There are Classics & there are Classics

Its been awhile since I attended a “normal” motorcycle show Bikes by the Bay, & Zorro’s  Show & Shine being the most recent ones in a number of years, seems to me that if its old then its a Classic, this could be because Vic Roads have a rolling 25 year date when you are eligible for a historic vehicle permit. I notice the term “Classic” is used liberally in the Bike Magazines as well when you see a BSA Bantam. C11, 3TA Triumph, Velocette MAC or worse LE, Norton Jubilee, Francis Barnett and a James being described as “A real Classic” we have a problem. In this case what about the Crocker (pictured above),Vincent, BSA Gold Star, Ariel Square Four, Norton International, Triumph Thruxton(the real ones, not the wimpy emasculated version they make now) or the Velocette Thruxton there are dozens of what I call Classic motorcycles even the Honda CB750, gentleman we need a new term for these machines Super Classic comes to mind something that separates the weak limp wristed “Grey porridge” from real Classics, these are the bikes that people fall to their knees in admiration as they ride past or as a chap once asked me for the piece of cardboard that I used under my Velo Thruxton 500 to catch the oil drips, he wanted it to pin to his bedroom wall as a sign of a real Classic and one day fulfilling dream of owning such a machine, my Paul Dunstall 750 Triumph in the early 70″s used to cause vehicles to stop as crowds gathered around it onto the road when parked in the motorcycle Mecca, Elizabeth st, Indian’s do this now they are the only motorcycle that H-D owners actually look at, its time for a new definition