Innholdsfortegnelse for June 2021 i Classic Motorcycle Mechanics

FEEDBACK Peculiar parts? I thoroughly enjoyed your supplement about finding parts for older motorcycles. It’s a shame there are not any Garelli dealers left for me to ask about my Tiger Cross. I particularly enjoyed the article about the armies of NOS (infantry); I wonder how many there are (inventory). I guess the spell checker and find and replace got it wrong! Richard Parker Bertie says: “Thank you Richard! Ahhh, to err is human! We had to correct your ‘thoroughly’ and ‘particularly’!” Good old days! I was shocked and disappointed to read of Colin Halls’ reaction to the Chris Moss feature. Not at what he said because it seems a common defence nowadays that when someone is accused of being selfish they reply: ‘No, I’ve just got more important things…

SPECIFICATION YAMAHA Vmax (1985) ENGINE TYPE Water-cooled 72-degree V4 VALVE ARRANGEMENT DOHC, 16 valves DISPLACEMENT 1198cc (76 x 66mm) COMPRESSION RATIO 7.5:1 CARBURATION 35mm Mikuni downdraft MAXIMUM POWER 143bhp @ 8000rpm TRANSMISSION 5-speed FRONT SUSPENSION 40mm telescopic REAR SUSPENSION Twin dampers, adjustments for preload FRONT BRAKE 2, opposed-piston calipers, 298mm discs REAR BRAKE Single-piston caliper, 298mm disc FRONT WHEEL 18in; cast aluminium REAR WHEEL 15in; cast aluminium FRONT TYRE 110/90 x 18in Bridgestone Exedra REAR TYRE 150/90 x 15in Bridgestone Exedra WHEELBASE 1590mm SEAT HEIGHT 780mm FUEL CAPACITY 15 litres DRY WEIGHT 254kg INSTRUMENTS Speedometer, tachometer, coolant temperature gauge, lights for turn signals, neutral, high beam, low oil pressure, low fuel level, headlight on…

SPECIFICATION KAINZINGER Vmax ENGINE TYPE Water-cooled V4 VALVE ARRANGEMENT DOHC, 16 valves DISPLACEMENT 1680cc BORE X STROKE 90 x 66mm COMPRESSION RATIO 13.6:1 MAXIMUM POWER 198bhp @ 8950rpm TRANSMISSION 5-speed, chain final drive FRAME Tubular steel and aluminium plate FRONT SUSPENSION 41mm WP usd, fully adjustable REAR SUSPENSION Twin TechnoFlex shocks, fully adjustable FRONT BRAKE 6-piston PVM calipers, 320mm discs REAR BRAKE twin-piston PVM caliper, single disc FRONT TYRE 120/70 x 17in Pirelli Dragon Corsa REAR TYRE 190/55 x 18in Pirelli Dragon Corsa WHEELBASE 1410mm SEAT HEIGHT N/A FUEL CAPACITY 16 litres DRY WEIGHT 187kg…

Tool of the month Piston broke! Ralph Ferrand works with tools all day long – he sells them too at bikerstoolbox.co.uk so he knows what works. with BIKER'S TOOLBOX The sad reality is that many bikers don’t seem to notice a deterioration in the performance of their life-saving stoppers, nor feel any great urge to change the brake fluid as sanity dictates. Given that these simple, but essential components are saving your life, my bikes always have their brakes regularly serviced. To service motorcycle brakes properly they must be disassembled. Moisture held in the hygroscopic brake fluid delights in attacking the bare aluminium alloy of the caliper bodies, particularly behind the hydraulic seal. As the aluminium corrodes, so it becomes crusty and the flakes of corrosion push against the rubber…

What to buy and how much to pay Some markets had their models restricted to 95bhp and if you’re after a V-Max you’re surely after the power that goes with it? Check out the V-Max forum for all the details. If a vendor claims their restricted bike no longer is, check what they say against the oracle! Be prepared to view numerous examples with upgrades, modifications and bolt-ons – the V-Max is simply a bike that attracts this sort of thing. Improved brakes and suspension are common and with a freer flowing exhaust and revised intake/carbs, horsepower can be lifted by 10 per cent: if you really need it. Astonishingly, these cult bikes are much cheaper than you might imagine and many come in at significantly under the price of…

Project Aprilia RSV1000 Mille part 3 Changing Vrooms! Bruce’s life is never straightforward… and his project’s not either – time for the Aprilia Mille to ch-ch-change… WORDS: BRUCE WILSON PICS: GARY D CHAPMAN Last issue left-off with a largely built Mille, alive and kicking thanks to the helping hands at Aprilia Performance, so why does it look like it’s been stripped by a breaker for parts? Well, because despite the temptation to bolt on a set of tidy fairings, to coat the wheels in retina-burning rim tape and to call it a day at that, I figured there was loads more to gain with a bit more time, graft and the contents from my wife’s bank account (I’ll pay her back at some point). So what’s been…

Assault and battery Want to know how best to look after and maintain your bike’s battery? Look no further. Covid-19 has meant many of us are riding fewer miles, so bikes are laid up for longer: batteries lose power over time, so what should we do? Step 1: Identify your bike battery! Lead Acid Lead Acid batteries will be labelled with reference numbers starting with the letters YB, CB or GB (e.g. YB14L-A2); Y, C or G (e.g. Y60-N24L-A); or 12N (e.g 12N24-3). They often have a white/opaque plastic lower casing and a black top, which contains a row of plastic stoppers (three stoppers in a 6-volt battery and six in a 12-volt), through which the electrolyte mixture inside can be topped up with distilled water. Maintenance Free / AGM…

Original OGRI! Remember our story on Ogri and its equally legendary creator, Paul Sample, from August last year? Well, why not pop along to The BlackShed Gallery, off the A21 (near the Route 1066 Café) to see some original artworks as part of a display. From May 21, you can do just that at the gallery located at Russet Farm, East Sussex (for sat-nav use TN32 5NG). Not only that, you can (should you wish/afford to) buy some of these legendary and largely forgotten artworks. Legend has it that Paul thought he’d sold/seen the last of his collection, but he stubbed his toe on a portfolio of artwork that had been long forgotten in his spare room. Currently, thanks to the pandemic and changing restrictions, there is no current end…

Prize winner Don’t sweat it! Hello from The Engineering Shed! I’ve just finished the latest mag which yet again does not disappoint... especially at the moment. I felt I needed to spring to your defence after recent comments on content. So, going back a bit, the features on ‘Better Riding’ came in for quite a bit of flak, which I think was somewhat unjustified. The link between the two authors and their insurance business I don’t think was particularly well handled but based on some of the riding I have seen recently there is no denying the relevance of the content! I’m sure the majority of your readers, me included, are from an era when there was no compulsory training and a bike test comprised two laps of the local…

The way we were… Send us your nostalgic snaps of you back in the day with your steed! Either send to me at bsimmonds@mortons.co.uk or via our vibrant Facebook page. C’mon Linda Wallace says: “Figured I’d send some old but gold pictures courtesy of my partner who doesn’t have email! Great memories!” Volkhard Schulz says: “Hi CMM, from Germany! I’ve attached two pics with my beloved Elsie called ‘Galadriel’ (the bike – not the girl!) The pic with my girlfriend was taken in 1982 when we had just returned home from a three-week tour to France (we started near Hamburg). The bike is long sold, but the girl became my wife in 1990! The second picture is from 1984; same bike but with a ‘Keim’ fairing (it was horrible quality!). I…

Creating the Mighty Max! The V-Max was developed in and for the States, but the man who did most to create it was Japanese. In the early 1980s Akira Araki, who later became General Manager of Yamaha’s motorcycle operation in Japan, was the leader of a development team that had been put together to create a new and powerful model for the US market. This was the period when Yamaha was making a huge effort to catch up Honda, at the time hugely into V4 engines with its VF range. Dragsters and V8-powered hot-rod cars were part of Araki’s inspiration, but on a trip to study the US market it was a visit to an unofficial dash across the Mississippi river that did most to mould the V-Max. The ‘bridge…

SPECIFICATION LOOMANS Vmax ENGINE TYPE Water-cooled V4 VALVE ARRANGEMENT DOHC, 16 valves DISPLACEMENT 1497cc BORE X STROKE 85 x 66mm COMPRESSION RATIO 11:1 MAXIMUM POWER 187bhp @ 9000rpm TRANSMISSION 5-speed, shaft final drive FRAME Tubular steel FRONT SUSPENSION 40mm WP usd, fully adjustable REAR SUSPENSION WP monoshock, fully adjustable FRONT BRAKE 6-piston Billet calipers, 320mm discs REAR BRAKE Twin-piston Brembo caliper, 254mm disc FRONT TYRE 120/70 x 17in Pirelli Dragon REAR TYRE 190/50 x 17in Pirelli Dragon WHEELBASE 1590mm SEAT HEIGHT 780mm FUEL CAPACITY 15 litres DRY WEIGHT 260kg…

Q&A Our very own wizened sages, Messrs Mark Haycock and Steve Cooper, are here to answer all of your woes, be they mechanical or spiritual. Every month we will be giving advice, as well as some general tips. Don’t forget to send in your own tips too. YAMAHA XJ600 DIVERSION Q: In the latest issue, a reader describes a problem with a sticking Diversion clutch. Until last winter, I had the same problem due to lack of use in the colder months. I started keeping the clutch lever pulled in with a reusable tie-wrap when in the garage. It now engages gear first time without any clunk or lurch even if the bike has not been used for a while. Other than a small risk of slightly stretching the clutch…

THE V FOUR BACK STORY – LOSERS AND WINNERS The V-Max’s motor has an interesting, if poorly documented history yet, ironically, shares its layout, if not its design, with numerous Hondas of the period. The concept of a V four engine in a motorcycle makes a lot of sense, mass centralisation being one of the main advantages. Add in liquid cooling and it’s possible to get a large-capacity power plant into a small(er) space and other than getting four carburettors inside the V there are few negatives. Yamaha had already sussed out the concept back in 1968 with their RD05/A 250 and RA31/A 125 V4 GP strokers. The firm also dallied with a four-stroke V4 endurance race bike at the end 1970s, which ultimately came to nothing. A few years…

Gaskets for nowt! Well, nearly nowt: Our own Pip Higham gives us a little money-saving tip that some may know, and some may not. After failing to cop the correct gaskets for my S32 Suzuki... twice over, I decided I’d knock them up myself. I had a roll of good-uality gasket sealing paper that I’d got at the Stafford Show a couple of years back. It’s readily available in various thicknesses, so make sure you use the appropriate one by simply measuring the thickness of a bit of the existing stuff. If you’re not sure, go for about 0.5mm (standard Suzuki base and cover gasket thickness.) For the ones here I used imperial, 20- thou thick. First thing is to cut a generously sized piece, say about 20mm oversize all…

SCOOPERMAN! The sunny side of the classic world, with the VJMC’s Steve Cooper What’s the right sort of money to be spending on a project? I ask simply because there are so many opinions on what now seems to be a highly emotive subject within the classic world. Although I warn others not to buy project bikes in boxes, I’ve done enough now and they are always, and without exception, a royal pain. Regardless of what the vendor will tell you, parts will be missing – best let someone with far more enthusiasm, time and money have those apparent bargains. Facebook recently divvied up an original and complete Suzuki B100P, aka The Bloop. It looked tired and careworn, came with that patina of corrosion that only ever comes via a…

PRE-ORDER YOUR CMM! In these difficult times, it’s often the case that people of our age may not be outside, shopping or buying our favourite magazines – so we’ve got just the thing for you: pre-order. Simply scan the fuzzy square thing with your smartphone (c’mon, we’ve all got one) and off you pop! Alternatively, if you like what you see coming up in the June issue (see page 97 for more) then go to: www.classicmagazines.co.uk/issue/preorder where you can pre-order all of Mortons’ wonderful magazines. Even ones about trains, cars or towpaths……

Vmax TIMELINE 1985 Launched in the US; popular despite high price 1986 Officially sold in France, detuned to 100bhp 1987 New colours, seat and front wheel 1991 100bhp model sold in UK; mods to ignition and starter motor 1993 Updated with thicker forks, bigger front discs and new calipers 1996 UK gets full-power model; mods include oil filter and regulator 2005 20th anniversary edition with serial number and special paintwork 2007 Production ends 2009 At the 2005 Tokyo Motor Show, Yamaha displayed an all-new V-Max concept with a new chassis and cutting-edge braking components. Then in 2008 they released a completely redesigned 2009 VMAX with an all-aluminium frame, a 1679cc liquid-cooled 65° V4 DOHC engine and the Yamaha Chip Controlled Intake (YCC-I.) It also had fully adjustable suspension, anti-lock brakes…

SPECIFICATION EGLI Vmax ENGINE TYPE Water-cooled V4 VALVE ARRANGEMENT DOHC, 16 valves DISPLACEMENT 1198cc BORE X STROKE 76 x 66mm COMPRESSION RATIO 7.5:1 MAXIMUM POWER 201bhp @ 9150rpm TRANSMISSION 5-speed, shaft final drive FRAME Tubular steel FRONT SUSPENSION 43mm Egli REAR SUSPENSION Twin Koni shocks, adjustments for preload FRONT BRAKE 4-piston Brembo calipers, 320mm discs REAR BRAKE 4-piston Brembo caliper, 320mm disc FRONT TYRE 110/80 x 18in Pirelli Dragon REAR TYRE 170/60 x 18in Pirelli Dragon WHEELBASE 1590mm SEAT HEIGHT 780mm FUEL CAPACITY 15 litres DRY WEIGHT 260kg…

Allen Millyard Award-winning motorcycle engineer! That’s rich! Things have been a bit slow again this month with my bike projects as I’ve been waiting for parts to arrive and the chrome plating, the tank, etc., to return for my Z1B Super Six. Mrs M. then hinted that the house could do with a bit of a spruce up, so for the last couple of weeks I’ve been sanding and painting walls rather than bike parts! It’s always nice when the doorbell chimes and it’s the parts to finish my KDX200A engine rebuild. Luckily I was at a convenient point to stop painting so could spend some time in the garage to reassemble the KDX engine. As I said last month, the engine was in great shape and only needed new…

SPECIFICATION YAMAHA Vmax ENGINE TYPE Four-stroke, liquid -ooled, DOHC, 4 valve, V4 DISPLACEMENT 1198cc BORE X STROKE 76.0 x 66.0mm COMPRESSION RATIO 10.5:1 MAX HP 145bhp @ 9000rpm MAX TORQUE 89.6ft-lb @ 7500rpm CARBURATION 4 x Mikuni BDS35 with V Boost WHEELBASE 1590mm/65.6 inches DRY WEIGHT 254kg /560lb WET WEIGHT 274kg/604lb LENGTH 2300mm /90.6 inches WIDTH 795mm /31.3 inches HEIGHT 1160mm/45.7 inches SEAT HEIGHT 765mm/30.5” TYRES 110/90 18 (F), 150-90 15 (R) BRAKES Disc (F&R) FUEL TANK 15.0 litres (3.2 gallons) Our thanks to Willy Corry Motorsport for the loan of the V-Max featured here and Henry at Exactrep for the inside line on Yamaha’s finest.…

Pip Higham Tuner, engineer, rider Dead Skunk!* Have you ever smelled an engine that’s been freshly rinsed off after it’s been Gunked? If you have, you’ll know exactly what I’m talking about. If not, well, that’s a shame, because chances are you’re unlikely to ever cop that one in your olfactory. How so? Well, I suppose that the concept of rinsing a crusty layer of congealed oil, grease and other assorted (and it has to be said, generally unpleasant) crud that’s been liberated by another rather suspect hydro-carbon based solvent into the community drainage system is probably not on Greta’s list of happy stuff to do in the early 21st century. To be fair I’m not sure what Gunk’s precise chemical make-up is, but judging by the way it would…