Innholdsfortegnelse for November/December 2021 i Motorcycle Classics

A hundred years is a milestone birthday when it comes to any manufacturer, but especially one that builds motorcycles. Few companies manage to change with the times in such a way as to stay in business that long. Technology moves on and riders' tastes can change, but Moto Guzzi has stayed strong. To celebrate 100 years of Moto Guzzi, this issue we take a look back at an icon from Mandello del Lario: the fabled Moto Guzzi 500 V8 race bike of the type Guzzi developed from 1955-1957. Motojournalist extraordinaire and Motorcycle Classics regular Alan Cathcart tells us the history and development of the V8 racer, and also what the fabled creature is like to ride at speed. Check it out on Page 20. In keeping with the times, Alan…

1970-1973 BMW R75/5 Difficult to believe, but in the late 1960s BMW almost abandoned motorcycle production. Sales were slow, and the aging / 2 series was obsolete. Fortunately, they decided instead to design a new engine and chassis with assembly at a new factory in Spandau, Berlin. The / 5 borrowed technology from the company’s automobile engines, with a forged crank running on plain bearings and chain drive to the camshaft (now below the crank). A dry single-plate clutch connected the engine to a 4-speed gearbox with shaft final drive. Electrics were 12 volt with battery/coil ignition replacing the / 2’s magneto, and Bing CV carbs were fitted. The drivetrain was mounted in a new lighter welded frame with the driveshaft comprising the right-side swinging arm. A Sachs front fork…

The Sammy Miller Museum (sammymiller.co.uk) in New Milton, Hampshire, U.K., is crammed full of interesting machines — including factory prototypes and numerous ingenious designs from all over the world. It also counts as one of the world’s largest collections of exotic racing bikes, all of them in running order and including the legendary Moto Guzzi 500 V8, the supercharged AJS 500 V4 and post-war Porcupine, and innumerable famous bikes from Triumph, Norton, AJS, Velocette and many more. There are also offroad enduro, motocross and trials icons. The museum is open to visitors daily from 10 a.m. year-round.…

Researched and written in Japan with the full co-operation of the factory, here in definitive detail is the story of the two-stroke Suzuki bikes — a series of models that put the company on the map, helping it to survive a difficult era that saw hundreds of Japanese motorcycle makers reduced to just the big four. The series has now been all but killed off, but Suzuki Motorcycles: The Classic Two-stroke Era helps celebrate a time when the two-stroke was king. Focusing on the 1950s through to the late-1970s, experience the two-stroke models that defended Suzuki’s honor on the tracks as well as in the showrooms. This title is available at store. MotorcycleClassics.com or by calling 800-880-7567. Mention promo code: MMCPALZ5. Item #10918.…

Henry “Hank” Fajardo is as Chicago as they come. He still calls the Ukrainian Village neighborhood he was born in, home. He recalls a typical Midwest childhood before modernist condos replaced workman’s cottages that dotted the 130-year old area. Before $1,000 strollers appeared on condo-lined streets, Henry and friends begged, borrowed and “liberated” dirt bikes to raise light hell on empty lots and alleys. An early meeting with Chicago’s Finest made an impression. Jumping a single curb within sight of a CPD cruiser earned him a seat in the back with a call to his father to pick him up. Henry doesn’t remember the punishment, just the fear. But he kept throwing legs over bikes. Youth became young manhood and new bikes meant a bigger playground. The late 80s were…

11/6 Head to Vicksburg, Mississippi, for the Vicksburg Vintage Motorcycle Show. Entry is free and open to pre-1990 motorcycles, scooters, dirt bikes, etc. The show runs from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., and more than 15 awards will be given out, including class awards, People’s Choice and Best of Show. Enjoy live entertainment and downtown Vicksburg. The show will be held at the Farmer’s Market Park at 1055 Washington St. For more info, contact Roger Harris by email, call him at (601) 831-2079 or search Vicksburg Vintage Motorcycle Show on Facebook. 11/7 Join the Southern California Norton Owners Club for “the best ride by a dam site,” the Hansen Dam Ride. Now in its 42nd year, the ride is a great way to spend a day enjoying classic motorcycles. Recent…

THE ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO MOTORCYCLE MAINTENANCE Popular motorcycle journalist and author Mark Zimmerman brings a comfortable, conversational tone to his easy-to-understand explanations of how motorcycles work, how to maintain them, and how to fix them when they don’t. This practical tutorial covers all brands and styles of bikes making it a perfect companion to the owner’s service manual. #10937 $38.99 Members: $35.09 NORTON COMMANDO: THE COMPLETE STORY The Commando was the main bike in Norton’s range from 1968, and was produced until the demise of Norton Villiers Triumph in 1977. This book looks at the history and development of the Commando, gives the specifications and outlines the model changes, and also offers the riding experiences of past and present owners. In addition there is a blow-by-blow account of the author’s…

Remembering Dick Mann While there is much to like about Motorcycle Classics, I particularly enjoy articles by Dain Gingerelli and Alan Cathcart. His tribute to Dick Mann was comprehensive, appreciative without being maudlin, and of course, up to his usual high standards of journalism. I was a huge fan of Dick Mann and had the good fortune to see him race short track at Santa Fe Speedway, the Peoria TT witnessing one of his many wins there, road racing at the old Ontario Speedway, and the legendary half mile Ascot Park. Great Stuff. Thanks. Terry Zeri/Bellingham, WA, Member: Washington Vintage Motorcyclists Living room Rickman I read an article written by Bud Ekins about Rickman Metisses when I was motocross racing a stock Triumph. I had to have one. My father,…

High school English classes usually include lessons on the many works of Shakespeare. In choosing a name for his high-wheel bicycle circa 1870, British industrialist James Starley did well to recall his own study of The Tempest — opting to insinuate that if Ariel could fly, so too could his bicycle. Starley was not, however, likely thinking that any of his wheeled products would ever fly — even if it was off a dirt jump set up for scrambles or motocross action. But that’s what the 1955 Ariel Hunter Scrambler seen here on these pages could do. Ariel’s story begins in 1869, when engineer and inventor Starley was working as a foreman for the Coventry Sewing Machine Company of Birmingham, England. According to the Ariel Motorcycle Club of North America,…

A ride aboard Moto Guzzi’s fabled mid-Fifties water-cooled, double overhead cam 500cc V8 race bike is the dream of anyone remotely interested in the history of Grand Prix racing. Thanks to the generosity of Sammy Miller, my dream has come true! The proprietor of England’s Sammy Miller Museum, Sammy has has uncovered two examples of Moto Guzzi’s exotic 500cc Grand Prix hardware — a V8 of the type Moto Guzzi developed in 1955-1957 and the Bicilindrica V-twin that preceded it (see Motorcycle Classics, September/October 2013). Like the Bicilindrica, Sammy says the V8 was “assembled many years ago from a mixture of replica parts and original components spirited out of the Guzzi factory, after they pulled out of racing at the end of 1957. After 18 months of drawn-out negotiation with…

“I saw my first Nimbus in 1974 in Copenhagen,” remembers Allen Siekman. “I was chasing family heritage. The rider had stopped at a traffic light. He was wearing a Barbour jacket and half helmet and goggles, and looked right out of the Thirties. I was mesmerized by the ends of the rocker arms waving at me on the sidewalk.” In the month Siekman was in Denmark, he was able to watch several more Nimbuses traverse the streets. Many years later, Siekman finally has his own Nimbus. He has found it is as enjoyable to ride as it is to look at. Dutch made Nimbus, possibly the only motorcycle ever produced in Denmark, hasn’t been built since 1960, but continued popularity has kept many on the road. The Danish Nimbus Club…

Funny thing about motorcycle shops. They’re both graveyards and nurseries. Jerry Greer’s Engineering’s shop in Deadwood, South Dakota, is a resting place and holy sepulchre for pre-1953 Indians. Originally a manufacturing company called Custom Fabricators, Inc., Todd and Lore Ksenych began making parts for the legendary Jerry Greer’s Indian Engineering, in Stanton, California. Todd’s first Indian build some 30 years ago began it all. Over time, they bought out Greer’s name, catalog and inventory and hung their own shingle in the iconic town of Deadwood, South Dakota, around 2014. The 1936 warehouse is a Valhalla, of sorts. Todd kindly offers a tour of both workshop and parts warehouse. The parts storeroom is immaculately clean and organized. Thousands of bins of original and reproduction parts quietly wait to feel the wind…

Steering head bearings seem to be one of those things we don’t think about until we have to. The problem is, by the time you realize your bike’s steering head bearings need attention — evidenced by notchy, stiff or even loose steering — it’s usually too late to do anything but replace them. And unfortunately, it’s one of the most common problems you’ll find on older bikes. Because it’s a time-intensive job — i.e., expensive — owners often avoid having it done unless it’s absolutely critical; there’s that too late thing again. And because it involves a fairly comprehensive front end tear down, many owners are scared to do the job themselves. In the Sixties and Seventies, the average bike used ball bearings in the steering head. Simple, cheap and…

Saving paint Q: I have a 1974 Yamaha RD350 that has a couple of shallow dings in the tank and a couple of shallow scratches in the paint of the tank. Keeping in mind that “It’s only original once,” should I have the tank repainted and new decals applied, or would the repaint lessen the value of the cycle instead of increasing it? I feel you would have a handle on an issue like this. I really enjoy the magazine, especially articles on the not-so-rare classics. Keep up the good work. Thank you! Gary/via email A: This is a question I have direct recent experience with, and of course an opinion to share. My 1974 Triumph Trident slowly fell out of its wheel chock and leaned into my Norton. The…

The 750 Roadster enjoyed a production run longer than any other variety of Norton’s Seventies superbike, with production running from March 1970 to October 1973. It’s also the most commonly found variety — though easy interchangeability also means that many Roadsters became Interstates, Fastbacks and other models. The Commando was introduced in April 1968. Styling was eccentric, featuring a swooping fiberglass gas tank, wraparound dual seat (orange on early bikes) and “boat-tail” rear bodywork. Within a year, two offspring, the Models R and S had joined the Fastback (as it was now called). The more conservative R model continued the Fastback’s exposed oil tank and low-level Atlas-type mufflers, but with a new shaped gas tank and more conventional dual seat. The S was the wild child, with buckets of chrome,…

As you may possibly be aware — depending on how successful the Piaggio-owned brand’s PR campaign has been — Moto Guzzi is celebrating its 100th birthday this year, thus joining other legendary brands like Indian, Royal Enfield, Triumph, Husqvarna, Harley-Davidson, Norton and Benelli in the Centurions’ locker room. As the oldest existing Italian manufacturer in continuous production since its birth in 1921, Guzzi has marked its Centenary by introducing a couple of new bikes — three, even — carrying the designation of one of its most historic model platforms. The first is the classy-looking, chrome-bedecked V7 Special retrobike listed in the U.S. at $9,490 in either grey or blue with white striping, with a brown seat, wire wheels with aluminum rims, twin analog clocks and machined cylinder head finning. Next…

In October 1973 I uncrated a brand new 1974 Yamaha TZ250 production road racer and loaded it into my pickup for the drive home. By the following weekend at least four major stock components — including the front end, brakes, and rear suspension — and a number of minor ones had been swapped out for upgraded parts. I raced it for a few years, making more changes along the way, then sold it. Now, many years later, I find myself wondering this: If I somehow found the bike, how hard would it be to restore it to its original condition, with factory parts in place of the ones I added? Based on the experiences of two top-notch bike restorers, both of whom worked on the same 1981 Suzuki RG500 you…

Here’s a brain teaser: What resembles a motorcycle, rolls on tractor tires, floats like a duck, has two-wheel drive, barely leaves a mark over a forest trail, can climb vertically, and starts like a lawn mower? While that description might suggest a whimsical character for a child’s Dr. Seuss story, some of you might have barked out, “A Rokon Trail-Breaker!” in your hurried excitement. If so, congratulations, you’re a little more familiar with moto-history than the average gearhead is. The Rokon Trail-Breaker is a machine like no other. In fact, as a name brand, Rokon ranks among America’s oldest motorcycle companies, second only to Harley-Davidson in continuous years of production, having made not only the Trail-Breaker since 1958, but motocross bikes during the 1970s. However, it’s the Trail-Breaker and its…

Ducati Monster is dedicated to the history of the two-valve Monster. On October 24th, 1992, the first-ever Ducati Monster was launched to the public at the IFMA Show in Germany — the first of 350,000 such bikes built so far, in all their different capacities and configurations. Argentinian designer Miguel Angel Galluzzi’s then-innovative concept of stripping a superbike of its bodywork to create a user-friendly yet invigorating minimalist street bike, which combined sporting appeal and everyday practicality, was an instant hit, with thousands of customers eager to subscribe to his belief that “All you need in a motorcycle is a saddle, fuel tank, engine, two wheels and a handlebar. Everything else is superfluous.” That’s a philosophy which, as expressed in the Monster, invented a major new segment of the motorcycle…

Sacramento, a great destination and the sunniest city in the world, has a rich heritage, impressive attractions and generally outstanding weather. Located where the American and Sacramento Rivers meet, Sacramento has played key roles in both U.S. and California history. For thousands of years before the Spanish entered California, indigenous peoples (Nisenan, Modoc, and Plains Miwok Native Americans) populated this fertile area. The Spanish influence began with Gabriel Moraga’s 1808 expedition, with Moraga christening the river Río del Santísimo Sacramento. In 1839, Juan Bautista Alvarado (the Mexican governor of Alta California) tasked Swissborn Mexican John Sutter with colonizing the region. He established Sutter’s Fort (soon to play a key part in the California Gold Rush). The United States acquired California with the 1848 Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo. James Marshall discovered gold…

NORTON COMMANDO RESTORATION MANUAL With more than 700 color photographs, Norton Commando Restoration Manual provides step-by-step guides to restoring every component of this classic bike. Topics covered include how to find a worthy restoration project; setting up a workshop with key tools and equipment; dismantling the motorcycle to restore the chassis, and more! If you’re restoring a Norton Commando, you’ll want this guide by your side. #10657 $60.00 Members: $51.00 HODAKA MOTORCYCLES Hodaka motorcycles were some of the most creatively marketed and designed motorcycles in America. More than 15 years in the making, this exhaustively-researched tome contains all the details about the machines including production data and history as well as a treasure trove of photographs, advertisements, and graphics. #11103 $60.00 Members: $54.00 EDWARD TURNER Get an inside look at…