Real Classic Magazine

23rd July 2016

Frank Westworth | Rowena Hoseason | Mortons

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Real Classic magazine was launched in 2002 by Rowena Hoseason, Martin Gelder and Frank Westworth (not necessarily in that order). The publication is based in Bude, Devon. The magazine has both a (free) online presence, and a mainstream print presence. Real Classic (RC) always was, and still is, directed at "grassroots" classic bikers. It features a mix of bike reviews, bike show coverage, product news, technical problems, personality features, and suchlike. There's also a message board; at least, there was, but it's been relocated. Check the site for details.

The writing can perhaps best be described as ... well, homely. The language is everyday. The problems too. Oil leaks from the Ariel. Fell off my Triumph. Where can I get parts for this? Etc. It's a mag for British shedsters who still ride their bikes and populate the UK classic bike show scene. But there are fans abroad too.

Real Classic launch

Within 10 years of its launch, Real Classic was claiming 35 million page views and 12 million site visits. There's no way of refuting or confirming these numbers, so we'll take 'em at their word. But it's highly doubtful that current visitor numbers are anywhere close to these figures.

The site design is very basic. The images are often pretty ordinary. The logo is weak. And the strap line (All about buying & selling, running & riding real classic motorcycles) is uninspiring.

Are we taking a poke? Not at all. For all its faults, it's an honest mag for unpretentious people, save for the underlying and largely acceptable pretension of being a vintage, veteran or classic biker in the modern world. You can think of Real Classic as an antidote to Classic Bike, or even Sump. It knows what it is and it ain't making any apologies. And if you're into club magazines (and we ain't knocking those either), you'll feel comfortable with RC.

Mortons Media bought the title in 2010 and put a big corporate lever behind the printed magazine which has, on balance, improved steadily. But the Horncastle, Lincolnshire based publisher doesn't appear to have done much, if anything, for the website.

Mortons is still empire building and owns most of the UK newsstand classic bike magazines (Classic Bike being the exception), and Mortons also owns most of the big classic bike shows in the country. Ergo, Real Classic now has far greater exposure than it ever had in the past, albeit at the loss of it's independence kudos. That's a serious blow to many fans, whilst others are more pragmatic and accept that it's a fair trade.

Frank Westworth is now in his mid-sixties. Rowena is ... well, we never reveal a lady's age. And we've no idea about Martin Gelder or even if he's still involved. Westworth currently edits Classic Bike Guide (Mortons Media), but hasn't entirely turned his back on Real Classic which is also still being campaigned by Rowena Hoseason. The point being that these guys are classic bike diehards and will probably chug along until the ignition fails permanently.

Real Classic magazine sold

Since selling out to Mortons (and who wouldn't if the price was right and the hours were agreeable?), Frank Westworth and Rowena Hoseason have taken a lot of flak, much of it nasty and undeserved. There are all kinds of political rows going on behind the scenes, and often in front of the scenes, some involving Mortons and some involving the RC readers and naysayers, not least a fair number of forum/message board visitors.

But the mag is still around. For now. However, despite (or perhaps because of) Mortons involvement, something has been lost over the years. Or is it simply that times have changed? When Real Classic was launched, there wasn't much online competition, the show scene was more interesting, and the UK economy was stronger—meaning that there was more free cash to indulge your classic bike passions—and we were all younger and less embittered by the usual slings and arrows of life. But it's a very different world today.

www.realclassic.co.uk

(Update: This link appears to be defunct)

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