Innholdsfortegnelse for May 2019 i Classic Motorcycle Mechanics

Modded or mainstream? This month’s main test and cover star is the project that our ex-pat pal Martin Child finally completed Down Under. We love the classic looks, the motive muscle from the glorious old air/oil-cooled GSX-R1100-derived Bandit 1200 motor and the fact that this is one of those ‘double take’ bikes. You need to take a second look to see those upside-down forks and the much more modern swingarm, brakes and wheels. Wildy, as he’s known, worked with me back in the day on a motorcycle magazine and it’s fair to say he can ride a bit! Being a former stunt rider you will see the results on page 50. When I worked with him it was also clear that he could twirl the spanners, so it’s good to…

READER RESTORATION WAYNE’S WORLD! Rob Williams bought a perfectly good Kawasaki ZRX1100 Eddie Lawson replica – but he wanted a Wayne Gardner rep! What’s a boy to do? WORDS AND PICS: ROB WILLIAMS This bike has actually been in CMM before… the previous owner, Kev Betts, got to meet Eddie Lawson at the Stafford Show when he came second in a competition! Eddie even signed the front mudguard for him. I’ve still got that, although it’s a little faded now. My partner at the time – Nicola Holt – bought me the bike (Kawasaki ZRX1100 C4, 2000 model year) from Kevin in 2011. As beautiful as it was, I wanted something different – but something that kept the later 1970s/early 1980s vibe! It was around then that I figured a…

TRUST ME, I’M SMARTER THAN EVER A good project should put you back in touch with all your emotions: joy, surprise, disappointment, frustration, anger, pride and happiness. It should also improve your ability to swear. Ultimately, it’s a learning process. Chances are there will be aspects of the build that challenge you to think outside your comfort zone. This is a good thing. In no particular order, the ‘Top 5’ lessons that my 10-week-ish build taught me include… • 1 Swingarm pivot bolts – are bastards. Yep, lazy, not been disturbed for 30 years piles of poo. Until they come loose. • 2 Early ignition theft prevention – it would have been handy to know of the resistor in the wire immobilisation of my bike before I spent a day…

THE GIFT THAT KEEPS GIVING “Another one?” enquires the wife, in that mocking tone that all men love. Oh, you kill me! Personally, I can’t see the problem. Okay, if we’re getting specific and actually counting bikes, then I’ll admit the one bike I had this time last year has multiplied into the current stock level of six… Yup, last year my 2004 Aprilia Caponord had the run on the bike side of the garage: a great bike two-up, but a bit Susan Boyle in the metal, practicality over passion, for sure. So then came the Gixer project – because there’s only so much looking at images on the net before you have to scratch that build-a-bike itch. Four separate purchases have taken place to get the bike up and…

HAYNES PRINT & ONLINE Project Kawasaki Z1325 part 18 The Chain Gang It’s chain and currents that have our Ralph wired this month with the Zed special. WORDS AND PICS: RALPH FERRAND I’m getting closer to the end of the build of this lavish beast of a Kawasaki. The final build is a great time as all the shiny components are carefully assembled. It’s also a nerve-wracking time as one false move or slip can desecrate vulnerable paint. At this stage of a project I have towels laid out on the deck of my bike bench and parts sit in comfort rather than rolling around on the metal deck where they can get scratched. (Don’t tell She Who Must Be Obeyed!) A major curse of…

HAYNES PRINT & ONLINE Project Yamaha CS3C part 8 Mr Rotor-vator The engine is in the frame and the daft old codger is now sorting out the electrics on his Yamaha CS3C. WORDS AND PICS: STEVE COOPER Following on from the rebuilt motor in the last instalment, I’d elected to fit the freshly re-bored barrels over the new pistons and rings with the engine still on the bench rather than in the frame, and had a chance to try out a new set of gizmos. If you’ve never used piston support plates, let me tell you – you need some. Such a simple set of tools, but how much easier they make fitting cylinders to pistons! Essentially, just parallel metal or wooden plates with a…

HAYNES PRINT & ONLINE Project Suzuki RG500 Part 8 Full stop! Jeff intends to stop the RG, hence he’s sorting the brakes this month. And man is it hot, Down Under. WORDS AND PHOTOS: JEFF WARE G’day! I saved the worst job until last with the chassis stuff. I hate rebuilding brake calipers, particularly when they are crustier than a convenience store hot dog at 3am after a night on the beer. This was a job that was at least a 12-pack of amber ale just to get motivated. By the way, have I told you about my 100cc four-stroke beer cooler box with disc brake and wheelie bar? Check it out! It was bloody hot as hell, as well, the third day over 42ºC…

HAYNES PRINT & ONLINE Filler up! It’s not long to go before the Team Allspeed Yamaha TZR250 takes on the big boys at Spa! So what’s been happening? If you read last month’s magazine, you’ll know our background, but here’s a recap for those that didn’t. I run Gibson Exhausts with my wife Claire and we’ve recently re-launched the Allspeed product range for two-stroke machines. Last year, we took on the four-stroke world in the Endurance Legends series at Donington Park and came a very respectable 12th out of 50 teams on the humble Yamaha TZR250. Not bad, eh? For 2019 we are taking part in the FIM European Endurance Classics four-hour event at Spa in Belgium, as part of the Spa Bikers’ Classic event. We are doing this as…

HAYNES PRINT & ONLINE Project Mobylette part 2 Making the Moby motive It was a simple choice between a foot-long sausage, frites and a 30km ride in the rain. It can only happen to Kev Raymond… WORDS AND PICS: KEV RAYMOND After last month's belated update, I realised I'd completely forgotten to mention one of the fleet. It's a 1987 Suzuki GSX-R1100. You may ask how anyone could forget they owned a quarter of a ton of legendary, Hamamatsu metal, but in my defence, I haven't actually seen it for several years. Not because it’s stored elsewhere – I walk straight past it every day – but because it’s been effectively invisible. It started with chucking a pair of overalls on it, then some rags, then some old towels, then…

cmm Archive Autobahn-stormer! Capable, quirky, but cool – the R100 family of machines were also rather long-lived and are much loved today in retrospect. The 980cc four-stroke, horizontally-opposed air-cooled ‘boxer’ twin came full of character and was plenty punchy for the time, even if the outright power figures weren’t quite groundbreaking for the mid-1970s. The model pictured here is the comfy and accomplished R100 RS. It was the result of Bayerische Motoren Werke’s stringent efforts to produce an effective sports-tourer that could be ridden vast distances with minimal effort. They succeeded, and in doing so could arguably lay claim to inventing the sports-tourer machine as we know it. Here was a machine which could cruise all day at 100mph without issue and with rider comfort – thanks in part to…

cmm News POP TO PRESCOTT! Sign yourself up for the Prescott Bike Festival 2019. It’s a summer weekend that promises to be hotter than ever! The popular, family-friendly event returns to the Gloucestershire hill climb on June 15-16. Prescott Bike Fest will feature an extensive display of historic, custom builds, race bikes, factory bikes, prototypes, shed builds to record beating machines – literally everything from Salon Privé class winner 1903 Royal Sovereign, to the ‘Warhorse’ – the World’s Fastest Mono-wheel and everything in between. Bike Fest’s excellent showcase of Paddock Specials features over 100 examples of rare machinery where you can meet the owners, watch them fire up and tackle the historic hill climb course. All the classic marques are well represented and new for 2019 is Kickback, the National…

WIN Weise Lancer gloves! We’ve teamed up with our friends at Weise to offer you the chance to win a pair of their Weise Lancer gloves worth £129.99. These gloves feature Goat and Nappa leather outer construction, with TPU knuckle reinforcement and Knox Scaphoid Protection System on the palm, plus leather bracing between the little and ring fingers. TO BE IN WITH A CHANCE OF WINNING, HERE’S HOW TO ENTER: 1. Go to www.classicmechanics.com 2. Fill in your details 3. Press enter 4. Sit back, relax and wait Competition closes: 07/06/19 Good luck! There are no cash alternatives available. The winners will be the first three names drawn at random. Terms and conditions apply. To view the privacy policy of MMG Ltd (publisher of Classic Motorcycle Mechanics) please visit www.mortonsmediagroup.…

Prize winner Colourful issue! Wow… I couldn’t miss the April issue on the shelves of the local supermarket. I had to pick it up! Granted, my favourite colours are yellow – and yes, I am a Valentino Rossi fan – but when I read the articles I really enjoyed learning a little bit of the history of race-replica paint jobs. My uncle had a Marlboro-painted RD500LC and it was seeing him come round on the bike (and the smell) that got me into bikes myself – and bike racing when he’d take me along. Ok, so my mum wasn’t too happy that I got into bikes, but when I left home she had no say in the matter. Sadly my uncle passed away recently, but I will always remember him,…

CLASSIC RIDE STORN WARNING Small Guzzis are rare, but Scoop’s tracked one down for CMM – the Moto Guzz Stornello WORDS: STEVE COOPER PICS: GARY D CHAPMAN This month’s classic ride may be something of a tiddler, but it is most emphatically not your average sub 250 motorcycle. It was also primarily intended to be a commuter machine, and yet it’s not overtly utilitarian. Its styling is best described as ‘interesting’ and, in parts at least, the Moto Guzzi Stornello does rather look like it’s been tailored by a committee. And yet beneath all those odd angles and almost haphazard fittings lies a machine that was designed and built by the very same firm that had produced GP competitive, half-litre motorcycles from horizontal air-cooled singles through to liquid-cooled V8s. It…

CMM TRACK DAYS JOIN US AT CADWELL PARK! With two CMM track days taking place this year, why not come along and have some fun? WORDS BERTIE SIMMONDS PICS SUZUKI GB If you love your Suzukis then you really need to be at Cadwell Park in Lincolnshire over the weekend of June 29 and 30! On the Saturday you’ll be able to enjoy the Classic Suzuki Track Day & Show, which will be followed by our own CMM day on the Sunday. The weekend’s fun and frolics have been organised by our friends at Classic Bike Track Days. “The CMM day on the Sunday follows on from the Classic Suzuki event on the Saturday, which was a crazy success last year and rammed with spectators, so we're expecting…

BUYER’S GUIDE HONDA CB750 K This month we look at the final K series CB750/4s models. WORDS: STEVE COOPER PICS: GARY CHAPMAN TRIM Nothing is cheap to replace so at the very least the bright-work needs to be there so you can get it refurbished. EXHAUST SYSTEM Needs to be present and in good condition; if not haggle hard: even pattern aftermarket systems are expensive so think hard if you want a four-piper, but the bike is wearing a 4-into-1. OIL & FILTER Use decent quality mineral 10/40 and change it every 1000 miles; change the filter every 3000. Don’t waste money on synthetic oils as they won’t benefit an engine designed to run on period 10/40! ENGINE Pretty much beyond reproach unless it’s been seriously abused or badly maintained:…

HAYNES PRINT & ONLINE Project Honda VTR1000F FireStorm part 2 Cut ‘n’ shut It’s out with the hacksaw and in with the Renthal bars as our Scottie makes the Storm more comfy. WORDS AND PICS: SCOTT REDMOND A few years back I came to the conclusion that I’m built for comfort and not speed! Other than popping that observation on my then-live internet dating profile, it’s something that’s carried over with the riding position on my ‘daily rider’ motorcycles. Converting any race-rep or sportsbike from clip-on handlebars to those that are more suited to comfort is a fairly straightforward process, but like every classic five-minute job, there will always be issues. My 1998 FireStorm wasn’t overly uncomfortable, but after riding it for a few weeks I found myself looking longingly…

HAYNES PRINT & ONLINE It’s all about… …timing. Our very own Pip Higham is on hand with some words of wisdom. WORDS: PIP HIGHAM PICS: PIP, MORTONS ARCHIVE There’s a big cultural difference between two-strokes and four-strokes, as if you didn’t already know. Two-strokes are intuitive, the piston goes up and down and (as if by magic) gas is drawn in, shuffles about a bit (from below the piston to above it via the mysterious, but sensibly named transfer ports), it then gets squashed, or perhaps squished might be more accurate by the ascending piston, then a miniature bolt of lightning ignites it and sends said piston careering down the cylinder, probably making the front wheel head to the skies in a haze of blue smoke. The real trick about…

Marketplace Brexit and bikes We’re bored of it, you’re bored of it, but what does Brexit mean for classic bike values? Paul Jayson of The Motorcycle Broker wades in with a few insights WORDS: PAUL JAYSON PICS: MORTONS ARCHIVE I am sure you’re all as sick of the B-word as I am, but if we do leave the EU on whatever terms, you’ve got another five or ten years of this to bore yourself further. Being passionate about classic motorcycles, I’m going to tell you what impact it’s had and (probably) will have on the classic motorcycle market. I don’t claim to know what the future holds, but I did write an article about the impact of Brexit on classic motorcycle values back in July 2016, shortly after the referendum,…

cmm News Meet Millyard! Classic Motorcycle Mechanics magazine columnist Allen Millyard returns to the Classic MotorCycle Show on April 27-28 to unveil his latest project on show sponsor Carole Nash’s stand in the main hall. Based on a 1949 349cc Velocette MAC, Allen made his Velocette 698cc V-twin single-handedly at home, using and adapting as many original parts as possible (see page 70 for part one!). Also, 11-time British trials champion and founder of his own motorbike collection, Sammy Miller MBE will bring two incredible Nortons for display on the Footman James insurance stand in the main hall. The first is the stunning 1955/6 350cc Model F Norton. Influenced by Moto Guzzi’s success with a machine that featured laid-down single cylinder engines, the Norton race shop worked on the similarly…

Special FZ for sale! Those with long memories will recall a very special five-valve per cylinder special that saw the light of day on the cover and inside of the March 2015 issue of CMM! This bike belongs to CMM friend Steve Adams – who runs Lucky 7 – which indulges itself not just in some very special motorcycle builds, but also helps cover the saddles of specials all over the UK. Steve, a coach trimmer by trade, knows his stuff in this area! Briefly, this bike has a Yamaha Thunderace front and rear end (48mm forks and swingarm), a Nitron rear shock, T-ace brakes, Lucky 7 foot-rest plates, a Pete Beale ‘lightly skimmed’ FZ750 stock motor, Micron headers with Racefit can, Stage 1 Dynojet kit, and K&N…

RETRO RIDE BLADE RUNNER Four decades ago and the Katana concept was unveiled, spawning a family of Kats, with production finally ending in 2001. Suzuki has taken just 14 months to produce a retro homage of the original. WORDS: MIKKO NIEMINEN PICS: SUZUKI/MORTONS ARCHIVE Let’s cut (ahem) right to the chase: the new Katana is always going to be a bit of a Marmite bike – it's not to everyone's taste. Given the fairly niche market and the huge cost involved in developing a new motorcycle from scratch, it made sense for Suzuki to take the GSX-S/F models and base the new bike on that, but that didn't stop them making the Katana a bit of a looker. The front of the bike is faithfully based on the old Katana:…

RETRO RIDE S-Cub heaven! The classic Super Cub has been a staple two-wheeler for more than 60 years – meet the latest version: Honda’s Super Cub C125. WORDS: ROSS MOWBRAY PICS: GARY D CHAPMAN/HONDA UK There’s no denying the Honda Super Cub is an iconic machine. The Super Cub has made a name for itself over the last 60 years as a bulletproof, do-anything machine, most at home on the daily commute, but capable of traversing the globe, too. Since production first began back in 1958, Honda has sold over 100 million models in various iterations of style and capacity. To celebrate hitting the milestone and cement its place as the best-selling machine of all time, Honda has revamped its Super Cub for today with a pretty major styling revision…

Moto Guzzi Stornello history The Stornello’s ancestry can be traced back to the late 1940s when most, if not all of Italy’s population was in need of basic transport. Companies that had a history of motorcycle manufacture were in on the act at the ground floor and some that weren’t, notably MV, rapidly moved into small capacity motorcycle manufacture. Typically, the end product would be a sub 125cc single aimed at cost-effective transportation, yet as Italy’s prosperity grew  these same machines were rapidly adapted for racing as well as commuter use. Moto Guzzi’s offering was initially the 110cc Zigolo two-stroke, but it was soon apparent that the competition was majoring in slightly larger four strokes. The firm’s response was the 125cc Stornello designed by race engineer Giulio Carcano, and by…

RETRO RIDE TRIUMPHANT TWIN Triumph seems to be on a roll at the moment, combining the best qualities of existing models with the nostalgia of the past. We rode the latest: the Speed Twin. WORDS: MIKKO NIEMINEN PICS: TRIUMPH UK Triumph's modern classic range seems to know no boundaries and when I last checked there were 12 models in the line-up. The company's best-selling modern classic bike has been the 900cc Street Twin with its contemporary looks and easy-to-approach manner. Given the sales success, it was probably just a matter of time before the Hinckley factory re-imagined this retro-esque contemporary classic and gave it some bigger muscles. Emerging from the factory after three years of development is a thoroughly modern bike with ride modes, traction control, ABS, torque-assist clutch, LED…

MAIN TEST HOME BREW! A last-minute purchase changes the fortunes of Project GSX-R10/11/12, shortly before its big test. Former stunt rider and tester Martin ‘Wild’ Child tells all. WORDS: MARTIN ‘WILD’ CHILD PICS: IKAPTURE GREG SMITH / MARTIN CHILD The more you see, the more you find. And then buy. That’s a pretty good adage for anyone building their own project bike. What starts out as a slight interest in a particular model quickly turns into desire, and then borders on obsession as you realise that all your saved searches have the model name of your project in them. So there I am, casually scrolling through the free ads that have popped up on my phone, when another Bandit 1200 looks like it needs a new home. Those that have…

QUIDS IN AND LAUGHING The whole project hinged around picking up that 2008 GSX-R1000 rolling chassis for $900 (£485 at today’s rate). Then the hunt for a Slabby ended after $3500 (£1885) had left my hands, never to be seen again. Two Bandit 1200s were harmed in the process, $1000 (£540) and $400 (£215) respectively. The front-end swap cost me a set of taper rollers, levers, bar weights, etc. $100 (£54) covers that. The rear took bearings, adjustable dogbones and skinned knuckles. $200 (£108) there (and there’s no surcharge on the skin!). Paint and decals came in at $450 (£242), while another $600 (£322) went on such luxuries as an exhaust, air-filters and service items. You don’t need to worry too many fingers and toes to work out that’s…

HAYNES PRINT & ONLINE Project Honda CB750 K2 part 20 Comic Timing A few more hiccups for Haycock – but it’s all a matter of timing… WORDS AND PICS: MARK HAYCOCK. The day finally came when the K2 was registered and I could take it out on the road. There was a slight hiccup in that it would only fire on two cylinders when I was ready to go, but this turned out to be caused by not having enough fuel in the tank to properly fill the carburettors when the bike was on the side-stand. More serious was a constant misfire when accelerating and a general lack of power. This could have been caused by a number of things, but as it happens I…

HAYNES PRINT & ONLINE Looming large We know one of the biggest issues with our classics: here’s Scoop with a workshop guide to sorting a wiring loom. WORDS AND PICS: STEVE COOPER One of the best ways possible to really mess up any classic motorcycle you’re working on is to cut corners with its electrics. It doesn’t take much to increase resistances in circuits and before you know it there are fuses popping, wires getting hot and, if you’re trying hard enough, some melted insulation. It may ‘only’ be 12 volts we’re talking about here, but treated with sufficient contempt and disdain, there’s often enough power available to set off a merry little blaze. Component failure is generally obvious (blown bulb), yet it could be something as catastrophic as a…

HAYNES PRINT & ONLINE Project Honda CL350 part 2 Niggles and nipples Time to get under the skin of Mark Haycock’s Honda CL350. WORDS AND PICS: MARK HAYCOCK After checking the spark plugs, with slightly perturbing results as we saw last time, the next step in my programme to get the engine working was to remove the carburettors (Photo 1). I think it safe to say that this is always necessary as typically (for the sort of bikes I acquire anyway) the carbs have been out of use for a considerable time and any idea that they would still work ok would be an extremely optimistic one. I don’t know what has happened here as evidently someone decided that they should cut through the throttle…