Innholdsfortegnelse for July 2020 i Classic Bike Guide

IT IS ONE OF THE MOST EXCITING THINGS US old bike lovers can do; acquire a new bike. A seed of a particular model is sown, followed by copious evenings researching, reading about the history, looking for common parts with other models, asking folk what to look for and what to avoid. Then you find one. There follows the infamous cat-and-mouse, with you playing the stoney-faced poker player as you go to view a possible purchase, giving an impression you're not really, really keen and just want to buy it. A deal is done. Getting said machine home and yet more discovery starts. Pulling panels off, listening for noises, trying it out on a ride. It's a period of extreme sensations, of excitement, of fear, of what joy is to…

It may be a V-twin, but I fancy my chances at getting away! Indian may live in the shadows of their Milwaukee rivals these days, but in the early 20th century were leaping ahead with technological advances. Leaf-sprung front ends, rear suspension, two-speed gearboxes and electric lights were all elements we take for granted that Indian introduced to the USA. But gradually, Harley-Davidson got the bulk of the US police market and Indian has, up until now, endured a rough ride commercially, with world wars, the Great Depression and buy outs. Today, since giant Polaris has owned the company, Indian seems on the up, with, it has to be said, a more up-to-date line-up than Harley. But I'm sure there's enough riders for America to have two large motorcycle firms.…

By THE TIME I MADE IT TO THE RIPE old age of 14, I knew I wanted to get a motorbike. So I started working before and after school and at the weekends so that when I reached my 16 birthday and I could apply for my provisional licence and {hopefully) afford to buy my first motorbike. Even at the age of 14 I already had my heart set on a Triumph Bonneville, to me there was no other bike that could get close to generating the 'must have' feelings in my heart/ head. The law back then stated that learners could only ride a bike with a maximum capacity up to 250cc, so my first bike would be something more suitable not to mention safer for a novice, than…

It is a wonderfully provocative and positive name, Sunbeam, isn't it? It is said that William Marston's good lady wife looked at a bicycle he had made and commented on the sun glistening in the black and gold finish; possibly down to the quality from the training and experience he had gained as a Japanner (like modern powder-coat or enamelling but better). After mastering this trade, in 1877 Marston built a successful bicycle company and even started making cars. And the name of the factory in Wolverhampton? Sunbeamland, of course. After early tests with motorised bicycles had ended in tragedy, Marston disliked motorcycles. But when the car trade slumped, there was little choice. The name was quickly associated with quality machines, well built and cleverly thought out. Competition successes helped…

BAC Lawrie Bond came from working as a designer in the aeronautical and steam lorry world, when after the war he created the 'Minibyke'. This unusual, almost 1930s American-looking machine (if you squint) was made from aluminium with the usual Villiers 98cc two-stroke engine. The idea was sound; the engineering less so. With no suspension and questionable front 'forks' it failed, as did the more conventional 'Lilliput' and 'Gazelle' that followed. He went on to create Berkley micro cars. BSA At one time BSA was the largest motorcycle manufacturer in the world and there are still many of the products of its Small Heath, Birmingham factory, around today. The BSA range was huge, covering all areas of road riding and competition and was exported to just about everywhere. Many originally…

Two STEPS FORWARD, ONE STEP BACK. I'M NOT learning to dance, but this is how my attempts at building a Norton ES2 are going. I'm going to repeat this until I am riding it around; do not buy a box of parts masquerading as a motorbike ... Last month I shimmed up the bottom end. And this is the reality of life on a magazine; quite often a project has to wait several weeks until worked on again - life, work, family and, in my case, an old car engine and a BMW boxer got in the way. But while in the workshop measuring tolerances in my Opel Kadett engine (well someone has to like them) I had a feeling - that sixth sense - that something was amiss with…

FOR MOST PEOPLE WHO START PROJECT BIKES from scratch, the vision of that mythical finished article is what drives them on. In their mind, so much is planned that an accurate shopping wish list is formed. It's a good, practical and sensible way to go about building a bike. The internet, books or magazine articles all help, with previous folks' attempts and experience; so the end result is more or less a proven build. Then there is the serial bike builder's way. This is less organised, as it relies on their natural, visual talent to 'see' a bike in their heads. It is often joined with an unnatural ability to make, engineer or create anything, from anything. Well, nearly. The look, even the purpose of their bike will be taken…

Motorcycles and physics together Just a quick note to thank you for a great magazine! As a motorcyclist I look forward to every edition of CBG and enjoy it so much from cover to cover. As a motorcycling physicist I was even more overjoyed to find in the May edition the usual array of interesting subjects plus in the editorial a potted history of Isaac Newton contributed by Ashley Watson. Motorcycles and physics between the same covers - it doesn't get much better than that! It is true that Newton self-isolated from the plague but then, because of his reclusive nature he spent most of his life alone, although he did spend time with the Royal Mint, the Royal Society and the University of Cambridge. Newton had a most unattractive…

SPEED, AGILITY, PRESENCE AND EVEN COST; the attributes and advantages of a motorcycle have long been known for more than 100 years to the police and other services around the world. From early days where bikes were the only way to get around for most, to the large-capacity bikes for pursuit nowadays, the needs of a copper have been met. Fairings, carrying capability, reliability and even the ability to impress important state visitors, the boys and girls in blue like a bike. And should your Ford Anglia have dropped a valve or overheated, the sight of an AA or RAC rider would be a glad one. After reading Ian Kerr's piece about the Malaysian police using a two-stroke Yamaha, we had a quick root around the Mortons archives to see…

TOOLS YOU WILL NEED:  ■ A pair of needle nose pliers ■ A small file ■ A hacksaw or light, powered, disc cutter ■ A soldering iron or a blowtorch and solder pot ■ Solder.Electrical solder will do, or use lead and flux ■ Some insulting tape ■ Wet and dry sand paper ■ A tape measure PARTS:  ■ Nipples, cable outer ends/ ferrules, cable outer, cable inner Or a Venhill Universal Throttle Kit (cost £10.94) USEFUL THINGS TO HAVE ACCESS TO: ■ A vice I RECENTLY MANAGED TO FIND A PAIR OF NEW-OLD- stock Mikuni VM34 slide carbs for my Yamaha XS650 at an auction. The original and worn out B538 carbs are CV versions and operate using a single throttle cable which opens the butterflies in the carb…