Classic Motorcycle Mechanics - April 2020

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Riding Japan’s maligned twin!

RETRO DUCATI 748

FIVE DECADES OF MODERN CLASSIC MOTORCYCLE MECHANICS INCLUDING: TOOL OF THE MONTH, WORKSHOP: TWO-STROKE EXPERT. 00s: YAMAHA YZF-R1. 90s: BMW R1100 S, TRIUMPH DAYTONA 1200, YAMAHA TZR250 3MA, TRIUMPH CRK CAFÉ RACER. 80s: SUZUKI RM80X. 60s: YAMAHA YDS1. ALSO: ALLEN MILLYARD COLUMN. Q&A: YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED AND YOUR BIKES AND MEMORIES!

April 2020 Issue 390 Publisher: Tim Hartley thartley@mortons.co.uk Publishing Director: Dan Savage asavage@mortons.co.uk Designer: Michael Baumber Production Editor: Mike Cowton Advertising: Lily Schiller lschiller@mortons.co.uk Tel: 01507 529411 Subscription Manager: Paul Deacon Circulation Manager: Steven O’Hara Marketing Manager: Charlotte Park Commercial Director: Nigel Hole Editorial address: CLASSIC MOTORCYCLE MECHANICS MAGAZINE, Media Centre, Morton Way, Horncastle, Lincolnshire LN9 6JR Website: www.classicmechanics.com General enquiries and back issues: Tel: 01507 529529 24-hour answer phone help@classicmagazines.co.uk www.classicmagazines.co.uk Archivist: Jane Skayman jskayman@mortons.co.uk, 01507 529423 Subscription: Full subscription rates (but see page 42 for offer): (12 months 12 issues, inc post and packing) – UK £52.80. Export rates are also available – see page 42 for more details. UK subscriptions are zero-rated for the purposes of Value Added Tax. Customer services: Tel: 01507 529529 Lines are open: Monday-Friday 8.30am-5pm Distribution: Marketforce UK Ltd, 5 Churchill Place, Canary Wharf, London E14 5HU. Tel: 0203 787 9001 Subscription agents: CLASSIC MOTORCYCLE MECHANICS MAGAZINE, Media Centre, Morton Way, Horncastle, Lincolnshire LN9 6JR Printed: William Gibbons & Sons, Wolverhampton Published date: CLASSIC MOTORCYCLE MECHANICS MAGAZINE is published on the third Wednesday of every month Next issue: April 15, 2020 Advertising deadline: March 26, 2020 © Mortons Media Group Ltd. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage retrieval system without prior permission in writing from the publisher. ISSN 0959-0900 CLASSIC MOTORCYCLE MECHANICS magazine takes all responsible steps to ensure advice and technical tips are written by experienced and competent people. We also advise readers to seek further professional advice if they are unsure at any time. Anything technical written by the editor is exempt – he’s rubbish with spanners.

CLASSIC MOTORCYCLE MECHANICS (USPS:729-550) is published monthly

by Mortons Media Group Ltd, PO Box 99, Horncastle, Lincolnshire LN9 6LZ UK. USA subscriptions are $60 per year from Motorsport Publications LLC, 7164 Cty Rd N #441, Bancroft WI 54921. Periodical Postage is paid at Wisconsin Rapids, WI. Postmaster: Send address changes to CLASSIC MOTORCYCLE MECHANICS, Motorsport Publications LLC, 7164 Cty Rd N #441, Bancroft WI 54921. 715572-4595 chris@classicbikebooks.com

Smaller bikes, bigger smiles?

What is it about smaller bikes? Do they really give us bigger smiles?

I’ve been thinking about this a lot recently and there are shades of it in this very issue.

Firstly, we’ve got our mate Andy Bolas on board a tiddler, Yamaha’s FZR250 Zeal. He waxes lyrical about the sound the little four-cylinder four-stroke made and how the power delivery was almost two-stroke in feel…

Then there’s Charlie Oakman, our ad-man turned racer. £1500 saw him bag Honda’s humble little CB500 parallel twin. This is a bike from the 1990s that, while a stoic, capable commuter, also went racing in the CB500 Series, helping to launch the Tarmac race career of future double World Superbike champ James Toseland. Charlie asks the question of how much fun he can have on something so cheap, compared to more modern tackle. This issue also sees us look at Ducati’s 748. Was it really a

Steve Cooper

Jeff Ware

Mark Haycock

Our southern hemisphere correspondent is back in action this issue with two projects. Firstly, the RM80X sees some progress, while Jeff also introduces us to his latest ‘mate’s’ project: the reverse cylinder Yamaha TZR250 3MA!

Mighty Mark is back with a page of Q&A this month, while next issue he will be back with his project bike – the Yamaha TX750.

The Dashing Tash

While we may be a bit behind (as I type the Zed is a rolling chassis) you’ll only get the full story of Allen’s amazing six-cylinder Kawasaki Zed in these hallowed pages of CMM. Enjoy!

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As I write this, it’s March and Scoop is about to have his third holiday of the year; but not before riding a Van Van, discussing the SDR200 and keeping us on point with this project fleet!

Zen Zed builder…

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Editor

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Allen Millyard

Independent publisher since 1885

better bike to ride than the mighty 916?

Personally, I’ve always erred towards the larger bike, simply because I’m larger! But then I recall riding bikes like the Street Triple (a future classic for sure) where you can just enjoy more of the performance compared to the Speed Triple. Recently I also rode a mate’s Honda CBR400RR, and while I patently looked daft on it, the way you can rev the motor and enjoy all the rev range was addictive.

Strangely, one of my best biking memories was having a mate’s Suzuki Bandit 600 for the weekend back in the mid-1990s. I did 600 miles in two days and wouldn’t have wished for anything bigger or better. It was honest, simple, smaller capacity fun!

What say you?

Rich Llewellin SLouigi Moto man!

With more than 20 years in the business of looking after Bologna’s beastly V-twin, there’s only one man we could speak to when asking how good a classic buy Ducati’s 748 is. Check it out.

Down Under Dude!

Paul Berryman

Q&A Kingpin!

EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH!

The artist formally known as… …PB! Poor bloke has had a torrid time with his 5VY R1, but now she’s coming good! Interestingly, PB has been scouring the parts microfiches from Yamaha in a bid to find cheaper parts for this track-day special machine. The boy done good (page 112) and therefore thoroughly deserves this ‘Employee of the Month’ award!

Ralph Ferrand Beemer Blues!

It’s fair to say the air turns blue when our Ralph has to get the tools out on the BMW R1100 S… but he carries on manfully! Oh, and check out his ‘Tool of the Month’ if you like strippers!

Chris Moss Angry old man!

What can we say about industry legend Chris Moss: nothing that we can print sadly? But at least he hopped on the formerly feared Suzuki TL1000S. O,h and be prepared for him to have a rant about modern biking in a future issue.

Andy Bolas

Charlie Oakman

Lily Schiller

Andy B has been a busy bee this issue.

He’s warmed to the two-stroke-esque charms of the Yamaha Zeal and then been on the go with his Triumph Daytona 1200.

But where are the keys?

Part two of ‘Fast Berks’ and our Chaz has bought himself a humble Honda CB500 parallel twin. On it he will race with Bridgestone’s Gary Hartshorne. If only Charlie can select first gear…

CMM’s readers regularly use our adverts to find products and services, so if you want to be part of the action, please contact lovely Lil’. She will help your company get in front of our readership.

Serial Bike Buyer!

Fast Berk

Lovely ad lady!

56

❙ Q&A

58

❙ YAMAHA YDS1

62

❙ BMW R1100 S

66

❙ ALLEN MILLYARD

Contents

Mark Haycock with a page of tips.

Scoop is about to split the cases!

Ralph Ferrand battles this Boxer twin!

Allen is cutting and creating his Super Six Kawasaki!

72

❙ SUZUKI TS400 APACHE

76

❙ TOOL OF THE MONTH

Scoop spies his steed via the web.

Ralph on wire strippers.

78

❙ TRIUMPH DAYTONA 1200

82

❙ SUZUKI RM80X

86

❙ YAMAHA SDR200

90

❙ WORKSHOP

94

❙ YAMAHA TZR250 3MA

Andy Bolas finds a few more faults!

Jeff Ware is back with the little crosser!

Steve Cooper with our buyer’s guide!

Meet two-stroke ace Rob Pemberton!

Jeff starts on this reverse-cylinder race-rep classic!

06

ARCHIVE

08

CMM MARKETPLACE

10

CMM STUFF

14

112 ❙ YAMAHA YZF-R1 5VY

Paul Berryman pores parts…

116 ❙ TRIUMPH CRK CAFÉ RACER

John Nutting is close to pressing the starter button!

What to check for if you’re wanting a Ducati 748.

New kit, tools and tyres and stuff.

NEWS

Events, news and diary dates for April 2020!

30

SUZUKI RV125 VAN VAN

36

YAMAHA FZX250 ZEAL

42 44

Steve Cooper rides a charming little Suzook!

Andy Bolas rides this rare little rev-monster.

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READER’S SPECIAL WITH BRIDGESTONE!

54 RETRO SPECTIVE 121 NEXT MONTH

108 ❙ FAST BERKS!

Charlie Oakman and Gary Hartshorne race a CB500 Honda.

Did Suzuki’s TL1000R ever win in WSB? Sorta!

WIN Bridgestone tyres for our star letter!

WIN S-DOC chain cleaner!

Win Tamiya kit for ‘The Way We Were!’

Welcome to our 2020 search for the best special and resto in conjunction with Bridgestone tyres!

In association with Bridgestone tyres! Turn up!

SUZUKI TL1000S

Chris Moss rides the much-maligned V-twin.

We look at the Ducati 748.

Check out what’s in the May 2020 issue.

122 PIP HIGHAM

Our Pip ‘makes do and mends’!

www.classicmechanics.com / 5

CLASSIC RIDE

OVER

WORDS: ANDY BOLAS PICS: GARY D CHAPMAN

Not a bike you see every day… but still, our own Andy Bolas displays his zeal for the Yamaha Zeal!

N

ow here’s a bike we don’t see very often at all, in fact I don’tt think there were many about in the UK back in the day due to it being a grey import and I’m talking about when such imports to the UK from the Land of the Rising Sun were very popular.

Yes, I think it’s fair to say that even in the early to mid-1990s, the Yamaha Zeal still wasn’t that popular when it came to container space from the likes of BAT Motorcycles or the like. I guess when you can sell all the two-stroke 250 race replicas and 400cc four-cylinder sportsbikes you can get, then perhaps you’re better off playing it safe?

But I digress. Instead let me introduce to you the Yamaha Zeal: a feisty little four-stroke, four cylinder, retro-styled screamer. The Zeal was produced from 1991-1999, utilising the engine from the screaming FZR250 sports bike in a twin-spar steel frame.

Back in Japan the FZX250 Zeal would be competing for sales against the Suzuki Bandit, Kawasaki Balius and the Honda Hornet all in 250cc form. All the bikes previously mentioned seemed to use the same formula of a screaming four-cylinder motor suspended in a cheap, low-tech frame and budget running gear, and all were limited to a claimed 40bhp for the home market in Japan. It

wasn’t just the 250s that did this as many manufacturers did the same with their 400cc powerplants, making such quirky and funky two-wheelers as the Kawasaki Xanthus (ZXR400 power) and many Honda CBs, Suzuki Bandits and Impulses, etc.

Spec-wise, the Zeal doesn’t stand out as any better than the other 250cc naked bikes actually, although it is the lightest out of this group of bikes weighing in at 145kg dry. I’m not a huge fan of small capacity four-strokes to be fair, but the little Zeal has a certain charm

www.classicmechanics.com / 37

RETRO

DUCATI 748 If you wanted all of the presence and pose of Ducati’s seminal 916, but with a little lest cost (and grunt) then the 748 was perfect for you…

WORDS: BERTIE SIMMONDS IMAGES: MORTONS ARCHIVE

‘S

mall ones are more juicy’ was a daft TV advert for Outspan oranges back in the early 1980s, but it could equally be applied to Ducati’s amazing 748…

Because, many who rode both machines really did feel that the smaller capacity L-twin from Bologna was the sweeter of the two machines to ride and enjoy.

The first versions were released in 1994, a year after the 916.

The ‘Biposto’ in base form and a series of SP or sports production versions over the course of the 748’s run (1994-2003.) Later SP versions would be the ‘R’ model, while the base 748 would be called the E, with a mid-range 748S thrown in for good measure. The top range homologation sports machines would come with updated suspension generally from Ohlins/Showa, along with uprated Brembo brakes and Marchesini wheels. Power was anything between 90 and 105bhp, dependent on model.

Riding reports of the time always seemed to rave about the balance of the 748 over the 916 and that that narrower rear rim (180 over the 916’s 190) supposedly made the bike just that bit more agile in the corners. It was planted too, but then it wasn’t really the lightest supersport machine out there at 220 kilos wet.

In racing, the bike was built for the European Supersport series, being raced by the Corona beer-backed Alstare team and later in the ‘new’ World Supersport championship.

Paolo Casoli took his Gio.Ca. Moto 748 to the title in 1997 – the firm’s only championship win, as the Bologna firm dipped in and out of the series depending on their World Superbike commitments and the regulations. cmm

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