Innholdsfortegnelse for October 2023 i Classic Bike

WATCHING THE Lightweightwas an aural and olfactory joy, with a mixture of 250cc two-stroke twins, 400cc four-stroke fours, Moto3 bikes and the odd 690cc single thrown in. It was a distillation of everything that’s brilliant about the Manx – wildly different bikes from different eras all going 19 to the dozen. The two-strokes were dominant though, taking the first three places, with Mike Browne (right) and 60-year-old Ian Lougher (who first rode in the Manx 40 years ago) coming first and second on Yamaha TZ250s. Dan Sayle was third on a Honda RS250. Irish race legend Eddie Laycock was in charge of preparing the victorious – and notoriously finicky – TZs: “There were lots of kit parts available, so over the years we’ve picked up cylinders, heads and wheels. We’ve…

Triton Sidecar Douglass Prom, August 28 We loved this well-travelled and ingeniously detailed Low Boy-style Triton outfit, with Steib sidecar, from Ireland. It’s running on 16in wheel rims and has an oil cooler on the front of the sidecar. MZ clock mounts are a nice touch, too. Moto Guzzi Grandstand, August 27 Initially, you might not give this Dutch registered Guzzi 1000 a second glance... but hang on – the cylinders are reversed so the carburettors are at the front and exhausts exit at the rear. How unusual... Tr1Ton Douglas Prom, August 27 Circa 1981 Yamaha TR1 981cc engine in a stretched Norton Featherbed obviously equals TR1ton – but did the name come first? Amal Concentric carbs complete the Anglo-Japanese hybridisation. Horex VR6 Douglas Prom, August 28 More German eccentricity.…

Ducati 900SS I really enjoyed your Ducati 900SS Supersports restoration article (‘Soul Mate’ in the July issue). completed a restoration of a 1989 Ducati 900SS this year. I enclose a couple of photos of the restored bike. Back in the day, the 1989 model was panned by the bike press, although they loved the early ’90s model. I own a 1978 900SS and I think the ’89 model is a perfect evolution from the bevel to the first 900SS cambelt model. The ’89 model is a challenging ride just like the bevel model, although for different reasons – but it always makes me smile, just like the bevel model, and is just as much fun to ride. Andrew Robertson, Norfolk Restored Kawasaki Z1000 A2 In 1982 I purchased a damaged…

RIP Mike As Classic Bike went to press, we heard the sad news that Mike had passed away. He was a remarkable man who had a colossal impact on motorcycle racing; all of us at Classic Bike send our deepest condolences to his family and friends. Mike Trimby is arguably one of the most influential ppeople in Grand Prix racing throughout the last 40 years. After all, without the ex-racer’s work to improve the horrendously dangerous tracks that were commonplace in the 1980s, it’s almost certain that some of motorcycling’s greatest riders would have died long before achieving their potential. That might sound over-dramatic, but back in the early 1980s Grand Prix circuits were almost as perilous as the TT, with Armco where you’d expect run-off and huge wooden poles…

This feels like my spiritual home,” says Philip Vincent-Day,looking around a timber-beamed room in Stevenage, where his grandfather’s glorious 998cc V-twin motorcycles were once made. “It’s totally Vincent here,” he adds. “So much of our family history is associated with this place. It gives me a much better understanding of what it must have been like, having met some of the people who worked here. I bet it was a great place to be.” Dee Vincent-Day, his mother and the daughter of the great designer Philip Vincent, adds: “I feel as though the whole Vincent story is ingrained in these buildings. It’s surprised me how much they have changed on one side, and how little on another. This section here is more or less identical, apart from the removal of…

Steve Flood asks whether he should retard the ignition of his 1938 1200cc Indian Chief to use E10 pump fuel. “The manual says ½in BTDC,” he says. “But someone said in might be better – what do you think?‘ Well, personally I’ve never adjusted my timing ever since the start, when it was widely recommended for unleaded fuel. I have had no problems – but all engines vary and others may tell a different story. Given that Steve’s Indian has manual (not automatic) advance, however, I’d suggest retarding it slightly while riding to see if it runs any better. The purpose of spark advance is that while the time lag from ignition to full explosion is fairly constant, the piston speed changes with engine revs. So some compensation is required…

David Taylor complains of spitting back from just one carburettor on his 1961 Bonneville, which a strip, clean and raising the needle one notch hasn’t cured. He says it starts OK and runs fine over quarter throttle but asks: “Should I overhaul the carbs with new jets, needles and seals?” I don’t think so, David. Worn jets and needles lead to richness; spitbacks indicate weak mixture or an air leak. A blocked pilot jet or too-high a slide cutaway could cause it, but since the settings were OK before and David’s checked the jets, I think an air leak is more likely – but where is it likely to be? There’s the old trick of spraying WD40 about, the theory being it gets sucked into the leak and the revs…

Q The six-pot Tokico calipers on my Suzuki GSX-R750 SRAD are terrible and I spent an age bleeding them after they were rebuilt. Why would this be so difficult? What have I missed? The other option is to change the master cylinder and calipers. I’m leaning toward changing them, but have no idea what would be a good upgrade that would bolt straight on. Lee Thomson, Facebook A Tokico six-piston calipers have gained a poor reputation, but mostly for their frequent need for maintenance. I wonder if your issues with bleeding the ones on your bike are down to a tired master cylinder in need of a rebuild. The most common replacement calipers are the Nissin four-piston units with the same 90mm hole spacing as found on early Suzuki Bandits (left)…

What’s the attraction? The Bantam and the Tiger Cub offer Brit bike fun in small but characterful packages and are the UK’s favourite British lightweights with a lot going for them. On the road, 175cc Bantams and 200cc Tiger Cubs are fairly evenly matched – both offer around 60mph top speed and comparable acceleration, with handling able to match their modest performance. Pick the right road and either will deliver a satisfying and enjoyable ride – either machine will make you realise just how much fun a lightweight classic can be. Today, both the Cub and Bantam have benefitted from development for pre-65 trials and, many upgrades are readily available. Electronic ignition, improved braking and stronger and more durable crankshafts, conrods and pistons can all make owners’ lives easier. Which…

Dawson Classic Motorcycles isa family-run business based near York. Like most people involved in the classic motorcycle trade, we’ve got to where we are today through a life-long interest in road and race motorcycles – and especially sidecars. My dad Adrian raced solos back in the early ’80s, but fell off too much. So my mum Jan joined him as passenger. She called it a day after I arrived, though dad continued on a F2 Yamaha TZ350 outfit until an accident at Olivers Mount left him with restricted movement from the chest down. He got back on a road outfit and, in 2014, got his ACU racing licence back and I joined him as passenger on a BMW ‘sitter’ outfit with the BHRC. We progressed to a kneeler with the…

1997 Kawasaki ZX-7R ESTIMATE £1300-1700 Now here’s a bike that we have intimate knowledge of. CB editor Hugo bought this ZX-7R for a feature in Bike magazine back in November last year, during which he rode it 350 miles back from Cornwall. Since then, he’s overhauled the brakes and fitted a new pair of Dunlop Qualifier tyres. And, of course, he’s barely ridden it due to the plethora of other bikes and projects that have been rammed into his shed. The plan is to ride it to Stafford, sell it and buy something else with the proceeds. The bike could do with a new rear shock absorber, but it does come with a selection of used spares including carburettors and CDI box. 1953 Triumph T100C ESTIMATE £18,000-24,000 Any ’50s Tiger…

ICONIC AUCTIONEERS AUCTION EXPERT I have been into bikes for years and worked in the bike trade before joining the auction world. And I’ve ridden, enjoyed (and sometimes cursed at) bikes since I was old enough to ride them. Spending all day looking at, talking about and researching them is a dream come true. It’s the people who make the classic bike auction scene what it is. Almost every day, I meet some fascinating people. Last week, I was down on the Isle of Wight looking at some bikes. While we were photographing them, a guy pulled up on what I think was a ’90s era Japanese-market 400. It turned out to be Gerald Davidson, former director of Honda UK and the man behind signing a host of stars including…

This shot of myself and my Uncle Phil sitting on my RD250B was taken in July 1978 – check out the identical cut of the flared trousers, de rigueur for the time. I bought the bike from Zac’s, a local shop in Tamworth, now long gone, part-exchanging my FS1-E in for it. Frustratingly, my 17th birthday was on a Sunday, but the owner allowed me to collect and ride the bike home on the Saturday before when I was still 16 – can’t imagine that happening today! I loved this bike, but it had a persistent misfire when hot. The shop was unable to rectify this and they ended up swapping it for an RD250C – it wasn’t anything like as easy on the eye, but I kept it and…

THANKS TO NEW RULES allowing superbikes made before 1997, this year’s entry was deluged with super-fast exotica. Outlandishly trick Kawasaki ZXR750s and Suzuki GSX-R750s dominated the field, but the Classic Bike team was spellbound by the maverick teams who turned up with bikes that surely wouldn’t survive the Isle of Man treatment. Top of the list was Wiz Norton with their RCW588 rotary (above). Watching from Hilberry, we could hear the screaming nutcase before seeing it – and were left inhaling a gorgeous two-strokey aroma for minutes after it passed (like the original John Player Nortons, it runs on pre-mix). “When it’s going well there’s nothing like it,” Wiz Norton boss Andy Wilson told us before the race. “But it’s like a two-stroke – there are days when they don’t…

DEAN HARRISON and hisManx Norton stunned the super-fast Paton twins by not only winning the Classic Senior by 52 seconds, but clocking a 111.4mph lap in the process – the fastest ever lap by a 500cc British single. It was an astonishing performance by bike and rider, especially considering that the man chasing him on the Paton was a certain John McGuinness. “That was so much fun,” said Harrison after the race. “Winning the Manx on a Manx ticks all the boxes... I could have gone quicker on the last lap and maybe done 112mph, but I could see on my boards I had a good lead so knocked a bit of pace off.” The singles were on fine form further down the field too, with Mike Browne coming third…

EASTON NESTON has a special place in the hearts of Hesketh fans, but the last time the owners club met there was when Lord Hesketh sold his country pile in 2005. So a reunion was well overdue. The stately home is currently owned by Russian-born fashion entrepreneur Leon Max, who was positively enthusiastic when a motorcycle get-together was suggested. Ten riders and 11 bikes made the trip (organiser Dave Sharp brought two), though in true Hesketh fashion there were a few reliability issues – two bikes had to be trailered because of oil pressure problems, and one only just made it after the oil light came on. Eight of the bikes were 1982 V1000s – the 992cc Weslake V-twins with four-valve cylinder heads similar to those used in Hesketh’s F1…

50 GREATEST THINGS IN THE CLASSIC BIKE WORLD REALLY ENJOYED your take on the 50 Greatest Things. However, one name deserves a page or three in itself. SMB Hailwood, MBE GM; in the opinion of many, definitely The Greatest Of All Time. Colin Bentham Fair point, Colin. In the end we grouped all brilliant racers in one category – The Glorious Past. I know, a cop out. But otherwise the 50 would be full of nothing but racers. Hugo Regarding Hugo’s comments that sounds and smells should have been included in the 50 Greatest Things, I would like to offer for your consideration the sounds and smells of the long-suffering girlfriend on the back of the Bonnie as you deck the footrests in a trail of sparks, wanging round that…

VF750F v FZ750 VF: 748cc, 86bhp, 221kg FZ: 749cc, 105bhp, 204kg 1983 WAS A PIVOTAL year for the 750 class. With 1000cc fours dropped from top-flight racing at the end of ’82, three-quarter litre machines were elevated to superbike status. Development of new models went into overdrive. Honda pre-empted the change, quietly developing a 750cc V4 engine that made its low-key debut in the hot rod-styled VF750S. Although shaft-driven, the powerplant was swiftly repackaged into a chain-equipped sports bike, the VF750F, in readiness for racing’s rule change. The VF-F was a radical departure from Honda’s previous top 750 four, the CB750F. As well as being a 90° V4 (the first of a whole range of sports bikes featuring the layout), it was also liquid-cooled with dohc four-valve heads.…

IS IT TRUE that the rising value of Japanese classics, contrasted against falling prices for British bikes, proves that a later generation is bursting the Brit-bike bubble? I’m not sure it’s that simple. The year for the highest ever UK bike sales was 1959, so it’s no surprise that 20 years later, having raised families and got some spare time and money, those young riders rekindled their interest in ’50s/’60s bikes creating a classic boom that has kept this magazine going ever since. This ‘class of 59’ had no interest in grandpa bikes. They wanted Bonnies, Connies and Goldies – and as the 1920s generation gradually thinned out, just like today, people predicted the end for vintage bikes. For a time, prices fell, but – just like collectable vinyl when…

Strangely, the same question comes from Mel Taylor on behalf of her dad, whose T140 clutch is also stuck fast. He’s tried everything people have suggested to free it, and Mel asked if I thought it was worth him changing to 5W/30 oil. Well, Terry Hoare actually came back to say his problem wasn’t rubber decay, but excess oil in the primary case. With the oil drained and plates washed, all was well. Certainly excess or over-heavy oil can cause clutch problems – but usually slip rather than sticking, because the clutch springs struggle to squeeze it out from between the plates. On post-1970 Triumphs the engine breathes into the primary anyway, so whatever you put in will mix with the engine oil, meaning you can’t really use different oils between…

Metric Fixes Q I’ve picked up a US import 1986 XR600R, with a view to a complete resto-mod as my daily commuting tool. It came with no history, I’m thinking ‘better safe than sorry’ and undertaking a complete nut-and-bolt strip, fettle and rebuild. An initial challenge, though, is separating the fork legs. The manual calls for a piston holder (07929-KA40001) at one end and a 6mm Allen key at the other. The Allen key I can do – but is there an alternative to the piston holder, as Mr Google doesn’t seem to be able to help? Eddie Simmins, email A You shouldn’t need the special tool to disassemble the fork legs. I usually first loosen the top yoke pinch bolts, then just crack the fork cap half a thread…

PROJECT HARRIS MAGNUM Alan Seeley attempts to make a fast period-style bike from a bunch of old bits SPEEDO All of the necessary functions of counting revs, speed and distance plus warning lights in a single small, attractive unit. The Acewell (acewell.co.uk) CA80 series programmable speedo gives rev indication by needle and speed by LCD. Opposite configuration also available. LIGHTS A pair of cheap Chinese spots provide adequate shells and reflectors. At 35W apiece, they demand slightly more current than the single 60W light Suzuki used. Once the flimsy wiring and connectors are replaced, they’ll be good to go. Same with the dual rear lights. IGNITION Dyna S ignitions (dynaonline.com) have been available for everything from Harleys to inline multis for over a decade. Their appeal for specials builders is…

This delightful 1929 Norton CS1, for sale by Colwall Classic Cars in Herefordshire, offers a carefully preserved patina acquired over a lifetime of hard use. Within a few months of Norton’s new ohc works racer making a winning start at the 1927 Senior TT, they released an over-the-counter, customer version, the CS1 (Camshaft Senior Model 1), claiming that it was the fastest production machine in its class. Designed by Walter Moore, the long-stroke 79 x 100mm, 490cc ohc engine featured shaft and bevel drive to the cam, a gear-type oil pump and a Sturmey-Archer racing gearbox. The chassis was all-new too, with a cradle-type frame and saddle tank, with customers able to choose between full race specification or softer ‘road’ trim (including a gearbox equipped with a kick start). Production…

PRICES Mint £5000-6000 Good £4000-4500 Project £2000-3000* *Probably for a damaged repairable machine. It’s unlikely you’ll find any worn out 150,000-mile Bonnies awaiting full restoration When John Bloor bought the Triumph name and manufacturing rights in 1983, it was only a matter of time before the revered old marque was revived. By September 1990, Bloor was ready to launch a range of modern triples and fours at the Cologne Show – and Triumph was back in business. After that, it was only a matter of time before the illustrious Bonneville name was also revived. But it would take a little longer – another 10 years, in fact – to find out what it would look like. When it emerged, opinion was divided. Some thought it a pale pastiche of the…

1973 Bultaco Pursang MX SOLD FOR £18,449 At face value, this is a lot to pay for a twinshock motocross bike. But take into account that the bike was being sold by former World 500cc Motocross champ Brad Lackey, who also totally restored the machine, and it begins to look a lot more logical. Completed to an extremely high standard, even using original fasteners, what serious motocross fan could resist this? Lackey’s fellow American rider, Jim Pomeroy, rode a private 250cc Pursang to victory in the 1973 Spanish GP and it may have been that which inspired Brad’s choice of restoration project. 1915 Indian Board Track Racer SOLD FOR £251,358 Headlining the sale was this stunning Indian – one of only four eight-valve racers known to still exist, and the…

Key Racing’s preparation for the Manx couldn’t have been better – TT-winner Dean Harrison hopped on the team’s Ducati 916 and beat all-comers at Oliver’s Mount. “That was his first ever go on the bike,” explains team boss Tim Keay. “He broke his own lap record on the second flying lap, then took another second off it, and won all three Superbike races. Not bad, considering he hadn’t even seen the bike before then.” Clearly this is no ordinary 916. Based on a British Superbike, it has a 996cc engine stuffed with the most exotic of mid-1990s tuning parts. “We’ve got competition pistons made by Pistal that increase the compression ratio to about 13.5:1, factory race cylinder heads, titanium valves, race cams like the ones used in World Superbikes and…

‘AT THE AGE OF 10 OR 11, I WAS GIVEN A PILLION RIDE ON A LIBERATOR TO THE NEXT VILLAGE. IT WAS THE BEST THING EVER’ As we all secretly know, it takes decades to become an old bike enthusiast. It invariably starts with some thunderbolt moment in childhood – atrip to a race meeting, an uncle who rode a Brough, a first glimpse of an iconic model. Whatever it is, the impression sinks in, and bides its time like a virus. Bikes come and go, life happens... until one day, another thunderbolt moment arrives. And you suddenly realise you have the opportunity, ability and desire to buy a bike you have wanted for most of your life. That’s exactly how Rob Jenkins came to own this exceptionally rare Jota…

There’s something immediately reassuring about a motorcycle called ‘Douglas’ – it implies a no-nonsense, pipe-and-slippers approach. But look past the dazzling polychromatic blue finish and, well, it’s an odd-looking thing isn’t it? It’s got funny forks, the mudguard looks like it’s come off something else – and how does that rear suspension work? It’s not monoshock – the shock is that there are no shocks! OK, I’ll admit I’m not expecting much. The only other post-war Douglas I’ve ever ridden was a Dragonfly, which despite its qualities just felt too big for its engine. Admittedly, the Mark V here has twin carbs – the Dragonfly has just one – but is that enough? After all, both bikes are just iron-engined 350cc flat twins – they can’t differ that much. In…

Terry Hoare is struggling with the clutch on a 1970 Triumph Tiger 650. He says: “If left for even a short time, it won’t free up by usual methods – you have to force it into gear with an unhealthy graunching, after which it works fine... until the next time. Any ideas on what to look for before I strip it down?” I suspect this is due to degradation of the clutch shock absorber rubbers. Over time, oil softens them and they break down into a sticky black paste that causes precisely Terry’s problem. Washed out with solvent, the clutch works fine – but gradually the action of the shock absorber will squeeze out more and the problem returns. I first suffered this after showing off – pulling wheelies on…

Q My Yamaha TDR250 keeps flattening its battery when parked. Charging voltage from the alternator is fine, but could the reg/rec be faulty? The battery seems to be getting decent charging voltage when the bike is running. How can I establish whether the reg/rec is at fault? Kev Wallings, email A If you have a multimeter with a diode test function, you can check that the diodes in the reg/rec are working in one direction only as they should. Test between both the positive terminal and each of the alternator inputs in both directions, then do the same with the negative side. If you don’t have a multimeter with this feature, take the battery off the bike and charge it up. Unplug the reg/rec, refit the battery and leave the…

Q My conundrum concerns my 1990 Yamaha XTZ750 Super Ténéré. After a top-end refresh – bores checked and honed, new rings – it started smoking on start-up just about the time it was up for its 500-mile run in. The smoking seemed to stop after it had warmed up, but repeated every time I started it again. Suspecting the valve guides, I took the head off and removed the valves to find oil contamination in the right-side cylinder, with a little oil on the stems. This corresponded with a problem that I had encountered with the spark plug in that cylinder breaking down twice and needing replacing. So I sent the head off to a reputable engineering company for new guides, recut seats and a skim. On replacement the same…

£875 1965 Yamaha YJ-2 Barn-find US import; the 60cc engine turns over and it’s registered on the NOVA database. This unusual lightweight would make a fascinating project. Ideal for moped runs or just pottering. 07704 554218 £1000 1957James Captain trials Most of the hard work has been done on this project. Needs a silencer, front brake torque arm, cables and a few other bits, but it already has a 225cc barrel, trials gearing and refurbed clutch. 07766 947932 £500 c. 1955 Cyclemaster/Raleigh Runs, though spark is a little erratic – aMinimag electronic ignition is the way forward. Rebuilt front wheel and age-related registration. Enjoy some low-speed laughs. 07773 321422 £650 1989 Honda CBR1000F No MoT – it failed on binding brakes – but starts and runs well. There’s the odd…

Back in 2001, when the ‘new’ Bonneville was introduced to the Hinckley Triumph catalogue, there was just one model – ano-frills, parallel twin. It had a dohc 790cc engine with a fiv-espeed gearbox, but remained determinedly old-school at the dawn of the 21st century. With twinshock rear suspension, air cooling and without a rev counter, the new Bonneville revelled in its retro-tech. Triumph soon realised that they had a winner on their hands. And, since then, they’ve continued to refine and develop the Bonneville concept over the years, spinning off new variants and adding a few discreet updates before drifting away from the initial concept a little when they introduced the liquid-cooled 1200cc models for 2016. Air-cooled models feature either a 790cc or 865cc engine and there are two crank…

1971 Yamaha FS1-E Mathewsons Bangers & Cash Live! 12-13 August SOLD FOR £6800 Mathewsons’ first live sale for three years at their Bangers and Cash Live event at Scampston Hall, Malton proved pretty popular, with a number of interesting bikes being offered alongside the cars and memorabilia. This early, very original and certainly unrestored Yamaha ‘Fizzy’ should make a great project for its new owner, with all the major components present and correct. Not immaculate by any means, the engine of this matching-numbers bike was rebuilt in the early ’80s but only refitted to the bike about two years ago. Since then, the vendor reports that the little Yamaha has run perfectly. 1969 Triumph T100C Mathewsons online sale September 1/2 SOLD FOR £5200 This US market T100C was registered in…

These photographs were taken in Mellieha, Malta, where enthusiasts used to meet and race their motorcycles, which were mainly BSAs, Triumphs and AJS/Matchless. Everyone used to meet up in front of the Red Tower in Armier Bay every Sunday. The photo on the left, showing two bikes racing, was taken around the beginning of the 1960s – the BSA Spitfire on the right is currently still in Malta, owned by my friend. In the main photo below, probably taken in the mid-’50s, the sea is visible behind the motorcycles, as is Comino Island on the left of the shot. Salvino Bellizzi, Zurrieq, Malta…