Classic Motorcycle Mechanics - August 2020

70 0S

YAMAHA AS3 TWIN

BUYER’S GUIDE

HONDA VTR1000F FIRESTORM RIDDEN!

90S

DUCHINNI SWIFT JACKET, BRIDGESTONE GESTONE TYRES, T S-DOC CHAIN CAREE KKIT AND TAMIYA KITS!

WIN!

No.394 August 2020

£4.50

Niall Mackenzie’s works Yamaha YZR500 stripped naked AND YZR model history/riding perspective!

OGRI!

The history behind Britain’s best biker!

FIVE DECADES OF MODERN CLASSIC MOTORCYCLE MECHANICS INCLUDING:

TOOL OF THE MONTH 90s: HONDA VTR1000F FIRESTORM, BMW F 650 80s: KAWASAKI Z550F 70s: KAWASAKI Z1000A1, SUZUKI TR750 60s: YAMAHA YDS3. ALSO: Q&A: YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED AND YOUR BIKES AND MEMORIES!

August 2020 Issue 394 Publisher: Tim Hartley thartley@mortons.co.uk Publishing Director: Dan Savage asavage@mortons.co.uk Designers: Tracey Markham, Jake Sidebotham, Charlotte Fairman, Charlotte Turnbull, Fran Lovely Production Editor: Mike Cowton Divisional Advertising Manager: Thomas Lee tlee@mortons.co.uk Tel: 01507 529412 Advertising: Andrew Bruce abruce@mortons.co.uk Tel: 01507 529583 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 36 for offer): (12 months 12 issues, inc post and packing) – UK £52.80. Export rates are also available – see page 38 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, 3rd Floor, 161 Marsh Wall, London E14 9AP 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: August 19, 2020 Advertising deadline: July 31, 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

Ogri: the biker’s biker!

I couldn’t have been more than four or five when I first raided my uncle’s stash of motorcycle magazines. And it was in the pages of these magazines that I first ‘met’ Him. Ogri wasn’t the first biker I’d ‘met’ (all my uncles rode bikes), but he was the coolest. He literally could do no wrong. He didn’t fear authority, he stood up for bikers’ rights before it really became fashionable to do so, he stuck up for his mate Malcolm, he had the coolest bike with the best name ever – and he had Mitzi.

Unconsciously I put two and two together to make five: if you’re a biker, you’re automatically cool, if you ride a bike, you’re instantly attractive to your chosen targeted gender. Of course, life isn’t actually like that, but – over the years – Ogri has still been in the background as a cool character.

Malcolm Shaw

Gary D Chapman

Scoop gives us a buying guide on the Yamaha AS3 twin and a workshop guide to points and condensers. Cheers!

Malc is machining some foot-plates, knowing that his aged bones need more space on the bike than he used to have!

Gary D is not to be confused with the American 'love doctor' of the same name. Check out his snaps this issue!

Ralph gives us the lowdown on sorting the clutch on his beloved Z1000 and yet another Tool of the Month!

Independent publisher since 1885

Allen Millyard Zen Zed builder…

Allen carries on with his Zed six-cylinder beast. Remember, you can only read the FULL story here in CMM!

Having trouble finding a copy of this magazine?

Why not Just Ask your local newsagent to reserve you a copy each month?

www.twitter.com/cmmmag

Steve Cooper

The tale of the tash

Ralph Ferrand

The Professional Publishers Association

Editor

BSimmonds@Mortons.co.uk

www.facebook.com/ClassicMechanics/

West Country King!

Member

I would eventually work for the magazine that housed him and even got to chat to his creator, Paul Sample. A biker through and through himself, Paul and Ogri’s story is on page 38. And no, we can’t get Ogri in CMM… we could never afford him!

While Ogri’s Norvin is special, this month’s cover star is VERY special. Niall Mackenzie’s 1991 Yamaha YZR500 is just stunning, both clothed and naked, so check it out on page 44.

Don’t forget our Bridgestone Bike of the Year competition (page 24). If you’ve spent lockdown restoring a bike or building a special, we want to see it!

John Vassallo

Feet up!

Niall Mackenzie

EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH!

Racing legend!

Not only has Niall sired two very successful racers (along with wife Jan), he wasn’t too shoddy a racer himself: seven times a podium man in 500cc Grand Prixs and three times a British Superbike champ. This month he shows us his YZR500, while next month he and son Taylor show us their new projects!

Snapper to the stars

Steve Parrish Fast Codger

Stavros has finished his YDS3 Yammy and he re-lives his youth. Stay tuned for a full road test soon!

Dean Faria Suzuki restorer

CMM reader Dean decides to restore a Suzuki TS185 ER for his good lady wife, but we’re not fooled: he wanted it!

Kwak chap!

He’s moved!

Pip Higham

Mirela Vulaj

John carries on with his restoration of his Kawasaki Z550F: this month he has some carb conundrums to sort out.

Yes, Pip popped out of the last issue, but he’s back where he belongs. Apparently he’s had a very moving experience!

Mirela is the person to speak to regarding all advertising in this august organ. So, please do give her a bell!

Top Ad Person

www.classicmechanics.com / 3

54

❙ Q&A

56

❙ ALLEN MILLYARD

60

❙ TOOL OF THE MONTH

62

66

70

84

Allen is back on with his sixcylinder Kawasaki Ralph on the delights of the Dremel!

❙ KAWASAKI Z550F

John Vassallo carries on with his resto!

❙ YAMAHA YDS3

Steve ‘Stavros’ Parrish finishes his 60s stroker!

❙ YAMAHA AS3 TWIN

Steve Cooper with our buyer’s guide!

❙ POINTS AND CONDENSERS

Scoop with a workshop masterclass

88

92

94

Contents

Mark Haycock with a page of tips

06

ARCHIVE

10

CMM STUFF

12

NEWS

18

FEEDBACK

20

SHOW US YOURS

24

READER’S SPECIAL WITH BRIDGESTONE!

❙ KAWASAKI Z1000A

Ralph Ferrand swops out the clutch on his Zed

❙ YAMAHA YZF-R1

Niall Mackenzie finishes up the details

❙ SUZUKI TR750

Malc Shaw carries on with his two-stroke

Wayne Rainey on riding the Yamaha YZR500 New kit, tools and tyres and stuff Events and news for August 2020!

WIN Bridgestone tyres for our Star Letter!

WIN S-DOC chain cleaner!

Win Tamiya kit for ‘The Way We Were!’

Welcome back to our 2020 search for the best special/resto with Bridgestone tyres!

30 36

HONDA VTR1000F FIRESTORM Honda’s stab at a sporting 1990s V-twin

SUBSCRIBE!

Save cash! Join CMM EXTRA!

38

OGRI’S ORIGINS

44

YAMAHA YZR500

44

BMW F 650 FUNDURO

Ogri’s creator Paul Sample reveals all Niall Mackenzie on his awesome 500cc GP bike: the ultimate LC!

A cheap way into BMW ownership!

98 97

SUZUKI GSR600

98

PIP HIGHAM

It’s nearly 15 years old…

NEXT MONTH

Check out what’s in the September 2020 issue.

He’s back and talking stress levels?

www.classicmechanics.com / 5

CLASSIC RIDE

m.

VTR1000F FireStorm da on H e th h it w ip Muntjac! d a mixed relationsh Bertie Simmonds ha trip back in time, just mind out for the Join us for a

WORDS: BERTIE SIMMONDS PICS: GARY D CHAPMAN, MORTONS ARCHIVE

A

s morning commutes go, it wasn’t the best.

Riding along the A605 towards Peterborough I’d just overtaken an articulated lorry and was accelerating gently away when Mr. Muntjac Deer decided to cross the road.

I did everything right: I didn’t look at ‘him’ but instead I looked to my escape route as he was doubling back to his side of the road. To get past the prospective collision, I opened the throttle so the Honda FireStorm’s bark grew louder through those twin Remus pipes. Now, loud pipes may well save lives, but they didn’t for Mr. M, who decided (on hearing that 90-degree V-twin howl through those glorious cans) to turn back around and (literally) run through my front wheel. End result was one dead deer and a grand total of £1321.68 worth of damage. Oh, and a broken hand and a re-bent pin in my left arm that required some serious surgery.

As Mr. M took me down, I recall two things: as the bike slid down the road leaving a trail of sparks, I said to myself: “I really loved that bike…” Then I realised I needed to get up sharpish, which I did before I was run over by the (friendly) lorry driver.

That morning was full of new friends, including the posh doctor who took me to Peterborough General Hospital in his Morse-mobile Jag. He realised by my attire that I was a motorcycle journalist. He said he knew some colleagues of mine, so I guessed he was a fracture clinic specialist. Turns out he was a specialist in sexually transmitted diseases and he’d ‘treated’ a few friends of mine on their return from the Macau Grand Prix, but back to the bike…

30 / classic motorcycle mechanics

www.classicmechanics.com / 31

CLASSIC LOOK WORDS: NIALL MACKENZIE, BERTIE SIMMONDS PICS: GARY D CHAPMAN, YAMAHA UK

With work on it finished, we had to do a photo shoot on Niall Mackenzie’s beautifully restored YZR500 – and look at the machine’s bloodline.

44 / classic motorcycle mechanics

www.classicmechanics.com / 45

ENJOYED THIS PREVIEW? THE BEST ACTION IN TRIALS AND MOTOCROSS

DIRTb bike ke

VELO MAC MA S SPECIAL PECIAL NORTON RT RTON INTER AJS SCEPTRE SCEP E SPORTS! SCEPTR SPORTS POR !

PORTS

CLASSIC

#48

ISSUE

Forty-eight Autumn 2018

OCTOBER 2018

No. 330 October 2018 £4.30 UK Off-sale date 31/10/2018

MOTO MEMORIES // TECH TALK // MONTESA COTA 200 // BULTACO MATADOR

3.60

Running, Riding & Rebuilding Running, Rebuilding Real RealClassi RealC Classic C lassi Motorcycles

BOXER CKS TRIC

HOW THE LEGEEND BEGAN

SUPERMAC’S TRIUMPH DRAYTON

PRINTED IN THE UK

PLUS MOTO MEMORIES TECH TALK MONTESA COTA 200 BULTACO MATADOR AN HOUR WITH: GERRIT WOLSINK

£3.60 US$9.99 C$10.99 Aus$8.50 NZ$9.99 PRINTED IN THE UK

HOME, JAMES!

UNIVERSITY GRADUATE

#48

001 Cover_OCT.indd 1

AT THE CASTLE

DRUMLANRIG 2018 D 20

WINNER

SUPER PROFILE: ARIEL’S HT3

GREEVES ESSEX TWIN BUYING GUIDE // STRIP YOUR TWOSTROKE // BSA B31 RESTORATION // MALLE MILE // CAFE RACER CUP // SHETLAND CLASSIC // THE CLASSIC TT // MIKE HAILWOOD REPLICA

CLASSICS

65 PRE65 PRE

PRINTED IN THE UK

R 2018 ISSUE 174 OCTOBER

N48 2018 US$15.99 Aus$14.99 NZ$18.99 UK£5.50 UK Off-sale date 15/11/18

BUY  SELL  RIDE  RESTORE

13/09/2018 10:34:50

001 CDB Cover_048.indd 1

02/08/2018 14:53:55

001 Cover_174.indd 1

03/09/2018 10:18:26

•SINGLE ISSUES •SUBSCRIPTIONS

CLICK HERE

www.classicmagazines.co.uk

ENDOFPREVI EW

I fy oul i k ewhaty ou’ v e r eads of ar ,whynot s ubs c r i be,ort r ya s i ngl ei s s uef r om:

www. c l as s i c magaz i nes . c o. uk