VJMC #139

Quarterly Club Mag www.vjmc.org.au

ISSUE 139

VJMC INC AUSTR ALIA

VJMC Inc Australia The Australian branch of the VJMC is a registered association incorporated in the state of New South Wales.

Objectives of the VJMC: To foster the preservation, restoration, riding and enjoyment of older Japanese motorcycles.

Club Postal Address PO Box 254 Modbury North SA 5092 Membership Applications & Renewals VJMC Inc, PO Box 254 Modbury North SA 5092 Website www.vjmc.org.au VJMC Australia Committee President John McNair johnfour750@hotmail.com Secretary Paul Johnson pj0067@bigpond.net.au / paul_joh85@hotmail.com Treasurer Steve Phelps steve.phelps@bigpond.com Vice president/Public Officer David Bernardi mrdbernardi@gmail.com Area Rep Coordinator Alan Stork storka.01@hotmail.com Membership Secretary Mick Godfrey mgo22098@bigpond.net.au Merchandising Officer Peter Donnellan peted@internode.on.net Committee Member Graeme Knight glknight22@hotmail.com Committee Member Stephen O’Farrell stepheno2812@gmail.com Committee Member (Rally) Phil Dawes dawes105@bigpond.com Librarian Lyndon Adams lyndarra@gmail.com Editor Tom Calderwood tom@pepperpublishing.com.au

QUARTERLY VJMC MAGAZINE This is a forum for members in which they may advertise bikes and/or parts for sale or wanted, exchange ideas and restoration tips, seek advice, share opinions and experiences, or anything else relating to the club’s objectives. Contributions are very welcome.v

139 CONTENTS

President’s Report

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Lower Hunter Report

6

Northern Rivers Classic

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SEQ News & Calendar

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SA Xmas Ride

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Western Victoria Wanderings

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Melbourne Metro

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Yamaha XT

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Z50 Restoration

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Firebox Bro

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Metal Component Restoration

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Kawasaki H2-A Restoration

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Japan 2015

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Emerging Classic - Honda Deauville

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VJMC at the Walcha Challenge

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Coffee & A CafĂŠ Racer

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Members Directory

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National Rally in National Capital

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Club Info

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Membership Renewal

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Please Contribute

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PRESIDENTS REPORT

HERE WE ARE IN 2016. WHAT A BUSY YEAR IT WAS IN 2015. THE YEAR JUST FLEW PAST WITH LOTS OF GREAT THINGS HAPPENING INCLUDING THAT WONDERFUL NATIONAL RALLY IN CANBERRA AND THE VJMC JAPAN TOUR WHICH SEEN 37 PEOPLE HAVE AN AWESOME TIME IN THE LAND OF THE RISING SUN.

There were many highlights on the Japan tour as mentioned in the last issue. The Suzuka 8Hour Race was amazing with an incredible atmosphere and the Honda Collection Hall was just awesome. (Did you read that Jeff? Awesome). With cars and bikes plus memorabilia all set in a huge big hall with magnificent lighting and nice wide isle’s to comfortably see the hundreds of bikes on display. Proving that you meet the nicest people on a Honda they even allowed bikes from other marques to be displayed. A Suzuki, a Yamaha or two and a Kawasaki or two. The Suzuki and Kawasaki museums were great too however there were no Honda’s amongst Kawasaki’s 50 or so bikes or Suzuki’s collection. Yep, a generous man that Mr Honda. I had a chuckle when I read Jeff Eale’s comment about the Honda Collection Hall being sterile. I dunno, some Kawasaki riders.

Ha Ha!!

The 2016 National Rally is upon us and I am sure that it will be a fantastic weekend and I look forward to catching up with members from interstate and checking out those amazing machines at the Show

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& Shine. For those who couldn’t make it to last years Rally you can check out some wonderful photo’s and a video on the VJMC website or on Utube. Just type in VJMC National Rally Canberra 2015. The video was filmed by Adelaide member Judy Byer on the back of husband Les’s machine..

Judy Byer featured in an article on her Honda CB400 in the latest issue of Old Bike Australasia (issue 56). There are some great photo’s including the cover shot and a photo of Judy with her bike and the trophy she won at the 2015 VJMC Rally. It really is a beautiful bike.

Canberra member Simon Whittaker featured with his collection in issue 20 of Retrobike with lots of great photo’s over six pages. Great to see members bikes appearing in these top magazines.

The Northern Leader newspaper in Tamworth ran an article with a photo on the Blue Ribbon Bike show held there last November. More good publicity for the club.

Keep Safe.

John McNair

www.vjmc.org.au

PRESIDENTS REPORT

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NSW - LOWER HUNTER

THE TWILIGHT RIDES TO HARRY’S CAFÉ DE WHEELS ON THE NEWCASTLE FORESHORE HAVE PROVEN A POPULAR AND WELL SUPPORTED EVENT. This monthly mid week ride, during daylight saving, gives all members a chance to showcase their vintage plate bikes and we have witnessed a large variety of machinery. The mini bike brigade have had a lot of fun on their Dax, S70’s etc and created great interest from the general public.

Increasing numbers of CB750’s are escaping the sheds and these have also grabbed the public’s attention with many admiring stares and conversation starters. The club encourages all members to participate in these events on their vintage plate bikes.

Our Club Christmas Dinner was attended by 28 members and their partners and as a first time initiative, was a successful night. It was held at our normal club meeting venue, Club Macquarie, and the food and social interaction resulted in a

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very pleasant evening. It seems a distant memory now, with it already being the end of January – where does the time go.

The January ride to Patonga (Hawkesbury River) had 7 bikes brave the suspicious looking weather patterns, and by good fortune, we managed to escape the rain the whole day. With no mechanical hiccups, the ride was very pleasant. Even a police roadblock, because of a fallen tree, didn’t upset the program and an alternate route was quickly found with only a slight backtrack.

The fish and chips at Patonga were excellent with Bob putting in a special recommendation for the Calamari rings. Worth the trip alone!

The 2016 ride calendar has been posted on the VJMC/Lower Hunter website. Please support these events where possible and enjoy the ride.

www.vjmc.org.au

NSW - NORTHERN RIVERS CLASSIC

THE FNC GROUP OF NSW MEMBERS IN VJMC WILL BE PARTICIPATING IN THE NORTHERN RIVERS CLASSIC MCC'S 2016 'SHOW AND SHINE' AT THE REAR OF THE ALSTONVILLE PLAZA SHOPPING CENTRE ON 13/3/16.

This will include classics (NSW 30yrs old) as well as all marques of motorcycles and of all ages.

The VJMC flag, subscription forms, cards and information will be displayed for the public, as well as Japanese Classics including some rare two-strokes and specials.

Shade tent, chairs, refreshments and reasonably priced snacks are available on-site.

All are welcome to come and enjoy this increasingly popular event's second year. www.vjmc.org.au

This display is particularly relevant due to the usual Clyde Campbell Car Park event held in Lismore in August for 30yrs was cancelled this year. It is understood cancellation was due to a lack of new Summerland Sports and Classic Car Club organisers, plus Lismore Council's insurance requirements & general red-tape.

But this new well-supported event looks like being it's worthy successor in the Northern Rivers of NSW! VINTAGE JAPANESE MOTORCYCLE CLUB

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SOUTH EAST QUEENSLAND

March.

Friday-Sunday 4th-6th

VJMC National Rally. Canberra Meet at: Various / Canberra

March. Tuesday 8th

Meeting. Belmont Tavern. Start: 7.30pm

March Saturday-Sunday 12th-13th

For those interested: Maleny Swap Meet at Maleny Showgrounds

March.

Sunday 20th

Eagle Rock Café Laidley. Morning Tea at Eagle Rock Cafe Meet at: Blacksoil Caltex. Start: 8.00 for 8.30am departure. Ride to be decided on morning. Combined Ride with SOHC Club

April. Tuesday 12th

Meeting. Belmont Tavern. Start: 7.30pm

April.

Friday-Sunday 15th-17th

Inverell Restorer’s Rally. Inverell. Meet and Route: To be discussed Start: TBA

Saturday-Monday April 30th - May 2nd

Woolshed Classic Motorcycle Rally. Jondaryan Woolshed Meet at: To be Discussed. Start: TBC Website: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AzkOuEBh8gE

May. Tuesday 10th

Meeting. Belmont Tavern. Start: 7.30pm

May. Sunday 15th

Red Rattler Gallery Cafe. Morning Tea at the Red Rattler Meet at: BP Yatala. Start: 8.30 for 9.00am departure Going via Numinbah Valley Combined Ride with SOHC Club

May. Sunday 22nd

Ray Owen Bike Show. Canungra Showgrounds TBC. Meet at: TBC Start: TBC. Club Display?

June.

Sunday 12th

Toogoolawah Hotel. Lunch at a Toogoolawah Hotel Meet at: Carseldine Caltex. Start: 7.30 for 8.00 am departure Going via Mt Mee & Kilcoy Combined Ride with SOHC Club

June. Tuesday 14th

Meeting. Belmont Tavern. Start: 7.30pm

June. Saturday-Sunday 25th-26th

Pine Rivers Swap Meet. Samford Soccer Grounds.

Meet at: Venue. Start: various

For those interested: First Wednesday of every month. Harry’s Diner Bike Night 6.00pm to 8.30pm

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www.vjmc.org.au

SOUTH EAST QUEENSLAND

BY: SCOT T A BBET T

2016 IS UPON US, AND WITH THE NEW YEAR CAME SOME CHANGES FOR THE SEQ GROUP. RAY BURROWS, OUR LOCAL AREA REPRESENTATIVE, HAS DECIDED TO PASS ON THE BATON.

I’m sure that I speak for the whole of the SEQ Group in thanking Ray for his efforts in representing our local area. Ray is a regular club run attendee and was the first on the scene to many events such as the Laverda Concours, with ute-loads full of gear to support us. Due thanks should also go to our President, John McNair, for his support in writing the SEQ news reports. I am happy to be stepping into the role of area representative, and I look forward to the times ahead!

December was predictably quieter for the local club members as people went away on holiday and spent time with their families, but we still managed to fit in some interesting rides and activities. The SEQ “Christmas on the Spit” year-end ride and BBQ was held on Sunday 13th December. The weather looked fairly ordinary in the morning; the radar showed the faintest of rain patches, but the actual experience was somewhat different! Nevertheless, the intrepid and hardy few met at BP Blacksoil: Chris and Sandra Dupen on their Suzuki GS850G; Tom McGrath on his Honda CBX; Ray on his Kawasaki Z900, and Bob Parker on his Suzuki Katana. Jon McNair rode a very rare motorcycle to the event: a Toyota Camry. Honestly, I’ve never seen a bike so large and unusually proportioned before, it must be hell to try and lean it into corners. The weather protection seemed great though! I can hardly talk really: after all, I drove my ute up loaded with the BBQ goodies. We travelled onwards through Esk to The Spit at Somerset Dam. By this stage the weather had cleared up a bit, and we had a good meal. It was a nice way to round out the year.

Tony’s Café wasn’t open on January 2nd, so some of the local members came over to my house for a ‘shed morning’. Armed to the teeth (and www.vjmc.org.au

dangerous) with cake, pies and coffee, we chatted the morning away in the shed, listening to good music, all while looking over some great bikes that had made the trip over. Amongst a great selection, Glen Withers rode his newly restored Suzuki RG500 and Chris Dupen his Kawasaki W1SS. We could have had a small show of sorts with just the contents of my driveway that morning! A great group of people made for a great atmosphere. It was decided that the occasional visit to a shed instead of the usual café visit may well be a good thing.

Also in January, some members rode to the Historic Motorcycle Club’s breakfast ride, held each year at the Red Cedar Picnic Area just west of Mount Glorious. I wasn’t able to attend this year, but by all accounts it was a good morning out. It’s a good ride to the venue and there is always a great selection of unusual machinery to see.

By the time you read these words, the VJMC 2016 Rally will have been and gone, but we are readying ourselves as I write to make the journey.

Looking forward to a fantastic ride down to Canberra aboard my CX500; after all, this is what adventure is all about. If you have never been to a VJMC rally, you owe it to yourself to try it out. You will not be disappointed.

Coming up in the future, we have some good events to go to: the Ray Owen Concours in May and the Laverda Concours in July. The SEQ group is hoping to put on a great display again this year at the Laverda, based around a central theme charting the development of the two-stroke engine in Japanese motorcycle history, with examples! It should be a great day, and I hope to see you there! Safe journeys.

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SA XMAS RIDE

BY: PET ER HU N T

A VERY HOT DAY WELCOMED US FOR THE ANNUAL XMAS RIDE/LUNCH. IT’S NOT REALLY VERY PLEASANT RIDING IN 41C TEMPS, BUT 15 BIKES SET OUT FROM STIRLING A BIT AFTER 10.30 FOR AN INTERESTING 1HR RIDE LED BY MICK BULMAN ... THANK YOU MICK!

Twisty roads, with the odd bit of gravel on some corners and shrubbery whipped up by the strong north winds to keep you alert, and even, shock horror, a kilometre of dirt road! At least the dust settling on the bikes enabled us to spot oil leaks a bit more easily.

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We arrived at the Three Brothers Arms hotel in Macclesfield at about 11.45, and most of us headed straight to the bar to ‘refresh’. Publican John had set us up out on the deck under the marquee, and with a bit of breeze blowing through it wasn’t too uncomfortable. 4 more bikes arrived, and

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SA XMAS RIDE

some also by car, and we ended up seating 30 for lunch – a good effort considering the stinker of a day.

Everyone seemed to enjoy their meals, a few drinks, lots of ice, and lots of chat and laughter around the tables. It was good to see a few members out for their first outing with us, and always good to catch up with the normal crew. By about 2.30 people were starting to head for home and most were gone by 3.

I hope everyone enjoyed the day and arrived home safely.

Thank you to everyone for coming along and braving the conditions.

Have a great xmas and all the best for the new year.

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W EST ER N V IC WA N DER I NGS

WESTERN VICTORIA AREA REPS, ALAN AND PAM STORK HOSTED A CHRISTMAS BBQ AND TONGUE-IN-CHEEK BIKE SHOW AT THEIR HOME IN NOVEMBER, 2015.

Members from Geelong and Bendigo travelled to join in the fun and festivities. Over 50 people turned up, and there were more than 30 bikes entered in the crazy judging categories (with the winners being selected by voting of the members in attendance).

The weather was reasonably kind, with only a light sprinkle of rain, and a gentle breeze blowing.

To make it a full day, there was a BBQ, a hilarious story-telling competition and a Mystery Object draw. Pam and Alan displayed their 22 bikes in a separate area from the judging. Many members were amazed to see their collection. The day was enjoyed by all, and made possible through the generosity and assistance provided by many on the day.

STORKS BIK E DISPL AY

BIKE CATEGORY WINNERS WERE: Cleanest, Best Kept Bike (Bike Nerd Award) Rob Goon – 1984 Yamaha 900 Diversion – 13 Votes – Trophy = Arm Rest Organiser Dirtiest, Worst Kept Bike (Bike Slacker Award) Ray Trewartha – 1982 Yamaha XV1000 – 12 Votes – Trophy = Cleaning Kit Best Non-Japanese Bike David Ellis – 2006 Triumph Daytona – 17 Votes – Trophy = Plastic Organiser Box Most Mismatched Bike & Rider John Harris – 1991 Honda CB250 – 19 Votes – Trophy = Hex Key Set Wackiest Hybrid Bike Graeme Climas – 1973 Yamaha XT/TX500 Hybrid – 15 Votes – Trophy = Mini Ring Pull Bike, Screw Driver Set Rattiest Bike (Non-original) Glenn Taylor – BSA/Yamaha Hybrid – 21 Votes – Trophy = Mini Ring Pull Bike, T/Bar Set Rattiest Bike (Original) David Ellis – 1978 Honda CT125 – 24 Votes – Trophy = Can Degreaser

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www.vjmc.org.au

W EST ER N V IC WA N DER I NGS

Girliest/Cutest Bike Loreen Jackson – 1976 Suzuki A100 – 17 Votes – Trophy = Micro Fibre Cloth Blockiest/Not-So-Cute Bike Morgan Tyrrell – 1985 Honda Goldwing – 8 Votes – Trophy = Sex in the City After Shave Best O-Beat Modified Bike David Ellis – 1984 Yamaha RX350 – 16 Votes – Trophy = Hybrid Screwdriver/Bottle Opener

JUDGING AREA

JUST FOR FUN STORY TELLER WINNERS WERE: Owned the Most Bikes Ray Trewartha (96+) – Prize = Hole Punch Set Started Riding Youngest Age Jim Hose – Prize = Foot Pump Longest Membership with VJMC Ray Trewartha – Prize = Framed Award & DVD – 2010 VJMC Rally Strangest Bike Photo Damien Cameron – Prize = Framed Print Biggest Pain In the Butt Bike Clayton Edwards – Prize = First Aid Kit Dirt Bike Misadventure Loreen Jackson – Prize = KLR Model Road/Touring Misadventure Sandra Domaschenz – Prize = DVD – Great Ocean Road Touring Competition Misadventure Jim Hose – Prize = DVD – Fastest – Valentino Rossi Strangest Bike Project – Graeme Climas – Prize = DVD – Extreme Machines Sorest Bottom Ross Skinner – Prize = Cushion Reason for Getting Into Bikes Robbie Walder – Prize = Compass Supportive Bike Partner Morgan Tyrrell – Prize for Jan Tyrrell = Chocolates Longest Bike Distance Allan Haines (147 ks) – Prize = Torch Longest Other Distance Vic (Mudd) Muller (Fiji) – Prize = Game Hard Luck David Ellis (Story of his track bike) – Prize = Unwanted ceramic set plus VJMC Monthly Trophy – again!!! www.vjmc.org.au

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W EST ER N V IC WA N DER I NGS

MYSTERY OBJECT WINNER WAS: Graeme Climas – Prize – Remote Control Motorbike And the object was: Clutch push rod for VF400 Honda COMMENTS: Dave Wandin: Well it`s Wednesday night and I’m still thinking to myself "what a fantastic e ort” . It must have taken ages to prepare everything for Sunday to turn out like it did. Thanks everyone I had a great day. Mudd’s morning ride was special as well. A bit of everything.

Robert Goon: Did we all thank all the Lovely Ladies who ran the Registration process to perfection.... hip hip.....hooray.

David Ellis: What a great day, thx to Alan Stork and Pam Stork, you 2 put so much into this club where would we be without you?

Clayton Edwards: Great day yesterday, great pic's , great bikes, great company, thanks team.

Loreen Jackson: Ditto to what the others said - a well-organised, fun day. Thanks again, Pam and Alan for hosting

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www.vjmc.org.au

MELBOURNE METRO

BY: JOH N DOWA R D

The VJMC Melbourne group has attended many rides & events over the past few months, including: • Blessing of the Bikes at Mirboo North 10th October • Cranbourne GP Run 17th October • Classics on Cowes Show 17th October • Greg’s mid-week ride to Noojee 21st October • Broadford Southern Classic 8th November • Very Special Kids Day at Cardinia Reservoir Park 15th November • Greg’s mid-week ride to Kyneton 18th November • Bunnings Coffee Morning at Moorabbin 22nd November • Classic Japan Show at South Yarra 6th December • Ian’s Vic Ranges Ride to Jamieson 13th December • Toy Run for Father Bob at St Kilda 13th December • Greg’s mid-week ride to Cape Schanck 15th December • TT Motorcycles visit at Mornington 10th January • Greg’s mid-week ride to Reefton & Black Spurs 20th January • Phillip Island Classic 23rd & 24th January.

Some of our members also attend the regular monthly meetings of neighbouring areas: • Mornington Peninsula Group second Sunday of each month • West Gippsland Group last Sunday of each month.

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MELBOURNE METRO

Informal social evening meetings are held on the last Tuesday of each month (except earlier in December) from 7 pm at the Grandview Hotel, corner of Heidelberg Road and Station Street Fairfield.

For the Christmas 15th December meeting, a very generous amount of items were donated for the Salvos Food Drive and lots of raffle tickets were bought. David & Barry won the IMax movie double passes donated by Richard from the Melbourne Museum and Tony won the helmet donated by Jeff from Gassit Motorcycles.

The 'van' load of food drive items and $310 raffle proceeds were delivered to the Salvation Army centre in Cranbourne. This centre distributes directly to disadvantaged people, especially busy at Christmas time and they were very grateful for our club's contributions.

Please look up the VJMC website calendar for upcoming rides & events. All members and interested guests are most welcome to attend.

Ride your vintage Japanese motorcycle there if you can, but not compulsory. Ideas for more rides & events are also most welcome.

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MELBOURNE METRO

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YAMAHA XT

BY: ROB M A I Z EL S

FROM A VERY YOUNG AGE I DEVELOPED A GREAT LOVE FOR MOTORCYCLES AND WAS PRETTY MUCH PRE-OCCUPIED WITH THEM UNTIL I MET MY FUTURE WIFE, WHEN THE FOCUS SHIFTED WITH THE PRIORITIES OF GETTING MARRIED ETC.

After a couple of years of marriage and being motorcycle-less for the previous three, my interest was rekindled with the prospect of buying a Honda SL125 in a million pieces for next to nothing. After re-building the Honda and registering it to ride on the road, I was again hooked. The inadequacy of 125cc of raw power reared its head fairly quickly and after discovering that 250cc of trailbike was not a lot better, the hunt was on for the ultimate in trail bike performance, the Yamaha XT500.

While still in the early days of marriage and earning a modest wage, a used bike was the only option and it had to be cheap.

After months of scanning the Trading Post, the only real window into what the second-hand market had to offer, a likely candidate was found. On inspection, the 1976 Yamaha XT 500C was quite tidy but clearly in need of some attention to get it on the road.

The original tank had been replaced with a smaller

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Suzuki fuel tank, giving the XT a much more streamlined and racy appearance, but was only held in place by the fact that it was jammed on the frame. The wiring was all over the place, with aftermarket lighting where the factory originals had been replaced or lost, but all in all a good entry into the world of four-stroke muscle trail biking.

A month or so later, after some re-wiring and fitting of original equipment lighting, a trip to Vicroads soon had the XT500 legally on the road. The XT was more than I had hoped for and had the kind of lowend torque that my previous two-stroke mounts could not have even hinted at. It started easily, was comfortable to ride even on the highway, and would willingly take the high speed detour through the local National Park that as luck would have it backed onto my property at the time, making every ride home a welcome end to a long day at work.

After a week or so of having the XT on the road, the www.vjmc.org.au

YAMAHA XT

fact that a litre of oil was disappearing to every four litres of petrol in the small Suzuki tank indicated that not all was well with the Yammie.

After tearing the top end off in the very small laundry of our rented unit, I discovered that this

was no standard XT500. The seller had informed me that the XT had the popular "510cc" big bore kit fitted, when in fact, after tearing the motor down, I discovered that as well as some very comprehensive head work, a piston with "Ken Colvin 560cc" stamped into it told a different story.

No wonder this thing seemed to perform better than my mate's later model XT. Sourcing a set of rings was a little difficult, but proved successful, and in no time the laundry and the XT were both restored to their full glory.

I did many thousands of miles on the XT, and

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would regularly ride to motorcycle parks such as Labertouche, ride all day on the bush trails and then ride home on the road rather than use the car and trailer option. Even though the XT500 was modified, it was sporty and trail-oriented looks, the TT won me over, but how could I go back to just 500cc of power. I decided I would get the TT's 500cc motor modified to the same spec as the XT560 and proceeded to put the plan into action.

The motor was removed and torn down completely as the crankcases had to be machined to suit the huge oversized sleeve that needed to be fitted to the standard cylinder to gain the extra 60cc.

I went back to the shop that had previously been able to supply the rings for the 560cc kit earlier, as they seemed to be the only available source for the desired big bore kit. After checking the possibility of getting the work done there, the bare cylinder and crankcases were delivered to the shop for them to work their magic.

I then waited....and waited... and waited....always being informed that they were "waiting for this and that", "check next week", etc.

In the mean time, my impatience got the better of me and I decided to put the XT560 motor in the TT's engine-less frame. The motor that I thought should be ready to give up at some point, seemed to get a new lease of life in the TT. It seemed quieter and tighter and had lost none of its brute power. It also gave me a chance to get to know the TT a bit better as I had done little riding on it at this stage. It was very different from the XT, sitting higher and feeling narrower and much less a road bike.

After riding on some rough trails I discovered the TT had two peculiar traits to its personality.

The first was that even though I had fitted VINTAGE JAPANESE MOTORCYCLE CLUB

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YAMAHA XT

after-market shocks that were way better than the XT's and the TT was generally much better set up for off-roading, the TT would throw you off without warning when blasting uphill on rough ground, whereas the XT would have stayed on track even though it felt more unforgiving. I unfortunately proved this to be true too many times resulting in much bewilderment, followed by extreme pain and often bleeding.

The other trait was much more enjoyable. The TT seemed to possess a spectrum of balance point that allowed riding with the front wheel in the air: a stunt rider’s dream. After taking off and selecting second gear, the front wheel would lift and then the bike could be ridden as if it had dolly wheels fitted while shifting right through to fifth gear.

The TT also seemed to possess an immunity from attracting attention from law enforcement while exploiting trait number two, something that all my other motorcycles past and present unfortunately lacked. In twelve months or so of riding every day, seeing every set of traffic lights as an excuse to see how far I could ride on one wheel, I was never apprehended once. (A habit I quickly learned to break after I sold the TT.) The TT although very similar in many ways to the inaugural XT and sharing many components, had a distinctly different feel to it due to things like higher

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and smaller seat, minimal lighting and instruments, different gearing and, although a small thing, the non-cushioned rear sprocket seemed to make the bike feel harsh and noisier under acceleration and gear changes.

All in all, the Yamaha XT/TT experience was a very positive one and both bikes served me well as everyday commuting transport and weekend sports dirt riding.

Had the "big bore" kit ever materialised, I may still have my TT500, but since the delivery date for my much-needed parts looked like being the "12th of never", I was easily swayed to a different line of thinking when in 1983 the "TT600L" was released.

The TT500G was reassembled, and the XT500C received its original heavily modified 560cc powerplant, and both were regretfully sold after the order was placed in June 1983 for a brand new TT600L. Although the TT600 was much more refined toward being a serious big bore dirt bike, the one thing it lacked that the 500cc XT/TT series had in spades was the almost romantic appeal you get with a vintage bike. The feeling you get when you’re out with a friend who may not be the most successful or intelligent person in the world, but you just plain enjoy their company and would not want to be with anyone else. www.vjmc.org.au

Z50 RESTO

MELBOURNE MEMBER ALAN JANSEN RUNS A SMALL MECHANICAL WORKSHOP IN THE EASTERN SUBURBS OF MELBOURNE. HE CONTACTED US WITH SOME DETAILS ABOUT A Z50A RESTORATION HE HAS BEEN INVOLVED WITH. My workshop is mainly setup for cars but I have had an RWC testers license for motorcycles for about ten years. Recently I have been very busy with all sorts of jobs on small vintage Hondas which is my passion. I got my first Honda Z50A in about 1974 when it was only a couple of years old and I still have it gracing my pool room.

Recently, I was contacted by a fellow on Facebook that was looking for someone to restore a Z50A and several people directed him to me. He also had a Z50A when he was a kid and was looking to relive his youth with a candy sapphire blue one, like he had years ago. He bought a red one that was in reasonable shape and sent it to me on a pallet.

First on the agenda was to completely strip it down, asses what needed to be replaced and what needed rebuilding.

I sent the frame, tank, headlight bucket, side cover and exhaust guard to the paint shop (the painter also owns several monkey bikes) for a professional finish.

All the nuts , bolts and hardware were sent to the zinc coaters, all the black parts were sent to the powder- coaters, along with the rims to be done in silver. The engine cases, side covers, head and carby parts were sent to the hydro-blasters. I then set about rebuilding the engine and carby. When all the parts were back from painting,coating etc. I assembled the bike, and like a typical Honda, it started 3rd kick. A quick tune and it was ready for delivery. Needless to say, my customer was excited and the finished product exceeded his expectations. www.vjmc.org.au

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FIREBOX PRO

ELECTRONICS DESIGNER STEPHEN KELLY OF ADELAIDE BASED TRI-SPARK IS WELL REGARDED FOR HIS ELECTRONIC IGNITION CONVERSIONS FOR CLASSIC BIKES. HE HAS NOW ADDED ANOTHER PRODUCT TO HIS RANGE SUITABLE FOR JAPANESE CLASSICS LIKE THE HONDA CB 750.

He was inspired to design a system to suit new models of ignitions after requests from Honda owners from all over the country for a system that would suit a wide range of engines and that had additional features and high performance capabilities suited to racing, cruising and regular club runs. He has now launched this new system on the Honda CB 750.

This latest product dubbed the FireBox Pro has all the features and ease of use that Tri-Spark are known for with the added benefit of optional laptop adjustable settings. Racers, or anyone just wanting to tune their machine, will appreciate the simple advance curve settings and rev limiter. The aim was to make it easy to use and understand, versatile and a pleasure to work with. Getting the feel for how the new system works is an essential part of the process.

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Choosing the Honda CB 750 for the test vehicle was an easy decision for Stephen because it is so typical of a wide range of engines. Solving potential problems with the installation and being able to properly explain how it all works is a key part of Tri-Spark’s success and why he completed several installations before launching FireBox Pro. The American import Honda came fitted with the original contact breaker ignition - perfect for comparison. Before converting to electronic some key measurements were made to assess the conventional contact breaker ignition and make some comparisons with the Firebox Pro. Checking the spark timing of the points was step one. The setting for cylinders 1and 4 was fine but 2 and 3 were retarded by 10 degrees. How long it was like that is anyone’s guess but this sort of problem robs the engine of performance and just makes it run hotter. Even a well cared for machine can have

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FIREBOX PRO

the ignition timing shift out of whack without the owner realising. The second thing noted about the points ignition was the long dwell time at low speeds – another problem solved with the FireBox Pro. This saves battery power at low speeds to help with the charging and avoids heating the ignition coils unnecessarily. The FireBox Pro system is estimated to use about one third of the power at idle and low speeds compared with the original points.

The third observation was the amount of timing jitter (about 5 degrees) with the points ignition – again completely solved with electronic. The Firebox Pro also does away with the mechanical advance and retard mechanism making it more versatile and reliable than other systems that retain this function. Retaining the base of the advance retard unit is an essential part of the conversion as this component has some clever markings on it that are required for setting the valve clearance and strobe timing the ignition. The advance retard unit must be disassembled for the conversion but it is not altered in any permanent way. It was rewarding to see the installation go without a hitch and to fire up the Honda instantly. That rock steady ignition timing settled the 750 four down to a smooth idle ready for the road.

It’s hard to put a number on the performance improvement without making wild claims but even just getting the timing right on the middle 2 www.vjmc.org.au

cylinders has no doubt gained us some horsepower and smoothed out the ride. Tri-Spark have every confidence in FireBox Pro knowing that the engine is spot on and staying that way. As an added bonus the installation of the FireBox Pro was made without cutting into the wiring harness allowing for the bike to be returned to original condition at any time in the future.

This new development can be adapted for a number of applications. High compression? Double plugged heads? Need different tuning? No problem! Now riders of all sorts of classics will be able to get into electronic ignition with the FireBox Pro using the wide range of settings available via the laptop – for example 2 stroke or 4 stroke, cam or crank trigger, kick or electric start, crank angle variations and 1, 2 or 4 cylinder operation. Kits for MotoGuzzi, BMW, Ducati, Kawasaki, Yamaha, Vincent and Velocette are now in the works too. To top it off, knowing FireBox Pro is made in Australia and is backed by a three year warranty with local support ensures customers have peace of mind and can enjoy a locally made product!

You can order FireBox Pro by telephone, email or on our website sales@trispark.com.au www.trispark.com.au 08 8371 1664 VINTAGE JAPANESE MOTORCYCLE CLUB

23

COMPONENT RESTO

BY: GEOF F R E Y EL L IS

IN THESE TIMES OF WEALTHY RESTORERS AND EBAY SOME OF THE OLDER RESTORATION TECHNIQUES ARE FORGOTTEN OFTEN AT THE EXPENSE OF A CORRECT RESTORATION THUS DEVALUING THE BIKE.

I recently came across a situation of a rare Australian delivered 1970 Japanese bike which had the usual problem of the era where the drive chain failed inflicting quite a high degree of damage to the crankcase. Easy fixed by logging into eBay and buying one from the US for many dollars plus $200 freight charges. However the engine number was on the crankcase half being discarded and the import part was made 1976 for the US. Now the restorer said “no-one will notice the later USA engine number”, but guess what, the first person he showed quickly said “that’s not the correct engine for that bike”. A few thousand dollars had already been spent and quite a few more are required to finish the bike and in the end it will not be a 1970 Australian model but a

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bitser because of the 1976 USA engine number.

This bike has been significantly devalued both in dollar and provenance terms.

Now I am sure many of us have been faced with a similar situation with the same or different parts and if we take the component to an aluminium welder who is prepared to weld it then most likely it will come back with a huge weld which then must be ground back to suit the original shape.

Even if we have the skill and equipment the result is often not satisfactory as we expose gas inclusions or the weld will be a different colour to the part and so many restorers just bin the damaged part.

This is where a skilled craftsman like Steve Ortis at Cycleweld in Lonsdale South Aust (0412 470

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COMPONENT RESTO

266) can help. Where Steve’s service is different is that he is not only a professional welder but a craftsman who finishes the part back to original condition i.e. a component restorer. In fact Steve will not return a welded part that is not finished because as he says ”I want the part to be perfect and I can not see gas inclusions or other defects in the weld until it is brought back to the correct contour. Some parts can be that bad that it takes a number of weld passes.” One of my very rare parts was missing a large chunk after the bike had slid down the road. Even if I had the money I could not buy a replacement and as it was mostly cast, a machined copy would not have matched the other one on the bike. So Steve recreated the missing metal from weld then profiled it back to the original shape. As Steve says “I like these jobs because you have to work like a sculptor in building the part up with weld then sculpting it to shape”.

Many Ducati owners use him because they want polished parts and he can organise polishing and plating if required. The veteran and vintage guys use him and some of their parts have been

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in the weather for close to 100 years and an Indian crankcase I saw had to have close to 25% of it rebuilt. A 750 SOHC Honda crankcase from Tasmania had a hole the size of a golf ball in it where the chain had broken and that was successfully repaired. Fins on cylinders or heads can be repaired, as can alloy radiators, gasket faces, mounting points etc.. Steve does all metals including magnesium. Some early Jap bikes used pot metal, which is about the lowest grade of metal, and can and has been repaired by Steve.

Even if the component is small Steve will restore it. Steve also finishes mating surfaces such as crankcase halves which is a fastidious and time consuming job.

You are probably thinking that with Steve’s expertise he is very expensive but because of his knowledge and skills he is very competitive against the alternatives. Steve’s jobs come from Australia wide so before you bin a component contact him at Steve Otis, Cycleweld 0412 470 266 or 08 8382 2689 or 23 Kitawah Street Lonsdale SA 5160.

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K AWA SA K I H2-A R ESTO

BY: JEF F EEL E S

THIS IS JUST PART ONE OF A STORY ... A SAGA EVEN ... OF MY H2 RESTO. AT THIS STAGE, I DON’T KNOW HOW MANY PARTS THERE’LL ULTIMATELY BE BUT, BY THE END, THERE SHOULD BE A SWEET RUNNING 1973 KAWASAKI H2- A.

Some time, way back in the very late ‘80’s, I started looking for a Kawasaki H2 750 triple to buy, and eventually restore.

So, I went on the hunt, worried that prices were starting to rise for these bikes that had been changing hands at slightly less than $1,000 each back then.

I remember there was no such thing as Just Bikes or Motorcycle Trader, and the internet was just a dream ... come on guys, you remember those days too! I’m not sure where I found the first one I went to look at, maybe it was in the back of AMCN. Anyway, I recall going to Werribee – between Melbourne and Geelong – to look at a ’73 H2-A. The advertisement must have painted a reasonable picture of the bike for me to go for a look. Armed with my Kawasaki Model Recognition Manual, which gave me the engine and frame numbers for each year of H2, off I went.

The bike didn’t look too bad. The frame and engine numbers were correct for the year, and close enough in series to be the original items for that bike. It was unregistered, but had original

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paint, indicators, etc, and was fairly stock looking.

The seat had been re-upholstered – not too well, but the real cruncher was that the rear wheel had been replaced with a Suzuki disc brake wheel and a caliper arrangement had been attached to work the disc. A few other minor modifications had been made to allow the rear disc set up to work, and then there was the Suzuki alloy swingarm.

I decided I’d pass on this bike, thanking the owner and indicating that I’d look around for something a little more stock.

Maybe six months or more went by and I hadn’t had a sniff of any other H2. Then, out of the blue, I spotted another advert. This bike was further afield, in Geelong. I rang the owner and chatted to him for a while. He sounded a genuine, enthusiastic sort of bloke. I asked him about the condition of the bike, and he said that it was pretty good for its age. He said it ran well and had been reliable for him as he’d been using it to ride to work over summer.

I asked him if it was in standard condition, and he said it was ... except that a previous owner www.vjmc.org.au

K AWA SA K I H2-A R ESTO

had grafted a Suzuki disc brake rear end and swingarm into the bike!!

I said, “Did you buy this bike from a guy in Werribee?” Slightly surprised, he said, “Yes, how did you know?” I told him that I’d already seen the bike, and had knocked it back. I asked if he’d done anything to the bike since buying it, and he said all he’d done was put registration on it, and ride it.

Considering that I’d just told him I’d knocked the bike back once, he was probably a little surprised when I said I’d take the bike, sight unseen, if he’d deliver it to Melbourne. He said, “No worries, I’ll ride it up and get the train back if you pay my fare.” That gave me a lot of confidence in the bike and it was duly delivered to Elizabeth Street, Melbourne one Saturday morning.

By the time I got the H2, it still had around four months registration left on it. A Roadworthy was arranged and the bike changed into my name.

I used it to ride to work once in a while, till the rego ran out, then it was parked in the shed till it’s turn for restoration came around.

During that time, I began to run out of shed room and, one day, I bolted my Z13 plate onto the H2 and rode it up to Bendigo for storage at my brother’s place.

That’s where the bike sat for a few more years, till I brought it and another bike back home, some time around the year 2003.

Between other projects, the H2 was slowly stripped down. But, that’s a story for another time.

JA PA N 201 5

BY: TON Y SCU L PHER

LAST ISSUE WE HAD A FULL RUNDOWN ON THE FABULOUS TOUR OF JAPAN UNDERTAKEN BY THE VJMC LAST YEAR. THIS ISSUE TONY SCULPHER GIVES SOME OF HIS INSIGHTS INTO THE TRIP. I have always wanted to visit Japan and experience the culture. Both myself and my mates all had a huge fascination with all things Japanese since we were young teenagers riding our Honda trail bikes. The British bike riders used to tell us to park our Honda’s in the shade so they would not melt!

Well, it took me just over 40 years to realise my dream. The VJMC Japan tour was an excellent opportunity to go, and all credit to Jeff Eeles for his great trip. My son Craig, who is 26 years old, came along with me as he was fresh back from serving in the Middle East with the Royal

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Australian Air Force, and had plenty of leave to burn up.

There were many highlights for myself, but to visit The Honda Collection Hall at Twin Ring Motegi rates highly. Including The Honda Collection Hall in the tour was a stroke of genius, as everyone enjoyed it, Honda enthusiast or not. The large entrance is most impressive.

Included the central display is an example of an early Honda C100 Cub. This is the humble little motorcycle that made Honda all of his money. The revenue allowed him to indulge in the TT races at the Isle of Man, and ultimately, go on to dominate

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JA PA N 201 5

motorcycle Grand Prix racing until 1967. Soichiro Honda was responsible for building the entire Twin Ring Motegi complex during the 1990’s, and also the Suzuka racing circuit ( developed in the early 1960’s ) that we would also visit a few days later for the 8 Hour Endurance Race. Honda also indulged in motor car Grand Prix racing, and he developed his own range of motor cars. He made a lot of money from that little Cub !

In 1953-1954 Soichiro Honda went to Europe and visited a number of the motorcycle factories. They did not think this unknown little Japanese man would pose any threat to their business, so they were happy to answer any questions he fervently asked. It is also known that during this trip Honda purchased complete motorcycles and also separate motorcycle components, and these were taken back to Japan to both dissect and study.

The Honda Collection Hall is presented on three www.vjmc.org.au

distinctive levels. The first level featured the shop, central display and also the Robot theatre ( more on this later ). Each level of the hall is divided into two sides, and these featured comprehensive displays of Formula One and Indy racing cars, the Honda motor cars including those early and intriguing Japanese micro cars. There were also displays of Honda agricultural machinery and stationery engines. The motorcycle displays will blow your mind, especially all of the racing machinery. Here are almost every example of the famous screaming multi cylinder racing models from 1959 to 1967. Modern racing models are not forgotten, and there also examples of the ParisDakar racers, early twin shock motocross models, and even prototype trials models. Early Superbike models and endurance racers (the famous RCB1000) are here to see and you are so close you could even touch them (not recommended).

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Presently one of my favourites was there to photograph. The 1955-56 SA250 and SB350 Dream models are examples that benefitted from Honda’s trip to Europe. They are heavily based on a 1950 Horex Regina of German manufacture, but Honda added his own interpretation to the overhead camshaft engine incorporating a chain drive. These models featured Honda’s first ever overhead camshaft engine. Both the SA250 and SB350 were almost identical, apart from the engine capacity. The SB350 also featured a unique speedometer which had separate lights indicating each transmission gear selected.

These lights formed a strip in the speedometer and were relative to the speed range required for each gear. These models were manufactured for the Japanese market only, and a handful have made their way to the Western world. I understand that only four SB350 models are known to exist.

Most of the VJMC members attended the robot show involving “ Asimo “ the robot was fantastic to see. Watching him run across the stage is hilarious.

This robot technology dates from around year 2000, and is another example of Honda Motor Company utilising its’ massive resources to investigate new technologies.

There was so much to take in, and now I have had a taste, I will go back there again, and this time I will stay at the Twin Ring Motegi hotel, so I can spend as much time as possible to soak it all up.

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www.vjmc.org.au

EMERGING CLASSICS

BY: ROB CA R MICH A EL

WHEN IN THE UK RECENTLY I FOUND A VJMC ARTICLE IN A BRITISH BIKE MAG ENTITLED “EMERGING CLASSIC – HONDA’S DEAUVILLE.”

Having bought a 2010 Deauville (NT700) as a dual-seated back-up for my “classic” single-seater VJM (1985 Honda GB 500 TT), I was of course interested in what the author (Steve Cooper, UK VJMC) had to say. Did I also have a future classic bike in my possession?

Basically Steve argued that when the Honda Deauville was released it had been (unfairly) maligned in the motorcycling press and dubbed www.vjmc.org.au

with the negative epithet “Dull-Ville”, primarily because of the modest performance resulting from a pretty mediocre power-to-weight ratio (48.3kw:236kg) – a high-performance sports bike it certainly isn’t! It looks like a full tourer, but with only a 680 cc V-twin engine, a capacity of about half that of the Honda ST 1300, and it is not much lighter than its fully-kitted out V-four tourer stablemate.

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EMERGING CLASSICS

So what’s it got going for it to warrant granting it the sobriquet “Emerging Classic“?

To quote from the article: “Even previously dismissive publications have begun to wake up to the charms of this overlooked machine. Adjectives such as unflappable, agile, well-balanced, frugal and torquey are all used to describe the V-twin.

It’s a genuine quality Honda product so reliability comes as standard.”

So far we have been looking at the Deauville through the eyes and words of others, but as an owner and VJMC Australia member what do I think about the machine? Is it an “emerging classic” or just a “Dull-Ville”?

I certainly agree with Steve Cooper’s characterisation of the bike, both positive and negative. The bike is extremely comfortable for

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both rider and pillion, and though heavy and relatively low-powered, it handles well and has decent torque from low down to make the bike quite predictable and hence easy to ride. It has a linked braking system (but no ABS) and final drive is by shaft and hence is low-maintenance.

Fuel economy is good (up to 22km per litre on 95 Octane ULP). The V-twin exhaust beat is nice and mellow but not intrusive. The fairing protects the rider from wind and rain well and the screen is (manually) adjustable for height. All-in-all the Deauville is a very rider-friendly bike, but if outright performance is your thing, you will probably be disappointed.

The only real reservation I have with the bike is to do with the locking mechanism of the integrated pannier system. I have on occasions found a

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EMERGING CLASSICS

pannier lid to come down without warning when for example going over a traffic hump.

Each pannier lid has two catches and it seems that the front catch mechanism does not always fully engage. Care should be taken when closing the pannier lids to make sure that the locking mechanisms are fully engaged.

So to conclude - is the Deauville a true “emerging classic”?

To quote Steve again: “The Deauville is, perhaps, unfairly labelled an old man’s motorcycle but then again look at the current motorcycle riding demographic.”

Good point - as we are considering a bike that www.vjmc.org.au

won’t qualify for VJMC club plates until 2035, by that time it would be fair to say that “the need for speed” should well and truly passed for most of us, leaving other more enduring values such as ride-ability, comfort and reliability as being highly desirable characteristics. For riders of this sensibility, I would maintain that the Honda Deauville (NT700) is a worthy contender to be considered a true “emerging classic”.

I invite other VJMC members to write to the Editor and nominate their own “emerging classics”. Which modern bike(s) do you think will one day rightfully wear the “classic Japanese bike” tag, and why?

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WA L CH A CH A L L E NGE

BY: JOH N I NGL E

THE TAREE & DISTRICT V&C. M.C.C. ISSUED AN INVITATION FOR VJMC MEMBERS TO PARTICIPATE IN THEIR 2015 WALCHA CHALLENGE. The event was held on November 21. Club member Tony from Broken Hill, who was down visiting the Central Coast, entered his Honda 750 and I entered my DS6 Yamaha. The trip up on Friday coincided with a record breaking heat wave, but was bearable in the ute with the air conditioning working flat out and the bike on the trailer. Stopped for petrol near Beresfield around lunchtime and found half a dozen bike riders sheltering under the awning from the heat.

One intrepid couple on a Harley left while I was there and the pillion passenger was wearing a sleeveless vest. A nice case of sun/wind burn was sure to follow.

The GPS took me via Bucket’s Way and then Thunderbolt’s Way. What a twisty climb that is. I imagine it would be a great ride on a touring bike but the road is fairly bumpy. Walcha is a very scenic town nestled in a valley with hills all around. Upon arrival Tony and I had both booked into the Walcha Caravan Park, one of the best equipped Parks I have ever stayed in and reasonably priced as well.

Pizza for dinner on Friday night from the local Pizza shop that is fitted out in a “Hard Rock Café” style with lots of motoring memorabilia on display. Got into conversation with the owner who turned out to be one of the VJMC’s earlier members. Talk about a small world. Good Pizza too, but looked a bit second hand after being carried home in a back pack.

Saturday dawned not quite as hot as Friday but with a promise of more to come. The event was set to commence in the local park at 8.30am. A riders briefing was held where instructions and directions were given. Riders were to follow the directions to navigate the selected route and were told that there were a number of checkpoints along the way where minor tasks were to be carried out with appropriate

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tools expected to be carried. Rider’s logs would be stamped at each checkpoint. Starting times were staggered with the smallest bikes off first followed by the others at two minute intervals. That meant I was first away at 9.30am to set my pace and find my way alone.

The route took us along country roads, through a number of small towns, along the New England Highway to Uralla, then west on more country roads before passing through Armidale and on to Wollomombi Falls for lunch. Tasks along the way included having a spare chain connector, being able to clean your fairing/visor and replacing a blinker bulb. One task I was able to do, one I could not and one checkpoint I missed entirely.

After the provided lunch was finished there was time to inspect the falls and have a walk around the area to stretch your legs before instructions were given for the return leg of the challenge. Similar processes as the first but a more direct route home.

The tasks on the return leg were to decant some fuel for a fellow rider and to have the ability to repair a flat tyre. All riders were to finish in the carpark of the New England Hotel in Walcha which was the base for the event. Ride task scores, along with age of both rider and bike were factored into final scores to decide class and overall winners.

Dinner was held on Saturday night in the Walcha Bowling club where stories (hard luck or otherwise) were exchanged over a few drinks and a pleasant meal. Following this the prizes were presented. The VJMC was not shamed with Tony winning the 750 class on his Honda and the 250 class win defaulted to the only entry.

The event was extremely well organised, marshals are provided where necessary and a backup trailer follows the riders. We were made very welcome.

While you can take the riding seriously, the event is conducted in a light hearted and friendly manner. I look forward to hopefully being invited again next year and highly recommend entering if you enjoy getting together with likeminded people. www.vjmc.org.au

COFFEE & A CAFÉ RACER

BY: N ICHOL A S NOTA R A S

AS ONE OF THE UNOFFCIAL MOTTOS OF THE VJMC IS THAT WE WILL “RIDE ANYWHERE FOR A DECENT CUP OF COFFEE”, I THOUGHT IT FITTING TO COMMENCE A COLUMN ABOUT THIS VERY IMPORTANT REASON TO RIDE. It’s completely coincidental that I own a mid-80s Honda café racer and also have an ongoing loveaffair with caffeine and all things coffee related.

The café racer culture developed in Britain in the 1960s – bikes of the day were styled to be quick between drinking establishments. They were minimalist in design, light, built for speed and handling and of course, had to look good, real good. And that they did...

By the time the Japanese had cornered the global motorbike market in the 1970s, they began emulating the early British café racers. My original 1986 Honda XBR 500 is a fine example of this endeavour: low-mounted handlebars, streamlined seat, elongated fuel tank and kneegrips indented in the fuel tank. So when I get half-a- chance, I strap the Halcyon Goggles around the open-face helmet and ride o to the sound of a single cylinder burble.

Melbourne is known internationally for its coffee so what better way to appraise some of its finer establishments than by getting to them on my café racer. First up in this edition is the Liquid Black Coffee Company. Located in Middle Park one street back from Beaconsfield Parade, the ride there from any direction is dazzling. Make sure you lap-up the palm trees and salt-water air of St Kilda or Albert Park beach.

The Liquid Black Coffee Company is one of my favourite joints in Melbourne. Talk with owner and founder Josh about his 100% sourced Australian beans – he works on the coffee plantations to ensure he is getting the best he can.

These Aussie beans produce a rich, full-bodied

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coffee with a smooth woody finish. Also present in the brew are earthy, chocolaty notes. If you’re not familiar with the taste of antipodean beans, give www.liquidblack.coffee a try. You can order bags online, but make the effort to ride there – the surroundings make for a pleasurable experience in the saddle.

Address: 165 Ashworth St, Middle Park, Victoria 3206

www.vjmc.org.au

BUSINESS DIRECTORY

IF YOU ARE A VJMC MEMBER AND YOU WOULD LIKE TO PROMOTE YOUR BUSINESS ON THIS PAGE, PLEASE EMAIL YOUR DETAILS TO ADRIAN DIXON AT ADIXON@CONTECHENGINEERING.COM

Allen Sutton The Hydroblast Shop 3/ 41-43 Sinclair Rd Dandenong, Vic 3175 0400 516 979 www.thehydroblastshop.com.au Superior restoration of automotive, motorcycle and industrial components. We can make those engine casings, barrels, heads, carbies and intricate parts look like new again. Let our experience be a part of your next restoration project. Visit our website for more detail.

Alvin Wong Doux Wedding Corp Wedding photography and Videography. Special discount for VJMC Members. www.doux.com.au 0433 142 522 Alan Jansen Pals Automotive Services 11/42 New St. Ringwood 3134.

Motorcycle & car RWC inspections in Melbourne’s Eastern suburbs by ‘Vintage Friendly’ inspectors.

By appointment only. www.palsautos.com.au alan@palsautos.com.au 03 9879 6044 Frank Van Den Broek Garage Door & Gate Solutions 23 Canterbury Roar, Braeside Victoria 3195 9587 4000 www.garagedoorsolutions.com.au

www.vjmc.org.au

Ned Vernon Traditional trained metalsmith and specialises in finely crafted motorcycle fabrication. Working in both aluminium and steel manufacture and specialises in tanks fairing and crafting one off custom designs. www.clavo-loco.com nedvernon@gmail.com 0403 805 301 Richard Scoular Classic Bikes Direct 41A Jarrah Drive, Braeside Victoria 3195 0400 222 040 www.classicbikesdirect.com.au Let our world wide network be your advantage when buying a Classic to add to your collection, Nearly 40 years industry experience.

Tony and Catherine Fresh as Bread Cafe 76 Aberdeen Road, Macleod Victoria 3085 For VJMC members: your first coffee is complimentary, great quiet location off main roads, opposite park, with plenty of parking right in front of cafe. Good stop for group rides.

Steve Gittings Printforme 03 5334 2605 0417 336 360 printforme@ncable.net.au Design. Print. Finish.

Offset and digital printing.

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VJMC INC AUSTR ALIA

BY: JOH N MC NA IR

THE 2015 VJMC NATIONAL RALLY WAS A HUGE SUCCESS WITH ONE OF THE LARGEST ATTENDANCES IN THE HISTORY OF THE RALLIES.

With this came an amazingly wide selection of early Japanese motorcycles including Simon Whittaker’s custom Honda’s, a wonderful group of Honda CX500-650’s and a 700, Gary Burgess’s stunning Honda CB1100RD, David Bradbery’s Kawasaki GPZ1000RX, David Howe’s Kawasaki A7 350, Ray Kinch’s amazing Brigestone 90, Judy Beyer’s Honda 400/4 and Tom M’Grath’s 1965 Honda CB77 305 which he rode from Brisbane.

Over 300 bikes were spread across the forecourt of the National Museum on the shores of Lake Burley Gri n.

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Several members rode long distances to the rally on a variety of bikes and the e ort put in by Brisbane’s Tom McGrath along with Chris Dupen (Suzuki T350) and Terry Neilson(Suzuki T500).

They rode via a zig zag route to Canberra notching up close on 2,000 klms on their journey. A blown gearbox seal seen the T500 trucked back to Brisbane while the other two rode back. That’s a bit like the Sydney rider who rode his 70’s Honda CB100 to the2003 National Rally at Morpeth near Newcastle via Mudgee or Wayne Lavers who rode his Suzuki TS250 trail bike from Grenfell in www.vjmc.org.au

VJMC INC AUSTR ALIA

central western NSW to Victor Harbor in South Australia for the 2014 Rally.

Now the 2016 National Rally is on again in Canberra and although the Show and Shine is at the National Museum again we have a new venue for the Rally Hub and the Presentation Dinner.

This is at the Capitol Country Caravan Park north west of the city and is totally booked out however there is cabins at the nearby Eaglehawk Caravan Park. Canberra is ideally located being just 3 hours from Sydney and seven hours from Melbourne. Looking forward to another great rally in the Nation’s Capitol.

www.vjmc.org.au

The Tamworth group have announced that they will be hosting the 2017 & 2018 rallies. This is another great location. Tamworth is a beautiful city on the junction of the Oxley and New England Hwy’s at the foot of the New England Ranges. The city hosts various big events including the annual Country Music Festival which draws crowds up to 100,000 people so there is a multitude of accommodation available. The rally hub will be at the Paradise Country Caravan Park. There is plenty to do and see in Tamworth including the Powerhouse Motorcycle Museum and the Golden Guitar.

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Regional

Meets

CLUB INFO

ACT + SNWS

Meet: Belconnen Soccer Club Belconnen Way, Hawker ACT 7:30pm - 3rd Wednesday night of each month.

Contact: Ian Stevens 0407 706 705 iansac50@tpg.com.au

NSW Lower Hunter

Meet on the second Thurs of each month at the Maquarie Club, Cockle Creek, starting around 7.20pm.

Contact Vince Foreman (02) 4973 1852 or yvonnevince@bigpond.com.au

Mid Hunter

Meet: 7pm on 1st Tues of every even-numbered month at Greta Workers Club. Cnr New England Hwy & West St Contact: Allan Kensitt (02)4938 7223 or 0405 492700

Tamworth

Meet: Tamworth City Bowling Club ANZAC Park, Brisbane St, Tamworth. 6.30pm last Thursday of every month. Contact: Ray Fox 0409 396 432 ray.fox@coateshire.com.au

HISTORIC REGO NSW CONDITIONAL REGISTRATION Sydney Roadworthy Inspections David Bernardi | 0431 661 769 mrdbernardi@gmail.com

All other NSW areas contact Lyndon Adams | (02) 4945 1780 lyndarra@gmail.com

ACT

Ian Stevens | 0407 706 705 iansac50@tpg.com.au

VICTORIA CLUB PERMIT SCHEME INSPECTORS Melbourne - West

Kevin Drazdauskas | 0419 884 560

Melbourne - South East Trevor Whitty | 0419 807 212

North West Vic

Trev Lawrence | trev@gracehouse.com.au

Central Vic

Graeme Climas | (03) 5446 3844

QLD South East Qld

Meet: Belmont Tavern Cnr Burstall Ave & Belmont Rd, Belmont.

7pm second Tues of each month.

Contact: Ray Burrows 0409 640 600 rjrburr@bigpond.net.au

West Gippsland

Dennis Flynn | 0407 359 278

Western Vic

Alan Stork | 0401 995 061

QLD CLUB REGISTRATION SCHEME Brisbane

SA

Graeme Knight | 0411 034 938

South Australia

Meet: Tonsley Hotel, South Road, Clovelly Park. 6:30pm on the last Thursday of each month Contact: Mick mgo22098@bigpond.com.au

VIC Melbourne Metro

Meet: Grandview Hotel Cnr Station Street & Heidelberg Road, Fairfield 7.00pm on the last Tuesday night of each month

Central Vic

Meet: Garlands Bakehouse & Cafe 124 High Street, Kangaroo Flat 10.00am every Sunday morning Contact: Ivan Eeles (03) 5448 4746 familyeeles@hotmail.com

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VINTAGE JAPANESE MOTORCYCLE CLUB

The club has a sizeable library of magazines, workshop manuals and parts manuals for members to use.

Enquires: library@vjmc.org.au

www.vjmc.org.au

Regional

REPRESENTATIVES

VJMC INC AUSTR ALIA

ACT + SNSW

Sydney Inner Steve O’Farrell (02) 9517 3490 sofarrell@premecha.com

North East Victoria Bob & Jenny Kitchener (03)5775 1370 vjmcnortheastvic@hotmail.com

ACT Ian Stevens 0407 706 705 iansac50@tpg.com.au

Sydney South/West Allan Dykstra (02) 9824 7165 adykstra@tpg.com.au

North West Victoria Trevor Lawrence 0412 469 337 trev@gracehouse.com.au

NSW

Tamworth Ray Fox 0427 255 022 foxray8@gmail.com

West Gippsland Mick Gunn 0439 537 901 mickjgunn@gmail.com

NORTHERN TERRITORY

Western Victoria Alan & Pam Stork 0401 995 061 storka.01@hotmail.com

Armidale Greg Inglis 0408 669 986 greg@inglisplumbing.com Bathurst Vacant. Rep required.

Broken Hill Sam Muscat 0412 208 898 spmuscat@bigpond.com Central Coast Jeff Lockhart 0419 286 311 jefflock1400@bigpond.com Far North Coast Rob Andrews (02) 6621 4083 and32@bigpond.net.au Goulburn Malcolm Peden (02) 4821 5060 pedenmj@westnet.com.au Lower Hunter Bill Keevers 0438 646 117 billkeevers@gmail.com Manning Steve Wardle (02) 6551 5546 canvasz1000@bigpond.com Mid Hunter Allan Kensit (02) 4938 7223 midhuntervjmc@yahoo.com.au Mid North Coast Vacant. Rep required.

Narrabri Ron Campy 0428 933 129

Darwin John Hefferan 0413 998 261 heffs@live.com.au

WA Perth & West Australia David Williams 0418 687 855 dave.williams@se1.bp.com

QUEENSLAND Mackay Peter & Helen Douglas (07) 4954 3653 South East Queensland Ray Burrows 0409 640 600 rjrburr@bigpond.net.au Sunshine Coast Vacant - rep required

SA

WORLD WIDE CLUB INFO

TAS

VJMC INC

Tasmania Tony Mahoney 0438 385 176 ttmahoney@gmail.com

The VJMC is a worldwide club.

There are independent branches in North America (USA/Canada), UK, New Zealand and Australia.

Some enthusiasts are members of more than one branch.

Direct enquiries for overseas branches of the VJMC to: North America President: Thomas Kolenko Website: www.vjmc.org Email: president@vjmc.org

VIC Central Victoria Ivan Eeles (03) 5448 4746 familyeeles@hotmail.com

North West Garry Hennessey 0418 496 538 ghp2251@gmail.com

East Gippsland Steve Millikan (03) 5144 7535 Mobile 0429 187 195 Stephen.millikan@gmail.com

Orange Region Peter Ezzy 0427 663 246 peterezzy3@bigpond.com

Geelong Andrew Deans 0419 270 221 apdeans@hotmail.com

Queanbeyan Rob Hogan (02) 6299 7579 robandcarolyn@bigpond.com

Melbourne John Doward 0467 jrha0747@tpg.com.au

Sydney David Bernardi 0431 661 769 mrdbernardi@gmail.com

Mornington Peninsula/

www.vjmc.org.au

More Info on becoming a regional rep: Contact Alan Stork on 0401 995 061 if you are interested in getting VJMC happening in your area.

South Australia Mick Godfrey 0401 196 922 mgo22098@bigpond.net.au

280

Phillip Island Dave Parker 0416 154 056 dhparker@bigpond.net.au

United Kingdom Chairman: Malcolm Linsley, VJMC PO Box 21671 Falkirk, FK1 9AL. Website: www.vjmc.com

425

Email: chairman_vjmc@yahoo.co.uk New Zealand:

Ross & Trudy Charlton 2 Te Miti St, Paekakariki, Wellington.

Email: ross.judy@xtra.co.nz

VINTAGE JAPANESE MOTORCYCLE CLUB

41

VJMC INC AUSTR ALIA

Annual subs VJMC Inc I f your fees are due, please complete and send this renewal slip with payment.

Direct Credit is now available. If paying by direct credit, please complete and send this renewal as confirmation.

OFFICIAL USE ONLY Received Renewal Date Received $

Member No Cash / Cheque / MO / Direct Debit Name Receipt No Due Date Reply Sent Cost: $40 single, $50 family.

Additional Info (address/contact change etc)

Email I give the VJMC Committe and Reps permission for my contact details to be provided to other members on request.

(Name, phone, email and locality only).

Signed Date Cheques / Money orders payable to VJMC Inc, or Direct Credit: VJMC Inc Australia BSB 062-801 ACC 10-240-688 (Commonwealth) Please include your member number as detail.

Send to: VJMC Inc PO Box 254 Modbury North SA 5092

42

VINTAGE JAPANESE MOTORCYCLE CLUB

From ANNUAL FEES Australian Residents Family (member + 1 other) New Zealand Overseas

1/6/16 1/7/16 NEW RENEW $45 $40 $55 $50 $50 $45 $55 $50 www.vjmc.org.au

PLEASE CONTRIBUTE Email contributions to: tom@pepperpublishing.com.au

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