January 2023

The January issue of Classic Bike kicks off 2023 with a celebration of the motorcycling world 50 years ago – a time when bike sales were booming and many lives on two wheels were being formed. From tales of tearaway teens to the glamorous and perilous world of Grand Prix racers, the spirit of 1973 is conjured up by 12 standout stories from that year.
There’s the first road test of Kawasaki’s fearsome Z1, complete with 134mph tank-slappers on the M1; the arrival of Yamaha’s giant-killing RD350 hooligan machine; Kenny Roberts on the pleasure of winning the American Grand National championship (and the pain of shooting yourself); how Norton Villiers Triumph was formed as a last-gasp attempt to save the British Motorcycling industry; BMW turning biking into a posh pastime with the launch of the R90/S; the extraordinary effect of sports mopeds on 16-year-olds; and the tragic side of racing with the Monza crash that ended the lives of two Grand Prix greats.
All this plus the usual workshop tips, auction and market news, events – and the arrival of five containers full of Brit bike projects from the USA ensuring it’s going to be a busy winter for many classic bike fans…