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Classic Motorcycle Mechanics November 2022 (Digital)

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44 Articles

Time, she marches on…

Firstly, an apology: no one should have to see my backside as I wheel around a motorcycle for a photoshoot, but I just want to make a point. Point being, this was a picture from a decade ago in 2012 and it was back then (aged 41) that I realised that I wasn’t getting any younger. I’d just spent £2500 on a lovely, low-mile Suzuki GSX-R1100 W-T in a bid to get back the good times I’d spent on one 15 years before. I loved them – and I loved this one. But then I rode it. Ouch. A trip to Donington Park for a track-day showed how the ergonomics seemed at odds with what they were like in the 1990s. The bike’s specifications hadn’t changed – Ihad. I’d had…

Time, she marches on…

John Kocinski is a legend and a double world champion, winning the 250cc Grand Prix world title in 1990, but also the World Superbike series in 1997. John’s career was phenomenal. In his late teens the rider from Little Rock, Arkansas, was picked up by Yamaha and took the AMA 250 championship in 1987, 88 and 89. By this time he was working closely with Kenny Roberts Senior, who helped him get a break with a series of rides, including his 250cc debut in 1988 and his 500cc debut in 1989. For 1990, John would be part of Kenny’s Marlboro-backed Yamaha super-team, dubbed ‘The Evil Empire’. Kocinski would gun for the 250cc title, while in the 500cc team was reigning champ Eddie Lawson and soon-to-be-champ Wayne Rainey. John won the…

CABERG ‘WIDE-SCREEN’ HELMETS

We all like to see where we’re going as bikers, which is why we thought we’d show you these two flip-up lids, Caberg’s Levo and Horus helmets which feature a Panoramic Ultra-Wide Visor, giving a visual radius of 82 degrees. With such a wide field of view, you should be able to see more out on the road, as well as below to the cockpit area without having to make those downward glances. The Ultra-Wide panoramic visor for both Levo and Horus models is available in clear and dark smoke versions and they are both quick-release, too. The standard equipment of the Levo and Horus models also includes the Pinlock Max Vision anti-fog lens and the integrated Double Visor Tech sun visor, which is extremely easy to use thanks to…

CABERG ‘WIDE-SCREEN’ HELMETS

WEISE FJORD GLOVES

Weise Fjord are designed to deal with unpredictable autumn weather conditions, yet offer the fit, feel and comfort of a summer glove, making them the perfect partner for mid-season rides. Made from full-grain leather and textile, they’re durable as well as soft and supple and the fingertips are touchscreen compatible. A waterproof, windproof and breathable liner keeps hands dry, while the fleece inner lining insulates on those chilly morning and evening rides. Getting hands in and out is quick and easy thanks to elastic at the wrist, while hook-and-eye closure allows plenty of adjustment, so they can be worn over or under jacket cuffs. Weise Fjord Gloves come in classic Black, sizes S-3XL. www.weiseclothing.com £49.99…

WEISE FJORD GLOVES

MOTO-DETAIL SOFT LUGGAGE

£10 Moto-Detail provides a wide-range of softluggage for all our transport needs. From small ‘media bags’ (think of something to plonk your phone in) through to tank bags, luggage rolls, small or large backpacks through to proper throw-over luggage – they do it all, and (from what we can see) at very reasonable prices, too. Examples of prices include the Trekking Roll from £35; saddlebags from just over £70 to just over £100; backpacks from around £60; and tank-bags in various sizes ranging from £26-£70. We’ve seen this stuff up close and personal and the quality looks very good, too. www.louis.eu…

MOTO-DETAIL SOFT LUGGAGE

SEALEY WINTER TOOL PROMOTION

You can discover 70 new lines inside the latest edition of Sealey’s Tool Promotion, valid from October 1 until December 31, 2022. The mammoth 180-page issue includes over 1760 deals, including offers on many seasonal items such as battery chargers, lighting and heating. There are savings to be had on its new range of 12V RoadStart Lithium Jump Starter Power Packs. Available in three different capacities, the 1200A model is suitable for starting 8-litre petrol or 6-litre diesel engines. Each model includes a USB outlet for powering or charging a variety of small electronic devices. Don’t forget Sealey’s festive gift guide which includes the new 35pc Ratchet, Socket & Bit Set Advent Calendar. You will find details on a competition to win a top-chest and tool bundle worth over £650.…

SEALEY WINTER TOOL PROMOTION

LASER TOOLS HEAT-SHRINK GUN

Heat-shrink tubing is the professional way to insulate wires and connectors but usually needs a mainspowered heat-gun, which can be inconvenient. This handy little butane-powered, hot-air blower from Laser Tools (part number 6848) is just the job — it’s small, fits in a pocket and gives instant heat just when you need it. Easy to use, a thumb press on/off switch provides comfortable hand-held use. Adjusted by a slide regulator, you can adjust the temperature to deliver the right level of heat for the job. The 10mm diameter nozzle delivers a gentle heat that is perfect for working with heat shrink tubes. The refillable butane tank has a see-through window so you won’t run out of gas unexpectedly. The kit also includes a useful starter set of commonly-used heat shrink…

LASER TOOLS HEAT-SHRINK GUN

NISHUA ENDURO CARBON HELMET

£232 When I first saw this helmet I loved the styling, but when I tried it on, I was disappointed with the fit. That changed, as I put some miles on the lid. The looks and styling were right up my street... sharp angular chin lines, carbon materials, optional peak… The claimed weight seemed interesting, the little sticker on the back denoting 1040g without the visor, or 1150g with. I weighed the lid on my digital scales and each ‘sticker suggested figure’ seemed around 100g light… but no matter, it is still a very light bit of kit. It looks good, it’s light, so what’s not to like? Well, the fit. I am a medium in helmet size but I popped this lid on and immediately felt an overwhelming sense…

NISHUA ENDURO CARBON HELMET

TUCANO URBANO POL-ICE JACKET

£209 No doubt many of us have in our biker wardrobe a winter jacket, one for summer use, a leather offering, waterproofs… in fact, a general assortment. So how about one that covers all four seasons? Tucano Urbano has come up with a nice solution with the Pol-ice. An odd name, undoubtedly, but in a way it makes sense, because Tucano has taken its best-selling summer jacket, the Pol, and created a versatile, attractive, short-cut jacket constructed from a tough Oxford polyamide outer shell with a waterproof, breathable membrane underneath. There is soft CE Level 1 impact absorbing armour on the shoulders and elbows, plus a pocket for an optional back protector. The removable padded thermal jacket has full-length sleeves and a soft elastic windproof inner cuff. I used the…

TUCANO URBANO POL-ICE JACKET

The name’s Bond…

In yet another styling exercise for maximum publicity, Triumph has made this Speed Triple 1200 RR Bond Edition. The standard 1200 RR is a real retro looker and performs, too. It uses electronically adjustable forks from Ohlins and a 177bhp threecylinder motor. This one is a looker, too, with some cute touches. Not that you can see them thanks to these ‘arty’ dark pictures that show very little of the bike (why don’t they shoot these bikes in a ‘lit’ studio?... just a thought) but you can see it’s very special. Apparently only 60 will be built, to help celebrate the 60th anniversary of James Bond, and they will come with a certificate of authenticity signed by Triumph CEO Nick Bloor-feld (sorry, couldn’t resist) and presumably ‘M’, too… The standard Speed…

The name’s Bond…

TIDDLERS TO THE RESCUE!

You can’t help but notice that we’re all feeling our age in the pages of CMM right now, but we can’t help be full of hope for the future of biking. It seems the tiddler is making a big return – albeit not in the form of the two-stroke. But, we’ve still got the likes of Kawasaki’s ZX-4R on its way for 2023 (400cc four-stroke) and rumoured ‘retro’ versions of that same bike. We can only hope they find their way here to the UK to go alongside the likes of Yamaha’s R3, Kawasaki’s Z400 and Ninja 400 twins. But that’s not all... the rumours are that Aprilia could well be building a ‘new’ RS250 – not a two-stroke like the 1994-2004 version that was a true race-replica, powered by…

TIDDLERS TO THE RESCUE!

A CLASSIC TWO -STROKE TIMEPIECE!

We really like these subtle and classy two-stroke timepieces! Each Moto Culture watch represents a particular 500cc Grand Prix team that we supported during those halcyon days of the late 1980s/early 1990s. Yes, this was a true golden age of 500cc Grand Prix teams, the likes of Rothmans Honda, Lucky Strike Suzuki and Marlboro Yamaha. We think these timepieces capture the very essence of the era, where the likes of Wayne Gardner, Eddie Lawson, Kevin Schwantz and Wayne Rainey battled for victory in the blue riband 500cc two-stroke class. Each Moto Culture watch costs £299 and features a Seiko vk63 chronograph movement, a leather strap, and is waterproof to five atmospheres. For more go to: www. motoculture.co.uk Or, maybe try and win the one we have FREE to give away.…

A CLASSIC TWO -STROKE TIMEPIECE!

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 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 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… Scan me with a camera phone!…

PRE-ORDER YOUR CMM!

There’s an old military saying that runs: ‘If you can't take a joke you shouldn't have joined.’ Or, in simple parlance, don’t start moaning about things getting messy now that you’re part of the game. The same sentiment applies to our strange world of classic motorcycles; no one ever suggested it was going to be easy dealing with old bikes and to assume would be naïve in the extreme. Just because Japanese machines are constructed around logic, common sense and the fundamentals of engineering doesn’t mean they are, anything other good by default, fool-proof. Some of the earliest Oriental classics are now in their sixth decade and to assume they’ve not been butchered, bodged or mistreated would be gullible in the extreme. If your average, numb nuts, teenager could mistreat…

Autumn Classic Show & BikeJumble

The Ardingly-based show, held at the South of England Showground, near Gatwick, on Sunday, October 30 has a star guest – no less than president of the Norton Owners Club, Mike Jackson. Mike will present a talk entitled ‘My Time at NVT’. Mike worked in sales for Greeves and AJS, before being appointed general sales manager for Norton Villiers Corp in 1970, then moving to the USA. Subsequently promoted to sales director for the European concern, then marketing director for Norton Villiers Triumph Ltd between 1974 and 1981, after which Mike became the owner of Andover Norton International Ltd and, 10 years later, co-owner of BSA Group. He has a unique insight into the British motorcycle industry, so expect a lively and stimulating time, with plenty of entertaining anecdotes. Former…

Autumn Classic Show & BikeJumble

WIN with Motorcycle LIVE!

You can WIN a Kawasaki Ninja 400 with Motorcycle LIVE! All you have to do is head to: www.motorcyclelive.co.uk/ competitions and answer a simple multiple choice question. If you get it right, you could win a new-for-2023 Kawasaki Ninja 400 along with full Kawasaki insurance (worth up to £25) and road tax. The whole caboodle is worth around £6000! You can still get tickets for Motorcycle LIVE which are now available from motorcyclelive. co.uk Taking place at the National Exhibition Centre, Birmingham, from November 19-27, 2022, Motorcycle Live is an annual pilgrimage for many motorcycle enthusiasts, and this year’s show promises to be truly memorable, with over 40 manufacturers already signed up. Classic and Custom Zones return for 2022 and visitors can see and meet racing stars, riders and celebrities on…

WIN with Motorcycle LIVE!

Conserv-ation…

We love to hear from you, so why not let us know what you like, or dislike in YOUR magazine. 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. The best will win one of our lovely T-shirts! I thought you might like to sneak this in to your ‘Show us Yours’ section or ‘Feedback’ pages on a quiet month… The missus said that we didn’t make the most of the conservatory this summer so I’ve decided to make better use of it at least until Easter! The only downside is there is space in the garage which has removed my limiting factor on the N + 1 theory. Safe riding. Oh, by the way,…

Feedback given…

You’ve asked for feedback on the mag, so here is mine. Generally I’m more than happy with the content; you’re all doing a great job! The balance of articles seems fine, though I could have done without the Japanese ‘bozusoku’ bikes – abit weird, that! In the October issue, the long Z1 article by ‘Nutters’ was a masterpiece, very well written and informative, bike journalism at its best. On the minus side, while I enjoy the stuff by Ralph Ferrand, his comment about ‘shaking like an epileptic under a disco strobe light’ was in poor taste and should’ve been edited out – Iam not ‘woke’, but making fun of illness is not funny! I like what you’re doing and plan to keep my subscription going – keep it up! Oh,…

Feedback given…

Single-minded…

Just got the September issue and wanted to say a few things. Although I like pretty much all bikes (except Hardly-Ablesons, sacrilege coming from a Yank) I was raised on the back of my dad’s Beemer and on fast Jap bikes. However, despite what YOU say I actually LOVE singles and I have four now. I currently have a Yamaha SR500, a Yamaha SRX600, an MZ Skorpion and the newest, a Husqvarna Vitpilen 701. You should ride one: seriously! What a hoot on a mountain road. The engine is a 690 Duke, bought in from KTM, and what a torque monster; nimble, too. I like it better for mountain roads than my Triumph Speed Triple. Also I don’t agree with recent criticism of the magazine. I don’t know how many…

More good feedback!

I’d just like to say to ignore the nay-sayers that have been writing in lately, there‘s nothing wrong with the magazine at all! I’ve bought it every month since 1998 and it’s as good now as it was then. Also, I’ve just bought a 42-year-old 250 Super Dream as a project. It’s more or less whole and it runs but needs plenty of work doing to it. There are loads of little bits that are missing and it needs a good tidy-up. I’ve only had it two weeks but it’s brought a whole new interest to CMM I can tell you, and Mark Haycock’s CB450 restoration had a few good tips in that I’ll bear in mind if needed. My other bike is a GSX-R1000 K1. That was nowhere near…

More good feedback!

Kev Raymond Appreciation Society

The latest issue of CMM landed yesterday, so I did my usual scan of the classifieds and then the Letters page! And remembered I never did write in to defend poor old Kev. I love his dry sense of humour, his ‘on the nose’ comments, and we must realise that although the bikes we surround ourselves with are from the best decades (80s, 90s, 00s) they are not without fault and we’ve all exercised our vocabularies while discovering previous owners’ bodgery. I used to subscribe to another mag which prides itself on the aforementioned decades but switched to CMM for its more ‘down-to-earth’ approach. I love articles on the underdogs of biking and underappreciated bikes. I would also love to see more technicals and ‘What’s in your shed?’ type of…

Kev Raymond Appreciation Society

Regarding the ongoing debate about bikes from the 90s or 00s, and Harley-Davidsons. Well, here’s my tuppence worth. Personally, I like bikes that remind me of my early biking days as a youth in the late 1970s. I’m not much for the sports bikes that were all the rage in the 1990s, nor am I acruiser fan or a big traille fan. I like bikes like my old 1980 CB900; bikes that, to me, look like bikes. But I don’t decry people who like cruisers, etc., because a bike is a bike after all. Years ago I was on the rally scene, you know, various bikes going off somewhere to some other club’s disorganised camping weekend. Well, we all turned up on varying sorts of motorbike. I can’t remember anyone…

David Woodhead’s 1984 Kawasaki GPZ1100A2

G’Day CMM! I’m an ex-pat living in Western Australia. Here’s my 1984 GPz1100A2 that I’ve restored in my shed in Perth. I’ve had it four years now, bought as a barely runner. It’s been completely stripped and plenty of work done on the engine, including a rebore with Wiseco pistons fitted, head rebuilt with valves lapped and new guides with new cam-chain and clutch. I’ve also fitted a new fuel pump and regulator and had the injectors cleaned and rebuilt. I’ve replaced every bearing on the bike and fitted a YSS rear shock and progressives up front. The brakes and anti-dive have been serviced, with braided hoses fitted all round. Electrics have also been through and cleaned up along with the wiring loom inspected and rewrapped. It’s had the frame…

David Woodhead’s 1984 Kawasaki GPZ1100A2

Paul O’Neill’s Yamaha XS1100

Hi CMM: This was recently purchased from a guy in the big smoke. This is my third XS, having sold my previous one many years ago in order to fund a Gen 1 Suzuki GSX1300R Hayabusa. I’d forgotten what a big bruiser this model was and how smoothly it can take you up to the national speed limit. It’s almost untouched with original exhausts, paint, seat, tool kit and even brake hoses! So from the confines of the roads around London it will be unleashed to do what it does best up the Northumberland coast, Borders, North Pennines to the Lake District. I cannot wait!…

Paul O’Neill’s Yamaha XS1100

Jason Teague’s Honda VFR400RR NC30

I hope you and the team are well. She did it again! You have been gracious enough to include photos of my small collection in the mag, so I hope this picture and story make the cut as well, since the mag continues to be my favourite motorcycle publication. In the December 2021 edition you included my short story and photo of how my lovely wife bought a brand-new 2004 Nicky Hayden edition Honda RC51 (SP2) as a surprise for me in 2005. I have wanted a Honda RC30 for as long as I can remember but have come to the realisation that this type of purchase is just a little out of reach for our finances. About three years ago I began to research the RC’s little brother, the…

Jason Teague’s Honda VFR400RR NC30

The way we were…

Cliff Williams says: “Thought I’d send a few pictures to you once more. I read in Motorcycle Sport and Leisure, Classic Racer and even in CMM something about Barry Sheene and his 1977 Suzuki RG500. I was super-proud to have seen Barry ride the bike seen in those pages at Mallory Park way back in the day. I fell in love with bikes before that, of course. When I was at college (about 1975/1976) the authorities were alarmed at the number of students becoming motorcyclists, even though – frankly – bikes were all most of us could afford. They decided that they’d put us off bikes by showing us the film of Barry Sheene and his Daytona accident: what a winning idea that was! As a result, even more lads…

The way we were…

At the Cole face

Journalists normally ask the ‘bucket question’ at the end – but I want to get in early, as Henry Cole is a busy man, after all… So I ask: “Do you care that some people in biking circles hate you?” It’s a relevant question as ‘The Motorcycle Show’ is currently in the middle of its 11th season. He responds with a laugh and says: “I don’t care what people say, I just do my thing and put bikes on the television – that’s good, right? These people are simply armchair critics.” That’s that sorted then. Cole, it seems, is remarkably honest and refreshingly so. He says: “I directed a movie in 1995 called Mad Dogs and Englishmen, semi-autobiographical about a junkie in Chelsea. Elizabeth Hurley played me (editor’s note, other…

At the Cole face

Bonneville: without wishing to upset my Devonian brethren, it sounds a lot more exciting than Plymouth. And so even as a kid in South Devon I wanted a motorcycle named after Utah’s famous salt flats. No bike licence? No problem – my parents had carefully steered me straight on to four wheels. Thirty-five years later my forgotten desire was rekindled by a rented ride on a nasty Honda scooter in Goa, India (no bike licence – no problem). I was going to get a classic Triumph, eventually… Back to that scooter: I can’t recommend motorcycling in India. If you’re the kind of person who enjoys long hospital stays, skin grafts and extended periods in traction, then go for it. But if, like me, you’re quite keen to maintain all working…

Growing old DISGRACEFULLY

Len Vale Onslow – what a legend: not only a motorcycle manufacturer but a test rider and bike shop owner, too. Born into a motorcycling family, Len rode a small, handmade motorcycle from a young age and carried on riding motorcycles up until he was 102. He died in April 2004 aged 103. Not all of us will be blessed with such longevity, or ability to carry on riding past our century! And let’s face it, there’s no doubt that our demographic is an ageing one; the signs have been there for more than a decade now. The largest slice of the classic scene is very firmly within the 55-plus bracket. Although there are younger riders out there (some who are interested in classics) it’s fair to say The Powers…

Growing old DISGRACEFULLY

Ah… the early 1980s. They mean different things to different people. For some, fashion, starting with the end of flared jeans, in with drain-pipes, Goths, New Romantics, then it went into big shoulder pads, big hair – gel and styling mousse sales rocketed... Happy times, if we’re honest, even if something that happened at the start of the 1980s could have doomed motorcycling for the youth of the era. You see, previously, you could ride a motorcycle of up to 250cc, but statistics were showing that (as the Government’s advert headlines of the time said) some learner riders weren’t as quick as their bikes… So, from February 1, 1982 in came a maximum capacity of 125cc and no more than 12bhp. A provisional licence would last a maximum of two…

SUBSCRIBE AND WIN

Subscribe to Classic Motorcycle Mechanics and four lucky subscribers will be entered into a draw to win one of these great prizes! As long as you have an active subscription, your unique subscriber ID will be entered into our monthly draw to win one of a number of brilliant prizes*! This month, there are four fantastic prizes up for grabs! As well as our usual Key Collection goodies represented this month by the Weise Fjord Gloves, worth £49.99, we have a Bruhl MD1400 Single Turbine Dryer, worth £119.99, a cool Tamiya kit and a Bridgestone Oxford Products Oximiser 3X worth £69.99, with a combined worth of almost £300! Here are our prizes for YOU in this November issue of CMM… A Bridgestone Oximiser 3X. Bridgestone has been making brilliant tyres…

SUBSCRIBE AND WIN

CHRISTMAS GIFTS THAT LAST ALL YEAR

Visit www.classicmagazines.co.uk/ xmas cmm or call 01507 529529 and quote XMASCMM TERMS & CONDITIONS: Rates are based on UK orders only – for overseas please visit: www.classicmagazines.co.uk/cmm-overseas. Subscriptions will start with the issue selected at the basket. Offer closes 31/01/2023. 12-issue subscription gifts are available whilst stocks last. Full terms and conditions can be found at www.classicmagazines.co.uk/terms. Any gifts are for UK orders only and will not be mailed out until December 2022. Get your gift subscription today…

CHRISTMAS GIFTS THAT LAST ALL YEAR

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. KAWASAKI KE100 Q: I have a 1979 Kawasaki KE100 A8 that I have had from new. It has been parked up in my garage since 1998 with only 8000 miles on the clock. I have decided to use it again and had the following done by a mechanic: fuel tank clean; new petrol tap; new hoses; carb clean; rebore and new piston; new gasket set; fresh E5 petrol; new quality two-stroke oil; new air-filter (plus tyres, sprockets, chain, etc.). It starts first kick with…

Shrinking violet!

Tool of the month with Looks aren’t everything but, in my experience with wiring, if it looks a mess with pre-insulated terminals and a plethora of insulating tape, you can be pretty sure it has been got at by someone with less willingness to part with their money than knowledge or skill. Motorcycle wiring is very simple; many of the circuits are basically a battery, a bulb and a switch. The primary reason for problems with bike wiring is that the electricity is allowed to get where it shouldn’t or prevented from getting where it should, often from the ingress of water, which is not a perfect conductor, but is also a long way from being an insulator. Water can be seen as a resistor or load if it gets…

Shrinking violet!

Paint your wagon

I’ve always had a soft spot for Triumph’s Speed Triple. From the first 885cc T309 version in 1994, I’ve been lucky enough to ride them all up until about the 2010 model. Which I crashed, of course… My ‘sweet spot’ of Speed Triples is just after the 1997 T509 and into the improved 955i models. I had a lovely time on a Roulette Green 1998 model around Donington Park and that stuck with me. By the time I got to ride the 955i model of Speed Triple in late 2000, I was a convert. By now the direct-into-the-gearbox lever made progress smoother, wiring and electrics were improved, and (reading through my road test) the new rear bodywork, while now different to the Daytona, also made things a little more cramped.…

Paint your wagon

Old, cold, gold!

Both this missive and the previous one were undertaken in the depths of winter and it’s been impossibly cold for my aged bones so I’ve been ensconced in the depths of my workshop with multiple layers of clothing, a thermal woolly hat and the fan heater. As he always notes, ‘The editor reserves the right to jam lots of projects in the mag’ so you may be basking in the sunshine as you read this… Having wheedled the Apache into the residual space twixt workbench, bike lift and motorcycles it’s been snug to say the least, but progress has not always been in the direction I would have liked. My quandary regarding the veracity of the USA-installed tank liner was resolved for me when I lifted off a solidified drip…

Old, cold, gold!

There’s no easy way to hear that a best friend has died, but it must have been a hell of a lot harder for Clive’s wife, Debs, to make that call and say those words to me. I can’t begin to imagine. For over a decade Clive White from Rapier Paint had been a huge part of my life. Be it on a road test, messing around with a project or just chatting about anything and everything, he was that go-to guy for me… a proper mate who would give you the time in the day. A proper happy bloke, ridiculously talented and undoubtedly one of the most decent people I’d ever met. A week before he passed we’d sat down and watched the Brands Hatch BSB finale, knowing that…

Front-end fettle!

In the last episode, I touched briefly on measures I took to address the excessive oil usage and resultant billowing clouds of two-stroke smoke that followed the Sting Thing like a faithful puppy. I’m happy to report that oil consumption is now under control and performance is significantly better. The exhaust note is a bit fruity and I’m working on that. Now, what about that front brake and the wobbly steering..... In an effort to liven up the front brake I pop out the front wheel. I’ve previously straightened out the wheel spindle; this needs to be spot on or nothing will work correctly. Then I clean out the drum and brake shoes with brake cleaner, no air-lines please! The shoes look quite good but I ease off the slightly…

Front-end fettle!

Now here’s something you don’t see every day – aKawasaki KE250. Truth be told you are extremely unlikely to have seen any of Kawasaki’s quarter-litre trail bikes back in the day unless you lived in the USA, Oz or New Zealand. Despite all the retro hype these days, Kawasaki’s presence within the UK was a little nebulous to say the least in the early half of the 1970s. The earliest importations of Kawasakis were initially through C Itoh and Bill Smith Motors before Agrati Sales of Nottingham took over – well, to a degree anyway. This Midlands-based organisation was involved in the H1/H2 triples, possibly the earliest Z1s along with an occasional dalliance with the odd trail bike. Circa 1974, Kawasaki UK was formed, things got a little more organised…

Wrist crack-away!

G’day, I’ve been so busy with the RG250 HB, which was delayed due to me breaking my wrists/ hands earlier this year, that I have only just got back on to my Slabby 3 project, so a big sorry for that! My hands are still not quite right and (as I one-finger type this) I am waiting on a date to have surgery to tighten some of the ligaments in each hand, hopefully in time to heal up to do a Pirelli superbike tyre test in Malaysia. That’s my goal, anyway… In the meantime I figure if I am going to have my hands immobilised again, I may as well put them to use now on my project bikes even if it is painful. Nothing a few painkillers and a…

Wrist crack-away!

The final furlong!

Not long now, but it is time to look at the seat (Photo 1). The cover was not actually that bad in most places and I think ‘a stitch in time’ would have been useful as the big split must have started as a small one which could have been neatly repaired. I did get hold of a pattern cover so now to set about changing it over. The strap is held on by a couple of bolts and the reason why nothing happens when you undo them is these R-clips (Photo 2) which can be pulled out. The old cover was held on by a combination of teeth stamped out of the steel base which you need to carefully bend out (Photo 3) and small aluminium rivets which also…

The final furlong!

Talking to a Monster

Iwasn’t even looking for a Ducati, but there it was: sat in the corner of the most unexpected of places – former/fellow CMM contributor Scottie Redmond’s breakers yard, an intact and shiny red Ducati Monster. I’m not an expert on Italian bikes, and definitely not an expert in the confusing lineage that the Monster has followed, but I know what I like, and seeing a pair of Marchesini wheels with the rear attached only by a single-sided swingarm, along with a pair of high-level carbon-fibre Termignonis was enough to get me on the hook. It ticked a box I’d needed ticking for a while – something I can do most of my miles on, meaning road and track work, but with a bit of character, a bit of cool, and…

Talking to a Monster

Let’s rewind… Last summer I bought this – aBMW R1150 RT. It had just 29,550 on the clocks and I got it for £1900. Happy days! This was to be my beast of burden and my mile-muncher. I could see by the small amounts of grubbiness and light surface rust on some nuts and bolts that it had been stored outside at some time in its life, but the general wear and tear was low. One big thing was a righthand broken mirror (I think the lower lug was snapped) so adhesion/fitting was aided by silver duct tape under the mirror/ indicator unit. Late last year, with my Yamaha Tracer 9 GT being scheduled for return, I realised that it was time to get some new boots on the bike…

Reflections of...

Whilst I’m busy tidying up Daz’s gearbox prior to fitting some fresh bearings, I wander off into no man’s land (i.e. my memory bank) and think of similar pals and their bikes, most of them long gone... no, not the people, the bikes! Most of the precious mates are still causing mayhem at every opportunity. Dave and Graham’s Rickman Montesas, just a little bit of metallic surgery and the careful addition of some simple bracketry (no CAD programmes were injured in the course of these procedures) liberated an additional three inches of suspension movement without solid model works or cutter path simulation; we just winged it, we did that a lot then. We also fitted sidecars to all sorts of unlikely bikes back then – aGT550 with a sports Steib?…

Reflections of...

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