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Classic Motorcycle Mechanics December 2022 (Digital)

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38 Articles

Real or retro – just enjoy!

One of the leading breakfast cereals says it all: ‘The original and best’, and we have to say that’s true when it comes to bikes. The original classics are what we know and love best, but there’s a lot to be said for other bikes that enjoy that moniker. ‘Trickle down’ is where it’s at in the classic world. Think about it. There are only so many Z1s in the world, so when they are all bought up, people look at Z900s, Z1000s, maybe even Z650s – hell, even the Zephyr range from the 1990s. Nowt wrong with that in our book… the more the merrier. And, as each subsequent era of machine, be it new or continuing from an original bloodline, hits that 15-year mark as dictated by the…

Real or retro – just enjoy!

Phil Read 1939-2022

Phil Read 2 x500cc world champion 4 x250cc GP world champion 125cc world champion TT-F1 world champion Phil Read, who passed away on October 6, was a seven-/ eight-time world champion. Racing in a time of greats, Phil would win the 250cc crown four times (1964, 65, 68, 71); the 125cc title once (1968); and 500cc titles in 1973 and 1974 – the last of MV Agusta’s titles and the last four-stroke title until 2002. His final – and some say ‘questionable’ title – was the TT-F1 series. This was a title that was created solely to fill the gap in the Isle of Man TT’s lost world championship status in 1976. Phil – often a critic of the Isle of Man TT races – promptly entered in 1977 and…

Phil Read 1939-2022

FURYGAN VOYAGER 3C JACKET

Whether you’re facing extreme heat, torrential rain, polar cold, or just the varied conditions on the way to the shop (sounds like the UK weather to me), the Voyager 3C is just perfect. Featuring three-layer laminated technology, fixed mesh lining and removable thermal liner, the Voyager 3C can adapt to both the climate and your needs – with eight pockets (four external and four internal) and multiple waist and sleeve adjuster tabs. Cooling comes from the AFS Max ventilation system on the arms, shoulders and back, while the connecting zips will ensure a perfect fit with the Furygan Discovery pant. Safety is a priority, too, with the use of high-tenacity laminated polyester helping towards the jacket’s AA safety rating, plus there’s a pocket for a Furygan D3O back protector. It’s…

FURYGAN VOYAGER 3C JACKET

OXFORD PRODUCTS WINTER HEAD/NECK GEAR

Here are three ways to keep both your bonce and your Gregory Peck warm this winter. First up, the Advanced Storm Collar uses a stretch Dry2Dry trilaminate fabric for a perfect waterproof and windproof seal between helmet and jacket. A microfleece backing adds next-to-skin comfort. This comes in at £24.99. Next up is the Advanced WarmDry Balaclava which uses an armed forces inspired construction allowing either partial or full face coverage. Highly thermal WarmDry fabric features moisture-wicking properties and a microfleece facing for all-day riding comfort. Price is £29.99. Finally, there’s the Advanced Windproof Balaclava which also uses either partial or full face coverage. Highly windproof softshell fabric also wicks away moisture and you’ve also got a microfleece facing for all-day riding/playing Call of Duty comfort. £29.99. www.oxfordproducts.com…

OXFORD PRODUCTS WINTER HEAD/NECK GEAR

SHARK SPARTAN GT PRO

Brand-new for 2023 and the next generation of the iconic Spartan GT, the Spartan GT Pro meets the ECE 22.06 standards, featuring an aerodynamically designed outer shell made from a combination of glass and carbon-fibre layers with a multi-density EPS. Sounds good, whatever that means. The VZ300 Class 1 rated visor is thicker than on many other helmets and is designed for clear vision as well as protecting the rider from any projectiles in the event of an accident. The four-point locking system has been taken from the top-of-the-range Race-R Pro GP helmet. Every detail has been designed to limit noise and the ventilation is entirely optimised and adjustable, fitted with three inlet vents and two Venturieffect outlets. The Spartan GT Pro is available in nine colourways from £429.99. www.nevis.uk.com…

SHARK SPARTAN GT PRO

CALENDAR CORNER

ANDY TIERNAN 2023 CALENDAR Six AJS motorcycles are featured in this A4 calendar, all beautifully drawn/painted by Mike Harbar: one AJS from each decade – 1910s, 20s 30s, 40s, 50s and 60s. All proceeds go to the East Anglian Air Ambulance. Last year £4744.01 was raised! You can get the calendar by sending a cheque to: Andy Tiernan Classics Calendars, The Old Railway Station, Station Road, Framlingham, Woodbridge, Suffolk IP13 9EE, United Kingdom. Make the cheque payable to East Anglian Air Ambulance or by PayPal to AndyTiernanCalendarDonation@ outlook.com Cost in the EU is £17 and the rest of the world £20. www.andybuysbikes.com and http://classiclinesartist.com/ DAVE FOORD CALENDAR Dave Foord’s amazing artwork is now available in wire-bound A3 calendar format for 2023. His ultra-realistic take is on racers as diverse as…

CALENDAR CORNER

LASER TOOLS FLEXY MAGNETIC PICK-UP TOOL

This super-flexible magnetic pick-up tool from Laser Tools (part number 7026) has a useful 300mm length, but features a very narrow shaft diameter of just 4mm, which makes it ideal for retrieving those metal nuts, bolts, screws, swarf and other metal pieces that have found their way into areas otherwise inaccessible. The soft-grip handle provides comfort and control over the movement of the pick-up tool. The flexible shaft can be easily formed into any shape that will assist in locating the dropped item and it will hold this shape as you work. This flexible magnetic pick-up tool will find uses in both the workshop and home. www.lasertools.co.uk…

LASER TOOLS FLEXY MAGNETIC PICK-UP TOOL

FURYGAN DISCOVERY PANTS

Designed to be worn with the Voyager 3C jacket, the Discovery pants also utilise a three-layer laminated outer fabric, which provides waterproofing and breathability. The Discovery pant also provides a comfortable fit with adjustable and removable shoulder straps, waist and leg adjustment tabs and stretchable material between the legs and above the knees. Protection is enhanced with reflective inserts and D3O armour in the knees and hips, giving the garment AA certification. In case extra storage is needed for your essentials, the Discovery pant also boasts four pockets. They also match the Voyager jacket colour schemes and come in sizes S-3XL. www.furygan.com/en-GB/…

FURYGAN DISCOVERY PANTS

PYRAMID PLASTICS Z650RS BELLY PAN/HUGGER

In perfect timing for this month’s test, Pyramid Plastics has produced a new body kit for the Kawasaki Z650RS, including a Belly Pan and Hugger. Pyramid designs these parts by hand using traditional pattern-making techniques to create a high-end product. Both Belly Pan and Hugger are available in Candy Emerald Green and Candy Diamond Brown, as well as Gloss Black and Matte Black. These are manufactured and painted in the UK from high-quality parts. They are also supplied with all of the relevant fittings and instructions required for a hassle-free install. Belly Pans start at £130 and Huggers at £110. www.pyramid-plastics.co.uk…

PYRAMID PLASTICS Z650RS BELLY PAN/HUGGER

LIQUI MOLY CHAIN LUBE

As I’m down to the last can, I want to remind you all about this cracking product. I’ve never been a fan of the modern sticky-white chain ‘wax’: stuff that is anti-fling and sticks (literally) to your chain like glue. It means everything else will stick to your chai, too… not good. I’ve always been a fan of the low viscosity lubes that weren’t anti-fling but which kept your chain nice and clean and free from sticky grit, but sadly these seem to have been out of fashion. This Liqui Moly chain lube in a 250ml aerosol was a class find. It goes on clear and clean without any whiteness that you get with wax. The downsides are that it does fling around the back of your bike if you’ve…

LIQUI MOLY CHAIN LUBE

OXFORD ORIGINAL APPROVED DENIM JEANS

Modern ‘bike-friendly’ denim is practical, comfortable and versatile, which means I don’t have to get changed when I get to my destination. I know many riders won’t ever consider wearing jeans on their bike – leathers and textiles are king. I get that. But with recent technological advancements, there’s no reason that a set of specially designed bike jeans won’t keep you safe should you end up sliding along the Tarmac. At first glance, the Oxford Original Approved Denim Jeans might not look like much. Aside from a line of stitching above the knee, they look like they could be a set of normal fashion jeans, and that’s a good thing. But are they up to the job of keeping you safe should the worst happen? Thankfully, I’ve not had…

OXFORD ORIGINAL APPROVED DENIM JEANS

Foggy and Whit for Newark!

Two of British motorcycling’s biggest names, including a king of the jungle, are set to entertain the fans at the first major classic bike event of 2023. Carl Fogarty and James Whitham will take centre stage at the Classic Bike Guide Winter Classic over the weekend of January 7/8 at Newark Showground, and with each man never shy to say what they think, there will be plenty of opinions, memories and racing insights of both modern day and ‘back in the day’ racing. Blackburn’s Fogarty – four-time World Superbike Champ, multiple TT winner and double F1 champion, Endurance World Champion and also winner of the 14th series of TV show ‘I’m A Celebrity – Get Me Out Of Here!’ – is well-known for his straight-talking style. His mate, Huddersfield’s James…

Foggy and Whit for Newark!

A CLASSIC TWO-STROKE TIMEPIECE!

We really like these subtle and classy two-stroke timepieces! Each Moto Culture watch represents a particular 500cc Grand Prix team that we supported during those halcyon days of the late 1980s/early 1990s. Yes, this was a true golden age of 500cc Grand Prix teams, the likes of Rothmans Honda, Lucky Strike Suzuki and Marlboro Yamaha. We think these timepieces capture the very essence of the era, where the likes of Wayne Gardner, Eddie Lawson, Kevin Schwantz and Wayne Rainey battled for victory in the blue riband 500cc two-stroke class. Each Moto Culture watch costs £299 and features a Seiko vk63 chronograph movement, a leather strap, and is waterproof to five atmospheres. For more go to: www.motoculture.co.uk Or, maybe try and win the one we have FREE to give away. Yes,…

A CLASSIC TWO-STROKE TIMEPIECE!

Reading social media posts can be rewarding but it can also be challenging… it all depends on the subject matter and the mind-sets of people participating. Not so long ago one of the two-stroke Facebook pages carried a story and video of a newly-developed three-into-one exhaust for the Suzuki GT750 and GT550 and the place simply lit up. Incandescent fans of the bigger triples almost imploded at the very thought of a supposedly compromised exhaust system on either bike. Comments such as: ‘…this system will compromise performance’, or ‘…there’ll be no top-end power’, and beyond to ‘…that’ll wreck the engine’, were all swiftly rolled out. Inevitably,those in favour of the set ups countered and the whole thing swiftly denigrated into a verbal fist fight liberally spiced with poisonous invective, but…

THORPE AT TELFORD

Next year’s Classic Dirt Bike Show sponsored by Hagon Shocks will deliver another off-road giant to Telford International Centre. Three-time world champion and 80s and 90s racing icon Dave Thorpe has been confirmed as the star guest for the show on February 11-12, 2023. As Britain’s most successful motocross racer, with three 500cc World Championships, a Veteran’s World title and multiple British Championships to his name, Thorpe is the last British rider to have won the premier division of world motocross. Thorpe began his successful career in the UK Kawasaki team, before moving to the Honda racing team in 1983. The switch saw his first Grand Prix win in 1984 and he gained his first world title the following year, which he retained in 1986. His third world title came…

THORPE AT TELFORD

‘DREAM GARAGE’ CLASSICS AT MOTORCYCLE LIVE!

After weeks of deliberation by racing stars and riding celebrities, Motorcycle Live’s search for the ‘Dream Garage’ is nearly complete. Doubtless there will be plenty of classics up on the Dream Garage stand at the show. Those who have been polled include: 2021 British Superbike Champion Tarran Mackenzie; Isle of Man TT Outright Lap Record Holder Peter Hickman; ‘All-way-rounder’ Charley Boorman; and Guinness World Record holder Jenny Tinmouth. They had 10 choices in the lead-up to the show. Some were bikes they had owned, lust after, or raced. The only rules were that their chosen garage had to be made up of motorcycles from the last 60 years, and they had to be road-going bikes. We’ve heard rumours that the likes of Honda’s 1992 CBR900RR FireBlade, the iconic 1978 Kawasaki…

‘DREAM GARAGE’ CLASSICS AT MOTORCYCLE LIVE!

We love to hear from you, so why not let us know what you like, or dislike in YOUR magazine. Simply get in touch by sending emails to: letters@classicmechanics.com or direct to the editor at BSimmonds@Mortons.co.uk or post your letters to the normal address. The best will win one of our lovely T-shirts! What ARE you saying? Is there something you are trying to tell me? I just finished reading the ‘Classic Codgers’ article and this appears at the very next turn of the page: Low cost funeral plan flyer! OK, perhaps not your fault, but I have to say with both the Will Holman ‘old dog’ and ‘getting old’ articles, it was a corker of an issue this month: ignore the critics, they are talking out of their arses!…

We want to see YOUR pride and joy in our pages, so you can share what you ride and what you restore/build with fellow readers. Email your hi-res shots to bsimmonds@mortons.co.uk or mail in some photos at the address at the front of the mag. Let us know what you’ve done, how you’ve done it and send before and after shots if you can. Do get in touch – because the best of the month gets a free T-shirt! DENIS FITCH’S TRIUMPH COLLECTION WINNER The 1996 Speed Quattro 1200 started out life as a standard 1200 Daytona, so it has the claimed 147bhp engine – Jack Lilley did one back in the day. The bike has lots of modifications apart from the obvious fairing removal, so that means: handlebars, risers,…

The way we were…

Ralph Peters says: “Hello Bertie and all at CMM! I’m not sure if this is a ‘Show Us Yours’ or more of a ‘The Way We Were’ so maybe it’s a bit of both? This is my Yamaha RD250LC that I’ve owned from new since February 1981, so it is nearly 42 years old now, but with just 6500 miles on the clock. I guess there are not many left as a one owner bike out there now! I’ve still got the bill of payment, tax discs and MoTs. She’s all original except for tyres and the chain and sprockets. I hope you like her!” Roger Bishop says: “This is me on my 175cc BSA Bantam with a peel fairing in the early 1960s and the dealer that I bought…

The way we were…

Bandit country!

After a successful restoration of a CB175 I decided to plunge once more into the resto world and all the agony, stress and, hopefully, joy that it brings... but what to buy? It had to be cheap, with plenty of available parts, a bit of a head-turner and, fingers crossed, a modern classic in waiting. Several bikes would fit that bill, but I wanted to keep away from the gaudy, plastic-wrapped sports bike of the 80s and 90s such as the GSX-R750 and CBR600 so it had to be a middleweight roadster and the one that started that whole budget class: the Suzuki GSF600 Bandit. The Bandit is such a brilliant bike – nearly everyone of a certain age will either of owned or ridden one at some point and,…

Bandit country!

Classic Stafford!

It was a weekend to remember at The Classic Motorcycle Mechanics Show, and what a show it was! World superbike champion from 1997 and World 250cc champ of 1990 John Kocinski was there for both days, regaling the masses with unheard tales from the motorcycle racing world. For the first time at the event, the Honda FMX display stunt team, also known as Bolddog FMX, was there also: from backflips to superman grabs, showgoers were in awe – with audible gasps heard from the crowds – as they watched the team’s thrilling and certainly dangerous stunts. The show also had multiple elements that were new for 2022, including a hugely popular 1990s’ Hall which housed a number of machines and celebrated the up-and-coming emerging classics. Our less-than-esteemed editor Bertie Simmonds…

Classic Stafford!

To the Moon by Zed!

Douglas Adams spoke about this in the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy: “Space is big. You just won't believe how vastly, hugely, mind-bogglingly big it is. I mean, you may think it's a long way down the road to the chemist's, but that's just peanuts to space.” Now, the trip to the Moon is a bit like a walk to the chemist in intergalactic terms. But it’s an awfully long way to go on a 1982 Kawasaki Z650… That, however, is about how far Bob Heywood has ridden on his Zed (the distance between the Moon and Earth varies from 225,000 to 250,000 miles). And while the average miles per year isn’t outlandish (around 5750 miles a year), it’s unusual to spend all those miles on the one bike. Bob…

To the Moon by Zed!

Kawasaki has always done the retro thing well – and often ‘first’, too. Even in my 20s I loved the look of the Kawasaki Zephyr range, copying as they did the original big Zeds of old – the bikes that my uncles would turn up on and the bikes I was plonked on top of as a kid and the first bikes I would pillion on. Zeds were in my blood, so the 1990s Zephyrs were attractive to me, even if I was (back then) a dedicated sports-bike nut… Of course, for some the Kawasaki W650/800 is more their thing, and – moving later on – the ZRX1100/1200R, of which I’ve owned a few and which (like the Zephs) are now classics in their own right. I was lucky enough…

Living with the Z650RS

“I was the lucky so and so who won the Kawasaki Z650RS at Motorcycle LIVE last year. I was given a choice of colours and as I’d had an original green one in the 1980s, I felt there was only one choice. The bike was presented to me via my local dealer, Kawasaki Wigan, in March this year and I have been enjoying it ever since. “My most recent bikes had been a 1999 Honda VFR 800 and a 1977 Suzuki GT500. “I had an accident in 2021 on the GT in which, amongst other things, I broke bones in my back, ribs and ankle. I’m now back riding, but at 62 years old and recovering from my injuries, I was considering whether the Honda VFR800’s riding position and weight…

Living with the Z650RS

SUBSCRIBE AND WIN

Subscribe to Classic Motorcycle Mechanics and four lucky subscribers will be entered into a draw to win one of these great prizes! As long as you have an active subscription, your unique subscriber ID will be entered into our monthly draw to win one of a number of brilliant prizes*! This month, there are four fantastic prizes up for grabs! As well as our usual Key Collection goodies – represented this month by the Duchinni D501 Open Face Drop Garage Helmet worth £79.99 – we have a Bruhl MD1400 Single Turbine Dryer worth £119.99, cool Tamiya kit and a Bridgestone Oxford Products Oximiser 3X worth £69.99, with a combined worth of more than £300! A Bridgestone Oximiser 3X.Bridgestone has been making brilliant tyres for decades, so why not see what’s…

SUBSCRIBE AND WIN

CARB CONUNDRUM Q: I have a large-ish Ultrasonic bath. I have tried various chemical additives for carb cleaning and other alloy cleaning, most of which do clean the dirt, crud, goo, etc., off things, but my problem is the finish left on the alloy surface; they always end up dull, sometimes stained, not matt as if bead/sand-blasted, just dull. I have seen Ultrasonic cleaning adverts that show a cruddy hanging carb as a ‘before’ image then a bright, shiny, like-new carb after the ultrasonic cleaning as an ‘after’ image. What am I doing wrong? I do read the chemical manufacturers’ instructions. What chemicals should I be using? Or is it all an advertising con? I met a sarcastic, very old, biker at a local meet who said the shiny ones…

Gripping stuff!

Even though I haven’t passed three score years yet, I am already noticing that my strength is not what it once was. When the Laser Tools rep came round last time, he was showing me high leverage pliers. These are basically geared pliers that multiply the torque from the handles by simple leverage. There’s no such thing as a free lunch and whilst the torque is greater, they obviously don’t open as wide. That said he left me a pair of long nose and combination pliers to play with. I wasn’t that convinced initially, but when I started trying to get a tight split pin out of my DT175 rear axle, the penny dropped. I could concentrate the pressure on pulling the damned thing out whilst not having to waste…

Gripping stuff!

Paint your wagon!

Iused to think that putting decent paint on a bike was like chrome plating, something you simply couldn’t do outside a professional paint shop. I’m not saying you can do this from home and make a business out of it, but what does make it worth the effort is the pride of someone saying what a lovely bike it is and you can truthfully say that the chrome was the only bit you farmed out. I don’t profess to be especially brilliant at it, but I have produced some paint work that has been of better quality than other stuff I paid money for. I’m not going to say it’s easy, but amazing results can be achieved at home with some rudimentary gear. Throughout this series of articles, I will…

Paint your wagon!

Art for art’s sake?

There have been moments, many moments if I’m honest here, when I would have happily swapped the Rickuki for a conventional restoration. Building a special may seem like a blank canvas to those not involved but the reality is often rather different. Keeping with the art allegory what you end up working on is often a motorcycle designed by Salvador Dali with serried revisions by Hieronymus Bosch and Albrecht Durer all following a plan laid down by Maurits Cornelis Escher – check these guys out for a laugh. There’s no blueprint to follow; you’re convinced you’ve entered an unknown dimension; and for each problem you solve you begin to believe you may just have engineered several more. With a series-production machine every single item only fits in one place, but…

Art for art’s sake?

The knock-on effect!

When I started writing these articles, I had no idea where or how long it was going to take me, honest! Similar to building my CMR TR750, the reality is it has taken me far longer than I ever thought and it’s been in part a journey into the unknown. Along the way I’ve met and had dealings with some good and very helpful people; my knowledge base has expanded; my fabrication and machining skills have grown and improved; I’ve learnt a lot in a number of different ways; and I’ve pushed myself to develop further abilities to achieve the end goal. Still not great at TIG welding though! I have what I call a ‘dry build’, that is a bike that sort of looks to be nearly finished in…

The knock-on effect!

Iwas looking on the bright side after seeing the great condition of the top-end; a few bits of metal floating around the crankcase would have settled to the bottom of the sump and stayed there, right? I mean, I saw no evidence of carnage in the cam bearings, so the oil-filter was doing its job. Nothing to worry about, so the next day I walked into the workshop with a clear head and a job to do. First thing was to remove the pistons. I have some small Snap-On long nose pliers that I have had for ages and that are great for removing wire circlips. Just grab the circlip near its end, then pull down and inwards, then out when it has cleared the grove (Photo 1). Then, while…

Small and beautifully formed – that’d be a good sobriquet for Honda’s jewel-like VF500. Unfortunately it’s been erroneously tarred with the same brush as the poisoned VF750 and has been labelled ‘guilty by association’. The reality is that neither the 500 nor its small, 400cc brother were or are the cam-eating, enginewrecking monsters they’ve been made out to be. The VF500 is quite possibly the epitome of Honda’s contemporary drive towards mass centralisation as it strove to stay off the still potent threat from the likes of Yamaha’s two-strokes. Ultimately the VF500 never was or could be a marketplace competitor to an LC or Powervalve but, if you accept the notion of different strokes for different folks, it was a viable alternative. The VF500 was a huge leap away from…

Bottom-end inspection!

G’day! Last issue I stripped the top-end and was happy with what I discovered about Slabby 3, that it had undergone some TLC before being shelved. This time I’ve had a good look ‘down under’ at the bottom-end and I’m equally happy. I also check out the exhaust options and intake. Suck, squeeze, bang, blow. Isn’t that the way it goes? With the help of my eldest daughter, first job was removing the starter-clutch cover to expose the starter-clutch and starter idle gear. All look great with no issues. I then removed the starter motor, which I will bench test but most likely service anyway. I then popped off the clutch cover before turning the motor upside down and removing the 14, 6mm Allen bolts securing the oil pan to…

Bottom-end inspection!

At long last I had the 450 working, insured, UK registered and ready to go for its first test ride. By this stage I had got used to the unfamiliar sound that the engine made – aweird hissing noise which I eventually realised was merely the sound of the camshafts and rockers in operation. Probably what threw me was that the exhaust was much quieter than on any of my other bikes and quiet noises were drowned out. I had noticed that the clutch adjustment did not seem to work as I had expected and pretty soon it was apparent that the clutch was slipping quite badly. I did carry on for a little circular trip of three miles or so and it got no better. When I got home…

Buttoning her up!

Okay, it’s time to drill and tap for the exhaust studs. This has to be cock-on; you can see that I’ve used studs screwed into adjacent holes to get the angles correct, so it’s got to be perfect! After I’m happy with the repairs to the head, John at The Head Shop at Warrington did a lovely clean-up on the seats and also lightly trimmed the valves, cutting different angles on the throat, seat and then top face. Again, a bit like the ring gap deal, you’ll never realise the full potential of your motor unless the seats are bob on. John has a £20k machine to ensure that the seats are good. I’m very happy to pay him to provide that service, and no, I won’t be waxing lyrical…

Buttoning her up!

Finish-line fettle!

One impediment to signing off the dry build was the niggling issue of the idiot lights that wouldn’t all illuminate. When you find you’re colour blind to certain hues used in Japanese looms it probably makes a lot of sense getting in someone who can distinguish the various shades and preferably somebody who understands bike electrics. Fortuitously I’m good mates with the effervescent Ferret and, as we go back far longer than either of us are willing to admit, he kindly offered to drop by when he was next passing. The upshot of a quick inspection and fettle was that I’d made a couple of piss-poor connections when I’d recrimped some connections: the flying lead earth from the tacho was less than ideal; the neutral light was temporarily temperamental; and…

Finish-line fettle!

SUZUKI TS250: Steve Cooper rides this Suzuki off-road classic. SUZUKI GSX-R1000: With the 1000 disappearing from the UK, we look at the classic models of the last 22 years. PAINT YOUR WAGON: Ralph Ferrand continues his series on getting a professional paint finish on YOUR classic. BRIDGESTONE/CMM BIKE OF THE YEAR: Another reader’s machine. PROJECT BIKES: We will be showcasing some of the following (space allowing): Bertie Simmonds’ Aprilia Tuono Fighter, Pip Higham’s Yamaha SDR200 and Suzuki S32, Alan Dowds’ Kawasaki ZRX1100R Turbo, Mark Haycock’s Honda ST70, Steve Cooper’s Yamaha C3SC or YL1, perhaps Steve ‘Stavros’ Parrish’s racing Yamaha TD2B and Jeff Ware’s Suzuki GSX-R750F. Ralph Ferrand is back with his Project Zed, there’s David Punshon’s Honda CB750 DOHC, Malc Shaw with his Suzuki TR750 and maybe Taylor Mackenzie’s Yamaha…

General mayhem: part two…

Messing around at my first race at Crosland Moor, the Ricker (Rickman Triumph to be correct) was one I’d bought off Dave Parry, he of the modified Rickman Montesa Moto Crosser. It was a Mk.3 MX chassis with an ancient Triumph motor, but more importantly it was £50! Within a couple of weeks I’d found a unit construction 650 motor in bits. Pretty soon it had become my race bike, my road bike and, above all, my fun bike: 300 pounds wringing wet (136 kilos); no battery; oil in frame; marginal silencing (well, none…). A few months after its initiation at The Moor I went to the Dragon Rally on it, tent strapped on the back, hand-cut slicks (what was I thinking?). I froze my precious parts and decided there…

General mayhem: part two…

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