Classic Bike UK – Issue 558 July 2026 – Classic Bike UK

And not only in the UK. The classic bike boom was worldwide and Japanese enthusiasts were – and still are – keen buyers of British classics, with a passion for the history of racing and motorcycle culture. Clearly there was a market to tap into. There had already been an attempt of sorts to revive big singles but the SR500, Suzuki GN400 and Honda’s own FT500 had never really caught on in the UK. Maybe it was because all of them were essentially enlargements of existing 250cc learner/commuter models.

Honda cleverly aimed at the era of leather jackets and coffee bars, purposely styling the XBR as a ’60s big single café racer – and that inevitably made the Goldie the obvious inspiration. But Honda were characteristically cautious. They had to make sure the XBR had the refinements of modern reliability, equipment and performance along with just enough 1980s styling to look like a statement, not an antique.

Interestingly though, they let it all hang out for the home market. The GB500TT was an unashamedly British tribute, even down to the GB and TT letters. It was far more ’60s looking, mainly due to those spoked wheels. Exported to the States, the GB500 was less of ‘The XBR is much easier to start than a Yamaha XT’ LEFT This bike’s deep metallic burgundy gives a classy finish LEFT Nothing wrong with the brakes; Rick’s less sure about the Comstars ENGINE/TRANSMISSION Type Air-cooled ohc radial four-valve single Dimensions 91 x 74mm Capacity 498cc Power 44bhp at 7000rpm Compression ratio 8.9:1 Carburation Keihin 39mm CV-type Clutch Wet multiplate Gearbox Five speed CHASSIS Frame Steel tubular cradle Suspension Front: 35mm telescopic forks.

Rear: Swingarm with twin adjustable shock absorbers Brakes Front: Single 235mm (9in) disc. Rear: 178mm (7in) drum Wheels Honda Comstar, riveted aluminium rim Tyres Front: 100/90 x 18. Rear: 110/90 x 18 DIMENSIONS Wheelbase 1400mm (55in) Weight 182kg (401 lb) Performance 110mph a hit, but some later bikes were shipped to Germany where they were much more popular.

Once on European soil, British XBR owners saw the GB and it became ‘a thing’ to track down the parts to convert UK models. Spokes were finally fitted to the later silver-painted XBR500SJ, but the moment had passed – and the XBR was discontinued the following year. Should Honda have gone for the full GB500 spec sooner? Well, remember – this was long before the idea of making new ‘retro’ bikes had been conceived, and making a new bike that looked straight out of the past must have seemed like marketing madness at the time.

The simple fact is that the XBR500 is nothing like a Gold Star – and to describe it as such is an insult to both parties.

Following our record-setting Spring Stafford Sale – £4.2 million achieved with 98% sold – we are now inviting entries for our Autumn and Winter auctions. As the auction house of choice for important collectors’ motorcycles and single-owner collections, Bonhams is renowned for delivering world-record prices and outstanding results. Our dedicated team of international specialists works tirelessly to help you achieve the very best price for your motorcycle, with sales that consistently deliver the highest sell-through rates in the industry. Contact us today for a complimentary auction valuation and guidance on achieving the best possible results.

We’re here to support you every step of the way. The Autumn Staff ord Sale The Classic Motorcycle Mechanics Show Staff ord I 10 – 11 October 2026 I Closing date for entries: Friday 4 September Lancs, Yorks, Cheshire, N. Counties & Scotland +44 (0) 7811 899 905 [email protected] Midlands, Peak District & Wales +44 (0) 7710 615 868 [email protected] Lincs & East Anglia +44 (0) 1507 481 890 David Hawtin Bonhams Motorcycles Milton Keynes (Head Offi ce) +44 (0) 20 8963 2817 [email protected] Head of Department (UK) +44 (0) 20 8963 2818 [email protected] Senior Specialist +44 (0) 20 8963 2822 [email protected] Specialist +44 (0) 20 7468 8258 [email protected] International Dept Director +44 (0) 20 8963 2819 [email protected] Cambs, Lincs, Norfolk, Suff olk & Essex +44 (0) 7508 481 724 [email protected] Leics, Northants, Herts, Beds, Bucks & Oxon +44 (0) 7973 661 051 [email protected] Hampshire & Dorset +44 (0) 1794 518 433 Mike Jackson Devon, Cornwall & The South West +44 (0) 1872 250 170 [email protected] ENTRIES INVITED | CONSIGN TODAY 3 Classic World 10 We Want It Take on a roaring Royal Enfield Fury?

Sounds appealing 12 Temptation & Quick Guide Standout bikes for sale and BSA Gold Star overview 14 Winning Bids & Price Check Recent sales plus the bargain that is the Zephyr 550 17 News Kawasaki’s first WSB-winning bike for sale 20 Out & About: Bike Shed Show Nosing around the selection of classics and specials 22 Rescued, Revived & Ridden Suzuki DR Big, reworked Triumph T100, Honda S90 Features & tests 28 Cover story: Laverda G/S replica Beautifully executed passion project – built for riding 36 At Lunch With…

Paul Denning Suzuki MotoGP race boss who started in his dad’s shop 44 Rick Rides… Honda XBR500 Saddled by a ‘new Gold Star’ tag, how does it go now?

This is a short excerpt from the opening of “” by Unknown, quoted for review and introduction purposes. All rights belong to the copyright holders.

Book Information

• Unique ID: 309a47d858a94d37
• File Extension: .pdf
• File Size: 59,830,534 bytes (57.059 MB)
• Title: –
• Author: Unknown
• Pages: 109
• Language: English (en)

Reading & Word Statistics

• Estimated Reading Time: 193.38 minutes
• Total Words: 38,676
• Total Characters: 233,192
• Average Words per Page: 354.83
• Average Characters per Page: 2139.38

Most Frequent Words

bike (231), bikes (112), it’s (105), one (104), new (103), engine (93), miles (92), classic (88), tel (84), honda (74), good (70), get (63), make (61), years (60), first (58), triumph (56), ride (56), bsa (55), road (54), back (54), john (53), now (52), com (51), race (51), british (51), like (51), well (51), got (50), time (49), also (48), original (48), world (46), riding (46), frame (46), suzuki (45), right (45), parts (45), tank (45), workshop (44), front (44), way (42), norton (40), rear (40), much (40), ducati (39), made (38), two (38), oil (37), still (37), used (37), team (36), coil (36), project (35), around (35), condition (35), issue (34), paul (34), little (34), old (34), need (33), end (33), big (32), great (32), bit (32), model (32), star (31), brake (31), top (31), see (31), fit (31), sale (30), gold (30), last (30), year (30), three (30), exhaust (30), xbr (29), bauer (29), fuel (29), left (29), www (29), motorcycle (28), that’s (28), later (28), single (28), without (28), cable (28), bmw (27), head (27), there’s (27), came (27), even (27), fitted (27), clutch (27), free (26), best (26), full (26), use (26), seat (26), check (25).

PDF Download