Innholdsfortegnelse for February 2017 i Classic Motorcycle Mechanics

I owned (this) one Anthony Toole, CMM reader I initially didn’t want a Honda CBR600F as everyone has one, right? Well there is a reason for that: it’s a brilliant all-round bike with Honda build quality and reliability. Yes, okay it’s the usual clichéd answer but it’s the truth: whatever you throw at the bike it just does it; it’s the proverbial ‘safe pair of hands’, commuting (check) fast country lanes fun (check) thrashing around Cadwell Park (check). I bought mine from RH Motorcycles in Dudley back in 2007 after a disastrous relationship with a Triumph Daytona 955i. I looked for ages for a decent one within my price range and fell upon the CBR600 F-X last of the carb model before injection. The bike was totally standard, very low…

Products The most useful gear we’ve found this month SUZUKI KATANA MODEL Suzuki Japan is releasing this model of the Katana and it will be available from mid to late February via the dealers/website and eBay shops. This die-cast lovely is perfect for the Kat-lover in your life, it is 1/12th scale and the RRP is £89.99 including VAT . Keep an eye on Suzuki’s e Bay store at: http://stores.ebay.co.uk//Suzuki-Bikes-UK-Official KAWAS S SAKI WATCHES If you love Kwaks, then these watches are foryou .Firstup(andmost expensive) is this one. Th he Kawasaki Carbon Watch costs £26 65.95 and is a tachymeter watch fea aturing a carbon face with subtle Kaw wasaki Racing Team logo. The dial has Kawasaki green in the hands and ma arkingss. It’s water resistant to 10ATM…

Prize winner Thanks Tamiya! Just a quick note to say thanks for the Tamiya kit of the CB750F after my bike appeared in Show Us Yours, September 2016’s issue and to say that it was instrumental in my getting a free 1980 Honda CB900FZ! I had posted a photo of CB750 kit on Facebook (see below), and my mate then informed me that he had given one away for free (turns out it was a CB900, even better). On enquiring if it was still about and if the new owner was willing to part with it, I discovered it was available. Because I was under orders not to spend any more money before Christmas, I asked if the owner was willing to accept a swap for it, he was, and…

The way we were… Send us your nostalgic snaps of you back in the day with your steed page ! Either . C’mon send ! to me at bsimmonds@mortons.co.uk  or via our vibrant Facebook “This is a picture of me on my dad’s Suzuki T500 at the 1978 Isle of Man TT,” says John Evans. “For a motorbike mad 15-year-old, my first visit to the island to witness the return of ‘Mike the Bike’ Hailwood, it was and still is my best holiday ever! We stayed at the Doric hotel on the front in Douglas; it boasted a bar made from a Manx horse-drawn tram. There were a couple of riders staying there which made it even more special. I tried looking for the hotel recently only to…

Buying, owning & tuning a GB500 Just as you might expect for a machine that was only ever in the UK as a grey import, obtaining one today may be the hardest part of the ownership equation. The good news is that the GB500 is well made and finished so it shouldn’t be beyond the wit of man to restore one. Encouragingly, owners’ groups and forums all seem to agree the bike is also reliable so serious show stopper issues are fairly unlikely. The key must-haves are things like the tank, seat and panels which are hard to source. Similarly clocks can be an issue to find along with stands and the unique 2-1 exhaust system. Perversely the characteristic flanged spoked wheels are in demand by XBR owners who want…

Nick Jefferies on his H1-F A while ago my friend Nick Ray decided to sell his H2 750 Kawasaki. Unfortunately I couldn’t quite stretch to the £9000 asking price, but I knew the guy who had traded an H1-F 500 and cash for the H2. In March last year I phoned Nick and in the middle of the conversation I asked him if he still had the H1, which he did. I knew it was in good condition so I arranged to go and see it. When I got there Nick uncovered the bike and pulled it out; it was in fantastic condition, all the chrome was good, the paintwork was immaculate, just a stunning-looking bike. It had under 9000 genuine miles on the clock too. There is even a…

Product review Oxford SP-J7 Aramid Reinforced Aqua Jeans Reinforced riding jeans are a good alternative to leather and this pair from Oxford is a really good blend d of practicality and prootection. Well made, the stittching is decent quality, aramid lined and with the knee armour fitted, you get a fair degree of defence. In particular the ba ack pockets are deep aand allow you to ride saafe in the knowledge thatt your wallet, documents, licence etc. won’t be working their way out o . The SP-J7 versionss as tested come in a black waxed cotton look which is rather 60ss retro rocker and manages to shrug off half serious showers. You could pay a lott more money and not get this blend of protection, comfortt and style: another firm…

WORK SHOP Q & A Our very own wizened sages, Messrs Mark Haycock and Steve Cooper are here to answer all of your woes, be they mechanical or spiritual. Every month we will be giving advice, as well as some general tips. Don’t forget to send in your own tips too. Suzuki GS750 Q:I am a bike nut from the UK, but now living in Australia and I read Classic Motorcycle Mechanics regularly. I recently imported two Suzuki GS750s from the States for restoration. As I like to do as much as possible myself, I invested in an ultrasonic cleaner for the carbs and an aqua-blaster for the engine, with the idea to start a small business. However my query to Q&A is in connection with the carbs. I…

Project Yamaha TZ250 S part 4 The finishing line He’s finished and he’ll tell you how: after the excuses and a plug for his event… Firstly, I have to apologise for my absence from these pages over the last couple of issues. As usual last summer was dead busy, but as I write this the racing is finished so my work for Eurosport has ended till February 2017 when the World Superbike season kicks off again in Phillip Island (Bertie says: “For more ‘ex-racer’ excuses see Niall Mackenzie’s C70 project…”). The workshop hasn’t been completely devoid of activity lately but I’ve not done enough to warrant writing anything. I have however bought another couple of bikes (I know, I know, it’s an affliction) to join the ever lengthening queue for…

Comfort zones & perspicacity So there is, apparently, light at the end of the tunnel and I genuinely don’t think it’s a train coming towards me for once. The Stinger is actually making fair progress and despite my regular rants it is coming together. Taking on something so different and potentially challenging has lifted me completely out of my comfort zone and this, for a serial restorer, can be quite unnerving. My anorak has a tuning fork badge on the back and this normally stands me in good stead… when I’m working on Yamahas. Even if my erstwhile Suzuki T500 was a little different to the standard Iwata produced fare I normally waste my time on, it still made sense most of the time. The Stinger is simply so dissimilar…

Painting plastics Repairing the damaged plastics of a motorcycle is one thing; painting them to a satisfactory level is an altogether different matter. Unless you have the facilities to properly spray it’s arguably a job that is best left to the professionals. However, should you wish to take the plunge and have a go there are almost limitless tutorials online that will take you through preparations, operating conditions, paint types and numerous other key areas. One thing to be aware of with plastics is getting the right primer; without this vital first step, paint is unlikely to adhere to the plastic properly. The hardest plastic to cut in terms of paint adherences is anything regarded as a polyolefin. If the panels you’re working on look and feel like a washing…

What to buy and how much to pay The key to finding a decent Mk1 Le Mans is to get expert help and advice. There have been several periods where demand has outstripped supply and some less than reputable elements have converted 850Ts and Mk2 Le Mans examples into Mk1s. Seriously, if you are looking for a decent Mk1 Le Mans , join one of the organisations detailed here; none of them are expensive and they could just be the people who could save you from making a very costly mistake . Guzzi owners tend to be dedicated types and often choose to fit considered upgrades. For once this might not be a bad thing. Sump extensions, revised timing gear drive, modern electronic ignition, barrel and cylinder head protectors, engine…

Electrical connections part 5 Relay race In his final missive, our Ralph talks relays: ready, steady GO! WORDS AND PHOTOS: RALPH FERRAND. I had intended my last electrics article to be the end of the series, but I realised that there are a few gaps to fill – oh and I get a perverted pleasure out of mucking Bertie the editor about, of course. Now, as with so many motorcycle subjects, a lot of cobblers is proffered on internet forums as factual gold, so let’s sift the gold from the shi... er, grit eh? So, like electrical cable, switches are rated to carry a finite level of current and if this is exceeded then heat and possibly fire are the result. To illustrate this, let’s look at a headlight circuit.…

Next month SUZUKI GSX-R1100 WP: Bertie Simmonds rides the last of the 1990s leviathans. BEST BIKES OF 1981: John Nutting recalls a very special year for motorcycling. SUZUKI GT550J: Steve Cooper on this marvellous middleweight stroker! YAMAHA RD350LC SPECIAL: It’s a fizzy, bubbly legend… (and yes it’s finally in this month! Honest!) HONDA NIGHTHAWK 650: Quirky import Quick Spinned! WORKSHOP: Servicing Yamaha’s TX500, AND a Yamaha TX500 Buyer’s Guide, Steve Cooper helps you select and fit new shocks to your classic while Stan Stephens shows how to tune the Kawasaki KR-1S. PROJECT BIKES: Paul Berryman is back on with his timing on his Suzuki DR600, Steve Cooper on his Yamaha RD350, Ralph Ferrand with his Yamaha DT175 MX and Steve Parrish unveils the latest colour scheme for his Yamaha FZ750.…

February Prankster Parrish goes live ! February 24 Unless you’ve been living under a stone for several decades, you’ll know the name of Steve Parrish. ‘Stavros’ as he’s known is a former British motorcycle racing champ and many-time European/ British truck racing champion too. Now a bike race commentator, Steve also does the odd project bike for CMM… His stories of his 40 years in and around racing are legion. Funny doesn’t even come close, and since 2014 he’s been on tour bringing these stories to the masses. This month, Stavros will be at the Lighthouse Theatre in Kettering on Friday 24th and be prepared for a rip-roaring good time. The MAD (My Adolescent Dad) Tour is hosted by his daughter Frankie and promises to be a refreshing and irreverent…

The owner’s story Kenny Howden I owned one of these machines some time ago but rather foolishly decided to sell it and always regretted it; so when the chance to buy another came along I jumped at it. My wife was looking through eBay one Saturday night and spotted it for sale in our area. When I phoned it turned out to be in the next village. I went to see the next morning and recognised the bike as one that a friend had restored a couple of years previously and a deal was struck. These bikes are in the cafe racer style of the 60s and should have a single humped seat but this one sported a dual seat. The single seats are now unavailable and second-hand ones are…

The Kawasaki H1 in perspective So, what’s so special about a Kawasaki H1: after all, on paper at least the figures aren’t much to shout about. Sixty horses and an all up weight of almost 190kg doesn’t sound like anything potentially special when compared to more modern tackle. It’s in the same ball park as Yamaha’s XJ600S Diversion for crying out loud! The one key word here is context; look at what the 1968 H1 was up against and you can readily see what a game changer it was. Similar mass to Suzuki’s then new Cobra but 14bhp more powerful, the H1 was in a league of its own. Triumph’s almost new T110R was 20kg lighter and handled like a dream compared to the Kawasaki but the latter had 33%…

From XS650 to XSR700 – the British connection The XSR700 uses an engine layout that was first used by Yamaha for its 750cc Super Ténéré launched in the late 1980s that was a spin off from the factory’s successful campaigns in the gruelling Paris-Dakar desert races. But for Bob Trigg, who started his career in the motorcycle industry as a BSA and Ariel apprentice and rose to be technical director at Norton when the 750cc Commando twin was developed in the late 60s, the Super Ténére was just one of a number of projects when he was later at the European product planning department for Yamaha. Trigg first worked on contracts for Yamaha while at Norton. One was to improve the XS650’s handling with the help of test rider Percy…

Product review Oxford Montreal Breathable Waterproof TextileJacket Steve Cooper If I said this is one of the most instantly comfortable bike jackets I’ve ever owned, would that convey just how much I like it? I’ve parted with substantially more money over the years but never found anything that feels and works like the Montreal which may go some way to explain why it’s a hugely successful piece of kit for Oxford. Decent pockets, quality zips, storm flaps, toasty liner, phone pocket, air vents for cooling, poppers and straps for adjustment, stretch panels, decent coverage of the lower back… oh and rain hoods in the collar! There’s provision for optional CE armour and the jacket comes with some foam type already fitted: a quality item and available in numerous colours including…

Rubber grease Nothing is more vexatious than chipping fresh or tidy paintwork. If the fuel tank is your bike’s crowning glory you’ll be spitting feathers if you damage it as you’re refitting it. Ensure all the cabling is where it should be and then smother both the tank mounts and the tank rubber in rubber grease. Instead of fighting resistance and stiction your tank should almost fit itself and virtually glide into place. Other lubes might work but only rubber grease is designed to work with… er… rubber. Bearing greases may actually attack rubber and degrade it over time resulting in granulated rubber and a nasty sticky mess. Shock absorber rubbers, panel grommets, seat buffers and many more are easily fitted with this magic material. For less than £13 Wemoto…

Project Yamaha DT175 MX part 5 Open heart surgery Things just don’t go to plan when our Ralph opens up the DT’s once beating heart. WORDS AND PHOTOS: RALPH FERRAND. Last month I laced up the wheels, which was a bit off-piste for me and not a job I perform for the filthy lucre. This month I am more in my comfort zone, or at least should have been! First job was to remove the flywheel; this should have been a piece of proverbial, but was an absolute nightmare. Using the correct extractor, which is a commonly available item, I screwed in the large fine-threaded bit, or at least tried to; as someone in the bike’s chequered past had managed to totally destroy the internal threads for the extractor cut…

And finally? I’ll be starting Satan’s Suzuki on a remote fuel tank just as soon as I have the opportunity. On the rash assumption that all is well there’s still a list of task that needs to be addressed. I have the clocks mounted but need to ferret through numerous sub looms in order to find the requisite number of rubber booted bulb holders for all the idiot lights. And then I still have to remove the flawed tank liner from a perfectly painted tank; not a task I’m relishing to be honest. Then it’s a case of throwing on the rebuilt rear light assembly, giving the electrics a second look-see and then there’s little to stop me bolting on the rescued and original number plate with its super rare…

KR-1/S Masterclass! In part one, Stan explains how to strip and sort a KR-1, KR-1S. Next month: tuning! WORDS AND PHOTOS: STAN STEPHENS Editor Bertie received an email from a reader in Australia, telling him all about the classic racing scene out there. The guy said there was a lot of interest in the 250cc production class, in particular the Kawasaki KR-1 and KR-1S, and he wanted CMM’s help with tuning them. As a result, Bertie asked me to write an article explaining the tuning work we carried out back in the day. To begin with, before tuning any engine, it needs to be in good condition and set up properly. What I am going to do is amalgamate articles I have written about stripping, rebuilding and tuning the KR-1…

SCOOPERMAN ! The sunny side of the classic world, with the VJMC’s Steve Cooper Okay, it’s well and truly shed season now. Lots of us are beavering away in wooden boxes, brick edifices and the like. If you are very fortunate there will be at least some heating and if you’re truly blessed the bike working area is attached to the house – which means you enjoy the benefits of a strategically placed radiator or two. That was the set-up this column enjoyed until four years ago when a house move dictated a slight change of tack and logistics. The down side is that the spannering area no longer has piped heating; the plus side is that it’s substantially bigger. And what do I do? Yes of course, fill the…

FEEDBACK Post to Mechanics, PO Box 99, Horncastle, Lincs LN9 6LZ or email your pictures to editorial@classicmechanics.com WIN a Scottoiler bike care pack Every month we’re giving away a Scottoiler Bike Care Pack to the writer of the best submitted letter we receive. The pack contains two litres of Scottoiler FS365; giving you the ultimate in summer and winter corrosion protection. Simply get in touch by sending emails to: letters@classicmechanics.com or post your letters to the normal address, giving contact details just in case you are that lucky winner. Loving the 500LC! It was good reading Andy Bolas’ Quick Spin on the RD500LC! I had a new RD350LC the first week they came out and Coburn and Hughes sold me the second RD500LC in the country. I also had the…

CLASSIC HOLIDAY Spanish getaway If you love Spain, sunshine and classic motorcycles, there is a company that can offer you a dream holiday. WORDS AND PHOTOS: PAUL BERRYMAN There are only two kinds of people when it comes to Mallorca: those who’ve never been, and those who’d love to live there. Why? Well, put simply: it’s got everything – from picturesque mountains to clear water sandy beaches, from hippy hideouts in the hills to marinas full of playboy playthings, from rural markets selling sweet local produce to high-end retailers, it’s all there. For centuries, its appeal has been that it offers almost everything that humanity can possibly covet in one place (and in a near-perfect climate) and for the last three years it’s been even better, because you can now…

News The Shed... New tools for sale, old tools and kit rated. You’re in The Shed. Cold play! The cold weather can’t stop play or keep us from our garage/shed or man cave – so some form of heating is required. So, we’re pleased to see Sealey’s new range of industrial PTC fan heaters which should easily fit the bill this winter. Equipped with PTC heat conducting ceramic elements, these fan heaters achieve an instant, totally dry heat with no condensation. This series also benefits from having no gas, no fumes and no smell: so you’ll have to bring your own… There are four models to choose from, ranging from 2000W through to 9000W. They all feature two thermostat-controlled heat settings and also a fan only setting, making them ideal…

EDZ base layers s It’s fair to sayy that I do subscribe to the proper way of ‘layering up’ for a ride.. Whatever the weather, I will have a base layer under th he normal protective bike kit as it keeps you coool in summer and warmer in n winter. If you don’t doo it, try it, it works. For years I’vve used the same one-piece p base layer, whiich has been great, butt with me being ‘long in the back’ and not tthe legs, sometimes it coould get a little un-comffy in the crotch area on anything but croouched sports bikes. Th his two-piece EDZ b base layer is – in contrast – ubercomfy and workss well whatever I’m riding. Comfort comes from the fact that both gaarments are…

YOUR TIPS Beads are bad! I was looking through the mag, like you do, and there was a jar of hand cleaner up for grabs: full of plastic micro-beads to clean your mitts! Now I’m all for modern ideas and that, but, plastic micro-beads are a bit of a bugger when it comes to those a lot further down the food chain. Plastic doesn’t naturally biodegrade and these tiny little plastic beads collect in the little bugs and mites that the rest of the food chain depends on. Not so good then. Back in the day, before Nitrile gloves, when I used to fit lorry tyres, Roselex and Swarfega was the stuff. But, since then, I’ve got wise and use olive oil (well, any light vegetable oil) and sugar. It…

Project Suzuki Stinger part 11 Stung, again! Firing up’s tantalisingly close but Satan’s Suzuki still has a trick up its sleeve. There are days when my enthusiasm for Project Stinger outweighs the potential for disaster and the likely scenarios of woe. Sometimes I genuinely believe that I can go into the workshop, pick up tools and parts safe in the certain knowledge that I will be able to make satisfying progress. And occasionally the Stinger will permit, even welcome my inane fumblings with its vital organs. Only the other month we had several glorious days when progress was being made and then, of course, it went bad on me. Sorry gentle reader but I’m not being a defeatist here, rather a pragmatist. I know the little bike simply doesn’t…

WORK SHOP CMM Repairing plastic Cracked plastic panels? Scoop’s found an elegantly simple solution. WORDS AND PHOTOS: STEVE COOPER Plastic panels on Japanese motorcycles have been around a lot longer than many folk think. It wasn’t the advent of plastic rockets that saw moulded synthetics being used en masse; as far back as the late 1950s the Japanese were using various types of plastic for non-structural items. The benefits in the construction of a motorcycle are numerous; you get a consistent repeatable product that is lightweight, easy to form into complex shapes and corrosion resistant. The downsides for we would-be restorers are sadly severe; said plastics are easily scratched, fail under relentless UV exposure, and crucially for us lot are damned hard to repair. If you’ve ever tried to…

IT’S MY BIKE: Kate Wain I’ve used this bike for rallying abroad and at home, work and shopping transport (well, a gal has to do what a gal has to do!) and riding racetracks. We are never more at home than at Cadwell or Mallory Park on a fine day, footrest dragging and looking for a race. A good Le Mans gets under your skin like no other: they handle well, stop well, will withstand loads of abuse and get to serious mileage and anybody who says different has never done a lot of miles on a good one. The Le Mans may be small, but they are mighty! Turn the front engine bolt regularly, make sure control cables particularly throttle are not tortured, twin plug it unless you…

Project Honda CB750K2 part 3 Carb conundrums He’s cleaning the carbs and needs to sort ’em: our Mark talks main jets and float heights. Last month we looked at cleaning various carburettor jets: now for the main jets! I didn’t clean them as I could see from their markings that they were too small. I’ll explain: Honda produced bikes destined for locations all over the world and they would need to perform properly in a wide variety of climates. This would mean that changes would need to be made to suit local conditions and this is one example. Looking through the parts listing for the CB750K2, we see that a range of main jets was available from 110 (which was the standard fitting) up to 155. Mine were actually size…

Project Honda C70 part 2 Easy does it! After a busy racing season for the Mackenzie clan, Niall finds solace in the easy strip of his current project. WORDS: NIALL MACKENZIE PHOTOS: CLAN MACKENZIE, GARY ‘D’ MCCHAPMAN I’ve really missed appearing on these pages trying my hand at restorations but it’s been a busy summer assisting the Mackenzie pups in their respective racing exploits, so please accept my grovelling apologies! Thankfully, it was all worthwhile as they each landed a British title (Taylor won Superstock 1000 and Tarran Supersport 600) but more importantly I now have some time to catch up with my projects. The world of racing is an emotional rollercoaster so the quiet calmness of my shed is the perfect haven for some end of season therapy. I…