Distribution: Seymour Distribution Ltd, 2East Poultry Avenue,
Overweight,not fast enough, not very agile,but well-built and abit quirky
No,I’m not describing me,but perhaps some of thesewords and phrases fit our coverstar and main testthismonth? Yousee,the Yamaha GTS1000Awas amuch-maligned creature which nevergot much love back in the day.Which was ashame.
Wayback in the 1990s Iwas at the weekly biking paper and –whenIstarted out –was at the bottom of the food chain for everything We all startedout getting the crumbs,bethey the kit no one else wantedtowear,tothe bikesnoone else wanted to ride.In1995 one of these was (strangely) Yamaha’srangetopping GTS1000A.
Ihave to admit that Ihad afair fewlongdistance rideson theYam and while others were chasing the keys toFireBlades,I was considering myself lucky to getgoes on bikes like Yamaha’srange-topper
Now,being as it cost the same as what Iwas being paid for annually,I could never have
affordedone.But riding it was all abit ‘magic carpet’ if I’mhonest.
First, the ride itself.I do recall it took some time to get used to the lackofoutright dive from the front-end, but the motor was a smooth, creamy,turbine-like affair.Ifyou missed the extraEXUP oomph, you wouldn’t really if you rode one in isolation.
Andthe special ‘magic’ feelingcarried on when you got off the thing: peoplewould always stop and look. Forthe onlookers, seeing a20-something get off aspaceship he could never afford was something of a misnomer,but it did make me feel very special at the time.And isn’t that why we ride bikes?
Of course,a fewweekslater Iwas allowed to ride afull-powerKawasakiZZ-R1100 and that was awholedifferent kind of special…
Editor
BSimmonds@Mortons.co.uk
44
Mark
Scoop
Mark
Steve
Kev
Pip’sback with thistripletreat!
Ralph again, this timesorting tyres for the pocket
006 ARCHIVE
The TT’sTravellingMarshals!
008 CMMSTUFF
New kit, tools, tyres and tested stuff
012 NEWS
News and views for May 2025
018 EVENTS
What’shappening in thenext few weeks on two wheels?
020 FEEDBACK
What are you all talkingabout this month?
026 1994 YAMAHA GTS1000A
AndyBolas rides a1990s sports-tourerwith some strange quirks!
036
1977 OSSA YANKEE
Steve Cooperfalls head over heels for abike: again!
046 SUBSCRIBE AND WIN! Lots of goodiesfor new subscribers!
097 NEXT MONTH
What’shappeninginthe June 2025 issue?
022 SHOWUSYOURS
We want to see what’sinyour shed andsee what you looked like back in theday!
098 PIPHIGHAM
When ahobby becomesa job!Soundslike bliss!
RadioT T!
Noother motorcycle race-track isquite like theIsle of Man TT and therefore it stands to reason that the course has inspired some unique features of its own.
Even before the current 37.73-milecourse wasfully established, the need for adifferent breed of ‘marshal’around the course was recognised. Therefore, in1935, the organisers of the Isle of Man TT races establishedthe ‘Travelling Marshals’
This was atimewhen the lap record stood at around 86mph –today Peter Hickman holds therecord at 136.358mph… Back in 1935 there were only two Travelling Marshals, one based at the start,the other inRamsey.While thetelephone had been on the island since 1889, this was still sometime before efficient two-way radio communication was commonplace. Instead the mainjob of the Travelling Marshal was tosearch for missing competitors who hadn’tchecked inat the start-finishline.
Fast forwardto1956 and finally the Travelling Marshals werenot only equipped
withnew Triumph650cc twins, but also a two-way radio.
Preliminary tests were conducted on the Island before theraces themselves. Frank Nurdin of theBritish Communications Corporation –the manufacturers of the equipment–came alongtohelp set up the newsystem to Chief Marshal Peter Crebbin. Triumphalso ensured the kit was properly packaged on thebike andsenttheir own sales manager Neale Shilton alongtomake sure this was done. (See the inset picture.)
The tests were acomplete success andthe TravellingMarshal team found that the speed and handlingofthe Triumphs were hardly affected by theextra weightofthe radio equipment, butthe kit itself meantthatthey could easily communicate to other marshalsor parts of the course in case of an emergency
While the leap forward in technology was welcome, compare that to today where the TravellingMarshals have modern,Bluetooth connectivity andmachines boast more than 200bhp andaround 190mph… cmm
If youlikes tories of theIsleofMan –old andnew –thenyou need to tholdofthe forthc omingIsland cer2025. Puttogether by theteam hind Clas sicRac er,itgives you storic al featur es,a look at what ppenedonthe Island last year,as ll as alookahead to this year ’s ces. OutfromApril 20,itc os ts .99and canbefound her e: ht tps:// mor tonsbooks.co.uk/pr oduc t/ land -r ac er-2025-your-guide -to-the25 -isle- of-man -t t
WORDS: BERTIE SIMMONDS PIC: MORTONS ARCHIVE
cmm St uf f
BRIDGESTONE BATTLAX BT-46TYRES
Lots of people in ourhobby are loving the BT-46 tyres.Released in 2020 as a replacement forthe BT-45 (which were aroundfrom 1998), they’ve really been the tyre of choice for modern classic motorcycles
The BATTLAX BT-46 tyres give even greater performance than the 45s and also have upgraded wet-weather performance,while maintaining the level of dry handlingperformance. The new BT46 is therefore aperfect choicefor your modern classic wherever and wheneveryou ride it. They now come in avery wide range of sizes –they released eight fronts/17 rears in February 2020 and 14 more sizes ayear later,and a further eight sizes in 2022… https://grippingstories.com/ motorcycle-tyres/
ROADSKIN SUMMER GLOVES
Roadskin’sEN13594-certified Summer Gloves are crafted with premium materials and cuttingedge design. Engineered for comfort and durability,they are made from high-quality goat leather,renowned for its superior abrasion resistance andsupple feel. The gloves feature a meticulouslyperforated design to maximise airflow,keeping hands
WEISE IPX6 RUCKSACK
This rugged25L waterproof rucksack has amainbody crafted from the same military-grade Ripstop PVC tarpaulin material found in highend dry bags,including welded seams.Ithas an IPX6 waterproof rating, and is suitable for use in driving rain. Secure roll-topclosure, with buckle clip strapping system, makes loadingand unloading simple and there’savalve that allows trapped air to escape, enabling atight fit around contents,and preventing
cool and comfortable even on the hottest summer rides
Integrated knuckleand scaphoid protection ensure robust safety while maintaining flexibility and comfort. These gloves are also touchscreen compatible
Available in sizes XS to 4XL in classic blackand vintage brown. https://roadskin.co.uk/
movement during rides.Inside, awet and dry separation layer keeps damp gear isolated.
An internal zipped compartment provides organised storage for essential items,complemented by a front pocket with waterproof zip access
Twoadditional buckle clip straps can be used to convert the rucksacktoatail packand attached to the pillion seat or rack, and you’ve got dual elasticated drink bottlepockets www.weiseclothing.com
LASER TOOLS MAGNETIC AEROSOLCAN HOLDER
Laser Tools’ set of three slimline magnetic aerosol can holders (part number 9025) can (ahem) securely holdaerosolcans in accessible locations like the side of arollcabinet, tool chest or vehicle lifts
Each holder supports up to an impressive 1.0kg due to the two powerful magnets,and additional screw holes are also provided for permanent mounting on non-ferrous surfaces, offering versatility.The practical design is ideal for holding spray paint, brakecleaner, penetrating oil,ormaintenance spraycansin convenient, easy-to-reach locations.Suitable for 400ml aerosol cans or smaller,the unique lip design grips the canbase firmly www.lasertools.co.uk/Product/9025
This is amodular adventure helmet that delivers off-road capability and touring convenience,with ultralight carbon fibre construction andaflip-up chin bar
It features the NEXX ultralight X-PRO 3K carbon fibre shell, so it has alow weight (1875g) while maintaining high impact resistance It’sECE 22.06 certifiedand comesin two shell sizes.The adjustable peak is aerodynamicallyshapedtoreduce buffeting and vibrations at higher speeds,There’salso aremovable and adjustable peak extension forriders who prefer extracoverage
The visor aperture is 15 per cent larger than standard for improved peripheral vision, and the visor itself is
DUCHINNI YOUTH SPEED RACER JACKET
Duchinni Youth’snew Speed Racer
Textile Jacket keeps young motorcycle passengers looking good, and their adult chauffeurs content, too
The Speed Racer is the newest addition to the Duchinni Youth collection –the first motorcycle clothingbrand exclusively for younger riders –and like the entire range,it’smade to the same high standards as adult motorcycle jackets.Rated AA for safety,the outer shell is tough anddurable 600Dfabric,with acomplete set of CE-approved armour– shoulders, elbows,and back protector– fitted as standard. It’swaterproof,and the elasticated cuffs and hem maintain asnug, secure feeling
ready to accept aPinlock 120XLT anti-fog insert, which is suppliedas standard. Behind it sits aflip-down sun visor to deal with glare,and a second 80 per cent Smoke visor is also suppliedasstandard.
The flip-front mechanismfeatures an easy-to-access button and locks in place.The helmet features agood ventilation system andaninterior that is removable and washable.And it’s X-COM3 ready for communications on the move
The helmet comes in two versions: the carbon-finishZEROPRO at £579.99 and the TERRA, which sells for £539.99 in four graphic schemes, sizes XS to XXXL. https://nexx-helmet.co.uk/
Twohandwarmer pockets on the outside,plus two internal pockets, keep essentials safe and accessible.The two outside pockets and the main entry all close with high-quality,chrome YKK zips.Duchinni Speed Racer comes in sizes XS-XL(approximately: XS = 6-8yr,SM=8-10yr,ME=10-12yr,LG =12-14yr,XL=14-16yr). www.duchinni.com
www.twitter.com/cmmmag
TRIUMPH: THE STORY OF THE LEGENDARY MOTORCYCLE
Written by legendary motorcycle journalist Mike Armitage,this hardback book willplease anyone that loves theBritish Triumph motorcyclemarque
Celebrating 140 years since the company was founded and 120 since the first ‘proper’ motorcycle was built, thisisafull story of the famous British biking name.Starting offin Coventry in 1885, the firm has become an icon of two wheels and the name has been linked with other iconssuch as Steve McQueen, Marlon Brando and Evel Knievel. The book also charts thesuccessfulreboot of the name,courtesy of builderJohn Bloor back in 1990. If youloveTriumphs,you’ll love thisbook. www.mombooks.com
STAN STEPHENS: CLASSIC TWO-STROKE ENGINES
Stan Stephens is aformerCMM contributor and he’scollated many of hisfeatures about the most popular two-stroke road and race engines and brought them together to makethisbook.
If you want to do two-strokerebuilds, restoration or tuning, then thisisthe book you need. There are also general workshop features in the 250-page A4 book with atotalof85 articles and hundreds of photos.It’samust for the two-strokehome restorer www.dandybooksellers.com
SEALEYTOOLS SPRING CATALOGUE
Sealey’straditional spring catalogue and promotions are now LIVE and happening between April and June 30. The new Tool Promotion has more than 190 new products and more than 1600 deals which are onlyavailable until the end of June.So, get it now… https://www.sealey.co.uk/tool-promotion now LIVE and between
cmm Tested
Riding kitworn, tools twirled&tyres turned
OPTIMATE 3X4 BANK CHARGER
As well as various bikes,I have afleetofshagged out– sorry, ‘Classic’ –cars,a quad, atractor and acouple of ride-on mowers,sothere’salways a battery or six that need charging
Years ago,I got afive-way Accumate Pro (basically five Optimates in onecase) so I could keep them all happy.Fastforward to the storms afew monthsback and my leaky old barn got even leakier,resulting in the Accumate letting the water in and the smoke out –only two channels were still working.I sent it back to Tecmate in Belgium for assessment and repair but the verdict was it was too far gone
and it’dbecheapertobuy a new one.They made me an offer Icouldn’trefuse for the four-way Optimate 3you see here,and Inearlybit their hands off
First surprise was how much smallerand lighter it is –the old one weighed aton.Itcomes with four sets of charging leads with croc clips,and fourfor permanent direct connection to the battery.Myold Accumate had the white plastic‘Tamiya’ plugs which were proneto corrosion and failure, but this uses more robust SAE connectors.It’snot intended for Lithium batteries,incidentally –there’sa simpler and cheaper version (2DUO x4 Bank, RRP
What do the lights mean? Channel 1is charging normally. Channel 2isfully charged and in a test cycle. Channel three is desulphating Channel four is connected the wrong way round...
Enough leads for four permanent battery connections and four with croc clips.
£229) which willdoboth lead/ acid and LiFePO4 batteries should you need that option. Each charge circuitis completely independent of the
others,and once connected goes through aroutine of testing, desulphation, bulk charging, testing again and then intermittent float charging to keep the voltage stable As atest, Ihooked it up to a completely deadlawn-mower battery.Ithuffed and puffed and eventually coaxed it back into life,albeitwith amuchreduced cranking capacity due to internal damage.It’srated to charge anything up to a38Ah battery,which is way more than most bikes use. Actually, it’ll quite happily charge much heftier batteries;the leisure battery in my old camper van is 110Ah and it tops that up no problem, it justtakes afew charge cyclestodoit. Unlike my old one,it’salso weatherproof (to IP54 standard, so splashproof rather than actually waterproof) and works down to -40°C (handy if you live in Finland, maybe...).
The official price is abit salty but in the real world you can pick one up for acouple of hundred quid. Me?Well, I’m very happyindeed with it.
Kevin Raymond
www.optimate.co.uk
cmm News
BMWBUILD RETROG/S
Here’sanew ‘retro’ BMW based on a legendarymodel:the BMW R12G/S apes the daddy of the GS range, the1980 R80 G/S. We like alot!
The bike uses an 1170cc boxer twin, just like the rest of the R12 family, including the saucy R12 S, which copies the 1974 R90 S. Strangely, that model isasalty £18,460 while this doublysexy G/S starts at around £14,420.
Now,don’tbeconfused with the older Rnine TUrbanG/S from 2017-on that was amere look-alikey,with aroad-biased tilt being based on the nine TScrambler.Thisis (at least from some of theaction promo shots) a machine which can be taken off-oad,soalso don’t let the road tyres on these shots fool you. Everything on itisgeared to theodd foray off-road: such as an adjustable gear-lever (for
bigger,off-road boots); an ‘EnduroPackagePro’ with altered wheel size; single (raised)seat; and off-road biased foot-pegs. Andyes, you can add a pillion seat if you wish
It hasaheft of 229kilos wet andispropelled bythe 107bhp twin-cylindermotor.Torque is around 85lb-ft at 6500rpm. It’sthe latest ‘Euro’ compliantmotor and hasthree riding modes of Rain,Road andEnduro. Traction control is standard,but an ‘EnduroPro’ map is available with the Pro package which gives various options such as ABS deactivation on therear brakeand other changes.
It looks good and is priced more favourably than theSmodel. It should be outaroundJune time. For more go to: www.bmw-motorrad.co.uk
Mick Ofield: November 1949 –Februar y2025
Motorcycle designer Mick Ofield passed away at his home in Tennessee in February,aged 75.
Mick was borninLeicester andspent a lifetime inmotorcycling, not onlyasa designer but aracer,too. His artistic talent was spotted at school andMick dida degree in product design at Leicester Polytechnic before joining Norton Villiers Triumphinthe early 1970s. He would work on anumber of machines, including the Norton Commando 850, and later work withBob Trigg on the Yamaha RD250 and350LCs.
not justfrom his road-riding experience, but from his time racing between 1970-2004.
In recent years he set up hisown design agency and contributed to sister title Classic Racer with arange of stunningly beautiful and accurate ‘Line-Art’ side-ons of race bikes, selling them as artwork. He was also aregular at theBarber Vintage Festival in Alabama.
Everyone at Classic Motorcycle Mechanics wishes to extend their deepest condolences to his wife Peggy as well as all of Mick’s family andfriends.
It was when sentona fact-findi tour of the USA for NVT that he fell in love with that country and would eventuallymoveover and stay.Hewouldlater work for Bates Leathers, designing agreat number of products. Much of his knowledge on designing the bestkit came
was sent on a fact-finding tour of
cmm News
HAIRYBIKER AUCTION RAISES ALMOST £16K
The last bike ridden by Dave Myersof ‘The Hairy Bikers’ has raised £15,800 for charity
The 2023 BSA Gold Star went under the hammer at the National Motorcycle Museum in Solihullon Wednesday,March 26, withH&H Classics conducting the auction. Proceeds from its sale will go to CancerCare North Lancashire & South Cumbria, NSPCC Childline and The Institute of Cancer Research.
The Hairy Bikers TV shows ran for the best part of two decades, making Dave –and mate Si King –culinary and motorcycling TV stars.The pair appeared in the final series riding a brace of new retro BSA Gold Stars.
The touching final series ‘The Hairy Bikers Go West’ was shown just prior to Dave’spassing from cancer in February last year
Ahead of theauction,the bike was in aspecial static display at the National Motorcycle Museumand featured life-size cut-outs of both Dave and Si, celebratingtheir enduring friendship, plus Dave’s leathers, helmet and boots. Formore information on theauctioneers visit www.handh.co.uk Formore on the museum,goto: www nationalmotorcyclemuseum.co.uk
PRE- ORDERYOURCMM
off you you like see
Want the next issue of CMM?Ofcourse you do!Then it’s simple.Subscribing is best but, failing that, why notpre-order? Simply scan the fuzzy circular thing with your smartphone (c’mon, we’ve allgot one) and off you pop! Alternatively, if you like what you see coming up in thenext 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, carsortowpaths…
The sunny side of the classic world with the VJMC’s Steve Cooper
According to one old piece of archaic folklore: ‘Necessity is the mother of invention.’When something is brokenor damaged, if you want it working again badly enough you’ll find away to fix it.
Andsoitwouldappeartobe the case and not just inour world of Japanese classics.Seemingly if you own an SX350 Aermacchi Harley-Davidson from 1973 you can use aHonda Gold Wing aftermarket starter to replace the ageing Italian one.Itcomes with a 13-tooth sprocket that allows the original Sprint starter sprocket to be reused and, amazingly,the shaft on the Honda starter has 31 splines,same as the SX350 starter… who knew,etc., and all for less than£70.
Mix-and-match fixes are also part and parcel of what’spossible on Oriental bikes if youcarry out some research. In the world of Yamaha XS650s, the OEM CV Mikuni cans sometimes wear,leading to rough fuelling.Many fans of the big twin already know that replacements areavailable from the same firm in VM or TM format with eitherround or flat slides.For those on atighter budget there’re other options out there courtesy of Kawasaki. Carburettors from either the GPz or EX500 offera cost-effectivealternativethat only requires some well-documented rejetting
And then there’sthe interchangeability within any given marque.Suzuki’srobust T500 stroker twin does most thingswell, but its front brake is an acknowledged weak spot. Yes, you can tweak it and ensure it’sthe best it can be,but you could also just lamp on an entire GT500 front-end if authenticity isn’t critical. And if you have the requisite funds and want to staywith adrum brake track down aGT750J set up.The four leading shoe set up might havestruggled with the Kettle but it’ll be bob-on when fitted to aTitan or Cobra.
Fancy abit more pep from your Yamaha RD400? Do some detective work and track down exactly what was used in Yamaha dealer Sondel Sport’s 500 conversion. Supposedly it utilised various components from the factory’s moto-cross range with some basic reworking of the crankcases Back in the day the adaptation was said to take out bottom-ends fairly quickly on the track, but with modern oils it’ddoubtless be finefor road use today
Fixing, repairing and upgrading old Japanese bikes can be alot easier if you’re prepared to employ alittle left field thought. That said,fitting a turbocharged Hayabusa engine to that 70s icon, the Bond Bug, may be taking lateral thought justa bit too far!
www.vjmc.com ❙ 01454 501310
cmm News
STAN THE MANBOOK!
Our oldfriendand former contributor Stan Stephenshas anew book out.
Stan says: “When Iwas alad my two favourite books were ‘The Motorcyclist’s Workshop’ by Torrens and‘Tuning for Speed’ by Phil Irving. Istill have those books. They formed thebasis for my knowledge as amechanic andenginetuner, knowledge to which Ihave been adding to for the last 60 years.For manyyears Ihave wanted to write asimilar type of book.”
Stan hasalready written his autobiography,‘TheMechanic whogot Lucky’,which came outin2013 andwas later updated. It’sagood yarn.But this book isdifferent. Stan adds: “I wanted to write abook that would give thereader access to my knowledge built up over my 60-year career buildingand tuning two-stroke engines. From 2010 to 2017I wrotemonthly articles in CMM and these werebased on theclassic two-stroke engines that Ihappened to be working on at that time. Ipassed on my knowledge and experience and took photos of theengines
If you’re afan of either theSuzuki Katana or the latest Hayabusa (andwe are) then check outSuzuki’supdated 0% finance offer
This runsfrom April to June 30 andis available over three years with a minimum£500 deposit. Youcan therefore get anew bike in thegarage before summer.Lots of models are available, including thegorgeousKatana and theblisteringly quick 25th AnniversaryBusa.CMM is testing the original in the next issue…
GetyourcopyofIslandRacer
If you want to read about the Isle of ManTT races then you need to get hold of Island Racer 2025.
Brought to you by the team that bringsyou Classic Racer and ClassicMotorcycle Mechanics, Island Racer isthe world’s largest and best TT racing publication. The TT races on the Isle of Man is amore than century-old tradition, as each May thousands of motorcycling fans and racers convene on the island to witness somespectacular racing. This year the event runs from May26 to June 7.
2025!
and parts. Iwentthrough thedetective work andfault diagnosis, thestrippingand rebuilding, the enginetuning,and advice and tips. Havingrecently retired (again)I thought that at 80 years old it was time to write that book before it was too late!”
If you wanttodotwo-stroke rebuilds, restoration or tuningthen,asStan himself says: “This book is golddust!” There are also general workshop features in the 250-page A4 book with 85 articles and hundredsofphotos nestled inside.
DandyBooks are thepublishers (www dandybooksellers.com)and the book costs £30. Abargain for thestinkwheel fettler!
BAGASUZUKIRETRO ON 0%
Other bikes in thedeal includeother four-cylindermodels: the GSX-S1000, GSX-S1000GT,and theGSX-S1000GX. TheGSX-S1000GT+and GSXS1000GX+, which come with apairof 36-litre panniers as standard,also feature.
More can be found out about Suzuki’s range of offers andfinancequotes can be generated online at https://bikes.suzuki. co.uk/offers-and-finance/
Each year IslandRacer’s140 pages delivers themost incredible photos and articles on themodern gladiators whodo battle on the world’smost punishing motorcycle course, as well as reliving some of thebig stories from more than acentury of Manxroad-racing. 2025’sIslandRacer focuses on the biggest names and the fastest motorcycles that are taking in TT 2025 and uncovers the stories from days gone by. Priced at £9.99, get yours at: https://www mortonsbooks.co.uk/book/island-racer-2025your-guide-to-the-2025-isle-of-man-tt
cmm events
Wanna getinto CMM newevents section? Then contact us at: BSimmonds@mortons.co.uk. Youmay even become ‘Event of the Month’!
19 Scorton Auto/Bike Jumble at North Yorkshire EventsCentre, Atley Hill Road, Scorton, Richmond, North YorkshireDL10 6EJ.
19 South Midlands Autojumble at Ross-on-WyeLivestock Centre, Overross,Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire HR9 7QQ. www. southmidlandsautojumble.com
19 PML Motorcycles’ Bike Show at PML Motorcycles,Woodland Park Industrial Estate, Shortthorn Road, Stratton Strawless, Norwich, Norfolk NR10 5NU www.pmlmotorcycles.com
20 Forfar Autojumble at Forfar Indoor Sports, Carseview Road,Forfar,AngusDD8 3BT
20 Rocket III OwnersClub Day at theAce Cafe, AceCorner,North Circular Road,Stonebridge Park, London NW10 7UD. www.London.acecafe.com
20 Reading MAG’sBike Show at Burghfield Sports Club,James Lane, Burghfield,Berkshire RG30 3RS. 10.30am-3pm. Email: rep@ readingmagmag.org.uk.
20 TransportFestVehicle Show at theMuseumofPower,Langford PumpingStation,Hatfield Road, Langford,Essex CM9 6QA. www.museumofpower.org.uk
21 Ashford Classic Motorcycle Show and Bikejumble at Ashford Livestock Market, Orbital Park, Willesborough, Ashford, KentTN240HB. www.elkpromotions.co.uk
21 Bideford Bike Show’s Bunnies on Bikes leaving from Quay car park, Bideford,Devon EX39 2AG to ride to Children’s Hospice South West, Little Bridge House, Redlands Road, Fremington,Barnstaple, Devon EX312PZ.
www.bidefordbikeshow.org
23 MAYISSUE OF CLASSIC BIKE GUIDE ON SALE
24 VMCC South Dorset Night at the Three Compasses, Charminster,Dorset DT2 9QT.Tel: 01935 83242.
26 Ariel Owners Club’s3rd Annual Autojumble at the FourHorseshoes, The Street, Long Sutton, Hampshire RG29 1TA. Tel: 07810 111222.
26 Squires CaféAutojumble at Squires Café, Newthorpe, South Milford,Leeds, West Yorkshire LS25 5LX. Tel: 01977 684618. www.squires-cafe.co.uk
26 16th St George’sDay Show at The Bell, Main Road, Kesgrave, Ipswich, Suffolk IP51AA. 12-6pm.
26-27 InternationalClassic MotorCycle Show at Stafford Showground,Weston Road, Stafford, Staffordshire ST18 0BD. www.classicbikeshows.com
26-27 ClassicVehicle Show at Pikes Farm, Organford, Poole, Dorset BH166ES. www.organfordclassicevents.co.uk
26-27 Sandbach Transport Festival Scotch Commonscar park, The
11 Rickman Day at the Sammy Miller Museum. www.sammymiller.co.uk
11 BMW Bike Day at the Ace Cafe. www.London.acecafe.com
14 Coventry Riders Night at Dhillon’s Brewery,Hales Industrial Estate, Rowley’sGreen Lane, Coventry,Warwickshire CV6 6AT. www.coventryriders actiongroup.co.uk
15 Big Bike Meet at the Jolly Miller,East Hill, South Darenth, KentDA4 9AN. Email: info@thejollymillerpub.co.uk
17 Andover Norton Open Day at Andover Norton, Unit 6, Wooler Park, North Way, Andover, Hampshire SP10 5AZ www.andover-norton.co.uk
17 ClassicMotorcycle Meet at the Bell, Bell Lane,Smarden, Ashford, Kent TN27 8PW Tel: 01233 770283.
17-18 Sunbeam MCC’sConyboro Run at the Six Bells, TheStreet, Chiddingly,Lewes, East Sussex BN8 6HT www.sunbeam-mcc.co.uk
17-18 Steam, Classicand Country Fair at Buckinghamshire Railway Centre, Station Road, Quainton, Bucks HP22 4BY www.bucksrailcentre.org
18 Two-Stroke Day and Fizzy Frenzy at the Ace Cafe. www.London.acecafe.com
18 Classicand Two-Stroke Day at the John Bunyan, Coleman Green Lane, St Albans, Hertfordshire AL48ES. 11am5pm. Tel: 01582 832037. johnbunyanpub.co.uk
Post to Mechanics,POBox 99,Horncastle, Lincs LN9 6LZ or email yourpictures to editorial@classicmechanics.com
Thanking you!
Just anote of thanks to you. I’ve just received my subscription copy of CMM and was delighted to see an article about the CB1300.Ihad almost given up hope of seeing my favouritebike included in the magazine. Ibought my CB1300SA-5 on March 25, 2006 from Kent Motorcycles and we are still together.The CB was the first HondaIboughtafter a 20-year hiatus, having bought anew,but disappointing, VF1000R-E in June 1984, after which Itransferred my allegiance to Suzuki, Yamaha, Kawasaki and HarleyDavidson. Since 2007, Ihave bought seven Hondas from
Another CB lover!
Just received the April edition of your excellentpublication and was so pleased to see a feature on the (in my opinion) most overlooked retro of the late 90s, early noughties. Having owned my 2004 F3 model for 20 yearsnow and travelled 85,000miles on it in allweathers, Ican findvery little to fault.
Okay,soIamquite particular when it comes to
Kent M/Cs, allofwhich have been great bikes. Just to make you jealous, included in that number is a2002 XRV750 Africa Twin whichI’ve owned sinceJanuary 2007. The last Honda Ibought(fiveyears ago) is a2004 CBF500A:one of biking’s unsung (and anonymous) heroes.
If you feel theneed to produce an article on theCBF, then you may borrow my very low mileage machine.
Ed Gibson
Bertie says: “Well Ed, we can’t knock your tastein motorcycles sir! And Iknow that shop well.And we may well be after you for agoon the CBF...”
cleaning mybikes, but I’ve also owned other makes over the yearswhich have had nowhere near the build qualityand excellentfinish of the big Honda.
My wife and Ihave been touring many times both here and abroad on this bike, and have never had an issue either with reliability or comfort. Ihave replaced a coupleofthings, notably the shocks (originalsstarted
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 oneof our lovely T-shirts!
Spot on PB!
Loved the cheap as chips centrefold in the last issue of CMM. Genius to have a Project Bike as acentrefold andeven better to make it
PaulBerryman’sexcellent Ducati 748 but WHERE IS THENEXT INSTALMENT?I hate it when they don’t all follow on!
Love howPBhas done this project, and love even
more howit’sbeen done on avery tightbudget and that the bike will be used. Spot on, more of thesame please!
Bob Smith
Bertie says: “Sorry Bob –sometimes we haveto move things around so that everyone gets ashot in the magazine! Glad you’ve enjoyed it. We hope thenext part is in the next issue.”
leakingafter around 50k) and theend can because I thought abike of this sort should have afruitier sound. All in all abrilliantbike and onethat I’m lookingforward to rackingupmany more miles on.
Steve Jones
Bertie says: “Glad you liked the review Steve. Good to hear yours is still going strong!”
