Classic Motorcycle Mechanics May 2018

HONDA DA CB92 BENLY 60S

Ridden and rated!

HONDA CB125T Buyer’s Guide!

80 0S

AND F 0 5 7 F V ’s a Hond en! d d i r F 0 5 7 R VF

Rebootted!

YAMAHHA RD125LC RETRO

FIVE DEECADES OF MODERN CLASSIC MOTORCYCLE MECHANICS INCLUDING: Speciial coatings, sorting wheel hub bearings. 80s: Suzuki RG500 resto. 70s: Kawasaki Z1-R Turbo restored part 2, Project CB750 K2, Z130 00 and Z1325 in the workshop. Also: Allen Millyard column, Q&A A: Your questions answered, your bikes and your memories!

May 2018 Issue 367

May 2018 Issue 367 Publisher: Dan Savage, asavage@mortons.co.uk Contributors: Joe Dick, Kevin Larkins, Ralph Ferrand.

Art Editor: Justin Blackamore Picture Desk: Paul Fincham, Jonathan Schofield, Angie Sisestean Production Editor: Dan Sharp Divisional advertising team leader: Zoe Thurling zthurling@mortons.co.uk Tel: 01507 529412 Advertising: Robert Bee rbee@mortons.co.uk, Tel: 01507 529575 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 40 for offer): (12 months 12 issues, inc post and packing) – UK £51.60. Export rates are also available – see page 40 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-7pm Saturday 8.30am-12:30pm 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: May 16, 2018 Advertising deadline: April 26, 2018 © 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

The venerable Honda V4s…

We’ve majored on Honda’s V4s this month because – well – it just happened.

We’re relatively organised at CMM and have a number of road tests in the bag (we only like taking pictures of people’s pride and joys during sunny months) so when I realised that we had Jim riding a VF750 F from the mid-1980s and John on a VFR from the mid-1990s it seemed a good idea to put both in one magazine to show the path of development between the two.

With both Jim and John having been there back in the 1980s to witness both the ‘chocolate camshaft crisis’ of the VFs and seeing the resurgence of the V4 layout with the VFR in the mid-1980s and into the 1990s, who better than them to tell the story and ride the bikes?

We’ve taken that still further by getting our marketplace experts Paul and Scottie into

The Professional Publishers Association

Member

Jim Lindsay

Allen Millyard

He’s hard at it with a Benly ride, coatings and wheel hub workshops, his own projects and a CB125T buyer’s guide!

Our mate Jim waxes lyrically about a machine he’s been using day-to-day: his restored VF750 F. He loves it…

You’ll all notice that Allen’s column has gone up by a page – this is by very popular demand from you, the readers!

Older bikes editor

Ralph Ferrand West Country Ralph is back putting the motor in the Z1325’s frame and continuing to sort his Z1300 super six.

Mark Haycock Mark is sorting his Honda CB750 K2’s chain and sprockets and answering some of your pressing questions.

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

www.twitter.com/cmmmag

Steve Cooper

Q&A King

Having trouble finding a copy of this magazine?

Editor

BSimmonds@Mortons.co.uk

www.facebook.com/ClassicMechanics/

Big Zed lover

Independent publisher since 1885

looking at the current state of play with both the pricey and cheaper end of the V4 buying scale. It’s amazing what you can get out there for not much wonga.

Me? Yeah, I’ve always had a soft spot for Honda’s VFR and (finally, I hear you cry) I’m making some progress with my own V4, the Project £100 Hound. She’s stripped and I’m already getting the various bits together to get it sorted and out on the road. For some reason, I can’t wait to hear that glorious gear-driven cacophony in my garage once more.

On the mend!

Kar Lee

Retro Rebooter hits the big 5-0!

More popular than the editor

EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH!

Kar isn’t usually into appearing in the picture credits of this fine organ of motorcycling goodness but just this once we’ve decided to make a special exception for him. This man does our brilliant retro reboots (125LC this ish) and as he’s just hit 50 we declare that the cat-loving artist can now legitimately reboot himself! Happy birthday, Kar, nice purple rinse mate.

Scott Redmond Social media star!

Good ol’ Scottie gives us a ‘The Way We Were’ special on Suzuki’s GSX, while telling us the latest on his SAD SRAD!

John Nutting The ol’ smoothie…

The legend that is Nutters gives us the low-down on arguably Honda’s finest bike from the 1990s: the VFR750 F.

Jeff Ware

Robert Bee

Will Barber

Our Antipodean correspondent returns with a heart-warming tale of an old friend and a lovely RG500 Suzuki…

Big Bad Bob is the main man to speak to, should you wish to advertise in your favourite magazine: CMM!

This month, Will finishes the story on the rebuild of a gorgeous Kawasaki Z1-R TC Turbo.

Digger from Down Under

Ad Contact

Classy classic restorer!

www.classicmechanics.com / 3

62

❙ Q&A

64

❙ KAWASAKI Z1325

68

❙ HONDA VFR750 F-R

72

Ralph Ferrand gets the motor and pipe in the Zed. Idiot editor finally strips his £100 Hound to see what gives.

❙ ALLEN MILLYARD

Allen’s back with THREE pages…

76

❙ SUZUKI GSX-R750 SRAD

78

❙ WORKSHOP: COATINGS

82

❙ HONDA CB750 K2

94

Contents

Mark Haycock with a page of tips.

Scott Redmond on what lies beneath when he strips his bike.

Scoop on a company that can help cover things…

Mark Haycock finally sorts his chain and sprockets!

❙ HONDA CB125T

Scoop on a lovely Honda twin!

110 ❙ KAWASAKI Z1300

Ralph with part two of curing his six’s temperature issues.

114 ❙ WORKSHOP: HUBS AND BEARINGS

Scoop on this essential element!

118 ❙ PROJECT HYBRID

Scoop with the latest on his KH250/500 project!

122 ❙ PROJECT SUZUKI RG500 PART 1

Our Aussie mate Jeff Ware starts a heart-warming build!

127 ❙ DUCATI MULTISTRADA

Bertie on this very weird-looking beast!

06

ARCHIVE

08

CMM MARKETPLACE

10

CMM STUFF

44

12 14

CMM TESTED

52

ENDURANCE LEGENDS

KAWASAKI Z1-R TC TURBO

20

54

FEEDBACK

Was this the pinnacle of Honda V4 design?

Rich man or poor man: we can find a V4 for you!

New kit, tools and tyres and stuff.

We try stuff out.

NEWS

Events, news and what’s occurring.

WIN Bridgestone tyres for our star letter!

22 26

SHOW US YOURS

32

HONDA VFR750 F

WIN S-Doc cleaning kit.

HONDA CB92 BENLY Steve Cooper on this charming early Honda twin.

John Nutting on the best all-round bike of the 1990s…

40 42

60

SUBSCRIBE!

Subscribe and save cash!

SUZUKI GSX

A ‘The Way We Were’ special: WIN Tamiya kits!

HONDA VF750 F

Jim Lindsay rides Honda’s maligned V4.

John Reynolds returns to racing!

Will Barber finishes this amazing machine!

RETRO REBOOT

Kar Lee brings his genius to the tiddler LC!

129 NEXT MONTH 130 PIP HIGHAM

What’s in June’s CMM? Let it shine, says Pip! Or not…

www.classicmechanics.com / 5

Ultimate V4?

WORDS: BERTIE SIMMONDS PHOTOS: MORTONS ARCHIVE

6 / classic motorcycle mechanics

I

n this issue you’ll see we’ve concentrated on the major V4s from Honda of the 1980s and 1990s. These are the road-going gems, the VF750 F and the VFR750 F-R, but while the VF had its faults, those meant that Honda tried even harder with the F-R. It arguably became the best sports-tourer ever.

And then there were the racing V4s. Of the homologation versions (that is, based on ‘road-going’ machines) the VFR750R ‘RC30’ was certainly the most successful and prices show that today, but arguably the ultimate incarnation was its successor, the RC45…

The RC45’s life is really one of two halves.

At birth, the bike – which was launched for the 1994 model year – had a tough reputation to live up to. The RC30 had won the first two World Superbike titles with Fred Merkel and was the bike to beat in race form in the Isle of Man TT. From the very start, on track, the RC45 had a tough life. In the UK the bike of choice for the hard-up privateer was either a Kawasaki ZXR or – if you had some cash – a Ducati 888-based 926/955 and later the 916-based versions. Even a ‘factory’ Castrol-backed squad in 1995 had a mare with the bike, despite having Ian Simpson, Phil Borley and Terry Rymer aboard.

In World Superbike even the factorybacked Castrol Honda squad had issues and that’s with the talents of former champ Doug Polen and Kiwi Aaron Slight on board.

Eventually the bike did win the 1997 WSB title – the talents of John Kocinski and years of development saw to that – and it had some notable successes at the TT with the likes of Steve Hislop and Phil McCallen.

Today, while not as lusted after as the RC30, the RC45 still holds its value well and – while it never had the looks of the Ducati 916 – history has finally been kind to it.

And for that we should be glad. cmm LEFT: Jap-spec 8-Hour bike is ‘horn’!

BELOW LEFT: Road bike looks good.

BELOW: Steve Hislop at 1994 TT.

www.classicmechanics.com / 7

cmm

Marketplace

The pricey Honda V4s Every month we take a look at the classic motorcycle market with a range of industry experts. This month, Paul Jayson from The Motorcycle Broker and our very own Scott Redmond look at Honda’s wonderful V4s: cheap and not so cheap!

I

n the 1980s Honda delivered unlimited cash to the development of race bikes for podium domination.

Perhaps the cash came from booze and tobacco sponsors back in those heady, carcinogenic days and Honda blew it all on delivering race technology to the public.

In 1984 Honda delivered the VF1000R which offered 122bhp and one of the first machines with gear-driven cams, but it lived in the shadow of the camshaft failures of the earlier VF750F. Bad reputations travel quickly and the stink always lingers, so the VF1000R was viewed as ‘the bike that blew up’. Also, 122bhp did lead to a few riders crashing and the bike was also very expensive, so sales weren’t great and the bike was made in very limited numbers.

It also had another problem, it was a porker at 230kg, BUT this bike started a trend that continues to this day: homologation specials. I believe the strangely sexy (okay, when wearing beer-goggles) Phil Read Replica was the very first machine to initiate this idea and the VF1000R carried it onwards.

The motor is incredible and reminds me of Kate Moss: red hot and ready to party; just like those amazing little VFR400s. Unfortunately, the rest of the bike does feel more like Hattie Jacques, but they

VF1000R: very special.

UK-spec RC30 is pricey!

are great to own and ride (Hattie trained as a ballet dancer Paul! Bertie). And like Buckfast Tonic, they are relatively cheap, but not for much longer. As an investment, they haven’t really fully caught on yet, but prices have been rising at quite a rate. In the future, I think they will become very costly.

Now to the size zero: just a couple of years after they discontinued the VF1000R, Honda served up the svelte VFR750R, RC30. It was a masterpiece, yet produced ten brake horsepower less than the VF1000R at 112bhp. But it was super-light, tiny and handled like a dream. Racers of today still hanker after such agile handling.

It looks iconic, sounds iconic and won loads of races and titles. The Japanese models require de-restricting, but have very small, mean headlights.

Honda built nearly 5000 RC30s so there are more around to choose from than VF1000Rs. Apart from the VF’s weight problem, you can see how the RC30 came from the same DNA. It’s a V4 with gear-driven cams and spins to over 14,000rpm. The Japanese market 400cc motorcycles also loaned a lot of technology to the RC30. The big problem with RC30s is there are numerous ex-race bikes in the market posing as investment-grade road going machines.

While they’re not cheap, they’re still a great investment which is ripe for a price increase and (if you can afford one) then now is a good time to buy and they are going to increase in value again soon.

Both of these machines are great to own and a great place to park your money for a tax-free return.

The RC30 is the Kate Moss and the VF1000R is the drunk curvaceous kinky one. You pay your money and take your chance, but whichever way you go, you’ll have great fun. cmm ■ www.themotorcyclebroker.co.uk

8 / classic motorcycle mechanics

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HONDA’S CHEAPER V4S V

4 victory, that’s how Honda teased 1980s riders of inline four motorcycles to consider changing their motorcycle habits.

Hindsight is a wonderful thing, and it wasn’t until the VFR750 arrived in 1986 that confidence was restored in the V4 configuration, the rest is history.

Honda gave motorcycling a whole range of new V4 models in 1983; their owners mostly gave them back under warranty shortly after taking out their HP agreements.

Horror stories of chocolate cams were mostly associated with the VF750F and the largely forgotten VF750SC, other models were guilty by association and Honda was left with Creme Egg on its face.

If you fancy buying one of these V4 models, chances are if they are running now then any mechanical gremlins have been long since addressed. For decades there’s been no love for any of the V4 models, other than the gorgeous VF1000R, which thanks to it running gear-driven cams and being the flagship of the V4

armada meant it was over engineered in the first place, they have never been a cheap option, mostly because there wasn’t much change out of two GPz900Rs if you bought one new.

With so many wonderful motorcycles from the 80s to pick from, bikes like the VF750F and VF500F have struggled for admirers. But hold up – it appears that they’ve become sexy!

Prices for these good-looking 80s models are on the up, with the trade mostly leading the way with ambitious asking prices. For something with original paint, exhaust and appearance there isn’t too much out there for less than £3000.

If you really do have your heart and savings set on a V4 there are other ways to achieve your goal. The VFR750 is where it’s at, it’s the pinnacle V4 from the last millennium.

The best bit is there are oodles of them out there for sale. The later F-R onwards models are the ones to track down; they will be that bit fresher than the equally brilliant F-L to F-P and also look a touch more modern. For some reason they are cheaper to buy too! Decent earlyy Pro-Arm VFR750 models are crreeping up in price,

not massively but they are definitely on the rise. If you fancy one of these you’re going to have to shell out the wrong side of £2000 for a good one.

The first models are often the ones that become desirable, but that’s not really happening in VFR750 land. The very first F-G model was a massive step forward for Honda, but the last of the conventional swingarm models are that bit more refined, the VFR750 F-K even gets an adjustable screen and a clock! Price-wise there are bargains to be had; they often appear with sub £1500 price tags. Thankfully they all have centrestands from standard, though some aftermarket exhaust systems mean it might have been ditched.

The real Honda V4 bargains are the 400s, no, not the VF400F with its in-board discs, I refer to the grey import VFR400 models. Unless you already own one you’ve missed the boat if you fancy a cheap NC30 or NC35: that ship sailed a few years back.

The earlier NC24 is a great looking bike, it’s got a proper alloy frame, gear-driven cams and looks a million times sexier than a CBR600F from the same era. For me it’s the ultimate Honda 400/4… cmm

www.classicmechanics.com / 9

cmm

Stuff

The latest riding kit, top op tools, tools tyres, retro clothing and and m more!

£19.95

£5.60

AURITECHH EAR PLUGS

If you don’t wear ear plugs you should – as speeds in excess off 50mph are likely to harm your hearing. The ese Auritechs have a ce eramic e ramic filter fillt fi inside so you can hear tthe he e engine ngi and traffic while elimina ating wiind-noise nd at speed. So you no longer feel like you’re ‘in a bubble’ of zero sound. They also come as made-to-measure ones for more than £100, which Bertie will be testing this summer. www.auritech.co.uk/universal-fit-earplugs/biker/

SLINKY GLIDE REPAIR KIT

Wemoto does it again. This kit can repair most mechanical speedometers, which is perfect if you can’t find that elusive speedo cable for your bike. The new Mechanical Speedo Repair Kit contains a 1.5m by 3.2mm cable, three nipple adapters, a tool and instructions. All packed in a neat portable container. www.wemoto.com

From

£2.50

BIKETEK HEATED GRIPS

Biketek heated grips should see us through the mildly cold period we call ‘spring’.

Complete with multi-heat settings a simple two button controller box can be handlebar mounted to give the rider ease of use while wearing gloves and riding. Best of all, they’re easy fit and come with bar-ends. www.bikeit.co.uk

TOUGH BY SWARFEGA

New from the hand-cleaning legends is this range which includes hand cleaner (natch), skin protection cream, shower gel, hand wipes, sun cream and gel moisturiser. www.toughbs.com

CUSTOM RIDES

£49.99 10 / classic motorcycle mechanics

£20

This book is lavishly illustrated with more than 160 pages dedicated to some spectacular and some odd-ball specials builds. Written/compiled

by Robert Davies. www.thehistorypress.co.uk

cmm

Tested

Riding kit worn, toolss twirled & tyres turnedd

£429.99

TOMTOM RIDER 410 Simply put, this has been the biggest and most positive addition to my biking life since the humble earplug.

Twenty-three years back I never bothered with earplugs as I was a refusenik: let’s just say I was nil by ear canal, but when I tried them I was convinced. It’s been the same with sat nav – or at least until I tried a TomTom. Now, I’m not knocking the opposition here – I’ve used Garmin in the past (first time was on a BMW launch in 2001 and I had my own black and white hand-held) but by the time I had moved up to the TomTom Rider 410 system, perhaps I wasn’t such a Luddite as I once was.

I still love maps, but – over the last two years – the Rider 410 has been used almost daily: both on two wheels and four. The Premium Pack means you get a car-mount and a locking kit for the bike. To be honest, all the faff means it’s easier just to whip the thing off when you head into a service station as I don’t really think the lock would stand much of a ‘yank’. But that's just my own view.

The rotating screen sits atop a RAM mounting unit.

The mounts come in various guises and means I’ve used the unit on modern bikes as well as older machines such as CBR1000XX Super Blackbirds and the like.

If you’ve not got a power socket, you have to remember to charge the thing the night before. I’ve had around five hours of continuous use without a charge and TomTom claim six: I’m not complaining.

Easy to see screen and a doddle to use.

You can utilise the ‘Lifetime World Maps’ or the ‘Lifetime Speed Cameras’ or ‘Lifetime TomTom Traffic’ where you use a data link to get updated traffic info, or the latest maps and camera positions and use your phone with a Bluetooth set-up but – well, I’m not quite ‘there’ yet. This will do me for the time being.

I’m in my comfort zone.

This is also the ‘Great Rides Edition’ so you can press a button and choose any of the pre-loaded great rides in the 16gb memory. For ‘Bertie no-mates’ it’s like having a mate you can follow. It can also give you a more entertaining windy route home.

The 11cm touch-screen works great with all but the bulkiest winter gloves and the only issue I’ve had is a tendency for the unit to ‘sometimes’ decide that it’s in portrait rather than landscape mode, which hurts the noggin as you twist your swede to see what direction to go in.

It’s pricey, but when you realise it doubles as a brilliant car sat nav, it’s not so bad: and – if you shop around – deals are to be had for the whole Premium Pack and you can buy the basic unit itself. All I would add is a power socket so you’re not left high and dry with no power.

■ Bertie Simmonds

www.tomtom.com 12 / classic motorcycle mechanics