More Classic Motorcycles

Join Motorcycle Classics at the 4th Annual Road America Vintage Motorcycle Classic, June 7-9, 2013, at Road America race track in Elkhart Lake, Wis. Nicknamed “America’s National Park of Speed,” Road America has legendary status in the American racing scene, the four-mile road circuit drawing world-class racing since it was built in 1955.

Where to go and what to do - vintage motorcycle events and shows for May and June 2013.

Motorcycle training classes sponsored by the Motorcycle Safety Foundation provide invaluable lessons to new motorcyclists.

The Vinago, Greg Hageman of Doc’s Chops’ custom Yamaha Virago Vincent built for Billy Joel.

Well known vintage bike enthusiast and founder of the Chadds Ford Classic Motorcycle Auction John Lawless is dipping his toe – or more like his entire body – into video with the premier of a five-minute mini-episode of his planned new show, Retro Moto, on PBS’ Motorweek, January 5 and 6, 2013, and again January 15 at 8 and 11 p.m. on the Velocity network.

In addition to the nearly 250 antique, vintage and classic motorcycles being offered at the Bonhams Las Vegas Motorcycle Auction in January is a unique collection of mid-century motorcycle cutaway engines and components.

A 1960 Pannonia 250 motorcycle with sidecar, on display with other classic bikes at the National Motorcycle Museum in Anamosa, Iowa.

Sculptor Steven Posson pays tribute to Albert “Shrimp” Burns in an investment-cast bronze statue called The Flying Mile. 

The wheels are in motion and the music is cued up for MidAmerica Auctions’ 22nd Annual Las Vegas Motorcycle Auction and Races on Jan. 10-12, 2013, at the South Point Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, Nev.

Bonhams, the premiere auction house most closely associated with all things Steve McQueen, will be offering the Hollywood icon’s very own ‘Husky’ at its 3rd annual Las Vegas Motorcycle Auction in January.

A Spanish-made 1965 Sanglas on display with other classic motorcycles at the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum in Leeds, Ala.

A 1920s Rush motorcycle on display with other classic bikes at the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum in Leeds, Ala.

To major motorcycle enthusiast Steve McQueen, biking was second only to breathing. Discover the details of his lifelong love of bikes and his motorcycle collection. 

Steve McQueen’s talent at the wheel of an automobile or aboard a motorcycle expanded his acting career and, eventually, gave him the power to influence movie scripts.

A 1934 Gnome et Rhone Model M-1 on display with other classic motorcycles at the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum in Leeds, Ala.

AHRMA racer Norbert Nickel: 64 years in the saddle and still going strong

A vintage motocross bike, this 1975 Bultaco Astro 360 is displayed with other classic motorcycles at the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum in Leeds, Ala.

Alan Cathcart rides Sammy Miller’s iconic Husqvarna 500 V-twin racer

A 1925 Czech Böhmerland at the Barber vintage Motorsports Museum in Leeds, Ala.

Motorcycle Classics and Dairyland Cycle Insurance need your help to pick the next custom classic motorcycle in our “Race to Rebuild”

I grew up with Nimbus motorcycles. My father had brought three of them over from Denmark before I was born, in the mid-1960s. The motorcycle is a 1938 Nimbus. Built by a company that started out as a vacuum cleaner manufacturer, the Nimbus was company founder Peder Fisker’s pet project.

Looking for a vintage bike on Craigslist? Craigslist motorcycle ads are a free-for-all rodeo. No longer do you have to consider whether or not that junker bike that’s quietly rusting back into the loam is worth the effort and time of placing a $25 advertisement in a newspaper. With free listings, and the investment of a few minutes at the computer, you can easily add your non-running scrap yard candidate to the immense loop current of junk that’s being peddled on the Internet.

Four slightly faded snapshots in my oldest photo album bear silent witness to my first encounter with the Van Veen OCR 1000 rotary engine motorcycle in 1974.

Can you identify the vintage motorcycle in this photo?

Brooks Townes, Port Townsend, Wash., remembers good times with his 1967 Jawa 350 Californian.

A dual overhead cam twin with four valves per cylinder back in 1913? Believe it or not, it was realized in the 500cc 1913 Peugeot Grand Prix.

The Jawa Californian 350 was Jawa’s attempt at keeping up with the all-conquering Yamakawazuki twins.

Jamie Spitzley discusses owning and riding his 1957 Nimbus Type C with sidecar rig.

Ted Guthrie reminisces on the acquistion of a 1975 Moto Beta 125 Premier Enduro.

Art White tells reader Jack Jines about his childhood experiences with the prototype Whizzer Sportsman motor bike - a bike he still owns! - and his father's role with the Whizzer Motor Company.

Dutchman Mads Bartholin's custom motorcycle was built to look like a late 1928 Indian Four.

The 2010 Ural Patrol T and Solo sT were considered a significant improvement over Ural's previous offerings.

Made in Switzerland for the military, the Condor A350 used an Italian Ducati engine — or did it?

There is an increasing number of women out there who are riding for all of the wrong reasons, and this is creating a serious negative ripple effect. 

Until recently, new “retro”-themed bikes have been a bit of a sketchy proposition.

Mike Beswick, the creator of the work shown here, isn’t comfortable with being termed an artist. “I would never consider what I do art. The whole idea is to give people a piece of that (classic bikes), because many people can’t afford these bikes.

Red October Motorcycles brings Cold War-era Urals and Dneprs in from the cold

I have owned and ridden some sort of motorcycle for an astonishing number of years. (at least it is astonishing to me!) During this time and with considerable good luck, I have managed to continue without any broken bones or nasty scrapes. My pride has taken a beating on occasion, but not my hide.

A Nimbus motorcycle that was intended to be a utilitarian workhorse, a back-woods hauler; run it slow, and it would run nigh on forever. Case in point, Jamie Spitzley's 1957 Type C Nimbus sidecar rig.

This is probably the quickest way to make myself unpopular with the motorcycling fraternity – but please, persevere and read on. Even if you have never had a beer, someone you know may become a statistic in this category in the very near future. 

In the world of classic dirt bikes, Hodaka motorcycles aren’t your average bikes.

Celebrating 50 years of Bultaco motorcycles and their status as one of Spain's most iconic classic motorcycles.

Danish citizen Kim Scholer has owned and ridden Nimbuses for most of his life. “It’s like a virus I’ll never get rid of, in spite of frequent affairs with other brands,” he says. So one day he decided, why not a Nimbus bobber?

The motorized tricycle, then and now: proof that you can restore a motorcycle, but can’t do a thing for the rider.

Retro-rides take old-school cues for new-school classics

As one of the brightest jewels in the Barber Museum’s dazzling crown, Britten number seven exudes a semi-mystical presence in the rarified air of this 80,000 square foot motorcycle shrine.