Classic Motorcycle Mechanics August 2017

KAWASAKI KH250/500 70S

Special ridden

YAMAHA TX750 Buyer’s guide!

60S

RETRO

BONNIE! Super sexy sex xy six!

Can a new Triumph whet your Brit bike appetite?

80S August 2017 Issue 358

FIVE DECADES OF MODERN CLASSIC MOTORCYCLE MECHANICS INCLUDING:

Stan Stephens rebuilds the square four!

00s: BMW R1150RT ridden. 90s: Yamaha Blue Spot caliper overhaul, Suzuki GSX600F racer. 80s: Honda VF750 restoration, Yamaha TZR250 race resto, Yamaha DT175 MX resto, Honda VFR400 NC24 resto. 70s: Remove a tank liner, Fantic TX250.

60s: Suzuki Stinger resto. Also: Coming classic, Q&A – your questions answered and your bikes and memories!

August 2017 Issue 358 Publisher: Dan Savage, asavage@mortons.co.uk Contributor: Joe Dick Art Editor: Justin Blackamore Designers: Charlotte Turnbull and Fran Lovely Picture Desk: Paul Fincham, Jonathan Schofield and Angie Sisestean Production Editor: Dan Sharp Divisional advertising manager: Martin Freeman mfreeman@mortons.co.uk Tel: 01507 529538 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 36 for offer): (12 months 12 issues, inc post and packing) – UK £50.40. Export rates are also available – see page 36 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: August 16, 2017 Advertising deadline: July 28, 2017 © 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

Doing it all over again...

Don’t believe that ‘nostalgia ain’t what it used to be’ rubbish. It is, and then some.

The proof of this is in the recent Pro-Am Challenge at Knockhill.

Think of it: take 16 identical Yamaha RD250LC bikes (well, almost identical, each one has a certain character) and plonk on top legends of old: one team of eight from south of the border and one team from north. Now, as battles go, England versus Scotland is kind of a biggie… Y’know, Bannockburn, Culloden, football, referendums, we can’t help ourselves.

When I saw the team lists, I had to concede that the Jocks had the English whipped… but thankfully it was closer than that and it was a

Mark Haycock

Niall Mackenzie

He rides them and wants to take them home! See the Kwak Hybrid on page 30 and Benelli 750 Sei on page 38!

Master Mark is back with more Q&As but also is sorting more bits with his leaky Yamaha TX500 (page 80.)

Making his racing comeback (again) at the Knockhill Pro-Am challenge between the English and Scots. See page 6!

Bike lover (literally)

John Nutting

Master of MIRA Files

Stan Stephens Super Stan the Man gives us part two of his excellent RG400/500 Special (page 114). This issue: the rebuild!

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

www.twitter.com/cmmmag

Steve Cooper

Tuning Legend

Having trouble finding a copy of this magazine?

Editor

BSimmonds@Mortons.co.uk

www.facebook.com/ClassicMechanics/

The old smoothie compares new and old this month: can the latest Triumph Bonneville retro beat an original?

Independent publisher since 1885

brilliant spectacle: check out the video on YouTube and check out more pics on page six of this very magazine.

Do we hope they’ll do it again? Oh yes…

A certain contributor to the magazine may have won on his umpteenth comeback, but you can see that the competitive spirit in all 16 riders on the grid still burned brightly. I reckon seeing old two-stroke bikes being given the berries by such big names needs to happen on a very regular basis.

Q&A King

Gary ‘D’ Chapman

Best photographer in the world

EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH!

Gary ‘D’ Chapman is the man who did the cover shot, the Hybrid Kawasaki ride and our main test with the Benelli. Does the ‘D’ stand for Derek? Or Diamond White – his drink of choice? We don’t know. But for consistent top snapping, Big D deserves the title ‘Employee of the Month.’ So what does he win? Well, continued employment and a small battery-powered carriage clock. Well done that man!

More comebacks than Ali…

Robert Bee Ad Contact

Bob is still big and he’s still bad. He’s still the go-to boy when it comes to putting your adverts in this top-quality publication!

Darren Brooks Intrepid Reader

Would you ride a banana yellow Suzuki GSX600F Teapot? Would you ride (well, race) one on a speedway track? Page 61.

Ralph Ferrand

Scott Redmond

John Digby

The DT175 gets its exhaust painted on the wife’s washing line and our Ralph sorts Blue Spot brake calipers.

The big man not only recounts Darren’s Teapot tail, but catches us up with a pseudo-classic too: The Runt! Page 127.

This man works in F1 and he’s an R&D engineer… so he’s a bit, well, clinical with his NC24 resto! See page 26.

Biker’s Toolbox bloke

Facebook King!

Reader/restorer

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❙ WORKSHOP NEWS

68

❙ Q&A

70

❙ YAMAHA TZR250

74

80

82

86 92

97

Contents

New metal bits and old kit tested.

Mark Haycock and you with tips!

Charlie Oakman on part four of his resto-racer.

❙ SORTING BLUE SPOTS

Ralph Ferrand on how to sort these anchors.

❙ YAMAHA TX500

Mark Haycock on sorting the clutch.

❙ HONDA VF750 Jim Lindsay on part one of his new restoration.

❙ REMOVE A LINER

Say a big ‘tank you’ to Scoop!

❙ YAMAHA DT175 MX Ralph Ferrand is on with part 11: the exhaust.

❙ SUZUKI STINGER

Scoop claims it now works.

Check it out.

110 ❙ YAMAHA TX750

Steve Cooper on the quirky parallel twin Yam.

114 ❙ SUZUKI RG400/500

Stan Stephens finishes up with the rebuild of the square four.

127 ❙ SUZUKI GSX-R1000 K1

06

ARCHIVE

08

2002 BMW R1150RT

12 18

NEWS

20 22

FEEDBACK

SHOW US YOURS

61

26

HONDA VFR400 NC24

64

30

KAWASAKI KH250/500

Shots from the recent England v Scotland Pro-Am! Bertie makes the case for this touring coming classic.

News, views and what’s new.

36 38

SUBSCRIBE!

46

TRIUMPH BONNEVILLE

CALENDAR

It’s August and that means there is lots on!

Keep us honest!

Now with added nostalgia!

Check out ‘The Way We Were!’

Reader John Digby gives us part one of his resto!

Steve Cooper falls for a hybrid Kwak.

56

Subscribe and save cash!

BENELLI 750 SEI

Scoop again… and yeah, he falls in love. Again.

We’re off on a tangent with new (and old) Bonnies.

1979 FANTIC TX250

A reader restores and then rides this classic trail iron.

READER’S RIDE

Darren Brooks races this GSX600F Teapot on the dirt!

RETRO REBOOT

Kar Lee’s take on the Ducati 851/888, 30 years on.

130 NEXT MONTH

The bikes of Allen Millyard, the Cagiva Alazzurra, tuning two-strokes with Stan Stephens and much more!

Scott Redmond gets tyres for nowt and dynos this demon.

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Pro-Am RETURNS!

Well, they are 30 years old!

Some are gonna go wrong!

6 / classic motorcycle mechanics

‘LC’ Kev Schofield.

RD-LC legend!

Spuds on top! He’s not forgotten how to celebrate!

McFearsome and Niall.

Two Scottish legends!

Ooops! Dale was try rying y hard!

W

WORDS: BERTIE SIMMONDS PHOTOS: HARRY PARVIN

hat a sight and what a sound (and we’re not talking about the bar afterwards) but instead the amazing Pro-Am Challenge at Knockhill.

It was Scotland versus England and eight Jocks versus eight Sassenachs and all aboard the Yamaha RD250LC around the tight and twisty Knockhill circuit.

The Scots were led by our own Niall Mackenzie, with an excellent team of Brian Morrison, Iain MacPherson, Joe Toner, Donnie McLeod, Iain Duffus, John Crawford and Sandy Christie. The English team captain was Alan Carter who led Andy Muggleton, Curt Langan, Geoff Fowler, Dave Crampton, Graeme Mitchell, Dale Robinson and Charlie Corner.

Our own Niall was claiming this was going to be revenge for Culloden in 1746, and on the day he took the win in the 12 lap race, with the Scots taking the overall team victory 77 points to 66!

Mackenzie said: “I’m very proud to have played a part is assembling my old mates for one last RD LC race. Seeing all their names again on the timing screen was something special.

I tried like a bear all weekend and wasn’t fastest in any of the practices however when it came to the race I found a little extra something to get the job done. It was a fantastic weekend with us all riding great bikes on a track that is perfect for LC racing. I can’t thank the organisers and the riders enough for making it a wonderful, fantastic event.” cmm

■ Want to get hold of pictures from Mortons Archive? Then head to: www.mortonsarchive.com

Respect to IDP Moto (Dary ryll y Young, Craig Prior) who got the RDs ready.

Ex endurance champ Morrison! Hard as...

Craig and Dary ryll y enjoy the weekend with the legends.

Well, it gave the English something to aim at!

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8 / classic motorcycle mechanics

2002 BMW WORDS: BERTIE SIMMONDS PHOTOS: MORTONS ARCHIVE/JOE DICK

For more than 20 years BMW’s boxer RT family has been doing the business: meet the future touring classic.

I

’ve got a fair few anecdotes about my trials and tribulations with BMW’s R1150RT but you may laugh at this one most…

I was once trapped between an 1150RT and my Fiat Coupe Turbo, while Swing Out Sister’s 1986 hit tune Breakout was playing at full volume. It was 2003 and BMW only specified a compact cassette player in this tourer, so I had resorted to digging out my varied selection of Eighties pop, whacked it on full-titty (earplugs and wind-noise means it’s the only way you can hear it) and I then proceeded to paddle backwards on my pock-marked drive.

Many a slip twixt drive and road and verily I lost my footing on the broken concrete and was slapped mercilessly against my own (now dented) car. I was unable to move for 20 or so minutes before the embarrassment of my predicament gave me the strength of 10 men and I was able to throw the bike off me. Just as the first side of the album ended…

Despite this encounter, the boxer twin tourer is one of my favourite bikes ever. Back then, I would do around 250 miles a day on the Beemer and eventually put 13,000 miles on in less than a year.

I’d chosen the bike as I’d been on the 2001 launch of the RT and been impressed with it, so it’s lovely to get the old memories flooding back on this ride on this 34,000-miler from 2002.

It’s like hitting the road with an old friend: I’ve set my seat height to where I used to like it (yeah, it’s adjustable) done the same with the screen (it’s electric) and even put the heated grips on as it was a little chilly when we took these pictures.

This BMW is really one of the few all-weather bikes I’ve ridden. Along with that screen the wraparound bodywork really does keep the worst of the rain off you and you’ve even got little pads for your knees.

David Robb – the designer of the 1150RT – really worked hard on giving the rider full protection and I’m thankful of that in this drizzly weather. Those large mirror/indicator fairings not only direct warm air onto your hands but they also protect you from the elements, while providing probably the best

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rearward vision I’ve ever enjoyed on a motorcycle ever. The fog-lights (yes, fog-lights) are also well needed in these conditions and they really give you plenty of extra light at night.

It’s not just the extras, it’s the basic package here that I really like. First of all twist that throttle and you’re rewarded by that obligatory lurch of the chassis as the crankshaft spins, but also a lovely rorty sound from the engine. The motor is as I remember it – strong from low-down – but when you head to three figure speeds, it begins to run out of puff.

The 1150RT came with 45cc more and about 5bhp up to around 95bhp and it also added a long overdrive sixth gear – perfect for the motorway and this helps bless the RT with sensational fuel economy. I used to average around 48mpg on my mainly motorway commute and often got around 250 miles or more to a tank. While some may have criticised the BMW for a lack of top-end compared to (say) an ST1100 Pan European, I didn’t care and preferred the BM as the better overall package. The gearbox linkage also goes straight into the gearbox (and it’s adjustable) and feels as good as my brand-new bike did more than 14 years ago.

But as good as the bike feels, these Beemers do have a dark side… Quite often they do seem to suffer quite a bit from age (or mileage) unless they are religiously attended to and this one is just the same. There is rust on the collector box and (although the end can itself doesn’t seem too bad) there’s a couple of rusty bolts and the forks and Telelever stanchions are a little pitted. At least the blue bodywork is very clean.

I’ve always been a big fan of the Telelever and Paralever systems (front and rear.) In the dry the 10 / classic motorcycle mechanics

ABOVE: Kinda like a car, but actually fun and with two fewer wheels.

RIGHT: Alongside the newer 1200RT. BELOW: The BM can remove the greyness of even the dullest, mistiest days.

SPECIFICATION

2002

BMW

Older and cheaper Okay let’s talk older brother here and look at the major differences when it comes to wonga.

The R1100RT first came out in late 1995 and cost a whopping £10,450. The core of the bike was the then (recently) new 1085cc air-cooled ‘oil-head’ boxer twin engine, first seen in the quirky-looking R1100RS of 1993.

The RT was actually three kilos lighter than the RS and it was also incredibly good at what it did – touring – but also incredibly ugly, well at least from the front-on view. It looked a little like some strange fish that lives in the

depths of the ocean.

This didn’t seem to put people off as 60,000 were sold before the 1150RT was launched with a big stab at making the thing look nicer.

As well as the looks, weather protection was improved over the older bike when the 1150RT came out, it had a wider rear-rim than the 1100 and five bhp more. The EVO brakes were a big improvement on the 1100’s too.

The whole braking system’s improvement basically meant 15-20% more braking force over the 1100RT and all from 50% less of a squeeze of the lever. On either bike,

ENGINE

don’t be put off by high mileages, only by missing service stamps. Machines are out there with as few as 20,000 miles or as many as 120,000.

These bikes get well-used but are always well looked after – but as our one proved on test, you can find them with things needing doing to them. Another thing to look out for when buying is the spec: if you’re lucky, you’ll find one with heated-everything, radio/cassette and top-box, full BMW

Type: 1130cc, air-cooled, fuel-injected, SOHC 8-valve, flat-twin

history and still for the same price as one with just the standard fitment.

So, shop around.

The 1100s can start for as little as £1600, but it could be better to pay more and get something that doesn’t threaten to let you down – BMW parts can be pricey.

We’d say start things off at £2500 and you’ve got something you can immediately hit the road with. For the 1150, just add more wonga: sub-£2k gets a rough ’un and £3000 a nice ’un.

MAXIMUM POWER

100bhp @ 7250rpm

MAXIMUM TORQUE

74lb-ft @ 5500rpm TRANSMISSION

6-speed

FINAL DRIVE

Paralever shaft-drive FRAME

Three-section composite frame.

SUSPENSION

Front: BMW Telelever stanchion diameter 35mm central strut Rear: BMW Paralever, spring preload adjustable and rebound.

BRAKES

Front: Twin 320mm front discs with four-piston fixed calipers EVO brake system.

Rear: Single 276mm rear disc with two-piston caliper all with ABS. TYRES

Front: 120/70-17 Rear: 170/60-17 SEAT HEIGHT

800-845mm

front Telelever gives less dive than conventional forks, although sometimes in the wet I found the feedback could be a little vague, but today it feels fine. As to the rear suspension it felt good and firm – not too saggy for a bike with 30k on the clocks – and I’ve never heard of any Paralever/shaft drive failures myself, so that’s good.

Brakes are still excellent on this machine and they are amazing when properly fettled. The EVO braking

system comes with ABS as standard and is servoassisted. So, the servos only work when the ignition is on – I’ve heard of bikes being dropped because of this when paddling around so be careful. I recall the rear brake being incredibly sharp on brand new bikes so it was good to see that over time these aren’t quite as sharp as I remember.

If there was an Achilles heel with the RT as a tourer, it was the panniers – they never really held that much. This has a top-box and it really is a must if you want to tour and the RT just begs you to do this. I unashamedly admit that I’ve always been a big fan of the boxer tourer in the BMW range and this test has confirmed that.

I know many people think the best home for these engines is in the lofty GS and (as much as I love those too) this would be my choice for doing the miles, unless seriously bumpy roads were coming into play.

As I seriously contemplate my expanding classic garage I can just see a spot for a mile-munching bike which is 15 years or so old – and for me the BMW R1150RT hits that spot perfectly. cmm

WHEELBASE

1485mm WEIGHT

279kg (with full tank) FUEL CAPACITY

25.2 litres

IN DETAIL: 1/ Clocks are Teutonically simple, also comes with LCD fuel gauge.

2/ Oil-head motor strong and first seen in 1993.

3/ Crap bolts blinding brakes.

4/ Switchgear/ indicators are oldschool BMW, so right thumb up to cancel.

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& events

Café Racer Festival Heading to the track.

Two hundred riders from all over Europe experienced the rush of charging around the historic banked Montlhéry circuit south of Paris at the fifth ‘Café Racer Festival’ in June.

Some lovely cafe racers!

12 / classic motorcycle mechanics

Watched by thousands of spectators, an eclectic mix of classic race bikes, traditional café racers and modern preparations were split into four groups according to their style, each group getting three 20 minute riding sessions per day.

Typical of the quality of the bikes being given serious workouts were two fantastic Suzukis built by French enthusiast Philippe Beaubert for himself and son Vivien to enjoy.

His XR69 endurance racer replica started life as a classic superbike project in Germany

before Philippe set about modifying the frame and engine to period Yoshimura specifications.

The GS1000S retains the standard frame, with the engine pumped up to 1085cc with Wiseco pistons, titanium valves, strengthened valve springs and reprofiled camshaft.

A strengthened clutch helps transmit the resulting hike in power to the ground.

In addition to the track sessions, there was a vast selection of stands featuring juicy café racers from Europe’s top bike builders, third-of-a-mile sprint racing on both

days and flat-track demonsration races.

UK modern classics dealer Lightning Quarter Garage, whose opening we featured in a recent issue were displaying their 1959 MV Agusta 175 and Honda 500 twin café racer, as well as giving their first-generation Triumph Speed Triple a good blast around the banking.

Hot sunshine on both days ensured a holiday atmosphere throughout the weekend and into the Saturday evening live music concert alongside the very popular beer tent: one to put in the diary for next year.