Innholdsfortegnelse for October 2023 i Classic Motorcycle Mechanics

The forward-looking life of an editor of a magazine that looks to the past means that I’m sat here towards the end of August, not even into September, but writing about our CMM show in Stafford in October but thinking about motorcycles that are 15 years or older! Inside these pages you’ll see our preview for this year’s Classic Motorcycle Mechanics’ Stafford Show. I, for one, can’t wait. After the awful year or so of Covid a couple of years back, we hope that we’re back to normal for this year’s show, following on from our successful show last year. It goes without saying that our events team here do an amazing job, so I’m hoping to see lots of you at the show itself over the weekend of October…

SHOEI NEOTEC 3 £589.99 The Neotec 3 is the perfect choice for riders that require a functional lid with what Shoei calls ‘adaptability’ built in! Dual homologation, internal sun visor, all-day comfort liner, and an integrated communication system will provide the performance and features you need in any riding environment, says Shoei. The flip front mechanism features an innovative, two-stage locking system that can be used in the open position, providing the freedom to ride with the face cover fully opened or closed. Improvements over the Neotec 2 include a newly-designed micro ratchet chinstrap; new cheek pad with noise isolator for increased comfort and noise reduction; a new CNS-3C Visor with central locking system and improved air-tight seal; and an easy-to-operate multi-positional ventilation system. The Neotec 3 will be available…

What’s not to love about beautiful motorcycles and wonderful people? You’ll see them all at the Classic Motorcycle Mechanics Show at Stafford County Showground this October 14-15. It has to be the highlight of our biking year: 30,000 fellow classic motorcycle enthusiasts milling around, chewing the fat and looking at some gorgeous motorcycles as well as a guest of honour – what’s not to like? So let’s get the ‘guest of honour’ thing out of the way early doors because, for some of you, he divides opinion. This year we’ve got Henry Cole, that bloke from the telly box. As Henry told me himself in our interview with him in the November 2022 issue (and a top chap he is, I can vouch) he loves putting classic bikes and specials-build…

I’m back on a 400cc Japanese Domestic Market machine this issue and one which may look very familiar to many of us. Yes, we’re back in Surrey with JDM lover Dave Jupp. He is an arch proponent of these machines, bikes that, sadly, we were often denied, unless imported by the container load by grey importers, such as BAT Motorcycles, Pocket Rockets and the like. This month it’s the turn of the Honda CBR400R Aero which many would claim was the top 400 offering from Honda at the time. Whereas the CB-1 and CB400 SuperFour we’ve covered previously were, arguably, multi-purpose machines aimed at covering more than one base, the Aero is a totally different tureen of aquatic fauna. The CBR400R is all about speed, or at least the allusion…

‘Cagey’ because we’re not sure quite what styling we want. We are talking 1990s to early 2000s, something reminiscent of the ‘original’ first Hinckley Triumph three and four-cylinder Daytonas of 1991-on, through to the T595 of 1997 and into the Daytonas sharing that three-cylinder powerplant. The evocative Daytona name pretty much died out in 2017 when the 675 sports bike was deleted and the large-capacity models sharing that name left the dealerships for the last time back in 2006 – but imagine if they built something like that again? We haven’t got room here for a full, modern Daytona history lesson, but from the factory’s rebirth in 1990 we’ve seen 750cc and 900cc triples as well as 1000 and 1200cc fours. Of course our modern bike would be a three-cylinder…

Time to make a start on rewiring this little bike, but firstly I want to check the headlamp which I found to be rather ineffective (Photo 1). There does not seem to be too much wrong with its external appearance, in fact it looks brand-new. And, of course, it is brand-new: these pattern units can be found for next to nothing, which raises a point I wanted to make about this project. I have found that parts are all amazingly cheap compared to similar items for bigger bikes. Surely they cannot cost much less to make, so presumably the costing is either based on what people are actually willing to pay, or the fact that the parts are made in much larger quantities. This was a good time to see…

Kev Raymond keeps his eye on the choppy waters of the classic world to see if any projects, donors and bargains are out there worthy of being dragged out of the surf for some mouth-to-mouth… 1980s Suzuki GP100 Asking: £900 I’ve been idly looking at 1970s Suzuki A100s recently – my wife had one in the mid-80s when we met, and she’s always fancied another one. Unfortunately it appears every other bugger fancies on, too – £2000 and way upwards for anything complete, original and running? Don’t think so. But this might be an alternative. I used to borrow a mate’s GP100 to thrash about on school lunch-times when I was about 16, and I remember it being crisp and quick – although I suspect I wouldn’t find it very quick…

CHOOSE WHICH CMM SUBSCRIPTION SUITS YOU BEST 1: 12-MONTH SUBSCRIPTION BEST VALUE 12 print issues for £46 Direct Debit 12 print issues for £50 credit/debit card SAVE £15.20 2: SIX-MONTH SUBSCRIPTION 6 print issues for £24 Direct Debit 6 print issues for £26 credit/debit card SAVE £6.60 WHAT OUR READERS SAY ABOUT CLASSIC MOTORCYCLE MECHANICS CMM is the ‘go-to’ magazine for sensible restoration advice. BRIAN HERRON The magazine covers a shrinking, niche area of interest perfectly. ALAN BROWN A valuable asset to the classic rider, restorer and enthusiast. SIMON ROSE WHY YOU SHOULD READ CLASSIC MOTORCYCLE MECHANICS EVERY MONTH >> IF YOU WANT THE BEST IN MODERN CLASSIC MOTORCYCLING, THIS IS IT!>> EACH MONTH YOU’LL GET THE VERY BEST IN PRACTICAL WORKSHOP TIPS AND ADVICE>> READ ABOUT THE REAL BIKES…

Engineering genius and former CMM columnist Allen Millyard and TV presenter Henry Cole have set a new world record for the ‘fastest tandem motorcycle’ beating the top speed held by an American couple for over 10 years. Guinness World Records certified their top speed of 183.50mph (295.31km/h), giving them a clear margin over American couple Erin Hunter and Andy Sills, who reached 181.42mph (291.98km/h) at Bonneville Salt Flats in 2011. Cole – who is guest of honour at our show this October (see pages 24 and 92) – met Allen when filming The Motorbike Show in 2014 and the idea for the record attempt was hatched during planning for the latest series. In May they headed to Elvington Airfield in North Yorkshire, which has a 3000-metre-long runway. On their sixth…

It was a very special day for 17 people as they picked up their Limited Edition CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP John McGuinness 100th Start Replicas. Unveiled at Motorcycle Live last year, the limited-edition JMG 100th start Fireblade SP sold out almost instantly. The owners were given a tour of Honda’s race HQ in Louth and the chance for a chat with a true TT legend, as each new owner took delivery of their own JMG 100th start Fireblade SP, with a fresh signature on it. McGuinness is a TT legend with 108 starts and 23 wins at the famous road-racing capital of the world. As he signed the tanks of the bikes, he said: “The bike looks mega but what means even more to me are the people I’ve met today.…

It’s easy to forget just what a sporting name Moto Guzzi once was… Today, our rose-tinted visor would recall some stunning classic road bikes including the Le Mans roadster or the California cruiser, and the engine layout we think of would be the V-twin with longitudinal crank layout and cylinder heads that stick out on each side of the motorcycle. But like many Italian marques, the Guzzi firm was big in racing during the 1950s and would dominate the 350cc world championship, taking five consecutive titles between 1953 and 1957. They were also innovators, building a V8 500cc grand prix machine, using a wind tunnel way before any other manufacturers did and helping to develop shaft-drive and linked braking systems. They have also had a good go at making sports…

Okay so nostalgia is not what it used to be or arguably even close but I’ll come out and say here and now – Honda’s new CL500 is a seriously good machine. With all the major players now peddling retros of one kind or another it was only a matter of time before Honda thumbed through their back catalogue. It’s bang up-to-date yet borrows heavily from the 1960s and 70s street scramblers in terms of profile. The CL takes the chassis from the CMX500 cruiser motor, tacks on a new rear-end and fits the 471cc motor that’s now powering five or so other models and delivers a little cracker. Cleverly pitched at the A2 compliant sector of the market, the bike also has the potential to attract older riders who…

After doing 2000 miles in three-and-a-bit days I finally I rolled back up at home after completing the Longest Day Challenge, a journey from Land’s End to John O’Groats in a day, without touching motorways (the full story is in part 2, June 23 issue). Doing that many miles in such a short time meant I’d become almost immune to the noise my otherwise perfectly running 1992 CBR600F-N was now making, but taking a moment to listen to it on the drive with no earplugs and helmet on proved JUST HOW BLOODY LOUD IT WAS NOW! Revving it at a standstill was an assault on the ears, in complete contrast to the whisper-quiet bike with a standard exhaust that had left the same drive less than a hundred hours before.…

Last month I concentrated on getting the all-important lifeblood into the workshop: electrics, which provides everything from compressed air, heat, light, power-tools, food, to keeping the place devoid of corrosive excessive moisture in the air. This time, after waiting an age, the uber-expensive cladding finally arrived. There are a lot of options when it comes to the purchase of timber cladding for wooden buildings, from the thin crap used on garden sheds sold by DIY chains, to eye-wateringly expensive pressure-treated, custom-machined stuff at the other end of the spectrum. I would rather this workshop had been concrete for longevity, but given the planning constraints this wasn’t an option, so I decided to build the most future-proof wooden building possible and if that meant haemorrhaging money on materials then that was…

‘Get rid of the points and put electronic ignition on it’ is a phrase I read a lot of on Facebook groups. I’ve got nothing against electronics in general or electronic or ignition in particular, but I really wish Yamaha had stuck with the points set up the DT250 made do with. But they didn’t, they fitted a Mitsubishi CDI system to the bike I’m restoring. But that’s alright, because everyone knows that Japanese electronics are world class. That’s as maybe, but the system on my bike refused to produce the tiniest flicker of a spark, no matter how much I grunted while kicking it over. There are two straightforward solutions to this problem. First, I could fit a replacement modern system made by Rex’s Speedshop. Secondly, I could get…

G’day, it’s been a while! You know about my injuries and thus lack of bike work for my updates. Well, I now have Tim working with me weekly to get the Slabby 3 and BS90 projects, along with a few others, done. That means progress is forthcoming! But first, let’s share a beer! Just for you lot, I’ll go for a cold London Pride. During the last update I boasted about me scoring a GSX750 JDM motor and carburettors. I planned on using the CV carbs in Slabby 3. Stupidly I gave a set of OEM 750F flat-slides away to a mate for a case of beer a few years ago, as I thought I would never use them! I also gave away a set of CV carburettors from a…

If one bike can almost sum up the race-replica paint job craze, it has to be Suzuki’s RGV500… It helps that the race bike itself looked oh-so good and better still it was ridden by a real character in the form of lanky Texan Kevin Schwantz. Out on the tracks the RGV was always fast, and often fickle, but it was ridden with skill and daring by Revvin’ Kevin – so much so that he earned himself a legion of fans in the UK. In comparison to its 500cc V4 peers, in the 1990s the general rule of thumb was that the Honda NSR500 was the most powerful; the Yamaha YZR500 the most rideable and consistent; and the RGV seemed to be good on the brakes (or was that thanks…

Ducati’s Multistrada family of motorcycles has just turned 20! After a shaky start, this has become a model that changed the history of Ducati, rivalling their sporting machines and is (arguably) the bedrock of the Bologna concern. In the 1990s Ducati was known for their sporting machines – be they air-cooled or liquid-cooled (think SS range or the 888/916 families), and trying to break into the world of sports-touring was proving difficult. The air-cooled ST family did well enough, as did the liquid-cooled ST4 series, but something else was needed. The Multistrada (literally ‘multi-road’) came along in 2003 and it shocked the biking world. At its heart was the 1000DS (Dual Spark) motor, housed in a sporting chassis with a ‘traditional’ upright seating position and with aesthetics that (it’s fair…

Malcolm Sootheran says: “My Triumph Tiger 110, Burton Dassett Hills, Warwickshire, 1959. UMC 631 was my Triumph Tiger 110. I bought it in 1959, new from the Triumph agent in Kilburn, London. It cost me £320. I was 20 at that time, and I earned 6 pounds 10 shillings per week as a Lockheed apprentice. It was around 40bhp with a four-speed geabox (the first, and I think last, to have the ‘Slickshift’ system) and excellent drum brakes. The 110 had telescopic, hydraulic front forks and swingarm, and rubber-bushed rear suspension with hydraulic dampers. It was a great bike for ‘low-level flying’. Nothing could touch it on the road, corners included. It was a lot of fun! Thanks to its 12-volt electrics, it had great lights, too. The electrics were…

So, I’ve settled into R18 life – and as I said in my intro piece last month, I was planning a bit of a longer touring jaunt, to take advantage of ‘summer’. I’m from Scotland, and have family and chums up there still, so where better to head on the mighty R18? If I timed things right, I could even get along to the BSB meeting at Knockhill… I’m of an age where I spend more time faffing about before a trip than the actual trip will take itself. So for the few weeks before I head north, I’m in the garage, digging out my touring bits and pieces, and getting myself all set up. Now, the Classic has a pair of fairly large leather saddlebags, but one of those…

With an ever-growing catalogue of attrition I’m starting to get a bit jittery about the long-term prospects for the TC. The visual stuff was fine. I knew there would be a few bumps in the road so the paint and the tyres and the cables and the seat (list goes on ad nauseam) were to be expected, but a few of the hidden problems were starting to sting. I sent Neil at DK Motorcycles a brief note setting out the dilemma. He replied straightaway with an open frame of mind. If I could be a bit more precise he’d discuss with his colleagues. I put together a more comprehensive note with a few pictures. Now this is a tricky area for all concerned. Obviously there is an element of ‘You…

Lots of people like fitting electronic ignition to old bikes as they reckon it makes them more reliable. I’m not arguing… After all, a well-executed electronic ignition conversion can make starting easier (particularly handy if it’s your right leg that’s doing the starting) and means that maintenance is much reduced – it’s a fit-and-forget swap. But I’ve come to my 1977 Yamaha XS 650, the bike I’m currently getting my summer smiles from, from a Triumph T140 Bonneville of similar vintage. It had a Boyer set up on it in place of the original points, and no electric start, so you’d imagine all would be well. It wasn’t. Not that this was necessarily down to the Boyer system. Most of the Triumph’s problems were built into it at Meriden, where…

Occasionally I’ve christened my bikes. I know, I’m sad, but it just happens. It’s easier to give ’em a name rather than constantly referring to ‘The Ducati with the black frame’ to differentiate it from the others in the flock of a similar, but slightly different, spec. The Ducati in question became ‘Donald’. Yes, I know, and sorry for that. Previously there had been Mugwump, my long-suffering 350 AJS, and Bazil, the 1961 Bonneville. My race bikes also copped monikers: my GSX1100 Pro-Stock bike was ‘The Deuce’; it was the second GSX to set foot in the UK and had the 50002 frame number to substantiate that point. My ‘B’ Gas competition bike was always just ‘The Kosman’ due to the ‘work of art’ Sandy Kosman chassis. At that time…