Issue: #288, April 2015
In this issue

Practical classic bikes you can buy, ride and enjoy: this issue of CBG is stuffed full of them, from a Tiger Cub to a Beezer A7 to Honda 750s and Triumph middleweight twins. There are heaps more affordable, fun bikes in our jam-packed Trading Post section, too. If you’re seeking inspiration for your own custom classic, check out the ultra-cool Commando café racer and Dime City’s Brass Café special. And then there are the exotic icons which inspire all our dreams, like Ducati’s dazzling 750 Sport, a genuine Beart Manx Norton racer and Triumph’s stunning Hurricane. Plus, hands-on practical advice in our technical pages. All of which makes CBG essential reading, to help you choose, buy and enjoy the classic bike of your dreams…

Main feature list:

Out of the Archive: a glance back at café culture

British Bike Buyer’s Guide: our extensive and comprehensive overview of the classic Britbike scene, with specs, expert advice and market values from recently sold machines

BSA A7 Shooting Star: the 500 parallel twin with more than a sprinkle of stardust

Carb Upgrade: we try Amal’s new Premier model on an old BSA. Is it any better than the previous Concentric type?

Classics for Sale: pages packed with old bikes you can buy, now with bigger images to make life easier

Club Spotlight: on the VMCC and its important position in classic motorcycling

Ducati 750 Sport: an enthusiast reveals the secrets of his restoration of this early, extremely sought-after L-twin. Please don’t dribble on the pages

Expert Opinions from regulars Frank Westworth, Paul d’Orleans and George Cohen, now joined by CBG’s founding father (and that expression will cause him to swallow his own teeth), Mark Williams

Honda Brass Café CB450 Special: saved from the scrapheap and stripped back to bare basics by Dime City Cycles. Gorgeous from every angle

Honda CB750/900: in-depth model profile of the dohc air-cooled four and its offshoots

Manx Norton: the inside story of a genuine Beart Manx 350

Norton Commando Café Racer: an Italian creation, the CR750RR, combines backstreets brawn with snarling road-racer style. Less is definitely more…

Recommended Reads: books about racers, race bikes and riders on the road less travelled

Stafford Show Preview: look out for the all-new ‘Restoration Theatre’ and special guests

Triumph Tiger Cub: while most dirt bikes tend to have a hard life, this original trials Cub has survived 55 years almost unscathed

Triumph T100: one you can win! A unit-construction 500 twin in SS spec, up for grabs for the price of a raffle ticket

Triumph 500s: in-depth analysis and model development of these ever-popular postwar models, from the Speed Twin to the final twin-carb Daytona development

Triumph X-75 Hurricane: Craig Vetter’s creation, the simply stunning 750 triple. Health warning: eye protection is advised before inspecting these images