1 Cover

3 Contents

4 Welcome

006 NEWS
This ’n’ that; that ’n’ this. New bikes looking like old bikes, new parts for old bikes… all very good

008 SHOW! REPORT!
Our man was at Bristol; ark needed this year. Great bikes abound

014 SHOW! PREVIEWS!
Where to go, when to go there, and what to do

018 SUBSCRIBE!
Save money, get the magazine early. Thrills undiluted. More exclamation marks

020 DOUGLAS DRAGONFLY
One of the most heroic of Britbike failures. We love them, of course

026 TRIUMPH QUADRENT
Take a tidy triple and transform it into a four. Not many people can do this

032 BMW R90
The gentleman’s express, with added flairs

038 NORTON MODEL 50
Fastest frame on the road at the time, powered by a slow 350 single. Can’t fail

044 MATCHLESS G9
A genuine gent, a gentle charmer, an affordable classic for all seasons

050 LETTERS
Some great stuff here. We always need more letters

054 PAUL D’ORLÉANS
‘An entire generation of motorcycles could be condemned as pretty damn ugly, and the industry had no idea, they only knew their sales were dropping, fast…’

056 MARK WILLIAMS
‘I’ve been mindful that my intended mods mustn’t prevent me from reinstating all the original bits, which means no cutting, welding, drilling, etc.’

058 PAUL MILES
‘Things that make a motorcycle useful, especially one ridden in London, are removed. Nobody uses indicators in town, anyway…’

062 TRIUMPH T120 BONNEVILLES
Two of them, one ancient, one modern, parked up for all to see

074 BSA FIREBIRD SCRAMBLER
An old love rekindled. Why were Triumphs more popular than BSA’s twins?

084 DUCATI ROAD FEVER
It started out as a Paso, and is now like nothing else. Nothing else at all

098 BSA GOLD STAR REBUILT
Provenance and patience, essential attributes, along with walletary fortitude

108 MOTO GUZZI LE MANS
One long Latin history lesson, the Le Mans laid bare and explained in depth

118 READER ADS
Send us bargains. We need many more bargains. We do, we really do…

136 LOUISE LIMB’S INK WHEELS
Who sang Leader Of The Pack? The answer’s here somewhere

138 FRANK WESTWORTH
Always at the back. Life can be amusing, if you let it