Innholdsfortegnelse for November 2021 i Classic Motorcycle Mechanics

BOOK CORNER VALENTINO ROSSI Fitting now that The Doctor is hanging up his leathers (and stethoscope?) after a stellar 25-year career that saw him win nine world championships that a raft of books are coming out in celebration. This is one of the first, launched last year. Stuart Barker charts the life and success of the Italian known by many as ‘The GOAT’ or ‘Greatest Of All Time’ and comes via interviews with friends, rivals and those that know him well. This new paperback version contains 368 pages. Price £9.99 (paperback) £18.99 (hardback) www.waterstones.com JOEY DUNLOP: The definitive biography Twenty-one years after his passing, journalist and fan Stuart Barker attempts to tell the definitive story of this road-racing legend and multiple champion. With a foreword by roads rival Carl Fogarty,…

COOL COLOURS! This year, Yamaha has been celebrating 60 years of racing in the world championships. Of course, racing was integral in the design and manufacture of Yamaha’s first machine, the YA-1, when it won the Mount Fuji Ascent Race on July 10, 1955 – just days after the Yamaha Motor Company itself was founded. Yamaha entered its first international race at Catalina, USA, in 1958, and went grand prix racing by entering the 250cc RD48 in the World Championship Grand Prix round in France in May 1961. Since then, Yamaha has won more than 500 Grand Prix races, with 38 rider titles, 37 constructor titles and seven team titles. If you follow modern racing in MotoGP, World Superbike and British Superbikes, you’ll have seen the official Yamaha race teams…

News 2022 BENNETTS BRITISH SUPERBIKE CHAMPIONSHIP CALENDAR The 2022 Bennetts British Superbike Championship has been provisionally announced, with the 11-round season beginning with three official tests, comprising of Snetterton on March 25-27, Donington Park (National) on March 31, and Silverstone (National) on April 6-7. Silverstone will host the opening round of the season, which returns to the familiar Easter weekend of April 15-17. September begins with the all-important Title Fighter decider at Snetterton on September 9-11 before the Showdown gets underway at Oulton Park on September 23-25. 2022 Bennetts British Superbike Championship provisional calendar: March 25-27 Test 01 – Snetterton 300 March 31 Test 02 – Donington Park National April 6-7 Test 03 – Silverstone National April 15-17 Round 01 – Silverstone National April 21 Test 04 – Oulton Park…

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! Dave Rich says: “I’m from Guernsey and I just thought I’d send a couple of my old bike pictures. I started on a Suzuki GP100 in 1980 at 16 (in Guernsey you could ride up to a 100cc from 14 to 16, then at 16 jump on a Z1300 if you wanted), followed by a GSX250 and CB750F2 before moving on to my favourite. I remember reading MCN in late 1983 and they announced the VF1000FE: I ordered one in red/white/blue. By August 20 the next year (that date is stamped in my memory after pestering them every week…

MAIN TEST Wolf in sheep’s clothing… John Nutting’s CRK 1200 Roadster project is complete, or as near as it ever will be. So what’s it like to ride? Nutters tries to be impartial as he mounts the beast… WORDS: JOHN NUTTING PICS: MATT PRINGLE, GARY CHAPMAN AND JOHN NUTTING We all have a dream, and my decision to build a big road bike in the style of an early 1970s roadster – a GS1000, CB900F, XS1100 or a Z1000 for example – but with more power, better handling and refinement, proved to be a no-brainer after I tried Ian Saxcoburg’s CRK 1200 Roadster on the roads of the Isle of Wight in 2018. Here was just what I’d been looking for: a mean beast dressed in casual wear. That bike…

BACK ISSUES Whether it's recent releases or vintage copies, step back in time and browse through the ages with the Classic Motorcycle Mechanics back issue collection. OVER 250 ISSUES ARE AVAILABLE TO ORDER TODAY AT CLASSIC MAGAZINES.CO.UK MARCH 2021 ■ 1970s triple treats ■ Stavros' first love ■ BMW Kl APRIL 2021 ■ Bimota V Due ■ Cool Ducati twin ■ Suzuki Hayabusa MAY 2021 ■ Sixes of the best ■ Svelte Yamaha LS2 ■ Kawasaki Z750 JUNE 2021 ■ Allen Millyard ■ EU Beauties ■ Bike of the Year JULY 2021 ■ Big naked Aprilia ■ Suzuki GTlOOO beast ■ Motorcycle art AUGUST 2021 ■ BMW's step forward ■ Rare Blackbird ridden ■ Exotic Italians SEPTEMBER 2021 ■ Fantastic 50s ■ A Meteor feast ■ Sheene-inspired Suzuki OCTOBER 2021…

Well, what next? Still to be addressed is the front suspension which has no giblets inside but, hopefully, this won’t be a biggie. I also need to come up with an effective method of mounting the new coil; I have some ideas but more on that next time. The paintwork for fairing, tank, air-box and seat unit are still on hold due to budgetary constraints and I’m still trying to decide on an actual paint scheme. I’m favouring a red of some hue or other than that and possibly some restrained graphics or pin-striping, but that’s about as far as the plan has got. Which also brings us neatly on to sorting out the frame which, to be historically accurate, should be nickel but it won’t be. Sorry if that…

How are we doing? ENGINE PARTS LIST Cylinder-head and nuts – √ Full gasket and seal kit – √ Con-rod kit – √ Main bearings and seals – √ Piston and rings – √ Small-end bearing and pin – √ Gearbox bearings and seals – √ Selector forks – √ Selector shaft – √ Kick-start shaft – √ Clutch basket and hub bearing – √ Pressure plate – √ Clutch springs – √ Clutch plates steel and fibre – √ Primary gear nut and tab – √ Clutch main nut and tab – √ All case and cover screws – √ Drain plug washer – √ Spark plug – √ Airfilter – √ Exhaust system – √ Coil and Lead – √ CHASSIS PARTS LIST Fork seals – √ Steering-head…

Tested Riding kit worn, tools twirled & tyres turned BELL CRUISER ELIMINATOR The 2020 Eliminator impresses with its light weight, fibre-glass composite shell construction, anti-bacterial liner, contoured cheek pads, plus provision for an anti-fog shield. The first things of note are the nine circular vents that have been drilled into the top of the helmet, allowing air to pass through the shell and EPS liner to the head. With nothing to impede the venting, they work effectively enough, as do the four smaller vents in a metal grid in the chin bar. With all those air vents, you might be thinking that this is going to be one noisy helmet. Well, at modest speeds it is fine, but hit the motorway and wind the power on, and you will notice…

NEIL MURRAY: AN APPRECIATION Neil Murray, a valued motorcycle journalist and CMM friend, sadly passed away in July this year. He was just 63 years old, and had contributed to a number of publications over the decades, most recently Motor Cycle News. Neil had a keen eye for a classic bargain and would shrewdly pick the up-and-coming classics. His wife Anne describes him as a “larger-than-life character”. After all, who else would buy a supercharged mad/crazy Kawasaki H2 and ride it in classic attire? You had to love him for that. For me, as editor of CMM, I’ll remember him taking me to task on many things, but – as a staffer on Bike Magazine back in the 1990s – I will remember his finest hour. He and Andy Dukes…

PRE-ORDER YOUR CMM! Want the next issue of CMM? Of course you do! Then it’s simple. Subscribing is best but, failing that, why not 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 October issue (see page 105 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……

FEEDBACK Post to Mechanics, PO Box 99, Horncastle, Lincs LN9 6LZ or email your pictures to editorial@classicmechanics.com WIN! EVERY MONTH We’re giving away a brace of top prizes. For the Star Letter, it is a Key Collection bike goody of some description: this month, Weise Montana Gloves! For the semi-Star Letter it’s a Bridgestone Oxford Products Oximiser 3X. Simply get in touch by sending emails to: letters@classicmechanics.com or direct to the editor at BSimmonds@Mortons.co.uk or post your letters to the normal address, giving contact details in case you’re the lucky winner. STAR LETTER Glad to be grey! Lovely to see something a little out of the ordinary in CMM last issue – I do so love the bikes we never ‘officially’ got over here! For me the likes of the…

Removing ethanol from petrol There’re several online tutorials now showing how to ‘easily remove ethanol from petrol’ by mixing water with pump fuel and shaking it. The theory is that the ethanol will move into the water, leaving the remaining solvents ethanol free. This is, indeed, true, but what’s not mentioned is all the other materials that have been removed at the same time – all of which your engine probably needs in order to run effectively. There were some kits marketed for doing this when E5 was introduced and they came with independent test analysis that showed the resultant ‘petrol’ was ethanol free. What the kits didn’t provide was any data or reassurances that the ‘petrol’ thus produced was actually fit for purpose. You can wash the ethanol out of…

The owner’s view by Martin James “I wasn’t looking to buy an FZ750, but as is often the way, this bike found me when I was investigating a bike for my son. Being a long-time Yamaha fan, particularly of mid-70s to mid-80s machines, I’d always been interested in the FZ, but had missed out first time around (I was working for Honda UK at the time and was preoccupied with VFs and the CX turbo). Now of advancing years I find a stretch to clip-ons situated below the top yoke too extreme so the higher bars of the FZ seemed ideal. Spotting the bike in the on-line MCN classifieds, I called immediately and was very impressed to see how clean and original it was. I purchased from the second owner;…

Tool of the month with BIKERS’S TOOLBOX Air-head! Ralph Ferrand works with tools all day long – he sells them too at bikerstoolbox.co.uk so he knows what works. For years my workshop has been littered with trip hazards. I know I mock the nanny state, but as I am well into middle-age and suffering with osteoporosis, falling flat on my face is rarely funny these days. Because my workshop has too much gear in it, I have been forced to either part with legions of my beloved shiny things or build a second man-cave (non-gender specific cave, please Ralph: Bertie) to make the first workshop usable. Initially it looked far too expensive, until I decided to make my own, which I will tell you all about at a later date. For…

IT’S MY BIKE: TERRY BUTLER I bought this bike from Charlie at Oxford Classic Honda three years ago to complete my set of early 1970s 250s; I already had a Yamaha YDS7, Suzuki GT250 and Kawasaki S1A. The K3 was okay but in need of a good service, something that it hadn’t seen in years I reckon. Once I’d got it running nicely I rode it around before deciding to do a top-end rebuild as it was clearly in need. After that I had it as a regular rider just to see if anything else was in need of attention. Satisfied all was well I finally stripped it down for a full restoration. Everything was relatively okay for a bike of that age and it had obviously been reasonably well…

Pip Higham Fast Tattle… Tuner, engineer, rider ‘ast geet any fast tattle lad?’ I’ll translate for those of you residing ‘sarf’ of Watford: ‘I say young man, are you in a position to sell me a motorcycle which might be capable of straightening one’s arms out a little?’ I prefer the plain English version but, whatever. The bloke on the delivery end of the interrogative remark was Rod, a much tattoed (when tats were the mark of a proper rebel) local biker, occasional customer and general tearaway. Stories abounded of Rod’s run-ins with the local plod, either legging it out of ‘The Bull’ on a Saturday night after an alcohol-fuelled ‘misunderstanding’ or tearing through the local park on his Shooting Star just as the brass band was about to strike…

cmm Stuff The latest riding kit, top tools, tyres, retro clothing and more! DUCHINNI D977 HELMET Duchinni’s new D977 full-face helmet is designed for riders on a budget who still want a quality lid. This new aerodynamic outer shell is made from an ABS/fibre composite, with a sporty rear spoiler, and is ECE 22.05 certified for use on UK roads. An active airflow system – with vents to the top and chin bar, advanced channelling through the EPS liner, and exhaust vents to the rear – keeps the wearer cool and comfortable. The anti-scratch Pinlock-prepared visor has a double curvature, offering excellent peripheral vision and a Pinlock is included as standard, to ensure a clear view o the road ahead. The lining is removable and washable, and it comes with…

NITRO NG-70 GLOVES Well, it just goes to show that you do not have to spend a fortune to acquire a good pair of leather gloves! The modestly priced Nitro NG-70s are part of the latest Nitro collection and I have found them to be ideal for Summer riding. Short in stature, the vented construction of these urban-styled gloves combines leather and 3D mesh panels for ventilation, with protection in the form of hard TPU knuckles, reinforced panels to critical areas such as the palm and fingers, and soft cushioning on the scaphoid. Touchscreen compatible on the index finger and thumb, the gloves feature a Neoprene panel on the inside of the wrist, accordion flex on the back of the hand, twin stitched panels which increases strength and durability, and…

News MOTORCYCLE LIVE RETURNS! As mentioned last issue, Motorcycle Live will return to the NEC, Birmingham in 2021. Which is nice… Taking place from Saturday, December 4 to Sunday, December 12, the UK’s largest motorcycle show will welcome back the very best of the industry to delight, entertain and inform bike enthusiasts of all ages, and that includes lots of classics too and the return of the much-loved Custom and Classic Zones. On the main stage, CMM contributors Niall Mackenzie and James Whitham will be team captains in ‘A Question of Bikes’, quiz which takes in motorcycles and motorcycle racing. Other CMM contributors such as Alan Dowds and Chris Moss will be on the various teams, as will our erstwhile editor Bertie Simmonds. So why not pop along and see…

SCOOPERMAN! The sunny side of the classic world, with the VJMC’s Steve Cooper When I was young(er) I would often disappear into the workshop of an evening for some therapy. With the kids in bed and evening meal consumed, fettling the latest project was a fine way to work off the stresses of the working day. On occasion far too much midnight oil was probably burnt renovating ancient bikes but the sense and feeling of achievement massively outweighed the time and effort. And on numerous occasions I’d carefully place a component by the front door ready to go to work with me the next day for my engineer mates to weld, repair or straighten. In fact, at one point I ran a commuter 250 that owed more to my employer…

Triumph stick with the DGR! Triumph Motorcycles will continue on as main partner and supporter of the ever-popular Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride. The event, which began back in 2012, brings together dapper chaps and motorcycles in a bid to raise money for a variety of men’s health charities. Triumph has been a major sponsor since 2014 and has played a key role in partnership with Mark Hawwa and his team in helping develop the DGR into the world-spanning event that it is today. The Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride was founded to raise funds and awareness for prostate cancer research and men’s mental health, by uniting classic and vintage-style motorcycle riders, old and new, all around the world. For more go to: www.gentlemansride.com…

Show us yours We want to see YOUR pride and joy in our pages, so you can share what you ride and restore with fellow readers. Email your hi-res shots to bsimmonds@mortons.co.uk or mail in some photos to the address at the front of the mag. Let us know what you’ve done and how you’ve done it and send before and after shots if you can. Do get in touch. Bertie. James Selfridge’s Yamaha RD250E Here is an RD250E that I purchased as a favour off a friend after, perhaps, one too many ales (we’ve all done it!). It had been used for a few years from new and then the 125 rule came in so it was taken off the road and 20 years or so later dismantled for…

FOCUS ON Personal Experience In my experience E5 (and presumably E10) ‘go off’ over a relatively short period, whereas the Supergreen fuels do seem to have more shelf life in them. The pump fuel sold since 2000 does appear to attack and make brittle fuel pipes and the general consensus is that the plasticisers within the synthetic polymers are being stripped via the continual flow of petrol. And there’s obviously a worrying volatile component coming off over time as many owners report similar issues with the translucent pink overflow pipes. My Yamaha YL1 recently needed a bottom-end refresh yet neither crank seal had actually gone hard which suggests they may very well be okay with what’s on offer at the pumps. Curiously, both fuel taps pictured here were last used prior…

WORK SHOP 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. Sponsored by VENHILL 1979 BULTACO METRALLA GTS Q: I have a 1979 Bultaco Metralla GTS, a model made in small numbers – less than 650 – solely for the domestic Spanish market. I believe that mine is one of the few outside Spain. This 250cc two-stroke single had front and rear disc brakes and seven-spoke mag wheels, but only 6-Volt electrics. After a strip-down in 2015 and a lengthy period in boxes, I started to rebuild it last year. I have…

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