – A 1974 Honda ATC90
This is a Honda ATC 90 from 1974, it benefits from a refurbishment and an engine overhaul, and it’s now being offered for sale looking almost factory-fresh. The ATC 90 is one of the most important three-wheelers from the beginnings of what would become the golden age of the three-wheeler.
Maico Owners Club to celebrate 100 years of Maico at Stafford
The Maico Owners Club will mark a century of the German motorcycle marque at The Classic Motorcycle Mechanics Show sponsored by Carole Nash, which returns to Staffordshire County Showground on October 10-11, 2026. Visitors to the club stand will be able to join members in celebrating 100 years of Maico, with the display reflecting the marque’s long history and its enduring appeal among enthusiasts.