Top 10 classics ridden

After nearly two decades of involvement with this magazine, what motorcycles have most stuck in the editor's mind? The worldwide situation enables a period of reflection.

.1I his is normally my favourite time of year, as we pass through spring and into early summer, the days lengthening and the opportunity for regular riding becoming a real - and pleasant - everyday possibility. Of course, this year is a different proposition. Riding is currently off the cards, the bikes are all tucked away - as are the majority of us. That means no riding, but it also means no traveling to take photographs, working from (and staying at) home, no visits to peoples' houses for features, so not much at all really. What to do for stories then? Well, I decided that I'd pass some of my time looking back and selecting to of the motorcycles I've most enjoyed riding, and giving the reasons. I set myself certain rules. Everything chosen had to be within TCM'feature' parameters, which meant pre-197o (give or take) and non-Japanese. I also decided to take It further, and go for British only. And there could only be one example from each maker chosen. Plus a reserve from the same maker. I also said I'd only include in the main list one bike I've owned, plus one that belongs to our family. I have been involved with The Classic MotorCycle since zoos, a scarcely believable 19 years. During that time I'm fortunate to have ridden some incredible motorcycle, opportunities that wouldn't have come about but for the privileged position I was and am in -it's something I'm fully aware and appreciative of. The other thing I should point out, I'm just an average ability level enthusiast rider. I knew from early on my aspirations of 5,00cc GP racing were never going to materialise, so set about finding my own niche, becoming effectively an amateur motorcycling historian before I was a teenager. And that boyish enthusiasm has actually fuelled a lot of my list; many of the bikes I've included were the ones I wanted when I was u. It's just I've now been lucky enough to ride a lot of them. This isn't supposed to be a boastful 'look what I've done' feature, which was what I was scared of it becoming, but hopefully something to provide a bit of interest and potentially debate in these trying times. There are many, many things I've ridden and left out, not because they were bad, but just because perhaps I enjoyed others more, or they didn't fit the criteria I'd set myself. These are not the 'best' ones to ride, but those that left the most impression, I suppose would be the best way to phrase it. The other issue I've noticed, is the gaps its thrown up In my experiences. I don't know how, for example, I've never ridden an A65. I've nearly bought one more than once, and I always wanted a Spitfire (love the petrol tank) as a youth. There's a list at the end of this feature of to I still want to try, which will give me something to look forward to once we emerge from the current situation we find ourselves in, plus there's all the 'continentals' to perhaps be considered at a later too.