Classic

FOR A GRAND your classic buying options are limited. Your introduction to old bikes must actually work, because you want to ride to the pub on it. It needs to have decent back up, because you want to keep riding to the pub on it. And it should be something that will give you access to events for silly old bikes, because that’s even funnier than riding to the pub on it. You also want a riding experience that is miles away from your regular ride. Even at its best, a cheap, old 600cc sportsbike is just a worse version of a modern bike. Whereas a step-thru, a moped, an MZ, an old trail bike or a Japanese market 250 will be a unique riding experience. Getting a mate to buy something similar doubles the fun. For £1000 you can’t expect perfection, and part of the reason for doing this is you want a bike to fettle, but look for bodged wiring, missing parts (hard to replace) and listen for strange noises. The classics market is fashion conscious. Find alternatives to the bikes everyone’s chasing; Suzuki and Yamaha stepthrus, not Honda C90s. 1990s four-stroke trail bikes, not 1970s two-strokes. Hugo Wilson. Bike’s editor, owner of six classics, his finger is always twitching over the ‘Buy it now’ button