Classic Racer

Classic Racer takes you so close you can actually smell the Castrol R. With the world's finest archive, and an editorial team who live and breathe the sport, the only way you'll get closer will be to put on your leathers.

Classic Racer

Dunlop debut!

Stavros retires!

The Boost boys!

WEISE PORTLAND GLOVES • Put your racing knowledge to the test and complete the puzzle to be in with a chance of winning this great prize. Good luck!

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Paddock Gossip

Fred Clarke • In his regular column for Classic Racer, Fred Clarke – for more than 50 years the voice of British motorcycle racing – takes us back in time for some (often fun) recollections!

Whatever happened to? WARREN WILLING • Tipped as a future grand prix winner and even possible champion, fate took a hand and cruelly stopped Warren Willing’s career. But he wasn’t done with winning…

TOM HERRON • For many, Tom Herron was the greatest motorcycle racer Ireland ever produced. Not only was he a superb road racer and TT winner, but he was also a factory Suzuki rider – and teammate to Barry Sheene – in the 500cc Grand Prix world championship at the time of his death in 1979. In Part 1 of our three-part series, Herron’s widow, Andrea Coleman, talks us through the early years of his career.

DREAM CHASER! • As a lifelong fan of the movie ‘Silver Dream Racer’, Stuart Barker was shocked to discover that the original bike still exists and is now owned by a collector in Germany. But how authentic is it? Barker travelled to Germany with the bike’s designer and builder, Barry Hart, to find out.

GIACOMO AGOSTINI • Giacomo Agostini, 15-time world grand prix motorcycling champion, sets off at the start of the 1967 Senior TT race.

FAST FORWARD! • Everything happens at double speed on a 125cc two-stroke grand prix bike, even one almost 40 years old!

2000 HONDA VTR1000 SP-1 • For the new millennium, Honda decided that ‘If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em’ for their 2000 World Superbike campaign. After relying on the V4, 750cc layout with the legendary RC30 and later RC45 models since the championship started in 1988, things had to change. Honda V4s had won just three championships (1988-89 with Fred Merkel’s RC30 and 1997 with John Kocinski’s RC45) compared to eight for Ducati and their V-twins. Ducati’s 851/888 took their first title in 1990 with Raymond Roche, then dominated with Doug Polen before the beautiful 916/955/996 did the same in the hands of Carl Fogarty (four titles) and Troy Corser. The 2000 season marked a big change for HRC…

WIN, LOSE OR DIE • Stuart Barker is the author of a new book called ‘Win, Lose or Die: Inside the lethal sport of Motorcycle Road Racing and the Isle of Man TT.’ A lifelong road-racing fan, Barker has personally chosen some excerpts from his book for Classic Racer.

MAXTON MASTERY • Ralph Ferrand was invited to pop along and see for himself what makes Maxton Suspension so very brilliant and very British.

Rob McElnea • Welcome to Big Mac’s Memories! Rob McElnea was a top grand prix racer, TT winner, British champion, then a successful team manager. Here he shares with Classic Racer some of his very entertaining memories.

ALLSPEED AHEAD! • It all sounded as if Team Allspeed were having something of a sabbatical in 2026… Course not. Don’t be daft!

BRIGHT SPARK! • Dan North is an electrician from Dunstable and is looking forward to a busy year of racing on various classic machinery during 2026. Classic Racer will be following his exploits.

Randy Mamola • Randy Mamola is a legend. The Californian is a four-time 500cc championship runner-up, a 13-time 500cc race winner, race commentator and philanthropist. He brings us stories old and new and writes exclusively for Classic Racer.

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