retro classic bike enthusiast autumn 2014

7/26/2019 Retro Classic Bike Enthusiast Autumn 2014

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W o r l d M a g s . n e t W o r l d M a g s . n e t

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Next issue we will have a full feature on the

Barry Sheene Festival Of Speed and the PenriteBroadford Bike Bonanza!

Jeff Ware

Gday,

Im penning this editorial just 12-hours after

returning home with the wife and kids from the

2014 Island Classic. Im still grinning and buzzing.

The best way to describe the weekend is, well,

bloody tops! I cant think of a better way to spendAustralia Day watching the Aussies beat the

Kiwis and Poms in a proper sport that doesnt

involve balls outside of the body!

From a professional point of view it was a lot

of hard work as there was just so much material

available and so many people to chat to and meet.

However, I did manage to sneak away in the hire

car and watch a few races on the hill at MG,

the best being the final International Challenge

where Gilesy proved to the world why he truly is a

legendary rider after the race Jeremy McWilliams

said, In my whole career, I dont think Ive ridden

harder than I did in that last race. I was trying to

get away, but when I saw Gilesy beating his chest

on the grid I knew it was going to be game on,

while TT hero John McGuinness admitted, I

underestimated how fast the racing is around

here, doing 37s on bikes that are 30 years old,

he said. I was crunching my plums in that

last race trying to keep up, and it was mega

enjoyable tough racing for sure.

The atmosphere was incredible and the

crowd numbers huge it seemed as big as

last years MotoGP. With the outside of the

circuit open to cars and bikes, enthusiastic

spectators could easily travel from turn to turn

to take it all in with thousands of classic bikes

being ridden around the paddocks adding to the

atmosphere. The spectators were also allowed

into the pits and infield, which really made this

a special event the riders and machines were

WITH JEFF WARE

Gd

right there for the public to enjoy and the top riders

were seen chatting happily to the public all daylong over the weekend. That laid back atmosphere

was so enjoyable, it was like a giant shed beers full

of mates like-minded retro and classic motorcycle

enthusiasts all gathered together for a weekend of

intense racing and socialising.

I met plenty of readers, all of whom praised our

mag, and I saw lots of great bikes for future features.

On Monday, Steve Brouggy gave me a spot at one

of his fantastic Phillip Island Ride Days and I tested

all three Trevor Birrell Racing Katanas, #99 of our

own Steve Martin plus the #19 winning bike of

Shawn Giles and the fastest bike of the weekend,

the #24 bike of WSSTK Champion Brendan

Roberts. Mind blowing, believe me, and you can

read about it in an issue soon.

The weekend proved that the classic bike scene

continues to boom as we all age and refuse to

grow up!

Subscriptions, Merchandise & back issues 1300 303 414 or retroandclassicbike.com.au, general enquiries Universal Magazines 1300 303 414 editorial enquiries (02) 4341 0666

EDITOR Jeff Ware [email protected] EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Heather Ware STAFF JOURNALIST Kris Hodgson DESIGNER Phillip Jorge

FOUNDING PUBLISHERJeff Ware CONTRIBUTORSGraeme Crosby, Mick Withers, Steve Martin, Tony Wilding, Craig Stevenson, Pail Bailey, James Walker, Richard Collins, Owen Stuart,

Shaun Roe, Damian Kingsbury, Sir Alan Cathcart, Jeffry Zani, Russ Murray ADVERTISING Rosemary Wood [email protected]

UNIVERSAL MAGAZINES CHAIRMAN/CEO Prema Perera PUBLISHER Janice Williams CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER Vicky Mahadeva ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER

Emma Perera ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Karen Day CIRCULATION DIRECTOR Mark Darton CREATIVE DIRECTOR Kate Podger EDITORIAL PRODUCTION

MANAGER Anastasia Casey PRINT PRODUCTION MANAGER Lilian Ohanessian PREPRESS MANAGER Ivan Fitz-Gerald SUBSCRIPTIONS MANAGER Chelsea Peters

Circulation enquiries to our Sydney head office (02) 9805 0399. RCBE014 is published by Universal Magazines, Unit 5, 6-8 Byfield Street, North Ryde, NSW 2113. Phone: (02) 9805 0399, Fax:

(02) 9805 0714. Melbourne office, Level 1, 150 Albert Road, South Melbourne, Vic 3205. Phone: (03) 9694 6444, Fax: (03) 9699 7890. Printed by Webstar, Sydney, and distributed by Network Services. This book is

copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study, research, criticism or review as permitted under the Copyright Act, no part may be reproduced by any process without written permission. Enquiries

should be addressed to the publishers. The publishers believe all the information supplied in this book to be correct at the time of printing. They are not, however, in a position to make a guarantee to this effect and accept

no liability in the event of any information proving inaccurate. Prices, addresses and phone numbers were, after investigation and to the best of our knowledge and belief, up-to-date at the time of printing, but the shifting

sands of time may change them in some cases. It is not possible for the publishers to ensure that advertisements which appear in this publication comply with the Trade Practices Act, 1974. The responsibility must thereforebe on the person, company or advertising agency submitting the advertisements for publication. While every endeavour has been made to ensure complete accuracy, the publishers cannot be held responsible for any errors

or omissions. *Recommended retail price. ISSN 1449 - 8626 Copyright Universal Magazines. ACN 003 609 103. www.universalmagazines.com.au. Please pass on or recycle this magazine.

ISSUE #14 RCBE 3

Jeff Ware

e

That laid back atmosphere was soenjoyable, it was like a giant shed beersfull of mates like-minded retro andclassic motorcycle enthusiasts all gatheredtogether for a weekend of intense racingg


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4

RCBE ISSUE #10

CONTENTS

4 RCBE ISSUE #14

READER SERVICES08 Industry News94 Club Listing96 Whats On97 Tyre Guide

BIKES

18 Readers Rides30 1970s: MV Agusta 35038 1980s: Yamaha RD350 R LC54 Reader's Own: RG50056 Vintage Racer:

Kawasaki H1R Racer

STAFF BIKES80 Micks GPz110082 Richards Lambretta & Ducati84 Jeffs GSX-R750F

FEATURES

10 Peterborough Motorcycle Museum22 My Shop, Surfside Motorcycles24 Rob Lannucci48 History of the Kawasaki Z130064 The Phillip Island Classic

REGULARS

03 Editorial06 Croz

16 Letters29 I remember GPz750T72 Reader Resto: Triumph T100R90 Walker91 Poppa Shaw92 Bailey98 Ol Biker

HOME BIKE MECHANICS

14 Toolbox28 Retro Garage74 Parts Rescue: Fork service

78 Buyers Guide: Suzuki RG50079 Buyers Guide: Yamaha RZV500

>>

>>

56

79

ISSUE#14

>> >>

>> >>

30 38

74 48

>>

10 56

7974 4848


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Ever since I had got divorced many years

ago and had to sell my GS1000 racer, I

have wanted to own another one. Not to

go racing but merely to look at it.

Suzuki had given me a factory XR69

back at the end of 1980 in appreciation of

winning the 1980 World championship for

them. Despite hanging onto it for many years

it finally went to a local collector who hasdone a great job of carefully looking after

it. Its always been available for me to use at

any time but after 34 years I feel its just too

fragile now to be run in anger preferring to

let it age gracefully in its retirement.

Over the last few years and with the

resurgence in popularity of post classic racing

a few private builders have began creating

so called replicas of these classic Japanese

racers from the early 80s. With modern

engineering practices it has become much

easier to re-produce parts and to replicate

these machines without blowing the budget

too much!

I posted on Facebook a few images of my

Suzuki old racer a while back and was surprised

at the activity it created. It became obvious

from the general comments that the XR69

was an extremely successful and popular bike. I

was proud to have been the rider all those years

ago. I also read with interest the comments

about other projects claiming to be replicas of

the Suzuki XR69. Opinions were very divided

with both sides having some merit.

The real question for me is how can a

painted up look-a-like constitute being regarded

as a replica when it has different size wheels,forks, chassis etc

It just doesnt seem right that a modernised

or stylised interpretation should in fact be

referred to as an XR69. In the true sense of

the word replica, words such as clone, copy,

reproduction, facsimile, even carbon-copy all

point to the exact re-production of a piece of

perhaps what could now be called art.

Given that there are bikes being produced

now under the guise of replicas of the Suzukis

GS1000 racer, its my belief that they are

taking a liberty by using the term XR69. The

underlying truth is they are simply living off the

legend that once was.

My thinking is that perhaps the builders

should be using a word or phrase like stylised

XR69 or XR69 influenced to describe their

creations and that would be more appropriate.

From the other side of the fence its also

great that people have the freedom to create

and build post classic bikes. These are much

more powerful and perform better with the use

of more modern components like 17in wheelsto fully extend an old but basically sound

design. In a strange sense I am quite pleased

that the XR69 has created such interest in post

classic racing. I may not be too kosher with all

the labels but I certainly recognise and welcome

anything that provides opportunity, creativity

and freedom of choice. It would however be

nice to see some Hondas out there as well!

Nigel Everett from the UK has now

produced the first of a small run of what I

would call a replication or as close as possible

to a true copy of the 1980 XR69. Using an

existing complete machine, (one of two sprint

models still in existence) Suzuki collector

Steve Wheatman allowed Nigel to copy the

bike completely. The chassis, running gear,

hubs and cowlings etc are all done without

compromise.

CROZ

THE REAL DEALver since I had got divorced many ye

I posted on Facebook a few images of my

Suzuki old racer a while back and was surprised

at the activity it created. It became obvious

from the general comments that the XR69

g

elief that they are

the term XR69. The

are simply living off the

would call a replication or as close as possible

to a true copy of the 1980 XR69. Using an

existing complete machine, (one of two sprint

models still in existence) Suzuki collector

atman allowed Nigel to copy the

etely. The chassis, running gear,

owlings etc are all done without

e.

Steve Whea

bike comple

hubs and co

compromise




7/100

The chassis was contracted out to Harris tobuild with instructions to preserve every minor

detail of the original frame and not to takeshort cuts on production techniques.

The forks and clamps have been

meticulously re-manufactured from billet

material as were the factory ones. It helpedthat some original drawings from the era wereavailable to keep everything exact. Nigel has

re-manufactured new magnesium brake caliperswhich were standard items on the 81 version

replacing the single acting calipers in use duringthe early 80s.

The original specifications have been retained

with the use of the 18in Dymag wheels and theuse of the two valve engine including a close

ratio gear set and Yoshimura internals. Recallinghow often the engines were pulled apart years

ago required a re-think on the ignition unit.The original had become unobtainable so

an electronic system is used, one that can bedepowered if required when it rains. So from a

safety, maintenance and reliability point it made

sense, eliminating the need to be inside theengine every time it is run.

I doubt that it would be any faster or haveany more power than the original racer as that

would suggest or indicate a major departureto the use of more modern components. But

suffice to say over 120hp is a handful foranyone even by todays standards. In any case

if you wanted a more competitive classic race

machine capable of 150hp I would be going forone of the look-a-likes.

Now that the first one has been completedand is in the hands of a very prominent Kiwi,

who has promised to showcase it at the Isle of

Man later in the year. I had to put my hand

up and offer assistance and the knowledge heneeds to get around the course safely its bigcall but its all about having respect.

IT MADE A WEE-TINKLE

I got a call a few months back from a client friend

who was looking to buy an early model SuzukiGT750 J model Waterbucket for his collection.

He had fancied owning one for some time.A few calls around and a bit of investigative

work revealed a nice example in fairly goodorder for a little under $11,000 was available.

I contacted my client to give him the newsand low down on the bike only to be told he had

found a cheaper one at $5,500 the day earlierthat needed a little work! but was happy to

spend a few more dollars on making it nice.

A few days later the phone rang and it wasmy friend Stewart wanting to bring his new

purchase around on a trailer for me to checkout a couple of small technical issues.

According to Stewart he had bought hisGT750J doing the deal and electing not to test

ride the bike assuming it was OK. He recalls hisfirst ride once he got it home, Croz, I know I

should have given it a test ride at the time but it

looked OK and I took a chance.At home I fitted a new battery and it

started OK so off I went. I had a little troubleselecting gears and it was surging quite a bit but

once I was in top gear it smoothed out but wasstill surging quite a lot.

It wasnt the nicest of rides, it wasnthandling all that well but having

owned two-strokes before I figured

it just needed a bit of a clearout in the engine department.

So I gave it some whellie. Itcoughed and spluttered a lot,

causing a huge smoke screenout the back then it kind of

slowed down a bit, so I gave itsome more throttle for a short

time before it heaved as theback wheel locked up completely.

I recall it making a Wee-tinkle! So,

Croz can you have a look?

The engine wouldnt turn over and on

further inspection I found it had an exhaust

pipe full of small broken piston bits andwhat was left of the conrod was almost

unrecognizable. It looked like it had been tiedin a figure eight knot.

We pulled the engine apart to find ithad indeed suffered a catastrophic failure

which explained the Wee-tinkle, a realunderstatement but after all Stewart was Scottish

and his explanation of what constituted a Weetinkle still has me in hysterics

Unfortunately the crankcases had also been

split and the gear selection problem was easilyexplained by the fact first gear only had four

teeth remaining instead of the required 13 orso. Plus the main shaft bearing had collapsed

and inside it looked like a used concrete mixer.Further inspection revealed the chassis

had been repaired where the footrests attach obviously snapped off at some time. Plus

the steering stops had broken off but the best

clue to it having been in an accident waswhen the bike was put onto the main-stand

and both wheels still remained in contactwith the road surface!

Sure enough hidden away under the forkgaiters were a pair of very corroded and bent

fork stanchions that could have snapped ofat any moment. The top aluminum steering

clamp had been gas welded to repair a

broken off side piece.The repairs started and with the chassis

repaired, the fitting of new steering clamps,forks stanchions, rims and spokes, tyres, brakes,

and so on, plus a fully reconditioned enginevirtually nothing of the original bike remains.

The bill is now close to $14,000 not includingStuarts initial spend of $5,500.

Test rides are for a reason and if you are notfamiliar with a particular bike, find someone

who is, believe me its the cheaper option.

Croz

WITH GRAEME CROSBY PHOTOGRAPHY: MICK ROBINSON

The real question for me is how can apainted up look-a-like constitute beingregarded as a replica..?

fff i h

if you wanted a more competitive classic race found a cheaper one atthat needed a little w

spend a few more dolla

A few days later thmy friend Stewart wan

purchase around on aout a couple of small

According to StewaGT750J doing the dea

ride the bike assumingfirst ride once he got it

should have given it a

looked OK and I tookAt home I fitted a

started OK so off I weselecting gears and it w

once I was in top gearstill surging quite a

It wasnt thhandling al

owned tw

it just nout in

So I gcough

causiout th

slowesome

time beback whe

I recall it m

Croz can you h

ISSUE #14 RCBE 7W o r l d M a g s . n e t W o r l d M a g s . n e t



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PENRITE OILBACKS THEBONANZA!2014 heralds a new era for the

Broadford Bike Bonanza as Penrite

Oil has signed on as the official

naming rights sponsor. The event will

become known as the Penrite Oil Bonanza and

will pay tribute to the historical Castrol Six Hour and BP Sunraysia

Desert Rally eras.

The Penrite Oil Bonanza is such a unique event on the historic

motorcycling calendar. Its a chance for bike enthusiasts to catch up

with old friends and a showcase of some pretty interesting bikes that

spend most of the year in peoples garages. White said.

Penrite is an iconic, Australian owned and manufactured brand

who has backed motorsport events and teams since it joined the

market in 1926.

General Manager, Toby Dymond says, Penrite prides itself on

its involvement in motorsport and the affiliation with the Bonanza

will allow us to highlight a specific range of products that suit the

specialist bikes which turn up at the event.

The Penrite Oil Bonanza is held over Easter weekend on 19 and20 April 2014. Full report next issue!

8

RCBE ISSUE #14

NEWS &EVENTSAll the gossip and news from the retro and classic scene...>>

Australia has retained the International Trophy for the teams eventat the 2014 International Island Classic at Phillip Island over theAustralia Day weekend.

But the victory wasnt without a fight, with Australia having to workup a sweat against great rival UK to keep its unblemished recordin the International Challenge intact. Australia eventually finishedthe event on 692 points, ahead of the United Kingdom (617), NewZealand (367) and America (341).

The Tahbilk International Challenge wrapped up in the moststunning circumstances when South Australian Brendan Roberts(Suzuki Katana) pipped UK star Jeremy McWilliams (Harris F1) by0.004 seconds in a photo finish to claim second spot behind multiple

Australian superbike champion Shawn Giles (Katana) in race four.See pages 64-71 for a full report.

In December we headed to

SurfSide Motorcycle Garages

Anniversary and Caf opening

event in Brookvale, where

everyone was having an absolutely

stonking time!

Most of the street front was

packed out with a variety of

motorcycles, old and new, as well

as some classic cars and three-

wheelers and sidecars.

Between live music, the caf

and BBQ it was going off, with

a variety of stunning classic

bikes on display

throughout the

caf and workshop,

with everyone mixing it up,

admiring the variety of bikes on

display, from those belonging to

the shop to the offerings turning

up every minute.

Its great to see such strong

support for a local workshop and

just proves that amazing service,

expertise and passion really is

what people are looking for.

If you need some work

done, or just want

somewhere to head for a ride and

a bite to eat then give SurfSide

Motorcycle Garage a good go.

You can call them on (02)

9905 4755, find them at www.

surfside.net.au or on Facebook

if you want to keep up with all

the latest www.facebook.com/

SurfsideCustomsClassics.

AUSSIES WIN!

WE TESTTHE TBRKATANASOur esteemed Editor Jeff

was lucky enough to testride all three TBR Katanasrecently, with a featurecoming up in issue #15.The bikes (Steve Martin -#99, Shawn Giles - #19,Brendan Roberts #24) maylook similar but are verydifferent machines. Onething they have in commonthough is that they are allincredibly fast! We alsohave a great feature onCameron Donalds XR69and a tasty Seeley Norton.Stay tuned!

p,

xing it up,

ety of bikes on done, or just want




9/100

ISSUE #14 RCBE

9

Grab yourself a copy of JapaneseClassic Motorcycle Guide, broughtto you by us and featuring a year-by-year guide to the Japanese BigFours bikes that made history fromthe 50s through to the 90s.

A whole section is dedicatedto the Best Investments, with

particular note made to roadofferings, off-road options as wellas some of the most collectableracebikes, including the rarest andmost expensive.

Theres even got a feature onsome of the worst lemons of the era!

Plus a feature on KawasakisZ900 including the inside story ondevelopment, including insight from

designer Norimasa Ken Tada onhis input.

Available for $8.95 in all goodnewsagents.

JOEY DUNLOP TRIBUTE

FOR CLASSIC TTThe 2014 Classic TT Races, partof the fortnight-long Isle of Man

Festival of Motorcycling, will pay

tribute to Joey Dunlop and will

have an eighties theme running

throughout the event.

Entitled Joey Dunlop - Road

Racing Legend, the Classic TT

weekend will celebrate the career

of Joey Dunlop, not just at the

TT, but also during the F1 World

Championship days as well as his

career in Ireland, with the 1980s

a particular focus when Joey was at

the height of his career.

Big hair, shoulder pads, ripped

jeans and neon clothes are expected

to be the order of the day with

the fancy dress themed Paddock

Carnival at the Grandstand on

Friday 22nd August, while the

paddock will turn back the clock

and echo to everything from grunge

to Madonna.

There will also be a parade

lap sponsored by the Isle of Man

Steam Packet Company featuring

Joeys 26 biggest career rivals, withappropriate representatives when

a rider is unavailable. This will

include some of his leading fellow

competitors from the 1980s F1

World Championship days as well

as his earliest rivals from the Irish

Road Racing scene not to mention

his many TT rivals.

The Classic TT weekend will

again feature two race days on

Saturday 23rd and Monday 25th

August with this years programme

again including Formula 1 and 2

machines, a 350cc Race and the500cc Race. It will also feature the

hugely popular VMCCs Festival of

Jurby on Sunday 24th August.

Trevor Hussey, Head

of Motorsport, Isle of Man

Government Department of

Economic Development believes

that the Classic TT is changing the

perception of Classic Racing. He

commented:

This gives us the opportunity

to pay tribute to one of the greatest

names in the TTs long history

and we are really keen to develop

an appropriate celebration of Joey

Dunlops racing career as his name

is synonymous with the TT Races.

John Watt, Commercial

Director, Isle of Man Steam Packet

Company commented:

We are delighted to be

supporting the 2014 Joey Dunlop

Road Racing Legend Parade

celebrating one of the greatest

names in road racing history and

are looking forward to working

with the Department of Economic

Development on building on the

success of the inaugural Classic TTand the Festival of Motorcycling as

a whole.

In other news, Charlie Williams,

one of the greatest TT competitors

of all time, is set to make a

sensational racing comeback to the

TT Mountain Course at the 2014

Classic TT presented by Bennetts,

30 years on from his last TT Race.

The nine-time TT winner will

contest the Bennetts 500cc Classic

TT in a three-man team that will

also include Classic racing legend

Bill Swallow and John LeighPemberton.

JoinourFacebooksite,RCBE,andkeepup

withregularupdates, newsandbehindthe

scenesgossipbetweenissues!




10/100

10 RCBE ISSUE #14

FEATURE PETERBOROUGH MOTORCYCLE MUSEUM

A museum full of iconic European motorcycles from racingshayday and only three hours from Adelaide to boot!

As you enter this museum, in your

mind you can imagine that you hear

the roar of racing motorcycles from

days gone by, smell the hot rubber

of hard ridden tyres and the pungent odour

of methanol, pick up the chatter from the

pits, some of it positive and laced with happy

expletives, while colourful cursing drifts across

from teams having mechanical problems.

You see this is a motorcycle museum with a

difference as owner Ian Spooner is a committed

enthusiast of racing motorcycles from last century.

And what a collection he has, a collection that

includes a 1968 Ossa Wildfire racebike from

Spain, a 1921 Yvels racer from France, a 50cc

Maserati 50/T2/SS and many more.

Theres a Malanca, an Italian marque that

achieved considerable popularity in Europe

during the 60s and early 70s with a range oflithe, stripped back 50 and 125cc motorcycles.

Some of these motorcycles were campaigned

when the company contested the road racing

World Championships albeit unsuccessfully.

Theres a 1963 Flandria, which while little

known Down Under was one of the biggest

motorcycle, moped and bicycle companies close

to Bruges in Belgium, a Guilietta Super Sport

50cc from 1965 the year the company became

the seventh largest motorcycle manufacturer in

Italy and a 1964 Benelli.

It sounds quaint nowadays in this era of

MotoGP and superbikes but three Benellis were

entered in the historic first 50cc TT in the Isle

of Man in 1962.

Many of todays motorcyclists may not know

the brand but for many years Motobecane was

Frances largest manufacturer of motorcycles

and the museums 1977 125cc bike is a

nice example of their product, just fouryears prior to the company's bankruptcy.

PETERBOROUGH

MOTORCYCLEMUSEUM

WORDS & PHOTOGRAPHY: DOC ROBINSON

>>W o r l d M a g s . n e t W o r l d M a g s . n e t

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ISSUE #14 RCBE 11

Other marques to whet the aficionados

appetite include Husqvarna, Bultaco,Montessa, Aeromacchi, Laverda, Jamesand Moto Guzzi




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12 RCBE ISSUE #14

FEATURE PETERBOROUGH MOTORCYCLE MUSEUM

But while the museums focus could be

described as racing motorcycles, there is a lotmore to see and admire. On display here is

a 1977 750cc Honda Automatic, otherwiseknown as the Hondamatic, which was a slug

to ride and never achieved success in themarketplace but is an interesting vehicle to

peruse nevertheless.A 1972 Gitane Testi on display comes

from an amalgamation of the French company

Gitane that translates as gypsy womanand the Italian manufacturer Testi that was

achieved in 1969. Other marques to whetthe motorcycle aficionados appetite include

Husqvarna, Bultaco, Montessa, Aeromacchi,Laverda, James and Moto Guzzi.

The thinking reader will have noticed that Ihavent mentioned much in the ways of British

and American motorcycles and that is becauseyou can see them in any old motorcycling

museum and Ian has, wisely in my opinion, pretty

well stayed away from them. In fact his onlyconcession to the grand old man of Yank bikes is

a 1968 Harley-Davidson golf buggy which he has

managed to get road registered as a utility.With motorcycles from 12 countries on

display and with quite a few of them beingvery rare marques and models, the museum is

well worth a visit. Peterborough is in SouthAustralias mid-north about three hours

driving time from Adelaide. For anybodytravelling across Australia from east to west, or

making the journey from Adelaide to Darwin,

Peterborough is but a short detour and onewell worth taking.

Located at the former historic Baptistchurch in Kitchener Street, the admission

is a modest $5.00 and the museum is openmost days. Ive enjoyed several visits and

been treated very hospitably by hosts Ian andBelinda. You can find the museum on the web

(www.pbmcm.com) or you can contact Ian on0432 873 660.

If you are a motorcycle enthusiast of any

persuasion I highly recommend a visit to thiswonderful facility! RCBE




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14/100

14 RCBE ISSUE #14

THE BIG BANG OF BATTERY CHARGERS

The Sinergex Nitro series are advanced,

digitally controlled automatic battery chargers.

Compact in size, the chargers are constructed

from ultra tough ABS plastic, are splash and

dust proof to IP65 standard and suitable forbatteries from one to 150 amp-hour capacity

(depending on model) in almost any

environment. The charger will assess the

condition of your battery and then provide

the optimum charge in four stages. The

Nitro also has the ability to recover severely

discharged batteries with soft start technology.

The Sinergex Nitro is packed with features for

safe use including no spark technology, push

button selectable programming, temperature

compensation, automatic protection, audible

warning alarms and quick-connect DC cables.

www.linkint.com.au or (07) 3382 5000.

LOUNGE TIME

The Old Mechanicby Peter J.

Uren is one mans look into

his time as a mechanic, putting

on an apprentice, and working

on restoring a British classic.

The 1959 Norton ES2 is a focal

point not just for the journey

of a bike restoration, but alsothe great experiences that

came out of it which can be

applied to life anywhere. If you

enjoy old bikes, a down to

earth perspective and want

some motivation, or maybe

even a bit of guidance for

your own project, then

pick up a copy of The

Old Mechanic. You

wont be disappointed!

Available from all

good bookshops or

contact Peter attheoldmechanic.net.

TOOLBOXStuff for old bikes>>

SCARAB CALIPER PISTONS

For people wanting to keep their old Ducati or MV 100 per cent original, Road and Race

have just received another batch of Scarab caliper pistons CNCd and hard anodised to

suit, $70 a pair. Seals kits also to suit are available from $50, with pads $40 per caliper.

Or if you want to get the cam timing on your old Ducati bevel single or twin spot on,

they also have offset cam keys in 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 degree increments for $25.roadandrace.com.au.

RARE PARTS

Moto Italia at Emu Plains, NSW, have a huge range of genuine

and aftermarket spares for Guzzi, Aprilia and Ducati motorcycles

and can COD anywhere in Australia. Check out their website

motoitalia.com.au or call Dave Ward on 0432 441 985.

>>

>>

>>

>>




15/100

ISSUE #14 RCBE 15

XTECH T HANDLE TOOLS

This XTech T Handle set is

made of high quality chrome

vanadium steel with easy grip,

rubber coated handles. Sizes

range from 8mm, 10mm, 12mm,

13mm, 14mm, 17mm and 19mm.The Mini T Handle set is also made from high

quality chrome vanadium steel in sizes 8mm,

10mm, 12mm, 13mm and 14mm.

The T Handle allen key set provides a sure grip

and increases turning power. It includes a steel

organiser stand with mounting holes. Sizes consist

of 2mm, 2.5mm, 3mm, 4mm, 4.5mm, 5mm, 5.5mm,

6mm, 8mm and 10mm. Available from www.

cassons.com.au or (02) 9684 1210.

NO MORE SPONGY

OLD BRAKES

Hel brake lines are made here

in Australia and are available to

fit most retro bikes from the '70s right

through to modern machines. If youride a bike from the retro era, chances

are you need new brake lines. Hel

lines are fully ADR compliant, feature

stainless steel banjos and banjo bolts,

and come in a wide range of colours.

They are made on demand so any

customising required is no problem. Call

on (07) 3869 3016. From $240.90 RRP.

MOTUL CHAIN PACK

Motul is proud to announce the release of their Chain Maintenance

Packs. Available for both Road and Off-Road options, the convenient

packs are the ideal gifts.

The Motul Chain Packs contain either one can of Motul Chain Lube Road or

Off-Road, plus a can of Motul Chain Clean and a handy chain cleaning brush.

Normally all these items would retail for over $55, but Motul have bundled

them in to a convenient pack for only $39.95 RRP. These packs are available

now from your local Motul stockist in Australia. Motul Motorcycle products are

imported and distributed in Australia by Link International.

For more information on the range of Motul products visit linkint.com.au or

like them on Facebook www.facebook.com/MotulAU.

>>

ROTOR ACTION

NG Brake Disc

manufacture brake

rotors for 22 different

motorcycle manufacturers including

MV Augusta. Now available in

Australia, you can have OEM

quality discs at a fraction of the

price of a genuine part. Available

for all types of motorcycle and

ATVs in standard fixed, wave

pattern, fully floating and oversize

kits. Floating rotors are fullyrebuildable. Contact kenma.com.au.

>>

>>

>>




16/100

16

RCBE ISSUE #14

LETTERS

To have your say in RCBEand a

chance at winning one of our stubby

holders, fire off an email to

[email protected].

HOLY SMOKE!

RE your article on the

RD350LC. The RD LCs

came out in blue and whiteand red and white, but I think you will find that

in Australia at least! All the 350s were blue and

white and the 250s red and white then in the

second edition still 350s blue and white and

250s red but the stripes were different to the first

model. A lot of 350s ended up with the red and

white livery to get the cheaper rego (in NSW

at least) as the checking didnt go much further

than the badging on the side covers! As I had

both a 250 and 350, parts including barrels and

pistons were on occasion changed over! All

parts fitting on both bikes. Yes the 350 was a

much easier bike to live with and low downpower was very good for a two-stroke.

Also the very original GSX1100s came out

with a 19L tank. I know the one in the poster

is not original but this is the larger 23 or 24L

tank, I think, which was introduced very early.

Most people, as I did junked the 19L tanks as

the range was just useless. Although the smaller

tanks looked much better, in my opinion.

Alan, Email.

Gday Alan,

Thanks for the email and pointing that

out. Yes I remember the good old days of

swapping 350 barrels over on my RZ250 onthe L plates Ed.

>> by

SHED THERAPY I

Thanks for your great editorial in issue #13,

Jeff. I think like-minded classic motorcycle

enthusiasts would all relate to the Shed Therapy

sentiment. Spending time working on bikes is

a fantastic way to relax and get away from it

all. Throw in a few cold beers and good mates

and you have got it made. I have a similar

set-up with my bike mates only they all come

to my shed almost every night and leave when

my beer runs out. Luckily I home brew!

Mal, Email.

Gday Mal,

I have to agree with you there. By the way

I like the home brew idea. Ill have to look

into that one Ed.

SHED THERAPY II

Your editorial in issue #13, Shed Therapy, was

so true. Us motorcycle enthusiasts seem to

bump into each other everywhere, from work

to neighbours, friends of friends or even on

public transport. Ive been reading RCBEon

a train and had a bloke strike up a convo with

me about his CB900 BolDor and how he

reads Retro. At first I wondered why this guy

was staring at me!

By the way, Id love some stickers a few for

the bike and one for the bumper bar on the car.

Thats another thing I notice, if you have bike

stickers on your car you still get the nod!

Peter, Email.

Gday Peter,

Thanks for the email. Yep we all seem to

be connected in some way, must be the

thrills and the speed. Stickers are on the

way. Anyone wanting stickers can email us

their address and we will pop some in the

post Ed.

THE REAL DEAL

Thanks for a fabulous article on the ex Dennis Neill CB1100R. What a machine and it is great to

see that the owner has retained that originality of the bike. What a work of art and such a famous

bike. A lot of your readers, myself included, will no doubt have fond memories of this bike and

seeing Dennis at full noise at Bathurst before that crash that ended his career and stopped him

heading to Europe. What a stunning bike that is and great photos too.

Mick, Email.

Gday Mick,

Thanks for the note. Yes it certainly is a special bike. Its for sale. If only I had the money! Ed.




17/100

ISSUE #14 RCBE 17

My wife bought me a copy of

issue #11 of your magazine

and within two weeks Ive

bought a NZ new 1985GSX-R750F in need of a

restoration to return it back

to original condition. Ive

always wanted an 85 model

and your article detailing your restoration

so far convinced me I needed to buy one.

Do you know of anyone in New

Zealand who could return a frame back to

an anodised finish? The previous owner

of my bike has part polished and painted

the frame.

Appreciate any advice.

Roger, Email

Gday Roger,

Great news and good luck! Ive

almost finished my resto and I cant

wait to ride the bike. Its been

a three year job but worth every

minute and dollar. In regards to your

frame restoration, Id try Anodising

Industries NZ (anodising.co.nz),

check out their website Ed.

SLAB AFFECT>>

estoration Gday Roger

PHILLIP ISLAND CLASSIC

I just returned home from the best weekend

of racing in my life. The Island Classic was

fantastic. Great weather once the Friday showers

cleared, huge crowds of like-minded classic

fans and lots of beer. Throw in legends like

John McGuinness, Shawn Giles, Steve Martin,Jeremy McWilliams, Cameron Donald and

the rest and you have a great weekend. I met

them all and got autographs and photos with

them, which is a real highlight for me. The only

complaint I have is that it was near impossible

to get something to eat or drink. The caf in

the pit area was usually a 45-minute wait and

the one outside was no better. Like many of the

spectators, I headed into town each day to buy a

takeaway lunch, it was faster!

Maybe next year there can be extra food

kiosks set up.

The best this was I could ride my bike aroundthe entire perimeter of the track and watch from

wherever I liked. I took my van for shelter but

also took my ER185 for cruising around on, all I

had to do was pull it out of the van. This is the

proper Aussie way to run a race meeting and is a

heap better than MotoGP!

Im still buzzing

Les, Email.

Gday Les,

Ive got to admit that I also think the event

is the best on the racing calendar. I had an

absolute ball and I cant wait for 2014 Ed.

JAP BIKE SHOW

Ive been drooling over the images in your

article of the Jap Bike Show and it has meinspired. Ive been off bikes for a decade now,

my last bike was a CBX 6 that I sold in 2003.

I think I need another one. Ive looked at all

of the new bikes and dont like any of them,

the CBs have completely lost the original look

and I cant see any of the heritage there that I

remember from when I first saw the first model.

So anyway thanks for the inspiration and

hopefully next year I will have a bike to display

at the Jap Bike Show!

Vern, Email.

Gday Vern,

Great to hear and if you do let us know! Ed.

YZR500 FAN

Wow! Mick Costin can have my money any

day, if only I had some! Im currently restoring

a CBX250. Exciting? Not really but it was

cheap and is getting close to retro. It is a 1987

model and cost me $1000.00. I also have a

new CBR250 that I use for commuting. The

CBX is cool because it was for the Australian

and SA market, although seven units were

exported to NZ, the bike was never in the

USA or Canada. It is still made in Brazilaccording to Wikipedia, so I will chase some

parts over there.

It needs a respray and new decals, plus a set

of new tyres. The rest I will do myself including

a cam chain and tensioner, chain and sprockets,

steering head bearings and fork seals. Lots of

spray can touch-up too. I will send you photos

when the bike is finished.

Brett, Email.

Gday Brett,

What a cool resto. I always liked the look

of the little CBX and wondered what it

would be like to put a hot motor in one, a

cam, flatslide, big bore kit and an exhaust

system! Love to see the images once shes

done Ed.




18/100

18

RCBE ISSUE #14

READER'SRIDES

>>Want to see your retro pride

and joy on these pages?

Share your bike with us, [email protected]

>> WALTER, 1990 KAWASAKIKR1S 250

Thanks for all the interesting information

that you keep putting in the magazine, always

a pleasure to take a break from life and enjoy

some time out with your mag.

Your magazine has also been a great help with

the rebuild of my 1990 Kawasaki KR1S 250

which has not been going well. Just looking

through, at all the other bikes that your readershave restored gets me motivated again.

It looks like Im going to need all the

motivation I can get too, this restoration thing

is addictive. The next project on the bench is a

1988 Kawasaki KDX200 and after that one, it

will be my second KR1S which Ill do as a track

bike to go with my Suzuki RGV250 track bike.

Down the track I will be looking to complete

the 90s two-stroke collection with a Honda

NSR250 and a Yamaha TZR250. Thanks again

for a great magazine.

Sometimes getting the motivation can be the

biggest challenge, but being part of a great

community really helps.

COL, 1980 GSX1100,1981 KATANA, GSX1100STREETFIGHTER, CB400F

I have subscribed to your mag for the last

couple of years and thought it might be time

to send in some pics of a few in the stable.

The blue GSX1100 (1980) is fully

restored, with 1166 kit, cams, Tingate pipe

and rare 19L tank.

The silver Katana (1981) has the sameengine mods as the GSX1100 and is the bike

featured in the Shannons Insurance ads.

Just finished the yellow GSX Streetfighter,

with 12in out of the rear subframe, a 7in

round headlight and lots more.

The Orange Honda CB400f is a first

model edition, and had a nut and bolt resto

about 12 months ago.

Theres also a restored G5 100 Kawasaki,

Royal Enfield Bullet, as new 1994 Honda

Fireblade Urban Tiger, with the current

resto being a Honda 900 BolDor keeping

me sane and near the beer fridge.

Nice collection, keep us up to date as you

progress with your ongoing projects!

TONY, GSX-R 7/11STREETFIGHTER

I spoke with you at the Sydney Motorcycle

show about my GSX-R7/11 Streetfighter,

which you mentioned was published in one of

your editions of Readers Rides.

Can you please find out which edition it

was in, below is a picture of the bike.

Hey Tony, we certainly did have your

amazing GSX-R7/11 in Readers Rides a

few issues ago (issue #11) but since youve

reminded us well put it in again, and well

be in touch, were still interested in doing a

full feature!

LUKE, ZZR1100, FZ750,ZX-636, R6, R1, 929FIREBLADE, 954 FIREBLADE

Here are my bikes parked out front of

my home on the Gold Coast. Ive got a

1998 Kawasaki ZZR1100, 1985 Yamaha

all original FZ750, 2005 ZX636 Special,

Yamaha R6, 2005 Yamaha R1, 2001

Honda 929 Fireblade and my 2003 954

Fireblade.

Quite the eclectic collection you have

there! Must be a fair bit of washing and

polishing to get done

>>

>>

>>




19/100

ISSUE #14 RCBE 19

>> MICHAEL, 3 X HONDA CB200S, 1972 HONDA CB350/4

Here are some pics of a few of the Honda caf racers

that Ive built as a hobby. There are some of my three

CB200s, and a 1972 CB350/4.

All bikes were bought as basket cases and have had

frame up rebuilds. The light green CB200 had anengine rebuild and new just about everything.

The maroon CB200 had the frame sandblasted and

painted in 2pk black, with caf racer seat and maroon

tank (Peugeot colour), 2pk charcoal rims, new shocks

and forks, and the rebuilt engine was a good runner

once I serviced it.

The dark green CB200 is a 1975 model. Again it

has had 2pk black on the frame, 2pk deep metallic

dark green paint with black side covers, a suspension

rebuild, 2pk charcoal rims, black shell small headlight,

a complete rewire, new switch blocks, fibreglass seat,

drag bars, gold chain and cocktail shaker mufflers.

The blue 1972 CB350/4 is a sweet little bike albeit

slow and heavy. It received 2pk black on the frame, I

fitted a new 400/4 tank and side covers as they look

better and got them painted in a ice blue colour from

a 2000 model Toyota Camry with a black pinstripe and Norton style Honda decals.

It also received an engine top-end rebuild, rebuilt carbies, 2pk silver rims, four-into-

one MAC exhaust, mini-gauges, suspension rebuild, brake rebuild, caf racer seat.

All work except the painting was done by me at home for all the builds.

I build these as a hobby and ride them for a couple of months before selling them

on and looking for the next project.

Its nice to keep these old bikes on the road for people to enjoy. I hope you like

them Jeff and cant wait to see your GSX-R750 slabbie finished.

Awesome collection and great to see them not only restored but also moving

on to lucky new owners to keep the process going. Lots of progress on theGSX-R750 this issue and hopefully itll be on the road soon!


20/100

20 RCBE ISSUE #14

ONSHOW

Capturing Classic Culture

o be part of On Show, email

[email protected]

with the subject On Show




21/100

PH: (03) 9583 9922MOB: 0418 340 055

1 Grange Road, Cheltenham VIC 3192

WEBSITEupdated daily

www.antiquemotorcycle.com.au

LOADS MORE BIKES ON OUR WEBSITE

facebook.com/pages/Antique-Motorcycles/244989728911480

TRIUMPH T1001956, Very nice restored ally tiger freshout of a private collection. S66.TA477148. $22,000

TRIUMPH BONNEVILLE T140V Silver Jubilee1977, The best ofthe oil-in-frame Bonnevilles. This was the motorcycle that wasmade to celebrate Queen Elizabeth the Seconds silver Jubilee.With very limited production, these collectors items are fastbecoming hard to find. T140VXP80636.TA468827. $16,000

SUZUKI GSX-R7501985, This bike changed the perception ofwhat a sports bike should be upon its release in 1985. Well

looked after original including the exhaust, comes with bothseats, two factory keys, tools, etc.. GR75A104974.TA468820.$8,500

INDIAN CHIEF1946, Beautiful bike fully restored withadded chrome, gorgeous candy red paint and high bars.Ready to enjoy. S74.TA477183. $42,000

KAWASAKI H2 A1973, Ultra rare H2A with 7673 genuine

miles. Freshly repainted in its original Candytone Purplecolour. Be very quick! H2F25631.TA456635. $22,500

HARLEY-DAVIDSON WLA1942, The bike that won the war.

Civilianized, Great Race eligible. 42WLA20176.TA405360.$22,000

MV AGUSTA 350B ELECTRONICA1971, Beautiful classicfrom M.Vs golden years when they ruled the GP circuits.Unrestored, low mileage original. Australian delivered.MV2130440.TA394029. $23,500

NORTON 181938, Beautiful pre-war girder fork OHVNorton with a great patina. S67.TA477168. $16,500

SUZUKI RG4001985, Stunning original low mileage squarefour classic. Exciting user friendly retro ride. S80.TA488653.

$12,500

TRIUMPH T1501970, Classic early drum brake triple,one of the coolest sounding motorcycles ever made.

Just arrived, be quick! T150TDE00810.TA479513. $8,500

HONDA CB750K1977, The very last of the classic SOHCHondas. Extremely low miles, invest and enjoy at the same

time. CB750K2713483.TA479507. $8,500

HARLEY-DAVIDSON FL1948, Fully restored to newcondition with breaking in miles only. Ready to win trophiesin shows or in the Great Race. S72.TA477177. $45,500




22/100

22 RCBE ISSUE #14

SurfSideMotorcycle Garage

WORDS & PHOTOGRAPHY: KRIS HODGSON

When we heard that SurfSide

Motorcycle Garage was having

an event to celebrate opening

their classic caf and one year

anniversary, we decided we

needed to swing by and check

everything out!

Needless to say we werent

disappointed, with the Garages

supporters parking out most of

the street with a variety of old,

new and very cool motorcycles,

as well as a few classic cars andthree wheelers in the mix.

The atmosphere was amazing,

with live music, great food,

perfect weather and a crowd of

enthusiastic motorcyclists.

The new caf is a stunning

classic themed milkshake bar-

esque establishment, with lovingly

restored motorcycles on display,

including an amazing Kawasaki in

a wall display.

Trevor Love is the resident

expert at SurfSide, with almost

40-years experience in themotorcycling world, starting at

Keith Turner Motorcycles, before

moving to Sydney. Trevor has

worked with the Action Suzuki

race team, Matich Racing, as

head mechanic and race team

engineer for Aaron Slight and

Rob Doran, along with many

other places in between.

He is now one of the owners

of SurfSide Motorcycle Garage,

as well as the manager and

workshop head, with rumours of

a historic race team in the worksas well!

SurfSide provides servicing,

restoration, repairs and is even

planning on providing bike

storage in the future.

Taking pride in providing

for all motorcycles, SurfSide

specialises in older and classic

bikes, with a great spares

network to support them and

have experience in every engine

configuration you can think of.

Whether you need your bike

serviced, fully restored, or justrepaired after a spill or failure,

Run by enthusiasts, for enthusiasts!




23/100

ISSUE #14 RCBE 23

Q:HOW LONG HAS THE

BUSINESS BEEN GOING?

A:A little over a year.

Q:DID YOU START THE

BUSINESS?

A:

Yes, along with two businesspartners (silent until you get

them talking about motorcycles!).

John is a Harley nut. Rob is, well,

just a bike lover of all sorts.

Q:WAS IT DIFFICULT TO

START THE BUSINESS?

A:As with all new ventures, it

wasnt without its dramas. The

biggest one being the selection of

our logo...

Q:WHAT IS YOUR

BACKGROUND:

A:I served my apprenticeship

for Keith Turner Motorcycles in

New Zealand in the motorcycling

heydays of the early 70s. Keith

Turner was second to Agostini in

the world champs in 1971. We

were the Benelli importers for

the North Island. We also sold

Suzuki, Norton, and Triumph. I

couldnt have asked for a better

learning platform as a mechanic.

I moved to Australia in 1979

and worked for Action Suzuki asmechanic and race mechanic for

several Castrol 6 Hours. I also

worked for Matich Racing as race

mechanic when we were Pirellis

world test team. I taught at TAFE

for a couple of years, had my own

workshop in the 90s and various

other forays away from the trade,

but always came back to it...

And tada, here I am again...

Q:HAVE YOU ALWAYS

HAD AN INTEREST IN

BIKES?

A:Yep! I have raced speedway

solos, roadraced as a sidecar

passenger as well as driver. I also

piloted a speedway outfit for a

couple of years. I even tried myhand at four wheels for a while

Because of the nature of our

present business, I am currently on

the lookout for a classic sidecar to

form our own race team. Bring it

on! Old farts in sidecars... could be

dangerous...

Q:WHAT MACHINERY

DO YOU HAVE IN THE

WORKSHOP?

A:

MiG, TiG, lathe, drill press.

All sorts of fix-it bits for any task

required and if we dont have it,we will build it....

Q:WHATS UNIQUE

ABOUT YOUR BUSINESS?

A:Our business (as far as we

know) is the only restoration/

custom/service centre in Sydney

that will work on virtually

anything. Ariel square fours, a

Honda CT110, Harley-Davidson

VLD, Suzuki Katana, BMW

R51/3, Moto Guzzi T3, Benelli

750 Sei, just to mention a few...The bikes I mention are all in

our hands at the present time...

We are enthusiasts catering to

the enthusiast with a love of

any motorcycle. No problem is a

problem...

We also have our (world

famous in Australia) Surfside

Motor Cafe catering to the

hungry and thirsty public.

Motoring or otherwise.

We are also the only workshop

in Sydney that is open seven days

a week...

Q:WHATS THE MOST

INTERESTING PIECE OF

WORK YOUVE DONE?

A:Mmmm. Where do I start...

there could be the turbocharged

flying brick, the supercharged

Harley trike, the ground-

up resto of Benelli 750 Sei,

the Yamaha XV750 Street

Scrambler, the resurrection of

Wayne Gardners 1982 Castrol

6 Hour winning bike...

The list is endless and its all

interesting to us....

Q:WHATS THE BEST

BUSINESS DECISION

YOUVE EVER MADE?

A:Going into business with the

partners I have...

Q: DO YOU HAVE ANY

REGRETS?

A: F*ck yeh... I should have

married a rich woman who could

keep me in the luxury I deserve...

Q: WHAT ARE YOUR

PLANS FOR THE FUTURE?

A: More of the same...

Expand our club activities,

including rides from the shop.

Our retro style dinner will host

club nights, ride in motorcycle

movie nights (another first for

Sydney), music nights, bike

shows (Italian Day, Motorcycles

from the European Continent

Day, Pommie Day, American

Day and so on), I think you get

the picture. RCBE

SurfSide can help you out, and

are also happy to work with you.

If you want to do some of the

work yourself, theyll happily

split the work up so you can

do the parts you feel confident

doing (to save money or just for

that hands-on approach), while

theyll handle the rest.

Give them a call and see

what they can do for you, you

wont be disappointed and they

are proud to say they cater forall bikes!

E

G?

E

ess

A: Yep! I have raced speed

solos, roadraced as a sidecar

passenger as well as driver. I also

piloted a speedway outfit for a

couple of years I even tried myST

peedway

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24/100

FEATURE TEAM OBSOLETE

24 RCBE ISSUE #14

Rob Iannucci quickly discovered the world of riding race bikes wasnt

for him but owning them and was another matter altogether

Red light. The engines scream. Green

light. The race begins. In a few seconds

the the wild bunch reaches the first corner

on the Bridgehampton Raceway, in New

Jersey, USA.

I was riding my BSA A 75R triple for

the first time. A fourth wave start did littleto handicap me. By turn three I was ahead

of half the pack, explains Iannucci. Then

a little birdie on my shoulder whispered in

my ear that you can win this race Bad

move, a couple of corners later I crashed.

Thats the turning point of Rob Iannuccis

story on his motorcycle life.

Lying on the ground with a lot of pain in

his shoulder and a broken bike beside him,

he realised that racing wasnt for him SoI quit and I started to collect racebikes.

It was 1977. In just a short period

Iannucci founded Team Obsolete and in

nearly 35 years has participated at least

1500 races with 50 different riders and 80

motorcycles most of which are parked in

his garage in Brooklyn, New York. Right in

whats Team Obsoletes headquarters.

Now we dont race anymore, we only

take part in parades all around the world,the charismatic American says.

WORDS & IMAGES: JEFFREY ZANI




25/100

ISSUE #14 RCBE 25

The 1977 crash was able to show him

his limits, but not to send him away from

motorcycles. From on the bike he shortly

switched to in the pits, giving a chance

to other riders. The best of them? Dave

Roper Iannucci answers, He won the

1984 Senior Historic TT with one of our

bikes, which was a great feeling.

Hes intelligent, smooth, and he respects

the equipment. Of course hes also fast.

It was a Matchless G50 that Roper rode

when he won the Isle of Man race. That

motorcycle has a special place in Iannuccisheart, more than the other bikes here.

I saw a scheme of the engine in an old

motorcycle magazine and was stunned. It

is the finest ever made. In my opinion the

perfect racing bike is a combination of art

and mechanics. That motorcycle had it all.

That was a few years before his final race.

There I was, very much a novice rider,

whose previous experience was limited to a

modestly powered Matchless G50.

After a multi-year search I had recently

acquired Dick Manns BSA, the howling

Formula 750 machine that he had raced to

a 1971 Daytona victory and the 1971 AMA

Grand National Championship. Back at

that time it wasnt expensive at all, I only

paid a few thousand dollars for it.

Thats a lot less than how much Lannucci

spent for his most famous motorcycles over

10 racing MV Agustas he bought from the

Cascina Costas racing department in 1986

during one of the most famous deals of the

classic motorcycle world. With that move

he became the owner of several engineering

masterpieces, among which a special place

is reserved for the three-cylinder that led

Giacomo Agostini to several world titles.

Thats one of the best racing bikes ever,

Lannucci says, You can pull out the engine

from the frame in 10 minutes, and take

apart the gearbox in five minutes. With

the Honda prototypes, at that time, it took

them six hours to do it. The three-

cylinder is a great bike indeed, ridden

by a great champion.

BELOW: Rob and Team Obsolete dont race anymore. They take part in parades and displays andhelp source rare parts. The Team Obsolete collection is one of the rarest in the world.




26/100

because in that period the island was a

British colony, so there were plenty.

At the end of a ride, after hours and

hours on the bike, wed stop in the first bar

for the proper recovery, a bottle of rum.

After Lannucci got back to the US, he

moved to New York and started a career

as a lawyer. During the week he worked in

his office and in spare time his thoughts

were only for motorcycles. Over the years

he has organised the first classic bike road

races in the US and gave people a chance to

see the most important racing motorcycles

ever in action. The prestige and number of

races increased together with the level andreputation of the bikes, something thats not

very common among collectors, most of who

will hardly ever say yes when it comes to

racing their bikes for real.

Lannucci, instead, shows an original

nonchalance, These prototypes are made to

stay on a circuit, he explains, Its the only

place where theyre alive.

But what if the rider crashes and destroys

the bike I ask? Well, if you cant handle the

crashing, you shouldnt be racing. Its like

not making love to your girlfriend because

shes too pretty. Lannucci adds. The fun

goes on only when the sound is loud and the

speed is high. Let the green light go. Here

comes the show.Thank you, Rob. RCBE

Matchless and MV Agusta are not the

only bikes in Lannuccis garage either,

taking a look around, you can admire the

AJS with which Rod Coleman won the

1954 Junior TT, Jim Reads six-cylinder

Honda RC165, plenty of BSA twins and

triples, Harley-Davidsons and factory

Benelli. Among them, also, the 1967

Norton Commando that Lannucci rode in

his first real motorcycle experience.

During the late 60s, after I spent two

and a half years in Barbados with the

American Peace Corp, I decided to go to

Jamaica, where I spent six months riding on

the street that circles the island.They had a lot of English bikes there,

In 30-years Team Obsolete has competedin 1500 races with 50 different riders andat least 80 varieties of motorcycle!

ABOVE: THe collection is literally priceless.The Dick Mann BSA Formula 750 1970/1971AMA winning machine and 10 racingMV Agustas including Agostini bikes,rumoured to be the one of the biggestclassic bike deals in history.

FEATURE TEAM OBSOLETE

26 RCBE ISSUE #14W o r l d M a g s . n e t W o r l d M a g s . n e t



27/100

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28 RCBE ISSUE #14

Q: NAME:

A: ERIN

Q: AGE: 41

Q: CURRENT BIKES:

A: CB750 K2

CB750 K4

CB900 Bol Dor F2

Yamaha XV750

Q: FIRST SHED:

A: Dads carport.

Q: AND YOUR CURRENT SHED?

A: Double garage attached to my house,

although I built a 12 X 9 shed in WA that

my mother-in-law took over... but thats

another story...

Q: IS IT COMPLETE?

A:Never!

Q: MOST USED ITEM?

A: Socket set.

Q: FAVOURITE TOOL?

A: My Dad!

Q: MOST PRIZED ITEM?

A: My car and bikes.

Q: TINKERER OR

PROCRASTINATOR?

A: Tinkerer...I hate procrastinating.

Q: WHAT ARE YOU

WORKING ON NOW?

A: Finishing the CB900 for the Retroshoot!

Shed Secrets

Got a shed you want to share with like-

minded shed hermits?Email your contact

details to [email protected]

Q:TUNES?

A: Absolutely... Custom playlist playing

on the iPhone. Led Zeppelin, ACDC, Daft

Punk, Cold Chisel, Ive got some diverse

music choices...

Q: POSTERS?

A:Jen Hawkins, my bikes, cars

Q: BEER TRAGIC?

A: Corona or nothing...

Q: NEXT ON THE LIST?

A: More pegboard and maybe a second hand

kitchen for the cupboards and shelving.

Toolboard

Apprentice!

CB750 K4

CB900 Bol'Dor

CB750 K2

XV750 Custom


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29/100

WHAT MADE IT SPECIAL

It was turbocharged, fuel injected, justas fast as the 900R and a fewhundred bucks cheaper. Plusit was seriously cool I mean,turbocharged and stylish andlight, while all of the other turbo

bikes were complete failures!I read all the magazines with

the info on the bike and I waited.As soon as I could I headed to the bigsmoke and hit the Kawasaki dealership upand bought one on the spot. No ridingno questions, nothing The salesmanthought he was tripping!

I was in heaven and I bought allnew riding gear all black. I thoughtI was Night Rider!

I took delivery a few weeks laterafter returning from working away out atMoomba in the Simpson Desert.

Ive still got the bike and its perfect.

78,000km of pure reliability and Ill neversell it

THE FIRST TIME

Id been working as a rigger and I was cashed up.It was Spring 1983 and I was very close to buying anew bike when I spied the new 1984 release all-newKawasaki GPz900R. I decided that was the bikefor me and I started stashing some cash under themattress and I mean that literally! Most new bikes

were around five grand back then. From memorythe GPz900R ended up coming in at just over $5kon the road. I was obsessed by beer, women andthe GPz900 and I was 24-years-old. Then somethingdistracted me the GPz750T.

WOULD YOU

Do it all again? Like I say, I still have the bike andI would never sell it. Ive had plenty of Kawasakissince, GPz1000RX, ZZR1100s, ZX-9R, now a Ninja1000. Its a sickness. I have green blood

WHAT ARE THE CHANCES

Pretty high, my first love is still with me, all I have to

do is grab the keys and open the garage door. I evenhave the riding gear!

e bigership upridingsman

t allought

teray out at

perfect.

Ill never

I rememberGPz750 TurboThe turbo era was one of the mostexciting in sportsbike history and theGPz750 was the most successful ofthe lot

MEMORIES: DAVID LAMBERT




30/100

30 RCBE ISSUE #14

CLASSICMV AGUSTA 350 IPOTESI


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31/100

WORDS & IMAGES: CRAIG STEVENSON

You probably recall Robs MV 750 America fromissue #12, well here is his next instalment!

ISSUE #14 RCBE 31

GIACOMOAGOSTINI

With15WorldChampionships

and122GrandPrixracewinsinboth500cc

and350ccclassesGiacomoAgostiniisaliving

legend.Atthe2013IslandClassicheputtime

asidetocastadiscerningeyeoverRobRossis

TributoAgoanddiscussthemachineandthe

projectwithRob,wholeftwithasmileonhis

dialandasignatureonthetank.

Readers familiar with the pages of RCBEwill recall

Rob Rossis exceptional 750 America, the journey

involved in obtaining it as well as his passion

for the machine and the MV Agusta brand. His

devotion doesnt end with the brand however. His fixation

with MVs began with seeing Giacomo Agostini ride in the

Australian Grand Prix at Oran Park when he was just aboy. The experience was etched deep into Robs soul and

ultimately provided the driving force behind this brilliant

350 MV he has dubbed Tributo Ago, as a tribute to the

legendary 15-times world champion and his idol.

In 1998 Rob was on a tight budget and craving a

project bike, particularly an MV, so on ANZAC Day

the same year he purchased this 1976 350 MV Ipotesi

for $1,800 from Victoria. The Ipotesi was first launched

in 1975 with a direct link to its 350 Grand Prix racing

pedigree and to help boost MVs mid capacity sales. The

little 350 was no slouch either with 20 plus horsepower

and a claimed top speed of 170km/h.

At the time it looked pure cafe racer with its angular

lines, low set bars and alloy wheels but the bike Rob

bought looked nothing like the original. It had been

crashed and was a wreck in seriously dilapidated

condition to say the least. Nevertheless he was

intent on restoring the machine back to its

original condition and set about tracking

down parts. >>




32/100

Keeping in mind this was before the advent

of internet and sourcing items was via the old

fashioned method of writing a letter (remember

them?), the task soon proved a difficult and

frustrating one. Sometimes it would take up

to 12 weeks to receive a negative response and

it was back to the drawing board explained

Rob. The delays took their toll and with a

young family taking priority, there were lengthyperiods, sometimes of up to two to three years

when the project stood still.

Eventually, circa 2008 or 2009 all the

necessary parts were on hand but Rob was now

having second thoughts about the rebuild, I

started to get the idea of creating a Tribute

bike, not a race replica but a replica as tribute

to the bikes that Giacomo Agostini raced and

of course to the man himself.

The original plan was scuppered in

favour of this idea and another direction

1.Stock Ceriani telescopic hydraulic forks.2.The custom duck tail and seat had tobe fitted specially via modification tothe sub-frame. 3 & 6.Agostinis signature,matched by one on the classic helmet. 4.The Tributo Ago theme proudly displayed.

5.The original tank is replaced with amore angular offering. 7.Agos traditionallivery and number.

32 RCBE ISSUE #14

>>

01

04

02

03

05

06

07


04WRECKTOWONDER

TheIpotesiduringitsinitialreb

uild.Already

lookingthepartbutstillnotwh

atRobwas

ultimatelyafter.




33/100

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34/100

was taken. This not only put the project back

but created a whole new set of tasks not least of

which would be the need to source other race or

race replica parts to achieve the new goal.

For parts such as the fairing, seat and

exhaust Rob contacted Giovanni Magni in

Varese, Italy and filled him in on the project.

Giovanni (the son of legendary MV Agusta

racing director Arturo Magni) was keen on

the idea but after a while it was obvious things

were moving too slowly.

As fate would have it, Rob made a trip

to Germany in November 2010 with hisson Christian to pick up a MV 125 Sport he

had purchased. While on the journey they

made a detour to Varese and the

MV Factory where they were

personally greeted by Giovanni Castiglioni before

heading onto the MV Museum at Sammarate.

Here they linked up with both Arturo and his

son Giovanni Magni where they collected their

parts and shipped them back with the 125 Sport,

arriving in Australia, February 2011.

With everything again on hand Rob set

about once again stripping and rebuilding

the Ipotesi. Aside from the engine sporting

a 400cc big bore kit including pistons and

rings installed by the previous owner Rob has

kept the engine stock and original apart from

a PowerDynamo ignition unit replacing the

original Dansi that had been lost.

Front and rear brakes are original Scarabunits with twin discs up front and single on

the rear. There are original Ceriani forks up

front and race replica Ceriani shocks on the

rear with fresh paint.

The different duck tail for the seat required

some modification to the rear frame. By using

timber as a dummy and with trial and error he

was able to fabricate a new shape in the frame

that would accept the different unit

and the fit is excellent.

There were many little

mods and repairs that had

to be made including the

headlight cover andelectrics but Rob tackled

them one by one

ultimately getting

the jobs done.

34 RCBE ISSUE #14

>>


OWNERPROFILE

NAME:RobRossi

AGE:51HOWLONGHAVEYOUBEENINTOBIKES?35years

WHATOTHERBIKESHAVEYOUOWNED?

InthepastDTYamaha175&SuzukiKatana,everyotherbikethatIvepurchasedIstillown.

WHATOTHERBIKESWOULDYOULIKETOOWN?I havemyeyeonanothercoupleofMVAgustasIwont namethemasI liketosurprise!

WHATINTERESTSDOYOUHAVEOTHERTHANMOTORCYCLING?Football(soccer),Cooking(Attendedcookingsc

hoolinThailand),Wines,WorldTravel

They linked up with both Arturoand his son Giovanni Magni,collecting their parts and shipping

them back with the 125 Sport...




35/100

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36/100

The build was progressing at a steady

rate when news arrived in September 2012

the Giacomo Agostini would appear as

special guest at the 20th Island Classic at

Phillip Island. With still plenty to do Rob

upped the pace in order to have the bike

completed for the occasion and also, to

hopefully have the bike signed and get

retro classic bike enthusiast autumn 2014

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