Classic Motorcycle Mechanics - December 2013 - Sample Edition

December 2013 Issue 314 Publisher: Steve Rose, srose@mortons.co.uk Group production editor: Tim Hartley Contributors: Joe Dick, Kar Lee, Paul Bryant Designer: Justin Blackamore Reprographics: Simon Duncan Divisional advertising manager: Sandra Fisher, sfisher@mortons.co.uk Advertising: Andy Catton, Sam Dearie acatton@mortons.co.uk sdearie@mortons.co.uk Tel: 01507 524004 Subscription manager: Paul Deacon Circulation manager: Steven O’Hara Marketing manager: Charlotte Park Production manager: Craig Lamb Publishing director: Dan Savage Commercial director: Nigel Hole Associate director: Malc Wheeler Managing director: Brian Hill 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 38 for offer): (12 months 12 issues, inc post and packing) – UK £49.20. Export rates are also available – see page 38 for more details. UK subscriptions are zero-rated for the purposes of Value Added Tax. Distribution: COMAG, Tavistock Road, West Drayton, Middlesex UB7 7QE. Tel: 01895 433600 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: Wednesday, December 18, 2013 Advertising deadline: Friday, November 29, 2013 © 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

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The spirit of obsession I’ve had a number of obsessions, some of which (ahem) I can tell you about here.

The first came when I was a kid. I was mad for the film Star Wars and when the film hit the silver screen out came the collectables and boy did I collect. Star Wars cards came with a cheap, rubbery bubble gum, but you HAD to get all the blue and red cards to complete the set.

Later, from my teens to my thirties I collected those little handheld video games, which have since become very desirable and rare – and yes, when I sold them all a few years back I made a killing. Something bought for a quid at a boot fair could be worth 30 or 40 times that given the passage of a few years and some TLC. I’ve dabbled in doing this with bikes and been moderately successful: buying cheap, keeping

and tending to the two-wheeler’s needs, enjoying it before selling for a profit. I’ve also been lucky enough to meet people like Dave Higgins. People for whom metal hoarding is obsession in its ultimate form, where they feel they have to complete the set and COLLECT THEM ALL as the marketing men used to tell us.

These guys (yes, they normally are) can be single-minded sometimes and even a little ruthless, but the results are an amazing collection of motorcycles that we all envy a little, right? Check out Dave’s RD collection on page 32. And if you’re an obsessive collector, give us a call and we will come visit. We’d love to have you in our pages.

Bertie Simmonds Editor

Bertie Simmonds

Jon Bentman

Scott Redmond

bertie@classicmechanics.com This month...

Yes, yes okay. I’m taking winter time off to do the TDM.

editorial@classicmechanics.com This month...

Another issue off! But he’s ridden a 916 for next month!

editorial@classicmechanics.com This month...

Check out the GT550 Showstopper and his Project BSB!

Steve Cooper

Mark Haycock

John Nutting

editorial@classicmechanics.com This month...

Scoop did our main RD250A test this month and loved it.

editorial@classicmechanics.com This month...

Check out his rapid-fire tips on page 128!

editorial@classicmechanics.com This month...

Nutters writes about Bimota’s balanced KB2 Laser.

Stan Stephens

Mark Williams

Paul Berryman

editorial@classicmechanics.com This month...

Stan’s back and looking at the Bridgestone GTR.

editorial@classicmechanics.com This month...

Honda’s Africa Twin comes under his spotlight this month.

editorial@classicmechanics.com This month...

Dives deep into the rules for his project racer.

Don Morley

Pip Higham

Andy Catton

editorial@classicmechanics.com This month...

Don’s shots recall the magical 1992 Isle of Man TT races.

editorial@classicmechanics.com This month...

It’s not all Suzukis for Pip: check out his Ducati rebuild!

editorial@classicmechanics.com This month...

Go to page 100 for our spotlighted services guide.

Bloomin’ useless...

Older/nicer stuff editor

GTR350 fan

Ledgendary photographer

Road test editor

The Q&A King

Ask Uncle Mark

Ducati dreaming...

80s and 90s editor

Master of Mira

Project SpaKat newcomer

Ad sales guru

www.classicmechanics.com / 3

Contents 08 ARCHIVE

The amazing 1992 Isle of Man TT recalled.

10

QUICK SPIN – BENELLI 750 SEI

ROUND 32 YAMAHA TANK RD COLLECTION

74

❙ WORKSHOP NEWS

76

❙ SPEEDO CABLE SWAP

Annus horribilis revealed.

80

❙ PROJECT SPA KATANA

Scoop rides a two-stroke legend.

84

❙ PROJECT DUCATI

A brutal reader’s special.

88

❙ SUZUKI GSX-R7/11

92

❙ REBUILD A

Dave Higgins and his amazing 250s and 350s.

20 CALENDAR 22 FEEDBACK 24 SHOW US YOURS

41 46 YAMAHA RD250A 54 SUZUKI GSX-R1100 62 STAFFORD SHOW KB2 LASER 64 BIMOTA MIRA FILES

28 HONDA AFRICA TWIN

70 SUZUKI TL1000R

Chris Moss on a sexy six.

14 NEWS

Columnists, cool things and money off Fogtech!

What’s on this December. Brrrr…

All your views on CMM revealed.

Send us pics of your pride and joy! And win a Tamiya model!

Honda’s already emerged classic.

NOSTALGIA 1992

Did you go? If not, why not?

John Nutting on Rimini’s middleweight marvel.

What if Suzuki took the twin plunge again?

Pip Higham and parts and products.

Done on Scoop’s FZR250.

What happens when rules are read.

Reg Everett’s Montjuic marvel recreated.

He’s cleaned it... but what’s with the Bandit?

CRASHED BIKE

Mark Haycock counts the cost.

96

❙ STAN STEPHENS

112

❙ YAMAHA TX500

128

❙ Q&A

130

❙ SUZUKI GT550

Stan on the Bridgestone GTR350.

Yammy twin buying tips.

Tips told and secrets revealed.

Overshadowed no longer!

If Suzuki did a race replica V-twin again and did a ‘special’ breathed-on version for the track (like it has with the current GSX-R1000)... would it look like this?

www.classicmechanics.com / 5

cmm

Archive

Carl Fogarty rode the wheels off the Loctite Yamaha OW-01 and bits were hanging off it by the end of the race. It was an amazing effort, overshadowed only by Steve Hislop’s similarly herculean effort on the rotary Norton. Great days.

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WORDS: BERTIE SIMMONDS PHOTOS: DON MORLEY

The Hizzy and Foggy Show As a spectacle, the 1992 Isle of Man TT event could have been a real nonstarter.

No precious Honda RVF factory machines meant that the form book was looking at a three-way fight for the big races of TT fortnight – the F1 and Senior – between Steve Hislop on the ABUS-backed rotary Norton, Phil McCallen on the Castrol Honda RC30 and Carl Fogarty, who made a late entry on the Loctite-backed OW-01. What could have been a bit of a non-race became perhaps the most memorable TT ever.

In the F1 race both Hizzy and Foggy were hampered by poor weather in practice week and glorious sunshine on race day. In the race, Carl led by 23 seconds by the first fuel stop as Hizzy lost a minute removing a front mudguard to get more air into the Norton’s radiator. By the end of the fourth lap, Fogarty was 40 seconds ahead but the gearbox of his Yamaha exploded as he crossed The Bungalow.

No matter, there was still the Senior. And what a classic that became. The lead swapped between the Scot and the Englishman eight times and there was never more than eight seconds between them over the full 226 mile race. The lap record fell, first to Hislop and then to Fogarty who took the final average lap of 123.61mph in 18 minutes and 18.8 seconds.

The race today is remembered as Norton’s first win since 1961 and its last to date and a great day for the British manufacturer, although Triumph did take a Junior 600 win in 2003. Hislop’s achievement should never be underestimated, but nor should Fogarty’s. His lap recorded lasted until 1999, when Jim Moodie and a factory RC45 finally broke it. Today, in an age of 130mph plus laps on a much faster course on full 1000cc bikes with traction control, take a moment to think about that. cmm

Steve Hislop on the ‘White Charger’. www.classicmechanics.com / 9

1975

10 / classic motorcycle mechanics

WORDS: CHRIS MOSS PhOtOS: MIKE WESTON

W

hen the arrival of this ground-breaking Benelli was causing a sensation in UK showrooms, I was still a couple of years from starting my own riding career. Even so, as a keen biking apprentice wanting to learn the trade, I bought all the key glossy bike mags to swot up on what was what.

Clapping eyes on pics of the 750 Sei for the very first time brought gawps of utter disbelief, mesmerising me totally. talk about being won over. to me it was just the greatest motorcycle ever made and the pics went up on the walls of my boudoir alongside those of George Best, Robert Plant and Jilly Johnson.

Six cylinders, six shiny silencers, all that chrome and polished alloy in a fantastic package from Italy amazed me each and every time I looked. I could only wonder

how it was possible to create something so magical.

Alas, any thoughts of actually riding one would have to remain a young lad’s fantasy. I should have been more patient. Nearly 40 years on, I got the chance.

Of course a fair few things have happened since 1975 to alter my perception of things in life, so excitement at the prospect of riding the Sei wasn’t quite as profound as it would’ve been back in the day. That’s not to say I wasn’t keen mind you. Let’s face it, having a go on the world’s first six-potter gives you membership to an exclusive club. I think the only time I can remember seeing a 750 in recent years was at the Manx. I never really thought I’d ever get to ride one.

“Ah, just take it whenever you want,” said owner Kev Pennell nonchalantly. “I’ve just been down to the

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& events

Motorcycles go live Motorcycle Live will be the best way to get your biking fix this winter, so make sure you’re there at the show between November 23 and December 1.

Held at the National Exhibition Centre, Birmingham, this year the show boasts no fewer than 29 manufacturers, all showcasing the very latest machinery, some of which will have never been seen before in the UK. But we all know that’s not what we would be there for; we’re there for classics and bargains... and there will be plenty of both. Last year modern classic machines like the Z1 and the Ducati Monster were celebrating anniversaries and you can be sure that a raft of other classics will be on display.

Meanwhile lots of CMM advertisers will be in attendance and the Ace Cafe is also one of the 150 exhibitors, as is the FJ Owners’ Club.

CMM’s own Steve Parrish will be on stage regularly throughout the show, with James Whitham, so pop along – he may mention his FZ750 project.

■ To book your tickets, call 0844 581 2345 or visit www.motorcyclelive.co.uk

Fancy 15% off Fogtech?

We’re not above pulling in favours here at CMM... so when Paul Berryman from Project SpaKat (see page 80) joined we knew we’d screw something decent out of him in return.

Paul runs Visorvision, a place where everything is angled to looking after your helmet and your visor and you can get a whopping 15% off Fogtech simply by being a reader of CMM. So, if you’re planning on wearing a visor, spectacles, safety goggles or a welding mask at any point this winter then listen up!

Our friends at Visorvision are offering CMM readers a deal on the awesome Fogtech anti-fog. Bertie’s used it for years, and confirms that it’s that rarest of things; an anti-fog wipe that actually

14 / classic motorcycle mechanics

does what it says on the tin and works!

If you want to take advantage of this offer, pop along to www.visorvision.co.uk and stick the code CMM1315 into the discount code box at checkout. You’ll get 15% off any Fogtech product in your basket.

How good is that?

Our two shots from Motorcycle Live will doubtless be cunningly recycled before the end of this magazine.

Should you spot them send a postcard to the normal address marked “I spotted the same two pictures in CMM and demand a prize” to Bertie Simmonds.

The most useful gear we’ve found this month

SANTA POD IS SUPER We took a wander along to Santa Pod to experience the Extreme Bike Weekend and enjoyed ourselves immensely.

At the Extreme Bike Weekend you will find the cream of Europe’s drag bikes and riders headlining the bill but there’s still room for the average Joe to enter his bike for a race against the clock along the famed Santa Pod quarter of a mile.

Hiding among the Hayabusas and Pro Stock bikes we found some more familiar machines taking part. A tasty Z900-based sprinter was a highlight and a CB100N raised smiles if not its front wheel. There were plenty of GSX1100-based machines lurking in the shadows and our own Sean Allen was there ragging his LC/YPVS hybrid. The main event was on Sunday... but I had some jumble to sell at Newark.

What the day did tell me was how much fun a sprint/drag event can be.

Should we run our own

SPARTAN WATERPROOF RIDER WEAR

Cheap, quality and very cheerful and also waterproof – the jackets also come in short and long versions.

Various colours and sizes, trousers £59.99 jackets £69.99. www.oxprod.com

WEISE SILK INNER GLOVE

CMM one at the Pod? Maybe akin to the CMM/Gibson’s Dyno Day it will bring a lot of likeminded modern classic riders together as well as giving people the chance to pit themselves against the clock.

Scott Redmond.

■ Check out: www.santapod.co.uk

Newark proves to be normous fun After a few ‘perhaps not quite so normous as usual for various reasons such as the weather’ Newarks of late, Scott Redmond says he was chuffed to see the place heaving once again with buyers and sellers on October 6.

There was plenty of bike stuff to tempt the crowd. The autumnal sunshine was also a welcome visitor.

I was manning my jumble pitch most of the day and had some nice feedback on my jumble feature (it’s in the October 2013 issue) and good chats about the bikes we find interesting here at CMM, proof auto jumbling is as much a social event as it is commercial.

The punters kept coming and even at

Made from 100% pure silk, obviously, these are naturally breathable and act as an effective insulator for when you’re layering up.

These also help stop you pulling out the inner lining of winter gloves, and act as a nice layer under summer gloves. Unisex sizes M-XL for £8.99. www.thekeycollection.co.uk

PROBIKE ART

If you want gorgeous shots taken of you and your bike to keep forever – then go no further. www.probikeart.co.uk

KEIS X800 HEATED OUTER GLOVE

If you’ve got warm hands then you’re in full control of your bike, which is why these look good to us. Micro element technology provides reliable heat.

These can be fitted direct to your battery or a 12v socket. Available in black, sizes S-XL. £149.99. www.keisapparel.co.uk

WEISE PSYCHO II JACKET

2pm there was a healthy mass of folk looking for that elusive bargain. The next one is this weekend November 17.

No, we don’t like the name, but we like the spec of this Cordura/leather jacket. It has a waterproof drop liner and removable quilted inner. New vent system keeps you cool, should the weather go the other way. Zips are pukka YKK ones and there’s extensive use of reflective material for night rides. CE armour in elbows, shoulders and back. Sizes S-4XL black only and £189.99. www.weise-clothing.co.uk

www.classicmechanics.com / 15

so you can joy in our pages, d an e id pr R U YO ers.

We want to see e with fellow read or st re d an e rid u share what yo .co.uk or mail immonds@mortons bs to s ot sh s -re ag. Let us know Email your hi the front of the m at s es dr ad e th and after in some photos to it and send before ne do ve u’ yo w ho and ertie what you’ve done Do get in touch. B shots if you can.

any We’ve teamed up with The Hobby Comp a www.hobbyco.net which distributes Tamiy our give to UK the in kits cycle motor plastic favourite restoration one of its amazing motorcycles in miniature. So, send in your the pictures of your bikes and you could win chance to indulge in a miniature motorcycle restoration of your own. Remember to send your name and address on each submission so we know where to post the kit.

Kristyan Chudziak’s Honda CBX750 This isn’t standard but has some interesting features. I have a cut-out switch fitted for added security, the small lights on the back fairing beside the word Honda are my fog lights – which are brilliantly bright and the front has daylight running lights in the form of LED strip and bullet HiViz, the screen is from the maligned touring version and yes it has twin air-horns fitted! Pedestrians and cars will move out of your way, believe me!

The bike isn’t standard although whenever I feel nostalgic I have a full set of fairings which have the original decals, so I have the best of both worlds. The paint scheme was refreshed four years ago to an Audi metallic silver rather than the gunmetal silver it was born with, and I think it looks a wee bit more modern for it. Looking at the pictures I now know why I love the bike so much – it really has a look of its own.

24 / classic motorcycle mechanics

KIT WINNE R

Patrick Hostler’s Yamaha RD350LC YPVS and AJS 350

Thought you’d like to see my 350s – where 26 years separate them! The Yamaha has undergone a full rebuild, having been purchased, while clicking through eBay late one night with rose-tinted spectacles. If I had been wearing my glasses, I may have noticed the wreck I was buying.

It has taken four years and a small mortgage to complete, but it was finally finished this summer. I must thank Norbo (LC CRAZY) for help and parts, and Andy Holmes aka ‘Trigg’ who came to the rescue when both patience and mechanical competence both became very thin on the ground! There are still a few teething problems to sort but it’s as much fun to ride as the one I had back in 1983!

The AJS is a 1957 350 16MS and was bought in Huddersfield, in the fully restored condition you see it in. I have been attending Jampot bike rallies (the annual bash for AJS club members) for over 10 years with friends, and slowly but surely the ‘old Brit bug’ finally got the better of me.

Although they share the same displacement they are of course totally different machines to ride, but in their own ways just as enjoyable as each other. With the AJ, you just have to sit back and let the bike take you at its own speed, but with the Yamaha things are a little more frantic!

Antero Viitala’s 1976 Harley-Davidson SX T125 In the 1970s I was very upset, because they did not import SXTs to Finland, only those SS street models. I found this bike while in the States and my wife said it was too cute to leave there so I bought it.

When the bike arrived home I took it to pieces and noticed the frame was suffering corrosion underneath the fuel tank, the only place where there was primer also and not only just the topcoat. The frame was resprayed by yours truly as well as all the other black parts. All the red parts I left as original. Some parts also needed to be replated.

The fuel tank was a real disaster inside. It was cleaned using citric-acid and got an unleaded fuel-resistant thick coating. All oil seals and bearings to the engine were changed, (the oil filler plug was broken and had let some moisture inside the motor), and so were all the gaskets. I have ridden it and no one has said it’s not a ‘real’ Harley yet (some wise-guys suggested it’s an Aermacchi).

In his song called Harley-Davidson Steve Gibbons, from Brum, sings: “…says more about a man, than Johnny Cash ever can”.

Now, by looking at SXT, you can decide if he is right. I’m sure he is.

Craig Bullen’s 1973 Yamaha DT3

Tony Plumb’s Honda Bros 650 Thanks to your magazine I bought a 1988 Honda Hawk GT and have not looked back: it is light and has ample performance for a pensioner of more than 70 years. With that in mind I bought a Honda Bros 650 as well and to my surprise it is the very one that you featured in issue 294. I just wanted a project to keep me busy. Here are pictures of the finished Bros. I love these bikes – they’re light and easy to ride – which helps as my knees are shot. You simply press the button and go.

G’day from Australia from an expat. This bike has taken me about a year to restore. I found it on eBay, totally in bits. It was a frame, engine, tank, seat, wheels, mudguards and a box of bits for $1000.

I immediately fell in love with it, even though it was a pile of parts. I have no idea why (as I could tell a few essentials were missing like the forks) but I bought it there and then.

After I unloaded the frame and placed it in my garage it started to dawn on me what I’d taken on.

Although I’m fairly mechanically savvy (had bikes since I was 13 and now I’m 48) I’d never taken a bike totally apart and then rebuilt it, let alone bought a 40-year-old bike in kit form and rebuilt it. I took all the parts out of the boxes and laid them out to see what I actually had, and then placed the tank on the frame. It all seemed worth it from then on.

I must admit I did cheat a bit, as I purchased a dodgy old DT2 that was mostly there and began to not only copy it but steal small parts like screws and washers etc. And I nicked the forks, which I reconditioned and polished – spending hours with various grades of wet’n’dry and Solvol.

So, to cut a long story short, here’s the old girl looking sweet. She really is a joy to look at and runs great.

www.classicmechanics.com / 25

32 / classic motorcycle mechanics

Classic Look

DAVE’S

RD

DELIGHT… dave higgins has the UK’s foremost collection of round-tank RDs, but why and how did the bug bite?

And why embark on a quest to complete the set?

Words & photos: Del FReegARD

B

ack in the late 1980s, dave higgins set out to collect the entire range of round-tank Yamaha rds and he’s now very close to fulfilling that aim.

Dave says: “It started in 1989. I wanted to get one bike in every single colour and design that was produced.

When I started to collect brochures I began to find other colours turning up so then I had to try and go and buy the bike.”

It’s fair to say that Dave is a complete RD nut – just look at the pictures if you want proof. Bikes everywhere – even indoors – and memorabilia, New old stock parts and brochures can be found in every nook and cranny.

“I keep all my Yamaha books in the spare bedroom along with all my new old stock spare parts,” he says. “I will not build a bike until I have got all the spare parts ready as I got fed up with having half built bikes all over the place. I have my own blast cabinet and a compressor I try not to sub work out and try to do it all myself.”

It’s this attention to detail which means Dave likes to seek out original parts rather than get things repainted or redone. He explains: “one of the hardest

jobs is finding new old stock paintwork. I do not like fitting newly painted because it is not genuine. I did have some done but it never looks 100% original, the painter who did it also got the decals in the wrong place.”

RDs as far as the eye can see – Dave is about as near to the complete round-tank RD set as anyone is likely to get. Respect.

“I presently have two more bikes to build and only one is missing from the complete line-up. I have one in brilliant red that needs building and I just need a few more parts for it to finish the collection. I have a new brilliant red B tank in a box. I have a lot of NOS stuff to build that bike the only second-hand parts are the frame and top and bottom cases. I also have a brand new butterfly blue and a competition green still in the boxes, so I’ve still got plenty to do!”

Dave’s fascination for the round-tank RD family stems from way back when. “Back in the 1970s I ordered and paid for the blue RD250A but had to wait for my 17th birthday and ended up with an orange 250B. When I went to pick it up the dealer told me I had a better model than the A that I originally ordered. www.classicmechanics.com / 33

46 / classic motorcycle mechanics

New for 1973, Yamaha’s RD250A made no bones about the fact that it had race bike DNA running through it. So was it really an escapee from the track?

Scoop rides one and finds that he’s laughing all the way.

WORDS: STEVE COOPER PHOTOS: JOE DICK

U

ndoubtedly I have a serious riding face on the outside but there’s a humungous smile on the inside; even a laugh or two! I’m finally back on an air-cooled Yamaha RD. It’s clearing its lungs and searing across an ancient concrete road as I steer it effortlessly avoiding inevitable potholes getting positioned for another picture. Life is undeniably good.

Coffin tanked RDs have consistently eclipsed the round tankers but the early bikes are finally receiving their share of coverage. They were never graced with speed blocks, angular lines, alloy wheels or tail pieces in 1973-76. They sit just ahead of the ever so slightly conservative 60s and timidly confident early 70s machines and just before the confident brash market dominators of that would bookmark the 1980s. Based around the preceding Europa range the early RDs luxuriated in a driveability conferred by the ubiquitous reed valves that made them so much easier to ride than either predecessors or their rivals.

The world changed irreparably in 1973 when Yamaha launched the RD range. Finally the road-going twins would benefit from an induction system that had unquestionably proved its worth in competition. From 125 and up to the 350, the AS, CS, DS and R series of machines would henceforth lose their individual capacity prefixes and become one big happy family of RD or Race Developed motorcycles. Yamaha made clinically cutting capitol of the race track heritage (real or implied). The RD250 swiftly became the weapon of choice for any learner. Leaving Honda’s CB250 to one side and generally some distance behind there had been three frontrunners for the title of most potent learner machine.

Kawasaki’s S1 was the left field offering with an extra pot and buckets of kudos; the technically more advanced disc valved Samurai twin had been pensioned off in 1971. Suzuki reworked the Super Six/T20/Hustler to deliver the GT250 in Europe. The S1 was always a marketing exercise trying to ensnare aspirant H1/2 owners while the GT250 was a gallant effort to extract more life out of a design that went back as far as 1965. Yamaha’s capable and worthy YDS7 was only two and half years old when it got the glam paint, vinyl graphics, disc brake and reed valves that turned Cinderella into a princess. The round tanked RDs would run to 1976 before morphing into the coffin tanked range then replaced by the LCs in 1980.

The power valve in 1983 was yet another race developed part aimed at getting more power from the basic and simple design. Over the successive years the hydrocarbon hegemony would shuttlecock between the three protagonist. RD250 v GT250, LC250 v RG,

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54 / classic motorcycle mechanics

Reader’s Special

Bear with us you stinkwheel fans, your time will come. But for today W we take a look at an American OR DS :S model Gixxer 1100.

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TOP! Don’t you dare turn over the page, yes you, I know it’s a ‘plastic fantastic’ but please, take a few minutes to read this article. I’ve been doing these Reader’s Special features for more than four years now, and in that time the sands of time have flowed all too quick. So remember, this magazine only reflects what you, the reader, is building, buying and dreaming of owning. I understand that if you’re a die-hard 1970s two-stroke fan then this monster of a GSX-R 1100 won’t be of immediate interest to you, but if I promise to find some saucy Seventies stinkwheels for you would you please consider reading this with an open mind?

The classic market is constantly evolving, I first saw this bike a few years back, I wanted to feature it then but it was deemed far too modern by my superiors, therefore it never got further than a brief email exchange with the-then editor. Fast forward a few years and the rest of the classic scene has caught up with my vision that a 1990s bike can be called a classic. ‘Classic’, that word haunts me. Let’s not have the whole ‘what’s a classic’ discussion here and now but any bike with a family tree than runs back to the 1986 GSX-R1100G is a model worth a few pages of anyone’s mag?

Are you still there? Hello?

The last four years of finding Readers’ Specials for CMM has opened my eyes up to you the reader, I’ve met some fascinating folk and the one thing they all share is a passion for motorcycles. I’ve seen some incredible garages full of dream bikes and also humble wooden sheds bursting with various components awaiting time and attention. Every doorstep visit I make is an adventure into the world of someone else’s life.

The point I’m trying really badly to make is that it doesn’t matter how old the bike is, what model it is, it’s the connection between man and that machine that fires me up and that’s why for the last few years I’ve www.classicmechanics.com / 55

retro SUZUKI TL1000R W ORDS & p hOt OS : KA R L EE

70 / classic motorcycle mechanics

I

Using the higher-revving TL1000R motor (1000rpm higher than the TLS) as our base, we’ve squeezed more than the stock rear-wheel figure out of ours. Instead of 120bhp, (Suzuki quotes 135bhp at the crank) we reckon a true 150bhp is easily possible in a modern-day motor with modest head work, lighter internals, some dyno time, air filter, Power Commander and some rorty cans. The lighter weight and additional ram-air intake ensure this TLR breathes as well as is possible. The TLs always sound like thunder, this will be no exception.

Bodywork and paint is heavily inspired by the beautiful 2005 Suzuki GSV-R MotoGP machine. Though we’ve retained some features from the original TLR, we’ve also set out to emphasise that our bike is visually lighter as well as physically, so gone is the oversized ducktail unit, to be replaced by… a much smaller ducktail unit. And if we really had our way, we’d build a lightweight track day version with carbon panels and a full Yoshimura race system too...

CHASSIS

BODYWORK

ENGINE

f a new V-twin sportbike is to appear via Japan, we can only hope it will come from Suzuki, which created a monster back in the 1990s. Big performance V-twins have been an area that the Japanese have dabbled in for years. Keen to get on the V-twin bandwagon, Honda gave us the VTR1000 FireStorm while Suzuki thrust the feisty TL1000S on us in 1997, followed closely by the fully-faired TL1000R. While the Honda was a reasonable road bike, it was the Suzuki TLS that caught the imagination, boasting more power than the Ducati 916.

The price for this trait was a reputation of instability, especially on the TLS due to the unique rear suspension – a compact rotary damper which didn’t hold enough oil. The TLR (Suzuki’s WSB candidate which never actually replaced the GSX-R750 inline four) suffered more through association, as although it had even more top-end bhp, it was also heavier to offset this gain. Poor sales meant that production of the TLR ground to a halt in 2003 and while the motor lived on in the SV1000, the dream of a V-twin Japanese World Superbike winner wasn’t realised until the Honda SP-1 came along. Please Suzuki, have another stab…

Our heavily modified GSX-R1000 frame wears 43mm Showa Big Piston Forks from the same bike and a tweaked swingarm. We’ve thrown away the rotary shock from the stock bike and used a conventional Showa item. The front radial calipers are from Brembo, and the forged alloy wheels come from the Marchesini factory. Our TLR also features adjustable rearsets. cmm

THE

OR

IGIN

AL

What do you think? Is this the V-twin we should be

hyperventilating for? Or are we talking tosh! And what do you want to see being part of the CMM Retro Reboot for the next issue? Drop us a mail at the normal address. www.classicmechanics.com / 71

The shed…

If it’s news on parts, tools, where to find NOS parts, goodie giveaways or the place where Pip Higham the priest of power preaches from his pulpit then you’re in The Shed. Welcome.

Oooh, is that swarf in your eye?

Horny exhausts from Higgspeed That legend from the tuning world Higgspeed is now producing a range of gorgeous pipes with modernlooking end-cans for your two-stroke.

We caught up with the man himself David Higgs at the Stafford Show. He said: “We’ve always produced the more traditional style of upswept exhausts that we Brits tend to prefer, but a trip to Norway showed me that this style of exhaust is also popular. We’ve seen our American and Canadian cousins go mad for this style of exhaust, too.”

So, thanks to (literally) worldwide demand, Higgspeed is now making this style of exhaust. They are handmade in the UK from stainless steel with the addition of your choice of end-can. These are available in silver, black aluminium or carbon fibre.

Again, these are custom made in various lengths to (as Dave so eloquently puts it) “suit your ears – the shorter they are the louder they get!”

Available for all the various 1970s strokers that

74 / classic motorcycle mechanics

If you’re a big oil user you can make some big savings by ordering large, according to The Vintage Oil Company.

Phil Haywood from TVOC says: “We can supply SAE30, 40 and 50 detergent free monogrades and classic multigrades at up to 25% cheaper if you order the 25 litre size instead of the normal five litre oil cans.”

■ And, Phil says delivery to your door isn’t a problem. So call him on 01283 509562 or mail him on: vintageoil@aol.co.uk

Higgspeed looks after (such as Kawasaki and Suzuki triples and Yamaha RDs) these have been developed on Roy Richardson’s dyno, the TT and Manx race star, who is just round the corner – so they provide top performance as well as sound and looks.

■ A full list of prices and purchase information is available on the website www.higgspeed.com

Wakefield College course

You can go Ape It seems we were a little premature over the demise of one of biking’s enduring bike shops.

Back in our October issue, you’ll remember a snippet in news which said that Ape Accessories in Kettering had ceased trading or was about to.

Well, apparently we were a bit too quick in reporting that news because legendary owner Colin Hill has stepped into the breach once more and is still doing servicing, MoTs and selling goodies from the firm’s premises.

As Bertie lives up the road (and he made the mistake) we sent him along to apologise. Colin says that he couldn’t just let Ape disappear so he’s back for the foreseeable

Oil be blowed!

future. Ape Accessories was linked for many years with Motor Cycle News in the 1980s and Performance Bikes in the 1990s.

Its proximity to both offices meant Ape was the go-to shop when lazy journalists wanted something done cheap. Okay, for free. Little wonder Bertie likes it there.

Colin says: “Despite my love of pre 1965 motocross I’m back here and there’s plenty of business to be had. In the first week of coming back I’ve had around 13 MoTs alone.” Now, this is the place that has been going since 1977 and that undercut Halfords on the Paddy Hopkirk range and who took on Peugeot Scooters in the 1990s

before anyone even knew what a Speedfight was.

■ With Colin looking at easing back (sometime soon) he’s up for listening to people who’d like to take over. So call him on Ape’s number: 01536 516078.

We’ve had a few of these since last month, but if you live oop ’ere then why not this course?

If your bike is your pride and joy, learn to look after it with the Wakefield College course. This will help you service and identify parts on your bike. The course is 90% workshop based and 10% classroom and assessment is by practical means.

It’s a one evening per week course (normally Tuesdays) so why not give it a go? Fees are around £195.

■ Contact tutor, Mark Butcher, on 01924 789453 m.butcher@wakefield.ac.uk

Shed product news ATIK GRAPHICS

If you need graphics (and don’t we all at some point on our restorations) then look no further. Phil Hickey at Atik Graphics is the man. He can handle bespoke demands or the normal factory-fit options. Ring Phil himself on: 07918 758760

BRITOOL EXPERT TOOL BAG

This is the Britool Expert Backpack with Wheels (E010602B). This mobile tool case takes portability to another level by combining a backpack with a pull-along trolley. Aimed at mobile engineers and technicians, the case can be carried on the back using the adjustable, padded shoulder straps or pulled along via a telescopic handle and a pair of integrated wheels, much like a flight bag. This costs £99 and you can find more from: www.britool-expert.co.uk

BRITOOL TAPE MEASURES

Man must measure, sayeth an old school book. With this in mind, Britool has launched a range of precision, compact tape measures. Four models are available: 2m x 16mm (E140101B); 3m x 16mm (E140102B); 5m x 19mm (E140103B) and 8m x 25mm (E140104B) and prices start at £3.90 Go to: www.britool-expert.co.uk

OIL ABSORBING PADS

Laser Tools’ own pads, they repel water and absorb oil and petroleum-based fluids. The pads are 100% polypropylene construction, strong, durable and offer terrific absorption — 0.6 litre per pad. Each pad is 500mm x 400mm and 2mm thick, supplied in a pack of 10 and pre-cut to divide each pad into two if required.

Around a tenner a pack: www.lasertools.co.uk

WEMOTO SLINKY GLIDE CABLES

Editor Bert has used these and loves ’em! Recently, Slinky Glide cables have been adding to the Slinky Glide replacement speedo and throttle cable ranges.

We could mention quality and Teflon but how about price? A 1992 Honda CBR900RR Fireblade Slinky Glide cable costs just £9.95 while OE Honda is £21.12: www.wemoto.com

The high priest of power on the lure of three wheels.

I

have a terrible admission to make: I have bought three wheelers, I have fixed three wheelers and I have sold some of them too.

Stan The Welding Man had a great analogy for being a passenger in a Reliant, he likened it to being dragged around on a spade. These threewheeled exploits vapourised as the sales of anything with two wheels went into orbit in the early 1970s.

Picture the scene: first thing in the morning, 10 or 12 new bikes lined up ready to go, unfortunately the prospective riders were anything but. With anyone being allowed to ride anything up to 250cc, thankfully most customers had the sense to buy a TS or a GT in the middle bracket, rarely venturing past 185ccs. Some just wanted a cheap, reliable, bulletproof means of transporting themselves and three or four ferrets/pigeons/fishing rods to and from work and pub. Enter the Bloop! Actually the B100P, as in ‘Bee one hundred Pee’ or latterly ‘The Student’ – ha ha! I never ever sold a ‘Student’ to anybody who even knew what a 2:1 was! But they were just normal Joes so after a perfunctory check on insurance details and L plate requirements it was time to take to the road (well, Blantyre Avenue.) It sounds brutal but the first requirement of riding a bike was knowing how to slow it down.

At this point I would leave them to go through the turn on and start up/turn off ritual for a quarter of an hour by which time they were well aware of the job of the right hand grip. Next came a short glide down the street with the engine running but without engaging any gear. With one hand on the back of the seat I’d shove them down the slight incline, then run alongside and ask them to apply both brakes in turn. At this stage I could tell if they were ready, sometimes I would tap the gear lever into second and ease the throttle a hair, then immediately pull in the clutch and coast to a halt.

There was a lot of running involved in this process and I could keep up for about 50 yards, if not then I had to shout: PULL THE CLUTCH IN! I found that the few minutes spent earlier understanding the throttle was enough to keep most people upright. A few careful ambles up and down the road and they were ready to fly solo. I realise that in these litigious days I would probably be writing this from the confines of a cell but I never lost a patient and lots of my customers became friends... and apart from the bloke who knew everything none of them ran into anything.

The bloke who knew everything told me to sod off as he could ride anything. ‘What? Even a 750 with a sidecar?’ I quizzed. With that he fired said sidecar up, stomped it into first and careered across the road in a kind of lazy left handed arc. As the sidecar wheel shot up in the air he shut the throttle. This performed two functions, the wheel came down and the combo went straight into the side of a beige Reliant parked outside the chippy. ‘You didn’t say it would do that!’ he uttered as he straightened his indignance. Ah well, one less plastic pig anyway.

www.classicmechanics.com / 75

Yes, yes – we know it’s the GTO, but the motor is the same, okay?

Bridgestone GTR350 Is there really a two-stroke motor that Stan’s not delved deep into?

Well, stand by to be surprised…

T

he Bridgestone GTR350 engine must be the only two-stroke classic engine that I had never worked on; our paths had never crossed. I had seen pictures of the bike, all chrome and polished alloy, lovely.

The bike and especially the engine was years ahead of its time. It had a six-speed gearbox, air-cooled clutch, double disc valve induction, twin carbs, chrome plated bores and a very short compact crank with sturdy con rods and horizontally split crankcases. All this on a bike from the mid 1960s.

The story I have heard about the GTR350 may be just folklore but I will relate it anyway. When Soichiro Honda first came over to the TT he was horrified to hear people calling Japanese bikes ‘cheap Jap crap’. When he got back to Japan he called a meeting of the many Japanese motorcycle manufacturers to make a co-ordinated plan to showcase Japan’s products. One of the main points was to make good quality bikes at a price that would be attractive. Mr Honda told Bridgestone that the GTR was too advanced and was too expensive to make and that Bridgestone would not be able to produce the bike at the 96 / classic motorcycle mechanics

Carnage on a bench...

Simple solutions: Sometimes, people WILL prey upon your better nature. Sometimes the result is worth it.

1 current price and that all the other Japanese manufacturers would struggle to compete. Mr Honda said that Bridgestone should stop making bikes and stick to making tyres and that Honda would always use Bridgestone tyres.

I had a phone call from a customer in Scotland, he had a GTR350 and would I be interested in overhauling it. I said I would and he offered to bring it down, I suggested he send it by courier but he insisted he delivered it as it was already stripped. I should have been doubtful then as I had never worked on one but I agreed anyway. The customer drove down from Scotland taking all day and stayed overnight in a hotel. When he arrived and opened the doors of his vehicle I have never seen anything like it, not only were the parts strewn all over the floor they were just corroded and rusted lumps of metal.

I was horrified. He said: “This is why I wanted to bring it down myself, I thought if I sent it down by courier when you saw it you would have sent it straight back but if I had taken three days for the round trip you couldn’t really say ‘take it back’, could you?” The story of the engine was that the guy had stripped it down 40-odd years ago and it had been left on the dirt floor of the shed at his home. Someone else then bought it and lost a lot of the parts and my customer had got it back and decided to rebuild the bike to its former glory. I suppose this article is more about the fact that anything is possible to rebuild no matter what condition it is in as long as the right people do the work.

The following week I spread the carnage out on the bench and went through it to find what was missing, there was a parts catalogue with it so I worked out all the part numbers of the parts that were needed and gave the guy a ring and put the task of sourcing in his hands.

Many months later the parts started to arrive, mainly from the USA. There seemed to be more GTRs over there. In the meantime I had found that Bruce at Grampian Motors in Liverpool had built GTR cranks

2 before and he knew what parts from other engines’ cranks were interchangeable so I happily sent him the crank. The cylinder barrels were originally chrome plated bores. I had a word with the firm I use for Nicosil plating barrels, Langcourt Engineering in Weston-super-Mare, I told them how bad the barrels were and sent them down to them.

The engine was intended to look like new, I entrusted the polishing to Candy Wheels that I have used for years.

The aqua-blasting the crankcases and the bead blasting the heads and barrels I took to TSR in Sevenoaks that do all my work. All the steel parts that had to be chrome plated or zinc plated I had done by a local firm I have just started using, Colmor Finishing.

As you can see from the finished article they all excelled themselves. It was then my turn, time to start putting it together. Although fairly orthodox a lot of the engine was over-engineered, for example the main bearings and even the big-ends were force fed with oil.

There were large crank oil seals behind the massive main bearings and I noticed the original seals had broken up although the engine was low mileage, the seals were unobtainable and all other two-strokes manage okay without force fed big ends so I converted the crank to run on normal oil mist oiling. Something else that is worth remembering on an engine from that period is that ISO Standards for thread pitches came out after the early GTRs and many of the threads pitches were 1.5 instead of the later 1.25.

When I look at the finished engine I feel some satisfaction that this fine piece of Japanese early engineering will be running again. cmm

1/ Parts delivered like this were a mess!

2/ While some of the information needed figuring out...

3/ Some GTR parts were over engineered.

4/ But the finished result was well worth it!

Handy phone numbers.

3

4

■ Grampian Motors 0151 931 5009 ■ Langcourt Engineering 01934 612226 ■ Candy Wheels 01959 571122 ■ TSR 01732 462883 ■ Colmor Finishing 0845 557 7406

www.classicmechanics.com / 97

E CO OPER

WOR

DS:

STEV

BUY E GUIDR’S E BRAKES

Good basic braking system. Seals to caliper and master cylinder may need replacing.

ELECTRICS

Generally good, just look out for corrosion. Dash panel has a brake warning facility so don’t panic at the sign of a red light.

PANELS & TRIM

Generally good but ensure seat trim and twin gills on side panel are present.

ENGINE

Rattling chains may mean problems; investigate or walk away. Oil mist at top end is common due to the three gasket faces but it’s not necessarily a major issue.

112 / classic motorcycle mechanics

This month’s subject matter hails from a period when USA legislators and Scandinavian environmentalists were kicking off big time. The Yamaha TX500 and its three-quarter litre brother were produced in response to concerns that two-strokes were gross polluters.

T

he smog that hung over LA and similar areas was easily (and unfairly) attributed to two-strokes.

Pollution from outboard motors in Finnish and Swedish lakes was the fault of two-stroke outboards but not motorcycles. Even though falsely accused, the days of the stinkwheel motorcycle were numbered and something had to be done.

Yamaha’s considered response was the TX500/750 duo. Bearing little if any resemblance to the outstandingly successful XS650 the new twins were viewed as Yamaha’s future.

Shunning four-cylinder road bikes as being too complicated, too expensive and far too much like anything made by Honda, Yamaha’s engineers once again reinvented the parallel twin for the third time in as many years.

The TX500 was emphatically different in design from the XS/TX650 or the TX750. The biggest single difference from its big brothers was the engine configuration. The 500 runs a 180º crank as opposed to the 360º unit used on the bigger siblings. As if seeking to further differentiate the bike from the rest

EXHAUSTS

NOS silencers do occasionally turn up; used ones can be rechromed.

Aftermarket units have been made at various times and don’t seem to upset carburation.

www.classicmechanics.com / 113

Q&A Suzuki Burgman 650AN

Cagiva River

Q:

Q:

With a cold engine it doesn’t respond to quick throttle openings. There is a bit of a difference once the engine is warm – though from about 55mph upwards, when the throttle is open to accelerate, the bike starts to chug and miss. If the throttle is held open to hold speed to 55-60 after about two miles the engine smooths out. The bike will go up to 70mph, using gentle throttle, when joining a motorway, but will not take heavy acceleration.

I wired a switch into the diagnosis plug and when the fuel injection light came on the codes 24 and 25 came up. The light resets after ignition is turned off and restarted, when the diagnosis switched on with engine off it shows -c00(no code.) The throttle position is correct, I have carried out an ohms test on ignition coils and crank shaft sensor and all are correct.

Allan Brown

Our very own wizened sages, Messrs Mark Haycock, Stan Stephens and Steve Cooper are here to answer all your woes, be they mechanical or spiritual. Every month we will be giving some model-specific advice and some general knowledge, while we also want YOUR top spannering tips.

Meanwhile Mr Mark Williams opens up his casebook as CMM’s own agony uncle…

Can anyone help me? Do you know what other starter motor will fit this machine as I cannot get one and I’ve tried everywhere.

Jimmy Adams

Does your Burgman burp?

A:

The C24 and C25 codes are errors within the ignition system. The ECM has detected that no signal was received from the ignition coil for (what it regards as) an extended period i.e. 0.5 seconds. This is generally caused by a poor electrical supply to the system (perhaps because the battery voltage is low or the battery itself is unserviceable) or a bad electrical contact in a wiring connector, or possibly a faulty ignition coil.

A:

This is a Mitsuba motor, identified as 36496 on the outside I believe, though I do not think that is a code used

by Mitsuba.

You could try to contact Mitsuba in Japan directly: the email is koho@mitsuba.co.jp Alternatively, would it not be possible to repair your current motor?

I assume that it has burnt out in which case it could be re-wound by a specialist such as startermotorman, who can be contacted on 0239 234 8920.

Hope that helps!

Mark’s rapid fire tips ■ How do you determine the correct angle for the handlebar controls? Sit on the bike, extend your fingers in line with your arms and lower your hands on to the grips. The levers should be just touching your outstretched fingers: then the switches will be in the right place too.

■ Take care when routing the battery breather pipe: any part of the bike underneath the end will get a dose of acid. Most critical is the rear chain.

■ When removing a cylinder block or barrel, remember that when the piston(s) emerge they will fall, possibly knocking the con rod against the

■

■

■

■

crankcase mouth. Use padding first to prevent damage.

When removing a gearbox output sprocket with a single large locking nut, how do you stop the shaft from turning when undoing it? Your bike has a locking device fitted: it is called the rear brake.

Not using your bike for the winter? Drain the carbs, as fresh fuel from the tank will make starting much easier when you use it again.

How many balls in an uncaged ball bearing, such as a steering head?

Usually, as many as will fit less one is correct.

Grab hold of your rear

chain and try to pull it away from the rear sprocket: if you can see any gap between the chain and sprocket, it is worn out.

■ Acrylic (‘Perspex’) tank badges form micro-cracks after decades of sunlight.

You can often repair them by carefully filling them with acetone (nail varnish remover) applied with a tiny brush.

■ Not a stickler for historic accuracy? Then throw away your old selenium rectifier (with the square orange plates) and use a modern replacement as your battery charging will improve no end.

From shocking to shiny, just add B&Q!

YOUR TIPS!

Aqua blasting is all the rage at the moment.

I’ve been doing that for years at home using a cheap B&Q pressure washer (£25) and a sandblaster pick up lance (eBay £9.99).

I used to use special sand that you had to buy from B&Q, but you can use dry sand from a builder’s merchant or glass beads if you want to be posh. After you have done your cases this way all you have to do is clear lacquer them and they look just like the original, not polished. There seems to be an obsession with polishing casings but this gives good results.

Paul Miller

128 / classic motorcycle mechanics

Send your queries to: bsimmonds@mortons.co.uk or write to Problem Solver, CMM, PO Box 99, Horncastle, Lincs LN9 6LZ

Five Minute Fixes: Brake linings

31K CDI knackered?

Yamaha RD350LC YPVS 31K

Q:

Do you know anyone who can check or test CDI units? And what are the obvious symptoms if a CDI unit is faulty?

Eric Blakeley

A:

The usual symptom for a faulty CDI unit is no sparks at all, as opposed to occasional sparks or sparks at the wrong time.

Other components in the system include the pulser source and ignition coils, as well as electrical connectors and wires, and one of these is probably more likely to be the culprit.

I suggest that you get hold of a copy of either the genuine Yamaha or Haynes workshop manuals as there is a test sequence to follow to determine where the ignition fault lies, and the correct electrical resistance readings you should have.

1998 Suzuki GSX-R1100WT

Q:

I am trying to find an aftermarket 4-into-1 complete exhaust system for my 1100WT with no success. Could you tell me if any other models will bolt straight on, maybe a 1200 Bandit or any of the other GSX-Rs? I don’t mind having to make a new bracket etc. as long as the manifold fits. I know I could buy a new exhaust but I really don’t want to spend that kinda money on the old girl.

Neil Purcell

A:

I believe that you can fit the pipe assembly from a GSXR1000 K3 or K4 model, with some difficulty. You will need to heat a few parts to change the shape a little to get it to fit. I do not know if it is possible to fit the silencer also, but you might be able to knock something up.

Maybe a K3/4 zorst would fit?

Never, ever, take a brake shoe lining for granted. Almost without exception Japanese shoes are fixed to their alloy carriers by adhesive alone; you rarely see rivets used.

Eventually dampness, heat and time can and will rupture the adhesive bond causing the lining to come away from the shoe. The two potentially disastrous scenarios here are either your brakes fail or loose lining locks up the wheel. Long term keeper or new project; always and without fail check with a flat blade how good that critical adhesive bond is. Brake shoes are cheap, life isn’t.

1986 Suzuki GSX-R750G

Q:

I recently purchased a 1986 GSXR750G. It is a Jap import, but I have read in your magazine that these bike are restricted to 75bhp and it certainly does not feel as quick as it should be. Where are the restrictions in this bike and how can it be derestricted back to its natural 100bhp?

Derek Moloney

Shoe lining like a loose satsuma skin. Not good.

and a courier (five) along the way, and I’m wondering if this sounds like the basis of a book? The reason I ask is because of your Running out of Road books – one of which I’ve still got! Anyway, I can send you the first three chapters if you like and I hope you can give me some advice.

Biker Bry

A:

Dear Mr Biker. Flattered though I am There is quite a bit of debate on this that you own a copy of RooR, those subject but as far as I can glean, the books were essentially just collections of my restriction is based around two things. The early columns, in other words lazily recycled speed has been limited to 180kph (i.e. the material spiffed up by a few hilarious limit of the markings on the Japanese market cartoons. They only sold because they were speedometer) and this is done electrically at touched by the magic of the mighty organs the speedometer. You might need to check that originally published those rants, so I’m your wiring against a wiring diagram for the afraid a book of random writings by someone UK specification model to see even as experienced and erudite a biker as what differences there are yourself would probably and try cutting any extra wires have little appeal, as an experiment. The other unless you could restriction is by limiting persuade Mr Editor the diameter of the Simmonds to stamp it exhaust pipes near the with the hallowed exhaust ports, and CMM logo. Come to these can be ground think of it, a crisp £50 out to more suitable note might help you dimensions.

Fuel gauge gives it away... there. I should really sneer ‘Leave it to the professionals’, but these days no one earns a crust scribbling about bikes, which is why I make my real living ghostWrite-off! writing Z-list celebrity memoirs and Dear Uncle Mark. For the catalogues for fake Chinese last two months I’ve been laid-up motorcycle spares. cmm recovering from an operation and was originally going to contact you about some of my old classics (as they are now) but ended up writing nearly 20,000 words – and not even got to my 21st birthday yet (I’m 49 by the way). So I’ve decided to write a collection of anecdotes covering such bikes as the XJ650 turbo (when I was only 18), GSX1100 (lots of them), GPz550S, a tricked-up Katana that I rode to Paris, right up to riding my current ZRX1200R over the Alps (several times). I’ve been riding for 33 years and have been a bike instructor (six years) Can’t be Bertie, no muffin top.

A:

Ask Uncle Mark

Q:

www.classicmechanics.com / 129