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Full text of "Classic Motorcycle Mechanics April 2016"
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BMW R60/6
Buyer's guide /*
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April 2016 Issue 342
Puttoher : Ip* Am.
vowOmorturK. ca 1 * Contributors > oU Pft!ri'cnd Krw Lvtuna. Gary Cliapmari AH Edrtor nt/ BJackamorv Designer* < lurlcCt T urnhufl Fran Lovely
Reprographic*: I jh Unfui Jonathan Schofield DrmxKul adverb ting manager!
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Tel 01507 S29638 Advertmn*: Sam Dean*, L#e Baiter* ittoirieOrnarlOfH. cauh, IbudpriO mu iicm.co uk Tni 01507 524004 Subtcnptlon manager Paul Oaa u> Circulation manager, Sevan 0 Kara Market) ng manager. CiiadOdB Pat* PutkHMng date tor: Dan S--v,i 4 > Commercial director. Nigel Mrie Asvooair director. Mate Wlwelei t tutorial addr
CLASSIC MOTORCYCLE MECHANICS MAGAZINE Mc*3hj Ccrtie. Morton Way, Homc*\S*. LtvLlri^tr lN 9 CUR Oebute ww IH -:me* *>*'u t. m General cnquirin and hack luuci. Tel- 01507 529629 24 hour arower ttone l>dp1921. Pwtodcal pant
at Wacom* i Rupti*. WL Postmaster Sw*d addrett cfiarget Co CLASSIC MOTORCYCLE MECHANICS, Motarsqort PuNcahon* LLC, 7164 Cty Rd N #441. Bancroft Wi 648(21 71S 572-4995 rtutvWiUttiCPMatXMks com
MORTONS
Moaaaaieua
recycle
Having trouble finding a copy of this magazine?
Why nor Just AM your local newiaoeni to reserve you a copy each moMh?
Annoyingly excellent
In any walk of life there are people out there who are just so darned good at what they do, it almost makes you want to give up.
When l think of any of my daft hobbies, l know that - during my time enjoying said hobbies - 1 will always bump into someone that just makes me almost want to throw in the towel. Someone for whom - for some reason - the things you find hard to do are somehow as easy as falling off a log.
Whether you play an instrument, sing, dance, make model trains, or do the polka, someone, somewhere is going to be just more naturally adept than you, no matter how good your guitar, or how good your dancing shoes are.
Im talking about people like Allen Millyard. Now, I've seen many of Allen's amazing creations in the flesh and to say they're better
than original is an understatement. He seems to meld the manufacturer's eye for excellence with sheer dogged engineering determination. This is why we sent our own dog-eared engineer - Pip Higham - to meet him. The end result is a two-part feature which begins on page 54.
Pip came back wide-eyed and babbled incoherently for longer than he normally babbles incoherently for. By the time I got to see the pictures I realised that - far from making any of us want to give up - people like Allen, (genius is too small a word) actually serve to inspire us. So, head to page 54 and prepare to be inspired.
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Bertie Simmonds
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Steve Cooper
Older/nicer stuff editor editortAlOciASsicmectMntcs com
Utxeht&initws&HDcjrt*#*) tides a YR3 and YRS tfw month*
Andy Bolas
VJMC Youngster 1
editorlaloclAssic mechanics com
BcV.h >5 ivefj a rmv \enes ot
Hack to Bdifts urtfi 6oia\ tot all you nrwfvrs out tftetv
Karl Webster
Digger from down under 1
editoriAlociAssicmechAnics com
iVf* row Wetoy Hoi orty does be >mi? great fwcufs (page 32} ne uses ffwm fWtii, Atari does, page 36i.
Pip Higham
Enquiring engineer
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Russ Purdy
AMA lover
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James Whitham
Racy little number?
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Ralph Ferrand
Spanner legend
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Ralph returns win ho final piece on a very towy customer /6S0
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Stan Stephens
Lord of the (piston) Ring
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tors from Super sun mn month haw to set up a Mruribhop. fits protect and J putting TZ Panels on LCsf
Andy Westlake
South West editor
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they am mmtfevfyy wend cut Dot Andy finds a low WO that s gem jH muddy!
Joe Dick
Goodbye, super snapper!
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Staff snapper foe n heading oft to pasture-, new. Put his iawt vWY Oe around for some trve to comer
Sam Dearie
Top ad geezer!
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WORKSHOP NEWS
Lots of lovely kit for bike fiddling.
Q&A
More tips from Mark Haycock.
HONDA VFR750 F R
Editor spends 100 on a V4...
YAMAHA TZ250 S
James Whitham goes all racey!
STAN STEPHENS
The master on how TZ bits can be brilliant for LCs.
PROJECT BROOKLANDS
Stans V-twin racer project!
BASIC MAINTENANCE
Andy Bolas on the basics.
WORKSHOP
Stan Stephens on constructing the perfect man-cave.
RD CARB UPGRADE
How to improve the RD's breathing.
Z650 CARBS
Ralph Ferrand on how to balance like a ballerina.
SUZUKI TL1000S
A special V-twin Coming Classic!
1971 BMW R60/6
Guide to this Teutonic twin.
WIRING CHECKS
What to look out for.
NOT ONLY. BUT ALSO
Scott Redmond argues the case for Z1 alternatives.
Contents
06
08
13
18
20
22
26
ARCHIVE
Eddie Lawson: the USA's most successful road-racer.
HONDA HORNET
Just turned 15. the 900 is a future classic.
NEWS
Buy tiddler trailies and a Tamiya kit bike discovered!
CALENDAR
April should be very special!
FEEDBACK
Scoop gets told off and CM M's price is probed!
SHOW US YOURS
Lots more special bikes in your sheds.
BMW R90/S SPECIAL
Take a roadster and make it more robust for off-road!
32
36
40
48
50
54
62
SUZUKI GT550
Karl Webster on his cafe racer stroker.
NOSTALGIA
The Phillip Island Classic - we come third!
YAMAHA YR3 & YR5
Steve Cooper rides these classic two-strokes.
1996 YAMAHA V-MAX
Reader Stephan Morris on his V4 monster.
1979 SUZUKI GS1000
Reader Russ Purdy on his amazing AMA homage!
PIP MEETS ALLEN
Pip Higham meets genius Allen Millyard.
RETRO REBOOT
A TDM 1000 for today!
Qfl NEXT month
I O w So much stuff you
So much stuff you should subscribe!
www.c Us sicmectianics.cofn / 5
WORDS BERTIE SIMMONDS PHOTO MORTONS ARCHIVE
Eddie Lawson
Want to get hold of pictures from the Mortons Archive? Then head to: www.mortonsarchive.com
www.classicmecti3rvcs.com / 7
Mere's a lovely shot of Eddie Lawson on his Yamaha OW-76 from the 1984 Donington Park event where the best from the USA took on the best from the UK.
By 1984 Eddie was indeed the world's best rider - taking the first of his world titles in that year, after a learning year as team-mate to Kenny Roberts in the triple-champs final year of 500cc Grand Prix racing.
For many, Eddie was the thinking mans racer. Grandson of a pre-war board racer, the Californian was schooled in the hard-as-nails crucible of dirt-track racing in the 1970s, following the then-accepted route of dirt-track and then road-racing; first with superbikes and then with the evil 500cc Grand Prix two-strokes. Eddie won the AMA title with Kawasaki in 1981 and 1982, prompting the Eddie Lawson Replica but he also took a brace of AMA 250 titles for them too, in 1980 and 1981, so by the time he went
to Europe in 1983 with Yamaha, he was pretty much the finished article.
Learning from King Kenny helped in 1983, as he watched his team-mate battle for and lose the 500cc title to Freddie Spencer, a rival from his days in dirt-track. The following year Eddie took his first win at the South African Grand Prix and went on to take the title. More titles followed in 1986 and 1988 for Yamaha before he made his shock switch to Rothmans Honda, where he did the unthinkable by taking his fourth and final title.
Always a prickly personality, Eddie famously had a welcome mat outside his motorhome with go away on it and wasnt really that welcoming to journalists. We don't care: four 500cc world titles and 31 Grand Prix wins. Thats quite a record for an amazing rider, cm
Just turned 15, the Hornet 900 promised more of the same from the 600: but how does it fare today?
WORDS. CHRIS MOSS PHOTOS JASON CRITCHELL
ulling it over during a press introduction, I blurted into a dictaphone: Yeah, this new 900 Hornet looks just like the 600. Seconds later I realised there was a very good reason why it mimicked the smaller version so well - the bike I was checking out was in fact a 600 Hornet!
In my defence, not long earlier, Hondas promo men had revealed the essential make-up of their new 900. They explained the new big-bore Hornet was based heavily on the 600s chassis, and powered by a 1998 FireBlade motor with fuel-injection.
When I did get to see the bigger of the two roadsters, I felt less embarrassed. The fact is, the 900 definitely has the same at-a-glance appearance of its little brother, the mam distinguishing feature being just an extra under-seat can. To my mind, I was off the hook.
Just a few weeks later I got the chance to ride the compact, purposeful-looking bigger bore Hornet at its launch. Unusually, the event was held in the UK, Honda having placed a flying ban on its employees following the Twin Towers terrorist attacks of 9/11. Those first impressions felt all the more credible and accurate given the ride on the Hornet was on more familiar roads. And after sampling it along a
selection of those representative routes, complete with typical traffic and weather, the verdict was positive.
Typically easy to manage and get on with, the flickable 900 felt really agreeable, as well as kicking out more than enough power and pace to entertain. Yet though there was obviously plenty of fun to be had on the Honda, its real world, well-mannered nature was always evident. To call it a streetfighter was slightly erroneous, possibly insulting even. It was a bit too refined to warrant that label. It certainly wasnt a thug, liable to become a handful if you pushed further. Hondas reputation for making manageable bikes fit for all-comers wouldnt be tarnished by the new Hornet.
Riding one today still generates such a compliment. Its such an accommodating, amiable motorcycle, and helped by its naked design provides a pretty stimulating ride.
Among its hospitable dimensions, a low seat height makes life feel easier even before the off. Chuck it into gear and get the wheels turning, and that impression continues - regardless of where you head, and how quickly you want to get there. There won't be many that feel out of their depth on the Hornet.
The modded Blade motor plays a big part in the Hondas manageability. Softer cams, lower compression, and reshaped combustion chambers are some of the reasons behind the retune and why the engines so friendly and flexible. A strong bottom-end smoothly morphs into an equally useful midrange. And though O
www.classicmcchjnics.com / 9
> theres far less peak power than the original engines at higher revs, it matters not - simply because you rarely feel the need to take things that far.
Fuelling might feel a bit abrupt off a closed throttle, but as soon as youve opened the twistgrip with more commitment, purposeful drive is delivered in a plenty-but-never-too-much manner. The user-friendly character of the inline-four is constantly obvious and welcome, and though the gearbox is pretty slick, picking just the right one of the six on offer isnt critical to generating healthy levels of forward motion.
A decent spread of power and torque sees to prompt and reliable speed gains that always feel relaxed, safe and predictable. There's nothing like traction control to ultimately limit tyre adhesion but youd have to be pretty ham-fisted to get the Hornet 900s rear end to step out of line.
That feeling of securitys also apparent when you start putting other parts of the bike to the test. Chassis geometry isnt too racy, but theres still an agile feel to the Honda, and chucking it about wont pop your biceps. Perhaps the best praise I can give of the Hornets handling capabilities comes from the time I used to whizz round Donmgton on them as an instructor at the Ron Haslam Race School. Able to ride the bike much harder than Id be able to safely on the public road, the 900 performed remarkably well. Laps times were pretty impressive on the stickier aftermarket tyres, and though much greater forces constantly tested the brakes and suspension, neither felt too overwhelmed by the arguably inappropriate levels of punishment. Mind you, none
The Hornet is a handsome clean- lined Jap four.
Even Mossy can't mar the Hondas lines!
of the Hornets manageability stopped me from making a real mess of one following a fast crash braking for the Foggy Esses. But that, as they say, is another story - of massive rider error as it happens.
On the Queens highway, the Hondas composure is good. Sure, the softly sprung forks and shock are quite basic in spec, with the only adjustment on offer being preload at the rear, and theres a fair bit of dive to contend with under very heavy braking, but even so, only when the roads are much rougher or the suspension becomes mileage-tired, will its
10 / classic motorcycle mechanics
IN DETAIL: It was always budget, so the
suspension will be mushy now. Just like the 600, the 900 had a cleanliness of line and purpose. Like an old-school classic. Simple clocks tell you what you need to know. Engine originates from a pre-2000 Honda FireBlade.
I've got one of those
Paul Mascombe, has clocked up 47,000 miles on his Hornet since buying it new in 2004. "I used to have a 600 Hornet which I'd owned since 1998. 1 liked it and did about 12,000 miles on it. But its engine was a bit busy, and I used to get tired of having to rev it all the time.
"As soon as l saw the 900 I knew it would be the solution. And so it was. It just feels like a chunkier version of the 600, with a load more easy going grunt. I don't really go that much faster on my 900, it's just that it's a lot easier to get up to the same speeds.
"It gets used for all sorts of stuff, though nothing flash: I've had the odd weekend away on it, but I've never zoomed off anywhere far. I'm sure it could, but I think I'd like a fairing and some hard luggage if I was going to do any of that.
"Best bits about the bike for me are how easy it is to ride, and how reliable it is. Because the engine's so torquey it doesn't need gears chucking at it all the time. Though l have to say in town it can feel a bit jerky in first and second, and it can get a bit vibey at times. But thats all l can moan about really. In the time I've had it, it's always started and run well. Apart from consumables like tyres, chains and sprockets, and pads, it's not really needed anything. Oh, I did have to fit a new battery after about five years. I like to look after my bikes and keep them clean and serviced. Maybe that's why its been so good.
////////////////////////////////////////
> action start feeling a bit crude and harsh.
Mind you, as most Hornets were considered a bit too sensible for the street-fighter set, few of them ever got abused enough for faded damping to be a commonly-seen issue these days. The majority have remained in the same trim they left the factory and havent spent most of their lives near the limit, despite being able to behave acceptably well when they are pushed that hard. With nice steering and decent brakes it's possible to make swift progress quite easily and confidently on the Hornet.
Well, it is up to a point anyway. Holding big speeds for mile after mile becomes a pain in the neck after a while unless you go everywhere with your chin welded to the tank, or fit a screen. In saying that, if you choose to stay on more twisty routes, with just a tank bag and backpack you could happily entertain a long haul week away on the Honda, albeit one of a more basic lifestyle.
In fairness, below neck-straining pace, the 900 is more than comfy enough to knock out big-mile days. Theres a typical Honda good fit riding position to make hours on board feel agreeable, and its seat shouldn't force premature stops between refills either. Expect to do 150-200 miles before needing to get your credit card out.
Being good enough to tackle anything such as commuting, scratching and touring is a real plus point of the versatile bigger Hornet. Yet despite this ability to turn its hand to a wide variety of biking duties, and cope with them well, there's one shortcoming of the Honda that might prevent it lighting everyones fire. The clue is in the name
"
The Hornet is up for naughtiness!
really, and just like a lot of the models from the biggest bike-builder of all, the Hornet is just a bit too sorted. Being the well-balanced, refined and rounded package that it is means it's a bit shy of character - an important trait for a bike of this type to have. Its certainly a lot more Tom Hanks than Russell Crowe and depending on your tastes the 900 will either fully impress, or possibly leave you a bit cold.
Perhaps its no wonder its not become a cult bike in the same way so many in this class have like the Bandit, XJR, ZRX and Tuono to name a few. Its not the biggest criticism ever, but its one that can make the 900 Hornet feel a little less endearing. Being a bit too polished is a factor that can occasionally knock a few points off a bikes overall score, cmm
HONDA
rTTHH'3
9l9cc. liquid-cooled, 16-valve, DOHC, inline four
108bhp 9000rpm
68lb-ft 6500rpm
TRANSMISSION
6-speed
FINAL DRIVE
chain
EEEH
box-section steel backbone
SUSPENSION
Front 43mm telescopic forks, no adjustment Rear: cantilever monoshock, adjustable preload
rnnm
Front: twin 296mm discs with four piston calipers Rear 240mm disc, single-piston caliper
Front: 120/70-17 Rear 180/55-17
SEAT HEIGHT
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WHEELBASE
1460mm
DRY WEIGHT
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FUEL CAPACITY
19 litres
www.classicmechanics.com /II
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14954 08/15
Head-turning tiddlers
Some lovely DTI 25 Yams on sale at Unit 5!
If you want to get hold of one of the tiddlers of your youth, then you need to contact Unit 5 Motorcycles.
CMM friend Tony Greenslade of Gibsons Exhausts is one of the partners behind the new venture. He says: Tve just started a new business Unit 5 Motorcycles along with my business partner Philippe Vanderwalle.
We are importing modern classic 1980s and 1990s bikes from Europe. We have been out in France, Italy and Switzerland so far finding good clean examples of bikes: mainly 125cc learner machines like our most
popular the Yamaha DT125RS. Why?
Because you cant find good clean examples here in the UK any more. We have had machines like the Kawasaki KMX. Suzuki's TS125X and TS125R and Yamaha's TZR125R, TDR125, RD125LC. We also do classic trail bikes, but we mainly concentrate on road bikes.
With prices of these tiddlers going one way only and with clean, solid bikes hard to find, we think hes on to something. Tony adds: It is snowballing at the moment. Its something that started out as me wanting an IT200 to
ride, has now turned into us spending most weekends driving around France buying bikes!
We have had people queuing up to buy them over the winter, so we are pushing hard to find more."
These machines are top quality, such as a red Yamaha DT125R with just 3000km on the clocks which Tony picked up from a Yamaha dealership near Luxemburg. They took it in as a part-ex on a
new scooter because the owner had got too old to get his leg over the DT, explains Tony.
For more, check out Unit 5s Facebook page at: www.facebook.com/ unit5motorcycles
TAMIYA TURBO FOUND!
AND HERE'S SOMETHING MORE MODERN...
Last months reminder about the amazing array of Tamiya kits you can buy which faithfully replicate the best modern classic motorcycles led to reader Ray Chapman admitting that it is HIS CX500 Turbo!
Ray contacted CMM saying: Here are photos of my CX500 and Ive a question that has been bugging me since I bought the bike a few years ago. I hope you may be able to find an answer from your contacts! The bike I have is a 1981 Honda CX500 Turbo. Also in a couple of the pics is the Tamiya l/6th scale model kit I have of the turbo. If you compare the photos of my actual bike and the kit decal sheet, you will notice the kit has the same number plate registration as my
Yes, this is the VERY bike!
bike: VLT145X!
I have been wondering why Tamiya chose to use the registration from my bike in
their l/6th scale _ u
kit? It appears that
its not just the UK kits but all such kits sold worldwide. I know from my registration documents that the first owner of my bike was Honda UK. It is one of the first in the country and I believe was used by Honda as an exhibition or test bike. In fact, in Bike magazine from February 1982, what looks like the sister bike to mine, reg VLT144X can be seen being tested. I would love to know why. Ive spoken to Honda UK but they dont seem that bothered to help."
We spoke to Anthony Shaw of The Hobby Company who said: The kit would have been modelled on the actual bike. What usually happens is Tamiya would ask the UK if they want a decal sheet for the UK market. The number plate would most likely have come from Honda UK press office or similar as they would have supplied the photo references for the decal sheet following a request from RiKO as The Hobby Company was back then. I will contact Tamiya for Ray and try to find out more background."
Go to: www.hobbyco.net for more information.
While we are on the subject of Tamiya. if you're into modern race machines then you'll be pleased (or not if you're a Valentino Rossi fan) that Marc Marquez' Honda RCV machine had now been turned into a kit.
The Repsol Honda RC213V faithfully recreates the Spaniard's 2014 title-winning machine (and that of team-mate Dani Pedrosa) and costs around 34.99.
www.clas5icmechanics.com / 13
Any classic show at Stafford is always worth a visit!
COME TO STAFFORD!
The 36th Carole Nash International Classic MotorCycle Show is go for April 23-24 and you really shouldn't miss it.
Once more taking place at the Staffordshire County Showground, it promises to be a super springtime spectacular full of all thats best in vintage and classic motorcycles. Doors open both days from 9am to 5pm.
This show is our traditional spring spectacular with row-upon-row of stunning display machines providing plenty for showgoers to explore.
Several halls and outside areas of the
venue are packed with trade stands and autojumble plots, all of which is ably supported by the regular appearance of special star guests, a host of classic motorcycle clubs, exciting live action, classic off road machines and the always intriguing Bonhams spring sale.
The event takes place at the Showground, which is in Weston Rd, Stafford, Staffordshire ST18 OBD.
For more on advanced ticket sales go to: www.classicbikeshows.com
Sunday 3rd April 2016
PopkM Airfield Hampshire S021 980 8am to 2pm
B*ts sad Motorcycle Parti Only tot turn up on the day
mirmw, tmsm mm s catuos
ftmK'jfflrMVNflciiif
US ENTRANCE 2
Popham autojumble
Its now a bit of a tradition that over the first weekend of April the chances are the VJMC Hampshire section will be running their now legendary Popham Autojumble.
Since its move to Popham Airfield a few years ago, the event has grown and grown. If youre after a missing part for that restoration or in need of a new project this is the place to find it. Even better high quality Japanese classics are always up for sale here and generally on offer at sensible prices not for
online auction silly money. Its an early +* rn**m**+*
start at 08:00 for the public on Sunday,
April 3, 2016, Popham Airfield, Hampshire S021 3DB. Entrance fee is just 2 and all pitches (trade or private) are just 5. Free parking on-site, toilets, and on-site catering. All traders are welcome from 7am onwards.
No pre-booking necessary.
The sunny side of the classic world, with the VJMCs Steve Cooper
W ell if the maths works out
correctly this should be April issue of CMM but because of deadlines I'll have penned these words in the depths of winter.
The good news is the weather will soon be turning. Turning to what of course is the big question given the state of climate change. Cast your mind back just a few months and youll recall that in the run up to the festive season the UK was bifurcated by the strangest of weather patterns. Both the northeast and northwest saw rain of biblical proportions while in East Anglia more than a few bike clubs organised impromptu weekend runs simply because the weather was dry and mild. As late as mid-December my lawn mower being pressed into service and the YL1 got the odd mid-winter blast which rather confused it.
According to some the increasingly varied weather is the fault of petrol heads the world over and especially those of using the infernal combustion engine through the 1960s- 1980s. Allegedly we were the ones who recklessly squandered the earths precious resources with our gas guzzling vehicles and their resultant pollution. It's so easy to blame minority groups that can't argue back because they are simply too fragmented and of course with very little effort you can massage statistics to show what you want or alternatively you can mask what you don't want others to see. Its a reasonable statement to make that coal is unquestionably a dirtier fossil fuel than petrol. Know that it was mined in the UK at levels in excess of 280 million tonnes per annum in the run up to WWi and calculate just how much pollution that little lot churned out. Even after the Clean Air Act (1956) Bntain was still pulling coal out of the ground at close to 230 million tonnes per annum.
iwo of the classic bikes I've sold on were under several feet of water over Christmas and one acerbic acquaintance has opined that this is natural justice. According to him no one should own more than one internal combustion engine and global warming is emphatically my responsibility because l have several. The fact that I can only ride one at a time is, apparently, a fatuous argument
The VJMC and similar promote classic motorcycles as a hobby, pastime, social group and often therapy; our collective impact on Mother Earth is effectively minimal. Of course we could all take up jogging instead which would be much more environmentally friendly. . Once you discount the oil-burning cargo ships bringing your MP3s in from SE Asia, or the kids working in sweat shops making your sports tops, the pollution caused by producing millions of trainers and the like There's two sides to every coin!
14 / classic motorcycle mechanics
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*Subtca to sadJ^ng undenT*jng corOttm*. SMng a oased on a 4 J yeordd owe al 1 200b f ttbtode tMng vm 4iH or th# rad erf axnfrr*n*ndvr rmirwirr unrWr a Fu&n* Cbw prdey ()ud 0114.?, cn r rpjmd to 620 .46 ontMtUrdnJv*rX!).*TU^ Ntesmiit wweietwnOwMrf.trtTO jnc ccndK of n apply -
caFtaeraaitajnyndM^mtff-andcandRom. *Sub|Kt to vfiJjfytnq JXkwtlng aondtsom. ~"fmm and osrtMnm t&y cjroV-\l off where the sprocket bolts on, the axle was shortened and re-threaded with spacers for the back caliper to fit and the list goes on. Thats where Wilko shines: he cant let anything beat him and hell do it in a way that's safe, practical and aesthetically pleasing.
Slowly but surely the bike came together and each time I arrived at his place the bike looked better and better. With the wiring loom. John basically started again from scratch. He also relocated the solenoid blinker flasher and all the fuses (including the battery) to a place under the seat. Being a two- stroke theres a three-into-one choke cable but the lever on the handlebars looked like it was off an old lawnmower. So a quick visit to Bendigo Yamaha and I killed two birds with one stone and got a lever- mount with a decompression lever which - when connected to the choke cables - looked factory.
With the bike all dry fitted and with the headlight mounted dash also in position, John came up with the idea of giving me the task of getting a template made from cardboard to mould over the lights to meet the top of the instrument panel. With the template done, I got the thing drawn on the computer and metal was cut and rolled by Peter Buckell of Golden City Sheet Metal. He did the oil tank too and it was a great job.
With the main bike and chassis done, we fired it up and... oh the smell. It was so sweet. But it was time to give the emperor some new clothes. John had grafted on a 2009 filler cap from one of his son, Marks old racebikes. The colours we wanted were muted and classic. So the mam bodywork would be gloss black to compare and contrast with the gold suspenders. It would be finished with a matt front fender. When we finally finished I was tired, ready to go home, but then John walked over and grabbed an oval race number decal off the wall that had been peeled off a Ducati from a classic race-day and stuck it on the alloy oil tank and it gave it just that perfect finishing. So of course, you guessed it: ex-signwriter Webby here was sent home at 11pm and instructed to return with new decals to the same size to fit to the bike in the early hours! When we finally lowered her down off the ramp it was amazing how small the GT seems without the bulk of the original bike there. This wasnt a quick build, but was instead the result of many hours and hard work from - not just John - but a list of good people.
The end result is a machine that rewards you like youre a kid on Christmas Day. getting a new train set to play with, or a radio-controlled car with all the batteries... In my opinion it looks fantastic, so I hope you think it does too! cmm
A beautiful mix of old, new and classic.
For me, the end result was like a kid on Christmas Day getting that train set he always wanted. I love it!"
www.classicmechanics.com / 35
The proud team!
Yammy strokers.
CMMs down under diva, the ZXR750 H2 continues to impress in the hands of Mark Wilkinson.
i WFBSTFR
KFV OCD MARTIN. WFBBY
36 / O BWfc
Lots of XR69S around
L ast year we finished fourth at the Phillip Island Classic on a very tired and pretty damn stock 80,000km Kawasaki ZXR750H2 - what could we do this year?
John Wilkinson and his son Mark (the racer) and myself decided to step it up a little and try and develop the CMM Project ZXR while showing that its not just money that gets you on the podium. Thankfully a generous amount of product came to us with no charge at all thanks to Marks sponsors Ken mar, who are the Aussie importers for NG Disc Rotors, Venhill brakelines. SBS pads and R&G Racing products but what next?
Sadly our plans were put on hold when Mark (a young, fit racer) found himself feeling tired and unwell. He had a heart valve condition so he chose open heart surgery and a long lay-off but being who he is, he amazed doctors with his powers of recovery.
With Mark recovering and John looking at specs for the bike. I managed to pull in two new sponsors, including Cloud
Copy Click a local IT/telecoms company and Bendigo Mazda! Soon John took the motor apart and refreshed it with rings, bearings, valves and gaskets while sending the gearbox off to be undercut. Weirdly. Kawasaki no longer make the valves so we went with one-piece ones from the USA. but these didnt make it in time. What were we going to do? Thankfully I'd bought another ZXR, 18 months previously and it was destined to be a stock showroom restoration. It had sadly sat minus its wheels (as spares for our racer) and not been started for almost 14 years. On stripping the motor, we found that the previous owner had whipped the plugs out and stuck oil down the bores. Serviced and sorted, the motor fired up almost straight away. Game on!
The boys left for the Island to set up and I was allowed to take Thursday off and follow after them, along with my six-year- old daughter Heidi (a big Jonathan Rea fan.) With the Ute still full of work gear, we had to plump for the 1968
Camaro for the four-hour ride to Phillip Island but half way through the journey I got a text telling me that the ZXRs oil light was on, they had no brakes or second gear. I was crestfallen.
The next day I got to the track expecting to see the bike parked, but the guys had overcome the issues and Mark was out there in qualifying and in with a shout of a top 10. He was actually going faster than he had last year on the bike and in qualifying one he moved up to sixth place in the 750s and seventh in the 1300 class!
Then, as the rain came he posted the fastest lap times in both classes, which moved him to third on the grid for the 750s and fifth for the 1300s.
Raceday was dry and Mark was able to keep the RC30s and the Campbell boys Mai (senior) and Scott (junior) in sight, along with a fast 0W-01. In fact, even in the 1300 Unlimited races Mark did the same. At the end of the four races Mark took third overall in the 750 class and fifth in the 1300 cmm
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1925 Harley Davidson model JD lOOOcc. Estimate 110,000-1 5,000
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1926 Raleigh Motorcycle Estimate 3,000-5,000
1937 Norton 500cc Estimate 4,000-6,000
wwyN.classicmechanics.com / 37
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WORDS: STEVE COOPER PHOTOS JOE DICK
Steve Cooper meets the long lost relatives of the LC350 and Powervalve.
40 / classic motorcycle mechanics
suck their teeth at your apparent folly. And Yamaha are no different, mention the Brazilian RD350R and youll be told it's a poor facsimile of the real thing. However, if Yamaha had never imported the bike it might very well be perceived as potentially desirable. Without doubt reputations are indeed strange things.
So what is it exactly upon which such standings or statuses are built? Sound engineering, dealer and customer feedback, marketing input, established principles and a whole gamut of other key facets comprise the bedrock or foundations for a successful dynasty. This brings us to our main test this month: two Yamaha 350 two-stroke twins that share a model code prefix yet, engineering wise, are totally different. The oldest of the pair is a YR3 and represents the last of its kind.
By no means a common sight in the UK, even when new, the model was at one time the largest capacity Yamaha offered for sale by importer Mitsui Machinery. The younger of the duo is a YR5 and a much more well-known motorcycle. The sharp-witted will have noticed that the numbering sequence omits YR4 which is actually correct; the number four is viewed as bad luck in Japanese culture.
The road tests will be intriguing as I've previously owned the two machines that bookend our test bikes. Its going to be a thought-provoking day assessing the 350s that sit neatly between my erstwhile YR1 and RD350B. O
R eputations are strange ethereal entities.
They often prove to be fragile; are generally incredibly hard to establish and far too regularly easily wrecked.
Think about it: athletes, celebrities, pop stars... most have a golden period then either fall from grace or quietly disappear. Motorcycles are little different: this years hot-totty is next years old tart, if you believe the hype from some of the macho willy- waving stunt jockeys out there. In the world of classic motorcycles we enthusiastic anoraks have the wonderful gift of 20/20 hindsight augmented by a rose tinted visor. We can see where our bikes changed over their lifetime, how they were improved, why and how performance changes, when theyd lived beyond their natural life etc.
And it doesnt take too much effort to see how and when reputations wane. Suzuki's T500 is a perfect example. It moved from Triumph Bonneville challenger to lardy also-ran in just a few short years. Kawasaki's 500 triple had a mercurial life, starting off with a reputation of being HI Mach III Widow Maker and ending up as the awfully civilised KH500. Even Hondas seminal CB750/4 hit the buffers with the FI iteration as a bike that had lived beyond its natural life.
Pick the correct model and everyone nods knowingly but plump for that model the pundits say you should avoid and folk shake their heads and
am*
www.ctessicmectiamcs.com / 41
YAMAHA YR350 TWINS
The ride
However you want the look at them the two Yamaha 350s in camera are the proverbial chalk and cheese. One is seemingly lithe and sinuous while the other is stolid and staid. The truth is we're privileged to be able to offer up the pair for direct comparison. In fact this might just be the first time a YR3 and YR5 have appeared in print on the same page so well not make any snap judgements without better analysis. Whats in front of us today is a prime example of an evolutionary change, a missing link if you like.
The YR3 is the machine that sits before the later and more populous giant-killing welterweights yet after the quirky vertically split twins. Its effectively Yamahas first attempt at a truly modern two-stroke twin and by default harks back to the latter part of the 1960s. The YR3 and its predecessors werent so much built as quarried: theres an overt, unadulterated robustness wherever you look.
Know that when the first YRs were being prototyped Yamaha as a motorcycle manufacturer was just over a decade old. Theyd come from nowhere to be a major player in a short time and they werent going to take any chances in getting their new baby wrong. The YR engine and chassis were designed to compete head-on with Hondas second generation of road going machines such as the CB77, Black Bomber and the new CB350; so the Yamaha had to be right.
Nothing about a YR1, 2 or 3 is lightweight or flimsy. The crank sits on massive bearings, the con rods are the same as those from a much larger snowmobile engine and the frame has more than enough gusseting and bracketry to ensure it doesn't flex where it shouldnt. Yamaha had made serious efforts to lighten the YR3s profile from the earlier machines. Admittedly the suspension is still shrouded, the mudguards are rather period and the side panels still cut into the rear lower half of the tank but elsewhere changes had been made.
Crackle black painted clocks replaced the old binnacle mounted combination gauges, the seat is very modern, the side panels are gloss black to minimise their visual impact and the bottom of the tank is similarly finished to apparently reduce its
Both are elegant and of their time. And the bikes aren't too shoddy either.
bulbous shaping. Yet for all that Yamaha still couldnt drag themselves away from knee pads on the tank or the curiously terminated tulip exhausts.
Over the road with the YR5 its all systems change. Cleaner lines are the order of the day with everything slimmer, tighter, nimbler. The tank is a true peanut silhouette tapering down to the seat nose. The side panels have gone discreet which helps lift the machines profile. The new power unit has been painted satin black with just a few flashes of Imished alloy to highlight it.
Mudguards are substantially smaller and the exhaust system is one complete unit graced with simple lines. Everywhere you look efforts have been made to lift and lighten the 350s outline. Look a little deeper and you can actually see daylight behind the YR5s engine block and above the rear tyre; its almost as if the designers had a brief to remove all the filled in bits of the earlier model.
Little has transferred over from the 3 to the 5 and many would say thats a good thing.
The switchgear is all-new, simple and elegant.
Even better its on the correct side with all key functions accessed by the riders left thumb. About the only two items loosely shared between the pair of machines are the clock cases; even they now sport a nice flash of decorative chrome. The YR5 has another reason for its slightly minimalist and pared down look... cost savings. Yes its a phrase you might very well associate with todays world but the
42 / classic motorcycle mechanics
YAMAHA
YR3/YR5
DISPLACEMENT
348CC/347CC
BaCBBgasnEEl
Air-cooled two-stroke twin, piston port Induction
BORE X STROKE
61 mm x 59.6mm / 64mm x 54mm
COMPRESSION RATIO
7.5:1/ 6.9:1
emus
34bhp fc 7000rpm / 36bhp 7000rpm
29 3lb-ft e? 7000rpm / 281b ft6500rpm
OVERALL LENGTH
2060mm (81.1 in)/ 2040mm (80.3m)
OVERALL WIDTH
735mm (28.9in) /
WHEELBASE
750mm (52.8in) / 1320mm (52in)
I ' V ' iJW i ilMil ' J I
155kg./342ib
I4lkg/3illb
tmm
Drum (F&R)
iiira
3 00 x 18(F) 3.50 X 18 (R)
> same thing was happening back then. All the early Japanese machines were designed to be reliable and. with the gift of hindsight, its easy to see just how heavily over-specified they were. Few companies had access to clever computing so each and every machine of that first generation was designed by its engineers with a distinct in-built safety margin.
By the late 1960s factories had a much better idea of just how far riders were pushing their machines and how much critical material could be removed without issue. Theres a whopping 311b (14kg) difference between the two YRs here and thats 311b of metal that realistically doesn't need to be there. If both bikes were sold for a nominal 450 each when new then the profit margins on the YR5 would have been higher: simple maths that delivered more money back to the Iwata factory. So weve established the antecedents to both machines from engineering and historical perspectives but what are they like to ride?
Ill be riding the YR3 first and its actually not a bad set of ergonomics I'm faced with. Although its just two years younger than the YR1 I had quite some time ago. this bike is better set out. The seat has been modified to give a decent level of foam; the older models were much less accommodating. Also Yamaha had finally dropped that boxy fuel tank that was so reminiscent of the MZs. Off the stand the YR3 still feels weighty and substantial, not porky but definitely ample.
s looking for a chea ains of a YR5 at an ot talking to the se that was the start ( collecting Yamaha bad influence with
Peter
addict
proven
a 10
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i the time and 1 a bike, so it took me
actually finish restoring the YRS. Since then I Assen and one very memorable ride to the BMF i where it holed a piston on the M25, plus numerous o ride outs. Otherwise, it has proven to be lovely to ride and the gorgeous whoarrrr induction make is an added bonus.
I now own 10 Yamaha two-stroke twins of various vii l have always liked the look of the YR2 and YR3, but due of spares. I wouldn't now want to take on a full restoration. So in 2014 another friend of mine was selling a YR3 in original and unrestored condition. I just had to have it! The YR3 has proved trouble free, and it is a joy to ride, and despite being just a year older than the YR5. it is so different, being highergeared and slower revving.
The YR5 will always be my favourite, as it was my first restoration, my first Yamaha twin, and the first bike that I ever toured abroad on. Definitely a
. however e scarcity
wwyN.clas5icmechanics.com / 43
> Starting from stone cold is at most a two kick affair and the carb-mounted choke can swiftly be flicked off. With a little heat working its way out of the generously finned engine we're into gear and away. This motor runs additional transfer ports compared to my old YR1 and it shows. Theres a curious blend of torque and pep to the engine thats atypical of most of its peers. The airbox wails as the revs rise and those curious silencers emit a muted note. The motor is also low-level buzzy, its not intrusive but you are always aware the engine is working away below you.
On the end of the crank is a fairly serious dynamo revolving at anything up to 7000rpm and doubtless this must add the vibrations working their way through the frame. On the plus side that large lump of segmented copper allied to a massively built crank means you have to try hard, very hard, to stall one of these motors simply because there is so much energy stored in its bottom end.
Handling wise the bike is surprisingly neutral for a machine thats approaching its half century old yet its not cumbersome or unwieldy like some of its contemporaries. Yes it probably is just about to go out of shelf life for many aspirant enthusiasts but if you adapt to the YR3's mannerisms its still a hugely involving ride. Whats never in any doubt is the efficacy of the brakes.
A rod operated single-leading shoe rear drum provides loads of feel and the front twin-leading shoe unit has significantly more power than you might expect; its smooth, predictable and not in the least grab prone. For just the third iteration of a first attempt at a genuinely modern motorcycle its hard to fault the earlier YR350. Yes there is an element of function over form but its still one very rounded package. And now for something completely
YR5 is more teardrop, more rounded and altogether more slippery in appearance. Style had moved on.
The older bike never coughs or flutters yet the way that it fuels is not as sophisticated as its younger brother."
different... the birth of a legend and it gets better. If youre into bikes then this is the old friend youve never met. It is so easy to ride it might very well be a two-stroke Honda (this being a compliment by the way). It is super simple to pilot, its light and lithe almost bordering on austere, precise and almost elegant in the way it does its job. Unlike the YR3, which just keeps accelerating, the YR5 has a definite step at 4000rpm. This is due to refined porting arrangements and, you might argue, was purposely done to titillate the rider. For a machine in a higher state of tune it also carburates well.
The YR5 runs more modern Mikums and doubtless these aid the cause. The older bike never coughs or flutters yet the way it fuels is not as sophisticated as its younger brother. The later bike also has some hidden advantages. Its running aftermarket electronic ignition which certainly knocks off a few rough edges and smooths the engine. Also it benefits from a set of Hagon shocks and 1.5in packers on the front spring. Okay so were really not on a level playing field but even so the total redesign from YR3 to YR5 shines through. The latter is simply an easier bike to work harder and push closer to its limits. It feels narrower than it is. its easier to think into corners, snappier out of them and livelier between them; delicious would be a good adjective.
Just like the older machine its brakes are pretty much all that youd need unless you were forever on the front anchor and for those people Yamaha had the answer circa 1972 with the RX350. Essentially a YR5 with a disc brake, it was just one small step and four metal petals away from being an RD350.
Its little wonder folk whove owned a YR5 wax so lyrically about them, they really are hugely underestimated. Accomplished, accessible and fun, its amazing they dont fetch more money than O
44 / classic motorcycle mechanics
IN DETAIL: Step in power comes at
4000rpm on the YR5. Updates to the front forks pay dividends with the YR5. Old headlight does the job. Nice details and a quality finish, *> YR5 runs more modem Mikunis and benefits as a result.
and chronology
so
Strange things, model names. They often make more sense to the facturer than they do to us the customer. The Y in YR stands for not too surprisingly, which seems a little like over egging the pudding bearing in mind you kind of already know the bike's a Yamaha! The R means the engine's capacity is a nominal 350cc or thereabouts.
Think TR3 racing bike or RT1 trail iron. In Yamaha's weird lexicon, D means 250cc as in YDS7 or DTI, A indicates 125 as in AS3 or ATI and C represents 175-200cc a la CSS or CT2. Perhaps there's a logic there if you speak Japanese but for the average Joe it's all a little bit of a scatter-gun approach.
Yamaha's naming policies now firmly in our grasp we'll the origins of the YR 350s... by going back before them to /eirdly named YM series. The YM1 and YM2 were Yamaha's attempts at producing a two-stroke twin above 250cc. ing the successful YDS2 (a 250 remember?) the engine was enlarged by increasing bore and stroke from 56 x 50 to 60 x 54 and helped Yamaha defend some hard won gains against the likes Hondas CB77 Super Hawk.
The YM series was essentially a holding action while the company got cracking on a proper, full size. 350. The project codenamed YX03 delivered a new, from the ground up design, with a first for Yamaha. At last the engine cases were split horizontally allowing fast production line assembly; all the other twins prior to the new bike harked back to the vertically split Adler MB250 Yamaha had copied in the 1950s.
The new 1967 YR1 proved to be a qualified success; reliable, torquey and easy to use. its looks conspired against it. Lightly revised for 1968 as the YR2 racing analogues in the guise of the TR2 helped spread the word and the final iteration, the 1969 YR3, proved to be the best of the bunch. With its unique lighter styling and the adoption of auxiliary transfer gullies in the rear of the bore and windowed pistons Yamaha had a serious competitive 350 on their hands.
A total root and branch redesign delivered the YR5 with an extra 2bhp and 14kg less mass. The engine was totally different to the earlier YRs, ditto the frame, panels and running gear. Lighter, lither and crucially in sales terms substantially sexier the new YRS pretty much cleaned up in term of sales. Less manic than a Kawasaki A7. faster than a Honda CB350 and more modern than Suzuki's aging T350 the YR5 soon became the weapon of choice for American canyon races.
From early 1970 to mid-1973 the bike laid down the footprint for a series of superbike slayers, RD350, RD400, 350LC and 350 YPVS all owe their existence to the YR5. Not a bad result by any reckoning.
wwyN.clas5icmechanics.com / 45
> they do. For 90% of what most of us want from a Japanese classic the YR5 delivers... and it does so every single time.
Conclusion
Itd be very easy to recommend the YR5 over the old-age pensioner here. The spares you need to keep one running are easier to obtain, there are more of them (and their 250cc YDS7 sibling) about, RD parts generally slot straight in and as a day to day classic itd be hard to see why youd look elsewhere.
The YR3 is an older design, it's less refined, infinitely harder to keep on the road and something of an acquired taste. However, run the pair back to back and the choice isn't so cleanly clear cut. If its a punchy, sporting, bend fighter youre after take the YR5 every single time. Itll make you smile and reward its owner in less than a handful of miles with a level of innate familiarity few motorcycles are able to convey. However, should you fancy a longer distance road trip then the YR3 might very well be the weapon of choice: theres a planted feeling to its handling that 70s bikes somehow struggle to convey and if someone made a decent electronic ignition system for it theres every chance this would transform the engine's characteristics.
These are both elderly machines yet they still cope with modern traffic conditions, motorways excepted. If you wanted further evidence, study the spec panel and look at the torque and power figures. For a pair of machines ostensibly similar those apparent small differences in numbers dramatically and singularly influence each bikes character. Which one would we at CMM choose? Its too tough a call so how about we say wed go for the first affordable one of either model that looked tidy and sounded okay? The truth is they're too close to split, cmm
IN DETAIL:
Unlike the 5. the YR3 enjoys linear power delivery.
Older-style shocks suffer in comparison to updated YR5*s.
Yamaha's first stab at a modern, two- stroke twin, but still a lovely motor.
46 / classic motorcycle mechanics
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T he V-Max is an utter enigma, and its
surprising to realise that it has spun its rear tyre through more than three decades.
Its always been an acquired taste, but one which appeals to many of us. Enter into our story Stephan Morris, a former Yamaha mechanic who had a hankering for Yamaha's big, beefy V4 power cruiser. He says: 44 1 love big shaft drive Yams, so it makes sense that the V-Max fits that bill! I remember when they first came out in 1985 and the brochure that Yamaha produced had a guy on a V-Max on a dual carriageway smoking the rear tyre, which showed the power this bike had. I wanted one ever since."
We will save the full history lesson for another feature, but the Yamaha V-Max lasted from 1985 through to 2007 with various small changes in power output (lOObhp to 145bhp depending on market) and some beefing up of the chassis and forks to compensate. It was a real straight-liner, with a V-Boost kick in the pants at 5750rpm which was addictive. Okay, so corners weren't so welcome, but it was a beast! "It was such a great machine to come from a conservative Japanese manufacturer," says Stephan. "So big, brash and powerful."
Stephan wanted one and he had a strange ally in this: his wife Sharon. He recalls: "Id been talking about the V-Max and Sharon was on the internet saying there was one in Derby and that we should take a look. This was great, as normally she has a go at me for having too many bikes, but this way, I had a legitimate excuse.
"When we got there it wasn't the bike I would have chosen as it was a bit of a mess, but as she had picked it. I knew I could buy it and - when I spent too much - I could blame her!"
,r steohan Morris tells the ta'e of how his
Stephan's mate looks at the bike before buying: it looked better than it was!
Shrewd, Stephan even managed to get a pair of shocks out of her one Christmas as a present. So what of this bike? Well, its a 1996 Canadian import - there are lots of V-Max imports, and despite how it looks in the before shots here, it needed work and lots of it. "I stripped it all completely," says Stephan. "Right down to the crankcases, which were powder coated, I fitted new main and big end bearings the whole lot. The powder coating alone on this bike came to 1200, but it was worth it. As I
48 / classic motorcycle mechanics
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^ got further into the project I kept thinking: when am I going to find something that hasnt been bodged? The generator had been bashed with a hammer and the air screws in the carbs were mangled so I drilled them out. There was rust everywhere and overspray where the previous owner had tried to tart it up.
It was the start of a two-year build, which began following purchase in October 2013 and after Stephan had put a few hundred miles on the bike. First the rear-end came out and the swingarm was powder coated and new shocks bought (thanks Sharon) then Stephan knew he couldnt stop there and it had to go right back to the last nut and bolt. Thankfully he had restored several bikes before.
The best thing was that Sharon complained less during the V-Max restoration, laughs Stephan, as she chose the bike!
As is usual during restorations, friends sprang up along the way, such as Jonno at Rattymax. He helped me out a lot, says Stephan. And I dont even know his last name! I couldnt get the generator rotor off the end of the crankshaft, so took the crank and rotor to him and he took it off while I had a cup of tea. He wouldn't even take payment. What a star. My mate Dave Shiveley helped me to strip it in the summer of 2014 and he was there in 2015 to help me put it together, too.
It was a learning experience. Stephan says: Td restored XSllOOs before and all four cylinders have
the same valve timing but my big mistake with the V-Max was to set the rear two pots valve timing up fine, then the front ones but the marks on rotor are different as its a 70 V4! I bent all four intake valves on the front two cylinders learning that lesson, but Exactrep in Coventry, the V-Max specialists there helped me out. Thanks Henry. The change from air-cooled inline four to water-cooled V4 was a steep learning curve!
The end result is as close to a perfect V-Max as you could get - with every nut and bolt replaced with stainless and some parts - such as the sidestand link - copied by Stephan and made by him out of stainless. He says: I ground in the valves myself and cleaned out the intakes and the difference between how it rode before restoration to after was huge. The engine is so crisp with the power delivery and the torque is huge.
With an XS1 100, Yamaha R5 and FJR1300 to ride, the V-Max only goes out in the summer, but its still a keeper. I dont sell bikes, says Stephan.
The R5 I bought in 1980, the XS in 1981 and the FJR in 2002 and the V-Max is staying too. I cant understand how some people restore bikes then sell them. I'm pleased with the restoration and how the bike looks and rides. cmm
THE BUILD:
1/ Lots of rust everywhere.
2/ Stephan gets to work in his cool shorts.
3/ V-Boost mechanism needed cleaning.
4/ Paint worn from cylinder head.
5/ Cleaned V-Boost.
6/ Powder-coated motor.
7/ Clutch basket was renewed.
8/ Wiring loom was repaired.
9/ The build goes on. 10/ Assembling the bottom crankcase.
11/ Stephan re-ground the seats.
12/ Clocks worked after re-wire.
For the full story of the rebuild, why not visit Stephans blog at: www.bikersassociationofnorthdevon.co.uk/projects/Vmax-renovation.htm
www.classicmechanics.com / 49
READER'S RESTORATION
WORDS BERTIE SIMMONDS PHOTOS RUSS PURDY
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Russ Purdy loves the race look of AMA-style streetbikes, so when he saw a slightly sorry looking GS, he had to make an offer...
M any of us have a type of bike in mind that would be our dream project. For some - like our own Stan Stephens - its a vintage Brooklands racer, for Niall Mackenzie it would be his original RD350LC and for me, probably an homage to the Kawasaki Z1R-TC based onaZRX1200.
For Russ Purdy it was the late 1970s and early 1980s bikes from the American AMA Superbike series. This was a time where legends such as Freddie Spencer, Wes Cooley and Eddie Lawson grabbed big four-stroke streetbikes such as the Honda CB900F, the Kawasaki Z1000R and the Suzuki GS1000S by the scruff of the neck and did things with them that seemed impossible.
These bikes often had too much power for the chassis or tyres to cope with, making it more of a wrestling match than a bike race, but these bikes were probably the coolest incarnation of the classic Jap inline four ever, so its little wonder that you see so many ELRs, Spencer-rep CBs or Wes Cooley-inspired Suzuki GSs when you go to a classic bike show.
I had wanted to build an AMA-inspired GS1000 for a long while, explains Russ, and I saw this bike for sale at my local motorcycle MOT station.
The bike was a bit tatty but it looked very interesting and had a lot of extras already fitted.
It was also mechanically sound, making it a good starting point, so I purchased the bike and started my dream project.
Its probably little wonder that Russ liked his race bikes. He explains: My dad used to race back in the 1960s, before I was born. He built a racing sidecar outfit too, so I was brought up with bikes and at 17 I got my first 250, a Yamaha YDS7 and Ive since bought an identical one! Well, we all do it, dont we?
I dropped out of the bike scene when the kids were growing up - as many of us do - then got back into it 10 years ago when I decided to stop touring on bikes and I wanted something to play with instead.
I used to be a marine engineer with the Merchant Navy so Ive always worked on things - its not a problem for me. And I've always loved those AMA bikes, be it the Honda, Eddies Kawasaki or the GS. When I saw this GS outside I could see it was in a bit of a sorry state, but the guy who owned it had drag raced it previously. I could see with the nice bits on it, this could be an ideal starting point for a Wes Cooley replica. We did a deal on my BMW R1200RT (and I got some cash) and the GS was mine. To be fair it was tatty-looking but the previous :
Ive always loved these AMA bikes, be it the Honda, Kawasaki or the Suzuki. I could see this was a good starting point for an AMA Wes Cooley replica!"
50 / classic motorcycle mechanics
P33 The polite way to describe ,y-' Russ would be lucky bleeder'. g
1 Dry fitting the electrics and battery before powder- coating the frame. 2/ Internally, the motor was strong: 106bhp strong! But it did need an aesthetic lift. 3 Frame sorted and electrics sited, the motor slots home and it's time to sort the bodywork. The end result (right) is stunning
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> owner was pretty meticulous with it mechanically. The bike had 29mm Smoothbore Mikuni carbs, it was bored out to 1085cc with DYNA ignition and coils, a Pringle gas tap and Taylor Leads with a Motion Pro Throttle and a Marving exhaust. The bike sits on Akront ally rims, has Raask rear-sets and Ohlins shocks and fork internals. It also had a Harris fork brace, six-pot Pretech calipers, and a JMC swmgarm."
With the bike bought and enjoying a good specification, it was time to plan 'the AMA look for Russ new machine. He says: "The original race bike never had stuff back of the carbs, it was an empty space, so I moved the battery to under the seat and placed it on a plate to take it and the electrics so all of that was hidden from sight. I then de-lugged everything that held the side panels on moved, had the frame powder coated then started on the engine. I knew I didnt need anything doing to the internals as it was running okay, but I took it right back to bare metal and repainted it myself. The bodywork/tank was stripped back and repainted by Geraint Jones body repairs of Newcastle Emlyn, Wales and I bought a Wes Cooley-style S' fairing to set off that AMA look. A local professional sprayed the bike, I applied the decals and then he lacquered over the top.' 1
TOP LEFT: Ttie bike pretty much as Russ bought it.
ABOVE: Many dry runs to get it