Innholdsfortegnelse for June 2025 i Classic Motorcycle Mechanics

YAMAHA THE NEW DAWN Yamaha The New Dawn – Isle of Man 1961-1981 looks at the famous motorcycle manufacturer’s foray into the most famous road-races in the world. Written by Matthew Richardson, the book has 168 pages, with 10 colour and 20 black-and-white pictures and a foreword by Charlie Williams. Inside, the story traces the beginnings of Yamaha in the early 1960s through to the early 1980s. Big names such as Phil Read, Bill Ivy, Mick Grant and Chas Mortimer are mentioned and many are quoted in the book, too. It’s a fascinating and exciting race through two decades of Yamaha road-racing. Right now the book is down to £17.60, too – well worth a look! www.pen-and-sword.co.uk MARC MARQUEZ: EVERYTHING OR NOTHING Written by some-time CMM contributor Stuart Barker, this…

We are calling on our loyal readers for feedback for a forthcoming series of features on insurance. We’re finding more of our valued readers are having issues with insurance cover – and we want to know why for the purposes of a feature. Have you recently been refused cover for some reason? Maybe you can’t get the same sort of multi-bike policy you once had, or perhaps the sheer cost of the policy is prohibitive, even considering your experience and no claims discount. So, if you’ve got stories to share do drop us a line at: bsimmonds@mortons.co.uk And the same goes for our regular sections. We need more ‘Show Us Yours’ and ‘The Way We Were’ as well as letters, Q&A queries and the like. C’mon, get involved in CMM!…

Even if the cost of buying classic bikes has come down dramatically, spares don’t seem to have taken the same, commensurate, plummet, but why? Well, those that have stocks of used or NOS components have a good idea of their value. Those vendors may have trimmed a little off their asking prices, but they still know they’re selling to a captive market. There’s still a buoyant, if slightly stilted, restoration scene and enthusiasts are beginning to realise those once bountiful resources are starting to dwindle. This, in turn, has seen a few sellers raise their prices as they seek to capitalise on buyers’ needs. Quite why and how you might justify €355 for a NOS, Monza-style Suzuki GT550 petrol cap defies imagination but it’s happening. And, should you own a…

If you want to read about the Isle of Man TT races then you need to get hold of Island Racer 2025. Brought to you by the team that brings you Classic Racer and Classic Motorcycle Mechanics, Island Racer is the world’s largest and best TT racing publication. The TT Races on the Isle of Man is more than a century-old tradition as each May thousands of motorcycling fans and racers convene on the island to witness some spectacular racing. This year the event runs from 26 May to 7 June. Each year its 140 pages deliver the most incredible photos, articles and interviews with the modern gladiators who do battle on the world’s most punishing motorcycle course – as well as reliving some of the big stories from more…

Asking “What’s the point of a retro motorcycle?” seems like a good way to start a review of the Interceptor 650. Fundamentally, it should resemble the original bike that inspired it. It needn’t be an exact replica – that’s another kettle of fish – but it should be instantly recognisable as a family member. The Kawasaki Z900RS, for example, is strikingly similar to the Kawasaki Z1A from 1973. In this respect, the Interceptor is a winner. Not only does its silhouette evoke the Mk.1 Interceptor of 1968, but also the cylinder block, polished engine cases and twin chrome exhausts all capture the essence of the original. Apart from the small oil cooler and indicators, there are no obvious clues that this isn’t a 1960s motorcycle. Retro motorcycles might look old,…

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 2024 OCTOBER ■ Razor sharp Suzuki ■ Bring back the Bandit ■ Enjoyable big Kat NOVEMBER 2024 ■ Beemer bargain ■ Tasty big Yam ■ Clubbing in Wales DECEMBER 2024 ■ Falling for a Suzuki ■ Starting a GR650 task ■ Titans at OUR show JANUARY 2025 ■ Dream Interceptor ■ Do-it-all V-twin ■ Bright new Gold Star FEBRUARY 2025 ■ The greatest Blade ■ Testing BSA’s retro Star ■ 350 Kawasaki delights MARCH 2025 ■ Kawasaki’s refined GPzl100 ■ Enfield Interceptor’s real ride ■ Getting a grip of the tools APRIL 2025 ■ Special…

MATTIS SODA 7 BLASTING POT I do a fair bit of bead blasting of small components in my little blast cabinet, and sand blasting of bigger stuff with a separate pot blaster, but the problem is the grit and dust gets everywhere, so I always shy away from doing things like engine casings because it’s impossible to guarantee they’re clean afterwards. So, for ages I’d been meaning to get a kit to convert my little blasting pot to use Baking Soda occasionally – it’s less aggressive, so doesn’t damage the surface, but it’s also water soluble and not gritty at all, so you can simply wash off any residue and don’t have to worry if a bit gets left behind. I spotted a Sealey conversion kit on eBay but wasn’t…

There is always lots going on at the Sammy Miller Motorcycle Museum down in the New Forest. Based at Bashley Cross Roads, New Milton in Hampshire, the museum is home to more than 500 exotic and rare motorcycles from all over the globe. Best of all, the museum plays host to a wide range of various motorcycle-related events. Our friends at the museum just enjoyed hosting their first Auto-Jumble of the year – and it was a sell-out. A museum spokesperson said: “May 4 was the first Auto-Jumble of the year and it was our best ever! We had more than 80 stallholders; our fields and car park were full; and our volunteers had a busy time parking everyone safely and guiding traffic in and out of the complex. This…

CMM was sad to learn of the passing of motorcycle racing historian Bill Snelling in April, just after celebrating his 78th birthday. Bill was born in Canterbury, Kent, and was immediately hooked by bike racing when he went to the Isle of Man TT as a 13-year-old on his father’s Vincent. Visits to the TT soon became more frequent, with Bill even staying on the Island for more than a year when he found employment there after the 1975 event. Bill would find the lure of Mona’s Isle too much and became a resident as well as entering the 1978 Manx Grand Prix Newcomers race on a Seymour Velocette Metisse, finishing 12th out of 20 in poor conditions. He then took 53rd in the MGP Senior riding the same bike,…

MAY 21 JUNE ISSUE OF CLASSIC MOTORCYCLE MECHANICS OUT NOW 21 Norton Owners Club Ride-In Sammy Miller Museum, Bashley Crossroads, New Milton, Hampshire BH25 5SZ. Tel: 01425 620777. Web: www.sammymiller.co.uk 22 VMCC South Dorset’s Night at the Three Compasses, Charminster, Dorset DT2 9QT. Tel: 01935 83242. 22 Weymouth Bike/Car Night Weymouth Clock Tower, The Esplanade, Weymouth, Dorset. 6-8.30pm. Web: www.weymouthbikers.co.uk 23 Dunham Village Bike Night Dunham Village Hall, Low Street, Dunham on Trent, NH22 0FJ. 5-8pm. Email: lyndasharpe1@hotmail.co.uk. 23 Salisbury Bike Night High Post Golf Club, Great Durnford, Salisbury, Wiltshire SP4 6AT. 6-9pm. 24 Bultaco Owners Meet Sammy Miller Museum, Bashley Crossroads, New Milton, Hampshire BH25 5SZ. Tel: 01425 620777. Web: www.sammymiller.co.uk 24 Big Chris’s Autojumble Keynsham Funduro, Chandos Lodge Estate, Durley Lane, Keynsham, Bristol BS31 2AJ. £3 entry. Tel:…

Paul Prince says: “Here we have my beloved GS750 EC. She’s a 1978 model which I bought in August 1983 from Rainbow Motorcycles in Sheffield. I put in my 1981 GSX250 as part exchange. I left it up to my girlfriend to take the brown envelope stuffed with money into their office to pay the balance, late one Saturday. After an enjoyable ride back to her parents’ house I put my new bike away and asked my girlfriend for the remainder of the money, which was to pay for our holiday: the envelope was light by £100! Apparently when counting out the money she didn’t notice that the £10 notes had changed to £20s! She was sat on the doorstep on Monday morning, bless her. We did get the money back,…

I’m angry right now, so ruddy angry, how DARE they? What on earth were they thinking about? Who is ‘they’ precisely? Well, people like ‘me’ as in my ‘sort’, my ‘kith and kin’, my ‘kind’ my brothers (and sisters) in motorcycle journalism. How DARE they call Honda’s NT Deauville ‘dull’. I say this because – for my money – anything with two wheels (and a motor, I’m lazy) is exciting. After all, riding an AP50 is still exciting. A twist-and-go step-thru is fun, so why shouldn’t a utilitarian 600-700cc V-twin designed and built for travel and distance not offer thrills a-plenty, even if the journey itself isn’t quite a 1000cc, race-replica, sports-bike, white-knuckle ride? Some of us – maybe it’s an age thing – prefer comfort and warm and fleshy-coloured…

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. HONDA CB400 FOUR Q: Mark Haycock asks what the thing with the yellow knob is in the tool kit tray of his CB400F. I believe it’s half of a genuine Honda valve adjusting tool. The yellow knob bit turns the valve adjuster screw and is held inside a box wrench which turns the locknut. A very useful tool which enables quick and accurate setting of the valve clearance. Handy when you have 16 to adjust, like on my old CBR600. Dean Faria A: That…

WITH MORE THAN 30 PAGES OF PRACTICAL ADVICE! HONDA VFR800: The 1990s ‘Silver Lady’ V4 that’s worth her weight in gold! YAMAHA RD250: 1970s two-stroke twin legend! SUZUKI RE5: Buyer’s Guide AND SHOW US YER SHED: WIN a £50 Venhill voucher if you show us YOURS! PROJECT BIKES: We will be showcasing some of the following (space allowing): Paul Berryman’s Ducati 748; Mark Haycock’s Honda CB400 Four; Steve Cooper’s Ducati/Suzuki special; Jeff Ware’s Honda CBR900RR FireBlade. Then there’s Malc Shaw with his Suzuki GT500 Café Racer; Kev Raymond’s back with his Kawasaki KDX200; and let’s not forget Ralph Ferrand with his Kawasaki Z900 Special or new project Moto Guzzi Le Mans Mk.1; or Will Hollman’s Yamaha DT360 and Vic Shield’s Yamaha YZF-R1 and/or Honda XRV750 Africa Twin. Oh, and Bertie will…

We’ve all done it: that impulsive purchase followed by a few days on the voyage of discovery, a voyage which can get a bit choppy, oh yes siree! It sure can. Witness my 305 TC Laredo. After the damaged crankcase (hidden under a dollop of that nasty debris you only find under old engines around the gearbox sprocket), then the bent frame, the knackered instruments (looked fine from the top but on closer inspection were dropping to bits internally) and, to top it all, the ‘out of shape’ front bend on the totally unobtainable high-level exhaust system. (But, on the plus side, only one of the two: result?) You’d think at my age that I’d learn, that would be sensible. Ah, sensible, I remember that; isn’t that the human condition…

SHARK OPEN-FACE HELMETS With summer on the way, SHARK has three stylish open-face lids to choose from, including the SKWAL i3 Jet and SKWAL Jet. The SKWAL i3 features active brake lights using an inbuilt triaxial accelerometer to activate the red LEDs on the rear of the helmet when braking. Both the SKWAL i3 Jet and SKWAL Jet are made from a LEXAN high-impact polycarbonate shell with multi-density polystyrene liners. Available in sizes XS-XXL, across two shell sizes, there’s an integrated sun visor, micro-lock buckle closure and SHARK’s Easy Fit system for glasses wearers. The SKWAL i3 Jet is priced from £269.99 and is available in 11 colour options. An additional complementary colour match visor comes as standard in the box with the SKWAL i3 Jet HELLCAT graphics. If you…

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 circular 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 next 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… scan me with your camera phone!…

Dave drones on… Yesterday I adjusted the tappets on the Super Dream then took it for a test ride. It definitely felt better. It went up to 40 no bother, where it was a struggle before. I took it to Waldridge Fell for a photo opportunity. I only did three miles but it was fantastic! Thoroughly enjoyed it: both tinkering and riding. I did another five miles on it today, too. The footpegs are very high up for my knackered knees. I didn’t used to have that trouble but I had a new right knee in December so bending it up high is a bit of a struggle, plus I need the other one doing. That one crunches around a bit when I change gear. I need to lower the…

When I was a lad, spanners tended to be either double-ended cranked-ring spanners or open-ended spanners; and most of us had a set of both. For some reason these fell from fashion in favour of the now ubiquitous combination spanner. It is still possible to buy cranked-ring spanners and I insist that we keep them at Biker’s Toolbox, but fashion dictates that we rarely sell them. Cranked-ring spanners tend to be longer than the modern combination spanner which can be a positive in the hands of a professional to give greater leverage, but I guess that’s an opportunity for the less-skilled punter to put too much torque on a given fastener. The cranked-ring spanner is used ideally with two hands for the ultimate control; they do take a certain knack…