Suzuki Japanese

GS1000S cornerstones
Bulletproof brawn Bikes that changed our world

BUY  SELL  RIDE  RESTORE FEBRUARY 2023

Triumph
TR7
The thinking rider’s choice

BSA B25SS t a super bike

Short-lived bu

Rebuild a
round slide
carburettor
Get the crud out and
run like brand new
28 34 46

52 56 60

66 84 92

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of Classic Bike Guide, head to
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Alternatively, scan the QR code on this page and order your next copy today.
We will send it directly to you! Save time by not having to nip to the shop!

CLASSIC BIKE GUIDE || FEBRUARY 2023 3

 Contents

#010

006 From the archive

When men were hard and
women were harder!
034 Japanese cornerstones 066When will I be famous:
Honda CB350S
After seeing the GS1000S, Steve
decided to bring you more It has a red frame, Honda
seminal Japanese machines. quality, and looks fast standing

010 Your
B25SS
guide to: BSA
042 What’s on
still – what’s not to like?

One of the last BSA models and

only made for one year, the B25SS
still raises your heartbeat.
Autojumbles, meets, ride-outs
and shows – they’re all here. 071 Buying a classic
Just a few pointers before you
head into the reader adverts!

019 Next month

What we have in store for
044 Letters
Let us know your stories, your
advice, and what you think. 072 Reader adverts
They’re shiny, they’re for sale...
next month, including a divine and they could be yours.
Magni-framed Laverda.
046 Frank
G3CS
on the: Matchless
084 Hutch’s workshop tips:
020 Subscribe!
Go on, save yourself some money
and save us from having to do
then goes like hell!
renovating
It’s loud, hard to kick, and
This month, a sunken centrestand
gets modified to be useful again.
something less exciting – subscribe!
052 Modern retro: BMW R18 088 Project BMW
Many people are interested

022 News
All the goings-on in our
world of old bikes.
in this Leviathan of a cruiser
– what’s it really like?
We get making stuff to make the
old boxer a modern sprinter.

024 Products
We’ve been spending money – do
056 Magni BMW
A chance visit led to a beautiful
Magni-framed boxer.
092 Rebuilding
carbs
round-slide
It’s a more common job now, cleaning
we recommend, or wish we hadn’t? out carbs to rid any bad running.

028 Your guide to: Suzuki

GS1000S
060 TR7RV
Your guide to: Triumph
098 Frank’s Last Words
The thinking man’s Bonneville Buy it, or don’t buy it – either
One man has shared much of his or not the real thing? We fall way, regret is an issue
life with a big GS1000S. What for the Triumph TR7RV.
better guide to the model?

4 FEBRUARY 2023 || CLASSIC BIKE GUIDE


Happy new year!
G
reetings – and we all hope you
had a great festive time. It wasn’t
too cold here in the Badlands of
Norfolk and we managed a couple of trips
to the coast as Father Christmas put us
on the ‘good’ list and there is a fresh-
faced trio of bikes in the family. Brother
Sam has got himself a gorgeous Aprilia
RS125, Uncle John a new Triumph Tiger
660 and Maria a mean and moody Ducati
Scrambler. And the BMW has a new top
box to match the Krauser panniers, so it
was drafted in as my ‘modern’ bike and
kept me sheltered and warm – for the
traditional stop for cake at Wells. The
next ride out, I intended to use the B31
but tightened the rattling petrol tank
mounting bolt, which then fractured the
tank. Darn. I thought I better drain the fuel
and leave it at home. What is it with fuel
tanks at the moment? Hope you managed
to get out and didn’t suffer any issues!
If you like building engines, you may
like my Christmas present, a make-it-
yourself watch. Cogs, screwdrivers, pliers
and fine tolerances, but on a minute scale
– you don’t get dirty and can do it in the
warmth of the house. One for the birthday
list, perhaps.
As I write this, the van still lies full after
the Classic Bike Guide Winter Classic show
at Newark. Weather was as expected in
January, but Sunday was drier and the
mix of bikes was great – a real example of
classics in all their forms, from prewar to
the 1990s. And then there is the scooter
hall, which I love as it’s an area I know
nothing about, so all of it is new! It has a
real buzz about it... I love the music, and
the attention to detail on the scooters
is incredible. Expect to see
a feature this year on the
Maicolette scooter – a great
machine, part bike-part scooter,
with a really supportive club
for owners.
Special guests at shows
mean more to some people than
others, and this time it was me with Carl
Fogarty. The multiple World Superbike
champion had me turning into a gibbering
adolescent as I went up, all nervous, to
ask for my book to be signed! He couldn’t
have been nicer, so thank you for not
bursting that hero bubble, Carl. Talking to
friend and rival, Jamie Whitham was full
of insight, especially with the compere,
Steve Plater.
It took me back to Sundays in front of
the excellent Sky coverage of WSB that
was a must-see for my father, my brother
and I – the one in my head is always the
old Hockenheimring, with that shot of the
now abandoned straights into the woods.
The long-lens shot would show the front-
runners all slipstreaming each other until
it came to braking, and waiting to see who
peeled into the chicane first. I was too
young for Hailwood or Read, so Foggy it
was for me.
Welcome
I must say a huge sorry to the CBG dog,
Avi. He’s often in the background of photos
or joins us on rides in his special dog-
carrying backpack. His favourite is riding in
the tank bag of the R100RT as he can look
ahead through the great screen. But on New
Year’s Day, his tail had an ‘altercation’ with
the chain and sprocket as I was pushing a
bike. He was very brave, the vet was superb,
and he’s not taken offence from either the
bikes or me. But still, sorry, Avi!
May we all have a great year ahead.
Thank you for reading Classic Bike Guide
and, as ever, if you have any interesting
bikes, new ideas or thoughts on what
you’d like to read, let us know at editor@
classicbikeguide.com
Enjoy,
Matt Hull
editor@classicbikeguide.com
 From our archive

■ Sometimes,
enough is
enough...
This month’s shot from the archive
shows staff and friends from The Motor
Cycle magazine on their way to a winter
rally. Here at Classic Bike Guide, we love
a challenge – but do you feel that the
threshold of ‘this has gone far enough’
has been reached? Find a pub, I’d say!
Still, smiles are a plenty, so they seem
to be enjoying it.

6 FEBRUARY 2023 || CLASSIC BIKE GUIDE

CLASSIC BIKE GUIDE || FEBRUARY 2023 7
Parts Sp
pecialists
While there are a number of companies that
seem to specialise in every aspect of our
two wheeled world, we have to remember
that there are also a large number of
companies that specialise in some very
specific areas. Not only are these companies
likely to have an expansive knowledge of
their chosen subject, they’re also far more
likely to stock the seemingly rare and
unobtainable parts that can’t be found at
the more generic dealers and suppliers
The logic is clear – if you want a haircut, you
don’t go to the supermarket. So, if you want
a certain part for your classic motorcycle,
then you approach the companies that deal
in parts and expertise in those very models.
And look what we have here – a number of
specialists whose focus is on certain makes
and models of classic motorcycle, just the job!
 BSA B25SS
Gold Star
One of the last BSAs may have only lasted one
year, but you can fit a lot of fun into a year…

S
teve Davies has one of the neatest unit-
Words by Oli Photos by James Archibald
construction BSA Gold Stars you’ll ever see.
Made in December 1971, when there was
still some optimism about BSA’s future,
this B25SS Gold Star is from the days when
staff at Small Heath were proud of what came off the
production line. It’s not original, not the paint scheme,
or the exhaust, but it is a splendid example of the
breed.
The roadster-spec B25SS Gold Star was bought by
Steve in 1981 and he’s had it ever since. It came with
a blue frame, no wiring loom and no back wheel: “I
couldn’t believe how many parts had just been
thrown away. It belonged to a friend and I paid £100
for it. It had chrome tank and side panels, the frame
was blue, along with rear guard and light unit, and a
Japanese front guard and indicators had been fitted.
“The V5 said the original colour scheme was a red
tank with a black stripe across it, and a black band
and pinstripe over the front mudguard. When it was
stripped for repainting, I found that the blue finish
had been painted over the original Dove Grey paint,
and there were bits of the red and black scheme, too.”
Steve got some parts together, including a £15 rear
wheel and got the B25SS road legal, but found that it
kept leaping out of third gear: “It was quite noisy, too.”
He stashed the bike in the corner of his garage for
the next 20 years, devoting his time to his two BSA
A10 twins instead, but carrying out occasional work
on the Gold Star. “I did a total rewire and I’d often find
myself lying in bed reading the Haynes manual. Then
I got married and we had kids and it all stopped until
2011.”
The first step was to get all the fasteners zinc
electroplated at his workplace, PRB fabrications –
“they don’t do nickel or chrome” – and attention was
paid to the paint. The frame was powder-coated in
the original Dove Grey, while the tank and side panels
were powder-coated blue. Steve has also stripped the
engine down twice. He’s replaced pretty much every
bush, bearing and spring, and changed the timing side
bush and main bearing and the piston rings. The only
internals unchanged are the valves.
“It took me a while to figure out the gearbox,” he
said. “The selector arm pin and roller bearing locate

10 FEBRUARY 2023 || CLASSIC BIKE GUIDE

Above: How Steve COST:
found his B25SS. You can pick a rough one
He has the original up from £2000 or a good
silencer safe, but one from £3500. Dealers
prefers the slightly have started to push the
noisier aftermarket one price up to about £5000
for a spotless example.
Do an oil change for
£30, spend £150-£200
on tyres, and spend
£30 each for the three
Rupert Ratio Unit Singles
Manuals, the unit single
owner’s bible.

CLASSIC BIKE GUIDE || FEBRUARY 2023 11

in the selector fork that runs through the gear plate,
and one of the pair was missing the roller, which was
why it was leaping out of third as the roller can come
off the end of the pin. I didn’t realise it was missing
the first time, and it took two trips into the gearbox
to get it right.” A new old stock BSA loom was a prime
find, as was an original seat. “All I had to do to the
front wheel and forks was give them a clean-up, and
fit new brake shoes and the mudguard.”
The petrol tank sealant, which had cracked and
had broken up, was removed with caustic soda,
and a new airbox and centrestand were found for
just £20, along with a better condition rear wheel,
complete with the 7-inch conical brake hub. Original
Lucas indicators were found at the VMCC auto
jumble at Shepton Mallet, with many of the other Look around the late-
parts, including clocks, sourced with some diligent date BSA and you’ll see
parts from both BSA
eBay surfing. and Triumph models
Steve has the original ‘metal box’ silencer, but he
has used the much lighter and more attractive high-

“It was leaping out of third as the roller can

come off the end of the pin. I didn’t realise
it was missing the first time and it took
two trips into the gearbox to get it right.”

12 FEBRUARY 2023 || CLASSIC BIKE GUIDE

level silencer offered for the B25 and B50. The original
is being inspected for re-use and is to be cut open to
check the baffling before being rewelded.
As a charming lady aged in her early 50s, the B25SS
gets treated respectfully these days, used on special
occasions and in decent weather. Steve was delighted
to win a Bike of The Night trophy at Weston-super-
Mare’s bike night, a summertime event that brings
800-plus people to the seaside town every Thursday,
and it was a well-deserved accolade. “It takes people
back,” said Steve. “It’s been so pleasing to do it in so
many ways”
The ‘other’ Gold Star
The BSA Gold Star B25SS was something of a surprise
when it arrived in 1971. It didn’t look like a BSA single
should. It was too modern, for one thing, and using
that famed name was enough to cause apoplexy
among BSAs traditional buyer base.
Unlike today, where you can nail an old name onto
anything without a fairing and call it a retro, using a
name that was so lauded just seven years after the
last legendary Gold Star singles had been lovingly
created was a bit of an own goal – yet this bike was
the first of a popular breed. The purpose-built on/off-
roader was the first real trail bike you could buy.
It might not have been able to lap Brooklands at
100mph like the original Gold Star, but the B25SS (SS
for Street Scrambler) was easily capable of 80mph and
could be pushed to 90mph on the wayward clock if
you had little sympathy for its mechanical integrity.
Steve’s bike was The history of the BSA unit single goes back a long
red with a black way – and it wasn’t even a BSA, originally. Back in the
stripe originally, but
while he kept with
late 1940s, BSA’s 250s were the sidevalve, C10 and the
the grey frame, he ohv plunger framed C11, with the swingarm-equipped
preferred blue C12 coming shortly afterwards. These were heavy,
primitive bikes with separate engine and gearboxes,
and BSA urgently needed a replacement. While the
experimental shop worked on a high-performance
single based around half an A7 twin, the accountants
who were starting to get a stranglehold on the
factory looked around and saw the Triumph 150cc
Terrier and 200cc Tiger Cub unit singles. These were
quite smart and looked more than capable of being
turned into something bigger. BSA straightened up
the barrel, made everything a bit bigger, and released
a new, modern single, the C15. The C15 was given a
sporty upgrade to become the SS80, and bored out to
350cc to make the B40, which was to replace the old,
pedestrian B31.
As the 1960s moved on, BSA decided to boost the
models again with a new 250, the C25 Barracuda. The
Barracuda had a good frame and a new big-fin engine
producing a claimed 25bhp. This, it was claimed,
revved to 9000rpm with a 10:1 compression ratio and
was fitted with a ‘super sports’ camshaft. Many a
teenage learner found to their cost that while this was
true, doing it all the time was a bad idea. There was
a smart fibreglass petrol tank, big, sculpted fibreglass
side panels, and a humped seat.
The Barracuda name lasted just a year before BSA
realised that Plymouth in the USA had the rights to
CLASSIC BIKE GUIDE || FEBRUARY 2023 13
 SPECIFICATION (1971 MODEL)
ENGINE: Dry sump 249cc single ohv Compression Ratio: 10:1 BORE and STROKE: 67 x 70
POWER: 22.5bhp@ 8000rpm CARB: 28mm Amal Concentric PRIMARY DRIVE: Chain/wet
multiplate clutch, four-speed gearbox IGNITION: 12v coil and points WHEELS/TYRES: Front
3.25x18, rear 3.25x18 BRAKES: Front 8in conical 2LS, rear 7-inch conical FUEL TANK: Two or three
gallon OIL CAPACITY: Four pint/2.3-litre SEAT HEIGHT: 32in/787mm LENGTH: 85in/2103mm
WHEELBASE: 54in/1351mm GROUND CLEARANCE: 7in/180mm DRY WEIGHT: 290lb/127kg

OWNERS’ CLUB
www.bsaownersclub.
co.uk EXHAUST
The exhaust is a push to fit in the head.
The metal box silencer is, if anything,
SPECIALISTS too quiet and the exhaust note is
BSA Unit Singles in the drowned out by the noise from the
USA has a huge database top end. Or, if you have sympathetic
of information and spares, neighbours, take the original off, store
including adverts and it somewhere nice and dry, and bolt on
free-to-download parts a B44 Victor Special silencer or a cheap
lists and service and reverse cone megaphone.
workshop manuals
www.bsaunitsingles.com

UK SPECIALISTS
In the UK, if Draganfly
LUBRICATION
The original manual lists 20w-50
doesn’t have what you
multigrade for the engine, EP90 gearbox
need on its excellent
oil, and SAE20 for the primary chaincase
website, www.draganfly.
and forks. Many people use multigrade
co.uk, then Burton Bike
oil or ATF instead of SAE20 on the
Bits (www.burtonbikebits.
primary chain as easier to find. The most
net) or C&D Autos
important thing to do is change primary
almost certainly will.
drive and engine oil regularly and keep
Classicmotorcyclespares.
the inline filter clean.
com is quite handy too.
For electrical parts like
LED bulbs and electronic
ignition, try Paul Goff at
www.norbsa02.freeuk.
com
BODYWORK, BRAKES AND
WHEELS
The tank is tiny and very smart.
Mudguards are the same design
as used on the first OIF twins, with
spindly mounts and brackets. Some
of the brackets to fit them are almost
unobtainable. The brakes on the Gold
Star are big but heavy, though the
brake on the Victor is all you need. The
Victor had a 20in front tyre and finding
one will be difficult, to the extent
that re-rimming the wheel is worth
considering. Setting up a conical hub is
a bit of a bind.

14 FEBRUARY 2023 || CLASSIC BIKE GUIDE

the name and the renamed and revamped B25 Starfire
hit British dealerships.
The front brake went full-width in 1968 and the
high-compression piston was retained, while BSA
decided to drop the valve lifter that had made the
C25 easier to start. The tank was changed to steel
when the Government banned fibreglass petrol tanks.
The 1969/70 Starfire had modifications to the engine
breathing to help with oil retention at high revs.
The rose-tinted spectacles that many a rider wears
allows them to believe that Japanese 250s in the 1960s
were reliable and British ones weren’t, conveniently
forgetting Honda’s chocolate camshafts, the holed
pistons on two-strokes and the screws apparently
made from an alloy of tin and papier-mâché and
waiting months for the boat to arrive from Japan with
your spares on it.
By now it was 1971. Motorcycles were out of
fashion. As things went awry, BSA’s design shop at
Umberslade Hall came up with The Power Set, the
bikes that were to take BSA and, to a lesser extent, “Leave it alone!” Steve Bandit/Fury swallowed up might have been better
Triumph into the 1970s. checks what Olli spent on the singles. Producing a brand-new light-
is fiddling with...
This included the new oil-in-frame big twins, the middleweight single at the same time as a brand new,
latest version of the Rocket 3, the much-anticipated untested, high-tech 350 twin looks like a brave – and
BSA/Triumph Bandit /Fury 350cc dohc twins and the in retrospect, foolish – move.
new singles. The singles project consisted of the 250cc The other thing was that it didn’t look like a BSA.
B25SS to replace the Starfire and a new 500cc B50 to The styling was nothing like anything seen before
replace the B44. from a British manufacturer and it was, if anything,
Calling the road version of the 250 a Gold Star too modern. The long-term BSA fans who were
didn’t make them any friends, and by that time the buyers of new motorcycles and who were wedded to
market was fast running away, with the one thing traditional styling didn’t want these new bikes.
that might have saved the unit single, an electric start, The design was based on the world championship-
missing. winning BSA works scrambler of John Banks, with
The Japanese had them, at least until their poorly oil-bearing frame, and they were modern machines,
designed starter clutches collapsed. The BSA didn’t, with indicators, motocross-style eccentric chain
and this did put off buyers. The money that the failed adjustment at the swinging arm pivot and 12-volt

CLASSIC BIKE GUIDE || FEBRUARY 2023 15


ELECTRICS
The electrical system is basic and as challenging as any Lucas set-
up. Popping in LED bulbs is worth considering. You could change
the Lucas points set-up to an electronic system (£100-170).
However, the battery will need to be in tip-top condition to start
it, and if it goes wrong, it’s going to be pricey to replace – unlike
fitting a new set of points and a condenser. At lower voltages, the
Pazon systems work best. The advantage of points is that you can
see if they are functioning simply by opening them up and seeing
if there’s a spark, rather than faffing about with black boxes and
multimeters. Switchgear is that ghastly early 1970s Lucas design,
instruments are Smiths, and the little 60mm clocks command
hefty prices as no one makes replicas. If you find an original, snap
it up.
electrics. They had Ceriani-style long travel forks and
lots of bits from bikes across the BSA range.
The engine received some upgrades. The conrod
was redesigned with a larger shoulder section. This
meant the crankshaft had to be to be revised to clear
the thicker conrod.
A new cast iron oil pump was fitted to ensure the
plain bearing big end got a good flow of oil, and this
was a vast improvement on the old alloy bodied pump
fitted to the earlier 250, which was prone to warping
leading to reduction in oil pressure. Power output was
reduced to 22.5bhp to improve reliability.
The mating surfaces between the barrel and
cylinder head were made larger and a new head
gasket was designed. Rocker box mounting studs were
increased in size. Attention to the clutch, including a
hub that allowed the use of an extra plate, improved
gear changing.
With the frame for the 250 near identical to
the B50, the engine mountings were bigger and
stronger. The changes to the engines and fasteners
mean that engine parts for the 250SS are often not
interchangeable with earlier models.
The 250cc models were only in production for a
16 FEBRUARY 2023 || CLASSIC BIKE GUIDE
FUELLING
The B25SS has an Amal Mk.1
Concentric carb. Some came with
chokes and some didn’t, but they don’t
really need them, as flooding on the
tickler will do the job. A replacement
Amal will cost about £140, and the
remarkably similar Wassell is £100,
which isn’t a great deal more than
buying jets and gaskets and floats
and will save you hours of frustrating
fiddling about with needle heights and
jet sizes.
year. The financial situation of the BSA Group forced
a great reduction in the model range in 1972 and the
250s were discontinued, with only the B50 models
flying the single-cylinder flag.
Despite the uncomfortable birth and short lifespan,
the B25SS was a pretty good motorcycle. The oil in
the top frame rail was routed through an external oil
filter, tucked in behind the engine. There were decent
(if hard to set up) brakes, a good four-speed box and
– once you had managed to kick the thing into life –
sporty performance.
They had even managed to sort out the unit
singles tendency to destroy itself. Some neat touches
were designed for the US off-road market, including
an electrical system that could be disconnected by
pulling a single, waterproof plug from the electrical
box below the tank so you could take the headlight
and indicators off for off-road work. You could remove
the whole box to service the electrical system.
The exhaust down pipe was tucked in through the
frame and fitted to a huge silencer to comply with
US spark arresting regulations to stop those pesky
misfiring motorcycles setting fire to their national
forests.
 ENGINE
The engine is a two-valve pushrod single. With an alloy barrel and head and undamped fins,
it’s incredibly noisy and sounds to modern ears as if it’s going to explode at any minute. BSA
used an eccentric adjustment for the rockers; on one hand, this makes setting them easy,
and on the other, accurate adjustment is nigh on impossible. That high-compression piston
can make it hard to start, a problem the performance versions of the unit 250 always had.
Solutions include fitting a lower compression Fleetstar piston if you can find one. Half a
century on, if the bike still runs and sounds rattly rather than thumpy, you’re probably going
to be all right. The gearbox is mostly trouble-free, which is just as well, as the parts were
interchangeable with the B44 Victor Special and B50 and are now thin on the ground.

RUBBER, NUTS AND

BOLTS
Rubber bits like grommets,
gaiters, sleeves, instrument cups
and so on do cause issues. Not all
rubber is the same, and a lot of
cheap stuff will fall apart. Unlike
the earlier Starfire, you don’t need
to deal with a frustrating mixture
of threads, and nuts and bolts are
mostly UNC and UNF.

The Victor off-roaders had a six-inch SLS front
brake and a high-level front mudguard, and the Gold
Star models had an 8-inch 2LS conical hub as used
on the Bonneville and A65 Lightning, which was far
more brake that the Gold Star needed. It used the
short-lived, bent-wire headlamp brackets and wire-
stay mounted front mudguard – which had to be used
so the then compulsory front number plate could
be fitted.
Across the Atlantic, the new SS models slotted
neatly into the market for dual purpose machines,
and the BSA models were far more comfortable off-
road that their Japanese rivals.
Despite this, the last BSA singles were only built
until 1972. A Fleetstar utility version with the lower
compression piston and a much larger (and uglier)
petrol tank was offered, and some of the very last
Gold Star models were supplied with this tank. A
500cc unit single which was an off-the-shelf race
winner stayed in production into 1973, but by that
time, BSA was gone, and the bike was badged as the
Triumph TR5MX.
BSA had saved the best ‘till last – and by then
nobody wanted the bikes it made any more.
Fancy one?
WHAT TO LOOK OUT FOR ON A B25SS
They feel like a modern The B25SS, if you can start it, is perfect for nipping
bike and like to be down to the shops, to the pub, or blatting along
handled with revs. The
B25 then gives its all
deserted B roads to a bike night. You can jump on
it, and after giving the beast a couple of healthy
prods, it will burst theatrically into life. They don’t
even vibrate that much. Although it’s a biggish
single, the B25SS is no plodder, and riding it like
some iron-barrelled old Brit one is inappropriate.
Low-speed slogging and then suddenly
accelerating will put strain on the bottom end.
Keep the oil clean and ride it in spirited fashion,
as you might a Japanese bike of the same period.
Pootle in the lower gears with the revs moderately
up, or if you must, ride it like the teenager it was
designed for. With such a tiny tank, long rides are a
challenge, so you might as well have fun swinging
round your local bends instead. Despite the slightly
unjust reputation for fragility, a B25SS will have
you grinning from ear-to-ear. It is just the thing to
have sitting in the garage for when you feel like
being a teenage hooligan again. Just be prepared
to fight your way through admiring crowds to get
to it when it’s parked up.

CLASSIC BIKE GUIDE || FEBRUARY 2023 17

18 FEBRUARY 2023 || CLASSIC BIKE GUIDE
 Next month

Rudge special || Ducati Monster

|| Rebuilding Amal Carbs || Yamaha XT500

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 Subscribe!
This kind RAC service
patrolman fends off the floods
in Maidenhead, Berkshire, to
get a lady to her destination.
Being on the Thames,
Maidenhead has suffered
several floods, this one most
likely in either 1947 or 1959.
The bike, which looks like a
Norton 16H, would have been
perfect for the job, especially
with leg guards and crashbars,
but check out the outfit – what
a useful space, and the box is
even sprung. Just don’t look at
his completely bald front tyre,
officer – he must have ‘leant’
his own to a member…
Introduced in 1910, the RAC
stopped using bikes in favour
for vans in the late 1960s,
though brought some back a
decade later to help stranded
motorists stuck in traffic. A
shame, as those jackets look
wonderful.

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 Classic news
Stuart heads solo for the ‘Stans’
Classic bike dealer and
enthusiast Stuart Ringer is
to tackle a 14,000-mile solo
motorcycle ride from the UK
to the ‘Stans’ of Central Asia
and back to the UK, leaving
on April 2 and returning in
October.
He will cross Europe on
his Yamaha Tenere 700 to
ride through Turkey, Georgia
and Azerbaijan, from where
he will cross the Caspian
Sea by ferry to land in
Kazakhstan. From here
he will be riding along the
fabled Silk Roads through
the Pamir mountains on
Mutt’s black metal
Birmingham-based Mutt
Motorcycles has revealed
details of its newest model.
The DRK-01 is described
as being ‘as black as the
sky over Bill’s mother’s’ – a
phrase only heard in the
Midlands (and a reference to
Kaiser Wilhelm I, trivia fans).
Mutt says this machine
is ‘the ultimate Black
Metal from Birmingham.’
Designed by the Mutt team
at its King’s Norton HQ, the
DRK-01 is built around an
all-new six-speed dohc
liquid-cooled engine in 125
and 250cc capacities. This
marks a significant change
and represents the start
22 FEBRUARY 2023 || CLASSIC BIKE GUIDE
the Pamir Highway that
borders Afghanistan and
through to the high steppe of
Kyrgyzstan. He hopes to get
to the Kazakhstan MotoGP
on July 5, where he will then
head back to the UK via a
similar route.
Stuart says: “I am taking
part in this project to help
raise funds and awareness
around mental health and
addiction, two issues that
have touched my life in
recent years. I lost a friend
to these diseases in 2019 and
of an ambitious long-term
model development plan for
the brand.
Along with the engine,
there are an array of all-new
components across the bike.
A bespoke CNC-machined
I have witnessed first-hand
how devastating they can
be. I am raising funds for the
Movember Foundation and
The Forward Trust.
“Both these organisations
do fantastic work raising
awareness and gathering
support around mental
health and addiction issues.”
To help promote the
trip and raise funds for the
charities, Stuart has created
the website www.roadtripmc.
com, where you can follow
the progress of his trip and
pledge your support to
his efforts.
LED headlight sits up front
on inverted forks, and
stopping power is provided
by twin-pot calipers and
custom discs. The matt
black finish on the 16.5-litre
tank features angular lines,
Festival
of 1000
Bikes 2023
cancelled
There will be no VMCC Festival
of 1000 Bikes in 2023. The club
has decided not to hold the
event this year and will also
postpone non-competitive
track events until 2024.
Despite the 2022 event being
run entirely by volunteers, it
still lost money; the cost of
hiring the Mallory Park circuit
amounted to three-quarters
of the total bill for the event.
Negotiations took place to
reduce this bill, but despite the
offer of a discount, the club felt
that the price was still too high.
It has also decided that
the Cadwell Track Weekend
will not run in 2023 for both
financial and risk reasons.
This year the club expects
to roll out a new programme
with Peter James Insurance
to include cover for specified
VMCC events. The VMCC
is exploring options to run
these events in 2024 when
all members with VMCC
motorcycle insurance will be
under the new cover.
The VMCC is in negotiation
with Classic Track Days about
including VMCC classes within
its existing events.
emphasised by a custom
flush-mount fuel cap.
The Mutt DRK-01 will be
available from spring 2023.
Super Meteor strikes
Royal Enfield has unveiled its
latest mid-sized twin, the Super
Meteor 650, into the hotly
contested cruiser market. It is
based around the company’s
648cc twin engine and joins
the Interceptor 650 and
Continental GT 650 in Royal
Enfield showrooms.
The Super Meteor 650
features a low stance and
comfortable seat with a narrow
waist. A large tank gives
extended range and there are
wide tubeless tyres on alloy
rims. Royal Enfield was one
of the first UK companies to
adopt cruiser styling with
the US export variants of the
South East show 2023 calendar
The dates for a series of
popular classic bike shows and
jumbles in the South East have
been released.
Organiser Julie Diplock has
a positive view of the year
ahead. “Seven events are quite
a significant commitment for a
small business like ours,” she
says, “but people seem to like
that we run bike-only jumbles
combined with a classic
motorcycle show. Our research
shows that 80% of visitors
return, and we are fortunate
to have a loyal band of regular
stallholders too.”
original Redditch Super Meteor
in the mid-1950s. In the late
1990s, RE introduced cruising
culture to the Indian market
with the release of Citybike, a
single-cylinder cruiser based
on the legendary Bullet. This
evolved into the Lightning 535,
which during its time became
the biggest-selling motorcycle
in India. The launch of the
Meteor 350 in 2020 continued
RE’s involvement in the cruiser
market and has been a huge
sales success.
Royal Enfield’s chief of
design, Mark Wells, says: “Our
goal was to create a motorcycle
that captures the very essence
Parking is free at all Elk events,
under-16s go free too, and well-
behaved dogs are welcome.
The calendar of events is:
South of England Classic
Show and Bikejumble: Sunday,
March 26. South of England
Showground, Ardingly, near
Gatwick RH17 6TL.
Ashford Classic Motorcycle
Show and Bikejumble: Easter
Bank Holiday Monday, April 10,
at Ashford Livestock Market,
Ashford, Kent TN24 0HB.
Romney Marsh Classic
Bikejumble with Ride-In Show:
of British cruisers. The design
language is influenced by styles
of the 1950s, including our
own motorcycles, but with a
contemporary twist.”
Created by Harris
Performance, the all-new
chassis of the Super Meteor
provides a low centre of gravity
Sunday, May 7 at Hamstreet,
near Ashford, Kent TN26 2JD.
Romney Marsh Classic
Bikejumble with Ride-In Show:
Sunday, June 25 at Hamstreet.
South of England Classic
Show and Bikejumble:
Sunday, July 30 at South of
England Showground.
Romney Marsh Classic
Bikejumble with Ride-In
Show: Sunday, September
17at Hamstreet.
South of England Classic
Show and Bikejumble:
Sunday, October 29 at South of
England Showground.
CLASSIC BIKE GUIDE || FEBRUARY 2023
for high-speed stability and
easy manoeuvrability that is
confidence-inspiring for all
levels of rider.
It includes USD forks, LED
headlamps, a state-of-the-
art TBT navigation system,
redesigned engine covers and a
premium fit and finish.
Hesketh’s
Heresy
breaks
cover
After a few months
of teasing, Hesketh
Motorcycles has released
images of its first single-
cylinder motorcycle, the
Hesketh Heresy.
The Hesketh Heresy 450
is powered by air/oil-cooled,
four-stroke single-cylinder
engine, based on the
engine from Honda’s XR400
and built to Hesketh’s
specification in Taiwan.
This follows Hesketh’s
practice of using of external
engine designers in the
past, with the original
L-twin being developed
by Weslake and the more
recent Hesketh 24 using
a US-built two-litre S&S
V-twin.
The new Hesketh is part
café racer, part streetfighter.
It is expected to retail at
about £14,000 – not much
more than the 1982 V1000
produced 40 years ago.
23
 Products
Dainese Sport
Master Gore-
Tex boots
Buying decisions for boots rarely
come stranger than this. My beloved,
comfortable-all-day-long-top-of-the-range
Daytona GTX Vortex, while 10 years old
and weathered, do not fit nicely in between
the fairing, carbs and footrests of my daily
transport, my BMW R100RS. While they
will soldier on riding other bikes, I needed
something daintier for the fussy Bavarian
steed – enter the Dainese Sport Masters.
The outer is not leather but a manmade
material, apparently just as strong and feels safe, without feeling like concrete in comparison and are twice the price,
as breathable as leather, but more over-boots… though cheaper Daytonas like the Road
consistent? Within that is the same Gore- The narrow shin area has the obvious Star are a similar price and not only are
Tex waterproof/breathable liner that the front protection, but uniquely tapers in at Gore-Tex equipped but can also come in
Daytonas have, followed by a comfortable the sides and rear to allow the boot to fit wider sizes.
inner. inside all but the skinniest of trousers. This I have additionally bought Dainese
The sole is grippy but narrow – as most means you don’t find stones shooting in leather trousers as the boots didn’t fit
Italian boots seem to be. It also doesn’t your boot and, crucially, rainwater getting under my existing leathers. These have
look that well glued on, the zip feels weak, in – if your trousers are waterproof, that is! an expander zip and Velcro, so they all fit
and the plastic protection looks very It also feels less intrusive on the bike. In together – it’s a system I like. Dainese may
second-hand, marking quickly. my opinion, they also help you to blend in not be perfect, but it does something with
The boot does up from behind with a more when off the bike, opposed to boots its leather that makes it so comfortable
zip and is narrow. This suits me but won’t you wear outside your trousers. without any bedding in, it seems.
others. Once on, all day walking/riding is These boots work perfectly on the BMW, Overall, a good, comfy boot – not
very comfortable, and though the anti- with dexterity, comfort and size. The Gore- perfect, but if it can do half the work my
distortion ankle protection looks dramatic, Tex gives the reassurance of dry feet on old boots have, I’ll be really happy.
you hardly notice it. The heel is well built- a long journey and should be breathable. ■ £370 (£287 discounted)
up too, and as a whole the Sport Master The Daytonas feel cumbersome and huge ■ dainese.com

24 FEBRUARY 2023 || CLASSIC BIKE GUIDE

Oxford
Products fuel
flask and fuel
stash
This one-litre (also available in 1.5-litre)
fuel flask will fit on many bikes in many
places, especially with the bottle stash.
The stash has so many straps I haven’t
found a bike it won’t fit on, though home. And I found that every time you fill
security is something else! The stash is it, you spend a minute with a cloth getting
superbly well-made and will hold a drinks rid of any drips, which then means you
container or the fuel flask – just don’t get stink, or it can ruin paint or plastic. It also
muddled up. pours badly, thanks to the internal thread.
The fuel flask is also well-made and When you need an emergency flask, you’ll Triumph: Pictorial
should take a drop, but it is finicky. The be glad of it, but it’s not the best solution.
top is small, so to fill from a petrol pump ■ £20 and £25 History
nozzle is precarious or has to be filled at ■ oxfordproducts.com Hundreds of photographs spanning
Triumph’s history are featured in a
new collection specially selected by

Defender shock contact alarm

James Robinson, editor of The Classic
MotorCycle magazine.
Triumph: Pictorial History of the
I like easy, and this alarm is really easy. Great British Marque delves deep
Created to secure sheds and garages, it into the Mortons Archive to cover
has been tested to the Master Locksmith everything from the late Victorian age
Association gold standard, as well as to the Great War, the Vintage period
police standards. (1918-1930), the 1930s, the Second
The alarm is powered by three included World War, the 1950s boom years, the
AAA batteries and a tiny solar panel that cool 1960s, the difficult 1970s, the
extends the battery life to more than one death and rebirth of Triumph in the
year. It sticks on or screws to the door 1980s and up to the present day.
and frame and unless you keep to the Robinson’s passion for Triumph over
30-second exit or five-second entry delay, the last 20 years is well documented,
a 130db alarm will sound. It also has a from the charming Model H to the
vibration sensor. amazing prewar Tiger 100, Tridents,
It works superbly and only once have I Thunderbirds through the ages,
not been quick enough to get the code in. and pretty much every incarnation
It’s not set off by cats, doesn’t need wiring of Bonneville.
in, and there is no subscription. Superb. ■ £25
■ £15 ■ mortonsbooks.co.uk
■ defendersecurityproducts.co.uk

Auto XS
½in torque
wrench
Went in for some beans and a cheesecake,
came out with a torque wrench. I love Aldi.
Is it any good? I’ve tested it with my 3⁄8th
torque wrench and they read the same,
so providing I unwind it each time I use
it, there’s no reason to not think so. Came
with a short extension and a 17mm, 19mm
and 21mm socket. Three-year warranty as
well. If it breaks, I’ll use it as a hammer.
■ £20
■ aldi.co.uk

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26 FEBRUARY 2023 || CLASSIC BIKE GUIDE
 One
love Life with a GS1000S has
become second nature for
this knowledgeable owner

Words and photography by Stuart Urquhart

With thanks to Mac McDonald

S
everal years ago, I scribed a feature
about Mac MacDonald’s John Player
Norton Commando (JPN). You might recall
that Mac was a RAF technician before
his retirement, responsible for keeping
Tornado F3s in the air. At the time, Mac desired an
RAF colleague’s boxed and non-running JPN which
was up for sale, so his wife bought it as a surprise.
Then Mac had to sell his prized Suzuki GS1000S in
order to properly restore the JPN.
Mac would be the first to confess that he missed
his GS, and he had to find another – BUT without
parting with his treasured JPN. Mac wanted the
rare red and white model because “it’s the only one
to have!” Interestingly, the splendid 1979 GS1000S
featured hereabouts was found in a similar state to
his Norton – in boxes and a non-runner! Thus, he was
facing another rebuild before his boxed Suzuki could
be returned to the road.
Mac is a regular at SCMC events and I first spotted
his magnificent machine at a club gathering. What
follows is the enlightening story of how this broken
GS was returned to the road.

Early days
“In the summer of 1979 I was based at RAF Kinloss
in Morayshire and riding a Suzuki GS550. Our local
Suzuki dealer was Doug Gordon in Burghead. One
day I breezed into the showroom, where taking
centre stage was the much-awaited GS1000S. I’d
been impressed with press reports on Suzuki’s new
flagship machine, but glossy pictures were nothing
compared to seeing the bike in the flesh – and it was
my favourite red and white model. I stood in awe and
decided I just had to have it!
“Back then, the GS competed with the Z1, CBX,
and R100RS – the latter of which I couldn’t possibly
afford, so I traded my 550 against the GS. At about
525lb (240kg), the new GS was lardy compared to
my 550 and initially I was concerned that weight
might be an issue. But it proved a fine machine, with
an impressive-handling chassis. I think I had face-
ache from grinning every time I returned to base! In
October 1979, I was then posted to RAF Halton (near
Aylesbury). Regular 400-mile each-way weekend
trips from Aylesbury to visit family in Glasgow
were common, and the big GS gobbled up distance
with ease.”

“Taking centre stage was the much-awaited Disaster strikes

GS1000S. I’d been impressed with press
reports on Suzuki’s new flagship machine,
but glossy pictures were nothing compared
to seeing the bike in the flesh – and it was
my favourite red and white model.”
But months later, disaster struck. Mac always parked
the GS at the rear of his barracks and one day he was
startled to hear shouts that a bike was on fire. Mac
rushed to his GS, but flames were already consuming
the seat and bodywork. Fortunately, Mac had just
taken a step back when the tank exploded, engulfing
his P&J in flames. The heat was so intense that the
rocker cover melted before his eyes! Minutes later,

28 FEBRUARY 2023 || CLASSIC BIKE GUIDE

a fire engine arrived and extinguished the fire, but Right: Giant engine
according to Mac the bike was already reduced to had to come out to
be cleaned, painted
scrap. Sadly, this abruptly ended Mac’s joy of GS1000S and polished
ownership, but more would follow...

Another GS, then another!

Mac’s torched GS was only a year old, and the
insurance settlement presented him with the
opportunity of buying another from new, so he
returned to Doug’s showroom and found an identical
red and white GS on display. “Thanks Doug, I’ll have
that one please” – and the pair shook hands.
As proof of the big Suzuki’s capability, it joined Mac Left: Powder-coated frame
on a four-year station to Germany, before following and swingarm waiting to be
built up – 34 parts in total
him back to the UK. Then serving at RAF Coningsby,
the demands of a new family meant the GS saw little,
if any use.
Rather than watch his pride and joy depreciate, it
was sold to raise funds for the rebuild of Mac’s JPN (as
reported in CBG February 2020).

CLASSIC BIKE GUIDE || FEBRUARY 2023 29

 Fast-forward to 2020 and a third opportunity to
own a GS came out of the blue. It belonged to his
old RAF colleague, who had stripped it with the
intention of restoring it (sound familiar?). However,
he couldn’t find the time or enthusiasm and offered
it to Mac. Naturally, Mac snapped it up... but could he
go one step further than his colleague and return it to
the road?
After the June 2020 lockdown, Mac drove south
to collect his project GS. A frame, three wheels, an
engine and 12 Walkers crisps boxes full of GS parts
were loaded into his van. When he arrived home in
Fife and unloaded, Mac was surprised to find several
boxes also held parts for a GS850 – an interesting
project indeed!

Above: GS as
bought – what
Outsourcing specialist jobs
exactly have I got? By July, Mac began to organise parts that required
specialist work. First was the frame and its brackets
Left: Engine in frame, (a staggering 34 parts!), which he delivered to
but not a lot of room!
IPF Glenrothes for powder coating, along with
the instrument panel bracket. “However, as I was
removing the instrument bracket, I discovered several
wiring bodges and had to invest time in righting
wrongs carried out by the previous owner. Laughable
really, because said owner was my RAF colleague and
a certified aircraft electrician by trade!’
Next, the partially stripped engine was sent to
Sodablast in Livingstone for cleaning. The tank and

30 FEBRUARY 2023 || CLASSIC BIKE GUIDE


Engine: Four-cylinder four stroke, dohc, two valves per cylinder, 987cc (60.92cu/
Mikuni VM 28mm Gearbox: Five-speed gearbox, wet clutch brakes: 2 x 295mm
Overhauling calipers
bodywork went to Specialist Bike Paints in Cupar.
Engine Resource of Dundee skimmed the discs
and Mac set about restoring the remaining parts –
namely forks, wheels, discs, brake callipers and other
paraphernalia.
“Soda blasting is excellent for removing paint and
light corrosion,” advised Mac, “so using a quality soda
blast gun and a decent compressor is well worth the
investment. The brake calipers and master cylinders
were all blasted outside my workshop within a large
container – worthwhile, because a fair amount of grit
is captured and can be reused. Halfords primer, satin
black paint and matt lacquer finished the job. The
brake calipers benefitted from new seals, boots, pads
and copper washers.
“The fork sliders were restored using a drill and
sisal wheel. The stanchions were in good condition
with only slight wear marks above the ‘swept’ area of
the fork seals. After fitting new seals, they were ready
for service. By the time I’d completed all the above, my
outsourced jobs were awaiting collection.”
By July’s end, the engine was picked up from
Sodablast. It was then treated with Halfords VHT
silver – paint used on Mac’s XJR which has proved
very durable in coping with Fife’s caustic climate!
“Unfortunately, the cast alloy wheels looked tired,”
Mac sighed, “so the rims were restored with a sisal
wheel and polish. After masking the rims, hubs and
spokes, I sprayed them with Halfords charcoal grey
SPECIFICATIONS:
in) Bore and stroke: 74 x 64.8mm Compression: 9.2:1 Power output: 90bhp
@ 8200rpm (65.7kw) Top speed: 138mph Standing ¼: 11.7 secs Carbs: 4 x
disc brakes Dry weight: 525lb (238kg) Tank: 4.4 gallons/44mpg
Rocker cover looks great
and lacquer to finish. I also spruced up the alternator,
clutch and sprocket covers with the polishing wheel.
“Tyre choices are limited for the GS, but Cupar
Suzuki sourced and fitted Metzeler Roadtecs and
tubes before balancing the wheels. An aftermarket
Motad 4-into-1 exhaust system came with the bike,
but I opted for a pattern stainless 4/2 system, which is
lighter and easy to fit.”
With the engine painted and back on the work
bench, a valve clearance check was next in line. Mac
said a welcome change was checking just eight
valve clearances instead of the usual 16 or 20 fitted
on modern Jap fours! While preparing the GS petrol
tank, Cupar Bike Paints discovered several chemically
sealed pinholes along the bottom seams – a setback
for Mac, as the tank would require extensive
treatment to remove the sealant before being welded
and prepared for painting.
Critical stage
In November 2020, Cupar Suzuki returned Mac’s
wheels, allowing him to build up a rolling chassis
– a pivotal moment during any build. “I began the
rebuild by assembling the frame, swinging arm,
main stand, forks and yokes on my work bench,” he
said. “I was eager to get the engine in, so I bribed my
son into helping me to ‘huff and puff’ the monster
four-cylinder block back into its frame – and another
milestone was ticked off for the cost of a few beers!
CLASSIC BIKE GUIDE || FEBRUARY 2023 31
 “The next frustrating job was fitting the wiring
harness. Fortunately, the Suzuki factory manual is
an excellent visual aid in routing (and connecting)
the various wires and electrical components. I was
careful in checking all connections, but it’s when
you pull the front brake to test the brake light and
the starter motor turns over unexpectedly that you
know something’s amiss! But it was a rewarding job –
profanities aside!”
Carb troubles
“Next, I turned my attention to the carbs. Previously
overhauled by a reputable firm, they came Jiffy-
bagged along with a receipt. However, to test before
fitting, the carbs were placed in a tray and connected
to an auxiliary fuel tank. Once the fuel was turned on,
every carb began to weep petrol. Frustrated, I retired
for a consolatory cuppa.
“To my astonishment, the carbs were fuel tight the
following morning! I could only assume the inner
seals had expanded overnight after soaking in fuel.
But as I moved to another job, I heard a momentary
trickle and caught the sight of fuel spilling from carb
No.2’s overflow, so I removed each float bowl in turn,
to discover that all the float heights were incorrectly
set. I carefully reset them before checking all the
needle valves. Fortunately, all parts looked sparkling
new – even the retaining screws on the float bowls,
verifying that work had indeed been carried out as per
the invoice.
“Relaxed, I rebuilt the carbs, but just 10 minutes
later the leaks reappeared, stopped, and then
returned – I was flabbergasted!”
Numerous profanities
“I contacted Motocarb UK about the issue. They
suggested my needle valves could be pattern and not
genuine Mikuni parts – apparently, several customers
had suffered similar problems. So, with Mikuni
genuine parts fitted and with the float levels set
correctly, the carbs were now fuel tight – I was chuffed
to bits!”
Mac’s next challenge was to slip the carbs onto
the engine manifolds, and as every home mechanic
knows, it’s an extremely frustrating job.
“Despite warming the 40-year-old inflexible rubber
manifold stubs, I just couldn’t fit the carb assembly
between the engine and airbox. After several aborted
attempts, the cause became obvious when I referred
to the manual. The harness was pushing the airbox
out of alignment with the carb inlets – so it would
have to come back off to be repositioned. The phrase
All the info you need is there
32 FEBRUARY 2023 || CLASSIC BIKE GUIDE
The big names
Haslam and Honda reigned supreme in British F1 racing in 1979, so
Suzuki sprung its secret weapon – Sheene on the Dunstall GS1000.
It came within inches of working, too. That was Haslam’s winning
margin in its one and only F1 encounter, which was fought out at
Oulton Park. Barry put in four practice laps on another F1 Suzuki at
Oulton in 1983 but didn’t race it and was never that keen on four
strokes.
‘one step forward, two back’ sprang to mind. However,
everything lined up and simply fell into place when I
followed the manual’s advice – doh!
“I tackled the exhausts next. The much lighter
stainless system I’d sourced has four separate headers,
a collector and two silencers, so it’s a much easier
wiggle and fit. However, I encountered a problem with
the exhaust clipping the sidestand bracket, so said
bracket had to be removed and then reshaped with
an angle grinder until clearance was achieved. The
assembled exhaust now fits like a glove – another job
ticked off!”
Nearing the finish
By February 2021, Mac had ironed out most of the
build problems. Covid-19 was still raging, but there
was no reason why he couldn’t fire up his GS. Mac
explained that it would be prudent to conduct an
engine oil pressure test before attempting to fire it up
– that’s Mac’s RAF training paying off. “I fitted a new
oil filter and filled the engine with fresh oil, but as we
all know, it takes time for oil to circulate a big four.
So, with the plugs removed, I hit the starter button
and turned the engine over until the oil pressure light
went out.
“Then a top-up of the oil level and plugs replaced,
and she was ready for a firing. I attached and filled
the auxiliary tank with fresh fuel and with full
choke applied, hit the starter button, and the engine
immediately burst into life – I was thrilled!
“The idling was a bit high but as the engine
warmed, an uneven tick-over developed. I attached a
carb balancer, which pointed to the carbs being out
of sync. With a bit of tweaking and adjusting of each
carb, they soon stepped into line.
“The engine sounded sweet and picked up cleanly
when I gave the throttle a few test blips. There was no
excessive smoke from the pipes, no exhaust leaks, oil
leaks or any undue rattles anywhere. I was grinning
madly at this stage!”

Achilles’ heel
I was surprised when Mac told me that GS models
have an Achilles’ heel, in that problems can surface
with the charging system. Mac revealed that the
Suzuki’s three-phase alternator has a magnet rotor
that permanently generates charge; however, the
problem lies with the regulator, which can fail,
cook the battery, and then fry itself. If you are very
unlucky, a burnt-out alternator can result, too – quite
an expensive fix. Fortunately, this is not the case
with Mac’s GS: “The charging circuit does have the
unpredictable and original regulator and separate
rectifier. Luckily, my charging system seems to be
working fine. An aftermarket combined regulator/
rectifier is available and is a more reliable device – an
upgrade I intend fitting in the not-too-distant future.”

Test run
“Thanks to the amazing paint job carried out by Bike
Paints, I’d risk boasting that my restored GS looks
‘Better than a Bocht Ein’.
“It was an exciting day when the tank and body
panels were fitted. Then I fired her up and went for a
test run. Unfortunately, there appeared to be a slight
hesitation in acceleration. Applying some choke
improved the performance, so I knew the engine was
running lean.
“Rather than go through the motions of a full carb
strip-down again, I dropped my GS off with 2 Wheel
Developments in Auchtermuchty. The firm has an
excellent dyno set-up and have sorted carburation
faults on both my XJR and YZF. The running problem
was quickly diagnosed and now the GS’s performance
has been transformed by the simple addition of
richer jets.
Thrills and more
“Just the other day, a good friend asked me, ‘how does
riding your GS feel after a 35-year absence – and is it
still as thrilling as your first?’ My short reply was that
it was still too early for me to confidently assess the
bike.
“But now that I’ve scrubbed-in the tyres and
put some miles on the clock, I’m really starting
to appreciate what a fine classic the GS is: speed,
endurance, thrills and fun are all part of the mix.
What more could the classic enthusiast wish for?”

CLASSIC BIKE GUIDE || FEBRUARY 2023 33

 Hopefully you have just enjoyed the last feature on living with a stunning
Suzuki GS1000. Which other Japanese bikes do you need to know about?
Words by Steve Cooper Photos by Mortons Archive

P
ick some Japanese ‘stand out’ bikes from
the classic period, the editor said, “and
make sure they are machines everyone
should know about!” Trying to shortlist
so-called significant machinery from the
Orient is bound to be difficult and doubtless what
follows will have left out several – especially as the
Suzuki GS1000 has just covered the last few pages!
Oh, and without question, someone’s personal
favourite will have been omitted. Apologies if that’s
the case, but the pages of CBG are a finite entity.
Just as well really, as the list could just run and
run. Anyway, here are a few from the perspective
of a sometime classic test rider and lifetime fan of
Japanese bikes.

Honda CB450, aka ‘Black Bomber’

1965-1974: 450cc, four-stroke,
air-cooled, twin-cylinder
Quite possibly the bike
that made the established
marques sit up and
take notice of Japanese
motorcycles. Compared
to the competition, almost
unbelievably sophisticated
with double overhead
cams, torsion bar valve
springs, electric start
and so on, this was the
machine that signalled the
forthcoming sea change in
the bike market. The CB450
scared both manufacturers and the sport’s
governing bodies to the point where it was
deemed to have an ‘illegal’ engine design.
Although heavier and with poorer handling
that British twins, its refined manners and
unburstable motor won it countless fans.
Staid styling was later revised to a less
traditional look, along with the use of a
disc front brake. Ridden today as a classic,
it’s seriously perplexing just how modern
it feels. Revised in 1975 into the CB500T,
this became the bike that no one in Britain
wanted, and subsequently mired the 450s
reputation unnecessarily.

34 FEBRUARY 2023 || CLASSIC BIKE GUIDE

Honda CB72/CB77 1961-1968: 250/305cc, four-stroke, air-cooled, inline twin
Very possibly one of Honda’s most significant captured the imagination of the bike-buying CB72/CB77 was less sophisticated and
motorcycles. This pair of machines really public. Honda’s designers toned down some arguably less refined. It’s been suggested
demonstrated what ‘The Big Aitch’ was all of the more ostentatious styling cues of the that Honda didn’t make much profit on
about. Beautifully made, well designed and previous C/CA/CS twins and in the process these bikes, but what they did was generate
robustly engineered, these were probably the made an exceptionally graceful machine. massive PR and an extremely loyal following
first truly mainstream bikes from Japan that Every air-cooled Honda 250/350 after the for all their subsequent machines.

Honda CB750 1969–1978: 750cc, four-stroke, air-cooled, inline four-cylinder

The world’s first series production, transverse, four-
cylinder motorcycle and the first machine to be called
a superbike. When launched, the CB750 was simply
beyond the understanding of most riders – and the
press! It offered levels of sophistication previously
undreamed of... four cylinders, overhead cam, electric
start, indicators, disc brake and a potential 120mph
top speed. Initially, demand totally outstripped supply,
with Honda getting what it forecast as a year’s worth of
orders in the first few months after the bike’s release.
Refined over its 10-year model life, the CB750 laid down
the basic blueprint for countless copies and imitations.
Although later eclipsed by Kawasaki’s Z1 (1972), the
bike was variously revised and updated, keeping Honda’s
legions of fans happy. Although replaced by double
overhead cam versions, the original CB750 remains one
of the classic world’s most popular big bikes.

CLASSIC BIKE GUIDE || FEBRUARY 2023 35

Kawasaki H1 1969-1975: 500cc,
two-stroke, inline triple-cylinder
Designed from the outset to get the Kawasaki name
out there in the consumer market, the bike did just
that. Scarily fast for the period, with 12.5-second
quarter-mile acceleration and a 120mph+ top speed,
the bike was an instant hit with speed addicts.
The fact that its handling was rabid only added to
its uniquely feral appeal. Styled to get looks, its
asymmetric exhaust layout was initially mocked and
queried but soon became the last thing many riders
chasing it ever saw. Marketed as the Mach III, the
bike was all about straight line speed at the expense
of anything else… including road manners or brakes!
Spawned 250, 350, 400 and 750 siblings, the original
‘triple with a ripple’ put Kawasaki Motorcycles Ltd
firmly on the road to success.

Kawasaki Z1 1972-1975: 900cc, four-

stroke, air-cooled, four-cylinder
Kawasaki’s outgunning of Honda’s mighty CB750 proved to
be a master stroke and substantially moved the firm on from
its two-stroke originals. Although the fastest motorcycle in
the world at its launch, the Z1 proved that Kawasaki could
also produce a practical motorcycle that didn’t have to be
ridden maniacally. Its rugged build and dependability were
well proven, both with production and endurance racing.
That the Z1 was effectively copied by Suzuki for its GS
range speaks volumes for the original R&D. So
strong was the engine that Kawasaki USA
happily fitted a turbocharger to the motor
with minimal changes. The Z1 would go on
become the Z900, then Z1000, and finally
the Z1100 and Z1100R. Laying down the
foundations for the later air-cooled GPZ
bikes, the original Z1 remains hugely
popular today.

36 FEBRUARY 2023 || CLASSIC BIKE GUIDE

Kawasaki GPZ750/900 ‘Ninja’
750: 900cc, four-stroke, liquid-
cooled, inline four-cylinder
A very serious game changer of a motorcycle –
genuinely the first time a Japanese engine and chassis
were designed as a single entity. The result was a
motorcycle that dramatically moved the technology
on. Even a turbo version was introduced – one you
could live with. Sufficiently influential to make the
other major players rethink their own machines. Such
was the impact and importance of the Ninja that it
played a substantial part in the basic design of the
first generation of Hinckley Triumphs. A ground-
breaking machine whose impact can still be seen in
motorcycle design today. Kawasaki later effectively
halved the motor to produce a range of highly
influential twins in the guise of the GPZ500 range.

Suzuki T500 1968-1976: 500cc,

two-stroke, twin-cylinder
Designed to take on the big British four-stroke 650
parallel twins in the crucial American market – and
succeeded. Wisdom at the time said ‘stroker’ twins over
350 would be simply impossible to set up or carburate
cleanly... Suzuki’s elegantly sophisticated piston porting
and gas flow proved the cynics utterly wrong. Packed
with massive amounts of almost liquid torque, the
bike, variously marketed as Super 5, Cobra and Titan,
proved to be amazingly tough and robust. Suzuki USA
repeatedly rode a pair through Death Valley at the
height of summer to prove just how reliable the T500
was. Amazingly robust and almost bomb-proof, the bike
was only dropped from the sales lists when Suzuki went
all-out for four-strokes in 1977.

CLASSIC BIKE GUIDE || FEBRUARY 2023 37

Suzuki T20 1965-1967:
250cc, two-stroke, air-
cooled, twin-cylinder
Without question the singularly most influential
Japanese two-stroke of the 1960s! Its horizontally
split crankcase layout laid down the blueprint for the
next three decades of ‘stroker’ twins. Elegantly and
simply piston ported, the all-alloy motor benefitted
from ‘Posi-Force’ oil injection, combined with a then
unheard of six-speed transmission. A simple yet rigid
frame gave class-leading handling, and the twin-
leading shoe front brake was a revelation to many
owners. Variously marketed as the T20/Super Six/
X6, the bike proved to be an instant hit around the
world. Revised and updated to become the T250
in 1968, the same layout and some parts were still
being used between 1973 and 1977 on the GT250,
and the subsequent GT250 X7 still owed so much to
the T20’s original design.

Suzuki T125, aka Stinger 1968-

1971: 125cc, two-stroke, air-
cooled, twin-cylinder
Nothing else has ever looked like Suzuki’s unique Stinger.
Conceived as a Japanese take on what Americans called
a canyon racer, Suzuki’s in-house moniker was ‘creek
machine’. The motor was shoehorned into a chassis
designed for a 90cc single. Never the fastest 125, the
T125 sold on its looks and style alone, with its high pipes
and sleek lines. Clever porting design made for a motor
significantly more tractable than its peers, delivering
an easy-to-ride machine. The carburettors were unique
to the bike and the first downdraft units from Japan.
Also sold as a 90cc version, the bike had a relatively
short lifespan yet has retained its cult status. A few
were released with low-level, traditionally angled pipes
which substantially took the edge off the styling. After
the T125, Suzuki didn’t offer another 125 twin until the
GT125 of 1974.

38 FEBRUARY 2023 || CLASSIC BIKE GUIDE

Suzuki GS750 1976-1981: 750cc,
four-stroke, air-cooled, four-cylinder
Suzuki’s first venture into four-strokes since 1955 and
hugely influential. Cited as the first big Japanese bike to
properly handle, the GS750 took the best of Kawasaki’s
dohc engine, removed mass, and added a decent chassis.
Spawned variants from 550cc up to 1000 and later
supplied the basic architecture for the legendary GXS-R
models. Launched alongside the GS400 twin, the two
machines shared a lot of DNA that remained in the Suzuki
line-up for more than 20 years. Hugely over-engineered,
the roller-bearing bottom end proved to be effectively
bomb-proof. Only the restrained styling and colouring of
the launch model hampered initial sales, but when revised
as the GS1000, the concept was well and truly proven.
Often unfairly accused as being the first UJM or Universal
Japanese Motorcycle, simply because it was just so
effective at what it offered and did.

Yamaha AS1 1967-1969: 125cc, two-

stroke, air-cooled, twin-cylinder
Part of Yamaha’s second-generation twins featuring vertically
split crankcases. The YASIE, as it was nicknamed, demonstrated
just how potent small two-strokes could be and won Yamaha
legions of fans with its performance. With 15bhp, the bike
totally blew away the preconceived notion that two-strokes
were only good as humble commuters. Capable of taking
on period 250/350 singles, this little 1/8-litre twin heralded
a new age of performance tiddlers. Later upgraded to
become the RD125, the AS1 also formed the basis of
both the TA125 production racer and the YZ series water-
cooled twins that Swede Kent Anderson would ride to
successive world championships in 1973/4.

Yamaha YDS3 1964-1966: 350cc, air-

cooled, two-stroke twin-cylinder
A hugely significant machine for both Yamaha and its customers.
With most of the YDS1/2’s idiosyncrasies ironed out, the YDS3
demonstrated just how potent and reliable two-stroke twins
could be. Fitted with ‘Autolube’ oil injection, the motor proved
to be extremely dependable for all but out-and-out racers.
Crucially, this one machine did more for the firm’s reputation
than everything that had gone before it and particularly so in
the all-important American market. Without the YDS3, Yamaha
would undoubtedly have struggled to gain the significant
market share the bike afforded it. The British motorcycling press
was hugely impressed by the bike and instantly recognised that
it was a game changer. Easily able to eclipse 350s and run with
many period 500 twins, the bike was a portent of what was
soon to come.

CLASSIC BIKE GUIDE || FEBRUARY 2023 39

Yamaha RD250LC/350 1980-1983: 250/350cc, two-
stroke, liquid-cooled, inline twin-cylinder
The announcement of the LC series in late 1979
whetted the appetite of so many potential buyers.
Here, at last, was a Yamaha TZ race bike for the
road – or so everyone believed. Even if the reality
was a little different, the bikes still offered riders so
much of what many had wanted for years – styled
for European tastes with curvy lines, stunning paint/
decals and an almost total absence of chrome.
Liquid cooling in either capacity bracket was just
so much kudos-cum-bragging rights, and the bikes
went as fast as they looked. The 250 helped hasten
the 125cc learner law, with the 350 launching the
racing career of numerous – now famous – names.
Tuned, crashed, stolen, written-off and rebuilt could
almost be the bikes’ autobiographical title. Each was
the capacity bracket king, and they now command
hefty premiums for those wanting to relive their
youth.

Bridgestone 350 GTR/GTO 1967-1971: 350cc, two-stroke, twin-cylinder

A seriously iconic machine available in both
road and street scrambler versions (GTR
and GTO respectively) and arguably the best
application of disc valve induction on an
air-cooled two-stroke. Built up to a very high
standard, the 350 Bridgestones were always
hugely desirable back in the 1960s and 1970s.
With 37bhp on tap back in 1967, the bikes
were fast and light, with styling unique to the
marque. Still regarded as one of the best of its
type, the 350 twin came with chrome-plated
bores when all its rivals were still using cast
iron. With carburettors either side of the engine
under alloy covers and its alternator behind the
cylinders, only Kawasaki’s A-series twins ever
copied the layout – but the Bridgestone is the
machine classic fans lust after.

And the list could on and on to cover Yamaha’s DT-1 250, Suzuki’s GSX-R race replicas, Kawasaki’s KR-1,
Honda’s Blackbird etc etc... but it has to end somewhere. Although each of the Big Four have had their various turkeys,
mad moments, sales disasters, spectacular flops and the like, on balance they’ve produced a panoply of commercially
successful machines pretty much unrivalled in the history of motorcycling.

40 FEBRUARY 2023 || CLASSIC BIKE GUIDE

CLASSIC BIKE GUIDE || FEBRUARY 2023 41
CLASSIC BIKE GUIDE || FEBRUARY 2023 43
 Email || editor@classicbikeguide.com Write to || Classic Bike Guide, PO Box 99, Horncastle, Lincolnshire LN9 6LZ

This month’s Star Letter wins

The writer of this month’s Star Letter wins a pair of Weise Montana

Anything 150 gloves, worth £119.99. These waterproof gloves provide

maximum warmth and minimal bulk thanks to the 150g Thinsulate®

to say?
Supreme lining, which is secured with mcFIT® technology, so it won’t
pull out. It’s the same prize next month, so get writing!
Find out more at www.weiseclothing.com

Honda appreciation and grey cables

As an ex-owner of a
Honda C95E, CB175 STAR
and CB200, I was very
interested in your article
LETTER
on the CB175. It looks a
lovely bike with a good
owner who, if he cannot find replica
grey cables when the time comes
to renew his (many are black), can
sheath them in grey as I have done.
It was your comment on the 200
Honda being more related to the
Superdream that caught my eye. I
believe you were thinking of the
CD200 model, not the CB200 model,
which has a Haynes manual whose
chapter content is all CB175 until a
final chapter on CB200 modifications
and changes. petrol tank and the modern boxy style! Now
The thing about the CB200 is that Honda I again enjoy one and no longer dislike that
went all ‘funky Seventies’ with tarting up the Plastic Vinyl Roof on top of the tank. It has
traditional 175 on a budget! gained my acceptance as ‘Seventies style’. Dear Chris, I will pass your comment on to
I bought one in 1979 and enjoyed it, Best wishes, John, the owner of the CB175, about the
despite an ugly plastic strip on top of the Chris Drucker cables. A great idea – Matt

A little Bleader!
The article in January’s issue about the Ariel
Arrow mentioned the BSA Bleader (sounds
better than Barrow!) – the Ariel engine in a
Bantam frame. Here’s the Supersport version,
which I saw at a BSA Open Day a few years
ago, ignominiously parked in the ‘Other Makes’
area. Two Ariel engines piggybacked onto a
pair of Suzuki RGV 500 crankcases. Luckily,
that front brake looks rather more purposeful
than the feeble drum on my D7 Bantam!
All the best, Mark

Thanks for the great photo, Mark. What a

machine! I have a little information on the
Bleader, but this is something else. When
you see someone’s creation, it gives you
confidence to solve your own bike’s issues –
Matt

44 FEBRUARY 2023 || CLASSIC BIKE GUIDE

From Moscow to Minsk...
I was interested in the bikes you compared
the Morini 125T to in the November edition.
The Moskva M1A was only made at Moscow,
until in 1951 production was established in
Minsk under decree 494 of the USSR automotive
industry, according to Colin Turbett’s book. From
1951, production continued there for many
decades, getting face-lifted. To this day, the
factory still makes bikes.
Colin’s book, Motorcycles and Motorcycling
USSR, also reveals another Kovrov factory which
made the M1A from 1946 to 1960 – one million,
in fact – until being discontinued in favour of
the 175 model Voskhod that sprang up in 1957.
Meanwhile, Minsk churned out the M1A over many
more decades in improved formats, such as my
1975 machine.
My 1975 model seen in this picture in Middlesex
was the same capacity, although the extra few
bhp allowed a giddy top end of 54mph!
Chris Drucker
Thanks for the information, Chris. It’s a world a lot
of our readers possibly don’t know much about,
but as a CZ owner I should know more about
Eastern bikes – Matt

Make a date with Scottish autojumble

Hope this isn’t too late for the diary page – on February 5, there is the Haggis Gathering, a
motorcycle autojumble, at the Lawrie and Symington Agricultural Centre, in Lanark, Scotland. For
any information, ring 01294 833320 – (SCRMC) Ltd.

Thanks for this, hope it is a success – Matt

Some Tribsa advice Hello from Norway!

Good read on Maria’s Tribsa rebuild. One thing not
mentioned which I think is a must is to stuff a clean
rag into the crankcase opening before fitting rings,
circlips and barrels. Nothing worse than something
dropping into the crankcase.
Regards,
Russ Banton.
I own a Bantam B175, HVA WR250, Triumph
T100C, CB750 K2, BMW R100/7 and a
GSX1100 EF, plus a couple of mopeds. I think
your magazine fits my kind of motorcycles, so
keep on the way you’re doing.
Edvard Nordli,
Trondheim, Norway

Thanks Russ, very sound advice, and yes, I’ve
dropped a socket into a friend’s Suzuki TS50R
bottom end when we were young. We tried to lift
the bike upside down and shake it... oh, the naivety
of youth! – Matt
Many thanks, Edvard. Your bike collection
sounds like the perfect garage – one for
any occasion. We don’t often put self-
congratulatory letters in, but we’ve never had
one from Norway, so thank you – Matt

To pre-order your next issue of Classic Bike Guide, head to:

classicmagazines.co.uk/pre-order-cbg
Alternatively, scan the QR code on this page and order your next copy today. We
will send it directly to you! No need to nip out to the shops.

CLASSIC BIKE GUIDE || FEBRUARY 2023 45

 MATCHLESS G3CS
Many muddy miles by

Matchless Words by Frank Photos by Rowena Hoseason

46 FEBRUARY 2023 || CLASSIC BIKE GUIDE

T
ime was, he says boringly, every rider I
knew rode a winter hack. Back then, I
mostly only had one functional (well,
mostly functional) motorcycle at a time
and rode it all the time. Other pals were
plainly more solvent and had several bikes on the
road at a time – confusingly, many of them had the
same registration numbers, too. How amazing is
that! All manner of machinery ended up as the fabled
winter hack, and among the BSA B31s, Ariel NHs, AJS
Model 16s, Royal Enfield Bullets and any number of
utterly worn-out mainstream twins – many with
sidecars – there was a smattering of what we would
today call trail bikes.
Mostly, these were elderly road bikes with every
inessential thing removed and thrown away, and
the heavy steel mudguards replaced with cheapo
universal alloy blades or cheapo plastic efforts,
while chainguards, toolboxes, panelling and similar
fripperies were simply discarded. We swapped bikes
a lot, for many reasons you can probably imagine,
including an occasional need to ride after dark
(because dynamo lighting sets are heavy and rarely
worked) or even a sudden urgent request for a bike
with a pillion – you can work out why, and how it was
a rare event for scruffy teenaged bike fans.
I loaned my lovely (well…) rigid AJS 18, complete
with its BSA dualseat, to a pal, and he left his 350
Matchless with me. It was really nice to ride, too, and
when the time came to swap back, I donned my AJS
and Matchless fanboy hat and asked him what it was.
What did G3C stamped onto the crankcase mean? I
knew what a G3 was, but C? Stands for Competition,
of course, and the bike was a pensioned-off trials iron.
They were as worthless as a roadster G3 with cheapo
alloy mudguards back in 1970 or so. Remarkable, is
it not?
Fast-forward at least three decades, possibly more,
and I found myself once again astride a genuine
Matchless off-roader. Not a ‘works’ bike, which would
have been produced by the factory for its own team
of riders, but a surprisingly similar machine available
through specialist dealers. “Aha!” I exclaimed when I
saw the bike. “A G3C.” Knowledge is power, as we say.
Proud Owner smiled and shook his head.
“Nearly,” he said. Being enigmatic is over-rated. I
waited. He blinked first. “It’s a G3CS.” Now, that was
a surprise.
Right then. You’ve read the foregoing and looked
at the pictures and have decided either that this is
a rare factory competition machine or some keen
rider’s off-road special. In fact, it is both. It is indeed a
Matchless G3CS, dating from 1959, which, amusingly
enough, is the only year they were built. Plainly, they
were wildly popular…
It’s a 350 scrambler – not a G3C trials iron, originally
intended for competing in the 350 class, but in fact
seriously burdened by the same weighty bicycle
intended to handle the power of the bigger bangers.
The CS in the model designation translates as
Competition Sprung, which is accurate enough, while
the G3 simply tells a startled world that this is a 350
Matchless. And, truly, it does feel as though inside the
engine lurk real genuine competition cams; the bangs
feel nothing like those from the more pedestrian
G3L roadster, while the engine has as much kick-
resistance as a cooking 500 from the same stable, and
this combines with the gearing to encourage rapid
acceleration. The roadster G3 claimed a mighty 19bhp
at 5750rpm, the G3CS 27bhp at 6300; that’s quite a
hike. You’re not going to blitz hungry Hinckley Tigers
away from the lights, but you’ll get down the lanes
at least as rapidly. That said, the Hinckley Tiger is
completely at home on the M6, hauling a passenger
and enough clothes for a fashion show.
There is another traditional path to performance,
once you’ve added all the useable power possible,
reduce the weight. The factory did this: check out the
lack of lighting, the shiny alloy barrel and the skimpy
light-alloy mudguarding. Owners inevitably went
further, as indeed did the factory with its own team
entries, hence the smaller oil tank (not seen here) and
tiny tubular toolboxes of some comp machines (also
not seen here).
CLASSIC BIKE GUIDE || FEBRUARY 2023 47
 Singles in the sun

Not seen here? This particular machine has

gained an air filter (a good idea), and as that takes
up the space usually occupied by the oil tank, that
tank has been remade in alloy and dropped into the
handy cavern between the rear alloy engine plates,
occupying both the space usually occupied by the
dynamo and the battery carrier/toolbox. Oil is fairly
weighty, in relative terms, so as well as saving weight
by switching from a steel to an alloy container for
it, dropping that weight to a little lower and more
central location cannot harm the handling. Which
is excellent.
The developments came at a price. For the 1959
season, a cooking G3 would have set you back a
wholesome £231. 8s. 3d (can you do sums in pounds,
shillings and pence?), while the G3CS – as seen here
– was listed at a whole £247, with no extra shillings or
pennies.
Why wasn’t the model more successful? Too slow
and too heavy, frankly, even for 1959. And it was
probably the case that the market for a 350 scrambler
was too small to justify the development of a lighter
chassis of its own. And I’ve never understood how a
350cc competition single should be cheaper than a
500. Almost all the bits are the same, with the piston,
the barrel it lives in and a bigger cylinder head rising
above them both being the main differences.
And so we have a decently brisk 350 single, nicely
rebuilt and a little functionally modified, which was
never a sales success and which lasted only a single

48 FEBRUARY 2023 || CLASSIC BIKE GUIDE

year in the catalogue. Why have I included it in this
series of bikes that have made a great impression – an
impression sufficiently powerful to stand out in my
chaotic memories of bikes I’ve borrowed? For exactly
that reason. This really was a stand-out machine.
This particular example – which may in fact been
the only genuine 350 scrambler from the house of the
Matchless that I’ve actually ridden – is yet another of
those silly regrets. It was offered to me at an almost
affordable price (can’t remember what it was now, of
course, memory being a fickle creature), but although
I loved riding it, there was a flaw. I have raided my
riding notes, so read on…
It starts, which is always a good thing in a
motorcycle. Commendable. However, it also requires
a certain vigour and determination to make that
starting dependable. I have no idea which cams and
which piston conspire to hammer out the power in
this machine, but they plainly do have a collective
mind of their own. A gentle, respectful poke at the
kick-start produces a monster kickback. Just as
well I was wearing my awesome Caterpillar boots,
which are proof against assault by compression.
Although my kicking knee was less happy. A little
retard helps, a twiddle of the lever to adjust the
ignition, because there is no automatic timing device
fitted to the competition ‘wader’ magneto fitted to
competition engines.
No choke lever so no choke inside the non-stock
Amal Concentric. Light flooding, about a half-inch
“I knew what a G3 was, but C? Stands
for Competition, of course, and the bike
was a pensioned-off trials iron. They
were as worthless as a roadster G3
with cheapo alloy mudguards back in
1970 or so. Remarkable, is it not?”
Above: Cleanliness of retard, a stout swing, and the country peace is
belies function ripped apart by an anti-aircraft barrage. This really is
Below: Lots of
loud – very loud. Whatever baffling beasts inhabit the
leverage... not a lot silencer are plainly not doing their job. Heck. I should
of anything else comment at this point about the excellent mechanical
quiet of the engine, but the slightest twitch of the
throttle would drown out a diesel dumper with half-
inch valve clearances and a similar gap in the big end.
The only way to hear whether the engine is coolly
quiet is to stick a (gloved) hand over the exhaust to
shut it up a little. I do this. My glove gets very hot.
The engine appears to be mechanically quiet,
especially for an all-alloy long-stroke single. Had you
spotted that this is not exactly an ordinary Matchless
motor? More later.
There is no discernible tickover. We can charitably
claim this to be a safety feature which ensures that
the engine falls silent when the rider falls off. Which
may be true. Clutch is AMC-light, first gear hoiks into
place with a Christmassy crunch, caused mainly by
the insane revs I’m holding because I do not actually,
thank you, fancy restarting it if I stall it, and both
drive chains tighten, then slacken again as the cush in
the clutch does its stuff. Ready to go.
There’s a small clutch drag from cold (which it
is – cold, the price of those awesome beautiful blue
skies in December), which sees the bike literally
dragging and twitching in mechanical eagerness to
get out there and do something interesting. Enough of
this posing for photographs nonsense. Leave that to
younger bikes. Okay, Okay.
The surprise at this point is just how rapid the
Matchless is. Golly, yes indeed. It is bad form to wind
CLASSIC BIKE GUIDE || FEBRUARY 2023 49
wide the throttle on a stone-cold engine, so I don’t,
but I will when it’s warmer. And I did. You run out of
first gear very quickly, and second, and third, then
comfort and a little quiet arrive in top. This is dull, so
we shift down again; acceleration and braking, all on
the twist of the grip. Remember to fiddle the lever and
regain full advance. The exhaust makes no more noise
but develops a hard edge. Rasp around a little. There’s
a lovely wintry aroma, too. Oh. That’s the Castrol R,
then…
Leafy stuff is actually great and entertaining fun,
so long as it’s not very wet. The key to successful
low-speed navigation at riding times like this lies in
the choice of front wheel rubber. This is Pirelli MT4
Professional knobbly rubber, 21-inch. It is excellent.
Even the brake works well on the front wheel; gentle,
like all AMC seven-inchers. The rear is rod-operated
and can produce heroic slides, which impress sweet
young things with cameras but are in fact skill-free.
I loved it. I really did. And I could’ve afforded it, too,
because I had another old clunker to offer in trade.
But I didn’t. Why not? Because I stalled it several
times. Nothing wrong with the bike that setting up a
proper and reliable tickover wouldn’t cure, but I didn’t
want to pay top dollar for a bike I would want to fiddle
with, not least because my fiddling rarely improves
mechanical happiness. I know my limits.
The crunch moment came after I slithered to a
graceless stop after completely messing up a fairly MATCHLESS G3CS
tight left-right turn along a muddy track with a Engine: Air-cooled ohv single Bore x stroke: 72 x 85.5mm Displacement: 348cc Compression
ratio: 9.9:1 Power: 27bhp at 6300rpm Carburation: Amal 389 Monobloc (originally) Ignition:
topcoat of dead, wet leaves. I slithered about, cursing
Lucas wader magneto Electrics: None Lubrication: Dry sump; rotating plunger oil pump
that I’d not really dressed for off-road riding at all, Transmission: Four-speed AMC gearbox Frame: Single down tube, lugged cradle type Suspension:
relying on the aforementioned Caterpillar boots, stout AMC Teledraulic front; Girling rear shocks Brakes: Single 7in sls drums Tyres: 3.00 x 21 front, 4.00
Wranglers and a hefty woolly jumper (with elbow x 18 rear Fuel capacity: 2.0 gallons Seat Height: 32.5in Wheelbase: 55.2in Weight: 321lb
patches – style is always important). I simply couldn’t
get enough purchase on the mucky ground to get a
decent swing on the starter. High compression singles Above: Looking for Not that dreadful rackets appear to be much of a
can be a challenge. It gets worse… those byways concern to many suburban cowboys, of course. In
I had to operate the phone and call for help. And Below: Competition
some ways, apart from being surrounded by the
just to add to my embarrassment, that help rolled up mag, ground clearance sound of a barking apocalypse, the Matchless would
on a Velocette Venom and was wearing moccasins. and small front brake make a perfect suburban commuter. Its acceleration
And the help assisted me in extricating the Matchless show purpose is up there in road-rocket land, its chuckability is first
from its stuck-in-the-mud posture and then kick- class, and its brakes are gentle enough (the front)
started it for me. In moccasins. Life goes on. and effective enough (the other one) for anything bar
My notes reveal a better excuse; a more acceptable high-speed crash stops. And you would not be doing
excuse than my concerns about being unable to much high speed… first, second and third gears were
restart the engine when I stalled it. Which I would. quite close, with top being a minor chasm away from
Did. third, which at least allowed an almost reasonable
Also less joyful would be any attempt to ride very cruise. Maybe 50-55mph, depending on how confident
far. First off, although the Matchless was track-rapid, you might be about the AMC rotating plunger oil
it was very slow on the open road, and the noise pump’s low-pressure dribble of oil to the engine’s
would reduce an average brain to jelly after less bearing bits.
than an hour. It would also make the rider the least All of which explains why, although I really did
popular person on the planet if used to commute! enjoy riding it, this was not a machine for me. My loss,
of course.

50 FEBRUARY 2023 || CLASSIC BIKE GUIDE


BMW R18
‘real’ customers are in a spending mood at the time.
Anyway, that’s around the price of a Fat Bob, with
We tested the giant BMW cruiser a few months
ago in Germany, but wanted to see what it was
like to live with. Matt stole one to find out
Words by Matt Photos by Maria Hull
B
MW owns the adventure bike market. It has a
huge presence in the touring market, it’s barged
its way into the sportsbike market at its first
attempt, and it even has its claws in the small
bike market with the G310. BMW likes to win. The
figures for cruiser sales around the world are huge, yet BMW
has had no invite to this party yet – barring a brief time
with the R1200C, a late 1990s boxer-engined cruiser (it was
great) that didn’t cut the cloth and was thrown out for being
underage.
This must be irritating, as the owner of that world, one
Harley-Davidson, is not exactly a reactionary, aggressive,
forward-thinking company. It makes what it makes,
52 FEBRUARY 2023 || CLASSIC BIKE GUIDE
the Americans love it, and as the world’s media
overexposes us all to everything US of A, so Harley IS
the cruiser market.
Mimicking Harley, there are many variants, mainly
differing via paint, seats, accessories – and price. Our
bike has the tank pinstripe (£380), reverse gear (£940)
and heated grips (£255). Total price is £19,445. Why do
car and motorcycle manufacturers think we are such
suckers when it comes to option prices? I suppose
reverse but without a pillion seat.
Get a cup of tea and sit... admiring your new bike,
you learn a lot. Yes, the engine is huge, but the bike as
a whole is enormous. It takes over your sight. If you
believe the full-of-bull YouTubers, the bike epitomises
the styling cues of the original R5 (that’s what the
BMW PR man told them to say), but I’d hardly call
pinstripes and a fishtail exhaust unique to BMW.
However, the finish is BMW and simply exemplary.
Paint and powdercoating... wheels and spokes... the
hardtail/softail that even up close hides the shock...
the exposed, nickel-plated shaft drive... the hiding of
anything that looks out of place. Whenever I parked
somewhere, riders would flock to stare, to observe –
and then to opine. The brave admired it, or may not be
a cruiser fan but appreciated the quality. The not-so-
brave slagged it off for not being a Harley. Sometimes,
I’d go over to it and see what they said, or asked; other
times, I just observed. The only other bike I’ve had that
conquers/attracts/divides opinion like the R18 was the
new Brough Superior SS100.
 I am a non-cruiser rider assessing a cruiser, so of
course it touches down the footpegs too easily, the
seat makes your bum go to sleep within 50 miles of
uneventful roads, and being bolt upright, any shocks
go directly up my spine. The tank struggles to reach
120 miles before the light comes on, despite a claimed
200-mile range and speeds above 70mph (yes, yes, I
know) have you toning your core muscles nicely to
hold on. And there is nowhere to put anything other
than a magnetic tankbag or rucksack – didn’t see
those in Sons of Anarchy.
All of that – well, most – pales into insignificance
when you first use that engine. I won’t repeat the
hyperbole that has been said many times about this
entirely new unit. Three rider modes that for once make
a difference: rain is smooth and soft; roll is more natural
and quick; and rock is pure crazy. Obviously, you pick
that first. Engage first gear, clutch out, BBLLAARRPP.
Second gear. BBBLLLAARRRPPP. Third... you get the
idea – it’s demonically addictive. Instant torque, instant
noise like an extra set of injectors have come to life, and
instant thrills. But if you’re going anywhere more than
having a laugh, roll mode is just as quick but slightly
quieter, more refined, and easier to ride. I must be
getting old – but then that’s who this is aimed at.
The gearbox must be a real beefcake to put up
with that engine, so to have precise, easy changes is a
masterpiece of design. Ratios are close together, and I’m
sure there is a speed limiter in top before the engine
runs out, but at that speed you can’t hold on so it’s
irrelevant.
One real disappointment is the reverse, which uses
the starter and is on/off jerky – not good for balance –
and it only works for about five metres before stopping
and flashing some light on the dash in protest. If I’d
paid £940, I’d want my money back.
CLASSIC BIKE GUIDE || FEBRUARY 2023 53
 Talking of clocks, as the industry loves to, the one
clock is fine, easy to read and really nicely designed.
Like the clutch and brake cylinders on the handlebars.
Though the heated grips did weird things with me –
it took ages to work out how to turn them on, then
would turn on when they wanted. Must be me.
Cruising around the country lanes, I could relax
a little. Potholes need looking out for as the front
forks are great, but the rear has to be so stiffly sprung
that it has to pass that shock up your spine. S bends
need more attention, too, as the first may be fine
(remember I’m not a cruiser rider) but the second
bend has me grinding the pegs and running wide. You
have to slow down before the bend – once leaned over,
it’s too late. “That’s just a cruiser for you,” I hear. Utter
rubbish – anyone who says a cruiser can’t handle
hasn’t ridden a Ducati Diavel.
It’s the same on main roads. Roundabouts are
embarrassing if you have a fast car behind, as you
simply can’t go any faster around a bend. But, I guess,
all cruisers are like that. Flowing roads are fun, those
wide ‘bars giving light steering – in fact, the steering is
spot-on for such a raked set of forks – and with such
low revs, the experience on the right road is engaging,
smile-inducing and fun.
But there’s a lot of cruiser-law the R18 breaks. The
brakes are, for a long bike (1730mm – 68in), weighing
350kg (770lb) with low-down weight (so it cannot pivot
around the front wheel, it tries to push it, initiating
a skid) really strong, yet with a great lever ratio, so
give lots of feel. There is ABS, but you also need to use
more rear brake to get the best stopping. The power,
for once, is equal to the looks and ethos it gives off
at lights, for example. And it is simple to ride, slowly,
quickly, and ground clearance aside, on most roads.
My largest gripe is a strange one – it’s the weight
when manhandling: 350kg is huge and makes
54 FEBRUARY 2023 || CLASSIC BIKE GUIDE
pushing the bike anywhere, forward or backward,
something to dread. Getting to a bike meet, I’d park
out of sight or where I could just ride off. And not
once did I push it backward, with or without the
reverse, without thinking it was going over. The wide
handlebars and the cylinders sticking out conspire
with the girth to make pushing a horrid experience
and one, I’ll admit, would put me off the BMW.
The stable ride at speed affects the slow riding, the
long wheelbase and rake making start-stop and slow
town riding a wobbly affair. I’d like to say you get used
to it, but I don’t want to spend £20k on something that
makes me look like a newbie from Wild Hogs.
The R18 hasn’t sold strongly, which is not the bike
but more to do with safety of purchase – a Harley-
Davidson is a safer bet than a BMW in this market.
But with time, the quality of the bike, the thought
gone into the design, and the strength of the brand
should help this.
In this writer’s opinion, BMW’s giant boxer is for
the brave. This customer doesn’t need an eagle sown
on their back – they’re not a sheep and I admire that.
But I just don’t get... why. Why the enormous engine
when you can’t get around a set of corners without
changing your riding style completely? And that sheer
weight is just too much. It’s gone too far. Maybe that’s
the key – it’s that cruiser with a sociopathic twinkle in
its eye. It’s edgy.
BMW has really thrown a corking first punch at
Harley in the cruiser market. I like the looks of the R18.
I really like the exemplary quality and I love the all-
new design, from engine upwards. The 1800cc boxer
torque-monster is a hoot, even working at diesel revs.
The gearbox is a masterpiece, the brakes suit perfectly
and for the dimensions, and the handling is as good
as it is going to get if you want those looks, that
stance and the attitude. And boy, has it attitude.
 Area 51 –
Magni BMW
Here is a bike that a chance meeting saw come together. This Magni-framed R90S wears all the right
parts, yet has never raced... we have a closer look
Words and photos by Uli Cloesen

A
rea 51, for the non-initiated, is the
name for a United States Air Force
base located at Groom Lake, which is
in fact a dry lake bed in the Nevada
Desert, 85 miles north of Las Vegas.
Although it is reputed to have opened in 1955, its
existence was only officially acknowledged by the
CIA in August 2013. The site has been rumoured to
host an alien spacecraft and the bodies of its pilots
after they crashed at Roswell, New Mexico, in 1947.
US authorities claim there were no aliens, and the
crashed craft was a weather balloon. Wikipedia
states that some US folks are adamant at having seen
UFOs above or near the site, while others claim they

56 FEBRUARY 2023 || CLASSIC BIKE GUIDE

“Back in the day, Magni’s German
importer, Hansen, requested
a BMW boxer-driven Magni...”

have been abducted by aliens, and have even been

experimented on before being returned to Earth…
Now let’s jump across to Europe, to the city of
Samarate in the Italian province of Varese, where
former MV Agusta racing team manager Arturo
Magni experimented on something entirely different
– namely, taking wonderful engines housed in woeful
chassis. He then took the engines and started building
bespoke motorcycles, which might have been alien to
some, but most of which were rather good. One such
example were his BMW offerings.
Back in the day, Magni’s German importer,
Hansen, requested a BMW boxer-driven Magni, after
successful sales of the Italian maestro’s MV and
Japanese engine powered bikes, which were fitted into
his in-house built custom frames. Magni agreed, and
in 1982 the naked MB1 and the faired MB2 were put
into production, using the 980cc BMW R100 engine as
the most suitable power plant at the time. One might
wonder what this has to do with Area 51, but we will
come to that.
Off we go to New Zealand now, which sounds like
a trip around the world so far... which, in fact, it is.
The story continues with Cantabrian Martin Bootten,

CLASSIC BIKE GUIDE || FEBRUARY 2023 57

a teacher by trade who was, in the 1990s, in Milan Martin’s love of motorcycles started at the age of
as part of his travels. He went with friends to visit 13, when his grandfather rode Indians. His love of
Magni’s workshop in Italy. After a tour of the premises anything BMW began with the purchase of a brand
with Arturo, Martin cheekily asked if he would have new R50/5 in 1973, on which he did lots of mileage. A
any Magni frames designed around the boxer engine German factory visit in 1996 bagged him another new
for sale. Arturo promptly said yes, he would have one BMW, on which he spent 18 months travelling around
left, on which an American left a deposit and had not Europe – a bike that’s still in the family today.
returned to collect it. Racing was always important to Martin. He
It cost Martin a fair bit of money then, but he bought his first race bike in the 1970s at the age of
was so pleased with his purchase that he felt like 16, an ex-Hugh Anderson bike (Hugh was a superb
he’d found a gold mine – even though, when Magni New Zealand racer of small machines and was New
first built his frames, they just about cost the price Zealand champion no less than 19 times, plus gained
of a new BMW. The red frame was then brought four Grand Prix wins and was TT winner twice), which
back to New Zealand in a container full of Italian he raced for a few seasons before selling it to the
machines in 1995. Martin was a bit of a collector and Barber museum in the United States. He then had
liked unusual motorcycles, so this Magni frame was a break from racing but got into it again from 1988
definitely something different... something he almost until 2005. After that, he spent more time building
considered the icing on the cake. bikes than racing them, and also acted as a steward
Martin’s Magni BMW frame is number 51 (Area for Motorcycling NZ, before his passing in September
alert) of apparently 100 built, and as such not at all 2021.
alien-related but instead rather rare. Martin didn’t
know of any other Magni BMWs in NZ, although
one does exist in Australia. A spare R90S engine
previously used for racing was then donated to bring
the frame alive, but the Magni-framed BMW in its
current guise has never been raced as such. The alloy
tank is a Norton Manx type, and the wheels and
forks are from a 1978 R100RS, while the exhaust is a
BMW 2-into-1 item. The diff comes from an R90S, and
the half fairing originates from a Laverda 750. The
handlebars are Tommaselli items, and the top yoke
was sourced from Australia. The seat, on the other
hand, was homemade, as are the rear set footrests. It’s
a collection of period parts that seems to work!

58 FEBRUARY 2023 || CLASSIC BIKE GUIDE

CLASSIC BIKE GUIDE || FEBRUARY 2023 59
 TIGER TR7

60 FEBRUARY 2023 || CLASSIC BIKE GUIDE

DRIVE TRAIN
The gearbox can be clunky, and the clutch can
be heavy. A seven-plate clutch kit and a good
nylon-lined cable are inexpensive and excellent
upgrades. Adjusting the primary chain on an
early Tiger is a pain because of the location of
the adjuster hole, and it is often easier to do the
adjustment by pulling off the left-hand chain
case. Grease the gasket before refitting and you
might be able to use it again next time.
ELECTRICS
The alternator works well and is cheap to replace
if it wears out but check a new one fits on the
studs before throwing away the packaging, as
some recent pattern items don’t fit properly.
Electronic ignition is easier to set up than points
and provides easier starting and smoother
running, while fault-finding is easier with points.
A solid-state regulator rectifier is useful. Try
www.rexs-speedshop.com for various options.
Changing the old-style lightbulbs for LEDs is
worth doing but get good ones. We recommend
Paul Goff for these.
Words by Oli ‘I’ve got twin carbs’ Hulme
Photos by Gary ‘See you down the gym’ Chapman
With huge thanks to TTT Motorcycles in Sudbury for the loan
of its Triumph TR7RV (tttmotorcyclevillage.co.uk)
I
t used to be the case that many motorcycle
manufacturer’s products looked the same at
a glance. Is that AMC single a 350 or a 500? Is
that a Norton 88 or 99? Multiple models would
be built on the same platform, using the same
ancillary parts, the same tanks and often the same
brakes. Model name badges were not common
until the 1960s, but there was one way to tell if
a bike was a tourer or a sports bike – to count
the carburettors.
Performance cars had long displayed their
sporty credentials with the letters TC on the
boot lid. Twin carbs meant speed, and this was
especially the case on motorcycles. Triumph was
firmly wedded to the idea that two carbs meant
performance, and the big Amals bolted to the
splayed heads of the Bonneville and Daytona and
the dramatic appearance of bell mouths or flat
filters made sure everyone knew your bike was the
sporty one.
In 1973, Triumph workers at Meriden were
reduced to making 750cc twins, and Triumph’s
single carb TR7RV Tiger was overshadowed by
the T140V Bonneville. The Tiger was seen as
more sensible but also a tad less charismatic...
Bonneville owners puff their chests out, while the
Tiger owner smiles and nods, and knows in their
heart of hearts that the Tiger is the one to have but
rarely makes a fuss about it. They just know.
CLASSIC BIKE GUIDE || FEBRUARY 2023 61

The Tiger 750 is born
In the autumn of 1972, Triumph unveiled its T140V
750 twin. This had new crankcases, a primary drive
with a triplex chain to cope with the extra torque, a
10-stud head, five gears and two Amal Mk1 Concentric
carbs. At first the capacity was 724cc, but once it was
clear that the bottom end could take it, that grew to
744cc shortly afterwards. The TR7 Tiger arrived early
the following year, which was, in essence, a T140 with
one carb instead of two. The two bikes had different
cylinder heads, with the T140 using splayed carb
inlets to the space needed, while the TR7 had a one-
into-two manifold running into parallel ports. Both
bikes had a Lockheed disc on the front and a conical
drum on the back.
Production of the twins picked up in 1973 until
late in the year when there was a factory lock-in
amid huge industrial and business kerfuffles and
goings-on with the new owner, Manganese Bronze,
which, it seemed, did not really want to make
Triumph motorcycles. A regular supply of Tigers and
Bonnevilles effectively stopped until 1976, though
some bikes were built and then released under deals
negotiated between the locked-in Meriden workforce
and the newly formed NVT (Norton Villiers Triumph).
So, you could still buy a new Tiger... whenever the
workers at Meriden let them past the picket line.
By 1976, with the Meriden Co-op now established,
new Tiger TR7V models began to hit showroom
floors. The gearshift was moved from the right to the
left-hand side to meet US rules and regulations. As
the rear brake operation had to move to the right,
Triumph took the opportunity to change it to a disc to
VIBRATION
Tigers do vibrate,
though less
than Bonnevilles.
Watch out
for fractured
brackets and
self-dissembling
light units. The
Smiths clocks
stand up to
the vibration
tolerably well.
Lubricate the
rev counter drive
occasionally to
CARBURETTOR
The single Mk1 Amal Concentric is the same size as those fitted
stop it seizing.
in pairs to the T140 and is at the heart of what makes the Tiger
so useable. It’s easy to set up, well made, provides good fuel
consumption and is simple to overhaul. If it gives you trouble, a
new replacement is not hugely expensive and is certainly easier
to fit one than renovating an old one.
Above: By now, the match the front. On road tests, even though the TR7RV
unit engine was getting produced five less bhp than the T140V, it was found
better and better
that the Tiger had more top-end speed. The single
Below: The press at carb meant things wouldn’t go out of balance, so the
the time liked it TR7 vibrated less and was easier to set up.
It was smoother, easier to live with, faster, and
more economical but most buyers still preferred the
T140V. By now, buyers wanted a carb per cylinder,
which was the industry standard. The Tiger remained
the wallflower. Early Tigers had a white band paint
scheme but the finish on later Triumph twins was
largely identical, be it TR7 or T140, except for the side
panel badges.
In 1978, with Triumph reliant on the US market, it had
to redesign the top end of its twin-cylinder engine to
comply with new emissions standards. As well as Lucas
Rita electronic ignition, it had to fit the new Amal Mk2
carbs to the T140 as the Mk1 carb could not meet the
emissions rules; this was because the ticklers released
unburnt petrol vapour into the atmosphere. Triumph
kept using the Mk1 type on the Tiger.
Into the late 1970s and early 1980s, the Tiger still
had a devoted following, and they kept selling in the
UK and to the armies and police forces of former
colonies. Both the T140V and the TR7RV had a brief
swansong when Meriden closed, and Les Harris
started making the old-style bikes under licence
in Devon.
TRIUMPH TR7RV 750 1973-1988
ENGINE: Four-stroke air-cooled parallel twin, ohv, two valves per cylinder
LUBRICATION: Dry sump CAPACITY: 744cc BORE AND STROKE: 76 x 82 mm
COMPRESSION RATIO: 8.5:1. CARB: 30mm Amal Mk1 Concentric IGNITION: Points or
Lucas Rita Electronic TRANSMISSION: Chain primary drive, wet multiplate clutch, five-
speed gearbox FRONT WHEEL: 3.25 x 19 REAR WHEEL: 4.00 x 18 FORKS: Oil damped
telescopic REAR SUSPENSION: Girling shocks, three-way spring preload FRONT BRAKES:
Single 254mm disc, single-piston caliper REAR BRAKES: Conical hub drum or 254mm
disc from 1976 LENGTH: 2220mm (87.4in) SEAT HEIGHT: 790mm (31.1in) WHEELBASE:
1422mm (56in) DRY WEIGHT: 177kg (390.3lb) FUEL TANK: 18.2 litres (four gallons)
 HOW MUCH? THE ENGINE
The price of the Tiger has Tiger engines are easy to work on, though they do have their own quirks. Run the
shot up in recent years, engine and make sure, by looking through the filler hole, that the oil is returning
especially as its reputation to the tank. A paper filter conversion to replace the gauze top-hat filter in the
has grown. Even a four- oil-bearing frame is a useful mod, as is the alternative of fitting an external oil
speed TR6 that could be canister filter. The big ones are awkward to fit but give an extra half pint of oil
had for £4000 three years capacity, while the compact Morgo items are a work of art. You can get stub kits
ago will now cost you £6000. to stop the push-to-fit exhaust headers from coming loose. If (or when) you have
A good Tiger 750 will, if the engine apart, clean out the crank sludge trap.
coming from a dealership,
cost between £5000 and
£7000. You might find one
privately for £4500 if you
are patient.

The Tiger is now getting the respect it deserves. The
days of cheap Tigers are long gone. Indeed, finding any
Tiger for sale is no easy task as most owners would
not dream of parting with theirs.
Tigers and derivatives
The main model is the TR7RV, and this coding was
given to pre-Co-op, Co-op and Harris types.
We believe TR stands for Triumph, 7 for 750, R for
Roadster and V for five-speeds, though if you know
more, please enlighten us. There was a TR27, a 27bhp
model for German market to avoid high vehicle
taxes. A selection of TR7AV Tigers were built with the
exotic prototype anti-vibration frame for the police
to evaluate.
“On road tests, even though the TR7RV
produced five less bhp than the T140V, it
was found that the Tiger had more top-
end speed. The single carb meant things
wouldn’t go out of balance, so the TR7
vibrated less and was easier to set up.”
Above: The UK ‘bread A handful of electric-start bikes, dubbed the TR7S
bin’ tank is a useful and TR7ES, were made, as were many TR7 police/army
size but can fracture if
the strap isn’t fitted
variants made for foreign markets, especially Ghana
and Nigeria. The White Helmets Royal Signals display
team used specially built TR7V Harris models.

Rider’s eye view We asked a few Tiger owners what is special about the TR7

Nicholas Law were really good, had a and it has done more much as anything else) drum brake (and 21-inch
“I had one about 20 years bit of a hunger for clutch than 100,000 miles. It’s and described it to me front wheel for all but
ago. I think it was a cables as the sharp sheet been rebuilt twice, the as ‘the thinking man’s three of them). The Trail
1977 model. Disc brake metal clutch mechanism first time with 10.25:1 Triumph’. I understood models also had a high
front and back. Brakes would sheer off the cable compression, a 19-tooth what he meant when I mounted steering lock
were great. As good as nipples. Handling was gearbox sprocket, 32mm bought a Bonneville… and reverted to solid
anything made about that great but lacked a bit of carb, and gas-flowed “I read with regards to mounted handlebars.
time, huge engine braking ground clearance. I would head. This year I will have the Tiger that in relation I believe there are
as well. Engine quite love another.” had it for 50 years. Just to the Bonnie, it was a Executives based upon
willing but burnt a bit of remember, you get more case of ‘halve the carbs, the Tiger rather than the
oil when used hard. No Daniel Evans smiles per mile riding a halve the problems’ Bonneville.
slower than my friend’s “I bought a Tiger 750 in Triumph.” and I think that’s a fair “I’d say that later is
T140, except lost a bit on 1973. I wanted a Trident assessment. The Tiger always better with the
acceleration. Easy to start, but missed out and the Erum Waheed benefitted from all the Tiger models, although
Lucas Rita electronic last bike in the local shop “My former law lecturer improvements that the the less restrictive
ignition as standard. was a home market Tiger. had a Co-op Triumph Bonnie did, and only silencers of earlier
Sounded nice. Clutch I collected it and rode Tiger (perhaps bought with the Trail models did versions might hold some
and five-speed gearbox home. Still have it now in political sympathy as it diverge with the rear appeal.”

CLASSIC BIKE GUIDE || FEBRUARY 2023 63

 FORKS AND SHOCKS
The Ceriani-type front forks are basic but good. Replacement
stanchions cost very little, and progressive fork springs are worth
the money. Rear shocks tend to survive well and there are plenty of
alternatives. Tigers look best with fork gaiters, and you should pay
a few pounds extra for good ones if changing them. The handlebars
will wobble a bit on their rubber bushes. Too much wobble and you’ll
need new ones. They are cheap, but a swine to fit.

BRAKES
That front Lockheed caliper and disc is very good for the period,
as is the master cylinder. If this does wear, replace with an
upgrade using a stainless-steel barrel. The single disc brake is
much better than the Japanese offerings of the period. At the
back, the calipers on post-1976 bikes tend to collect road muck
and need looking after. If it hasn’t got braided hoses yet, fit them.

SERVICING AND CARE A BIG Tiger Trail

A Tiger engine should last for 25,000 to 35,000 miles before THANKS TO In 1981 the cash-strapped Triumph looked around and
needing major work. Look after it and it could be even longer. Ben and the guys at TTT saw that BMW had spotted a gap in the market for a
Spot the first signs of wear by looking for smoke from the Motorcycles in Sudbury, big twin dual-sport bike and came up with the R80G/S.
exhaust or an increase in vibration. Wear will be found in the Suffolk, who offered
their Triumph TR7RV
Triumph in turn produced the Tiger Trail, which was
bores or the valve gear. Check it over before and after using it,
carry out regular maintenance checks after every 500 miles, and for us to photograph. lighter than the BMW and used plastic body panels
service every 1000 miles to keep it sprightly. This one is sold, but and a softer cam as designed for the TSS roadster. A
they have a growing rear drum brake derived from that fitted to the decade
number of classic bikes
for sale. See the range
out of production BSA/Triumph B25SS/B50SS and
at tttmotorcyclevillage. there was a big matt black high-level exhaust. The
co.uk or phone Ben on Tiger Trail sold in small numbers and the concept
(01787) 471040 baffled the press, but it is now highly regarded. It
came in two versions: the TR7T and a version with the
OWNERS’ CLUB
Triumph Owners’ Motor 650cc Thunderbird engine, the TR65T.
Cycle Club
www.tomcc.org

SPECIALISTS
Meriden Motorcycles
meridenmotorcycles.
co.uk
Monty’s Classic
Motorcycles
montysclassic
motorcyclesshop.co.uk
L P Williams
triumph-spares.co.uk
Paul Goff (LED lights)
Norbsa02.freeuk.com
TTT motorcycle village
tttmotorcyclevillage.
co.uk

Above: TTT Motorcycles is an Aladdin’s cave of classics

64 FEBRUARY 2023 || CLASSIC BIKE GUIDE

 FINISH
Triumph tended to do a good job in the paint shop. Check for
the tank leaking petrol around the front of the tunnel. You
will find that previous owners have left off the bolted-on
tank strap and this will cause your tank to fracture. The
chrome is hard-wearing, but the exhaust pipes will go blue.
A lot of surface rust will mean a bike that’s either been used
hard or left outside and neglected. Original mudguards are
good, solid, and survive well.

FRAME
The Tiger handles
superbly if the frame is
in good nick. Wear on the
swingarm pivot can be a
problem as the grease
nipples are hard to get
at and can get ignored.
Get it on its centrestand
and give everything a
heave at both ends to
check for movement.
There should be none.

Devon Tigers
The Tigers made
by LF Harris in
Newton Abbott used
many German and
Italian components,
some better than
others. They had
Italian Brembo Ben, of TTT Motor
cycles
brakes, Paioli
front suspension,
Marzocchi shocks and Lafranconi silencers, while
the tank bore a marked resemblance to one used
on the Laverda Alpino. There was German Magura
switchgear and a Varta battery. It was a decent effort
from Harris and the more modern ancillaries were
generally excellent in operation, though like much
Italian componentry of the period, they do need
looking after. More than 1200 were built, but most
were Bonnies.

Keeping a Tiger in the family

A Tiger 750 is a decent motorcycle that is good to
ride, easy to look after, and highly capable. If you
are looking for something practical and useable, a
Tiger is about as good a big Brit as you can get. At
about 400lb, the Tiger is light for a 750. Up to the legal
maximum, the bike just ambles along, unstressed and
with little vibration. You can tour on a Tiger without
overstressing the bike – or yourself.

CLASSIC BIKE GUIDE || FEBRUARY 2023 65

 HONDA
CB350S
It wasn’t an answer to a big question at the time and
it wasn’t around for long, but the CB350S certainly
stands out and makes an excellent classic buy now
Words of wisdom by Dave Manning Photos by Matt
With massive thanks to Olli at Rooster’s Bike Barn in Norfolk
for finding us one to photograph!

EXHAUSTED
As per just about any Japanese motorcycle from the mid-1980s, the
CB350 had an exhaust system that happily returned to its base state as
soon as it could, but the 2-into-2 standard system can be replaced by a
number of different 2-into-1 aftermarket options.

66 FEBRUARY 2023 || CLASSIC BIKE GUIDE

S
oichiro Honda’s main impetus of building
motorcycles for the people of the world
was fed by twin-cylinder, four-stroke
engines for some years before the CB350S
came to fruition in 1986. Despite Honda’s
dependency on twins for its worldwide growth, a
focus on higher profile, larger capacity multi-cylinder
bikes had by now eclipsed the likes of the CB350S. Yet,
without the mainstream, relatively small capacity
machinery, there would have been none of the multi-
cylinder GP bikes or headline-grabbing big capacity
production machines.
Despite the fact that Honda had forged the way
–with regards to two-wheeled technology, using
parallel-twin four-strokes, spearheaded by the
company’s first twin, the 247cc C70 Dream in 1957 –
by the time the 1970s were well in their stride, it was
four-cylinder machines making the headlines, fronted
by the competition-shattering single overhead cam
CB750 in 1969.
Consequently, the demand for mid-capacity
twin cylinder four-strokes – as fed by the likes of
the Honda CB72, CB77, Benly, CB250 and
350, CJ360, and so on – had seemingly
wavered by the time the CB350S hit
the market in 1986. This might have tired with parallel twins, with the super-successful
been due to the preponderance of (yet mildly tedious) Super Dream CB250N and
larger capacity inline fours being CB400N either fulfilling the desire or boring riders to
produced in Japan, or it might have sleep (choose the reason to suit your own agenda!).
simply been because everyone had Although, the Super Dream, in both capacities, did
prove rather popular in the UK from the launch
in 1979 thanks to 250cc learner legislation and a
YOU’RE BARRED despatch rider industry that took the bikes under its
While the top yoke is conventional, with the wings. But the change in learner-legal capacity in 1983
usual sort of bar clamps, the standard bars to 125cc put a limit on the smaller version’s market,
are peculiar z-shaped items that give a clip-on and Honda was by then concentrating on V-fours and
handlebar kind of riding position, with a plastic
cover that goes over the top yoke and bar
V-twins. Emissions regulations required the air-cooled
clamps up to the generic clocks. parallel twins to be restricted, though it did continue
with a custom-styled version, the CMX Rebel being
built with 250 and 450cc versions of the parallel twin.
By this time, frame development was moving in
the direction of road-racing influences and perimeter,
rather than cradle frames, becoming the norm.
Honda itself launched the steel box section framed
CBR600 in 1987, complete with all-encompassing
bodywork (partly to hide the frame?) – so the 1986
replacement for the Super Dream, the CB350S,
was still something of a surprise. Rather than
the twin’s usual cradle frame, or a box section
type, it had a tubular steel perimeter frame,
similar in style to aftermarket frames
produced for inline fours from the likes of
Harris, Spondon, Moto Martin and so on,
and painted in a bright red to make it pretty
bloody clear that this wasn’t the usual
frame arrangement. Most un-Honda.
The new frame allowed weight to be
cut from the twin, bringing it down to
a sensible 370lb (168kg), and it stayed in
production until 1990, with the narrow niche

PRACTICALITIES
Being manufactured at a time when bikes were built to
ever more sporty pretensions, it was often the case that a
production bike wasn’t equipped with a centrestand, making
chain maintenance and solid parking more of an issue.
Thankfully, the CB350S had a centrestand fitted as standard!

CLASSIC BIKE GUIDE || FEBRUARY 2023 67

 TUBULAR TREAT
While that red-painted frame may look like an
aftermarket special, it’s all Honda and it’s all factory
built, complete with the constraints on accuracy
and construction methods. There’s no high-quality
Reynolds tubing or hand-applied bronze welding here!

it had filled (or, more accurately, tried to fill) being

taken over by what would become one of the best
all-round motorcycles ever – the new water-cooled
CB500. While style was not on a par with the outgoing
CB350S, the eight-valve twin gave good power for its
insurance-friendly size, comfort was beyond many
tourers, and it gained much kudos when Honda
announced the CB500 Cup race series, launching such
stars of the future as 16-year-old James Toseland.
But ignore anyone who tries to claim that the
350S’s tubular perimeter frame is ‘race derived’ or
made by the likes of Harris Performance (or any other
aftermarket frame manufacturer), for it is neither. It
is merely a mass-produced frame that is, admittedly,
pleasingly aesthetic, but made in a factory with the
tolerances (and machine welding) accepted by mass
production, rather than being made from a high-grade
seamless steel tubing that has meticulously formed
joints brazed together by ‘artisans’... as anyone who
can actually make anything with their own hands
seem to be called these days.
And although the bike’s full title was CB350S
Road Sports (no one remembers the last bit), it was
something of a marketing sham in that respect.
Honda made much of the fact that the S was
equipped with a dual-piston front caliper, with the
‘highly efficient design’ having come from ‘Honda’s RARE RIMS
racing experience’, as the official sales brochure The 350 had a set of wheels that, to our knowledge, didn’t appear on any
other model in the Honda range. Both of 18-inch diameter, the split four
brazenly points out. The actual reality was that the
spoke design was unique, and while the rear still retained a drum brake, the
racing experience didn’t really count for much in front was a twin disc arrangement.
the face of the 350S’s competition, with far sportier

machines on the market at the time, including

Yamaha’s final iteration of the chip shop favourite,
the RD350 PowerValve, alongside its latest hot dog
two-stroke, the TZR250, which genuinely was race-
developed. In fact, Honda had launched its two-stroke
triple, the NS400R, the year before, so if any bike in
the range was going to get referenced to racing, that
should have been the one.
But if the Honda wasn’t a cutting-edge sports
weapon and it was powered by an engine that was
getting decidedly long in the tooth, then what was
it? It looked quite cool thanks to that frame design,
and it certainly stood out from everything else on the
market at the time – but was it just a new frame to
use up some old engine and chassis components?
The parallel-twin engine was a single overhead
cam, six-valve arrangement – yes, like the Super
Dream – with two inlet valves per cylinder and

68 FEBRUARY 2023 || CLASSIC BIKE GUIDE

 DON’T BE FUELLED
Thanks to the shape of the upper frame rails and the corresponding fuel tank layout, the fuel
tap is actually situated on the left-hand side of the tank rather than underneath it. While
this makes life rather easy in day-to-day terms to switch the fuel off/go onto reserve, it does
mean that it’s a little more awkward to remove the fuel tank for maintenance purposes.
PLEASE, BE SEATED
Be aware that by now the seat will inevitably be split
and soaked with rainwater, and it won’t look anywhere
near as red as it did when the bike was new. If it isn’t
sun-bleached to the perfect pink, then it’ll be so
soaked with oil stains that it’ll ensure your jeans are
always darker on the posterior than anywhere else. But,
at 790mm height, it is quite comfortable…

OLD POWER
Although of a different capacity, the twin-cylinder engine owed much to the previous 250
and 400cc Super Dream engines. With the same three valves per cylinder arrangement
and identical chain-driven balance shafts to keep the 360° parallel twin as smooth as
possible, there was no new technology used when the bike was launched in 1986.

a single exhaust valve per pot. Honda liked that persuaded – with a tail wind and downhill slope, plus
iteration at the time, with the VT V-twin (that also a small rider prepared to attempt to climb inside the
went onto power the Revere and Deuville) using a fuel tank – to hit the ‘ton’ that apparently all healthy
three-valve head. Sitting between the two Super Brit twins can (of course) always attain...
Dream capacities, the CB350S is 346cc and it’s quite Unusually, both for the mid-1980s and the style
a high revver, delivering the 33.5bhp at 9000rpm, of the frame, the Honda is a twin-shock machine,
but in a rather smooth fashion thanks in part to rather than having the single cantilever type shock
the counter-rotating balance shafts. The little twin as featured on Yamaha’s 250 and 350LC, and the
had an electric start, as had seemingly become similarly framed (if you squint... and wear very dark
compulsory on Japanese motorcycles by that point glasses... at night) Harris Magnum. The fuel tank held
(aforementioned NS400R notwithstanding), along a useful 17 litres, which would give a range of 160
with a six-speed transmission, electronic ignition and miles if you weren’t in hedonistic thrash mode, and
a pair of vacuum-operated 29mm CV carbs. Like so the six-speed gearbox allowed you to get the very best
many Brit twins, the Honda has the pistons rising and of the 34bhp.
falling together with its 360° crank, so it sounds like a ‘If you’re looking for some truly sensible
trad twin rather than the modern fad for 270° cranks motorcycling, you’ve just found it in the shape of
to sound and feel like a V-twin. It’ll sit quite happily Honda’s new CB350S,’ read the brochure. Again,
at the national speed limit and could perhaps be something rather contradictory, as is motorcycling

CLASSIC BIKE GUIDE || FEBRUARY 2023 69

ever truly sensible? But then, this was the same
company that said, ‘You’ll meet the nicest people on a
Honda’, so I suppose ‘sensible’ is a fine enough noun
to use?
There was actually also a 450cc version of the
CB-S available – built in South America, primarily for
the German market, albeit not seemingly available
in the UK. It had 43bhp and 31lb.ft, with the engine
75x50.6mm (to create 447cc) and larger CV carbs (by
2mm). That extra 10bhp (almost an additional third!)
would certainly make the 450 a far better prospect on
modern roads, although if you compare the 350 to the
current glut of similarly sized retro production bikes,
it’s certainly not outclassed – certainly more pokey
than the Royal Enfield 350cc singles and about 25kg
(55lb) lighter, too. Progress, anyone?
Back when the Super Dream was popular among
despatch riders, it was said that once the odometer
reached 50,000 miles, the engine needed to be pulled
out and replaced with one with a lower mileage.
And, at the time, there were plenty of them in bike
breakers. But would modern oils and a life less
extreme than a despatcher’s constant thrashing be
more conductive to a longer life? Most definitely yes.
The chain driven balance shafts may start to
become noisy, but this can be adjusted (it’s easily
70 FEBRUARY 2023 || CLASSIC BIKE GUIDE
reached, behind the clutch cover) and the camchain
is best replaced at about 35,000 miles, if not before,
but this can be done without splitting the crankcases
if you use a soft link in the camchain. Much like the
Super-dooper-pooper-scooper-Dream, the 350S has an
exhaust that turns to iron oxide if you even think of
travelling within half an hour of the seaside, though
aftermarket alternatives are plentiful and can be
made to fit the CB350S. The 18-inch wheels aren’t a
popular size anymore, although modern tyres are
available to suit in the 100 and 110 sections front
and rear, and with some modern replacement shock
absorbers (the originals will have lost any kind of
damping, as will any aftermarket replacements), the
handling will be far better than it was in the 1980s.
Mind you, maintenance (or lack of) will also play a
part, and will perhaps be most noticeable with the
brake calipers on the twin disc front end.
Parts bin special it may not have been, but owners
of Hondas from this era will recognise many parts
from existing and previous models, which to owners
nowadays will be a massive help with spares. Service
items and the likes of caliper pistons are available
easily, but more specific parts may only be from David
Silver Spares. It may also be worth cross-referencing
similar-aged Hondas for parts.
 A few tips on
buying a classic bike
Everyone wants you to enjoy your classic bike! But be aware that old bikes can break, leak and
misfire. They assume some common sense – brakes are poor and lights are terrible. Most problems
old bike specialists see are owners who don’t realise what they’ve got into, so follow our guide...
What are you buying?
Look at what you’re getting – is it
complete? If it’s a runner, then if you can,
get a ride (make sure you have insurance,
and most sellers will insist on cash in
their hand first). Hopefully, it’s cold first
(had they had it running before you came
– then why?) Hear it run. Are the tyres legal
(1mm tread) or do they have cracks?
A quick checklist is: centrestand – does
it lift the bike up? Wheels – are they
straight? Check the spokes for loose or
broken ones, rock the wheels for play
in the wheel bearings, look for worn
chains – will pull away from the rear of
the sprocket, and worn sprockets – teeth
like shark’s teeth. Are the fork stanchions
pitted? Are the head race bearings loose/
notchy/stiff? Do the clocks work? Is there
rust at the bottom of the petrol tank?
Is the seat ripped? Is there play in the
swingarm? Do the brakes work and feel
all right? Are the various cables in good
order?
And we haven’t even got to the engine
or gearbox...
Ask questions – lots. What oil do
they use? When do they check the valve
clearances? What problems have they had?
Does it like choke when cold or not? You’ll
be getting an idea of the owner, which gives
you an idea of how the bike’s been treated.
If you’re serious, then take someone who
isn’t wearing rose-tinted specs…
Legality
Is there a (V5) logbook? In the name that
of the seller? Does the address tie up with
the story? Sadly, many bikes are sold by
the family of a deceased owner, in which
case, there should be evidence. If in doubt,
walk politely away.
Legitimacy
What is ‘matching numbers’? This is when
the registration number, engine number
(stamped on the block) and frame number
match the factory records. They should at
least match those on the logbook. Some
bikes may have had their reg number sold
and reissued with an age-related plate;
others will have had an engine go pop
and it was more economical to swap the
engine with another. This is not a problem
as long as everything adds up but must be
reflected in the price.
Paperwork
One of the best ways to look into the
machine’s past. Old MoT certificates,
service receipts, parts receipts, even old
tax discs can build a picture of whether
you are looking at a family friend or a
hastily put-together mis-mash.
Price
Set a budget. Under any circumstances, do
not buy the cheapest you can afford. Talk to
club members and check dealer ads. Auction
realisations are accurate price reflections
but are more applicable to dear machines.
Know how much work will cost: how much
will a rebuilt wheel, an exhaust or an oil
leak cost to fix? And beware, like the plague,
‘shiny sh*t syndrome’. Look beyond nice
paint and chrome. Do your homework, and
then you have more chance of enjoying your
new machine!
CLASSIC BIKE GUIDE || FEBRUARY 2023 71
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 Reader adverts
k
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BSA THUNDERBOLT, 1970 pre OIF, new
Armours exhausts, Hepolite oilpump, new
rings and Wassel evolution carb, loads of
spares and manuals etc, £4200 ono. Tel. 07779
602185. Kent
BENELLI Imperiale 400, 2021, vgc,
only 355 miles from new, fitted with
a LED headlight, small wind deflector
and leather saddle bags Tel. 01803
762319 Devon
BSA 1958, Super Rocket with frame
number FA7886, on old green
logbook but different engine CA10R
8065HC, but minus the aluminum
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Tel. 07907 985185
BSA A10 1958, Golden Flash, very
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BMW K100 1983, one of the very
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BSA Firebird, beautifully restored,
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exempt, been in the UK over 20
years, steel tank, new tyres, exhaust,
£7000 Tel. 07932 723682 East
Sussex
BSA C15 1963, new exhuast, clutch,
chain and sprockets, SS wheels,
battery, top end overhaul, saddle,
£2300 Tel. Barry 07967 246914
classicbikeguide.com
ARIEL Red Hunter 1950, runs and
rides beautifully, starts with ease
first kick, original bike restored a few
years ago to prize winning condition,
reliable, £4990 Tel. 07419 907939
Dorset
ARIEL Huntmaster 650cc, concours
condition, extensive restoration,
matching numbers, Buff logbook,
V5C, 12V enclosed chaincase,
£6750 Tel. 01723 372219 North
Yorks
BMW R80RT 1986, full professional
rebuild covering 1900 since, rewire
by Steve Hallum, many quality
extras, dry stored, £5500 ono Tel.
07378 539241 Hampshire
BSA Golden Flash, 1961, matching
numbers, original registration, Buff
logbook and V5C, new Avons and
battery, enclosed chaincase,
rewound magneto, £5750 Tel.
01723 372219 North Yorkshire
DUCATI 1980 Darmah SD fitted
with a 1990s 900SS engine, the
conversion was undertaken in 2002
due to a worn-out bevel engine,
£4500 ono Tel. Andy 07791 653179
West Midlands
|| Fill in the coupon on page 72
ARIEL A350 Red Hunter, 1959
original black and better than ‘oily
rag’ condition, ridden weekly, £3950
Tel. 01366 728030 West Norfolk
ARMSTRONG MT500 1985, new
barrel and piston, VM32 carburettor,
Rexs Speed Shop headlight
improver, full military history, canvas
panniers, £1200 ovno Tel. 07779
602185 Kent
BMW R80ST 1984, 37,000 miles,
MoT April 2023, excellent original
condition, £6500 Tel. 07986 434844.
Email. milo.medawar@btinternet.com
Staffs
BSA Starfire B25, 250cc, 1970, tax
and MoT exempt, vgc, new stainless
rims and spokes, powder coated
frame etc, professional paintwork,
£3300 Tel. 07479 470445. Email.
brianjfielding1@gmail.com Leics
HONDA VTR Firestorm 1000 F,
1999, owned last 10 years, 11,000
miles, had full service, MoT, 2 keys,
very good condition, £3250 Tel.
07493 065778 Cambridge
 Dealer directory

CLASSIC BIKE GUIDE || FEBRUARY 2023 75

 Reader adverts
HONDA 90 CUB, 1997, 17,000
miles, button/kick start, runs
beautifully, but maybe do with a tidy,
£1200 Tel. 01438 228592 Herts
HONDA CBX750 F11, 1989,
imported from Holland, now on F
reg, superb runner, excellent and
original condition including
paintwork and exhausts, £2850 ono
Tel. 07876 758409 Lincs
HONDA VFR750 FV, 1997, 41,800
miles, MoT July 2023, forks have
been re-chromed, YSS shock, good
tyres, C&S, calipers rebuilt, engine
regularly serviced, £1950 Tel. 07972
843351 Derbyshire
KAWASAKI Z650 1980 B2, comes
with Metmachex swing arm, Motad
4 into 1, recently done cam chain,
head gasket, valve seals and shims,
£2000 Tel. 07779 602185 Kent
MOTO MORINI Kangaru X3, 1990,
MoT September 2023, 33,469km,
heated grips, all hydraulic seals
replaced, very good condition, new
tyres, £3250 Tel. 07870 740964
North Lincolnshire
76 FEBRUARY 2023 || CLASSIC BIKE GUIDE
Book your advert online now
HONDA C90 1982, 2600 miles used
for a couple of months back in 1982,
sat in a barn for 40 years, started it
last week fresh petrol started first
time, £1700 Tel. 01878 700179
Scotland
HONDA NC700S 2021, DCT
automatic or can be ridden manually
with ‘paddles,’ 10,000 miles, MoT,
touring screen, sat nav, hand guards,
heated grips, crash bars, £3295 Tel.
07949 920208; 01204 388554
HONDA XBR500G 1986, Mikuni
VM36 carburettor, Motad 2 into 1
exhaust, new Ignitech CDI box, box
of spares and a genuine Honda
manual, £1500 ovno Tel. 07779
602185 Kent
MATCHLESS G9 1959, everything
works, new battery, tyres, lovely,
£5200 ono Tel. 01745 353083
Denbighshire
MOTOBI 250 1989, good condition,
runs well, everything works, no t&t
needed, Italian 1970 bike, two
stroke twin Pirelli tyres, Brembro
brakes, £2300 Tel. 07944 669384
Derbyshire
classicbikeguide.com
HONDA CB250K0 1968, restored
to a high standard, loads of stainless,
£5000 Tel. 07746 594811 Cheshire
HONDA VFR NC30, 1990, excellent
original condition, show prize winner,
spare exhaust, interesting number
plate, recent MoT, £8500 Tel. 01243
584037 West Sussex
HONDA XL250R 1986, ideal green
laner, V5C, 19,000 miles, starts,
runs and rides, new oil/filter/plug,
battery, chain, kickstart, swing arm
protector, £1700 or may p/x Tel.
07876 704268 Norfolk
MOTO GUZZI Zigolo 98, 1956,
engine and wheels, professionally
rebuilt, 25 miles since rebuild, £3000
Tel. 07468 887827 Cheshire
NORTON Commando 850, 1973,
historic registration, tax and MoT
exempt, a matching numbers and
mostly original bike, £7200 Tel. Pete
07976 881263
|| Fill in the coupon on page 72
HONDA CBF250 silver, genuine
1200 miles only, excellent condition,
£2450 Tel. 07906 677388 North
London
HONDA VFR750 FM, J reg, 25,000
miles, V5C, will need servicing,
recommissioning, carbs cleaned,
MoT, battery, etc consider it a non-
runner, van or trailer to take away,
£950 Tel. 07474 128407
KAWASAKI KZ750 1979, not
original, candy red metallic paint,
slash pipes, banana seat, great
condition, runs well, 33,000 miles,
MoT, £1800 Tel. 07521 633749
Sussex
MOTO GUZZI V35 Nevada, 1994,
13,800 miles, small screen, rack/
backrest, throwover pannier bags,
Hagon shocks, vgc, £2200 ono Tel.
07913 032864. Email. moorend4@
hotmail.com Yorks
NORTON Dominator 99, placed
into private collection after extensive
restoration, large history folder,
MoTs/V5C £7950 Tel. 01723
372219 North Yorks
 Dealer directory

CLASSIC BIKE GUIDE || FEBRUARY 2023 77

 Reader adverts Book your advert online now classicbikeguide.com || Fill in the coupon on page 72

k
ic
sp
g’
cb

NORTON 600 Special built for NORTON COMMANDO 2018 Euro

sprints, classic trackdays and
parades, Seeley styled frame with
highly tuned motor, belt drive
primary and diaphragm clutch,
£5750 Tel. 07724 598099
spec 4 Mk2 961, only 1600 dry
miles, new sparkling showroom
condition, still running in, a real head
turner, £12,750 Tel. 07365 297414
Hants

KAWASAKI W650 immaculate, 2001, MoT

March 2023, must be one of the best around,
NORTON TRITON 1960, fully
truly beautiful, Brit bike experience without rebuilt, 5 speed box, 12V, 7000
the hassles, 14,500 miles, £3795 ono. Tel. 07817 miles, message for details, £9995
ono Tel. 07814 091378 West
257889. Leics Midlands
RICKMAN METISSE Desert Racer,
650cc unit Triumph twin, absolutely
immaculate new build, too much to
list, £12,500 Tel. 07964 759326
Devon

ROYAL ENFIELD GT Continental,
1967 total rebuild to a very high
standard tank lined for modern fuel,
new tyres just fitted, seat retained,
£5400 Tel. 07836 578002; 01844
279353 Oxfordshire
SUZUKI GSX1400 Merli sidecar
outfit, owned for many years, 20,000
miles, huge fun with one of the best
handling combinations, V5C,
£13,995 Tel. 07798 866071 Email.
dthomas409@hotmail.com
SUZUKI T350 1972 J, fully restored,
lots of nos parts and stainless items,
brand new Mikuni carbs, excellent
chroming and paintwork, £6500 Tel.
07875 354719 Durham
TRIUMPH T140E Bonneville, 1979,
matching numbers, many new parts
inc rebore and pistons, shocks, seat,
paint, brakes, 1200 miles approx
£5750 Tel. Pete 07445 648200
Sussex

TRIUMPH Tiger 100S/S, 1964,
scarlet/silver, matching numbers,
500cc twin, new parts stainless rims,
exhaust silencers, tyres, seat, V5C
£5950 Tel. 01723 372219 North
Yorkshire
TRIUMPH T150 Trident, 1976 UK
reg, tax and MoT exempt, new
complete front brake system, tyres,
clutch cable, carb rubbers, 10,500
miles, £6750 Tel. 01803 762319
Devon
TRIUMPH T150V Trident, 750cc,
1974, 20,000 miles, V5C, nice clean
unrestored, mostly original riding
bike, CV carbs, electronic ignition,
£7250 may p/x Tel. 07876 704268
Norfolk
TRIUMPH 5T 1961, matching
numbers, semi restoration, wheels
rebuit, new classic NJB shocks,
battery, metal bathtubs Tel. 01255
676497 Essex

TRIUMPH 5TA 1959, older TRIUMPH 900 Sprint, 1995, 67,600 TRIUMPH T150V Trident, 750cc, TRIUMPH TRW 1957, 500cc side
restoration, vgc, MoT Feb 2023, miles, new tyres and Varta AGM 1974, 20,000 miles, V5C, nice clean valve twin, super restored condition,
6085 miles 883 in 2008, new battery, vgc, gold wheels, owned for unrestored, mostly original riding with good history and a V5C, ex
exhausts battery, carb pressure last 23 years, comes with some bike, CV carbs, electronic ignition, Canadian army, £6999 Tel. 07798
release valve £5100 Tel. 01787 spares if required, £1400 Tel. 01621 £7250 may p/x Tel. 07876 704268 866071 Middx
461767 Essex 778184 Essex Norfolk
78 FEBRUARY 2023 || CLASSIC BIKE GUIDE
 Reader adverts
YAMAHA FS1-M 1989, good
condition, starts and runs well with
matching numbers and steering
lock, several keys and V5C, 26,253
miles, £4500 Tel. 07407 171192
West Sussex
For Sale
ARIEL HT rep frame, good bottom
end, no top end, needs sorting, rolling
chassis engine and gear box fitted,
£1600. Have earlier iron top end head,
barrel and rockers pistons +20, £200.
Tel. 01524 596336. Lancaster.
BIANCHI MT61 1961, 318cc, excellent
original post war Italian military, owned
for many years but now downsizing,
£4250. Tel. 07798 866071. Middx.
BMW R80 1985, owned last 30
years, 25,000kms, MoT August 2023,
excellent condition, includes c/bars,
screen, panniers with linings, tank bag,
all BMW, cover, original invoice, £4250.
Tel. 01757 270352; 07710 123573.
North Yorks.
BMW R80 1989, red, only 3 owners
from new, this is a lovely bike in excellent
condition as reflected in having done
less than 25,000 miles, comes with
heated handlebars, BMW panniers and
top box, offers in the region of £4750.
Tel. 07477 021402. Scotland.
BSA A7 Shooting Star, 1961, full
restoration, pleasant riding classic, call
for more details and photos, £6500
ono. Tel. 07935 304705. Scotland.
HONDA BENLY 1978, 200cc twin, bike
rebuilt and sprayed red and black in
2020, many new parts, wheels, exhaust,
valves, pistons, tyres, all complete and
running, carb need some attention,
too small for owner, no MoT needed,
buyer collects, £1850. Tel. Keith 01903
505578. West Sussex.
HONDA CD200 done like a Steve
McQueen style scrambler completely
renovated lots of one-off parts, done
to a high standard, MoT, ready to ride,
£1995 ono. Tel. 07311 666717. Kent.
HONDA VFR800 F1-W, 1998 (VMCC
eligible June 2023), 16,000 miles,
full history, owned by me from new,
always garaged and used solely for
long distance touring, never tracked,
commuted or dropped, fitted Datatool
alarm, Givi panniers and European
Intercom, on Sorn, unused since 2008,
£2000 ono. Tel. 01635 49080. Berks.
HYOSUNG GV AQUILA 2006, nice
compact 250cc V twin cruiser, red and
black colour, no MoT, selling as non-
runner for spares or repair, fires on one
cylinder only, good condition but well
used, £500. Tel. 01903 505578. West
Sussex.
KAWASAKI CSR650 1982, California
imported 1991, new tyres, carbs
rebuilt, recent service, MoT, 4 into 1
Motad exhaust, very powerful, lovely
condition, phone for more info, £3000
p/x possible. Tel. 07746 281124. Essex.
MATCHLESS 600cc, 1957, bike has
had full rebuild, all bills, hand books etc,
lovely bike, ready to ride, MoT, exempt,
looks great, £6250. Tel. 07762 714138.
MOTO GUZZI V7 Mk3, 2021, 850cc,
only 321 miles, mint condition, cylinder
head protectors fitted, luggage frames,
fitted excellent machine, silver in colour,
£6500. Tel. 07562 316551. Staffs.
80 FEBRUARY 2023 || CLASSIC BIKE GUIDE
Book your advert online now
YAMAHA TDM850 1996, twin,
good, honest and reliable bike, used
regularly, 26 years old, only 19,000
miles Tel. 07862 292630
Northamptonshire
MOTO GUZZI Stone 1.1, was running
last year, ok condition, £1600. Moto
Guzzi 750 Strada, ok condition for
age, £1500. Moto Guzzi Nevada 750,
85% there, was told engine rebuilt. Tel.
01737 833932. Surrey.
RELIANT ROBIN 850 Super trike for
sale, unfinished project hence £500 for
quick sale, little to do to complete. Tel.
07817 142195. Cheshire.
SUZUKI GSF1200 Bandit, only seen
dry miles and has spent some of its life
in storage, owned by me since 2016 (4th
owner), maintenance and MoT history,
this bike is in really nice condition and
runs sweetly, £2600 ono. Tel. Andy
07887 896232. Bristol.
TRIUMPH T120R Bonneville, newly
restored, 1964, not used since
restoration, new condition, runs well,
£11,750, no offers. T150V Triumph
Trident in very good original condition,
runs beautifully, £8750 no offers.
2018 Euro spec 4 Mk2 961 Norton
Commando, only 1600 dry miles, in
new sparkling showroom condition, still
running in, a real head turner, £12750, call
for inquiries. Tel. 07365 297414. Hants.
TRIUMPH T160 belt drive kit, engine
sprocket as new chain wheel new belt
new + T150 clutch spider complete,
offers. Tel. 01278 722614; 07793
086905.
TRIUMPH THUNDERBIRD 2000,
original condition, with extras centre
stand, rack, windshield, beautiful
chrome and paintwork, 2 owners from
new, just been serviced, complete bike
in excellent condition, Sorn, £3400. Tel.
07791 936281. Kent.
Parts For Sale
CYCLEMASTER engine crank case
conrod piston x 2, head flywheel
magneto clutch, engine cover
tanks (2) £50. Tel. 01670 521432.
Northumberland.
HARLEY-DAVIDSON Dyna Glide Fxdc
2009 silencers with heat shields, vgc,
look like new, £140 ono. Tel. 07793
086905; 01278 722614. Somerset.
HONDA CB250+350 K4, 1972,
stripped for rebuild but no time, mostly
complete. Also CB500-4 parts, set of
carbs with manifolds and airbox, nearly
new Motad 4-1 exhaust and other bits.
All in plastic storage boxes, £1000 or
offer. Tel. 07552 524982. Surrey.
HONDA CB250-350, KO-K-2 1968-
1970, a lot of spare parts, phone for
details. Tel. 07825 615731. Manchester.
MOTO GUZZI accumulation sell off
V50 850T-T3 Californian est, late spoke
wheels, Agostini seat unit sell as one lot
offers. Tel. 07833 906288. Essex.
SLIMLINE NORTON pivoted fork,
powder coated black, fitted with new
bushes & stainless steel wheel adjusters,
£125. Primary caincase back, £40 plus
p&p. Tel. 07801 558930. Lancs.
SUZUKI GS500 1994, engine + carbs,
runner but front engine, bolt seized, £40
ono. Also 80s GSX750 engine spares,
offers. Tel. 01773 742256. Derbys.
classicbikeguide.com
YAMAHA XV125 1998, MoT till
3/5/2023, new battery, 2 new tyres,
9888 miles, excellent condition, not
fast, a good poser, £2500 ono Tel.
01933 273923 Northants
VILLIERS S22 carburettor cover, all
complete for sale, £100 inc p&p. Tel.
01522 523566. Lincs.
Wanted
BSA enthusiast seeks pre-war M23
Empire-Star motorcycle 1937/38,
genuine example sought to complete
my stable, prefer original engine to
frame, reg number less important,
any condition considered, will pay
for collection so any locality ok even
Europe, would also consider an M22, so,
if you have anything tucked away that
you might consider moving on, please
let me know, an appreciative home is
guaranteed. Email. petercranwell1@
gmail.com
BSA BANTAM Tiger Cub, CB175, C90
or any other bike up to 350cc in any
condition, good price paid, can collect.
Tel. 07398 052043. Leicester.
BSA, TRIUMPH or Norton wanted any
model or condition, good price paid,
also looking for Bantam or Tiger Cub.
Tel. 07983 301756. Derby.
CLASSIC MOTORCYCLE for my
elderly bored retired father, anything at
all considered in any condition, good
prices paid, please get in touch. Tel.
07799 529325. Merseyside.
CLASSIC MOTORCYCLE wanted for
impending retirement project consider
any machine in any condition, British
or Japanese, good price paid by keen
buyer. Tel. 07983 301756. Manchester.
CLASSIC MOTORCYCLE wanted by
genuine enthusiast, anything considered,
British or Japanese, good price paid,
can collect. Tel. 07432 566835.
CLASSIC MOTORCYCLE any size
wanted by enthusiast, can be in any
condition or incomplete, cash waiting.
Tel. 07811 189755. Notts.
HONDA DAX in running order or
Chinese copy 125cc Dax, in good
condition, running order with V5, cash
waiting. Tel. Peter 07922 080580.
Chester.
HONDA, SUZUKI, Yamaha, Kawasaki
pre 1980 wanted in any condition 2 or 4
stroke, good price paid, can collect. Tel.
07398 052043. Staffs.
NSU QUICKLY Puch Maxi, Honda
Express, Raleigh Wisp and Runabout,
Cycle Master, winged wheel, any
small engined motorbikes, mopeds or
just parts. Tel. 07790 168224. West
Midlands.
|| Fill in the coupon on page 72
ZUNDAPP Falconette, 1960, 70cc,
three speed foot change, alloy
frame, alloy rims, new chrome,
engine recon, £1900 Tel. 01782
392090 Staffs
RETIRED ENGINEER (toolmaker)
looking for a classic bike or project to
keep head and hands busy anything
considered standard or special or
unusual any make, even race bike, even
incomplete, I will travel anywhere and
am a genuine buyer and will pay good
honest cash on collection anything
considered please ring. Tel. 01613
350497; 07931 557018. Lancashire.
TRIUMPH FRAME wanted T100P,
1962 or T100SS. Tel. 0044 214778140.
Ireland. Email. odonovanpadraig335@
gmil.com
TWO STROKE wanted for a restoration
project any size/make, either British eg
BSA, Francis-Barnett, Greeves etc, or
any older Japanese or European bike,
eg MZ/CZ, all offers considered, will
travel. Tel. 07538 696157. Leicester.
WANTED FRAME and V5 document
for a 1966 T120R Triumph Bonneville
or any 60s Bonnie from 1963-1970. Tel.
07365 297414. Portsmouth area.
WANTED SPECIFICALLY a 1966
T120R motorcycle frame but must have
the V5 document, or 1963-1970 will do,
must contain swinging arm too. Also 3
classic bikes for sale, going cheap. Tel.
07365 297414. Hants.
WIDELINE FEATHERBED ES2,
Triumph TR5 alloy square barrel, price
paid for correct machine, with V5
and history, original as possible, any
condition, concours to rebuild, old biker
looking for Sunday rideout, so has to
be reliable, etc or any prewar Triumph,
Tiger 80/90/100, will collect anywhere
for cash, no questions or haggling. Tel.
John 07788 453318. Email. smithjw29@
outlook.com
Miscellaneous
HYDRAVANE COMPRESSOR PU170,
3 phase, 150CFM, fully rebuilt. Blast
Wash Vapor blasting machine, single
phase, never used, 1mx1m SQ, call
for details. Tel. 07817 599164. West
Midlands.
JACKET TRIK MOTO size 3XL
unused. Helmet Nitro Racing classic,
size medium, open face for Scooter or
go-kart, £50 each. Tel. 01248 681466.
Conwy.
LEATHER JACKET by Frank Thomas,
size UK 46 in blue, black and white,
hardly used, very good condition,
zips ok, £30 plus contribution
towards postage. Tel. 07580 249601.
Northamptonshire. Email. James.
french17@zoho.com
MAGAZINES: four issues ‘Classic
Motorcycle Mechanics’ (3, 5, 6 & 13) +
the very first issue of ‘The Biker’ from
June 1980, £4 + £3.50 p&p. Tel. Richard
01366 728030.
MOTORCYCLE JACKET ladies in grey
and black, size XXL as new with armour,
Scotchlite TM, £30, all fastenings ok,
contribution towards postage please.
Tel. 07580 249601. Northamptonshire.
CLASSIC BIKE GUIDE || FEBRUARY 2023 81
Services To advertise in Classic Bike Guide
Mark on 01507 529413 mbainbridge@mortons.co.uk

ACCESSORIES DELIVERY

BRAKES

ENAMELING AND POWDER COATING ENGINEERING

CHROMING MAGNETOS

POWDER COATING

ELECTRICAL

RESTORATION

82 FEBRUARY 2023 || CLASSIC BIKE GUIDE

 Services guide
SPARES STAINLESS STEEL

SPEEDOMETER REPAIRS

TRAILERS

SHOCK ABSORBERS SPEEDOMETER REPAIRS

TRANSFERS

TYRES

CLASSIC BIKE GUIDE || FEBRUARY 2023 83

  CBG Workshop
Back on two feet, but one wheel
Engineering
cobbler(s)
A centrestand needs attention to hold everything up
WORDS AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY HUTCH AND CHELLEY
I
n a little pre-Christmas burst of
enthusiasm and with some help,
the engine and gearbox assembly
was lifted out of our Douglas rolling
chassis. But when the main stand was
lowered, it didn’t lift the bike enough to
stand unsupported. A couple of blocks of
wood were needed to get the rear wheel
off the floor. So, I thought that while the
engine and gearbox was out, this was
a good time to address the soggy and
useless main stand issue.
The amount the stand needed to be
elevated was obvious from the thickness
84 FEBRUARY 2023 || CLASSIC BIKE GUIDE
of the blocks of wood required –
about 22mm or 7/8in. The stand
stops seemed to be in reasonable
condition, so elevation under the
feet would be needed.
The stand dropped off when
undone quite easily with the
removal of its retaining stud, which
was fitted through a steel tube
in the cast aluminium stand – a
common Douglas part. The fit of
the tube in the stand was not as
worn as I was expecting, so at least
there was a re-bushing job that I Duggie without powertrain – note the wooden blocks
Stand came out quite easily Getting some rough measurements The aluminium stand after a bit of cleaning

fortunately didn’t need to do. It seems the

lack of lift comes from a bit of wear all over,
as well as sitting or kick-starting the bike
when on its stand!
It still amazes me that anyone would
think a cast aluminium main stand
was a good idea. By the time there was
enough material to give it strength in
the sandcasting, it couldn’t be lighter
or cheaper to produce than a fabricated
steel item. However, that’s the mysteries
of fashion in engineering design, and
Douglas did have a reputation for doing
things differently. Cutting the base material with a bandsaw Now using the grinder to clean up
Once the stand was given a good before shaping and fitting
degreasing and clean-up, it revealed that
the stand had already had a major weld
repair on the left-hand leg. The solution
looked to be sleeving the underneath of
the stand. After a bit of a rough measure
up, I found some slightly rusted 2.5mm
thick strip steel, from which I cut two
lengths and gave them a good seeing to
with an angle grinder fitted with both a
wire brush and a flapper disc.
A bit of marking and bending using a
small fly press, crowning tool and bevel
gauge, plus some hammering (I like
hammers) started to give a shape I wanted
for a pair of thin steel ‘shoes’ for the
stand to roll on instead of the aluminium
and also, hopefully, to add more strength
than weight.
With both of the formed 2in-wide steel
‘shoes’ clamped to the stand, the required Starting to get some shape Measuring angles
profile was marked. The shoes were
removed and cut to the marked lines with
the bandsaw and angle grinder with a thin
cutting disc fitted. Mostly the grinder, as
it’s much quicker! The ‘shoes’ were refitted,
re-marked and given a final profile using
a sanding disc and then de-burred with
a file.
When I was happy with the shoes’ fit
and shape, they were marked and drilled
for mounting holes, diameter 5.5mm (M5
plus clearance). The shoes were held in
place on the stand again and the hole
positions marked on the stand, which
itself was drilled with a No. 19 drill (the
tapping size for M5).
Fortunately, the alloy of the stand
where it was drilled was thick, as some Getting a form that follows the centrestand And cutting out the profile

CLASSIC BIKE GUIDE || FEBRUARY 2023 85

  CBG Workshop
Cutting and more cleaning
Cleaning up the new steel for a perfect weld
old cast alloy doesn’t tap that well. If I’d
intended on relying solely on the thread
to hold the shoe to the alloy, I would have
probably chosen a coarser thread, but I
intended to use a nut the other side as
well, plus I had some M5 Csk (countersunk
head) bolts.
The steel shoes were drilled to take the
countersunk head screws, trimmed back a
little further and finally fitted to the stand.
This was an improvement but did not
give the elevation I wanted, so a straight
piece of 7/8in OD (outside diameter) steel
tube was found lurking in the scrap bin; I
wanted tube and not solid, both for weight
and welding considerations, as welding
similar thickness metals together, it is
easier to get good penetration.
I must say I’ve noticed that most of the
professional coded welders I have worked
Tube is pre-cut
86 FEBRUARY 2023 || CLASSIC BIKE GUIDE
Form taking shape nicely
with spend far more time on prep and
cleaning than actually welding, so some
quality pre-weld prep and cleaning up was
carried out on the ends of the tube and
the feet or soles of the shoes to which it
was going to be welded.
The tube was fitted across the two
shoes on the stand and held in place
with a couple of welding magnets and
then tacked in place with a MIG welder
(well MAG technically, as CO2 isn’t an
inert gas and all that…). The idea of doing
the tacking like this was to keep some
concentricity between the two tubular
feet on the bottom of the shoes. With the
tube tacked in place, the centre of the
tube was cut out with the angle grinder/
cutting disc and the two shoes with
tubular feet tacked in place removed from
the stand. The two shoe/foot assemblies
Drilling and tapping the aluminium
Using magnets to hold the tube
in place before tacking
could then be manipulated in the vice
and fully welded without the need for any
positional welding or the ally stand acting
as a heat sink. The two V-joints where the
tube meet the shoes were given a root and
capping run.
Once welded, the shoes were left
to cool, cleaned up a bit, and shown a
bit of paint before being refitted to the
mainstand with M5 csk screws and
nuts. As there was no spring to fit at this
point, refitting the stand to the rolling
chassis was a cinch, where it happily sat
properly supported, one wheel just off
the ground.
So, even if I didn’t get elves magically
making the shoes for me overnight, I did
get to rummage through the scrap (yet
again) and hit things with hammers...
what else is Christmas for?
Ready to be welded
  CBG Workshop
Project BMW
The R100S is pressed back into work with some more times
WORDS AND PHOTOS BY MATT ‘DON’T BUY IT – I CAN MAKE THAT’ HULL
T
here is no fanfare, no
celebration when a restoration
is finished. After the initial
shakedown, the first few rides
are tentative, but soon after
all that work, all those new parts and
adjustments just morph into ‘the bike’.
This 1978 BMW R100S had a few tests
where many issues were sorted or at least
noted, then a test ride to the Peak District
for the weekend, and after that went well,
it was pressed into service... 2500 miles!
There’s a few things still needed. The
exhausts need painting/coating/replacing,
as they look horrid. Black or chrome, I’m
not sure yet. The indicators have never
worked properly, so that needs sorting,
though some other lighting gremlins
88 FEBRUARY 2023 || CLASSIC BIKE GUIDE
were cured with new bulbs (I’m tight and
used the ones that came fitted), cleaned
contacts and just being used. The seat unit
didn’t quite fit properly, so scratched the
subframe, the handling wasn’t spot-on at
the front, with a varying height at rest, and
the brakes were rubbish for the speed this
44-year-old bike can cruise at.
Another couple of issues needed
attention. The H4 halogen headlight works
fine, but the dive from the front is too
much movement for the beam to light,
plus modern cars are just so bright I could
see nothing but my own shadow dancing
in front. I also couldn’t get the original
panniers to fit securely, nor waterproofed,
and didn’t want them surfing alongside
me at any time.
A FLOPPY FRONT END
Due to the weight of the bike, especially
the faired ones, and the excessive fork
travel, the fork springs do tend to sag
within a few years. Mine were progressive
ones but could have been 40 years old for
all I knew, so for about £50 I ordered new.
Also, my good friend Martin, holder of
much BMW knowledge, said to check the
fork, yoke, wheel, mudguard relationship,
as it doesn’t take much to get it all slightly
misaligned. Thanks to the terrible tin plate
top yoke and spindly forks, this makes
sense, so it all came out and I compared
old and new springs. Only 11mm
difference and crucially, the old ones were
just within the manual’s tolerances, so not
dreadful, but in popped the new springs
 Up to 50mm difference! New versus old- both
Testing the fork ride height showed stiction and it looked lower than other within tolerance, just..
RS’ in photos

Taking the front end apart to line up Gaiters came off as rubbed on the Axle needed to line up perfectly
everything properly fairing – will make some protectors

and 7.5w oil to the revised level (BMW

revised its recommendations).
Then came some care, refitting
everything. The bottom yoke has to be held
open with a screwdriver blade to take the
stanchion, making it all a little harder. So,
with steel rules, vernier and patience, the
front went together well. By the end, the
head races were regreased, head and fork
nuts were torqued, and the stanchions
checked for trueness. I used the axle
to check all was straight, it should just
slide in and out of both sides. Lastly, the Denali D2 – no idea how good they are yet, Mount on fork? No
mudguard and its hefty carrier (that acts but are tiny
as a brace), wheel and brakes went in, with
the brake pads being lined up to the disc.
Does it all feel better? No idea yet, as the
front end is apart to sort the indicators!

A LIGHTBULB MOMENT
Now to the lights. I tried a brighter bulb.
This is a slightly different colour – more
blue – but had no improvement. I then set
up the aim behind a car with me sitting
in place. This helped, but there is a slight
stiction on the front and with speed, wind
and bumps, the long (200mm) travel
forks seem to sit at different heights the
whole time. I looked at LED headlights but
don’t like their looks, and most are not Mount on fairing? Maybe... Mount on mirror? Fairing would
technically legal, so it had to be additional get in way and could reflect

CLASSIC BIKE GUIDE || FEBRUARY 2023 89

  CBG Workshop
An alloy plate should get a good
position and be sturdy
lighting. I don’t want the BMW to look
like a BMW GS with the spares catalogue
thrown at it, but I had some Denali D2 LED
driving lights from a previous job, which
have the power of the sun. They are tiny
and I can wire one to dipped and both to
main beam, giving presence and better
vision. Now, where to mount them?
Choices are on the mudguard bolts, at
the bottom of the top fairing, or in front
of the mirrors. Most obvious is on the
crashbars, but know-it-all here didn’t
want them on. I don’t like the idea of forks
having more weight, and they’d move the
light as they turned. On the mirrors could
work as the light is shining down, giving
shorter shadows, but having them half-
way down the fairing seemed to mimic
most fitments I’ve seen, and with a bracket
holding them forward, should mean the
forks and wheel don’t get in the way of the
beam. Now to work out a bracket.
I found some 5mm off-cut alloy plate,
which is small enough to work on without
a milling machine but stout enough to
hold the lights steady. It should hold on via
the fairing and triangulate to an internal
bracket to the fairing stabiliser. There’s one
bit of welding and lots of shaping with a
grinder – made easier with the discovery
of alloy cutting discs! It’s a bit trial and
error, but the lights are small so shouldn’t
look dreadful and are easy to remove for
the nicer weather. The Dinali lights are
low current, but over time I may help the
battery with LED rear lights.
Measure roughly, cut once – is that right?
90 FEBRUARY 2023 || CLASSIC BIKE GUIDE
Get the cardboard and crayons out!
Looks easy, but the original will need modifying
BOXING HARES
Father Christmas bought me a Hepco
and Becker top box to match the original
Krauser (now made by Hepco and Becker)
panniers. It’s perfect for when you
don’t need the panniers, or are heading
around the M25 and end up filtering. But
unusually, you don’t see many R100s with
a top box, so I got the universal mounting
rack which could be bolted to the original,
but would look rubbish. As I have two
originals, I decided to cut one up to mount
to the new one. The idea is to make it
unobvious yet plenty strong enough, so it
took some time to work out position and
height. You forget how far back pillion
riders sit! What compounded the issue
was that my pannier mountings are not
square on both sides, so I had to try to get
them in the right place – with a crowbar…
Once all around was better – it’s still
irritatingly an inch further out on the left
Amalgamate the two handrails, then weld together so it looks original
Aluminium is lovely to work on and should
bend if dropped, not break fairing
Want to keep the room for a pillion and
not have box hanging over too far
rear and right front – I was happier but
took the seat unit off to irradicate the
issue.
Then, after much procrastination, I
started chopping the original rack to fit
in with the new. Then, with a little force,
I could bend the existing tubes to mate
with the new rack, giving it the strength I
wish for. I didn’t get it finished in time as
Christmas got in the way but should have
by next month.
SKANKY TANK
The original tank is still leaking, ironically
brought on by pressure testing other fixes.
So it’s thin. These areas will be cleaned up
and soldered by Neville, then I’m going to
buy an insurance and use the latest sealer
from Ian at Tank Care Products. It takes up
volume and takes time to do, but I do not
want the repercussions of a leaking tank
when riding.
CLASSIC BIKE GUIDE || FEBRUARY 2023 91
  CBG Workshop

Part

Carburettor
one

strip This month, we have a go

at slide carburettors
WORDS AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY STEVE COOPER

The retaining clip to the air box has been
removed, the clamp to the manifold loosened
(may have become hard), and slide and carb
top removed and moved out of the way for
safety. With a bit of wiggling and twisting, it
can be liberated and taken to the bench
C
arburettors are paradoxical
devices; each of the
components performs more
than one task, overlapping with
its various ‘partners in crime’
as we ride up and down the rev range.
Regardless of make or country of origin,
that complex-looking contrivance will
have air and fuel passageways, a primary/
pilot jet, a main jet, a slide and needle
combo, a float assembly, float needle and
a series of adjustment apparatus. This
merry band of components can variously
wear, become blocked, experience
chemical attack or degradation, become
gummed up and cause poor/non-running
and endless headaches.
There reaches a point in any bike’s life
where some carb TLC is required. What
follows is a process that has been tweaked
over the years to a point where pretty
much any carb that enters the workshop
can be brought back to life. To overhaul a
carburettor, you don’t need to know the
technical terms for the various parts or
even how they interrelate. What you will
need is some decent tools, the appropriate
cleaning fluids, possibly access to an
ultrasonic tank and a clean bench.
Our carburettor here happens to be a
Mikuni VM series, round slide carb from
a Suzuki trail bike, but the components,
techniques and MO here are relevant
to any DellO’rto, Bing, Amal, Teikei or
Keihin carburettor. Before starting, it is
recommended you get a service kit of float
bowl gaskets, O rings and even jets and
needles, as the originals could be worn or
destroyed as you take apart. We start by
stripping down the unit, inspecting what’s
been going on, then make a start on bringing
the carb back to full working condition.

92 FEBRUARY 2023 || CLASSIC BIKE GUIDE

Before ripping the carb apart, notes are made of the settings
for the pilot and tickover screws. Measure by counting the turns When removing the various adjustment screws, look out for any compression
until fully in. These datum points are worth having come start- springs. They may come out with the screw but are also just as likely to
up time, even if the unit requires subsequent adjustment stick on their seat ready to fall out later and get lost. They are tiny...

What you
may need
Carb service kit
ap)
Manifold rubbers (if che
Carb or brake cle ane r
)
JIS (Japanese crosshead
screwdriver
Flat screwdrivers
Stanley knife
Toothpick or similar
Firm toothbrush
ial – air
Useful but not essent
compresso r
Ultrasonic tank
Undoing the float bowl screws
has the bottom off the carb.
Using the appropriate driver
and storing the fittings on a
magnetic dish means minimal
damage to screw heads
and ensures they won’t get
misplaced. Brass obviously
isn’t magnetic, by the way!

Above: The float pin sits in

pair of easily damaged cast
alloy posts. Some gentle heat
from a hot air gun and tools
to encourage its liberation
have it out (pushed out to the
left on this one). One of the
brass floats has fallen off the
brass bar so will need to be
re-soldered back in place later
Above and right: Both the float bowl and
carb body are coated in a sticky green
gum that’s the residue of decaying petrol.
Before we go much further, this gummy
deposit will have to be chemically removed
using your cleaner and toothbrush

CLASSIC BIKE GUIDE || FEBRUARY 2023 93

  CBG Workshop

The main jet has been unscrewed

from the emulsion tube using
a well-fitting spanner. It’s
vital that quality tools are
used on delicate brass parts
such as carburettor jets

Next up, the choke – or, more

accurately, the enrichment
device. Again, a decent fitting
spanner is needed. This
time the brass nut is rather
thin, so I have a spanner set
aside for precisely this job

Here, the float valve assembly has been removed with

a snug socket. These components are now fearsomely
expensive, so need to be treated with kid gloves etc...

94 FEBRUARY 2023 || CLASSIC BIKE GUIDE

 When petrol breaks down
Annoying thing, petrol – there was a time
when you could pull the cover off an old
bike that had stood for ages, and you
knew the fuel in the tank and carb would
still be viable... but not anymore. And
before anyone at the back of the room
starts getting all wistful over leaded
petrol, please wait. We genuinely had
perfectly viable unleaded petrol back
in the late 1980s and early 1990s. It all
got a whole lot more complicated and
messier with the introduction of ever
more complex fuel injection systems
allied to significantly higher compression
ratios, anti-knock systems, and ever more
complex microelectronic management
systems fitted to four-wheelers. As the
modern car went greener, our needs and
The pilot jet removed and here’s a perfect example of someone previously using the wrong driver. You requirements were bypassed. Old-style
need a flat blade driver that properly fits the jet’s slot, not one that flops around and causes damage unleaded generally consisted of less
than a dozen solvents and worked well in
both carburettors and early fuel injection
systems. Modern pump fuel can have nigh
on 100 carefully selected ingredients and
is manifestly unfriendly towards old-school
carburettors, and the recent compulsory
addition of ethanol has only added to
the farrago. When modern petrol breaks
down, it’s a gradual, not instant, process.
Initially, it’s the volatile fractions, or low
boiling elements, that simply disappear
into the ether (sic). After that, it’s the
higher boiling/less volatile components
that gradually disappear or degrade
over time, dependant on environmental
conditions. What you might find in your
The emulsion tube (lying on top of float bowl, jets, drillings, passageways
the carb) is a press fit and locates and so on is anyone’s actual guess. The
in a register. You may need to gooey mess and/or varnish are more likely
make a small threaded drift to fit
in the main jet’s housing so you to respond to any hydrocarbon solvent
can carefully tap the tube out such as paint thinners or brake cleaner. If
what’s stuck to the alloy and brass is dry,
tack-free and crusty, then you’ll be looking
for an aqueous system with detergents
This carb had two float bowl
gaskets glued together with and benign, mildly alkaline cleaning
silicone! Unless the existing systems, and possibly an ultrasonic tank
gasket is in good condition, it as well. As modern petrol is hygroscopic
really is worth buying a new one
now before the rebuild begins
(picks up moisture), there’s a whole mass
of reactions going on in your carburettor
while it’s sitting there doing nothing. With
zinc, magnesium and aluminium in the
alloy castings and then copper/zinc as
brass in the jets and float assembly, any
water in the fuel will happily create a
galvanic cell. What you then get is a whole
hatful of bi and tri-metallic corrosion
reactions happening that would keep a
bored chemist happy for months trying
to analyse! There’s also an emerging
hypothesis that some metals found in
carburettors may even act as a catalyst
for various reactions within the contents of
the float bowls. And you were wondering
why your carbs kept fouling up?

CLASSIC BIKE GUIDE || FEBRUARY 2023 95

  CBG Workshop

If we are ordering up parts, it’s time to check

the slide’s outer surface and get a new
one if it’s seriously marked. Also look for
matching scars inside the alloy carburettor

We are now at the end of the strip and

inspection stage, with everything soaking
away quietly in the appropriate cleaning
media. How long it takes to do its job
depends on both the nature of the muck
on the parts and the fluids being used.
You could be lucky, have found a little
grit in the pilot jet, and be able to put it
all back together, along with a fuel filter
to stop it happening again! But generally,
cleaning carburettors from top to tail is
never a five-minute job; if it has taken
decades for everything to get this nasty,
why would anyone expect it all to be clean
and hunky-dory in under an hour?
Next time, we’ll liberate the various
parts from their fluids, dry them off,
inspect for further evidence of detritus or
damage and begin the rebuild.

Always worth checking the needle for damage

with a magnifying glass. There’s no need to
remove the E clip, which is easily lost – but In case you need further arguments for doing the job properly, these yellowy-white growths are
always make a note which groove it’s in and the result of alloy corrosion. If it’s here on these large surfaces, it’ll also be inside all the narrow
compare this against the factory data passageways and drillings – a cursory squirt of carb cleaner will never remove this little lot!

Despite what you might read online, there really is no ‘one-chemistry-does- all’ cleaning solution. The alloy growths are likely to respond well to a purpose-
made, mildly alkaline carburettor cleaner. With the float bowl, float, jets and the like covered in gooey residues, a good soak in paint thinners (aka gun wash)
will shift most of the crud. If the alloy fizzes, you have the wrong cleaning material – and never chance rubber or plastic to any form of aggressive solvent

96 FEBRUARY 2023 || CLASSIC BIKE GUIDE

CLASSIC BIKE GUIDE || FEBRUARY 2023 97
 Who d
think tho they
Frank W
ey are?
estwort
RealClas h is the
sic maga editor of
series o zine, the
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when he tions tha a long
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the prev ro d ucing Th
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and Matc cellent m t,
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ic Bike G founding
columnis uide and editor
t as a pe has retu
n ance. Or rned as
has a my a
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…

Frank’s Famous Last Words

Buyer’s Regret? Seller’s Remorse? Frank is suffering from non-buyer’s regret…

S
pirited conversations on social
media are very often highly
entertaining. And sometimes
they are genuinely interesting, too.
Occasionally they’re both, although not as
frequently as I would like, somehow.
For a reason which has now entirely
faded from my memory, I posted a
picture of a bike I’d found offered for
sale. Apart from being silver (I have never
really liked silver as a motorcycle colour,
despite enduring not one but two Norton
Commandos in a metalflake edition of
that very shade, and being a non-unit
construction engine, when my preference
is for unit, although that’s only today... my
view may have altered by the time you
read this), the bike was an almost exact
fit for my unexpected urge to replace my
350cc ohv single with electric start for a
500cc ohv single with electric start. Plainly,
I am becoming power-crazed in my dotage.
As you might expect, in a spirit of
mischief I invited anyone sufficiently
awake to comment to do just that.
Thoughts, please? I might have asked. And
lots landed, as they do in that weirdly
temporary place.
One friend – an actual one, not just of
the virtual variety – suggested that I would
regret not grabbing that bike and that I
should do so. I replied that I was more
bothered by buying it, only to regret it later,
when the enthusiasm had faded a little.
In turn, he suggested that he’d just grab it
now and that he’d never regretted buying
a bike, not one, not down the several
decades of our acquaintance.
To suggest that I was astonished would
be exact. Gentle reader, I have seriously
regretted buying lots – lots! – of bikes. I
would list them but would run rapidly
out of space – whereas I should have
run rapidly away from the bikes. There
“To suggest that I was
astonished would be
exact. Gentle reader, I have
seriously regretted buying
lots – lots! – of bikes. I
would list them but would
run rapidly out of space –
whereas I should have run
rapidly away from the bikes.”
have been lots – did I say that already?
Thought so.
I revealed this startling intelligence to
an uncaring world. No one cared. They all,
every one, told me to just buy the thing.
But I have no actual use for it. Really. It
performs no function that a couple of
other bikes already littering the place do
better. But I’ve always wanted one. Back
when they were new, in the mid to late
2000s, I had two, maybe three, of that exact
model on test, and have ridden lots and
lots of miles aboard another version of the
same bike which we owned at the time.
Which is of course why I’d not bought one
when they were new, despite the tempting
offer of a ‘trade’ price.
We all make mistakes. This one is Non-
Buyer’s Regret, possibly.
My problem – the reason I’ve made so
many poor purchasing decisions – is the
road test. Not a magazine tester’s test,
which is something entirely other, but a
typical half hour out aboard a bike loaned
by a shop which wants to sell it to you.
When I borrow a bike to write about it, the
ride is rammed full of ‘What on earth can
I say about this which hasn’t been said
already a hundred times – and said better,
too?’ I know I’m not going to buy the bike,
so don’t worry about the How? and the
Why? When I borrow a bike from a shop
with a view to purchase, my thinking is
much more complicated, and if I decide –
after just a few miles, remember – that I
really like it, then I buy it. A time-waster I
am not.
And regret sets in probably half
the time.
Consider A Triumph. I don’t think I’ll
say which, in case I cause unintentional
offence to the tens of millions of delighted
owners of the same model. I borrowed it
from a big dealer in Exeter, rode it over
several miles of mostly familiar roads, and
loved every yard of the experience. Did a
deal and bought it, riding back a week later
aboard the heavier, faster, louder machine
I’d traded. On the 50-mile ride back home
on the Triumph, I understood the mistake.
My mistake.
So I took it for a decent 500-mile ride
across country to meet up with pals for
an evening of too much everything – food,
drink and tall tales. Make or break. If I
didn’t like it after 500 miles, there was no
hope. Despite the bike being exactly as
described and excellent in its own way, I
didn’t thrill at all when riding it, fast or
slow, straight lines or sinuous bends.
There was no hope. The Triumph is now
up for sale at a honking loss. So it goes.
Buyer’s Regret? Here it is. And there are
several others.
I didn’t buy the silver single. And then
someone unkindly sent me a link to a
later unit construction version of the same
machine. In red. It looks superb in red. I
really did enjoy riding a blue one of these
in 2008 or so and should have bought it.
Maybe there’s still time. Can’t face more of
the Non-Buyer’s Regret. Life is short, and it
is still available, and…

98 FEBRUARY 2023 || CLASSIC BIKE GUIDE

.