Classic Motorcycles

[DaveM]

Brilliant Biking Inventions – The Scottoiler

We love saving money here at CB-Net, and the way to do so with your chain and sprockets is to use an automatic chain-lube system. That’s right… like a Scottoiler.

Did you know that the humble ‘Scottoiler’ is now 35 years old?

Yup, Fraser Scott, who manufactured the first Scottoiler did so back in 1984. In a press release celebrating the 30 year anniversary, Fraser said: “Bikes have always been part of my life. My first memory was falling off my dad’s Triumph Twin back in 1937 when I was two years old. From then on I was obsessed with bikes. Back then we used them for everything: camping trips, walking holidays and then scrambling kept me busy for many years until I invented the Scottoiler.” By now Fraser was 42 years old and he was about to take a big step into the unknown. “I worked on it for five years to perfect the design, and in this time I realised that not only did the O-rings not wear out but the entire chain was cleaner and more efficient. I knew I had to share this invention, even if the time spent designing it and the money it cost meant my social life and savings had suffered!”

In 1984, Westclox of Dumbarton were commissioned to manufacture 10,000 Scottoilers in time for the NEC show of 1984. Fraser said: “Unfortunately, in a collapsing motorcycle market, we sold about 50 kits to an indifferent public!” The whole Scottoiler project was sold back to Fraser, lock-stock for 1985. “Having no capital left to relaunch, I decided to sell kits by mail order and rely on the good old bikers’ word-of-mouth to build up sales. Satisfied customers then recommended them to dealers and in turn wholesalers. Five years later it was just too big for me to handle on my own so I hired some staff and slowly the whole thing became more professional!”

Today more than 20 people work for Scottoiler in the factory just north of Glasgow and – while he still acts as an innovator, Fraser has taken more of a back seat and handed the reins over to daughter, Fiona, who joined the company back in 1986 when he came in to help with administration.

How does a Scottoiler work?

Using a Scottoiler – either the vSystem, xSystem or eSystem – can increase the life of your chain and sprockets by up to seven times and would mean less fiddling and adjusting of your chain in the long run: so you get plenty of benefits in return for a two-hour set-up job.

In a Scottoiler box you get a Reservoir Metering Valve, an injector – that delivers the oil onto the chain – the parts required to fit the system to your bike (although many extra parts to ensure good fitment to your bike are also available) and a bottle of oil which should be good for 5000 miles of use.

The vSystem (from £99.99) uses gravity to siphon the oil from the reservoir and vacuum from the engine to allow the valve to open in the system itself to deliver the oil via the carefully positioned injector to the chain. This means it only works when the bike is running. A dial at the top of the reservoir controls the flow. The main RMV system itself is easy enough to be hidden away behind bodywork, but it is handy if you can see the oil level. Routing the injector tube can be an issue – although an often good bet is to following existing wiring ensuring enough slack for suspension travel. The end of the injector is then positioned at the base of the drive sprocket where it meets the chain. Vacuum take off tubes can be attached to existing spigots on inlet manifolds or via screws on the inlet manifolds: get the right kit for your bike and it is easy enough to sort.

The eSystem (from £239.99) is an oiling system that uses a small amount of power from the battery to deliver the oil to the chain. This system can be fitted more quickly than the more traditional system (around an hour or just over) and it gives the user more flexibility in adjusting the flow rate by use of a fancy control unit with display system. Apparently other techno gubbins such as a triple-axis accelerometer and a vibration sensor is used in the eSystem to trigger the system’s oiling mode.

The xSystem (from £199.99) is the easiest to install and most user friendly chain oiler yet. The revolutionary design makes the xSystem super compact whilst providing optimal chain lubrication. The new Scottoiler xSystem is perfect for your modern commuter or tourer, looking for a discreet solution to chain maintenance – using, as it does – a triple-axis accelerometer to ensure that xSystem only lubricates when you are moving (ahem!)

So, over the last 30 years the Scottoiler has come on leaps and bounds.

Scottoiler Timeline

1979: Fraser Scott comes up with idea for vacuum-operated chain oiler.

1983: Design finalised and partnership with TML who commission Westclox to manufacture them.

1984: Launched at the NEC show.

1985: Partnership with TML ends, Scott buys all tooling and parts.

1986: F.M. Scottoilers Ltd formed. Fraser’s Scott’s daughter Fiona joins the business to handle the admin.

1992: Now trading as Scottoiler (Scotland) Ltd.

2000: Relocates to new headquarters in Milngavie.

2003: Award-winning FS365 corrosion protector spray introduced.

2007: Robbie Allan completes 3000 miles on one chain at the Dakar race – thanks to a Scottoiler.

2009: Kits for KTMs and BMWs introduced, as are the new state-of-the-art electronic ‘eSystem’ oiler.

2011: Scottoiler and Globebusters make it from London to Mt Everest on one chain and no adjustments.

2012: Scottoiler enters into partnership with BMW Motorrad.

2013: More kits released for Triumph Tiger 800, Ducati, Kawasaki and Suzuki VStrom models.

2015: Scottoiler celebrates 30th anniversary.

2018: All-new xSystem introduced!

The post Brilliant Biking Inventions – The Scottoiler appeared first on Classic Motorbikes.

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[DaveM]

Honda CBR900RR Fireblade (954) Tomorrow’s Classic Today

Bloomin’ ‘ell. Is it really the case that the 954cc FireBlade has turned 17 this year?

Tadao Baba was the man behind all of the ‘900cc’ FireBlades and this was his last roll of the dice and many think it’s the best sub-litre Blade of them all.

Firstly, it was SO much better looking than the – quite aesthetically challenged – ‘929cc’ version. Instead, the 954 Blade was a big improvement on the outgoing model and was a nice blend of saucy angles and cool colour schemes which were simple and effective. Colours were your basic red, blue, yellow, white, along with a large Honda wing motif along the flanks.

The improvements were more than skin-deep. The new-for-2002 Blade had an increased piston bore up by 1mm to 75mm which gave a 25cc hike to 954cc. Compression was also boosted to 11.5:1 while lots of reciprocating weight was shaved from the pistons and other moving parts to make the bike lighter and rev-harder. This meant the motor was up by three bhp, with more mid-range and the engine itself was lighter by two kilos which was at the heart of Baba’s philosophy of ‘light is right.’ The 954 overall was just 168 kilos dry which was two kilos less than the GSX-R1000 K1, six kilos less than the-then new YZF-R1 and a whopping 20 kilos less than the ZX-9R of the same year…

OK, so the Blade was losing out in cc to the R1 and the new daddy the K1 GSX-R1000, but you wouldn’t have realised it. It was still good for 180mph on a good day but that wasn’t the best of it.

Compared to all of the opposition the 954 Blade was just so well balanced between power, weight, brakes and handling that – in the right hands – it outperformed its more powerful peers. Many road tests from the time argued that the 954cc Blade was a better road and track bike overall than the others.

Yes, we know that the Blade eventually went to a full 1000cc to compete with later models of R1 and GSX-R (and later ZX-10R) but this was the best 900cc Blade ever and – if we’re honest – prices still show this 17 years on.

Here’s the rub: it’s hard to find one of these below three large, unless they’ve got mega miles (around 50k) on. That said, most are looked after (bullet-proof too) and we’ve even seen one with 2500 miles on the clocks for £7000, but we reckon £3500 will get a good one.

For – built with precision, the best 900 Blade

Against – strong money, finding one

Honda CBR900RR 954 Fireblade Specification

Make	Honda
Model	CBR900RR
Years available	2002-2003
Major changes	colour changes
Price new	£9049
Values now	£3000-£7000

Verdict – The best 900 Blade bar none….

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[DaveM]

Brilliant Biking Inventions – Over-Head Cams

Cams: so important for the four-stroke motor…

As its name suggests, an over-head cam sits ‘over-the-head’ of the engine itself and the job of the cam-shaft is the opening and closing of the valves themselves.

This design itself originates from the many advances that happened in the aero engine during wartime. During the First World War, aero engines not only became more efficient and reliable they also increased in power on both sides. This was vital if the air-war was to be won.

Power increases were pretty darn big… at the start of the war in August 1914 many aero engines would be hard pushed to make 50bhp, but by the end of the war mammoth motors pumping out almost 350-400bhp had been built. Much of this was down to engine design itself changing but some was thanks to the development of the OHC or ‘Over Head Cam’ system.

Many WW1 fighters used air-cooled, push-rod rotary engines, where the propeller and cylinders spun around a fixed crank and while both sides had engines like these, other more complex motors were also being developed.

Over-head cams first originated in the liquid-cooled, inline six-cylinder Mercedes engines used in the Albatros series of German fighters. The DIII engine produced around 160bhp and a similar design of OHC was copied from the German engine and used in the American ‘Liberty’ V8 aero engine which produced around 400bhp!

So what are the advantages of an over-head cam system? Well, the over-head cam set-up will use fewer components, even if the system itself with the cams may be complex things themselves. This complexity was accepted as one of the downsides of better performance and allowing the motor to higher revs and therefore torque and power….

In over-head cam systems the camshaft operates the valves via its lobes and a rocker arm, whereas the over-head valve is moved via tappets, pushrods and rocker arms. Over-head cams allowed engine designers some leeway when it came to the configurations of the ports themselves, as those previously pesky pushrods weren’t in the way.

Designers soon began to use DOHC, or double/dual over-head cams, per cylinder bank as a way to make yet another performance leap forward. One cam moved the inlet valves and one the exhaust valves. Again, the use of DOHC originally can be traced back to aero engines of the 1920s and car and bike motors followed soon after. DOHC works well in multi-valve layouts where the engine has more than one inlet or exhaust valve per cylinder, but they have been used in two-valve per cylinder motors too.

The cams themselves can be driven by belts (think Ducati) chain (think lots of Jap bikes) or gears (think some Honda V4s…)

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[DaveM]

Classic Motorbike Clothing Range

We are pleased to announce that we have launched our own clothing range. The range is fairly limited currently (t-shirts, hoodies and a beanie) but we are working on expanding it and adding some fresh designs in the coming months.

We are looking at producing some bespoke designs around some of our favourite projects such as Bandit and GSX-R o’clock and hopefully new and upcoming projects. We hope you will support us and visit the link below to view our current range;

Classic Bikes Shop

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[DaveM]

Suzuki GSX-R1000 K1-K2 (2001-2002) – Tomorrow’s Classic Today

Well, well… is this hooligan really 18? Bikes often mirror life and we reckon you all know someone – be they living near you, or a lad at school – who was a bit of a bad egg, a rotten apple, a rough diamond, someone who was a bit edgy when they were younger but then – just seemed to mature and become nice and cuddly.

We reckon this GSX-R1000 K1/K2 is the same. Originally on launch it was a monster, a bad-boy, a machine which kicked the arse of the previously dominant Yamaha YZF-R1 into touch – and then kicked it in the goolies for good measure while it begged for mercy. Today, well, it’s all a bit more grown up when you think of the 200bhp mad machines that we call sportsbikes today. Staff here at CB-Net have even run one of these bad-boys with upright bars and used them as a sports-tourer in all weathers.

But – back in the day – this was the baddest mutha on the block. 2001’s GSX-R1000 K1 was a lookey-likey of the previous year’s GSX-R750Y which was equally as successful. Both had upside-down front forks but the give-away with the litre-class bike was that the fork tubes were gold in colour, being nitride-coated. The bike also had the much-maligned Tokico six-pots – but more of that later…

The motor was the heart of this beast and Suzuki were (and still are) capable of and renowned for making monster motors with heaps of character. Power? OK, you’ve got it… around 160 claimed bhp from a sportsbike almost two decades old. It’s even got plenty of mid-range, thanks to the SET (Suzuki Exhaust Tuning) device which is a butterfly valve in the link pipe between the collector and silencer and aids low-down power, like Yamaha’s EXUP valve.

Rake and trail are identical to the 750Y but the frame itself was slightly different having stronger outside walls on the frame spars and mounting points for the motor. While the style was very much akin to the GSX-R750, the performance was a level far above, as all that power was punting about 170 dry kilos, not that far off the 750. Handling-wise the GSX-R felt composed until you really caned it, but then it did benefit from the factory steering damper, those solid 43mm inverted forks and the big, braced swingarm. But, this was still a beast…

So, what is iffy with this ‘Borstal bike.’ Well, the fork coating can flake off, those six pot Tokicos are fine when new but get spongey quickly if not cleaned regularly. Some go for a different master cylinder, but the brake refurb generally works well. By now, 18 year old K1s will need a suspension service (if standard and not touched since) and the SET exhaust valves can stick which will show as a fault on the dash. This is this remedied by either stripping the valve down and cleaning it or disconnecting the valve and bypassing it, which takes an hour. Gearbox issues have been known – but mainly on track bikes. More of which below!

Two things you need to look out for with this model GSX-R could also cover other GSX-Rs: tat and track. Many of these K1/K2s were raced and these later became punter track day fodder. You’ll find these around from about a grand. Beware clean bodywork on something with low miles but with lock-wired sump-plugs/parts… And now tat: what is it with GSX-R owners? Undertrays, head-light covers, end-cans, mini-winkers – the utter winkers! ‘Keep It Standard, Stupid’ we say!

With that in mind you can still find a decent K1/K2. And yes, we love the blue/white but the red/black/silver is very reminiscent of GSX-R750/1100 colours of old, so don’t be blinkered. Moderate milers start around £2000 rising to £3000-£3500 for cleaner, less doggy examples. We’ve even seen one for £4500 with less than 10k on the (digital) clocks…

For: Good value, superb performance

Against – Expensive bodywork, needs TLC

Make	Suzuki
Model	GSXR1000 K1
Years available	2001-2002 (K2)
Major changes	Colour changes and stainless link pipe on K2 model
Price new	£9289
Values now	£1200 – £4500

Verdict – Prices have risen, but currently still a worthy investment…

The post Suzuki GSX-R1000 K1-K2 (2001-2002) – Tomorrow’s Classic Today appeared first on Classic Motorbikes.

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[DaveM]

Ducati ST4/S – Bikes That Make You Go Hmmmmm…

We’re still unsure of whether this machine needs to go in our ‘future classic’ section or ‘hmmmm’ section. So we’ve plumped for the latter to see what you lot say…

Today the Ducati range is pretty wide-ranging, from the Monsters, to the Hypermotards, the Supersport models, Panigale, the Scrambler and the Multistrada: strength in depth, you’d say.

But, back in the 1990s the company was pretty much banking on its sports machines, be they air-cooled or liquid-cooled and the Monster family itself for a bit of ‘urban chic.’ Bologna, though, wanted to expand and the ST-series was the way they tried to do it…

First off came the 900SS-powered ST2 machine which first broke cover in 1996/1997, but Ducati were clearly working on something a bit more potent, so – during 1998 out came the ST4. The 4 took the ST2’s good points of comfort, style and practicality but gave it plenty of extra oomph.

The ST2’s 944cc Paso-derived motor was replaced in the ST4 by the fantastic, liquid-cooled four-valve Desmo from the sporting 916 range. Like the ST2, the chassis was on the ‘sport’ side of ‘sport-touring’, using as it did the same Sachs rear shock as the 916, albeit with a softer spring to help handle the bumps of the autobahn, rather than the billiard smooth race tracks encountered by many 916s.

Here’s where we kinda go ‘hmmmm’ but in a good way. Ride a well-sorted ST4 today and it does make you feel good and make you feel as though you’re on something special. That L-twin desmo still sounds awesome to the ears while the handling also is assured and comfortable. This bike has character. Of course, this is also an Italian machine, so don’t expect this bike to be a VFR, VTR, FJ, FJR or anything more sedate or from the Far East – think of it more like a Ferrari four-door! So, yes, the ST still feels firm over the bumps, even if you’ve packed the kitchen sink.

Considering it’s a Duke from 20 years back, there are precious few bad things to say about reliability – but remember that you need to keep on top of belt changes (every 24 months, irrespective of miles) while regulator/rectifiers can fail, the alternator nut can undo, the starter motor has issues as has the sprag clutch.

OK, now for the ugly elephant in the room. The bad ‘hmmmmm’ comes from the looks: even in brilliant red or yummy yellow it’s clearly no ‘sports-touring 916’ so you think they could have made the thing look a little better. Still, handsome is, as handsome does, so they say…

Let’s leave the looks behind and talk ‘halo effect’ model. Yup, that’s the ST4S. Launched in 2001 you got the ST4 package, but with the larger-capacity 996cc motor (around 115bhp over 105 of the standard ST4) as well as new four-pot Brembo brake calipers/320mm discs, Marchesini wheels, better suspension, such as Titanium-Nitride-coated Showa forks and an Ohlins rear shock and a more rigid aluminium swingarm. Ducati even launched this thing at a circuit, to prove a point. But… it never really caught on. The ST4 was caught between the simpler ST2 and 2004’s three-valve headed ST3, which had less power but was in Ducati’s range until 2007.

We reckon it’s a shame the ST series was forgotten… at the time it was joined (and later replaced by) the Multistrada family, which – now we’re looking back at it – is a bit of a shame. Think of what a modern ST with a 1200 V-twin or the new V-four would go and look like?

Four years ago you could find an ST4 for £1500 but things are moving north. Today you’d start around £2k for a rough one but easily be able to find a good one around £2500-£3000. Better still, an ST4S for £4000: collectible? Hmmmm….

All we would say is DO find machines with the official luggage/extras and an all-important full service history!

Ducati ST4/S Specification

• Price: £8940 (1998)
• Engine: 916cc, liquid-cooled, DOHC, 16-valve four-stroke L-twin.
• Power: 105-110bhp @ 9000rpm. Torque: 66lb.ft @ 7500rpm.
• Front suspension: 43mm telescopic Showa fork.
• Rear suspension: Showa Monoshock.
• Front brake: 2 X 320mm discs, 4-piston caliper
• Rear brake: 245mm disc, 2-piston caliper.
• Dry weight: 214kg (claimed.)
• Seat height: 820mm.
• Fuel capacity: 21-litres.
• Top speed: 150mph (est)
• Colours: Black, blue, red, silver, yellow.

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[DaveM]

Brilliant Biking Inventions – FVQ Shock Absorbers

We may well know now what we think the acronym FVQ means for Honda’s much-maligned rear shock absorber, but you may be surprised to find it actually stands for ‘Full Variable Quality.’

It seems that – like many other advances of the 1970s and 1980s, such as air-assisted forks, anti-dive and radial tyres – the FVQ shock was some sort of dawn of a new era of suspension and handling compliance. Thing was, back in the 1970s even if suspension was adjustable the chances were you couldn’t feel it. That wasn’t supposed to be the case with FVQ shocks.

Honda’s Fully Adjustable FVQ (Full Variable Quality) shocks were, by the late 1970s, the most adjustable shocks then available on the road-going superbikes of the day: This range of shocks were developed for Honda’s machines of the time, including CB750F, CB900F (DOHC models), GL1000 Gold Wing, CX500 Maggots, CB250 and 400N SuperDreams as well as the mighty CBX1000 six….

The FVQ shock comprised of a unit with an adjuster wheel on the top of each unit. This gave three settings for rebound damping, while a spanner could adjust spring preload. To add to this adjustment, the rider could also use a small lever which would change between two settings of compression.

All of this sounded like a big leap forward for the time – and it was: until they didn’t work. ‘Fade Very Quickly’ exclaimed some wag, on how these shock absorbers would work to a point, before they were worked a little too hard and they just seemed to ‘go off.’ What was more worrying to owners of these amazing new Hondas was that – sometimes – the fade would appear with only a few thousand miles on the clocks. Not good!

Rumour was at the time that some owners would head back to their dealer quite often and order the salesman out on their bike to ‘see for themselves’ as to what had happened to their bikes well within the warranty period. Some owners would change shocks every two years as a matter of course, many within warranty.

No matter what was done to improve the shocks themselves the replacement acronym ‘Fade Very Quickly’ FVQ would stay lodged in the bike-buying public’s mind: the corresponding sales of aftermarket shock absorbers would rise as a result…

Of course, the twin-shock system would soon be replaced by the monoshock from the 1980s and today it’s easy to be critical of – what was for the time – an advanced piece of kit. Today in rebuilds and restoration the anal anoraks amongst us want to remove those aftermarket shocks for FVQ items. Yes, this is the ultimate in irony. Swap better aftermarket shocks for original ones of dubious quality and performance…

Experts opine that – while the adjusters may have moved on the FVQ shocks – they didn’t really offer much in the way of real adjustment. Whether this is due to the suspension technology of the time or the fact that Honda didn’t want us numpties dialling in ‘bad handling’ and then crashing, is anyone’s guess.

Whatever the truth, the FVQ shock absorbers will be ingrained in the memory of us classic bikers with a smile and (sometimes) a wobble and a shudder!

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[DaveM]

Yamaha TDM900 2002-2011 – Tomorrow’s Classic Bike Today!

You probably know by now that we love bikes that are that bit different or make us think differently

So we do rather look back at and like the Yamaha TDM900, even if it (and its predecessor the TDM850) didn’t seem to gel with the British bike riding and buying public.

Really, we like to look at the TDM as a big-bore TDR250, but instead the rest of you kinda thought it was dull and boring. To examine this history, we need to look at the 900’s progenitor.

The TDM850 was a 849cc five-valve per cylinder, parallel twin with a strange ‘Deltabox’ chassis but fitted with half-decent suspension with lots of travel front and rear. The motor itself was originally from the Super Tenere, while the mean, twin-light styling was from Mars, even if the comfy seat and ergonomics could have been designed by those that make Preparation-H.

Launched in 1991, strangely it immediately became a hit with those damn pesky motorcycle journalists who were previously loved-up only with sportsbikes. As was usual with the introduction of a new (and quirky) model this attitude lasted all of a year before the spoiled, sulky scribblers had changed their view and called the ‘TDM’ the ‘Tedium.’ Thankfully, the rest of Europe bought the bike in its droves, especially after the 1996 updated which saw the introduction of the 270-degree crank from the TRX850 and an all-new (even more) aggressive styling from the pen of bike designer Glynn Kerr.

The bike continued to sell big time in Europe, so much so that – by the time its replacement the TDM900 was announced – the machine was the second-best seller in Europe in the 750-1000cc category behind the VFR800. That takes some doing.

Updates to the TDM900 – which was launched in 2002 – were many: new frame/chassis, less weight, improved front forks and brakes, updated, fuel-injected 897cc motor with around 87bhp (around 10bhp up on the earlier 850) and digital clocks.

Riding the bike it was a lovely mix between a comfy naked and an imposing adventure bike (or big trailie, as we called them back then.) Handling was spot on – even if the front felt a bit soft thanks to those new forks. The 1996-on model had bigger forks and the 900 had rebound and pre-load only adjustable forks, but those powerful Blue-Spot brakes from the R1 really showed up their soft nature. Handling of the 900 was better overall than the 850, thanks to a 40mm longer swingarm, but it did feel lazier, as the wheelbase went up from 1470 to 1485mm. Stable, though.

The motor itself was gutsy, too. Riding the 900, you’ve got a useful increase in overall power across the rev-range and more importantly six not five gears and the fuel-injection of the time had no iffy glitches either.

Even if we didn’t really take the 850 or 900 to our hearts, today you’ll find plenty out there as it was available for so long – almost 10 years, in fact. Used bikes seem to have gone either one of two routes: either it’s had the full tourer kit thrown at it, or it’s been commuted on and treated with mechanical ignorance – beware the latter, as finish wasn’t the best.

Some recalls were made on 900s for checks to the fuel-injection ECU, so check this and the R1 Blue Spots suffer if not stripped and cleaned after a hard winter or four. Owners either put heavier (15WT) oil in the forks or go for harder springs. Some drop the forks 10mm to speed up steering to make up for the longer wheelbase of the 900. This doesn’t affect stability too much.

Overall, the TDM900 is practical too – as shown by the fact that Yamaha started to do extras such as heated grips, higher screens, luggage and the like for it. Useable, high milers 900s start around £1200, while the last of the line (which still lingered in dealers for a couple of years after production ceased in 2011) are up around £4300. Whatever… we say £2500 will get a really nice one.

FOR: Ignore journos: these can be fun AND practical

AGAINST: Soft suspension needs sorting for real fun!

Yamaha TDM900 Specifications;

Make	Yamaha
Model	TDM900
Years available	2002-2011 (2013 in dealers)
Major changes	Colour changes only.
Price new	£6734 Jan 2002
Values now	£1300-£4500

VERDICT: This bike deserves so much more love than we gave it the first time around… try one!

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[DaveM]

Find It Fix It Drive It

Find It Fix It Drive It, a new 10-part series from the team behind Shed & Buried and The Motorbike Show, is coming to TV screens in March.

Find It Fix It Drive It follows classic vehicle obsessed TV presenter Henry Cole and his best mate, the engineering genius Sam Lovegrove, as they set out on a mission to ride, drive and compete in some of the craziest challenges they have on their bucket lists.

In each episode Henry & Sam will scour the nation’s sheds to find and buy the perfect vehicle for the job in hand. The pressure will then be on to get it restored in time for the big challenge ahead.

Henry and Sam need to find a classic tractor for a ploughing championship, a motorbike for the UK’s biggest custom show, something to traverse the Welsh Valleys off-road, a pre-war boat tailed race car to take on the banking at the World famous Brooklands and a vintage race bike to do a lap of the Isle of Man TT Mountain course, to name but a few.

For laughs, tears, classic vehicles, restoration and a couple of old friends taking on endeavours they should know better than to be involved in, tune in to watch the first episode of Find It Fix It Drive It on More4 at 9pm on Wednesday 27th March.

To find out more and apply to be included in future programmes, visit www.henrycole.tv.

The post Find It Fix It Drive It appeared first on Classic Motorbikes.

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[DaveM]

Tail Bag for back-up

Compact and easy to attach, SW Motech’s ION S Tail Bag expands from 7 to 15 litres – perfect for carrying all those essentials needed for a ride-out.

Measuring just 33 x 29 x 10cm (expanding to 18cm) the ION S is shaped to sit on a pillion seat or luggage rack without hindering the rider in any way. It offers ample space for a smartphone, wallet, keys, paperwork, waterproof trousers and other must-haves – ideal for bikes with limited or no underseat storage, and for those who prefer not to clutter up their riding jacket or trouser pockets.

Lashed on via tough, riveted D-rings, using the loop straps included with it, plus two flaps with hook-and-loop closure and a slot on the underside for quick and secure attachment to a seat or rack.

A non-slip underside keeps it where it should be, even under hard riding.
Its durable, UV-resistant 600D polyester outer shell has reinforced sides and a water resistant interior coating, plus a waterproof inner bag, to keep contents safe and dry.

A mesh compartment inside the lid helps separate smaller items like keys and change, while a small outer compartment allows access to items without having to disturb the main contents.

The full circumference zip provides easy access and is lockable for extra peace of mind. Naturally a carry handle is also included, for use off the bike.

The SW Motech ION S retails at £95.95 including VAT, and comes complete with a waterproof inner bag, four loop attachment straps, paint protection film and full mounting instructions.

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[DaveM]

Ducati Monster M900 – Tomorrow’s Classic Today

People often make the incorrect assumption that it was the svelte 916 sports model that saved Ducati – and that the racing skills of Carl Fogarty led thousands of 916-based machines to be sold.

But, it was in fact the much more humble Monster range – and the M900 in particular – that can be said to have helped keep the troubled Bologna firm’s head above the choppy waters of the early 1990s.

The Monster project itself started – like so many classics do – as a mere styling exercise. Late in 1992, designer Miguel Galluzzi was asked to pen something different and unique and he had just the machine in mind: his own. Yes, Ducati legend has it that Miguel was tooling around on his own, stripped-down 888, without a fairing around the streets of Bologna and it was this ‘look’ he wanted with the original M900 Monster of 1993. With this in mind, he penned a classic!

Remember, up until then Ducati’s reputation (for what it was) was for building pricey, brilliant-handling and sometimes temperamental supersports bikes. The Monster would elevate Ducati into the mainstream and – finally – people could make a buying decision between a Japanese and Italian machine without making excuses.

The look was pared-back, showing that trademark Trellis lattice frame (from the 888, no less, along with the sporty steering geometry) and an air-cooled motor, taken from the 900SS, although it was geared-down for more grunt. The rear seat was sparse and generally covered by a seat cowling. The back end was stunted, way before we saw the opposition follow suit in the mid-2000s. The seating position for the rider a little cramped, thanks to high-ish pegs and the steering lock almost as non-existent as the rev-counter.

This Spartan approach to an urban road bike was a big hit: Barry Sheene even had one and reckoned it was an iconic machine. The first model to be released was the M900 Monster (80bhp) followed later by the M600 (54bhp) released in 1994 and the 64bhp M750 released in 1996 (there was also a 400cc tiddler, powered by the lack-lustre 400SS Junior motor for the Italian and Japanese markets.) The smaller-capacity machines originally would have only a single disc, but this would change on some models later on.

Apart from the visual and dynamic appeal, at last there was an easy-route into Ducati ownership. Also, a wide-range of accessories soon appeared so you could make your Monster unique. Pretty soon ‘S’ models with bikini fairings also began to appear and the Monster family proliferated – later into liquid-cooled S4 variants, but they are for a later article.

If there was a downside, it was build-quality – especially on the pre-1997 (Texas Pacific Group takeover) models. Like any Duke, you have to maintain it properly (belts and valve adjustment) and give it TLC otherwise the motor goes pop and paint can drop off both the motor and the wheels in just weeks. Electrical issues can also rear their ugly heads if not sorted ASAP.

Price and model-wise the earliest would be the most collectible, but the later ones are more ‘sorted.’ Go for one with a decent service history and perhaps good, Ducati modifications such as Termignoni exhausts.

Within the last decade you could find a good, clean M900 for £1500 – but no longer! Today, you’d be hard-pressed to find a tatty, but solid 600 for that amount. Prices now rise to £4500 for an original 1994 M900 in very good order. Thankfully, there are lots of various capacity machines that are priced in between. Ciao bella!

FOR: Look great, go well and not bad value!

AGAINST: Poor finish on early models.

Make	Ducati
Model	Monster M900
Years available	1993-2000
Major changes	Moved to grey finish cam-covers in 1994 gold frame/wheels, Showa forks in 1997, new ‘DUCATI’ logo in 1998.
Price new	£6200 at launch
Values now	£1800-£5000

VERDICT: A classic that is useful and fun to ride.

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[DaveM]

Yamaha Fizzy Restoration – Chasing the Myth ‘Finale’



Last time, we concluded with forks seals that aren’t for moving and a side panel that isn’t for painting … neither would be quick fixes but the saying goes ‘slowly, slowly catchy FS1e’

Alan took the forks away to seek enlightenment from work colleges whilst I pursued perfect paint. Three attempts to re-colour one side panel all ended in failure before I decided to leave a couple of days between coats; it worked. After a gentle ‘flat’ with 1500 grit the polisher brought an instant deep shine. Chuffed with my success I chose a ‘hangover free’ morning to fit the decals; after struggling for half an hour all ended well. The side panel graphics are a doddle compared to the tank, fortunately I trusted the professionals at Yamaha FS1E & Small Two Stroke Restorations in Canterbury to apply our factory blue with all the trimmings. March had arrived, and I chose the Sunday morning storm Freya landed upon us to collect the tank and seat panel from deepest Kent; but it was worth the trip and the £250 outlay. The finish is excellent with a deep shine that can only be achieved with the right equipment and the talents required to use them.

Bearing in Mind

We removed the speedo (for a clean-up) then refitted it alongside a new ignition switch (Wemoto £16.33) as the old one had been butchered with a screw driver. The next stage would be to refit the head stock with fresh grease and bearings, a simple enough task providing you don’t drop the balls during the process; they immediately disappear never to be seen again. Meanwhile, my mate found a sheared stud on the flasher relay bracket and any excuse to get the welder out he set about grinding the remains flat before drilling out and tacking a bolt into position. This was a quick fix as was our new rear mudguard that required some adjustment before that accepted the rear light/number plate bracket. In went the rear wheel and we refitted the original chain as it’s in ‘as new’ condition, the packaging grease still enclosing every link. A new chain guard came with the bike when I bought it and looks great but the threads for our securing bolts were full of chrome; Alan recut those and it slid into place nicely. As the new parts box was emptying I took the chance to attach our period correct handlebars; a NOS part from YPV Spares, not cheap at £35.00 but a must if originality is your aim. Grips would also be sought and here we strayed a little from factory with a pair of Yamaha DT copies; on line at around £15. The FS1 enjoys the auto-lube system but initially we won’t trust that, so two-stroke container has been drained and cleaned; until reliability is guaranteed we plan to mix in the tank.

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Wemoto – Backing Bikers since 78

Not many offices enjoy an ex-IOM TT bike to admire over coffee breaks but the Wemoto facility is far from normal and for your average enthusiast it must be a great environment to work in. I arrived armed with a long list of parts taken from their website; handily they list per model and year, so once the FS1M 78-90 was selected the rest is straightforward. I asked my tour guide John Younge how do they source the thousands of items to cover the daily trade counter and internet sales? He explained that specialist buyers check products from shows in the Far East to smaller niche suppliers across Europe and Turkey, selecting a constant flow of incoming parts. The challenge surely must be maintaining the quality with such large quantities arriving? As John pointed out, with Wemoto franchised across Europe and as far afield as Australia their bulk buying power is huge; ‘making suppliers aware of that quality is paramount keeps the standards high’. Being internet based is not just about supplying parts from their site, social media contact with customers is covered with a healthy Facebook following plus a regular newsletter.

As customers’ desires change (and us bikers can be a finicky lot) keeping updated with stock requirements can be challenging and feedback from riders is positively encouraged; let’s be honest, they want to sell what you want! Classic rims and spokes are one area that Wemoto look to expand, also their paint mixing scheme with spray can option is up and running. The fork stanchion racking is several deep, something to consider with chrome plating restricted to just a few outlets in the modern era. Need brake lines for your classic? Supply the dimensions and they can be constructed onsite, in the colour of your choice. Certainly, they cannot stock all the parts for every bike but what of their classic bike coverage? At random I selected the Guzzi V50 Monza from 1979-84 and tested their supply? Head bearings, brake pads, service items, Marving exhausts and fork springs and stanchions plus much more; within days of your doorstep. Therefore, my list of parts for our more common Fizzy shouldn’t be too much of an issue; and it wasn’t. Twenty-two items from exhaust to ignition switch and mud guards to tyres, all coming in at just under £233 and waiting for my collection at despatch; with an invite to return and some free stickers I drove home both happy and impressed.

Our Wemoto parts list Yamaha FS1 – M 1978-90

• Front mudguard LHD – 29.32 Condenser – 5.52
• Rear mudguard – 41.29 Ignition Switch – 16.33
• Side Cover Grommet – 1.66 Cylinder head bolts x 4 – 1.01 each
• Clutch Cable – 9.95 Exhaust – 40.55
• Centre Stand – 29.40 Exhaust Gasket – 1.33
• Centre Stand pin – 5.26 Foot rest rubbers x 2 – 7.46 each
• Lever covers – 1.99 Inner tubes x 2 – 6.07 each
• Points – 7.56 Tyres – 17.06 each

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Shiny Bits

Another bonus when buying the FS1 came when the seller threw in a pair of spanking new shock absorbers which I secured with new dome bolts that we buy in bulk from some bloke in Hong Kong; a ‘C’ spanner then adjusted our shocks to the overweight old bloke setting. We tried to fix the broken rear brake light switch but a new one was the only way and the same situation involved our kickstart; the original example had lost any bling years ago so at just £12 a shiny version arrived via YPV Spares. Alan wasn’t going to let me take all the glory jobs and he grabbed the ‘top-fit’ and attached the heavily chromed exhaust which I collected from Wemoto; great value at just £42.00 with gasket and certainly one aftermarket part that exceeded our expectations. To progress any further the forks needed to go in; as previously mentioned several times the seals had different ideas.

After many attempts at conventional methods Alan got drastic and punched a pair of small holes either side of the seal and with a heavy duty ‘Pick’ ran a line through the centre from hole to hole. The process took an age but allowed the inner ring to be forced up using the stanchion to ram it free; from there it was just a case of collapsing the outer ring without scoring the leg itself. With the first one complete he took the second fork away in the hope of repeating the process; the delay had put us behind but at least we could now fit new seals followed by a repaint of the lower legs. The existing springs carry plenty of rust but were hidden beneath the original gaiters (which had split) thus we took the chance to clean up and paint before refitting within new gaiters via YPV Spares at just £11.50.

Refit & Result

Luckily Yamaha’s wiring looms are easy to follow, and we had re-wrapped the loom in fresh tape before installing, so once Alan had sorted the tiny 6-volt battery our chance came to check the rear lights. So far so good, next a new clutch cable from Wemoto (£9.95) meant the side cover and gear change could be fitted and adjusted before a ten-minute fight attaching the left-hand foot rest also from Wemoto at £7.81. A ‘just in case’ fuel filter is cut into the new fuel line, the old one was brittle and had ‘leak’ written all over it and I took time to strip and clean the original fuel tap before that went back onto the tank. Freshly painted the seat panel takes just four nuts to secure; all the seat fixings are new and now we have a large bowl full of original Yamaha nuts ‘n’ bolts all rusting quite happily. With our saddle secured we finished a very productive day by test fitting the side panels, this should have been straightforward but one of the cover screws proved a fraction short.

A slight trim of excess plastic with our Dremmel concluded the day and left us enjoying a cheap beer and admitting how clever we had been; but all joking aside this project was starting to resemble the Fizzy visualised all those months ago. Assembling the forks and then installing them without assistance can be a challenge; unless you have three hands. The spring is ‘cupped’ inside the new rubber gaiters from above and below and the rubber attaches to the lower leg topped by a chrome trim. As this is slid through the lower ‘pinch bolt’ another chrome ring on top of a rubber spacer holds the cone shaped headlight bracket; all this needs to be held in place with the fork stanchion fully extended to accept the top securing nut… fiddly. The forks oil capacities vary depending which source you get the information but the manual quoted 150mls (we filled ours with a syringe) of 10w/40 mineral oil; this also lubricates the transmission. In went the front wheel and once we adjusted up the brake it became obvious the cable had stretched over the years so another was sought in a hurry but there is plenty of choice on-line.

Start up with Fingers Crossed

It should have been straightforward, but these things never are. A new headlight (YPV Spares £19.00) included a copy lens that just didn’t ‘cut the mustard’ whilst our original example enjoyed a factory glass, thus a bit of mix and match produced what we were looking for. With this in place, the final wiring could be connected, and a dim neutral light appeared confirming the battery had lost any enthusiasm long ago. We did however have enough power to try and start the old girl but all my efforts with the kick-starter produced nothing but a pool of fuel on the ramp. We stripped the carb several times before the leak eased and with Alan’s fat thumb stopping air diluting our fuel-air mix she fired up and sounded great! We had a runner along with a list of issues that included an exhaust blow where the gasket couldn’t cope, a dead battery, miss-wired indicators, permanent full beam warning light and the flasher relay failed to click.

Added to that the 16mm Mikuni decided to throw up its contents again, this was eventually traced to a missing ‘O’ ring that someone has replaced with a fibre washer. The exhaust didn’t sit flush so drastic action was required to lengthen the mounting point with a file; being a pattern part adjustment should be expected. Meanwhile, a new ‘gel’ battery arrived and confirmed we had a wiring miss-match or earth issue somewhere, so I fitted the new front brake cable which confirmed our belief, the original was stretched beyond use.

Road Test Dummy

Considering all the planning involved in our maiden ride it should have gone without a hitch but firstly the clutch enjoyed a sticky moment then the rear brake offered the stopping potential of an oil tanker. Several alterations concluded with our Fizzy ticking over happily just waiting for its first victim; I nominated Alan to be crash test dummy and he disappeared in a haze of blue then returned wearing a large grin. He reported an improvement with every venture up the road, in fact I thought he wasn’t going to share and after fifteen minutes I flagged him down. His reply was a Mussolini type wave/salute as he blasted past at around 20mph before finally it was my turn.

I had forgotten how rapidly the gearchanges come around, requiring the speed of a Riverdance performer so as not to ‘over-rev’ and I can confirm late 20’s flickering on the speedo but not wishing to push my luck I called it a success, parked up and opened a cold one. So, now it’s completed have we resolved the myth of the Fizzy? To be honest, our little Yamaha still offers nostalgia, it looks great and everyone and his dog want to talk about their teenage moments. In reality, if it was slow back then the chances of any performance improvements with my 15 stone aboard are limited. For anyone considering a similar resto this one has confirmed several pointers I received at the start. Finding an original example is unlikely, they are expensive to obtain either as a basket case or showroom fresh, but the parts supply is far better than other ‘peds’ and are great value providing you find the right vendors but be prepared to modify and make fit.

The model’s popularity continues to rise as do the prices and this week a perfect FS1e appeared on a famous auction site at £10k!! Those sorts of figures remove them from the ‘wish-list’ of any sensible enthusiast but does send a message out; find your Fizzy before it becomes a collector’s market only. Finally, thanks to our suppliers, including Wemoto for their time and assistance, classic-motorbikes.net for sharing our story, my mate Alan for his invaluable help and drinking all my beer and to all those who take time to read my ramblings. We will move onto the next project and will look to bring another tale from the ‘ped-shed’ soon. Grant Ford

Shopping page: https://www.wemoto.com/bikes/yamaha/fs1e-m/78-90

YPV Spares: www.ypvspares.com

Vapour Blasting: www.vapourblastingservices.com

Mopedland: www.mopedland.co.uk

The post Yamaha Fizzy Restoration – Chasing the Myth ‘Finale’ appeared first on Classic Motorbikes.

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[DaveM]

Kawasaki ZX-12R (2000-2006) – Tomorrow’s Classic Today

For many years Kawasaki were known as the manufacturer that created ballistic bikes – the Z1, the GPZ900R, the GPZ1000RX, the ZX-10 and then 1990’s ZZ-R1100…

Thunder was stolen from the long-standing king of speed – the ZZ-R – by the Honda Blackbird in 1996 whose own time at the top was barely a year before Suzuki’s Hayabusa (another bird name) pecked at it, removed some feathers and went faster still… then came Kawasaki’s fightback in Y2K…

The looks… well, the looks of the thing were as if an F-16 jet fighter had flown down, landed on an authobahn and humped the hell out of a ZZ-R1100… The result was this: a huge air-scoop dominated the front of the bike and (way before MotoGP and Ducati) you’d see wings sprouting out of the fairing lowers to move turbulent air from the front wheel and to stop it disturbing the air flow along the bike. Even the mirrors had sharp, bullet-style fairings on them. Little wonder really, as the aerodynamics came from the aviation division of Kawasaki Heavy Industries. Yes, Kwak make aeroplanes too…

When the first A1 model appeared early in 2000, it was rumoured that the bike could top around 190mph – maybe more – but (of course) pretty soon in came a manufacturer’s top speed limit of 186mph on the litre sportsbikes and hyperbikes that could get to such a speed. But could the Ninja get to such a speed?

Well, not immediately as you had a long, drawn-out running-in procedure where during the first 500 miles you couldn’t exceed 4000rpm, (then the bike needed a service) followed by the next 500 miles at 6000rpm and another 1000 miles at 9000rpm. It was akin to sleeping with Kylie and barely being allowed to put the tip in…

The motor itself was a peach of a power unit – but then this was a Kawasaki. The fuel-injected 1199cc motor pumped out a claimed (and cool) 177bhp. Holding it in check was a monococque chassis, allegedly inspired by the firm’s KR500 GP bike from the late 1970s/early 1980s, the one once raced by Kork Ballington. Today, a number of bikes use such a system, so the 12R was ahead of its time.

If the bike had any issues at launch it was the fuel economy/fuel range, which was pretty poor – some riders would see barely 110 miles on the trip before the reserve light came on. Also, that injection system could be a little jerky – but then many FI bikes were back then – even Hondas. Those first bikes did have a couple of recalls too: one for the overflow pipe in the fuel tank and one on the securing nuts on the tyre valves which could crack… Blimey! The brakes were OK, but were later improved with the 2004-on version which came with powerful radial jobbies instead of the much-maligned six-pot Tokicos… What was good was both build quality and overall reliability.

If there’s a model to go for we’d plump for either the first or the last. First as they looked amazing in green (or red) and – well – they’re the first of the breed. The last as, coming with all the refinements and the better brakes, they’re just better all-round.

Price-wise we haven’t seen the jump up in value as we have on other machines from the era, so you can still find a half-decent one for around £2500, with later, better machines rising to around £3.5/£4k. The saltiest price we’ve seen has been around £7000 for an early machine with less than 5000 miles on the digital dash…

For: Even today, not much looks more dramatic – or faster – than a Kawasaki ZX-12R…

Against: Fuel economy (snigger) looks…

SPECIFICATION

Make	Kawasaki
Model	ZX-12R Ninja
Years available	2000-2006
Major changes	2002-on, heavier crank, smaller flywheel, altered ignition to eliminate snatch. 2004- radial brake calipers
Price new	£9380 in 2000
Values now	£2500-£7000

VERDICT

We reckon time will smile on the ZX-12R – so buy one…

The post Kawasaki ZX-12R (2000-2006) – Tomorrow’s Classic Today appeared first on Classic Motorbikes.

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[DaveM]

Suzuki GSF600N/S Bandit 600 (1995-2004) – A Tyre Kicker’s Guide

1995 saw the launch of the Suzuki Bandit – a bargain-basement bike, with top-level fun available with the flick of the wrist.

The Suzuki Bandit sounded all mean, moody and as if it was going to stop you in your tracks and empty your wallet, but the reality was quite the opposite.

Think back to the mid-1990s and bike prices were a bit salty (OK, nothing like today…) but this was at the time that parallel imports were coming in and before the main UK manufacturers were forced to cut their prices to suit. So, when Suzuki came up with a bike that cost just £3999 new back in 1995, a bike that was smart-looking, with well proven chassis parts and motor it made the Bandit a bit of a steal…

Yes, it was parts-bin: the engine came from the old GSX600F ‘Teapot.’ Not the quickest, but the air-oil cooled motor was reliable (remember it can trace itself back to the GSX-R750F) and good for 70-80bhp and 125mph. The plot was held together in a tubular steel frame, which had a whiff of the double-cradle about it from the GSX-R, but this was painted in the colour of the bike itself. OK, so the suspension was pretty basic, being only adjustable at the rear for rebound and preload, but much fun could be had out on the road, more fun than on – say – the naked Yamaha XJ600N Diversion.

Lots of fun; in fact: here was a bike where all these budget parts seemed to add up to more than the actual sum of the individual parts. Better still, it had a cool name ‘Bandit’. Thankfully, it didn’t look like a black Trans-Am, instead it was a smart-looking, naked ‘Universal Japanese Motorcycle.’ Remember, in the mid-1990s we seemed to love fairings but here was something stripped bare. Not ‘classically’ styled though, as this was a single, not a twin-shock machine.

Development was slow as the sales were huge at the time so why fix what ain’t broke? Eventually, the Bandit family of machines battled with the Honda FireBlade as top dog in the sales war. Did we say family? Indeed, the half-faired S-model 600 came out in 1996 for £4699 while the Bandit 1200 came along a year later (again, in half-faired version) and even the naked B12 only cost £5999…

If there were (two) Achilles’ Heels we would say quality (or not) of finish (see ‘What Goes Wrong’) and the basic feel of the suspension. Of course, the naked middleweight class eventually went crazy with Honda Hornets, Yamaha Fazers, Ducati Monsters of many capacities and later Kawasaki Z750s…

As the opposition grew and was ranged against it, the Bandit had to evolve at some point. The original model lasted from 1995-1999. We mentioned the original pricing: the £3999 price tag soon grew to £4499 in 1997/8 before dropping to £3798 in 1999 as the parallel import push saw the UK importers react.

From 2000 in came a new and not so attractive model. The frame was different and so were the looks on the half-faired model, even if the motor was largely the same. The Bandit seemed to have lost its edge somewhat and gained 3mm more wheelbase too. This model came in new at £4649, so it was still keenly-priced. As was its successor: £4239 would get you the ‘new’ Suzuki GSF650 Bandit from 2005 with a bigger, updated motor and styling.

Prices? Well, there’s one out there for every budget. Crappers start for a few hundred quid, while half-decent ones begin at a grand to £1500. We’ve seen very low milers go for around £2800… It is a classic… honest.

WHAT GOES WRONG?

FORKS: Soft as your nan when new, we suggest heavier oil and springs. Fork outers often suffer from pitting.

FRONT BRAKES: Sliding twin-piston affairs that were never the best 24 years back. Like any they benefit from TLC to keep them working well, so regular stipping and cleaning will help. Braided lines, softer pads help with overall performance, too.

MOTOR: Derived from the GSXF600 the oil/air-cooled motor shares the bottom-end with the early GSX-R750F models – so it’s solid. Power output in Bandit form is around 70-75bhp but you need to rev it to around the 10,500rpm redline to get the best from it. Solid, dependable and plenty of experts out there can rebuild, tune and resurrect them. Paint on motors suffers and flakes off…

FRAME: Paint also often flakes around the frame welds.

IGNITION: Ahhh Suzuki ignition barells are plain stubborn sometimes and you have to perform the ‘Suzuki key waggle’ to get them to work. If they actually do…

TANK BREATHER: Dodgy filler caps can lead the bike to cut out. Stop and pop open the filler cap and listen for any hissing

CARBS: 32mm Mikunis on 1995-1999 bikes or 32mm Keihins on 2000-2004 bikes will always need cleaning if fuel has been left in them for any time. Carb icing can also be an issue.

: A budget item, even back in the day – these will not have aged well.

EXHAUST: Originals can be hard to find as they never lasted. Weak points include the silencer, any weld area and the place where the end-can and downpipes meet. Any bolts used down there are likely to be seized too. Any holes will lead to a popping sound on a shut throttle.

SUZUKI GSF600N/S

Price New: £3999 (Jan 1995)

Price now: £500-£3000

Engine: 599cc, air/oil-cooled, 4-stroke, inline, 16-valve four-cylinder.

Power: 77 bhp @ 10,500rpm

Weight: 208 kilos

Wheelbase: 1427mm (1430mm 2000-on)

WHY WE LOVE IT: A bike greater than the sum of its (parts bin) parts!

WHY WE DON’T: Pretty iffy build quality…

The post Suzuki GSF600N/S Bandit 600 (1995-2004) – A Tyre Kicker’s Guide appeared first on Classic Motorbikes.

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[DaveM]

Aprilia RSV1000 Mille (1998-2003) – Tomorrow’s Classic Today

It seems strange with hindsight that – by the mid-1990s – Aprilia was looked at as something of a small-capacity manufacturer.

Like Honda in the 1950s and 1960s, the opposition almost looked down their noses at the little Noale-based firm as they built and sold solid tiddlers. These were small-capacity two-strokes and four-strokes, both scooters and bikes, with the biggest machine in the range being the likeable Pegaso 650, using –as it did – a Rotax-based single-cylinder motor.

Out on the tracks of course, Aprilia was winning world championships, taking their first with Alessandro Gramigni in 1992 and then going on to win championships with the likes of Max Biaggi, Loris Capirossi and Valentino Rossi in the 1990s in the 250 class. They also had a taste of racing against the big-boys with their 500cc V-twin, but it was to be another V-twin that would take them centre-stage in the road bike sector nearer the end of the decade…

Austrian firm Rotax was again to be used to help develop the motor. This time it was to be a 60-degree dry-sump V-twin mill, with twin balancer shafts which would pump out a claimed 120bhp. Rumours began to circulate in 1996 and 1997 about the bike’s specification and by 1998 the machine was ready for launch.

What arrived had ‘challenging’ looks, with a unique (for the time) triple-headlight ‘stare’ which has since been accepted and copied in various forms. The bike itself wasn’t doing things the way the other Italian firm did them, either. This wasn’t a small, teeny-tiny Ducati with cramped ergonomics: instead the new RSV1000 Mille was a tall, stalky and spacious V-twin, with the kind of character and soul that won hearts and the sort of reliability that won minds and wallets, too.

We’ve mentioned those looks and they were in sharp contrast to the elegance of the Ducati 916, but mechanical issues were (and are) few and far between – which was good as Aprilia parts/ordering hasn’t been great…

Better was to come in 1999 when the SP and R versions were released. The 150-only SP was a very rare beast, chock-full internally with Cosworth goodies in the motor – this thing also had stacked exhausts on one side and cost a cool £20,000. Today it’s probably rarer than the RC30 and RC45 combined. If that could be trumped it was by its more affordable brother the RSV-R. This was launched late in 1999 at Valencia and for just £10,000 (about £1200 more than the stocker) you got lightweight OZ wheels, low-level Ohlins forks, shock and steering damper. This was a perfect compromise between the standard bike and the SP.

Aesthetically, the RSV Mille evolved slightly before a full update in 2004 (known as the Mk.2) so later models have revised tail units and headlight fairings and often come in a ‘satin’ finish.

All models were pretty solid, but foibles include oil pressure sensors blowing, connectors/reg-rectifier going pop, clutch slave cylinder seals blowing and fork-seals leaking on the Ohlins-equipped bikes: we all later found out the Ohlins were pretty low-spec.

Prices were in the basement five years back – but no longer. A scruffy but well looked after original 1998/1999 bike could be had then for £1500, but now you’re looking at £2000 as entry-level for a ‘scruffer.’ RSV-Rs obviously command a premium, but only an extra £500-£700 or so on top. SPs are – basically – un-obtainium, but one was seen recently for around £12k which is a bargain compared to the likes of an RC, OW or R7…

Thankfully, other limited-run Milles were made, including Noriyuki Haga-rep (2001, 300 made) and Colin Edwards replicas (2003.) These are basically RSV-Rs with Akrapovic pipes and peppy ECU changes for more ooomph. The Edwards bike also had radial brakes and bigger throttle bodies. These still command a fair few grand more than the standard R due to scarcity. Do check they are legit and not copies…

For– Looks have aged well, performance is good

Against– Can suffer from spares availability – go visit Aprilia Performance for support!

Make	Aprilia
Model	RSV1000 Mille
Years available	1998-2004
Major changes	Updated plastics from 2001, and modifications to engine (more power) and suspension.
Price when new	£9449 1998
Values now	£1500-£7000 £12,000 + for SP!

£10,749 1999 RSV-R

£19,999 1999 RSV Mille SP

Verdict: A superb bike and a great first crack at the sportsbike from Aprilia.

The post Aprilia RSV1000 Mille (1998-2003) – Tomorrow’s Classic Today appeared first on Classic Motorbikes.

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[DaveM]

Honda CBR600F X/Y (1999-2000) – Tomorrow’s Classic Today

Honda had – for so many years – plodded on with the steel-framed CBR600F…

We say ‘plodded’ when – actually – we should say ‘dominated.’ However, by the late 1990s the venerable ‘Steelie’ was showing its age and being showed up by its younger peers, like the Kawasaki ZX-6R, Yamaha YZF-R6 and Suzuki GSX-R600…

Therefore, in 1999 Honda bit the bullet and released its all new middleweight supersports bike. This was a brave (but much-needed) move and they started with a clean-sheet design headed up by some of their top designers.

Finally, in came an alloy frame and swingarm (which bolted straight to the back of the motor), four piston Nissin callipers up front replaced the aging, twin piston sliding callipers of the old model. Also, in came ‘proper’ sized wheels to suit a 180 rear tyre (up from 5-inch to 5.5-inch rim), weight was reduced by 16kg and an all new motor with a claimed 110bhp was slotted in…

The result was that – arguably – the CBR went back to the top of the pile even if it was the more ‘sensible’ option compared to the also, then-new YZF-R6: hell, the Honda even still had a centre-stand!

The F-X redesign allowed the CBR to take on the competition head-on and yet still on its own ‘comfy’ terms. It just about kept up with the racier competition on the spec sheets, in the showrooms and on the track.

That’s not to say all was perfect: faulty bearing caps holding the cams in place caused a lot of noise and allegedly accelerated mechanical wear (no recall was issued) instead, it’s said that problems were dealt with at dealer level. This may have created a problem if you had purchased your new steed from a parallel dealer! Thankfully this issue was rare enough…

Riding the F-X you’re immediately hit with how ‘at home’ you feel, if you’ve ever ridden any other, previous CBR-6. Sure, it wasn’t as extreme as the opposition but this was the allure of the CBR600F model, right? It was – and still is – all things, to all men, women, newbies and experienced riders alike.

Prices show there’s some overlap with older and newer CBRs… Very rough ones/track machines will start around a grand, rising to around £3000 for low-mile minters… a shade under £2K should get a very good one if you look hard enough…

For – This is an easy-going, do-it-all classic. Do you need any more than this? Nah!

Against – Some say it’s dull, we don’t: but we do say the colour schemes are naff!

Specifications

Make	Honda
Model	CBR600F-X/F-Y
Years available	1999 2000
Major changes	Colour changes
Price when new	£6359
Values now	£1000-£3000

Verdict: You don’t need more than this on the road. Honest…

The post Honda CBR600F X/Y (1999-2000) – Tomorrow’s Classic Today appeared first on Classic Motorbikes.

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[DaveM]

Suzuki GT750 Kettle Restoration

What do you do with an Australian Suzuki ‘Water Bottle’ that’s been left in a chicken coop for more than 20 years? Restore it, says Carl Schubert, who told his story to pal Karl Webster.

You just gotta love the sound of a screaming two-stroke motorcycle.

When you ride them, they give you an incredible sensation and an indescribable tingle somewhere.

Whether it’s a two-stroke road or a two-stroke dirt bike, if you’ve experienced and owned one, they have that crazy sound and power delivery. I guess most of us started out years ago with two-strokes. Living Down Under, for me it was Suzuki RM80s and the like, and back in the day it would be something air-cooled with fins that made them sound even rawer. They would be easy to work on and could be flogged hard!

Every so often just put a new set of rings in, maybe a piston now and then sometimes the odd plug and clean the air-filter. Once in your system I don’t think it ever leaves you. I thought I would never get used to the power of my first RM80, but then as experience grew the bikes shrunk, so weeks later I was thrashing it everywhere, then a 125 took its place, then a 250 and finally a 500 two-stroke… I still love strokers and this love is shared by another Karl, or should I say another ‘Carl’, Carl Schubert. Carl is a bike builder who does his own bikes to such a standard it makes you weep for your own bikes and want to go and re-do a few things.

Carl is a member of the local VJMC club down here. I knew a few of them local to me and I was introduced to Carl, who was riding a very nice GT550. All people would say was: “You should see his GT750 Water Bottle!”

This piqued my curiosity so I asked Carl what the score was. He began his story: “The GT750 is known as the ‘Water Bottle’ here in Australia, not Kettle or Water Buffalo and just after joining my local branch of the VJMC I got a lead on a dormant 1973 model that really rekindled my association and love of Suzuki two-strokes. I’d heard it was stuck in an old chook shed (chicken coop to you Poms) in Central Victoria. I went for a look at the bike and it had a nice story behind it. Basically, every Friday night the guy would be woken up at about midnight by the howl of a bike as it left the local boozer as it headed back to a nearby town. The owner told me that he walked into that bar one night, asked who owned the blue motorbike parked out the front and made him an offer he couldn’t refuse, then taking the bike home and parking it in the chook shed. Why? Only so he could stop the noise that woke him up every Friday… he didn’t actually want it!”

With this in mind the bike was relatively complete but neglected. A deal was struck and Carl took the bike home. What should have been a refresh, turned into a complete frame-up restoration. Having tinkered with bikes all his life but not a mechanic, Carl knew the enormity of the decision to restore rather than refresh however the six-week time-frame initially set in December 2006 may have been naïve! November 2011 saw the restoration complete with the bike rolling out of the shed looking as close to showroom condition as practical.

So what went into the build? Stripping the bike down was a challenge in itself. Years of neglect and the detrimental effects of the elements ensured every nut, screw, bolt, electrical connector and rubber component gave Carl a fight…

Once apart and scattered over a series of benches, the assessment of what was salvageable and what had seen its life-span expire took several weekends and a considerable amount of mental lubricant – that’s beer to you Poms. Surprisingly most parts were in a recoverable state apart from nearly anything perishable. The wiring had also seen better days…

The engine was stripped and found to be reasonably healthy although it had obviously seized at some point with tell-tale history marks in the bores. The Suzuki CCI oil-injection mechanism had been retained and the crank bearings were in good shape. Not too many two-strokes enjoy standing around idle for that many years though and the crank seals were no longer serviceable.

Carl says: “When I stripped the engine I clearly had to go with new seals and bearings throughout and the pistons ceramic coated for better heat dissipation and also reduction in noise. New parts were sourced through Suzuki Australia courtesy of Mick Hone Motorcycles and via the internet using Paul Miller in Connecticut USA.”

Oxidisation had also taken its toll on the outside of the engine with most parts severely corroded. Many hours of wet and dry sanding, polish and repeat produced the results Carl was looking for. The frame was stripped and powder-coated maintaining the correct combination of gloss and satin black for the different parts and while the frame looks fantastic. All chrome and zinc plating was initially placed in the hands of a local contact to arrange, however a malfunctioning moral compass of said contact saw most of the original bright-work (including the hard to come by original exhaust system) make its way onto the open market never to be seen again. The reason for the delay in finishing the restoration now becomes more apparent!

“The search for replacement parts saw many nights spent trawling the internet,” says Carl. “With excellent contacts made and parts sourced through Crooks Suzuki and Discount Motorcycle Spares, both in the UK, my contacts made through the VJMC also proved invaluable when sourcing parts, although I found it easier to get parts for my Suzuki RE5 than for the GT at times!” Carl was keen to fit the parts that were correct to the 1973 K model. Subtle changes to the GT750 were made through its production run from 1972 to 1977. Correct lenses, engine covers, badges and seat are all present on the bike, as are the very hard to come by ‘S’-logo mirrors that demand a premium whenever they come up on the internet auction sites. An investment in a zinc-plating kit saw the majority of the smaller items plated and polished in the home workshop. Carl says that one of the most satisfying results of his plating exploits was the fan blade that was zinc plated and then subjected to ‘passivation’ to take on the brass colour as per original spec.

The magnificent paintwork was completed by Hammond Refinishing in Wangaratta Victoria and many miscellaneous components such as the master cylinder, forks and calipers were reconditioned by Cal Merlo at www.badgereplicas.com.au who also supplied the reproduction tank and side-panel badges.

By the start of 2011, nearly every component had been individually restored or replaced with new. A stint off work for medical reasons saw Carl and his two sons, Bryce and Tyler, spending time in the workshop firstly working out what went where and then slowly piecing the bike back together. The good sense to take a lot of digital photos during the strip-down process made the job a little easier when combined with a factory parts manual as reference.

Assembly was completed by Carl and his mate, Pete Flanagan through the remainder of the year with many opportunities to reflect once again on that restore versus refresh decision. Carl says: “Finally at about 9pm on the 25th of November 2011, the Water Bottle once again burst into life and very quickly filled my shed with that glorious blue haze.”

The euphoria was almost instantly dampened, quite literally, by a serious water leak. All obvious sources were quickly eliminated with the bypass hose that runs behind the cylinders found to be the cause and yes, it was the bottom clamp that had let go providing both Carl and Pete with an opportunity to practice getting the air-box and carbs off again and see if they could better their four-hour installation time at the second attempt. Water leak rectified, the heightened expectation of giving the bike its maiden run returned with all pre-checks passing with flying colours.

Despite the ground-up restoration, this bike isn’t just for show – it’s had plenty of go, too. The bike is still ridden to a lot of VJMC events and was a multiple trophy winner at the 2013 VJMC National Rally held in Victor Harbor in South Australia. In addition to the People’s Choice award for the best bike 1970 to 1980, the bike took the VJMC Founders’ Award which is presented to the bike that is judged to be as close to how it rolled off the factory floor but obviously still ridden and enjoyed. There have only been five awards of this nature presented in the history of the VJMC in Australia.

The GT750 completes Carl’s collection of the Suzuki triples with him also owning the 380 and 550 variants.

The post Suzuki GT750 Kettle Restoration appeared first on Classic Motorbikes.

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[DaveM]

Kawasaki ZX-7R (1996-2003) – Tomorrow’s Classic Today

We here at CB-Net think it’s quite amazing to realise that the humble Kawasaki ZX-7R is now coming up to 25 years old…

Look at it… drink it in. It’s stayed classy and still looks good today. Launched right at the end of 1995 for the 1996 model year, the bike itself was a logical progression of the ZXR750 family that we’d enjoyed over here in the UK. With those models being called ZX-7s over in the USA, finally we all got to call these 750cc green meanies by the same name…

The ZX-7R should have and did do well, but on launch it had a little problem in the shape of the Suzuki GSX-R750 W-T SRAD. The SRAD (the acronym stood for Suzuki Ram Air Direct) was just 179 kilos, where the Kawasaki weighed in at 25 kilos more: both kicked out around the same horsepower – around 110-115 at the back wheel.

In many ways the Kawasaki shouldn’t have even been close to the SRAD performance-wise, but – initially – both sold well. For the ZX-7R, the extra bulk and mighty-fine front-end evened things up out in the real-world while the SRAD was very much more the manic and demanding 750cc proposition. So, while the SRAD flaps and slaps, the 7R would be a bit more cosseting to the rider on the road. The Kawasaki just didn’t feel quite as slap-happy or crazy.

Both these machines would outlive the other 750 machines which either died off (YZF750) or changed (VFR750). But while the GSX-R would transmogrify into the 750Y of 2000 and change yet more in the noughties with K4-on versions, the 7R would solider on, only with colour changes until it was withdrawn from Kawasaki’s range in 2002/2003…

In retrospect it’s a shame Kawasaki didn’t refine the 7R still further – considering it’s ZXR heritage – but that more ‘sensible’ of 750s meant that owners weren’t quite as mad and mental as a GSX-R owner and this means there are some well-looked after ones when it comes to a second-hand deal…That’s not to say the Kawasaki hasn’t attracted its own share of tat (undertrays, headlight covers, mini-indicators etc.) but quality add-ons like a full Akrapovic system adds to the value and character of the machine – but try and get the original system in with the deal!

The motors themselves are harsh-sounding but generally reliable – but they do race on choke and suffer from carb icing like most Kwaks of this time. Head bearings could do with grease by now (some say the factory didn’t seem to bother) and those Tokico six-pots need TLC to stay on top of their game and discs can warp. Downpipes and the general finish can rot if you don’t keep on top of it and wheel paint is soft…

Model variation is… non-existent, although there was a ZX-7RR ‘SP’ homologation version, which had an adjustable head stock and swingarm pivot, flat-slide carbs, close-ratio gearbox and a single seat. While these aren’t up there with OW-01s, RC30s and the like price-wise they’re pretty rare.

We’d still plump for the stocker and these start at around £500 for ex-track bikes. Where – a few years back – you’d be able to pick up a nice 7R for £1500, today you’re looking closer to £2000-£2500 for a half-decent one, rising to £3000-£4500 for shop-sold low milers and even £7000 for very low mile minters…

For – gorgeous to look at and many out there!

Against – exhausts rot, some covered with cheap tat!

SPECIFICATION

Make	Kawasaki
Model	ZX-7R
Years available	1996-2003
Major changes	None only colour changes
Price new	£9120 at launch in 1996
Values now	£700-£3500

Verdict – a good handling sorted superbike for the road!

The post Kawasaki ZX-7R (1996-2003) – Tomorrow’s Classic Today appeared first on Classic Motorbikes.

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[DaveM]

Suzuki TL1000R (1998-2004) – Tomorrow’s Classic Today

This ‘ere is what we at CB-Net describe as Suzuki’s ‘cul-de-sac sportsbike.’

Back in the mid to late 1990s, everyone was following the fad and fashion of the V-twin (well, apart from Yamaha who went the parallel twin route and Kawasaki who didn’t care) and this was down to the likes of Ducati doing very well with their 900SS and 916 ranges. Soon, Honda had their VTR1000F FireStorm and Suzuki the TL1000S.

Now, it’s fair to say the TL1000S was considered to be a bit scary, wild and wayward. Suzuki’s reputation took a hit with the S as the 120bhp motor and flappy handling let to crashes and even one fatality. Second-gen TLs would leave the showroom with a steering damper fitted, but it was often the rotary rear shock/damper which people pointed fingers at…

For their next bite of the V-twin cherry, Suzuki would fully-clothe the TL1000 and give it an ‘R’ not an ‘S’ at the end. This was to signify ‘Race’ and it was thought that – should the then-new GSX-R750 SRAD not make the grade in racing, a pepped-up TL1000R twin would hit the World Superbike tracks instead… Why else put a ‘V-Twin Superbike’ logo on the flanks?

For the R version, out went the S-model’s Ducati-esque ally trellis and in came a beefy beam frame. The R also had a more solid braced swingarm and importantly there was a revised version of the TL-S’s rotary damper system and separate shock absorber. The R’s version was improved with a temperature compensator, which saw the oil in the damper move through smaller holes as it increases in temperature. This helped a lot…

In comparison to the competition of the time, the TL1000R was blessed with a motor that even put the Ducati 916 in the shade: this was a pukka 120bhp (130 claimed) and is one of the finest V-twin motors ever developed. No surprise that some find their way into a Ducati 916’s trellis frame…

Chassis-wise the TL-R had the same wheelbase as a Yamaha YZF-R1 (1395mm) and sharp 23-degree steering geometry. Suzuki had learned the TL-S lesson and every TL-R came with a steering damper. The bike was also around 10kilos heavier than its sibling. For some, this meant the bike was a retrograde step, but the various engine mods (mapping, cams, twin-injectors) saw the R get a useful 10-12bhp more than the S overall… Today the motor is still strong and reliability is very good. At launch (Eastern Creek circuit in Australia, no less) journalists loved it but it was never loved like a GSX-R or even a TL1000S by the Brit bike-buying public…

Prices: track bikes (yes, some did make it) are out there for a grand or less, but decent road bikes start around £1500-£2000. Low-milers aren’t too rude at around £3500 – and with the TL-R being a very unique part of Suzuki’s superbike family, we’d say that’s a smart investment.

Finally – did they ever race or win in WSB? Well, yes and no… in its Suzuki TL1000R guise the bike never hit the track officially, but in AMA it ran for one season. However, the TL-R-powered Bimota SB8R won a WSB race in Australia with Anthony Gobert on board.

For: Different, quirky and that’s good, right?

Against: Looks are an acquired taste, shall we say?

Spec

Make	Suzuki
Model	TL1000R
Price new	£8299 (1998)
Years available	1998-2003
Major changes	Colour changes only.
Cost	£1000-£3750

Verdict: Suzuki’s cul-de-sac sportsbike has character…

The post Suzuki TL1000R (1998-2004) – Tomorrow’s Classic Today appeared first on Classic Motorbikes.

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[DaveM]

Diamondbrite Chrome and Metal Polish – The Review

Diamondbrite Chrome and Metal Polish cleans, restores and shines a multitude of metal surfaces, including aluminium and chrome.

Often the first areas on a motorcycle to start showing signs of ageing, metal needs particular care and attention to keep it in top condition.

Rigorously tested at Diamondbrite UK’s R&D centre and blended and bottled within the company’s UK manufacturing hub, Diamondbrite Chrome and Metal Polish is safe to use on most metal surfaces found on motorcycles.

It goes on as a super smooth cream and is simply buffed off once misted – no fiddly application processes or long waiting times – and is ideal as a finishing touch after a thorough clean.

Diamondbrite Chrome and Metal Polish retails at £6.14 for a 250ml container.

It’s also part of the After Care Kit supplied with each application of Diamondbrite Motorcycle Pro – the first fully-guaranteed fluorocarbon polymer paint protection system specifically for motorcycles – which contains the following items:

• Pro Preserve Mini Trigger Bottle – top-up for the Pro Paint Protection
• Chrome and Metal Polish – cleans and shines aluminium and chrome
• Motorcycle Degreaser – safely strips built-up oil and grease
• Kit Fresh Antibacterial Sanitiser – for helmets, boots, gloves and clothing
• Waterless Detailer – the faster way to clean a lightly soiled motorcycle
• Motorcycle Bike Wash – high-foaming cleaner that is also biodegradable

All items in the care kit can be purchased separately.

The Review;

We had a range of Diamondbrite products to review, the degreaser, waterless detailer, bike wash, kit fresh and the chrome & metal polish. The paintwork on our 18-year-old 5JJ R1 was far from perfect but the suite of Diamnondbrite products did their best to make the tired paintwork shine once more!

All products were very simple to apply, we tested them on the tank, plastics, headlight, alloy frame and wheels and in each case they made a huge difference and an almost mirror finish, as you can see on some the close-up images below. We spent less than 30 minutes on our R1 and the results were great.

Affordable and simple to apply, we wouldn’t hesitate using them again.

Visit www.jewelultra.com for more information.

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