Innholdsfortegnelse for February 2024 i Classic Motorcycle Mechanics

Over the last few years we’ve been flying the flag for the ‘retro’. As in new interpretations of the classic bikes that float our collective boats/flotilla/fleet… (delete collective noun according to taste). Yes, we agree – they ain’t the real thing, but for some people out there, they offer some of the fun, nostalgia and smiles but with less of the hassle and heartache of some of the originals. I realise that often it’s the powerplant that is at the heart of any bike, so, if (say) the Kawasaki Z650RS is a twin, rather than the original Z650’s four-cylinder, people can feel a bit ‘meh’ about it. Personally, I can let that go if the bike looks the part. I mean, that Langen two-stroke thing doesn’t appeal to me at…

We are often left a little confused here at CMM at the various marketing tie-ups betwixt bikes and anything else – and this is one… It’s a Ducati Diavel for Bentley which the press release says offers ‘exclusivity, performance and craftsmanship in a true two-wheeled work of art’. We think it’s a bit of a dog’s dinner but maybe that’s just us. Inspired by the Bentley Batur and built on the technical base of the Diavel V4, it is a limited-edition series of 50 bikes for Bentley customers only and 500 for the rest of us. Apparently, the project links Ducati and Bentley ‘with a vision of performance, craftsmanship and exclusivity’. Clearly the bike is echoing the car here: the Batur is Bentley’s most powerful production car ever, with around 740bhp…

It’s a sad thing, but the last tyres came off the production line at ‘Cooper Tires’ in Melksham at the end of 2023; we’d know them better as Avon Tyres. The factory itself closed its doors on December 20, after 112 years of producing (often) world-beating tyres for four-wheelers and two. Back in October 2022 the Cooper Tire & Rubber Company, Europe, announced plans to close the Melksham site, saying it was no longer competitive, leaving 350 staff on notice of redundancy. The factory had been a cornerstone of the Melksham community for generations with thousands of people working there and having family or friends employed there. During the last shift, employee Alan Yates cured the final tyres – it’s nice to know that some of the last tyres to…

Here’s some sad news from our friends at Unit 5 Motos – the people who’ve been bringing in low-mileage tiddlers for us all to enjoy here in the UK. Tony Greenslade explains: “Unit 5 Motos as a business is no more. We have tried every way possible to be able to carry on importing the bikes we did from France, but all the red tape and costs involved since Brexit make it not possible to do that. Our friend Phillippe retired and moved back to France in the summer as he could not operate his own business here in the UK either anymore. As most of you will know, Unit 5 Motos was only ever an addition to our original business. StinkWheels and Allspeed Exhausts is our main operation and…

What do you think? Is this what you want to see from Triumph? Let us know at the usual address. There was a time in the early noughties when Triumph were heavily invested in the sportsbike sector, going toe-to-toe against the Japanese with their buzzy, sharp-handling inline-four TT600 and later on the immensely capable Daytona 600 and 650. These four-cylinder machines eventually gave way to the sublime Daytona 675 triple series which turned out to be the jewel in the crown, especially in terms of engine development. Triumph had discovered their USP configuration in the inline triple. Sadly, after a 12-year production run, the Daytona 675 was no more and was discontinued in 2018. Booo! But then it reappeared with a capacity and power hike as the Daytona 765 in…

Last time I was looking at how to complete the dismantling of the ST70’s clutch and this is necessary to access the springs so that they can be assessed. This is done by measuring their free length and comparing that with the Honda specification as worn springs will lead to clutch slipping. Mine were all okay. What I was not expecting was how hard that last part was to put back together again. The manual just says words to the effect of ‘reverse the operations you followed to dismantle it’ but in my experience that was not possible. The issue was, as we saw last time, the small springs which are used to provide a smoother action fall out of the holes which locate them. After a series of experiments,…

*and FB Marketplace, and Gumtree, and anywhere else we spot something we like… 1990 BMW R80RT Asking: £1450 What a lovely thing! Offering classic Teutonic touring at its very best, the R80RT was first launched in 1982 in twin-shock form, then updated to mono-shock in 1984/5, and was still in the range a decade later. This one looks clean, complete and shouldn’t take too much to get it back into mile-munching mode again. Looks like it’s got a leak from the final-drive bevel box, but that’s pretty much standard and easy enough to fix – parts for these are still freely available and they’re simple to work on. Seller says it’s been off the road for years but he’s had it running recently. Says it’ll need a new tank as this…

James ‘Jamie’ Whitham, paddock wit, sage and top-level national and international racer: a multiple British champion, he scored his one and only World Superbike win three decades ago… And it’s not a pretty story. It’s Sentul in 1994 (our shot here is from Albacete) and Mr. Whitham is riding for Hoss Elm’s Moto Cinelli team. For 1994, they had factory Ducati 916 racers in a team run by Hoss, who was also the boss of Cinelli, then the UK’s Ducati importer for 1994. James was in good form, coming off the back of the 1993 British Superbike Championship win for Fast Orange Yamaha on the trusty YZF750 – how would he fare on a big twin? A season-opener in BSB on the older 888-shaped machine showed what he could do…

The 2024 Bristol Classic MotorCycle Show will once again be the ‘Best in the West’ as it is set to return with a weekend celebrating the nostalgia, timelessness and elegance of classic bikes. Taking place from February 24-25 at The Royal Bath and West Showground in Shepton Mallet, thousands of motorcycle enthusiasts will head to the south-west of England to watch the magic of classic bikes in their full glory. Racing legends James Whitham and Steve Plater will grace the stage as guest stars, sharing thrilling tales from their time on the track and firing up their bikes in the live start-up area. Brand-new for Bristol is the very first motorcycle auction from renowned auction house, Dore & Rees. Vintage gems from eras gone by will be going under the…

Elk Promotions has announced a packed calendar of shows and bike jumbles for 2024. A total of seven Elk events are planned, starting with the South of England Classic Show & Bikejumble on Sunday, March 24, running through to the season closer on Sunday, October 27. The ever-popular bike-only jumbles and classic motorcycle shows will take place at their regular venues of Ardingly, Ashford and Romney Marsh, the one exception being the Late May Bank Holiday Monday Show, traditionally held at Romney Marsh, now moving to Ashford Livestock Market, which is all hard-standing with inside halls. The Elk Promotions 2024 Calendar: South of England Classic Show & Bikejumble: Sunday, March 24. South of England Showground, Ardingly, near Gatwick, RH17 6TL Ashford Classic Motorcycle Show & Bikejumble: Easter Bank Holiday Monday, April…

Yes, this bike boasted the sort of colour schemes that your dad had on his Granada Ghia, but – just like some of the models in the Granny range – this has something special ‘under the hood’. Honda’s CBF1000 was launched in early 2006 and came in at an unbelievable £5999 new (ABS models were between £300-£500 extra over the course of this model’s life) and, best of all, the motor came from the superb CBR1000RR Fireblade of the time, albeit detuned somewhat. While the motor was reduced from around 170-plus bhp to just 96, this meant the motor was hardly going to be taxed on the reliability front and it would thrive on a good thrashing and still come back for more. The CBF took its smaller 600cc sibling’s…

Last time we finally got to the root of the diminutive twin’s ills. Now it’s time to start nailing everything together again. You might remember the crankshaft centre block seal and the fact that the revised part came in two pieces instead of the original one? Well, that’s the first challenge to overcome this time – the replacement parts may very well fit snugly around the crank assembly but they’re currently pushing the infill alloy packer piece well above the crankcase mouths. And then once that’s all tickety-boo I just might be able to turn my attention to the slipping clutch. At least life in the workshop is never dull! And that’s pretty much it for the clutch, hopefully. I’ve identified wear issues and fitted new parts so all should…

The Big Aitch is nothing if not persistent – despite the initial reluctance of buyers to accept their liquid-cooled V4 ideas, they persevered and time has proven them to be right. The firm’s notion of mass-centralisation may have taken a while to perfect but few would argue against it now. What started off as the love child of a wacky designer and a theoretical physicist actually turned out rather well. It’s absolutely no coincidence that the most successful bikes on the grid of MotoGP are all V4s. Possibly the irony that the Italians and Austrians are now beating Honda at their own game may be wasted on HRC, but the fact remains that V4s have a lot going for them: and The Big Aitch started the trend. After the various…

CHOOSE WHICH CMM SUBSCRIPTION SUITS YOU BEST 1: 12-MONTH SUBSCRIPTION BEST VALUE 12 print issues for £47 Direct Debit 12 print issues for £52 credit/debit card SAVE £15.40 2: SIX-MONTH SUBSCRIPTION 6 print issues for £25 Direct Debit 6 print issues for £27 credit/debit card SAVE £6.20 WHAT OUR READERS SAY ABOUT CLASSIC MOTORCYCLE MECHANICS CMM is the ‘go-to’ magazine for sensible restoration advice. BRIAN HERRON The magazine covers a shrinking, niche area of interest perfectly. ALAN BROWN A valuable asset to the classic rider, restorer and enthusiast. SIMON ROSE WHY YOU SHOULD READ CLASSIC MOTORCYCLE MECHANICS EVERY MONTH >> IF YOU WANT THE BEST IN MODERN CLASSIC MOTORCYCLING, THIS IS IT! >> EACH MONTH YOU’LL GET THE VERY BEST IN PRACTICAL WORKSHOP TIPS AND ADVICE >> READ ABOUT THE…

WITH MORE THAN 30 PAGES OF PRACTICAL ADVICE! YAMAHA FZS1000 FAZER: R1-powered do-it-all bike HONDA V65 MAGNA: Steve Cooper rides a laid-back cruiser YAMAHA RD250B: Buyer’s Guide SHOW US YER SHED: WIN a £50 tools voucher if you show us YOURS! PROJECT BIKES: We will be showcasing some of the following (space allowing): Pip Higham’s Suzuki TC305 Laredo, Alan Dowds’ Kawasaki ZRX1100R Turbo (we’ve heard it running!), Mark Haycock’s Honda ST70, Steve Cooper’s Yamaha YL1, or new Ducati/Suzuki special. Perhaps Steve ‘Stavros’ Parrish’s racing Yamaha TD2B and Jeff Ware’s Suzuki GSX-R750 F or his new Bridgestone BS90. David Punshon’s Honda CB750 DOHC, Malc Shaw with his Suzuki GT500 Café Racer and maybe Taylor Mackenzie’s Yamaha TY80, and let’s not forget Dave Marsden from Z-Power and his ‘Goose’ Mad Max replica. Oh,…

BSA Motorcycles has unveiled the latest iteration of its award-winning Gold Star model. The new Shadow Black option is an elemental version of BSA’s reinvented classic. Finished in a glossy black with a dark grey, shadow stripe down the middle, it offers an authentic take on BSAs of times gone by. The Shadow Black colourway joins the popular Silver Sheen Legacy edition, Insignia Red, Dawn Silver, Highland Green, and Midnight Black, the latter of which is more metallic in appearance. BSA launched its all-new Gold Star at Motorcycle Live back in 2021. The 45bhp single-cylinder retro roadster embraces the simple joy of riding while incorporating modern safety and convenience features such as ABS, fuel-injection, and an electric start. In 2023, it received MCN’s Retro Bike of the Year award, recognising…

London’s largest motorcycling event, the Devitt Insurance MCN London Motorcycle Show, roars back into the capital on February 16-18 to celebrate all things two-wheeled. Alongside the latest models, visitors will be treated to an all-new live action show, three exciting new stages, plus top motorcycling celebrities. Adrenaline junkies will be enthralled with a completely revamped live-action show, Extreme Enduro. Making its London debut, this thrilling and fast-paced head-to-head race will see some of the UK’s top off-road riders going flat out over a treacherous obstacle course in a test of skill, agility and sheer determination. Expect heartstopping drops, jaw-dropping jumps, and tough technical sections in this high-octane show. Charley Boorman’s Adventure Base Camp is a new stage for 2024 that is set to ignite the wanderlust of riders at every…

G’day friends! Last time we spoke about stripping the mighty two-stroke, single-cylinder, air-cooled marvel. Well, while I am waiting on engine parts (and trying hard to find some of the rarer bits) I’ve managed to get all the main parts painted, and I could not be happier with the job. The parts that needed a fresh lick of paint varied in condition from excellent to quite worn, plus there were some parts more faded than others, and a cut and polish was just never going to pass the test. Like in the case with our evergreen editor, the decades have started to take their toll on the once stunning masterpiece! After chatting with my uncle, it was agreed that if we are going to paint the bodywork and guards, then…

My friend Gary Ward’s brother decided to relive some of his youth and realised that the happiest times he could remember were when he had a state-of the art liquid-cooled Yamaha two-stroke trail bike. So, he bought one – from France, as there was nothing available in old Blighty. It did give him an ear-to-ear smile when it arrived until he discovered that it had an unacceptable thirst for gearbox oil and given that it wasn’t leaking it, there was seemingly only one likely culprit – the right-hand crank shaft seal. This is a two-way seal that keeps the air/fuel mix in the engine side and the gearbox oil where it’s needed in the transmission. As the piston moves up towards the head, a vacuum is caused underneath it which…

In part two I’d got most of what I thought I needed doing done, knowing full well there was always more that I hadn’t thought about! The GT500 was now at a point where once again the wallet needed prising open in order to move things along: ouch! Very quickly the cost of parts started to mount up, omelette and eggs! Bare steel rims were ordered from Hagon (0208 502 6222), plus rear shocks specially lengthened to suit my modifications. I went for ones that were shrouded to keep the 1950s look. The crank was sent to PJME (01902 30745) for a full rebuild. There are some things that I just cannot see the point in scrimping on, and a two-stroke lives or dies by its crank. Ouch again, that…

The Laredo has run me a bit ragged in a couple of areas, but it hasn’t put me off; the few pictures I’ve uncovered of the bike in late 1960s advertisements offer enough of a carrot to make me ignore the bent frame, mangy gearbox and general ill-health of the bike. I’d struck up a pleasant rapport with Jon at PDR (Precision Dent Repair) in Lancaster and after I’d performed the non-invasive surgery on the frame I scooted along to his place with the bits that needed painting. I don’t have the patience or ability to create the finish that I’m after and I am optimistic that Jon can tick those boxes. Fast-forward a couple of weeks and I get the call from Jon to pick up the black bits;…