Innholdsfortegnelse for November - December 2017 i Motorcycle Classics

1,800 vintage bikes heading for auction An unbelievable 1,800 vintage motorcycles — all belonging to one man — will be auctioned off by J. Wood & Company in a giant three-day event, March 13-15, 2018, in Ocala, Florida. “This is the largest single consignor motorcycle collection that’s ever been offered at a no-reserve auction that I know of,” says auctioneer Jerry Wood. “The largest amount are late 1960s and early 1970s Japanese machines, but there are lots of early Superbikes including a lot of single cam K0 and K1 Honda CB750s.” The collection includes a great many British bikes as well, including a 1973 Triumph Hurricane showing an indicated — and believed original — 510 miles. According to Wood, the owner’s father was in the motorcycle business decades ago selling…

Ask any classic bike enthusiast to name his or her all-time Top 10 motorcycles, and the BSA DBD34 Clubman’s Gold Star is sure to be high on the list. It’s the ultimate café racer, a 110mph projectile with clip-on handlebars, a handsome chrome fuel tank and a GP carb that looks as if it’s big enough to swallow a sparrow. And it goes every bit as well as you’d hope. Riding a Goldie on winding roads while making the most of that close-ratio gearbox is pure magic. First gear will take you to 60mph, and you can hit 90mph in second and 105mph in third. But it’s not all about speed. The DBD handles so well that you can chuck it around effortlessly. No wonder BSA’s single dominated the Clubman’s…

This is the story about Bultaco’s Streaker, a model that hit the showroom floor in 1977, and the only bike from that Spanish brand to sport cast aluminum wheels. Before we talk about the Streaker, though, let’s cut to the chase: When somebody mentions the word streaker in casual conversation, the first thing that many people envision is a classic 1970s scene starring a naked runner streaking in public, his or her oh-so-vital anatomical attributes dangling precipitously in the breeze. Perhaps a clip of Will Ferrell, jogging au naturel in the movie Old School, pops playfully into your mind. If you’re to proceed with this particular classic motorcycle feature article, you need to erase those mental pictures right now. So close your eyes, take a deep cleansing breath and let…

Lambretta wasn’t the first company to design and build a transversely mounted V-twin. That accolade is bestowed on English manufacturer AJS and its shortlived S3 500cc transverse V-twin of 1931. A tourer with sporting pretensions, the S3 and its parent company were soon consumed by the Great Depression and a corporate takeover by fellow British marque Matchless. The model lasted just six months. German motorcycle manufacturer Victoria forged its reputation in the 1920s on a range of overhead valve singles and 4-stroke twins. After World War II the Munich factory rebuilt its corporate image on 2-stroke scooters and mopeds. Then in 1953 it launched its first big new 4-stroke, a 348cc transverse, overheadvalve V-twin called the Bergmeister. Its engine was unit construction with a shaft rear drive. Japanese manufacturer Marusho…

2017 marks the 30th anniversary of the debut of the legendary Ducati desmoquattro V-twins, yet it would have been hard to envisage at the start of the 1980s that a decade later Ducati would end up defeating both Honda and Yamaha to win the World Superbike Championship with a twin-cylinder racer. By 1983 the Italian company was at a low ebb, with fewer than 3,000 bikes a year trickling out of its Bologna factory, having passed in 1978 into the hands of the VM Group, a state-subsidized manufacturer of industrial engines. Motorcycles were a low priority for VM, and with worldwide bike sales crumbling, Ducati’s future looked bleak. But in 1985, with the marque literally days away from being consigned to the scrap heap of history, a deal was struck…

Charging issues Q: My father and I are restoring a Suzuki T20. It’s all going great and we’ve had it running quite nicely. We have noticed that it isn’t charging the battery, though. We removed and checked the rectifier and that seems OK (resistance is only showing one way). We have had an ammeter in line with the battery and you can see the current draw as you turn on the ignition, then more as the lights come on, but when it’s running it doesn’t change. We have a Suzuki Hustler that’s been a temporary parts bike and removed the alternator off that to swap. With them both on the bench we tested the continuity of the coils and found the T20 only had one good pair to the Hustlers’…

PINNACLES NATIONAL PARK, CALIFORNIA Located just south of Hollister, California, Pinnacles National Park is our newest National Park. Designated a National Monument by Theodore Roosevelt in 1908, it was finally granted National Park status in 2013. In case you were wondering, National Monuments usually have historic, cultural or scientific significance, while National Parks offer scenic, inspirational, educational and recreational value. The National Park designation is perhaps a bit more prestigious, but I’ve been to many in both categories and all have been worthy destinations. Pinnacles is dazzlingly beautiful, consisting of stark rocky formations, cliffs, talus caves (more about that in a moment), 32 miles of hiking trails and a dizzying assortment of wildlife. The geology of the place is fascinating, stretching back 23 million years ago when volcanoes erupted to…

The Commando Hi-rider Regarding the article on the infamous Commando Hi-rider (September/ October 2017), how did it come about? We, Norton Villiers Corp., when attending the Houston Astrodome where the indoor races and motorcycle show were held every spring, would browse around the car park looking at bikes. Many had custom seats and higher handlebars than stock. Stopping off at one of our dealers that sold over 100 Nortons a year, we spied on customers as they walked in the showroom. They went over to the bike with the highest handlebars! So, the guys back in the U.K. factory came up with a Brit's version of an American custom. Production was small; in fact many were shipped with no gas tanks. The factory would send me the gas cap complete…

When Paul Harrison first set out to restore his 1967 Moto Guzzi V7, he wasn’t in a rush to finish the job. In fact, his young son, Finn, told him he wasn’t sure the Italian motorcycle would ever run, and suggested it would take 10 years to complete. But then Paul realized that 2017 marked a rather significant milestone. With 50 years gone by since the V7 left the Moto Guzzi factory in Mandello del Lario, 2017 is the machine’s Golden Anniversary, and Paul didn’t want to miss such an important date. “When I figured that out, I thought it would be cool to have the project ready for the date,” Paul says. Paul started the process late in 2015 with a less-than-ideal candidate for restoration. Purchased from an eBay…

Immortalized by a string of wins in the Clubman’s TT, the BSA Gold Star is the greatest and most versatile pushrod single the British industry ever produced. Goldies took amateur and professional racers to countless wins, and not just in pure road races like the Isle of Man. Scrambles versions won gold medals in various International Six Days Trials, and national motocross championships throughout Europe, Australia and South America. Here in the U.S., the Goldie had outstanding success in the Catalina Grand National (BSA even made a Catalina model) and at Daytona, where Goldies finished 2, 3, 4 and 5 in the 200-miler in 1954 — behind a BSA Star Twin. There was even a trials version. Replacement parts and tuning goodies are easily available thanks to numerous specialist suppliers.…

A century ago in the fledgling days of the motorcycle industry, American-made motorcycles led the world in sophistication of design, with several companies producing 4-cylinder models. Two manufacturers stood out among the array of Early Americans, Pierce and Henderson. Pierce was the first to put a 4-cylinder model into production, in 1909, but lack of in-house design expertise as well as a high price brought about the company’s demise in 1914. William and Thomas Henderson brought their 4-cylinder Model B to the marketplace in 1912, a design that proved to be better thought-out than its Pierce rival, as well as better executed and at a lower price. Unfortunately, a shortage of materials and components in the run-up to World War I hurt their ability to meet orders, and the Henderson…

Not many production motorcycles are notable for the frames they use. Apart from Norton’s famous double-cradle frame from 1950, I can think of only Lino Tonti’s long-running design for Moto Guzzi and Miguel Angel Galluzzi’s trellis frame for the Ducati Monster as defining each model. (Though Philip Vincent’s Series B, which had no frame at all, certainly warrants a mention!) But perhaps only the Featherbed has achieved legendary status. The Featherbed It’s a well-known story, but it bears repeating. During World War II, Cromie McCandless and his brother Rex owned an engineering company in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Rex was also one of the best known and most successful motorcycle racers in Ireland, but was dissatisfied with the lack of suspension in the rigid-rear frames fitted to most motorcycles at the…

The 2nd Annual Motorcycle Classics Ride ’Em, Don’t Hide ’Em Getaway is in the books. Fifty-three Motorcycle Classics readers joined us for a two-day ride, Aug. 4-6, 2017, in southern Pennsylvania’s Laurel Highlands, much of the ride running through the area’s little-known Amish country. There wasn’t a four-lane to be seen and we barely touched any major two-lane highways as we meandered through the surrounding countryside, our Saturday route following 110 miles of narrow, seemingly forgotten secondary roads. The morning portion of the ride took us deep into the area’s Amish country, the landscape punctuated by picture-perfect farms and the roads regularly occupied by horse-drawn buggies and their Amish occupants. Young Amish boys watched us roll by, extending exaggerated twists of the wrist in hopes of us doing the same…

SENA 10S headset I’ve always been skeptical of the idea of helmet communication devices, even scolding in- friends for phoning me using an in-helmet setup while riding. Granted, I am something of a minimalist, which for me begs the question: Who really needs — or wants — a communication device? As it turns out, I do. My first experience with the SENA 10S headset was on a ride through the Flint Hills of Kansas with my girlfriend and perpetual passenger. We clocked 500 miles on a twoday excursion through gorgeous rolling hills, and it was one of the most enjoyable motorcycle rides I’ve ever taken, in large measure — surprise for me — thanks to the 10S. Easy to operate, the 10S features a single, large dial to jog between…

What: Pinnacles National Park, San Benito County, California. How to Get There: To get to the east entrance from the north, take California SR 25 south from US 101, and then turn right on SR 146. To get to the east entrance from the south, take SR 198 from either US 101 or I-5, and then take SR 25 north to SR 146. To get to Pinnacles’ west entrance from either the north or the south, take US 101 to SR 146 east. Best Kept Secret: Johnny’s Bar and Grill in Hollister, California. It’s not a secret, actually, but it’s sure worth a stop. The Wild One, Marlon Brando, and the bad boy biker shtick all started at Johnny’s (and the burgers are great). Avoid: Hiking Pinnacles in hot weather…

No, your eyes aren’t playing tricks on you, and this snapshot from the past (March 1974, to be precise) hasn’t been put through the Photoshop process, either. Both riders are definitely naked as jaybirds on dirt bikes, plying California’s vast, and somewhat barren, Mojave Desert landscape. Look closely at the picture’s background and if you’re a student of desert racing history the story becomes clearer to the naked eye: These two fellows are streaking the start line of a classic desert hare and hound race. Moto streaking might be a better term to describe their unbridled behavior. Streaking — that is, running or jogging naked in public for kicks and grins — was a nonsensical fad in America during the mid-1970s. It was especially popular among college students, although perhaps…

4-stroke fun: 1977-1982 Yamaha XS400 Until the early 1970s, with the exception of Honda, mid-size Japanese motorcycles were always 2-strokes. But with the pending demise of 2-stroke street bikes in the U.S. market looming, the other three big Japanese bike builders had little choice but to look to the Otto Cycle for their future — even though they continued to make 2-stroke street bikes until the end of the decade. Kawasaki was the first to offer a sub-500cc 4-stroke with the KZ400 twin in 1974. Yamaha followed in 1976 with the XS360, and Suzuki introduced the GS400 in 1977. Launched in the U.S. in 1977, the XS400D was essentially a bored-out XS360 (66mm bore for the 360, 69mm for the 400). As such, it was an air-cooled 4-stroke parallel twin…

For more than 25 years the Blue Man Group has wowed the world with their energetic and entertaining theatrical performances. On stage, each Blue Man is bald, earless, and yes — blue. Every Blue Man Group show features a wild mash-up of music and stories, all shared through a variety of one-off instruments and some rather interesting technology. In a video interview, Blue Man Group co-founder Phil Stanton says, “The Blue Man is that part of us that wants to remain curious our whole lives, wants to find ways to be creative, and, as such, is really a citizen of the world.” Comparing the entertainment value of the Blue Men to the mechanical genius of Honda might seem a stretch, but the core tenets of each are much the same…

Do your homework before you buy a Gold Star — there are a lot of fakes out there! Check the frame number: From 1954, both 350cc and 500cc numbers are prefixed CB32, stamped on the right side of the headstock. The Clubman’s frame has lugs welded in place for the rearset footrests (used for passenger pegs on other BSAs). The engine number is stamped on the left side of the crankcase, just below the barrel. The ZB prefix was used from 1949-1952 and BB from 1953-1955. CB numbers started in 1955 and DB ran from 1955-1961. DBD34 was used only for the 500cc models and ran from 1957-1963 (the 350 was the DB32) starting with 2001 and ending with 7160. The full number measures about 83mm long ( . DBD…

HHere’s a simple question: Name the Italian motorcycle manufacturer that has been synonymous with transverse, overhead-valve V-twins since 1967? Yes, you genius, it is Moto Guzzi. Now answer this: Name the Italian company that revealed a similar V-twin at the International Milan Fair in 1951. Here’s a hint: It isn’t a motorcycle manufacturer. Still thinking? OK, let’s put you out of your misery. Lambretta quickly became a giant of post-World War II transportation in Italy with scooters inspired by the rugged U.S. military Cushman runabout. It even built racing versions for Italy’s early national motorcycle championships. But a little-known part of Lambretta’s history was its early ambition to become a major player in Grand Prix motorcycle racing. It is only due to the efforts of a passionate Italian enthusiast that…

Nature abhors a vacuum. And so does capitalism, which explains why this little motorcycle, powered by a 49cc 2-stroke engine, formed the vanguard for future Kawasaki motorcycles that would eventually come to America from Japan. The story begins with the economic vacuum itself, created when an obscure Japanese motorcycle company known as Pointer quietly went out of business. As late as 1962, Pointer motorcycles had been imported into the U.S. by Ned Brainard of Ray Marine Distributing Company, headquartered in Seattle, Washington. But by autumn of 1963, Pointer had pointed its last bike to these, or any other, shores. About that same time, Oct. 2, 1963, to be precise, another American entrepreneur, Fred Masek, owner of Masek Auto Supply Co., in Gering, Nebraska, had inquired about importing Pointerbrand motorcycles, too.…

We appreciate that many BMW owners are perfectly satisfied with their stock breaker points ignition system, but we also think that upgrading to electronic ignition is desirable if you ride your old airhead regularly. For one, the stock points on the /5 are hard to adjust. Camshaft actuated, they’re obscured by the mechanical advance unit, making confirmation of proper gap difficult. Further, showing almost 80,000 miles, our subject 1973 R75/5 was developing an odd propensity for points slip, likely from the points lift block wearing. The points were new BMW replacements, but were requiring regular adjustment. And while the mechanical advance unit looked to be OK, with good springs and no indication of undue wear, it appeared to be hanging up, sometimes sticking at full advance. Following our excellent experience…

10/28 Visit Norcross, Georgia, for the 27th Annual Blue Moon Cycle Euro Bike Swap Meet on Saturday, Oct. 28. The swap meet is open to all parts, accessories and apparel for European motorcycles. Display your late model, used or classic bike for sale in the Consignment Corral for $25 each. No fee for buyers or sellers, and free lunch for all. The swap meet runs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, then come back and join in Sunday, Oct. 29, for the Blue Moon Cycle Vintage Ride. Join the Blue Moon staff and friends for a scenic ride through the Georgia countryside including a lunch stop and a secret attraction. This ride is open to all motorcycles 1985 and older._Admission is free, and the ride leaves at 9…