ROAD
NICK CEDAR
MAP
FEATURES 14 LUCK OF THE DRAW:
38
1981 SUZUKI GS1100EX Found in rough condition, this Suzuki was rescued by enthusiast Trace St. Germain, perhaps the perfect person to save a shabby Superbike from the 1980s.
22
TRIBUTE TRIUMPH: A CUSTOM INSPIRED BY GARY NIXON When Todd Van Dorn dragged a 1972 Triumph T120RV engine and several boxes of parts to Union Motorcycle Classics in Nampa, Idaho, he thought he wanted a bobber. What he got was something entirely different.
30
1957 MONDIAL 250 BIALBERO The golden age of motorcycle road racing in the 1950s brought many makes to prominence, and none achieved world supremacy so quickly as the Italian marque FB Mondial.
DEPARTMENTS 4 BLACK SIDE DOWN
12
The editor speaks.
6 8 10 2
Competition improves the breed, they say, and the 1958 H-D XLCH Sportster was born of competition stock.
46
THE RED HUNTERS RIDE AGAIN
54
SOMETHING SPECIAL: HONDA S65
62
1949 LAVERDA 75CC TOURISMO
Shawn Doan owns two Ariel Red Hunters: a tastefully modified 1947 VH 500cc single-port, and a 1939 VH 500cc twin-port.
Honda’s small-bore singles were the first motorcycles for a generation of new riders.
The very first Laverda of them all, this is the actual prototype of Laverda’s 4-stroke, 75cc single. Legend has it the piston was cast in the family kitchen.
VIEW FROM THE SIDECAR AHRMA Vintage Festival, The Meet returns and Hodaka gets celebrated.
READERS AND RIDERS Road memories and thoughts on vintage motocross.
70
GEAR DRIVEN 6 sets of everyday saddlebags.
UNDER THE RADAR Tomorrow’s Classics: 19881991 Honda NT650 Hawk GT.
MOTORCYCLE CLASSICS
PUTTING THE SPORT IN SPORTSTER: 1958 HARLEY-DAVIDSON XLCH
74
MC HOW-TO Learn how to replace Honda CB camshaft bearing blocks.
KEITH’S GARAGE Keith’s fixes will keep your classic bike up and running.
July/August 2014
78
DESTINATIONS
82
CALENDAR
86
COOL FINDS
96
PARTING SHOTS
Ride the Rim of the World Highway on the way to Big Bear, California.
Where to go and what to do.
New stuff for old bikes.
Quail Gathering 2014.
ON THE WEB!
RE Continental GT
MC’s Richard Backus went riding with Royal Enfield CEO Siddhartha Lal at the North American launch of the new Royal Enfield Continental GT and discovered Lal — credited with turning Royal Enfield around — is a true motorcycle enthusiast bent on recasting the midsize motorcycle with bikes that look to the past while meeting today’s needs. More at MotorcycleClassics .com/Continental-GT
BLACK
SIDE
DOWN
®
(800) 880-7567 BRYAN WELCH, PUBLISHER/EDITORIAL DIRECTOR RICHARD BACKUS, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Digestible speed
rbackus@motorcycleclassics.com
LANDON HALL, ASSOCIATE EDITOR lhall@motorcycleclassics.com
I
like going fast, but as a street rider my opportunities to wick it up safely are limited. Out on the track, you’re free to push as hard as you please to find the edge of traction and control, a point appreciated by editor Landon Hall in his newfound interest in track days. But out on the street, in the world of erratic delivery vans, old ladies in Chryslers and teenagers on cell phones, pushing the edge can put you on a line to trouble faster than you can get out. During a recent back road blast in a Subaru WRX STI, my foot buried in the throttle to push the Subaru’s 310 horsepower out to its four wheels, it struck me that today’s high-performance cars and motorcycles are so competent, so incredibly capable, that by the time you get to the point of trouble, it’s too late. You’re going so fast, everything is happening so fast, that you don’t have time to digest it. The point of no return becomes a knife edge, and unless you’ve honed your skills, you can pass that point before you even know it. Increasingly, the bikes available to us are more competent than their riders. They’re faster and heavier, making them harder for inexperienced riders to master because the learning curve from zero skill is steep. I’ve always been a proponent of starting small for the simple reason that your chances of success, of learning how to master and control your bike, rise in reverse correlation to a bike’s engine capacity. Bikes like the venerable Honda CB350, puny by today’s standards but considered midsized back in the day, were and are a perfect learning platform. A mainstay of the motorcycle market during the boom years of the Sixties and Seventies, the over 250cc but under 750cc motorcycle had almost been marketed out of existence. Recently, however, there have been encouraging signs the market for smaller-bore bikes is starting to come back. Honda can’t make enough new CBR250Rs, the CB500F is getting great reviews, and Harley-Davidson, the poster child for big-bore battleships on two wheels, has started producing a new series of 500cc and 750cc street bikes. After years of chasing the go-faster and bigger crowd, manufacturers are re-examining the market for smaller, and yes slower, motorcycles. Royal Enfield CEO Siddhartha Lal thinks the midsized market is where the fun is, a point he stressed during the U.S. launch of RE’s new Continental GT. Ironically, the 535cc single-cylinder Continental GT is the biggest motorcycle the Indian manufacturer has ever made. Be that as it may, Lal is chasing the midsized market because A) it’s where RE already lives and B) he sees opportunity in expanding the category because it represents accessible motorcycling. "There's space in the market for something that's less intimidating," Lal says. Lal shares my conviction that riding slow can be just as fun as riding fast. Sixty miles an hour on a Yamaha R1 is boring. But 60mph on a Honda CB350 — or a Royal Enfield — can be a hoot. I got to spend a day on RE's new bike, and pitching the Continental GT into a series of decreasing radius, sometimes off-camber turns on a twisty back road reminded me of just how fun riding small can be. I might have only been going 40mph, but it felt like double that as I leaned over and squirted through the turns. My pace was fast enough to be exciting, but slow enough to let me digest every bit of the road and surrounding environment. And unlike the flyboys on their Gixxer’s, if a dog ran out, I’d be able to get out of the way. Speed's fun, but on the right bike, so is going a little slower. Richard Backus Editor-in-chief
4
MOTORCYCLE CLASSICS
July/August 2014
BETH BEAVERS, COPY EDITOR/ONLINE MATTHEW KELLY, ASSISTANT EDITOR LINDSEY SIEGELE, DIRECTOR OF DIGITAL CONTENT BOB CUCCINIELLO, NEWSSTAND/CIRCULATION MANAGER (785) 274-4401
CONTRIBUTORS PHIL AYNSLEY • JEFF BARGER • JOE BERK ALAN CATHCART • NICK CEDAR • HAMISH COOPER KEITH FELLENSTEIN • KYOICHI NAKAMURA MARGIE SIEGAL • ROBERT SMITH • MIKE WATANABE GREG WILLIAMS ART DIRECTION AND PRE-PRESS MATTHEW T. STALLBAUMER, ASST. GROUP ART DIRECTOR AMANDA MACKEY • KIRSTEN MARTINEZ TERRY PRICE • KAREN ROOMAN • NATE SKOW ADVERTISING ROD PETERSON, ADVERTISING SALES MANAGER rpeterson@motorcycleclassics.com, (785) 274-4479
KYLE JONES, ADVERTISING ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE kjones@motorcycleclassics.com, (785) 274-4427
ANITA FISHER, MARKETING COORDINATOR afisher@motorcycleclassics.com, (785) 274-4426
MATT PETTY, CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING classifieds@motorcycleclassics.com, 866-848-5346
BILL UHLER, GENERAL MANAGER CHERILYN OLMSTED, CIRCULATION DIRECTOR BOB LEGAULT, SALES DIRECTOR CAROLYN LANG, GROUP ART DIRECTOR SUBSCRIPTION RATES $29.95/6 ISSUES, U.S. • $39.95/6 ISSUES, CANADA Send subscriptions and renewals to: Motorcycle Classics 1503 S.W. 42nd St. Topeka, KS 66609-1265 Telephone: (800) 880-7567 • Fax: (785) 274-4305 www.MotorcycleClassics.com Motorcycle Classics (ISSN 1556-0880) is published bimonthly by Ogden Publications Inc., 1503 S.W. 42nd St., Topeka, KS 66609 Periodical Postage Paid at Topeka, KS 66609 and additional mailing offices. Canada Post International Publications Mail Product Sales Agreement No. 40601019 POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Motorcycle Classics, 1503 S.W. 42nd St., Topeka, KS 66609-1265. Editorial Submissions Encouraged: please include captions and contact information for all persons in photos. Not responsible for lost or damaged materials. Include SASE for return. Mail contributions to address above. Subscribers: If the Post Office alerts us that your magazine is undeliverable, we have no further obligation unless we receive a corrected address within two years.
Motorcycle Classics does not recommend, approve or endorse the products and/or services offered by companies advertising in the magazine or Web site. Nor does Motorcycle Classics evaluate the advertisers’ claims in any way. You should use your own judgment and evaluate products and services carefully before deciding to purchase. © Copyright 2014 Ogden Publications Inc. All rights reserved. Motorcycle Classics is a registered trademark. Material in this publication may not be reproduced in any form without written permission. Permission requests must be in writing and should be directed to Bryan Welch, Motorcycle Classics permissions, 1503 S.W. 42nd St., Topeka, KS 66609. Printed in the U.S.A.
READERS
AND
RIDERS
“Taking ferries in and around New England will be my second road trip.” Hot rod I enjoyed the May/June 2014 issue as I have enjoyed all the issues since the very first. This is the first time that I feel compelled to write in the interest of my fellow readers. I wish to refer to the feature article BMW/2 Hot Rod. First, I have never been accused of being doctrinal in matters of old Beemers. Thus, I do not think it a sacrilege nor do I think it is a good idea. I respect the beautiful craftsmanship displayed in this “Hot Rod” and the right of the owner to ride whatever he wishes to. However, I do feel compelled to warn my fellow readers of the dangers of building and riding this type of conversion. The primary problem is the inadequacy of the /2 front brake. While the twin-leading-shoe front brake used on the /5 is outstanding for a drum brake, the /2 unit was not even adequate for the power and speed of the R60/2 engine, much less an R90S engine. I have seen a few of these conversions and when the braking issues are addressed they can be fine sidecar rigs, though the R90/6 engine has the more useful power characteristics for sidecar use and is less valuable than an R90S engine. For solo riding, the /5 and later frames are far superior. In fact, the BMW bikes entered in the ISDT in the
late Sixties used /2 engines mounted in /5 prototype frames. P. George/via email
Road memories Richard Backus’ Black Side Down column brought back a lot of memories, as I’m from Connecticut and I have traveled a lot of miles in New England on classic bikes riding with a friend of mine. The roads and the ferries in New England are a must for any person who rides. C. Morse/Monroe, Connecticut
More road memories I’m sure many of your readers were touched by your May/June 2014 column. It reminds us why we keep riding after 50 years. Although I lusted after your “big” Norton, my wife and I took our Honda 350 on a 3,000 mile honeymoon trip more than 40 years ago. We covered much of your route and added a trip up Mt. Washington. My wife still kept her helmet on away from the bike because of the wind! Yes, we still ride together. Ken Fizette/Luzerne, Michigan
RIDERS S
Rider: Brad Babcock, Lemont, Pennsylvania Age: 67 Occupation: Retired videographer Rides: 1953 Royal Enfield 350 Bullet, 1965 Royal Enfield 750 Interceptor, 1975 Honda CB125S, 1977 Honda Z50, 1983 Suzuki GS450, 1984 Moto Guzzi V65SP, 1987 Yamaha SRX 250, 2002 Suzuki 1200 Bullet BradÕs story: “I was particularly pleased to see the 1980-1983 Suzuki GS450 as a Future Classic (March/April 2014), as I’m the proud owner of a 1983 GS450E, which I bought new in 1985 and have kept in the stable ever since. For six years it was my only bike. I commuted on it, took it on sporting rides and toured on it, including several 600-900 mile round trips to Ontario. Now it’s my favorite back roads bike, powerful enough, yet nimble. It now has more than 48,000 miles on it. The sum total of repairs have been a new clutch cable, a new tachometer drive cable and a regulator/rectifier, which was a known weak point in Suzukis of that era. With eight motorcycles in the garage, the GS450 is still one of my favorites. It’s all stock and original, except for the added flyscreen and the seat, which I had redone by Sargents when the original cover split. I still think it’s a very handsome bike.”
6
MOTORCYCLE CLASSICS
July/August 2014
Norton touring in New England It’s strange how things work sometimes. I have one small road trip of three to four days planned for this summer on my 1975 Norton. It will be a meandering ride from Ludlow, Vermont, to Mt. Washington in New Hampshire. I couldn’t think of another small road trip to do — until I opened the May/June issue and read Black Side Down. Taking ferries in and around New England will be my second road trip. Thanks for a wonderful theme for a ride! Mitch Zyman/Merrick, New York
Visiting Cuba We just returned from a wonderful eight days in Cuba, based in Havana at the hotel Santa Isabel. We are Americans and the trip was through Latin Art Space (latinartspace.com) and it involved visits to several artists’ studios and exhibitions of music and dancing. We were also treated to a visit into Hemingway’s house, which was particularly interesting. When I travel I usually take a stack of magazines to
Brad Babcock’s put more than 48,000 miles on his 1983 Suzuki GS450 and still enjoys riding it today.
A few of Craig Light’s Bultacos, including a 200cc and 250cc Pursang, a 125cc Sherpa S and a 175cc Lobito.
read while away. On this trip my magazines were motorcycle related. While I was sitting at a café, almost immediately, someone came up to me and asked to leaf through it, and it didn’t take long for me to realize that they cannot receive magazines sourced in the U.S. Luckily I still had one I had finished and it took about two seconds to give it away. I did this with the second and then the third. My new Cuban friend said that these issues would be handed around from one person to another. Two of the three were copies of Motorcycle Classics, which are probably still making the rounds. So, if you are going to Cuba and subscribe to motorcycle or car magazines, you might want to set some aside as you finish them to bring. It won’t take long before you make some people happy, yourself included. Peter Krynicki/via email
Vintage MX
I really enjoy Motorcycle Classics magazine and I appreciate the variety of bikes that are covered in each issue. I just picked up the May/June 2014 issue and read John L. Stein’s article on the experience and costs of vintage motocross. I’ve been racing in American Historic Racing Motorcycle Association (AHRMA) motocross and cross country events for 10 years and I’m glad to see our living museum featured in your magazine. However, I fear the article paints a somewhat unfair picture of the costs of vintage motocross, which may prevent some folks from giving it a try. There is no reason for competitive vintage MX bikes to cost the same or more than competitive modern bikes. With the possible exception of some British 4-strokes, all popular AHRMA-legal bikes are simpler and more straightforward to maintain. There are literally dozens of brands/makes of 1974 or older vintage MX bikes that are all generally competitive in their respective classes, so the market has plenty of options to choose from. I choose to race Bultacos mainly because that’s what my grandfather and father raced (I’m 26 years old and I grew up going to AHRMA races with them). We have a handful of them that are basically stock except for tires and Works Performance shocks. We even run the Amal carburetors and Motoplat ignitions. I don’t recall having to spend more than $2,500 to have one complete bike ready to race and win. Bultacos aren’t everyone’s cup of tea but I’ve won my share of races with them. I’m sure the same can be said of many other brands I see at each race weekend. Craig Light/Atlanta, Georgia
Circle #8; see card pg 73
GEAR
DRIVEN
6 Great Saddlebags for Everyday Touring 1
With years of expertise developing and sourcing motorcycle touring gear, when Aerostich suggests a product, wise people listen. Case in point are these Ortlieb Low Profile Dry Bag Saddlebags. Made from exceptionally strong but lightweight and abrasion-resistant reinforced PVC, these bags are unlike anything else featured here. A total of 34 liters of storage capacity means they can swallow a lot of gear, and swallow they do because instead of a zippered top or side panel they feature a 19.5-inchwide access flap that simply rolls open and shut. Laterally and centrally positioned quick-release straps keep the bags closed, and their PVC construction combined with the roll top closure makes them waterproof and dustproof. The backside of each bag features a thermo-molded pad to protect your bike’s paint finish, and an inner organizer pocket features a large zippered pocket and two hook-and-loop pockets for securing smaller items. 3M Scotchlite reflectors aid nighttime visibility, and carrying handles make them easy to transport off your bike. Definitely the most intriguing bags we’ve seen in awhile. $217. More info: aerostich.com
1
2
2
River Road’s textile Spectrum Medium Slant Saddlebag gives a nod to tradition by combining old school leather saddle straps (complete with laced adjustment panels) with RoadTex 1680 denier nylon, treated with a PVC coating to repel water. The medium-sized bags feature box-style lids for easy access and lockable zippers for secure storage. The interior is fully lined, and each saddle bag has its own custom-fitted liner bag for extra protection for your gear and added packing convenience. Zippered side pockets give extra storage space for smaller items like wallets and mobile media, and the bags are zippered to the saddle strap so you can remove the bags individually. They also feature heat-resistant bottom panels to guard against muffler burns. Quick-release straps aid in secure attachment of the bags while a removable neoprene layer protects your bike’s finish, and supplied waterproof rain covers ensure your gear stays dry. $179.95. More info: riverroadgear.com
3
Cortech’s 2.0 36L Saddlebags are constructed from 1680 denier ballistic polyester with 1800 denier three-lined twill Jacquard weave side pockets. (Jacquard weave gives better material control during the weaving process for extra strength and wear resistance.) The bags feature expandable main compartments for 36 liters of storage capacity. Twin-zippered top panels with hook-and-loop flaps keep contents secure while giving easy access to the main compartments, and zippered side panels provide easily accessible storage for smaller items like maps, iPads and the like. There’s a protective heat shield on the lower section of the bags, plus Phoslite reflective piping for nighttime visibility. Internal support panels help keep the bags’ shape, and a quick-release mounting system lets you add a Cortech Super 2.0 Tail Bag in seconds. Protective non-slip, non-scratch side pads protect your bike’s finish, and supplied rain covers keep things dry when the going really gets wet. Nicely proportioned and good looking, these bags should work well on just about any bike. $159.99. More info: cortechperformance.com
3
8
MOTORCYCLE CLASSICS
July/August 2014
4
If you’re looking for the ultimate in old school touring style with top-shelf quality and utility, you’ll fall in love with Fox Creek’s Throwover Saddlebags. Made with high-quality, super thick 3.6-4.0mm top grain cowhide (Fox Creek calls it Crazy Horse leather, the thickest they use) with a heavy stiffening panel riveted and sewn into the back side, these heavy-duty saddlebags will hold their shape while gently relaxing over time. The top-opening flaps secure with riveted leather straps to chrome-plated, riveted buckles. All stitching is nylon to ensure the bags stay together rain or shine, and the leather is oil and wax treated for long-term exposure to the elements. With roughly 30 liters of storage capacity they’re big enough for weekend jaunts, yet small enough to leave on your bike for everyday utility. Handmade in the Blue Ridge Mountains of southwestern Virginia, Fox Creek Leather products are among the best we’ve seen. Available in brown (shown) and black. $300. More info: foxcreekleather.com
4
5
The Summit Saddlebags from Wolfman Motorcycle Luggage are no-nonsense throwover saddlebags. Yet while they may be short on catch phrase extras, Wolfman’s expedition quality, made in the U.S.A. bags are long on utility and durability. Made of 1680 denier ballistic nylon and featuring 40 liters of cargo space they can hold a lot of gear, made easier with the Summit’s double-zippered side-opening panel. Attachment is basic over-the-seat with straps running to the passenger pegs and rear of the bike, and plastic form panels in the bags ensure they hold their shape under all conditions. A nonslip, non-scratch backing protects your bike’s finish, and there are D-rings on the side of the bags for attaching a Wolfman Wolf Tail bag or any other bag you might have. The zippered outside pockets are large enough to carry an iPad and more, and there’s reflective piping to aid nighttime visibility. A rain cover is extra, but the plastic paneled and PVC-lined interior should make these bags pretty water-resistant as they stand. $187.99; rain cover $27.49. More info: wolfmanluggage.com
5
6
6
We’ve always liked Tourmaster gear, and Tourmaster’s Elite Saddlebags don’t disappoint. Made from heavy-duty 1680 denier ballistic polyester with 840 denier patterned panels, their 36 liters of storage space makes them perfect for most touring needs. Hard bag-style zippered and gusseted side openings mean you can really cram in your gear, and interior form panels make sure the bags hold their shape. A removable neoprene pad on each bag protects your bike’s finish, and supplied rain covers for each bag keep your gear dry when the weather turns wet. The zippered side pockets are amply sized and feature mesh inner pockets for storing smaller items like wallets, keys, mobile media and your registration papers. There are neoprene covers for the saddle straps when needed to protect painted surfaces, and the removable saddle straps can be mounted under the seat of some bikes. Quick-release straps aid attachment, and the bags feature protective heat shielding on the bottom panels, along with reflective triangles on the rear of each bag for improved nighttime visibility. They also feature quick-release straps to add a Tour Master Elite Tail Bag. $189.99. More info: tourmaster.com www.MotorcycleClassics.com
9
UNDER
THE
RADAR Forgotten middleweight: 1988-1991 Honda NT650 Hawk GT As Honda’s current NC700 demonstrates — the NC700’s radically inclined liquid-cooled 670cc parallel twin is tilted 62 degrees forward — Honda has never shrunk from innovation as a way to kickstart sales. So it was during Big Red’s late 1980s doldrums that four mold-breaking bikes arrived in the U.S.: the screaming gear-drive double overhead cam 400cc CB-1 four; the practical but unlovely 800cc liquid-cooled PC800 Pacific Coast V-twin; the charming retro GB500 air/ oil-cooled single; and the revolutionary liquid-cooled 650cc V-twin Hawk GT. But was the Hawk any good, or was it just originality for its own sake? As a midsize V-twin naked sport-standard, the Hawk anticipated Ducati’s M900 by seven years and Suzuki’s SV650 by a decade. It incorporated a range of techie features like the RC30-style Pro-Am single-sided swingarm, Pro-Link single rear shock, cast alloy twin-beam chassis and stout (for the time) 41mm front forks with alloy triple trees. Somewhat at odds with this racy specification was the engine, a bored-and-stroked version of the mild-mannered 1983 VT500 Ascot mill. This was a 52-degree, 3-valve, liquidcooled V-twin with offset crankpins, a straight-cut gear primary and 5-speed transmission — though the Hawk used chain final drive instead of the Ascot’s shaft. Also new for the Hawk was digital ignition and dual-plug cylinder heads. But producing just 37.5 horsepower and 31ft/lb of torque at the rear wheel on Cycle magazine’s dyno, was the Hawk’s hi-tech spec wasted on a weedy powerplant? Not so, said Cycle World, finding the Hawk’s powerplant very satisfying “if you like riding a bike with immediate throttle response … if you want a 650 that pulls from low rpm like a 750.” Cycle agreed: “The torquey, flat power spread of this engine coupled with a slick-shifting gearbox and light clutch
makes the Hawk a cinch to ride … a crack of the throttle will zap highway traffic.” Cycle also recorded an impressive sub13-second standing quarter at almost 100mph, thanks in part to the Hawk’s full-tank curb weight of just 411 pounds. Cycle also liked the Hawk’s handling: “… the 650 GT has those qualities that encourage a brisk riding pace: light weight, nimble neutral steering, unshakable stability, lots of corner clearance … balanced, responsive suspension and accessible power.” Cycle World praised the Hawk’s handling, too, noting that “with quick geometry and fat tires on wide 17-inch wheels, it responds immediately and positively to the rider’s every input.” It seems what Honda had actually produced was an outstanding all-around motorcycle “that is as much at home on city streets as it is on back roads,” Cycle World said, noting a few negatives like a slightly short fuel range, a thinly padded seat and heat from the headers, all of which compromised its long-haul touring capability. Another area where Honda had perhaps cut corners was in the suspension. The front fork was non-adjustable, and Cycle World said it was “a little soft, diving under braking.” Likewise, the rear suspension — adjustable for spring preload only — “tends to feel mushy at
ON THE MARKET 1989 Honda NT650 Hawk GT/$3,200
Honda NT650 Hawks donÕt turn up every day, which isnÕt particularly surprising given the modelÕs short run in the U.S. And when they do show up, good ones arenÕt cheap, a reflection of both owner and market appreciation for the model as it appears thereÕs a loyal following for HondaÕs forgotten twin. We found this 1989 model along with a first-year 1988 on eBay. The 1988 failed to sell with an offer of $2,995, while this bike had a ÒBuy it NowÓ of $3,200. Where the Ô88 had only 13,283 miles, this bike was showing 21,075. Yet miles donÕt tell the full story because the Ô89 looked very nice, with new fork seals, new chain and sprockets and a very nice Two Brothers exhaust system. The seller didnÕt supply much information, but the bike looked clean and well cared for. Not exactly cheap, but a nice survivor.
10
MOTORCYCLE CLASSICS
July/August 2014
HONDA NT650 HAWK GT Years produced
1988-1991
speed,” Cycle World’s editor’s opined. just $400 more. Buyers simply did the Power 58hp @ 8,500rpm (claimed) Cycle’s tester also found the Hawk’s math — which is a shame, because if Top speed 115mph riding position “rather cramped” and they had ridden the Hawk, they would the entire motorcycle “small and better have been surprised at its understated Engine 647cc liquid-cooled suited for smaller riders.” On the plus performance and value, even though SOHC 52-degree V-twin side, Cycle World appreciated the incluit perhaps lacked outright horsepower. Transmission 5-speed, chain final drive sion of a centerstand and thoughtIntriguingly, of the foursome cited in Weight (dry) 393lb fully positioned bungee cord hooks for the first paragraph — the Pacific Coast, Fuel consumption 47-65mpg occasional luggage. CB-1, GB500 and NT650 — the ungainly With all its good press and excellent Pacific Coast proved to be the longest Price then/now $3,995/$800-$3,000 attributes, you’d think the Hawk GT lived, lasting from 1989-1998. would have hit a home run in sales, but Summing up, Cycle World called the it didn’t. After just three model years, it was dropped. For all its Hawk GT “a mix of old and new, a bike with one wheel planted good points, on paper the Hawk just didn’t stack up: at $3,995 firmly in the traditions of yesterday and the other rolling for an optimistic output of 58 horsepower, it paled against boldly into the technology of tomorrow.” It’s a concept that’s Honda’s own new 85 horsepower CBR600F, which came in at perhaps better appreciated 26 years on. MC
CONTENDERS
Two-cylinder rivals to Honda’s NT650
1985-1987 Cagiva Alazzurra
1983-1985 BMW R65LS
By 1985, Cagiva’s canny Castiglioni brothers had bought Ducati’s engine division and designed a range of motorcycles around a 650cc version of Taglioni’s Pantah V-twin: the dualsport Elefant, custom Indiana and street bike Alazzurra. The engine, forerunner of all 2-valve belt-drive Ducatis, was an aircooled 90-degree V-twin with single overhead cams and desmodromic valve operation, fed by dual 36mm Dell’Orto carbs and fired by Bosch electronic ignition. Helical primary gears drove a wet multiplate clutch and 5-speed transmission with chain final drive. The powertrain was suspended from a “closed double cradle” tubular steel frame with the swingarm mounted in bushings in the rear of the engine cases. Campagnolo cast wheels carried non-adjustable Marzocchi front forks and piggyback rear shocks adjustable for preload and damping. Braking was by triple-disc Brembos, but period testers found them weak and prone to fade. Other gripes included leanmixture surging at midrange • 1985-1987 revs, cold-blooded starting and • 55hp @ 8,500rpm/107mph a painful, board-like seat. • 650cc air-cooled SOHC V-twin While down on power • 5-speed, chain final drive • 421lb (dry)/41-47mpg against its competition from • Price then/now: Japan, the Alazzurra worked $3,750/$1,500-$3,500 well in the twisties. Road Rider praised its cornering as “an effortless and confidenceinspiring pastime.” The Alazzurra proved to be a sporty package with a strong, torquey engine in a finehandling chassis, wellequipped and finished. It was, Cycle said, “sinewy, poised, predacious in an off-hand, casual way.” Very Italian, then!
The R65LS arrived in 1983 as a hopped-up version of BMW’s entry-level R65. The short-stroke flat-twin engine featured larger valves, Nikasil cylinders, a lighter clutch and flywheel, a larger sump and Bosch electronic ignition. Horsepower was up from 45 to 50. Hans Muth (fresh from sculpting Suzuki’s Katana) molded the futuristic mini-fairing/instrument panel, gas tank and seat/tail unit (with glove box): Like many ‘80s fashions, it didn’t age well. The standard R65 frame ran on new, lighter alloy wheels with dual Brembo front disc brakes, but retained the rear drum. Final drive was by shaft. Like the Alazzurra and the Hawk, the LS wasn’t for those wanting outright performance. But it redeemed itself with a flexible powertrain, friendly ergonomics and nimble handling. Cycle magazine liked the firmer-than-usual-BMW suspension, which reduced driveshaft reaction and improved cornering clearance. “Steering is terrific,” Cycle said, making the LS “a delight on curvy roads • 1983-1985 or around town,” also noting, • 50hp @ 7,250rpm/110mph “It’s hard to imagine how the • 650cc air-cooled OHV flat twin brakes could be better.” But • 5-speed, shaft final drive • 417lb (dry)/45-60mpg like the Hawk and Alazzurra, • Price then/now: long stints in the saddle were $3,995/$2,500-$5,500 uncomfortable, especially in the neck and shoulders: Cycle c blamed a too-low handlebar. Perhaps the R65LS’s biggest problem was the badge on the tank: BMW traditionalists didn’t warm to it, and other motorcyclists didn’t see the value. Just 6,389 R65LS’s were built over three model years. Perhaps the R65 line’s greatest contribution was in lending its chassis to the 1981 R80G/S. www.MotorcycleClassics.com
11
VIEW
FROM
THE
SIDECAR
AHRMA Vintage Festival, The Meet returns, MC tours Italy and Hodaka gets celebrated AHRMA Vintage Festival at NJMP The vintage race scene heats up July 11-13 as riders compete in rounds 13 and 14 of the AHRMA/CPL Systems National Historic Cup Roadrace Series during the 2nd annual AHRMA Vintage Motorcycle Festival at Thunderbolt Raceway at New Jersey Motorsports Park (njmp.com). This will be one of the great events of the year, with racers gunning for the podium on everything from 1920s handshift Indians to Seventies Japanese Superbikes in 30-plus classes. Motorcycle Classics will host the Motorcycle Classics Vintage Bike Show, awarding trophies for Best Restored and Best Rider in five classes, and we’ll also hand out our Editors’ Choice award for the bike we’d most like to take home. This is a friendly, relaxed show, with the focus on having a good time and enjoy-
ing the great variety of classic bikes that vintage bike fans own, whether they’re daily riders, barnyard finds or perfect restorations. Other attractions during the AHRMA Vintage Festival include a motorcycle swap meet, live music, motorcycle stunt shows, beer gardens and more. Nestled in 500-plus forested acres, the 12-turn, 2.25-mile Thunderbolt Raceway is one of two tracks at the race park, which is located less than an hour from Ocean City. NJMP offers VIP suites and camping, and if you’re looking for some fast and fun four-wheeling action, check out F1 Karting at the adjacent Lightning Raceway.
The Meet in Tacoma
Lovely NCR Ducati at last year’s The Meet in Tacoma, Washington.
If you haven’t already, make plans for the 3rd annual The Meet Vintage Motorcycle Festival August 22-24 at America’s Car Museum in Tacoma, Washington. A concours event, The Meet features 450-plus vintage motorcycles spread out across the museum’s 3.5-acre Haub Family Showfield. Last year’s event drew an estimated 4,500 vintage bike fans, and this year’s show should easily best that thanks to the announcement that fees for motorcycles entering the concours have been eliminated. We’ll be set up with other vendors ringing the field, plus there will be food, music, a swap meet, a used bike corral, seminars and a Sunday group ride. A panel of 14 judges including Motorcycle Classics’ Richard Backus will award trophies in 22 categories. This show beats expectations every year, with an ever-changing and growing selection of spectacular vintage motorcycles from around the world on display. Best of Show last year went to a 1955 Ceccato 75cc single, one of only a few made, even fewer of which survive. More info at vintagemotor cyclefestival.com
Final call for Benelli Vintage Tour Time’s almost out to reserve your space in the 2014 Benelli Vintage Tour. Led by motorcycle tour veteran Burt Richmond with Motorcycle Classics’ editor-in-chief Richard Backus riding second, the Benelli Vintage Tour features 10 days of riding through Italy’s scenic Marche and Umbria regions aboard vintage Italian motorcycles. Tour participants will have their choice of vintage Benellis and Motobis to ride, ranging from a single-cylinder 1955 125cc Benelli Carenato to a 6-cylinder Seventies Sei 750, with late model “millennium” Benellis available for
12
MOTORCYCLE CLASSICS
July/August 2014
those who want to ride two-up or just prefer a newer machine. We’ll take in motorcycle museums including the famed Benelli Museum and the Morbidelli Museum in Pesaro, and finish the tour at the San Marino GP at Misano World Circuit. Cost for the tour is $3,500, which includes your bike, hotel room, breakfast and dinner every day, and a support vehicle and bilingual guide. Go to motogp.com to purchase GP tickets, which are extra. See the Mototouring Benelli Vintage Tour ad on page 81 or go to mototouring.com for more information.
Hodaka: The Complete Story of America’s Favorite Trail Bike Sold by PABATCO — Pacific Basin Trading Company — in tiny Athena, Oregon, from 1964 through 1977, Hodaka motorcycles were developed on the premise that motorcycling should be cheap: “No one should have to seriously strain their budget to enjoy it,” a Hodaka sales booklet proclaimed. Developed by a small but dedicated group of motorcycle enthusiasts in an era when U.S. interest in motorcycling as a leisure sport was exploding, the little bikes with the Hodaka name — Japanese for “grow higher” — became one of the biggest successes in American dirt bike history. Written by Ken Smith, the editor of Australia’s excellent VMX vintage offroad magazine (vmxmag.com.au), with help from Strictly Hodaka owner Paul Stannard (strictlyhodaka.com), Hodaka: The Complete Story of America’s Favorite Trail Bike chronicles the evolution of Hodaka motorcycles from PABATCO’s initial 1961 entry selling Japanese Yamaguchi motorcycles to designing and specifying the construction of its own range of dirt bikes, built by former Yamaguchi engine supplier Hodaka. PABATCO’s best years were in the Sixties and early Seventies
(15,736 Hodakas were sold in 1972), and motorcyclists of a certain age have fond memories of the Hodaka Ace, Wombat, Super Wombat, Combat Wombat, Dirt Squirt and Super Rat. Yet creative names weren’t enough to save the small company against rising competition, and new motorcycles quit flowing in 1977: PABATCO shut down its motorcycle operation in 1978. Years in the making, the book’s release celebrates the 50th anniversary of the first Hodaka, the Ace 90, and a book release party helps kick off Hodaka Days 2014, held June 26-29 in PABATCO’s hometown of Athena. Hodaka Days will feature former PABATCO employees, plus former offroad superstars and industry insiders Brad Lackey, Ron Pomeroy, Preston Petty and Ken Smith. Exhaustively researched, enthusiastically told and featuring scores of period photographs and advertisements, the book contains full production statistics by model and year, with engine serial number data and yearly sales data by distributor and state. An absolute must for any fan of offroad motorcycling history. Octane Press (octanepress.com): 192 pages, $60. To order a copy, go to MotorcycleClassics.com/Hodaka or see our ad on page 95.
www.MotorcycleClassics.com
13
LUCK OF THE DRAW 1981 Suzuki GS1100EX
T
Story by Margie Siegal Photos by Nick Cedar
This Suzuki is one lucky motorcycle. Found in rough condition, unloved, for sale and facing an uncertain future, it had the good fortune of being adopted by Trace St. Germain, perhaps the perfect person to rescue a deserving but shabby Superbike from the 1980s.
Trace originally wanted to buy the bike just for its parts, but ended up with the factory-spec restoration you see here. “I brought the bike home, and I don’t know what got into me. I decided to restore it. It was really badly oxidized, and I had never done a Suzuki before.” Trace was lucky enough to be born in a motorcycling family. Instead of having to hide his passion from his parents, as many kids did, Trace’s parents encouraged him. “I have been working on bikes since I can remember,” he says. “I mowed lawns to get my first bike, a Yamaha 80 with a stamped steel frame. I rode that thing to death.” The Yamaha was replaced by a Suzuki 250X Hustler and then a Honda 350. Trace also got into racing quarter midgets on the tracks at Sacramento and Baylands in Northern California. An accident when he was serving in the Army stopped Trace from motorcycling for awhile, but eventually he was able to resume riding. “Sporty, big displacement motorcycles get me going — I like the horsepower,” Trace admits. A Kawasaki Z1R was Trace’s street bike for a long time, and he still has it. Trace also got back into racing. After trying road racing and other types of motorcycle competition, he settled into drag racing as his sport, starting in 1982 by building a Kawasaki into a drag racer. “I didn’t want to do stupid things on the street, and I enjoy being around drag racing people. People in drag racing help each other. I have given people parts they needed, and they beat me because they had the parts,” Trace says. But that doesn’t stop him helping his competition. “You have a better feeling about yourself,” he adds. They say good guys finish last, but Trace earned two track championships at the old track in Fremont, California, and has notched seven track championships and one division championship at Sonoma Raceway in Northern California. Continuing the family motorsport tradition, Trace’s son is also drag racing — and winning, with two track championships under his belt so far. Trace’s interest in mechanics has continued, as well. Now retired, at least from normal work, he’s as busy as he’s ever been, building engines for five drag racing teams. Trace also restores motorcycles for other people with his buddy Brian Jennings, who also paints race bikes. “I like
14
MOTORCYCLE CLASSICS
July/August 2014
restoring bikes,” Trace says. “It keeps me busy and out of my wife’s hair.” This Suzuki, however, Trace restored for himself. “Brian and I were going to use this bike as a parts bike. Brian went and looked at it. The bike was rough, and the guy wanted too much money for it, but all the original parts, including about 90 percent of the original nuts and bolts, were in a box. Not only that, there was a good exhaust system that came with it — a Bassani exhaust that would be worth a lot of money on eBay. We finally reached a deal.”
The GS comes of age The GS1100 was the top of the line of Suzuki’s extensive lineup
in 1980 and 1981. In the previous few years, the company had achieved an impressive comeback, pulling back from the edge of the cliff it had almost ridden over on the back of the failed RE5 rotary. The GS line of 4-strokes Suzuki was selling in the late Seventies and early Eighties were the antithesis of the experimental RE5. Using — and improving — proven technology, Suzuki engineers designed a series of powerful and reliable motorcycles, with understated styling, good handling and decent brakes. The first two GS models off the line were the 4-cylinder GS750 and the 2-cylinder GS400, introduced in late 1976 for the 1977 model year. Using a new double downtube cradle frame, they were noted for their good handling at a time when most
Japanese-built motorcycles were not. When the range-topping GS1000 was added for the 1978 model year, racers quickly found out that it took very little work to get a whole lot of power out of the engine. A racer based on the GS1000 and tuned by “Pops” Yoshimura won Daytona and the Suzuka 8 hours race in 1978, and the AMA Superbike championship in 1979 and 1980.
Technology moves on Development never stands still, and in mid-1978 Suzuki engineer Sadao Shirasagi was assigned the task of upgrading the GS 4-cylinder engine. His goal was to improve fuel economy and lessen emissions, as well as improve performance across the powerband. To that end, Shirasagi employed 4-valves per cylinder to speed up the entry and exhaust of fuel mix in and out of the cylinders. The aim was to squeeze as much energy as possible out of each gasoline droplet. The design Shirasagi developed was called Twin Swirl Combustion Chamber, or TSCC. A ridge in the cylinder head combustion chamber roof effectively divided the chamber in two, with one intake and one exhaust valve on either side. This ridge directed the intake charge into two controlled circular swirls, and a squish band in the chamber helped accelerate the motion. The centrally located spark plug allowed even burning of both swirls of fuel/air. The result was not only complete combustion of the fuel/air mix, but an engine that could tolerate high compression on a lean mixture. Shirasagi’s TSCC cylinder head was featured on the new for 1980 GS1100, which replaced the top of the line GS1000. Unlike the previous big GS, Shirasagi’s new engine used dual overhead camshafts operating on forked rocker arms instead of shimmed buckets. This greatly improved ease of maintenance, as valves
could now be adjusted with a wrench and screwdriver instead of the far more time-consuming shim replacement required previously. The GS1100 also featured electronic ignition, an aircharged front suspension and something rarely found on a performance motorcycle — a comfortable seat. Cycle Guide called it “one of the best riding, most comfortable motorcycles ever built.” Contemporary testers praised the ease of keeping the GS on a line through a corner — “It will corner with the best of its rivals and outdo the rest,” Cycle said — and they had a lot of fun playing with all the suspension settings. The air-assisted forks featured a single, easily accessible air valve, plus adjustable damping and adjustable preload. The rear shocks had five preload positions and four positions for rebound damping. It was without question the most tunable factory suspension ever offered. Unfortunately, adjusting fork preload required removing the handlebars, which induced more than a few gripes. Other mild gripes involved an inability to aim the headlight beam, carburetion problems under light throttle, the lack of a petcock and leaky valve covers. The single biggest complaint centered on the bike’s hyper-sensitive carburetion, which some riders found impossible to ride around. “At every expansion joint the throttle snaps open a millimeter, enough to make the bike rear up and accelerate,” Cycle Guide complained. But back on the plus side, the big GS1100’s brakes were considered among the best in the business. And while testers liked the suspension, they loved the engine. “Any motorcycle that has effortless power at 3,000rpm — which the Suzuki does — is very likely to have eye bulging top-end as almost a casual and incidental by-product,” Cycle said in its December 1980 road test. Cycle Guide concurred, stating simply, “It flat does what you ask of it.” And it did. www.MotorcycleClassics.com
17
Tall, wide handlebars make the big GS easy to wrestle. The air-assisted front forks featured adjustable damping and preload.
The fight for the top
it at the top of the class for the second year running,” Cycle For 1981, Suzuki had the demanding task of bettering the Guide concluded. obviously excellent 1980 model. Aside from a change in paint Up to this time, Suzuki had concentrated on engineering to colors, there was a slight change in valve seat angles (60 the exclusion of style. In 1981, the company contracted former degrees instead of 75 degrees for the first cut, for better intake BMW designer Hans Muth for a radical redesign of the GS. The charging), a fuel petcock was added along with a gas reserve, Katana version of the GS debuted in 1982, and while not unialternator output was increased and the rather busy instruversally loved, its space-aged, avant-garde styling turned heads ment display received minor changes such as the addition of and sparked discussion. The GS range continued on for a few a sidestand light. more years before being replaced by Cycle Guide conducted a comparithe brilliant GSX-R range. son test for its July 1981 issue, Still loved pitting the Suzuki against a Honda Smart owners hung onto their CB900F and a Kawasaki GPz1100. GSs, and many are still running The GS was the favorite for tourtoday. The big GS Suzukis have ing on freeways with its comfortearned a reputation for bombable seat, adjustable suspension proof reliability, in large measure and roll-on ability in high speed because the engine was overbuilt. passing, but got marked down in The crankshaft of the GS engine ran around town riding for its lowin roller bearings, a design that, speed carburetion problems. On a while expensive to build, lends twisty mountain road, the GS led itself to long engine life thanks the pack for its cornering prowess. to its resistance to uneven loads. The one place the GS really fell Helping things, the engine’s lowbehind was at the race track. “The pressure lubrication system worked GS wanders and feels vague when well, even when operating in less pushed through fast turns,” Cycle than optimum conditions. Guide’s editors stated. Yet despite Trace builds bikes to Antique disappointing road racing perforMotorcycle Club of America stanmance, the Suzuki came in first in dards, which means the markings overall performance. “The Suzuki’s on the bolts have to be the same as rare blend of shattering perfor- Twin 11-inch front disc brakes were praised by the factory bolts and the cable routmance and elegant manners keeps magazine testers back in 1981.
18
MOTORCYCLE CLASSICS
July/August 2014
Circle #9; see card pg 73
“The big GS Suzukis have earned a reputation for bomb-proof reliability, in large measure because the engine was overbuilt.”
ing has to be the same as the factory. In other words, it has to be factory correct. “The hardest part was making sure all the bolts were correct,” Trace explains. “There are a lot of new-oldstock parts for GS Suzukis out there, but bolts are hard to get. Ninety percent of what I needed came with the bike, but of course the other 10 percent were hard to find. Eventually, I collected all the original bolts. I had to re-zinc plate a lot of them, and the bolts for 1981 Suzukis came in an odd green/ black color. I had to reproduce that.” If you are going to restore to factory specs, you first need to know what those specs are, and Trace lucked out. “I had enough resources to make sure I got the assembly right. Ray Rains and Woody [Kahea Woods] helped with the correct bolts and a lot of little things. Suzuki published excellent documentation, so I knew where the cables were routed and where to put the clamps,” Trace says. Brian Jennings did the paint, matched to a spot of the original paint on the bike. Trace’s efforts paid off with the award for Japanese 2nd Place at this year’s The Quail Motorcycle Gathering. Despite careful attention as the bike went together, Trace’s
first ride out was somewhat disappointing. “I didn’t like the factory bars. It felt like I was driving a bread truck. And the brakes felt mushy,” Trace says. “I had to fix an oil leak from the cam chain tensioner. There’s a little seal — which you can’t find any more — that is leaking. I made a new seal, and we will see if it works. I had to re-jet the carbs. I also haven’t been able to find the right hot press seat cover and had to settle for a stitched one.” Trace has recently found the correct seat cover, although it wasn’t installed for our photo shoot. After some suspension tuning, handlebar adjustment and a brake line swap to improve performance, Trace was a lot happier. “The bike rides a lot better now that I had a chance to set the handlebars, shocks and forks up more to my liking. The bike is really nimble. It seems like it would be a nice cruiser. I really want to take it out on the road, but not on a really tight mountain road. That’s the problem with big bikes — on a tight road, you never get out of second gear.” And while that may be true, it doesn’t dampen Trace’s enthusiasm for the big GS. “As soon as the weather warms up, I am going to put a lot of miles on this Suzuki.” MC
OE & Custom Parts for Vintage Motorcycles DIMECITYCYCLES.COM USE COUPON CODE CLASSICS2761 for 10% off your next order Circle #5; see card pg 73
A custom Triumph inspired by Gary Nixon
W
Story by Greg Williams Photos by Mike Watanabe
When Todd Van Dorn dragged a 1972 Triumph T120RV engine and several boxes of parts — including the stock Triumph oil-bearing spine tube frame and swingarm — to Union Motorcycle Classics in Nampa, Idaho, he thought he wanted a bobber. What he got was something entirely different.
Union Motorcycle Classics (unionmotorcycle.com) are specialized builders of road racing-style machines based on British and Italian platforms, and for the past five years the company has turned out some exquisitely detailed projects. But they all have a certain style, and the bobber isn’t among their repertoire. Mike Watanabe is one of the partners behind Union Motorcycle Classics, along with Luke Ransom. Together, the pair collaborates on the builds, each working within their area of expertise. Mike handles design, fiberglass bodywork and metal fabrication. Luke takes care of the mechanicals and also does metal fabrication.
Looking back The roots of Union Motorcycle Classics go back to 1998, when Mike and his friend Bret Edwards formed Glass From The Past, or GFTP (caferacingparts.com). At the time, they were a pair of young kids obsessed with British road race bikes from the late 1950s to the early 1970s, machines often outfitted with fiberglass fairings, seats and gas tanks. “The trouble was,” Mike explains, “that bodywork was unobtanium, and we couldn’t afford it if we found it.” So instead of trying to find and buy what they wanted, Mike and Bret decided to reproduce their own fairings and gas tanks. With a background in fine arts and graphic design, Mike had a talent for shaping plugs, which are the forms to make the molds that will eventually yield fiberglass components. Bret, meanwhile, proved adept at working with fiberglass, and GFTP was created.
22
MOTORCYCLE CLASSICS
July/August 2014
www.MotorcycleClassics.com
23
Forming the Union Skip forward to seven years ago. Mike created his own custom motorcycles using GFTP pieces, and while displaying one of his creations at a local motorcycle happening, Luke approached him and asked where the bike came from and who had supplied the bodywork. “I gave him my card, and he came around asking what fairing would work on his Yamaha RD60,” Mike recalls. “I sold him a Dunstallstyle fairing, and he later showed up with the fairing neatly and cleanly mounted on the bike. We started talking, and I learned Luke was not only a talented fabricator, but he’s also a factory-trained mechanic.” Mike and Luke worked together on several projects, and they began helping local motorcyclists by making one-off components for individual builds. That’s when Luke suggested they open
a shop, and Mike knew the ideal location — one where there’d be little, if any, overhead. Mike grew up on a dairy farm, and his father still owns the property. An old barn on the property, once suitably renovated, became the home of Union Motorcycle Classics. It’s the barn you see in the photos here.
The Nixon Tribute A few years ago, Luke got a call to look at an old Triumph. It was in pieces, and Luke told the owner that Union would be happy to help put it back together. Instead, the owner listed the project on Craigslist. Todd Van Dorn had been looking for a vintage Triumph, and he bought the basket case machine — which he then took to Union. Luke was surprised to see the Triumph not only in new hands, but in his shop.
A recreated tank “We asked what Todd was looking to do with the bike,” Mike draws up a design brief for every UMC project. “That Mike explains. “And that’s when he said, ‘I’d like to build a way we don’t drift; we don’t end up with modern upside bobber.’ I told him that’s not what we do.” Todd picks up the down forks on a 1952 Matchless — and I know people do story: “I went down to Union and talked to Luke and Mike that, and that’s cool, but it’s not what we do,” Mike explains. about what I wanted to do, and that’s when I got captivated In his brief for Todd’s T120RV, Mike mused about what would by the old fairings and all of the old parts in the shop,” he have happened had Triumph “done something dumb like says. “They had several of their café-style bikes on display race their oil-in-frame Bonneville and I instantly changed my mind without having changed any of — I wanted to get involved with the recognizable bodywork from them because of their sheer pasthe race bikes of the late 1960s.” sion, so I said, ‘How about a café Key to Todd’s Triumph is the racer?’” gas tank. GFTP’s Bret Edwards That was more in line with is something of a Gary Nixon Union’s style, although machines fanatic. He’s been documenting rolling out of the shop’s doors go Triumph race bikes for years, and well beyond what is the café norm. he’d always wanted to recreate “I told Todd I’d been dreaming the distinctive, and very rare, gas of building a Gary Nixon tribute tank from one of Nixon’s original bike, and I thought his Triumph mid-1960s race bikes. Although parts and pieces might work for Mike said he could likely get very such a project,” Mike says. close to the correct proportions, Todd went home and researched he really needed to see one in the late Gary Nixon, who was person to get it right. That’s when famous for racing 500cc Triumphs. Bret found the correct tank on He was 1967 and 1968 AMA Grand eBay, incorrectly identified as a National Champion, and won the Dunstall item. With the tank in 1967 Daytona 200 on a Triumph their possession, Bret and Mike 500. “That clinched it for me,” were able to recreate the vessel. Todd says. “I was honored that Instead of making a replica tank they suggested the Nixon-tribute to fit pre-oil-in-frame Triumphs was the bike for me — actually, only, they modified the bottom of I was flabbergasted, and said yes The Daytona-style exhaust is made from stainless tubing, bends and mufflers from Cone Engineering. the tank to fit the wider backbone immediately.” www.MotorcycleClassics.com
25
of the later oil-in-frame spine-tube chassis. It seems these fine luster. The keyed ignition switch was frenched into the frames, and subsequently the motorcycles that use them, side of the flat Lucas headlight shell, accessible by reaching have been saddled with something of a stigma because of in front of the left clip-on and under the dash. The fork lowers increased height and weight. Beginning in 1971, both BSA are stock for 1972, while an earlier 1969 full-width Triumph/ and Triumph 650cc motorcycles shared BSA twin-leading-shoe brake and hub the oil-in-frame platform. Although were modified to suit. BSA was in production for just two The rear swingarm is stock and it’s more years, Triumph 650cc and later sprung by Red Wing shocks. The coni750cc twins continued to use the oilcal rear hub is stock, and cooling holes in-frame chassis, right up to the end of and screens have been added to both it production in 1983. and the front hub. The hubs are laced It was Mike who got started building to shouldered Excel rims (WM2 18-inch Todd’s bike, installing the fiberglass front and WM3 18-inch rear) and are tank and a highly modified GFTP seat. shod with Heidenau tires. With wheels The frame needed to be shortened, so under the bike, Mike modified a stock the old seat hoop was removed and GFTP lower belly pan to fit. a new hoop was bent and welded in Luke fabricated the intricate rearset place. The larger, longer tank covered foot controls, and even made his own the oil filler neck in the spine tube, so plug for the sandcast 6061 T6 alumiLuke blanked off the stock location. He num brake lever. After casting, it was then fabricated a filler tube, welded to heat treated, machined and polished the spine tube and running back and — there’s only one lever like it, and it’s up to a horseshoe opening at the front on Todd’s Triumph. of the seat pan. The oil is still carried To create the signature Nixon in the frame: What looks like an alumiexhaust, with the low right side and num oil tank under the seat actually high left side for Daytona’s high-speed carries the battery and other electrical left turns, Luke ordered stainless steel pieces. exhaust tubing and bends from Cone Up front, a handcrafted upper triple Engineering in Los Alamitos, California tree replaced the stock Triumph unit. (coneeng.com). He stitched together Although machined from billet alumithe headers, even putting a kink in the num, Luke massaged the new piece to left side tube so the primary chaincase make it look like cast aluminum. The inspection cap would still be accesnew top tree allows the fork tubes to be sible for checking chain tension or pulled through and clamped, giving a adding oil. The mufflers are also from lower ride height. Magura clip-ons fea- A Glass From The Past belly pan was Cone Engineering, and Luke made his ture early Amal controls, polished to a modified to fit the bike. own heat shields.
26
MOTORCYCLE CLASSICS
July/August 2014
Triumph power
“I was a believer from the beginning — I was confident I’d get something spectacular. They exceeded my expectations by miles.”
As purchased, Todd was told the 649cc Triumph T120RV engine — R indicates Bonneville, and V a 5-speed gearbox — had been rebuilt and was ready to run. Apart from tidying up a few loose ends, Luke hasn’t done any work to the powerplant. With the project ready for paint, Mike sought Todd’s input. He gave Todd two options — blue, or blue. “Todd picked light blue, and it’s not where I would have gone because the Nixon bikes were darker blue,” Mikes says. “But the light blue turned out great, and it really sets the tone for the bike.” Anything black on the Triumph was spray painted; there’s no powder coat on this bike. Luke laid down the base white, and Mike spent an evening taping out the graphics. Mike also subtly modified a Triumph “T” logo for the back of the seat cowl, and Brandon Herzberg of Interior Revolution in Nampa, Idaho, sewed the seat cover. The finishing touch is Nixon’s famous No. 9 on the lower fairing.
“I was a believer from the beginning,” Todd says, “and I was 100 percent confident I’d get something spectacular. They exceeded my expectations by miles.” Todd comes from a woodworking background, and he’s been riding since he was a teenager. He’s a master craftsman, having won several awards for his cabinetmaking skills. That means he understands the creative process. “When someone hires me, they hire me for my ingenuity and my vision. I felt akin to that working with Union.” At the time of writing, Todd had yet to take delivery of his Nixon tribute machine, and he hasn’t even ridden it. But he’s not worried, because he says it was important that the project be a rideable motorcycle. That’s the only kind of machine Union will build — a fully functioning piece of kit. It might not be a bobber, but in Todd’s mind, it’s something far better. And when he does get a chance to ride the Triumph, he plans to ride it hard and fast. That would do Nixon proud. MC
denniskirk.com 800-970-3819
M-F 7am-10pm (CST) SAT-SUN 7am- 8pm (CST)
FREE SHIPPING on orders over $89 to the lower 48 states
FREE RETURN SHIPPING on Helmets & Apparel
GUARANTEED LOWEST PRICES $1 off everyone else’s deal Go to denniskirk.com/exclusions for details.
1957 Mondial 250 Bialbero
T
Story by Alan Cathcart Photos by Kyoichi Nakamura
The golden age of motorcycle road racing in the 1950s brought many makes to prominence. Newcomers such as MZ, Ducati and MV Agusta, which would play pivotal roles in motorcycle racing history, mixed in with older, more established teams. And none achieved world supremacy so quickly as the Italian marque FB Mondial.
FB Mondial was the creation of the Boselli family, whose four titled brothers Carlo, Luigi, Ettore and Giuseppe founded a motorcycle dealership in Bologna in 1929 under the FB (Fratelli Boselli — Brothers Boselli) brand. Their entry into two-wheeled manufacturing came about thanks to Giuseppe’s success in Italian motorcycle competition between 1927 and 1935, culminating his career with a gold medal in the International Six Days Trials (ISDT) on a locally made CM. Seeking a sound basis on which to build their fledgling business, the brothers initially focused on making three-wheeled delivery vehicles, but production was interrupted in 1944 when the Bologna factory was razed to the ground by the departing German armed forces. Giuseppe Boselli, who had by now acceded to his late father’s title of Count, moved the business to a new factory in Milan and began again.
A love of racing Recognizing that FB needed some distinction to its name in order to stand out from its many competitors, Boselli decided to create a heritage for his product by exploiting Italy’s love of racing. Two years before the first road bikes from the factory appeared, Count Boselli’s machines made their debut in Grand Prix road racing. The name chosen for the new motorcycle marque was Mondial (meaning “of the whole world,” or universal). No expense was spared to produce an instantly successful machine, and Alfonso Drusiani, brother of the CM designer whom Boselli had known from his competition days, was recruited from Bologna to design the bike.
30
MOTORCYCLE CLASSICS
July/August 2014
The Mondial’s twin camshafts are driven by a train of five gears running up the right side of the engine. The class chosen was the 125cc category, the capacity of road machines the Bosellis planned to manufacture. Though 2-strokes dominated the class at the time, Drusiani pioneered a small-scale version of the bevel-driven double overhead cam single-cylinder 4-stroke format that came to be typical of Italian race engineering. The plethora of similar designs that followed over the next 20 years, especially the Ducati singles created by former Mondial engineer Fabio Taglioni, all owed much to that first small Mondial. Drusiani’s debut Mondial 125 GP racer had a bevel-drive double overhead cam dry-sump engine with an outside flywheel, which was the main reason for its high 11,500rpm safe engine speed for the era. It eventually produced 15 horsepower at 10,000rpm, initially running on a 9.7:1 compression ratio, somewhat marginal given the low octane fuel then available in postwar Italy. The Mondial threatened a fairy-tale victory on its racing debut in the 1948 Italian GP at Faenza with rider Franco Lama. Sadly, he was forced into the pits with a split fuel tank while well in the lead, but the die had been cast. Indeed, both MV Agusta and Morini immediately developed twin-cam 4-strokes of their
own once the Mondial’s supremacy had sunk in, but by then Boselli and Drusiani had more than a head start. The Mondial was unbeatable for the first three years of the 125cc World Series, winning all 11 GP races run in 1949-1951.
Production bikes With competition success achieved, it was now time to focus on launching the line of FB Mondial road bikes. These debuted in 1950, and though the first range of models, consisting of 125cc overhead valve lightweights, had little sporting flair, the lineup soon included not only 160cc and 200cc overhead valve and 2-stroke road bikes, but also, from 1953 onward, single overhead cam 125cc and 175cc sports models based on the GP bike’s bottom end, but with chain drive to the camshaft and clad in modern cycle parts. These production racers proved highly popular with private entrants, especially in open road marathons of the day like the Milano-Taranto, won outright in 1954 by Remo Venturi’s 175 single overhead cam Mondial in defeating all the 350cc and 500cc entries, and the Moto Giro d’Italia. Count Boselli soon had his sights set on the 250 GP class, which had hitherto been considered the preserve of scaled-down 350s or specially designed 250s built along the
precepts of the larger classes. Drusiani began work late in 1955 on a 250cc twin, essentially two 125 cylinders mounted on a common crankcase. When the completed bike appeared at the start of the 1956 season, its bulkiness was exceeded only by its weight — around 300 pounds. Drusiani quickly realized it could never be competitive, so the twin was quickly dropped. The obvious move was to produce a 250 single, and accordingly the Mondial designer returned to the drawing board to produce what many people consider to be one of the greatest single-cylinder race bikes ever built.
Beginnings of the 250 single
with both front and rear wheels more than 50 percent enclosed. Thanks to the long, low tank that enabled the rider to tuck himself well away behind the front screen, the 250 Mondial was timed at Monza at 137mph — truly staggering performance for a 250 of the era and faster than most 500 singles.
Racing for another Championship Count Boselli had assembled a very strong team of riders for an all-out effort to win another World Championship — though as he later admitted, he never really thought it might be possible to win two. In addition to Provini, former 125 GP World champion Cecil Sandford had joined the Mondial team during 1956, and at the 1957 TT a young Ulsterman who’d been making quite a name for himself in various branches of the sport, from road racing to scrambles to trials, was drafted into the team: His name was Sammy Miller. “Artie Bell [former works Norton rider] was sort of managing me then,” Sammy recalls, “and he wrote to Count Boselli asking for a bike for me. They sent one over for the TT, but it was one of the old 1956 125s that was almost worn out. Still, it was better
During the winter of 1956-1957, Drusiani and his six-man team of mechanics worked on producing a completely new 250 single, and a spinoff 125cc version. The new Mondial 250 wet-sump single featured a vertical cylinder with twin overhead camshafts driven by a train of five gears up the right side of the engine. The closely finned light-alloy cylinder carried a cast iron sleeve housing a high-silicone three-ring cast piston, mounted via a floating wrist pin on a 115mm-long Hoeckle steel connecting rod. It used a needle-roller big-end and full-circle flywheels with a ball main bearing on either side of the crank. A 32mm Dell’Orto SS1 carburetor with remote float was fitted (a 30mm carb was used on tighter tracks for enhanced acceleration). The 250cc race engine was over-square at 75mm x 56.4mm (the same stroke as the 125 singles), permitting a safe engine speed of 11,400rpm, with peak power of 29 horsepower at 10,800rpm. The gear primary drive mounted on the left of the engine drove either a 5- or 7-speed gearbox via an oil-bath clutch. With a dry weight of only 220 pounds without bodywork, and just 242 pounds complete with full streamlining, this new single was a far more purposeful contender than the heavy twin. It used a new twin-loop tubular steel frame, with twin bolted-on struts running from the steering head to the front of the crankcase. Clothed in the most effective full streamlining yet seen in the small-capacity classes, developed for Mondial by the Aermacchi aviation company (yes, the same firm which then also made motorcycles) the fairing was made of elektron alloy, Sammy Miller aboard the Mondial at the 1957 Italian GP at Monza.
www.MotorcycleClassics.com
33
Dustbin fairing helped the Mondial run the 1957 Lightweight TT at an average speed of 75.80mph. than nothing, so I went out and did my best on it. After two days of practice, I was second fastest. The mechanics were very excited and phoned home to tell the Count, and next thing we knew there was a telegram to say that two of the latest models, a 125 and a 250, were being flown over to the Island from Italy for me. Mondial was like that. There was no expense spared if they thought it was worthwhile.” A fairy-tale end to the story almost happened when Miller led the 10-lap 250cc Lightweight TT race held on the shorter 10.79 mile/17.36km Clypse circuit until the last corner of the last lap, where he fell off and so handed victory to teammate Sandford, pushing the damaged bike the final uphill half-mile in 15 minutes to finish fifth. Exhausted, Sammy had only a couple of hours to recover and have a badly grazed arm and knee bandaged before riding in another 10-lapper that afternoon, the 125cc UltraLightweight TT won by his Mondial teammate Provini. Eight days later in the Belgian GP at Spa, Miller went better still, finishing second to John Hartle on the brand new MV Agusta twin, beating teammate Sandford into third. Provini had led until his ignition failed on the last lap, though not before demonstrating that his bike was much faster than those of his teammates, who were unable even to slipstream him on Spa’s long straights. There was a good reason for that. “Our bikes were
all pretty much identical one to the other in terms of the cycle parts and general engine characteristics,” Tarquinio Provini once said. “But I had my own special cams which were switched from one engine to another, whichever one I would be riding next, and together with various other detail modifications these gave that bike extra performance. Look, I was the only Italian rider in an Italian team, with Italian mechanics who were all my friends. What do you expect?!” Still, to finish first you must first finish, and Provini’s engine expired on him after five laps of the next round at the Ulster GP, followed five laps later by Sammy’s, too. This left race-winner Sandford as the new 250cc World champion, with Provini clinching the 125cc title. But Provini got his own back in the final race of the season at Monza, winning his home Italian GP for Mondial from MV Agusta and Moto Guzzi, with Sandford and Miller limping home fourth and fifth, respectively, with sick engines. It was to be the final appearance of the factory Mondial team in action, delivering a clean sweep for the factory in the 250cc World Championship, with Sandford the new champion, and Provini and Miller second and third respectively. “It was the fulfillment of all my dreams,” Count Boselli recalled to me 25 years later at a 25th anniversary gathering of the Mondial Owner’s Club. “I felt such personal satisfaction for all our team at our double World Championship success, that it’s impossible to describe. It seemed a perfect moment, which I knew could never be repeated. Having achieved such success, we could only lose it if we continued racing. So I decided to stop.” So two weeks later, on Sept. 15, 1957, the road racing world was dumbfounded by the announcement that, in conjunction with fellow 1957 World champions Moto Guzzi (350) and Gilera (500), double World title holder FB Mondial was withdrawing from racing. MV Agusta originally agreed to stop, too, but Count Agusta later thought better of it and went back on his agreement.
Personal experience
Sammy Miller pushes his Mondial across the finish line after crashing in the 1957 Isle of Man Lightweight TT.
34
MOTORCYCLE CLASSICS
July/August 2014
I once owned one of the six 1957 Mondial 250cc factory racers — making the chance to ride the Miller bike at Sammy’s local test track a very welcome personal trip down memory lane, even if it was the first time I’d ridden a Mondial with the full dustbin streamlining.
Sammy Miller Museum My Mondial was No. 0504. My mates Ron Lewis and Dick Linton rebuilt the engine, with Dick taking care of restoring the chassis. I’d planned to ride the Mondial in the 1982 Isle of Man TT Cavalcade, but prior to the run we noticed a hairline crack developing in the fragile crankcases. No choice but to abort the mission to enable Ron to strip the engine down again, weld up the cases, add a bit of strengthening and put everything together again in time for the 1983 TT Parade. So it was that I found myself on the Glencrutchery Road on the Friday afternoon of the 1983 TT races. Once under way and into top gear, the little single was thumping away happily beneath me. With no less than 10 gear pinions in the drivetrain to the double overhead camshafts, there’s a considerable degree of mechanical noise, the whirring of the gears joined by the clatter of the exposed hairpin valve springs, which in traditional fashion were to perform a comprehensive lube job on my left boot. The long, gently tapering exhaust, which ends just inside the back wheel, gives out a sturdy bellow more reminiscent of an AJS 7R than a tautly strung Italian single, even at the upper end of the 10,800rpm rev band. In deference to the engine’s age and fragility, I kept the revs down to 9,000rpm throughout the lap. There was a spell of megaphonitis around 4,600rpm before power came in quite strongly from 5,200rpm upward, giving a very usable 4,000rpm rev band. In spite of its tiny 50-inch (1,270mm)
Fifty years in the making, the museum goes back to 1964, when Championshipwinning trials rider Sammy Miller started displaying restored motorcycles at his motorcycle shop in New Milton, Hampshire, England. In 1992 Miller purchased Bashley Manor Farm, converting the premises into the Sammy Miller Motorcycle Museum. The current collection of more than 400 rare and collectible vintage motorcycle is among the finest anywhere. More at sammymiller.co.uk
wheelbase, the Mondial’s riding position is ideal for me thanks to the position of the seat far back over the rear axle. It’s actually quite tall and therefore spacious for a 250, because of the vertical cylinder and tall engine. The Mondial handles like a dream. Mike Hailwood told me as much when I asked him about the bike, as he raced a pair of ex-works Bialberos after the factory quit racing. But it wasn’t till I rode the bike on the Island, fitted with modern-compound Dunlop triangulars, that I was able to find out just how true that was. Flicking the little bike through the twists and turns of the Glen Helen section was a delight, with the exhaust note bouncing off the rock faces and stone walls. The Mondial’s handling — and braking — passed every exam I set for it on that lap of the Island with flying colors. Mondial won five World titles in just nine years, reaped countless Italian championships, and introduced the dolphin fairing, full streamlining and the disc brake to GP racing. Not a bad record, is it? MC
CT-Z Aluminum Silver
HerE at Arai, OuR crAFtSmEN ARe puTtINg rOBotS oUT of WORk. At Arai, we are not opposed to technology when it improves the quality of our product. Our face openings, for instance, are cut with laser precision. And our paint shop uses the most advanced application techniques available. That being said, there are things human hands know that a robot never can. Which is why every Arai helmet has a shell crafted by a single person, slowly and carefully, for the utmost in lightness, roundness and protective strength. Until robots understand how it feels to ride all-out with PD[LPXP FRQĹľ GHQFH WKDWĹ‘V WKH ZD\ LW ZLOO EH Black Frost
Experience makes the difference. araiamericas.com
Diamond Black
Diamond White
1958
HARLEY-DAVIDSON Putting the sport in Sportster
XLCH
C
Story and photos by Robert Smith
Competition improves the breed, they say. And while the 1958 Harley-Davidson XLCH Sportster was born of competition stock, its engine capacity eschewed the very type of racing its direct ancestors were designed for. How come?
To answer that, we have to go back to the mid-1930s, when racer and Motorcycle Hall of Famer Reggie Pink helped draw up the rules for productionbased track racing. As he was also a British bike dealer, Pink advocated for fair competition between American brands and imports. The result was AMA’s production-based Class C, which allowed overhead valve bikes of 500cc to compete against sidevalve machines up to 750cc — or 45 cubic inches. Harley-Davidson developed the famous WRTT specifically for this class.
The K But it was post-World War II competition from lightweight British parallel twins that motivated the Motor Company to develop a new 45-cubic-inch street bike, but still with one eye on Class C racing. The result was the Model K of 1952, a unit-construction 750cc 45-degree V-twin in a lightweight (for Harley, anyway) chassis with modern telescopic fork and swingarm rear suspension. The engine retained sidevalves for Class C homologation pur-
poses, and the competition KRTT version ruled Class C until Dick Mann’s Grand National win on a BSA in 1963.
The Sportster XL But in spite of a capacity increase to 888cc for the KH and KHK, the flathead K bikes couldn’t match the performance of the new overhead valve British 650s. Harley embraced the inevitable with the
883cc overhead valve Sportster, and in doing so, the company acknowledged two things: Overhead valves were the way forward, and the Sportster was not going Class C racing anytime soon. The KRTT would soldier on until Class C rules were changed for 1969, prompting the development of the Sportster-based XR750. The Sportster was launched for 1957 as the Model XL, essentially a new over-
head valve engine in slightly modified Model K running gear. The iron cylinders used a new 3-inch bore with the 3-9/16inch stroke from the Model K — a stroke dimension that remains in all Sportsters to the present. Iron heads with hemispherical combustion chambers topped the cylinders, with valves operated by pushrods and rockers. Each pushrod had its own single-lobe camshaft, the
H-D Alphabet Soup — What’s in a name? Harley-Davidson seems to take an odd pride in its somewhat confusing model code lettering system, one where the same letter in a different position in the model designation can mean different things. Fortunately, within the early Sportster lineup, model codes are pretty consistent. All OHV Sportsters from the beginning in 1957 carry the first
letter designation X. Interestingly, this code had been used earlier for experimental models and also for the World War II shaft drive flat twin model XA. The first, most basic Sportster should have been the model X. It’s speculated that the pre-production Sportsters had 6.8:1 compression and were in fact designated model X. But before production commenced, compression was raised to 7.5:1, so in line with Harley tradition the X became XL, the L meaning first level of tune (or, in the case of the Big Twins, extra displacement). The third letter was C for competition, or H for higher compression/second stage of tune; XLH meant the high compression/tuned engine in the street chassis, XLC meant a standard XL engine (maybe with magneto ignition) but the bike stripped for competition, and XLCH meant the high compression/ tuned engine in the XLC stripped running gear. Well, for 1958, anyway. For 1959 the XLCH got its street uniform back, but retained the magneto. R was always for racing, and TT for that particular type of enduro-style competition. Confused? The same, but different: Mike Quinn’s 1959 XLCH fronts the 1958 XLCH. There’s a test later … — Robert Smith
40
MOTORCYCLE CLASSICS
July/August 2014
four arranged in an arc inside the timing chest and driven by a half-time gear that also turned the ignition timer. A single Linkert carburetor fed the engine, which drove a chain primary to a multiplate clutch and 4-speed “trapdoor” gearbox (the geartrain could be removed without splitting the cases). Final drive was by chain on the right side, and in a break with Harley tradition, the foot shifter was also on the right with a one-up, three-down pattern like British bikes at the time. Early models had a cast alloy outer primary cover embossed with “Sportster,” but this was later abandoned for a simpler pressedsteel item. The dual-downtube chassis connected to 18-inch wheels by a telescopic front fork and dual coil spring/damper units attached to the seat subframe. Eightinch drum brakes provided stopping
assumed the XL was intended just for touring. All that would change in 1958.
The XLH and XLCH
power. The XL produced an estimated 40 horsepower, and as tested by Cycle magazine, turned in a 15-second quarter with a top speed of 101mph. This compared well enough with the 42 horsepower 1957 Triumph Tiger 110 at 16 seconds and similar top speed. With deeply valanced fenders, a generous 4.4-gallon fuel tank, a large headlight and a subdued exhaust, most reviewers
A year before Triumph introduced the Bonneville in 1959, Harley had a rocket ship of its own. Although the Sportster’s 883cc capacity was too big for Class C, it was fine for open Class TT racing. U.S. TT was nothing like the Isle of Man version and more of a crosscountry steeplechase. In the late 1950s, Triumph Trophy Birds, BSA Catalina Scramblers and Matchless G80s were very competitive, challenging the KRTTs and leading to the development of the race oriented XLR. With higher compression (around 9:1) and larger valves, the XLR also used a trick frame with thinner walls and lighter weight. It also sported the now famous “peanut” gas tank borrowed from the S
Bobbed fender was a nod to the XLCH’s sporting pretensions (far left), but small 8-inch single-leadingshoe brakes were only adequate.
range. Ignition was by magneto. And as the increased power could be produced reliably, it made sense to produce a “customer” version. This became the 1958 XLH. The XLH was essentially an XL with the XLR’s cylinder heads, though the castings were slightly different — long reach spark plugs for the R, short reach for the H. Everything else was as the XL. The 1958 XLCH was a far more radical departure. The “CH” designation, quite logical in Harley-speak (C for stripped bodywork, H for high performance), was variously interpreted as “Competition Hot” or “California Hot Rod.” Though not an XLR, it could have almost passed for one. The stock XLH was stripped of its lights, mufflers and other extraneous items (though lights and a license plate bracket were available for an extra $60),
the fenders were bobbed and the peanut tank fitted. The idea seemed plain: Here was an over-the-counter hot rod you could ride to the desert or track, compete in a TT race and ride home again — as long as you did it in daylight. Sportsters weren’t big sellers in 1958, with the Sportster range outsold four times by the big twin FL range and almost three times by the humble 165cc 2-stroke S range. According to HarleyDavidson, of 12,676 Harley-Davidsons sold that year, just 1,529 were XL variants: 579 XLs, 711 XLHs and 239 XLCHs. The XLCH reappeared in the catalog for 1959, but in a completely different guise. Mufflers and lights were back, although the performance modifications and magneto were retained. The 1959 XLCH also sported a new, smaller
headlight with the now-classic “eyebrow” cowling and a high-level exhaust. It proved to be the most popular XL model with 1,059 sold, compared with 947 XLHs (coil ignition and low exhaust but with the high compression engine) and just 42 base-model XLs. Performance numbers quoted at the time are inconsistent, but it seems likely a good 1959 XLCH was making around 55 horsepower at the crank and weighed around 490 pounds wet, compared with 46 horsepower and 430-440 pounds for the Triumph Bonneville T120 introduced that same year. The XLCH would turn 14-second quarters at faster than 90mph; the Bonnie’s performance was similar.
Mike Quinn’s Sportsters Mike Quinn lives in Coos Bay, Oregon, and has a collection of more than 100 Harley-Davidson motorcycles, including seven XLCHs. “I tried to get the whole line up of CHs,” Quinn says. “I had the ’58, ’59, ‘60, ’61, ’62 — I do not have a ’63, a ’64 or a ’65. The ’58 is basically a built-up bike. It came as a ’58, but when I started looking into it, almost everything was wrong,”
Heading to auction: The Mike Quinn Collection Mike Quinn’s love of Harley-Davidsons began a long time ago. “Harley had that mystique while I grew up,” Quinn says, “That was really the only bike I had any exposure to. I had a couple of friends that bought them, so that’s how I got
interested. My first bike was a Harley 45, a civilianized WLA. I bought that in 1961 from a friend of mine. Then I came across another Harley military bike and bought that. Then I thought, gee, it’d be cool to have one of those big Duo-Glides. It took a number of years, but I finally came up with one.” And then another, and another, until finally he had collected 112 HarleyDavidsons, with an emphasis on every XL and XLC made from the model’s 1957 introduction right up through the 1970s. The Quinn collection also includes examples of most Harley models produced between the mid-Fifties and the early Seventies, with a 1970 XR750 and a very original 1920 Model J — still shod with its original tires — taking pride of place. Remarkably, after all that effort, Quinn has decided it’s time to move on. He’s keeping his new Road King, but the rest of his collection — including the 1958 XLCH featured here and its 1959 XLCH stable mate — will go on the block at the Mecum/MidAmerica Harrisburg Motorcycle Auction in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Sunday, July 27, 2014. More On the block: Mike Quinn’s incredible collection will be sold by Mecum Auctions. info at mecum.com — Richard Backus
42
MOTORCYCLE CLASSICS
July/August 2014
No extras: The XLCH’s bare essentials approach gives it a lean, almost athletic appearance. Quinn says. “It had good numbers on the cases, but I ended up taking everything off it and getting all the right stuff, then putting it back together.” The restoration took two years. “The preparation work, determining what is correct — parkerized versus cadmium, paint versus chrome, etc. — takes a lot of time,” Quinn says. “Often just waiting for the motor or parts to get back from chroming or painting seems to take forever. The most difficult parts to find were the rear fender, the 18-inch rear Grasshopper tire and the correct peanut gas tank. Most of the parts came from swap meets.” Quinn eventually found the correct rear fender in Canada, while much of the hardware came from now-defunct NOS Parts and Old Dude Vintage Parts & Service (olddude.com) in Atlanta, Georgia. Local Harley dealers were particularly useful, Quinn says. The engine was rebuilt by Doyle’s Harley-Davidson, now in Eugene, Oregon. Owner Mike Doyle and Gene Walker of Salem Harley-Davidson both helped with the project. Coos Bay painter
Greg Sweeney applied the glossy black and white paint. What makes the XLCH so special to Quinn? “Well, more than anything I guess I like the way they look. The first one [1958] of course was an offroad competition bike. And the second one, all they did was add the lights, horn and the high pipe, basically kept the same thing. I like the peanut tank, the Grasshopper-type
YesterdayÕs style with todayÕs technology. Available in XS to XXL sizes. Starting at $99.95 WWW.BILTWELLINC.COM 951-699-1500
44
MOTORCYCLE CLASSICS
July/August 2014
tires. I just think they’re cool looking motorcycles,” Quinn says. “It’s a little different [from a big twin] since the shifter and brake are on the opposite side. I’m not used to that. I don’t like it, because in a panic situation it’s difficult to remember. It’s not a smooth ride, it bounces, but they’re fun bikes. They have reasonably good power as long as you don’t compare them to today’s bikes.” MC
Helping you save with every mile. Now that’s Progressive.
Progressive Casualty Ins. Co. & affiliates. Do not attempt.
1-800-PROGRESSIVE | PROGRESSIVE.COM
T
Story and photos by Robert Smith
The decade before World War II was truly a golden age for the British motorcycle industry. British products outsold foreign brands many times over at home, and by a comfortable margin in most export markets, too.
46
MOTORCYCLE CLASSICS
July/August 2014
And in every British motorcycle manufacturer’s range, one format dominated all others: the sporting overhead valve, 4-stroke single of 350cc or 500cc. BSA made the Empire Star, Velocette the 350cc MAC, and Norton’s Model 18 and ES2 500cc singles were solid sellers. Triumph had yet to launch the Speed Twin but had its 350 Tiger 80 and 500 Tiger 90, while AJS produced the Model 18 and sister company Matchless the G3. Rudge had the Ulster, Sunbeam the Model 9, New Imperial the model 60 Grand Prix and Royal Enfield the 350cc G2 Bullet.
1939 and 1947 Ariel Red Hunter
But perhaps most easily recognized — and to many eyes the most handsome — was Ariel’s Red Hunter.
Starting gate At the start of the 1930s, Ariel’s product range featured a bewildering array of single-cylinder motorcycles, including side and overhead valve engines of 250, 350, 500 and 557cc capacities with both vertical and forward sloping cylinders, single or twin exhaust ports, and 2- and 4-valve heads. Added
to the range in 1931 was the 500cc overhead cam Square Four, penned by Ariel’s drawing-office newbie, Edward Turner. The first Red Hunter was actually the 1932 VH32 500cc single, a tuned version of the 4-valve VG32. Its specification included a racing magneto and carburetor The Ariel singles proliferated from a 1926 design by Valentine Page, who had arrived at Ariel from J.A. Prestwich, the “JAP” engine company. But the broad product range proved unwieldy in the early 1930s depression, and when Ariel ran into financial www.MotorcycleClassics.com
47
Shawn Doan aboard his 1947 Ariel Red Hunter single port, which he rode to the annual Norton rally last summer, a 2,500-mile round trip. problems, Page left in 1932 for the then much smaller Triumph company. Turner replaced Page as design chief, and set to rationalizing the engine range: For 1933, the overhead valve range was cut to just three 2-port, 2-valve singles available in three trim levels. Top of the range was the 500cc VH Red Hunter.
tires. Every Red Hunter engine was said to be bench-tested for as long as two hours to establish its reliability, and the company claimed a potential top speed of 100mph for the 500cc model with some light tuning. By 1937, Red Hunter editions of Ariel’s 250cc and 350cc overhead valve singles were also on sale.
The Red Hunter
After the war
Page’s basic layout for the 500cc overhead valve engine featured an iron cylinder and head atop an alloy crankcase containing a built-up crankshaft. Bore and stroke were 86.5mm x 85mm to 1935, then 81.8mm x 95mm from 1936on. Lubrication was automatic with a plunger pump and separate oil tank. The two overhead valves were operated by pushrods inside external tubes, with fully enclosed valve gear (beginning circa 1934). An oil-bath primary chain and wet clutch drove the foot-shift, 4-speed gearbox, with final drive also by chain. The Red Hunter could be ordered with either one or two exhaust ports, and with high- or low-level exhaust. The drivetrain was fitted into a tubular frame with rigid rear and a girder fork at the front, finished with the Red Hunter’s distinctive chrome-plated gas tank with red side panels and red center stripes on the chrome wheel rims, both set off with gold pinstriping. Brakes were 7-inch single-leading-shoe drums front and rear spoked to 19-inch rims with 3.25-inch rear and 3-inch front
When the Red Hunter reappeared after World War II, it looked much as it had before. A new plunger suspension frame had been introduced as an option in 1939, with a telescopic front fork arriving around 1948. Ariel’s plunger rear suspension featured an Anstey link, an articulated arm designed to keep the rear axle at a fixed distance to the final drive sprocket as the suspension moved to maintain constant chain tension. In practice, though, pretty much all the Anstey link did was limit suspension movement and introduce more wear points. The Red Hunter got a proper swingarm frame in 1954, although the Square Four continued with the Anstey plunger until that bike was discontinued in 1959. Ariel became part of the BSA Group in 1944, and the postwar models slowly lost their distinctiveness. By 1954, the red paint and chrome had been replaced with Ariel’s mundane maroon house finish and an ugly headlight cowl and fully enclosed chain guard. It was like dressing a supermodel in coveralls.
But the times had moved on and twins were all the rage. A 500cc twin could produce more power more easily than a 500 single, and by the mid 1950s, the flagship sports models of most British manufacturers were based on their parallel twins, like Triumph’s Tiger 110, BSA’s Road Rocket, and Norton’s Dominator 88 and 99. With a few notable exceptions (BSA’s Gold Star and Velocette’s Venom) the days of sporting thumpers like the Red Hunter were over.
1947 single-port VH 500 I meet the Doan Brothers, Shawn and Brian, at the 2013 International Norton Owners Rally in Buffalo, Wyoming. Brian
The 1947 Ariel VH Red Hunter has a standard single-port engine.
is outside my motel polishing his immaculate 1949 Norton Model 7, while Shawn is running a cloth over his 1947 Red Hunter. Both have ridden the 1,200-odd miles from Bellingham, Washington, to be at the rally. (Brian later won Best in Show at the rally concours.) Shawn’s bike is nominally a 1947 model VH 500cc single-port Red Hunter, but it has been tastefully modified for serious long-distance riding, with alloy wheel rims and modern tires. I arrange to meet Shawn back in Bellingham so I can photograph his bike, but when he pushes the Ariel out of the garage, I can’t help but notice there’s
Everything you need to know is on the gas tank, from speed to time of day. www.MotorcycleClassics.com
49
The 1939’s twin-port engine looks almost identical to the 1947 except for tell-tale twin exhaust headers. Gas tanks are identical except for color.
another Red Hunter parked behind it — a late-1930s twin-port VH, perhaps the most purposeful-looking Ariel of them all. Of course, I have to photograph both. Shawn knows a lot about the history of his 1947 single-port. “It was built in July of ’47, originally as a 350, and shipped to Nicholson Brothers in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada,” Shawn says. “I found it in Osoyoos, British Columbia. A guy named Harold Land had it, and he had painted it all flat drab green. I think he was trying to make a [military-specification] W-NG out of it, but it doesn’t have the high ground clearance frame or fork.” The ’47 would have been shipped with a telescopic fork, but Land had replaced it with a girder front end. “I got it as a girderrigid,” Shawn says, “which is what I was looking for. But it was a 350 and I really wanted a 500 … ” An eBay search eventually turned up a VH basket case, which allowed Shawn to complete his project. “It was listed as a ’38, but it turned out it was a ’50 frame and at least one half of the engine case was a ’48 — the other half didn’t match. “Ariel was really good about making parts match year to year, so subsequent modifications of the parts would fit the older bikes — you could put the 500 crank in the 350 cases. I did that, put the 500 head and barrel on it, and built it as a 500,” he says.
That was in 2003. Shawn estimates he now has about 20,000 miles on the ’47, including some 400-mile days getting to motorcycle rallies. “I think it handles wonderfully,” Shawn says. “It handles great on a smooth road, the country lane stuff, 40-60mph stuff — it just seems like a lot of fun. I’m pretty comfortable on it because I’ve ridden it so much.” Shawn’s only problem with the ’47 — apart from intermittent issues with an aftermarket ignition system, now replaced with a stock magneto — has been a seizure and a burnt exhaust valve, both of which Shawn attributes to a piston problem. “It turned out I had a high compression piston in it,” he says. “I had it running on standard carburetion, so the first time I held it wide open, I seized it. I also burned a valve. I had trouble getting the mixture right. I realize now that it was probably running too low a fuel level in the float chamber.” To bring compression down, Shawn filed the high compression piston’s crown down a bit and put a thicker spacer under the barrel. “I think I’ve got it to about 8:1 now — the stock is 7.5:1. It definitely makes more of a snap than my stock compression ’39. I’m pretty happy with the way it runs,” he says. Shawn also attributes smoother running to a new Amal carb. “It runs nice. It seems quieter. It just doesn’t seem as ragged, and it just seems like it’s running cooler.” Shawn has yet more plans for the ’47. “I’d like to get an alloy tank made like the one on an Ariel racer I have a picture of. I think that would be really cool. I’ll probably just keep working on it to make it more reliable. But I’ve been pretty pleased. It’s been a pretty reliable bike.”
The 1939 VH twin-port “I ended up with the two bikes: the ’47 from Osoyoos and I’d bought this 500 from California. So I basically had the pieces for
two bikes,” Shawn says. He really liked the twin-port high-pipe look he’d seen on a BSA Empire Star. “What I really wanted when I went out to look for this Ariel was a ’30s bike. I liked the dual pipes, because it just looked cool. It was a 1930s styling cue. I liked the gauges in the tank. And then I found this bike, and it had the bigger tank, the bigger engine and it had the big prewar headlight.” So after building the ’47, Shawn had lots of pieces left over. “When I bought the California bike, I could basically build the bike I wanted,” Shawn says. “The ’47 was a two-port 350. But when I started to build the ’39, I decided to find a single-port head for the ’47. So then I was just able to build the bike I wanted — the ’39 dual high pipe, the big headlight and all that stuff. And the ’47 became my rider, because I like riding it. I have all the 350 parts stashed away.” Shawn originally had been looking for a BSA Empire Star before he found his first Red Hunter. And he had a chance to compare his ’39 VH with a BSA in the Deeley Collection in Vancouver, British Columbia. “I was surprised,” he says. “The Ariel looked like it had better brakes and a better front fork. And I thought, ‘boy, I’m glad I got the Ariel.’” Shawn especially noted the more elaborate front fork castings on the Ariel and its superior front brake with its sliding block “servo” operation and cast-in cooling ribs. However, Shawn still considers the ’39 to be a work in progress, noting that the gas tank and headlight are incorrect. The correct items remain on the shopping list.
And while the roads around Shawn’s Bellingham home are mostly free of potholes, the ride is remarkably smooth, with the girder fork and well-sprung seat soaking up the bumps. I’m sure the modern tire rubber helps, too. Steering is steady and predictable — turning the bike at slow speeds is a breeze — and the brakes are remarkably effective for a vintage machine. Overall, the Red Hunter feels like a much more modern bike, and must have seemed quite sophisticated in its day. I think I understand why Shawn likes riding it so much! MC
Riding the Red Hunter Though I’m a little apprehensive, Shawn encourages me to take his ’47 Red Hunter for a quick spin. I’m expecting quirky handling and no brakes, and a jarring, uncomfortable ride from the rigid rear and clunky-looking front fork. What I hadn’t expected is how well everything works. The engine starts easily with a good swing on the kick pedal and thuds steadily with relatively little vibration. Clutch take-up is smooth and shifting is relatively light.
52
MOTORCYCLE CLASSICS
July/August 2014
The ‘39 twin-port’s chromed dual high-pipes really make the look.
SOMETHING
SPECIAL 1966 Honda S65
A
Story by Greg Williams Photos by Jeff Barger
America was changing in the early 1960s. Music, film and literature all reflected a younger demographic — a demographic of teenagers born immediately following the end of World War II. The baby boom was booming.
At the same time many of these youngsters were coming of age, a plethora of relatively inexpensive, high-quality, small-bore Japanese motorcycles were flooding the scene. Although there had been plenty of small bikes available before this, such as BSA Bantams, NSU Quicklys and Triumph Cubs to name just a
few, leading Japanese manufacturer Honda pioneered the North American market in 1959 with the introduction of its quaint little step-through C100 Cub. Oil-tight and easy to run, Honda’s cheery little 50cc 4-stroke singles became the transportation of choice for many, and particularly for youngsters. Quickly realizing the potential for small-bore bikes in America, in 1960 Honda launched the C110 — a sportier version of the Cub. Like its Cub sibling, the C110 featured a pressed steel monocoque frame. But instead of a step-through the C110 frame had a spine, which meant a gas tank where a proper motorcycle had its gas tank, right between the rider’s knees. In 1964, Honda followed the success of its C110 with the sporting S90, followed by the S65 in 1965. While the larger S90 was the more popular of the two motorcycles, the charms of the S65 are hard to ignore.
Teenage transportation
Born and raised in Hales Corners, Wisconsin, Don Schoonenberg found his S65 in August of 1967. Back then he wasn’t much concerned about its features; he was just happy to have some transportation. “The family cars always seemed to be at a premium,” Don says. “With two older brothers, everyone always seemed to be using them.” Having earned his driver’s license a couple of months earlier, Don realized he needed his own set of wheels. When he learned a friend was selling a 1966 Honda S65 with 1,100 miles on the odometer for $150, he didn’t hesitate. “It looked like a real motorcycle, and it was affordable,” says Don, who had been working part-time jobs since he was 11. Don would ride the S65 to his odd jobs, plus back and forth to school and to the beach. “I think what made that little Honda fun for me is it gave me instant freedom,” Don explains. “I could ride 15 miles across town to play volleyball. It really opened up the world for me.” Two years later, Don enrolled at the University of Wisconsin – Madison, some 90 miles from home. On weekends during the winter, he’d ride the bus or hitchhike back home. In good weather, he’d ride. Sticking to the back roads, and avoiding the freeway, Don could maintain 55mph — as long as the pavement stayed relatively flat. “Back then it was The S65’s high pipe suggests offroad as well as street potential for the little single. pretty much a helmetless experience,
54
MOTORCYCLE CLASSICS
July/August 2014
and I’d wear a pair of sunglasses for goggles,” he says. “I’d strap my book bag to the luggage rack and I’d carry an Army knapsack on my back. At the university, the S65 was the envy of the campus.”
Stored but not forgotten Don rode the S65 until 1971, when he stored it away in his dad’s garage and bought a 1950 Willys for general transportation. With just more than 5,000 miles on the odometer, it was mothballed but not forgotten. “There were a lot of memories wrapped up in that little bike, and I didn’t want to sell it,” Don says. “It took me to places I otherwise wouldn’t have gone.” The S65 didn’t lead to a lifetime of motorcycling for Don, as it was almost 30 years before he bought another bike. In 1998, he bought a 1998 Harley-Davidson 95th Anniversary Edition Wide Glide. He calls himself a fair-weather rider, and the H-D has covered only 15,000 miles. Don likes his toys — literally. He has a collection of round-fender Tonka trucks circa 1954 to 1957, and he has a fully restored 1955 Chevy Bel-Air. While visiting a car show, he stumbled across someone displaying a Honda CB350. As the pair began talking, Don allowed that he had an old S65, and the CB350 rider suggested that Don should get it running and show it off. “Prior to that, I didn’t really know about classic motorcycle magazines or that anyone would be interested in my old motor-
56
MOTORCYCLE CLASSICS
July/August 2014
cycle,” he says. At about the same time, a friend from a local lawn and garden dealer also suggested Don should get the S65 running for short rides. “He recommended I call up Brady Ingelse at Retrospeed, and have him get it going. I thought it would be wonderful to ride it again, so in the fall of 2012, I put it in the back of my truck and drove it to Retrospeed.” Retrospeed in Belgium, Wisconsin (retro speed.net), is a full-service repair shop catering to both vintage and modern machines. The company also specializes in complete overhauls. Initially, Don was only going to get the Honda running, but as he and Retrospeed owner Brady Ingelse talked, Don decided to have the bike completely restored, even though the S65 wasn’t a rusty, crusty mess. It had always been stored properly indoors, so the little 62.9cc overhead cam engine still turned freely.
Restoration begins At Retrospeed, the S65 was first made to run, and run properly, with several test miles added before being completely disassembled. “We need to be 100 percent happy with the mechanicals before we tear it down,” Brady explains. The pressed steel frame consists of the headstock, spine and rear fender, with the rear swingarm and front fork also pressed steel. Front suspension is by Honda’s leading-link system, first seen on the Cub. Small hydraulic shock absorbers are tucked inside
Circle #3; see card pg 73
Narrow and light, the S65 was in its day the perfect two-wheeler for students and riders on a budget.
the hollow steel legs of the fork, and the lower links pivot on bushings. None of the sheet metal on Don’s bike required major surgery, and everything red, including the plastic front fender and headlight cover, was painted by Total Auto Body in Grafton, Wisconsin. The Honda’s silver engine side covers and chain guard enclosure were powder-coated, and the cracked rear luggage rack was welded up. While the S65 wasn’t officially outfitted from the factory with a rack, Don says he’d never known his machine without the accessory. After repairs, the rack and the distinctive high-level exhaust and heat shield, gas tank panels and handlebars were sent for chrome at the Chrome Shop in Rock Island, Illinois. New bearings went in the polished hubs and the wheels were reassembled with new aftermarket rims, spokes and nipples. The engine looks like it’s floating, suspended in the frame by two long through bolts — one at the top of the crankcase and one at the back. Brady didn’t have to split the cases, but the bottom end was cleaned and treated to new seals. The cylinder was bored first oversize (0.25mm) and a new piston, rings, pin and circlips were
installed. Fresh contact breaker points went in the timing chest, and the valve seats were cut and new valves installed in the cylinder head. Brady sourced a new fuel petcock and gas cap, and he replaced all the control cables and rubber components such as kneepads, handgrips and footpeg covers. “I was worried about being able to find parts,” Don says, “but Brady was able to track everything down.” Brady likes to make a few unobtrusive but very functional modifications when working on old iron. “On any restoration of an older Japanese motorcycle we’ll run a ground from the taillight and another from the ignition switch, and we install a solid-state rectifier,” Brady says. An aftermarket seat cover was the finishing touch, installed by the Upholstery Shoppe in Fredonia, Wisconsin — they do all of Brady’s recovering work. Don’s S65 was finished by mid-2013. When it was finally time to collect his Honda, Don got up at 5 a.m. and rode his bicycle to Retrospeed. Brady went over the Honda with Don, and with one kick the S65 fired to life. Don rode it the 15 miles back home, parked it in his heated garage next to his Bel-Air and then carried on to work. “I put a few miles on it last fall,” Don says,
The S65’s little 62.9cc overhead cam single is incredibly robust, a fact that endeared the little bikes to owners everywhere. “and I’m just waiting for some really good weather now to get it out and ride it again. I’ll be putting some Sunday-ride miles on it soon. It’s a really smooth rider, and it’s quieter than I remember because the old baffle in the muffler didn’t last long the first time around. It’s got a new one in it now.”
Slow and steady Honda built the S65 for just four short years, from 1965 to 1969. By the end of that decade, the small-bore market had, if you’ll pardon the pun, shriveled, and 350cc bikes, once considered midsize machines, took over the lower-end of the spectrum.
“I restored it for the memory, and to keep that memory alive ... it should be good for another 45 years.”
It’s unlikely we’ll ever see another decade like the 1960s, when 50cc to 90cc motorcycles flooded the market, but Don has his small-bore memories. “Back in the 1960s, the bike never let me down mechanically. A passenger would sure slow you down, but you’d always get where you were going,” Don says. Don didn’t restore the S65 for show, but he hoped to ride it to the 2014 Rockerbox Moto Fest June 6-8 at Road America, near Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, just 25 miles from his home. “I restored it for the memory, and to keep that memory alive. With a complete restoration, it’s like a brand-new old motorcycle, and it should be good for another 45 years.” MC
Circle #17; see card pg 73
10th Annual Barber Vintage Festival October 10-12, 2014 Swap Meet | Vintage Motorcycle Races | Auction | And More!
Motorcycles by Moonlight Dinner with Guest Speaker Erik Buell A Fundraiser to Beneft the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum Questions? Email schance@barbermuseum.org, or call 205.702.8709. Circle #27; see card pg 73
1949 75cc Tourismo Prototype Story by Hamish Cooper Photos by Phil Aynsley
When we think of motorcycle inventors who built bikes that bore their names, the likes of John Britten and Erik Buell spring readily to mind. In postwar Italy, Francesco Laverda achieved a similar status in motorcycle development. With the help of a friend and fellow worker, Francesco designed and built Laverda’s first motorcycle at home in his spare time. Then, like Britten and Buell, he used racing success to establish the legend of Laverda. Francesco Laverda was no ordinary man. He graduated from the University of Padova in 1937 with a degree in pure physics. Soon he joined the agricultural tool company founded by his grandfather Pietro Laverda in 1873, but it quickly became obvious his mind was thinking way beyond plows and tillers. Italy emerged from World War II as a fragile democracy bolstered by massive U.S. aid, as much as $1.5 billion from 1948 to 1952. What followed was an economic miracle. From a largely rural-based economy, Italy was transformed into a manufacturing and design powerhouse. By the late 1950s, industrial output was increasing at 10 percent a year with almost full employment. Francesco Laverda rode this tidal wave of opportunity and he brought his physics background to bear on the clever design of the first Laverda motorcycle. Although it was planned as a low-cost commuter, Francesco ensured it would also be a contender in the developing road racing scene. Long-distance events saw small-capacity racers locked in a battle that swept through villages and cities. Chief among these events was the Moto Giro d’Italia, which by 1954 had 50 different manufacturers entered and was running more than 2,000 miles over eight stages. But we’re getting ahead of ourselves.
Beginnings of the Laverda single In 1947, Francesco created his prototype by designing one of Italy’s first 4-stroke motorcycle engines. His university www.MotorcycleClassics.com
63
studies of thermodynamics were used to ensure that the 75cc pushrod, overhead valve, single-cylinder engine ran cooler than its marketplace rivals and outlasted its race track opponents. The unit-construction engine had a gear-driven primary, a multi-plate clutch in an oil bath and a 3-speed gearbox. While the standard version of the engine produced a modest 3 horsepower at 5,200rpm, racing versions pumped out 8 horsepower and revved to around 12,000rpm. Scale these figures up and you’re looking at an astonishing 107 horsepower per liter. Francesco had turned pure physics into applied physics (pure physics studies the basics of energy and motion
while applied physics uses these theories to solve technological problems). Francesco worked with fellow Laverda employee Luciano Zen on the prototype, and Luciano, despite lacking formal qualifications, eventually became Moto Laverda’s chief design engineer.
Production begins It took Francesco three years to get his Laverda from design through prototype, and finally into production in 1950. During this time, cost considerations meant it lost the large alloy casing that enclosed the final drive and gears. The original goal
Giant Killer: Laverda 75 Sport
Laverda’s 75 Sport was a big winner in the highly competitive 75cc class in Italy.
64
MOTORCYCLE CLASSICS
July/August 2014
Based on Laverda’s standard 75 Tourismo that went into production in 1950, the 75 Sport was essentially a production racer intended for the increasingly popular road races then run across Italy. Introduced in 1952, it proved very successful, consistently winning the 75cc category, including taking the top 14 positions in the 1953 Milano-Taranto race. Early bikes used a pressed-steel frame, while later machines had a dual downtube loop frame. The bike shown here was ridden by factory rider Genunzio Silvagni to win the 75cc class in both the 1956 and 1957 Motogiro d’Italia races. The bike was also used for short circuit racing, with the lights and number plate removed. In this configuration power was upped to 12 horsepower compared to 9 horsepower at 10,500rpm in long distance trim. Weighing only 143 pounds, it had a top speed just shy of 75mph.
Laverda’s little 75cc overhead valve single proved to be unburstable (left) but the planned oil bath final drive proved too expensive to produce. was to offer a low-maintenance solution to the conventional chain and sprockets, which tended to wear quickly from exposure to dirt as many roads in Italy were unpaved back then. Girder-style forks were at the front, while the rear swingarm rode on a cantilever spring attached to the engine. Rugged reliability was the hallmark of the production Laverda, and fuel economy its crowning glory. In the right circumstances it would sip fuel at a miserly rate of 200 miles to the gallon (1.17 liters per 100km). Weighing just 143 pounds and with a top speed of about 45mph, the Tourismo 75 was an instant hit. Within five years Moto Laverda was a household name in Italy. Moto Laverda would produce nearly 40,000 small-capacity motorcycles over the next decade. Its sales slogan was L’utilitaria che vince le corse!, which translates as “the commuter which wins races!” Racing was key to sales publicity and Laverda soon produced a Sport model for road racing and a Regolarita (literally,
“regularity”) version for clubman’s reliability trials. In the 1952 Milano-Taranto race, which ran the length of Italy non-stop, Sport 75s filled the first five places in their class, with 16 Laverda 75s in the top 20. The next year they filled the top 14 places, with class winner Guido Mariani averaging 50.5mph over 1,895 miles. The 75 was taken out to 100cc in 1954 and the wins continued. Laverda released the 4-stroke 49cc Laverdino moped in 1958 and a mini-scooter in 1960. For 1961, Laverda brought out its first parallel twin, the 200cc Twin, which weighed 264 pounds and had a top speed of almost 70mph. It’s not often an original prototype survives, so take a close look at this one while reminding yourself that some of the parts (including the piston) were actually cast in the family kitchen. It’s obvious that some fittings, such as the oil tank, carrier and pressed-steel frame, owe much to the agricultural industry, but the little engine is a beauty, with deep finning and an elegant simplicity that is timeless. MC
New Vintage Black Lines Old School Rubber Look New School Technology; DuPont Teflon & Stainless Steel Braiding Assembled in
USA
Contact your local dealer or call
(937) 291-1735
New V-Pads™
new semi sintered de EBC V-Pads™ - a ma sh iti Br n ee tw nic, our world Choose be red but feel like orga te sin e lik t las at th formula de in the UK or new vlar® organic pads ma Ke g o llin se e on er numb red HH pads. EBC als ra high friction sinte cy jui me so ing lud American made ult for Classics inc rs to ro of e ng ra e all make the entir rs, K series and ions for Wings, Boxe prevent judder. floating rotor convers pe brake su rbly and ® to mention a few that Harleys
Sintered Pads
Kevlar® Organic Pads Circle #6; see card pg 73
Head of photography for Tucker Rocky and Biker’s Choice by day, Daniel Peirce moonlights as an art photographer, capturing the raw detail and beauty of the classic engines we know and love. These high-quality prints come signed and embossed directly from Daniel Peirce. Call 800-880-7567 and mention promo code MMCPAE72 or visit www.MotorcycleClassics.com/Shopping
MOTORCYCLE
CLASSICS
HOW-TO
Replace Honda CB175 camshaft bearing blocks
I
n 1968, Honda introduced a new series of engines to replace there’s no visual cue as the pressure loss is internal. its earlier forward-canted overhead cam twins. First seen in Compounding the issue, these engines don’t use an oil filter. the U.S. in 174cc and 325cc versions, the new twins promised Instead, they use a sludge trap on the right side of the crankshaft efficient power and long-term durability. Yet as good as they were under the aforementioned cover: It’s basically an internal cen— and still are — they did have a few problems, chief among trifuge that separates and traps major particulates from the oil. them a propensity for wearing out Further, a spring-loaded slip coupling camshaft bearing blocks. Some people (Honda calls it an oil guide) in the will tell you the fault lies in poor matecover lines up with the sludge trap to rials, but our experience suggests a direct oil. If for any reason the coucombination of factors, chief among pling sticks it can cause further loss them owners failing to follow regular of oil pressure. If the oil isn’t changed oil change intervals. regularly there’s a risk of filling the trap The problem typically shows itself with sludge (rare), but the bigger risk as a ticking valve you can’t get quiet. is dirty oil plugging the small internal Adjust the valves and the noise will feed line to the cylinder head. quiet down, but then shortly reapTechnically, this isn’t a particularly pear. A subsequent check will show Old, worn bearing journal is at left, used complicated job. You have to remove the valve adjustment has changed yet replacement at right. The old journal was shot, the timing plate and the ignition again. When it gets extreme, you can showing more than 0.040in (1mm) of wear. advance unit, so if those tasks are see it in the ignition points cam not beyond your ability, we’d suggest findbeing centered in the timing plate. ing a vintage bike mechanic to do the work. What happens is the camshaft bearings — or journals — wear An experienced Honda mechanic can replace a pair of cam from insufficient lubrication, allowing the cam to move. The steel journals in a few hours, but if you’ve never done the job treat it cam runs directly in the aluminum cam journals, and if the oil as a weekend project. New cam journals are unobtanium, but pressure fails, the steel will wear on the aluminum. used journals in good shape can be found. Expect to pay around The top end of the 174cc and 325cc engines gets oil from a feed $30-$40 per journal, with sets slightly cheaper at $45-$50. You’ll in the right engine cover. Oil under pressure feeds into a channel also want a new seal for the left journal, about $4-$6.50, and it’s a in the cover, where it’s directed to the good idea to have a new journal gasket right side of the crankshaft and also to on hand, about $10. Run the engine to the top end. The cover has two O-rings, full operating temperature when you’re one sealing it to the case and another done, followed by a hot drain and a refill sealing it internally. A failure in either with clean oil. As usual, have a good O-ring will result in a leak and pressure shop manual on hand to aid in parts loss, but when the internal seal fails identification and proper torque specs.
SPONSORED BY
70
MOTORCYCLE CLASSICS
July/August 2014
2
3
The first thing we did was remove and inspect the sludge trap cover on the right side of the engine. Although not visible, the inner O-ring seal was shot, allowing oil pressure to bleed off.
With the cover removed we discovered that the internal slip coupling, which is spring-loaded on a fixed snout to ensure oil feeds to the crankshaft, was stuck fast to its bore in the cover. It’s shown here partially removed, ready to clean.
4
5
6
1
We only needed to replace the left journal, which is typical as it’s farthest from the oil feed and thus receives the least amount of lubrication. The right side is easier, as you don’t have to disturb the ignition. Remove the ignition cover and both spark plugs.
7
Next, remove the ignition advance assembly from the cover, followed by the intake and exhaust valve inspection covers. The exhaust inspection cover is visible here just above the exhaust header. The intake cover is identical, but is located on the intake or carburetor side of the engine.
Next, remove the two screws securing the ignition points plate to the cam cover. To aid reassembly, you can scribe a line on the plate centered on the cover. The replacement cover won’t have the scribe, of course, but the line on the plate gives you a ballpark orientation.
8
Remove the left engine cover. Using a 14mm wrench, rotate the engine and line up the timing mark on the rotor with the mark on the stator for TDC. Both valves should be loose. If not, rotate the engine to confirm TDC on compression. Next, fully loosen the valves to release pressure on the cam.
The slip coupling cleaned and reinstalled: Note the O-ring to seal the cover to the case. A second O-ring goes inside the engine; the raised cover extension seals against it. Note, too, the two oil galleys at roughly 6:30 and 3 o’clock; one is the feed to the cover, the other is the feed to the cylinder head.
Move the points plate out of the way and use a 10mm wrench to remove the bolt securing the ignition advance unit to the camshaft. It might need a light shock to break free but should release relatively easily.
9
Remove the four screws securing the journal block and replace it with the “new” one, with the new seal installed. The mounting gasket can often be reused. If it’s bad, do not use silicone as it can block oil passages. All that’s left now is to put everything back the way you found it, followed by adjusting the valves, running the engine and changing the oil. Check the valves after the first cool-down and adjust if necessary. Happy riding!
www.MotorcycleClassics.com
71
THERE’S A TOOL FOR THAT.
Whether it’s repairs, routine maintenance or upgrades, we carry specialty tools designed specifcally for use with motorcycles and ATVs. You can buy a screwdriver anywhere (and we have them), but when you need the perfect tool for the task, BikeMaster’s got it.
#JLF.BTUFS DPN t GBDFCPPL DPN #JLF.BTTUFS 1SPEVDUT #J
1. Baxter Cycle 2. Bevel Heaven 3. Competition Accessories 4. CounterAct 5. Dime City 6. EBC Brakes 7. Fox Creek Leather 8. Fuch’s Silkolene 9. Hagerty Insurance 10. Hagon Products 11. Harbor Freight Tools 12. Ikon Suspension 13. JDV Products 14. Jerry Greer’s Engineering 15. Legendary-Motorcycles
89 73 57 83 21 68 77 7 19 79 65 81 83 79 90
16. Marbles Motors 17. Pecard Chemical Co. 18. PowerSeal USA 19. Precision Motorcycle Painting 20. Race Tech 21. Randakk’s Cycle 22. Rick’s Motorsport 23. Sel-Motion 24. Speed Moto 25. Vee Rubber 26. Walridge Motors Limited 27. Z1 Enterprises 28. DS Sales IFC = Inside Front Cover IBC = Inside Back Cover
80 61 84 73 84 89 90 90 85 75 87 61 91
OBC = Outside Back Cover Expires June 30, 2016
2013 Cycle World Rolling Concourse Best of Show Winner
Check out our gallery and testimony page at:
www.precisionmotorcyclepainting.com Phone: (574) 298-2199 Circle #2; see card pg 73
Circle #19; see card pg 73
KEITH’S
GARAGE “The instant you turn the key, the starter motor starts to turn.” Suzuki misfire
me as I’ve described. The frame is not damaged. I think it has to be the shocks or the swingarm bushings. From what I can gather, it is highly unlikely to be the swingarm bushings. How can I check the health of the shocks? They have been easy enough to dismantle, and they feel equally resistive when I test them by hand, but they appear to have resistance in only one direction. Ralph Parsons/via email
Q:
I have a problem with a 1979 Suzuki 1000E. It starts fine, but it sounds like it misses a little just off idle. The main problem is at 5,000rpm the engine misfires or cuts out. I cleaned the carburetors, installed new plugs, wires and coils. I am having trouble setting the engine timing using a timing light. I can’t retard the timing to the correct specs because the plate bottoms out on its screws, and you can tell it is worse when I back that down. The idle is about 1,200. Any help would be appreciated. Ken Erdman/via email
A:
A:
This sounds depressingly simi- Ready to take your classic queries: Old bike lar to a problem I had with a mechanic Keith Fellenstein. customer’s Honda 750. It idled fine, but it wouldn’t rev under load, and the the smallest wire on my wire feeler gauge. timing was hard to set. Sometimes these Check your timing again to see if you can problems can be caused by something as now center the points plate. If not, the simple as a bad connection in the ignition next step will be to remove the points or kill switch that only shows up at certain plate and then the AAU. The points plate RPMs due to vibration. It’s easy enough will come off if you remove the three to bypass the ignition switch and run a screws holding it to the engine case. wire directly from the battery to the coils. You’ll need two wrenches to remove the You’ll still be using the ignition switch to AAU: one to hold the crankshaft steady fire the starter, just augmenting the circuit and the other to loosen the bolt holding with a direct link and bypassing the kill the AAU in place. Once you have the AAU switch. If this improves matters, you’ll loosened, check that the locating notch have to determine whether it’s the igniand pin are in place in the AAU and the tion switch or the kill switch. Another poscrankshaft, respectively. Those are there sibility is the points condensers. Look at to make sure the AAU stays in time with the points as the engine runs. Is one set the engine, and if the pin is missing or the arcing more than the other? There should notch is worn it could be why your timbe barely discernible sparks between the ing plate is at the limit of its movement. points with the engine running. If one Check the AAU to make sure it operates or both sets of points are arcing excessmoothly, lubricating it with a little light sively, replace the condensers and see if oil if necessary. If everything on the AAU that improves things. Bad condensers will checks out, reinstall it, making sure to definitely make it hard to time the engine engage the pin on the crank with the with a timing light, as the timing will be notch on the AAU. With any luck, you’ll erratic. Since you mention the points find the solution before you have to do plate being at the end of its adjustment, anything to the AAU. it’s probably important that we establish Back-end weave that the auto advance unit (AAU) is in I have a 1976 BMW R90/6 that weaves properly and working as it should. Before to the left on acceleration and to the right that, though, make sure you have the on deceleration. This is definitely not a front end points gap set correctly. You can change problem as the steering head has been checked and the timing by having the gap set too wide greased and is adjusted properly. I have installed or too narrow. Make sure you measure new fork springs and a hydraulic dampener. The the gap when the points are opened their front end, in my opinion, cannot be the cause. widest. The manual suggests 0.012inWhen I ride I can see the frame snake underneath 0.016in, I usually set it to 0.015in as that’s
Q:
74
MOTORCYCLE CLASSICS
July/August 2014
You may be too quick to dismiss the swingarm bearings. They seldom give trouble on old BMWs, but if the locknut on either side is loose, the spindle that tensions the bearing can come loose, too. I would put the bike up on the centerstand so that the rear wheel is free to spin. Use a board under the stand if you must to get clearance. Then try pushing the swingarm left and right while watching the pivot point where the swingarm joins the frame. If you see any play there, the pivot bearings are misadjusted or worn.
Sticking starter
Q:
The starter won’t disengage on my Honda CB550. The instant you turn on the key, the starter motor starts to turn. What’s wrong? Is it my starter button? Kurt Limesand/via email
A:
It may be the switch in the handlebars, but there is also a strong possibility that you have a stuck starter solenoid. I’d start by disconnecting the thinner signal wires to the solenoid and turning the key on again. If the problem disappears, the starter button circuit is shorted out. If the problem persists, your starter solenoid is stuck and will need to be replaced.
Oil-filled muffler
Q:
While riding my 1971 Honda CL450 one day, a clattering noise came from the engine. When I returned home I left the bike idling in the driveway and soon discovered a pool of oil. One muffler was filled with oil and oil was dripping out through the bottom vent hole. What happened inside the engine that would cause this? Wes Martin/via email
VINTAGE STYLED TIRES WITH MODERN RUBBER COMPOUNDS Now available from NOLA Wheels the Southeast distributor for Vee Rubber
Available in old style block pattern for scramblers (Model VRM054) sizes 2.50-18, 2.75-18 and 3.50-18, Vintage rib (VRM011) sizes 2.75-18 and 3.25-19 and TT style pattern TT Victory sizes 2.50-18, 3.60-18, 4.10-18, 90/90-18 and 3.60-19. Please contact NOLA Wheels at (504)846-4800 or nolawheels@gmail.com for prices and availability. Dealer inquiries welcomed. $68 for all vintage style tires. race compound tt victory tires now available for $88.
VRM054
The 302 wide white walls are also available for Standard Cruiser and mild to wild custom applications. Designed for the heaviest cruiser or bagger for 2-up riding and luggage.
VRM011
TT Victory
Vee Rubber has tubes for all off road and street applications. They are available in standard, heavy duty and ultra heavy duty.
NOLA WHEELS 504.846.4800
nolawheels@gmail.com Circle #25; see card pg 73
KEITH’S
GARAGE A:
Unfortunately, any number of things could have gone wrong. Did the bike run any differently after you heard the clattering noise? Having one muffler fill with oil makes me wonder if an exhaust valve guide has come loose and is draining oil from the head directly into the exhaust. I’m afraid you’ll have to pull the top off the engine and do more research.
The great oil question
Q:
What type and brand of oil should I use in my 1992 Honda Nighthawk? It has 15,000 miles on it. Do I have to be concerned about using a certain kind of oil for a wet clutch? Vaughn Giddens/Northeast Texas
A:
Here’s a question with no answer that pleases everyone. Every brand of oil has its cheerleaders. The only thing I will say is that for a vintage bike with a wet clutch you should stay away from modern oils with friction modifiers. They will usually be identified as those oils with a very low winter (W) weight, i.e., 0w-40. The friction modifiers will make your clutch slip. Another topic for end-
76
MOTORCYCLE CLASSICS
less discussion is the amount of zinc dialkyldithiophosphate (ZDDP) added to the oil. This additive helps lubricate high pressure contact zones like flat tappets and camshafts. Unfortunately, phosphorus is poisonous to catalytic converters, so modern oil formulations contain less than oils formulated before catalytic converters came into widespread use. If you’re stuck using an oil with low ZDDP percentage you can always use an additive. Be careful though: Too much ZDDP is almost as bad as too little.
Clutch issues
Q:
I have a 1984 Honda Nighthawk 700 with a clutch problem. When I first started it after it had been sitting for three or four weeks, the clutch needed to be broken loose. Then it would work fine, but when stopped it wanted to creep. I rebuilt the master and slave cylinders. After this the pull felt better, but it did not fix the problem. With 30,000 miles on the clock I felt replacing the clutch would fix it, so I installed EBC plates and springs. I deburred the clutch basket and checked for smooth movement of the plates and steels, and all was fine. I still have to break it loose after the
July/August 2014
bike has been sitting for a long time, but now after riding for a while, if I stop to fill up, the clutch is locked up hard. It works fine if I do not turn it off. I spoke to EBC and they are sending me a new set of plates under warranty, but I would like your thoughts before I dive back into it. Richard Porter/via email
A:
Sticky clutch plates are a daily hazard on my old Triumph 500, usually cured by pulling in the clutch and kickstarting the bike. You might try that, but substitute electric start for the kickstart. How does it shift normally? Is it quiet or is there a clunk? I’m trying to figure out what would glue your plates together when the bike sits for a few minutes. I assume you’re using a good motorcycle-rated oil. Although failure to do so usually results in clutch chatter, did you soak the clutch plates in oil before you installed them? I’d love to hear from readers who have experienced this problem and how they fixed it. Got a question about your old bike? Email us at keithsgarage@motorcycleclassics.com
ioenn t a r ist Op
RegOW N
Labor Day Weekend 2014 th st
August 28 - 31 killingtonclassic.com 518-798-7888
Circle #7; see card pg 73
RIDES
AND
DESTINATIONS
BIG BEAR, CALIFORNIA
C
risp, pine-scented mountain air. A light dusting of snow with dry and mesmerizing twisty roads. Picture post card vistas. The feel of the Alps. Quaint mountain enclaves with names like Silverwood, Fawnskin, Twin Peaks, Crestline, Running Springs, Big Bear Lake, Big Bear City, Arrowhead and Arrowbear. It’s not a single destination, but a visually arresting and intoxicatingly beautiful region. A motorcycle ride in California’s Big Bear region is as good as it gets on two wheels. It’s one of my favorite rides. Located approximately 100 miles northeast of Los Angeles and a short 40 minutes north of San Bernardino, Big Bear is an outstanding destination. The short ride north from San Bernardino used to be a two-day horse-and-carriage trip, but an early entrepreneur named Kirk Phillips introduced bus service from the valley below using White trucks modified with added rows of passenger seats. Phillips’ idea drove early development of the region as a tourist destination. Populated by California’s Serrano Indians for 2,000 years, the Big Bear area grew rapidly during the Southern California gold rush from the 1860s to 1912. The permanent population is small (around 20,000), but that number swells to more than 100,000 people during the winter season as skiers and other tourists arrive. And, of course, there are the bears. The grizzly population disappeared more than a century ago, but they gave the region its name. The bears you might encounter today are the smaller black bear variety introduced to the region in the 1930s. Long a destination of the rich and famous, Big Bear has been frequented by the likes of Shirley Temple, Cecil B.
DeMille, Ginger Rogers and other celebrities. Big Bear’s 7,000foot elevation attracts boxers like Oscar de la Hoya and mixed martial arts experts who like to train at high altitudes. And if you experience a sense of déjà vu as you ride through this incredible area, it’s probably because Bonanza, Old Yeller, Paint Your Wagon and a host of other shows were filmed right here. There are four paths into this region roughly from the east, the west, the north and the south. All are great, but here’s my recommendation for the best scenery, the least traffic and the best riding. Grab State Route 138 in the Cajon Pass (just off of I-15) and ride in from the west though the Silverwood region. SR 138 contains super-tight twisties as it meanders past Silverwood Lake and climbs into the San Bernardino Mountains. It brings you to the Rim of the World Highway (SR 18) to skirt the elevated southern edge of the San Bernardinos. (Views of the Inland Empire below are absolutely stunning.) Stay on SR 18 and it will bring you to the western tip of Big Bear Lake (right at the dam that created the lake, originally built in 1884 and expanded in 1910). Stay to the right and you’ll roll through the towns of Big Bear Lake and Big Bear City on the lake’s southern shore, or veer to the left to ride around the lake’s less-populated northern edge. And for the ride down out of the mountains, I recommend grabbing SR 38 at the eastern edge of the lake. SR 38 offers another great ride, climbing across Onyx Summit (8,444 feet!) and back down to the valley below. — Joe Berk
THE SKINNY What: Big Bear, California. A glorious ride through Southern California’s very own Swiss Alps! How to Get There: There are five routes in: SR 18 from the north, SR 138 from the west, SR 330 or SR 18 from the south, and SR 38 from the east. Best Kept Secret: For an amazing breakfast, try the Old Country Coffee Shop in Running Springs (trust me on this one). Avoid: Riding in during the winter months without checking road conditions first (it snows up there) and speeding (the roads are heavily patrolled by the CHP). More Info: bigbearinfo.com More Photos: motofoto.cc
78
MOTORCYCLE CLASSICS
July/August 2014
The Rim of the World Highway offers great twisties and views.
Circle #10; see card pg 73
Circle #14; see card pg 73
Circle #16; see card pg 73
B ENEL L I V INTAGE TO U R S E P T E M B E R 5- 15, 2014
IN
ITALY
Join Motorcycle Classics’ editor Richard Backus, tour master Burt Richmond and a select group of enthusiasts for the trip of a lifetime in Mototouring’s exclusive Benelli Vintage Tour exploring the back roads and villages of Italy on vintage bikes from the Benelli/Motobi Museum. We’ll ride from the Adriatic Sea to the Apennini Mountains and through the hills of the Marche region, ending at the 2014 San Marino GP at Misano! GET FULL DETAILS AND RESERVE YOUR SPACE NOW:
$
3,500
w w w. m o t o t o u r i n g . c o m
Circle #12; see card pg 73
0( s 777 35$#/ #/-
CALENDAR
JULY/AUGUST Don’t miss these upcoming events! Kristin Porter and her lovely Aermacchi cafŽ won Best European Ð Restored, at the 2012 Bonneville Vintage GP.
7/11
Don’t miss the 2nd Annual Vintage Motorcycle Festival at Thunderbolt Raceway at New Jersey Motorsports Park. Running through the 13th, look for AHRMA road racing and the Motorcycle Classics Vintage Bike Show, along with a swap meet, live music and more. On the web at ahrma.org, njmp.com
7/11
Visit Lexington, Ohio, for AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course July 11-13. Watch the AMA Racing Vintage Grand Championships, which include road racing, motocross, hare scrambles, trials and dirt track. Check out the world’s largest motorcycle swap meet, demo rides, seminars, stunt shows and more. On the web at amavintagemotorcycledays.com
7/24
Head to McKee’s Sky Ranch in Terra Alta, West Virginia, July 24-27 for the All Brands Motorcycle Event, featuring a dual sport ride, road rally, AHRMA offroad racing, plus a swap meet and vintage bike display all four days. On the web at mckeeskyranch.com
8/23
Join Motorcycle Classics at The Meet Vintage Motorcycle Festival at America’s Car Museum in
July 1-5 — GWRRA 36th Annual Wing Ding. Madison, WI. gwrra.org, wingding.org
July 15-18 — INOA Rally in The Cascades. Ashland, OR. nortonrally.com/inoa-rally-2014
July 10-13 — 43rd MGNOC
July 18-20 — 34th Annual
National Rally. Elkader, IA. mgnoc.com/rally_calendar.html
British Biker Cooperative Rally. Blue River, WI. britishbiker.net
July 11-13 — Highsmith
July 19 — Goldendale
Memorial Ride/Trinity Alps Campout. Phoenix, OR. oregonvintage.org
Gathering. Goldendale, WA. oregonvintage.org
Tacoma, Washington. Expect 450-plus vintage bikes on Saturday plus a Sunday ride. More information on page 12 of this issue or go to vintagemotorcyclefestival.com
8/29
Head to the 9th Annual Bonneville Vintage GP at the Miller Motorsports Park in Tooele, Utah, just outside Salt Lake City. Saturday will feature the Motorcycle Classics Vintage Bike Show, with Vincent as the featured marque, along with Rounds 15 and 16 of the AHRMA CPL Systems National Historic Cup Road Race on Saturday and Sunday. Sunday will also feature a Custom Bike show. Enjoy the CB160 Races with LeMans starts both days. On the web at bonnevillevintagegp.com
8/30
Visit the Owls Head Transportation Museum in Owls Head, Maine, for the Vintage Motorcycle Meet & Antique Aeroplane Show August 30-31. Owners of pre1994 motorcycles are encouraged to exhibit and will be admitted free of charge. More than 300 bikes are expected, along with antique planes, Model T rides and more. On the web at ohtm.org/events
Aug. 1-3 — 30th Annual Wisconsin Moto Guzzi Riders Rally. Lake Joy Campground, Belmont, WI. wmgr.org
Station Ride. Portland, OR. oregonvintage.org
Park Picnic. Portland, OR. oregonvintage.org
Aug. 15-17 — Minnesota Moto Guzzi Rally. Houston, MN. mgnoc.com/rally_calendar.html
Aug. 8-10 — Ohio Valley BSA
Aug. 17 — British Iron
Owners Club 33rd Annual Rally. Toronto, OH. ohiovalleybsaownersclub.com
Association of Connecticut 29th Annual Brit-Jam. East Haddam, CT. ctbritiron.org
Aug. 2-3 — OVM Oaks
Bend, OR. oregonvintage.org
July 24-27 — 2014 BMW MOA International Rally. St. Paul, MN. bmwmoa.org
July 13 — 3rd Annual All
July 25-27 — New York Rally.
MotoGP. Indianapolis, IN. redbullindianapolisgp.com
Japanese Motorcycle Show. Overland Park, KS. kcvjmc.org
Lake Clear, NY. mgnoc.com/ rally_calendar.html
Aug. 9 — Kansas City Vintage
July 13 — Jeff Williams
July 26-27 — CJMC Classic
MC Swap Meet. Tulsa, OK. jwswapmeet.com
July 12 — OVM Bend Ride.
Aug. 10 — OVM Batwater
Aug. 8-10 — Indianapolis
Aug. 22-23 — 19th Oregon Moto Guzzi Rally. Odell, OR. mgnoc.com/rally_calendar.html Aug. 23-28 — BUB Motorcycle
Japanese Auburn Show & Swap. Auburn, CA. cjmc.org
Japanese Motorcycle Club 2nd Annual Midwest Regional Rally & Show. New Century, KS. kcvjmc.org
July 13 — Woodstock Vintage
July 27 — Jeff Williams MC
Aug. 10 — Jeff Williams MC
Motorcycle Ride. Woodstock Lodge, Woodstock, NY. airmanbear@verizon.net
Swap Meet. Kansas City, MO. jwswapmeet.com
Swap Meet. Oklahoma City, OK. jwswapmeet.com
Swap Meet. Kansas City, MO. jwswapmeet.com
82
MOTORCYCLE CLASSICS
July/August 2014
Speed Trials. Wendover, UT. bubspeedtrials.com
Aug. 24 — Jeff Williams MC
Circle #4; see card pg 73
Circle #13; see card pg 73
Circle #18; see card pg 73
Circle #20; see card pg 73
Circle #24; see card pg 73
COOL
FINDS New Stuff for Old Bikes
From new CDIs for old Yamahas to tool packs for ADV riders, here are six cool products every classic bike fan should know about.
Yamaha Virago ignition
M l art Motorcycle
TDC with style
Vintage electronics specialists Rick’s Motorsport Electrics now have CDI ignition boxes for Eighties Yamaha Viragos. Discontinued by Yamaha and not available anywhere else, the new igniter box from Rick’s is designed to fit the 19841986 XV700, 1983 XV750, 1988-90 VX750 and 1983 XV920. “There are so many of these Viragos still out there on the road,” president Rick Shaw says, “we knew we had to come up with a solution to keep more classic bikes alive.” Comes complete with mounting plate. $180. More info: ricksmotorsportelectrics.com
Inspired by the great racing motorcycles of the Sixties, Seventies and Eighties, Singapore-based motorcycle enthusiast Francis Ooi, creative director for an ad agency by day and digital master by night, has produced a series of six digitally crafted prints profiling some of the most iconic racing bikes ever made, including Mike Hailwood’s 1967 Honda RC174, Cal Rayborn’s 1972 H-D XR750 and Kenny Roberts’ 1980 Yamaha YZR500 OW48. Each illustration has more than 800 components and layers and takes more than a month to complete. $65. More info: uglymoto.bigcartel.com
British and European vintage bike parts supplier Steadfast Cycles in Santa Clarita, California, is the exclusive dealer for these beautifully crafted top-dead-center gauges from European Spares. Made in the U.S.A. from the highest quality brass and stainless steel, the Steadfast Cycles TDC Tool features a knurled body for easy hand-operated installation and removal and degree lines on the piston to make confirming top-dead-center a snap. Threads into any 14mm spark plug hole. $36. More info: steadfastcycles.com
Tool traveler
Motorcycle and power sports tool specialist Dennis Stubblefield Sales makes a twopiece valve adjustment tool specifically for Triumph twins. Designed to work on most 1950s-1970s Triumphs 500cc twins, 650cc twins and 750cc twins, the 100 percent made in the U.S.A. tool makes valve adjustment easy. The handled part of the tool is sized to fit the valve adjuster locknut and the knurled inner shaft keys the adjuster. A three-piece metric set for Japanese and European bikes is also available. $28.95. More info: dssalesusa.net
EMGO Norton gas tanks British parts specialist JRC Engineering now has EMGO replacement steel gas tanks for Norton 750 and 850 Commandos. Made from heavy gauge steel, the tank features a single-piece stamped bottom with an interior baffle just like the original. Made in Taiwan to EMGO’s exacting specifications, these are high-quality tanks and not cheap knock-offs like some of the crudely made items we’ve seen showing up recently on eBay. Mounting points are solidly welded. Supplied bare, accepts original petcocks and gas cap. $490.47. More info: jrceng.com
86
MOTORCYCLE CLASSICS
Long-distance and ADV riders should check out the new USWE Sports TX Rider Tool Belt from LeoVince USA. A main pocket large enough to hold a spare inner tube as well as other necessary travel tools is augmented by two side pockets plus a tool organizer pocket. The TX Rider Tool Belt stays secure around the rider’s waist thanks to a compression strap belt system that keeps it in place no matter how rough or bouncy the terrain. $56. More info: leovinceusa.com
August/September 2014
Triumph valve tool
Circle #26; see card pg 73
Don’t be a stranger! Sign up for our Shop Talk newsletter to receive the latest news from the classic motorcycle scene and Motorcycle Classics.
"NO RESERVE"
SALE TO BE HELD AT SULLIVAN AUCTION SITE, HWY. 136 EAST, HAMILTON, IL
Sign up today at www.MotorcycleClassics.com/Newsletter
50+ motorcycles including ‘68 Triumph, '57 Triumph, '75 MZ, '73 Triumph, '57 Triumph, '72 Norton, '75 Norton 850 Commando, '72 Triumph Bonneville, '75 MZ TS250, '58 BSA, '57 Sears Puch, '67 Triumph, '60 Harley Davidson Sportster, '66 BSA, '74 Jawa/CZ, '48 Zundapp, '72 Honda XL250, '73 Jawa/CZ, '77 Triumph, '67 BSA Spitfire, '72 Triumph T120VD, '72 BSA Thunderbolt 650, '71 Triumph, '74 Norton 850 Commando, '72 Honda CL350, '67 Triumph, '78 Triumph, '70 Harley Davidson S&S Super XLH, '73 Triumph T100R, '63 Triumph Bonneville, '78 Triumph Bonneville T140VJX, '72 Triumph, '57 Triumph, '73 Triumph Tiger 750, also selling numerous other motorcycles including various models of Jawa, Honda, Yamaha, Triumph, Z Dirtbikes, Zundapp, etc. Details & specs will be available at sullivanauctioneers.com. Live internet bidding on all motorcycles, vintage signs and significant parts. Please note: Huge quantity of motorcycle parts & related items.
Sullivan Auctioneers, LLC • 217-847-2160 • Lic. #444000107
Info. @ www.sullivanauctioneers.com
Check out these classic T-shirt designs featuring Norton Commando, Triumph Bonneville, Honda CB750 and more! All of our long-sleeve and short-sleeve charcoal T-shirts are 100% preshrunk cotton with white graphics.
Limited quantity available
SHORT SLEEVE ........$7.99 (WAS $14.95) LONG SLEEVE ........ $11.99 (WAS $19.95)
Call 800-880-7567 and mention promo codeMMCPAE71, or order online at www.MotorcycleClassics.com/Shopping
Circle #21; see card pg 73
Circle #15; see card pg 73
classifed cycles, parts & accessories
GEARBOX
ACCESSORIES
PARTS
\5thGearParts.com Used Honda and Yamaha parts. No Auctions, No guess work, No delays. Quality used parts guaranteed. Lots of 80’s Honda stuff. Email: 5thGearParts@gmail.com Web: 5thGearParts.com
100 psi liquid-filled oil pressure gauge1/8 NPT male inlet1-5/8 diameter bodyWith generic fittings and heavy nylon oil line $39 + shippingCustom brackets for Meriden Triumphs in stock. www.triplesrule.com t150v@aol.com 224-321-4912
BYKAS SPOKE WRAPS
- Protect & Customize Your Spokes Easy Installation - Most Colors-$39.95 www.bykas.com (503)631-3050
PARTS
View online the widest available selection of original classic Honda side covers, badges, and owner’s manuals. Visit your friendliest source for classic Japanese motorcycles and used original parts. Work with someone who will actually answer your emails! I have been riding since the 1960’s. I was District Sales Manager for US Suzuki in Ohio—I just love this stuff! www. classicjapanesemotorcycles.com
Norton Commando Electric Start Kit. Some things are worth the wait. Over forty years after the first Commando appeared, theAlton EKit electric start conversion finally brings it to life at the touch of a button. Available in the US from The Classic Bike Experience www. classicbikeexperience.com or call 802878-5383 www.alton-france.com Increase the performance and life of your vintage engine with the latest in performance beehive valve springs. Take advantage of the light weight of a single valve spring with the performance and control of a dual valve spring. This shape allows less reciprocating spring mass, smaller lighter top retainers, more clearance to the rocker arms and lower oil temps. Call for applications. Call (760)948-4698 or Web: www. rdvalvespring.com
PERSONAL AMERICA’S #1 LIVE CHAT DATELINES: Meet single men & women in your local area. 18+. Friendship, 1 -888-777-2235. Love, l-877-333-2863. 24/7. www.MotorcycleClassics.com
93
CLASSIFIED CYCLES, PARTS & ACCESSORIES
PARTS
GEARBOX CLASSIFIED CYCLES, PARTS & ACCESSORIES
SERVICES
SERVICES
TOOLS
BARNYARD SCRAPS RESTORATION. Specializing in British motorcycles, original restorations, engine rebuilds, custom fabrication, service & repair. Thousands of NOS and used parts. We buy motorcycles, all makes and models.785-594-2109 (KS) www.barnyardscraps.com
OEM Style Hardware For HARLEY DAVIDSON Motorcycles Nuts, Bolts, Screws & Washers Manufactured Like Harley Did it! Parkerized - CAD - Chrome We Offer Hardware and Replacement Parts in Kits or Bulk 58 Page Catalog Lists Parts from VL to Twin Cam We accept Visa and Mastercard Visit our website at www.colonymachine.com Toll Free: 800-321-3412, 330-225-3410 Fax: 330-225-9412 email: info@colonymachine.com 1300 Industrial PKWY. N. Brunswick, OH 44212
36 Years of service We do Aluminum Polishing, Zinc Plating, Show Chrome finishes and much more, including motorcycle restoration parts! Call us now at 815-626-5223 or fax 815-626-5244. Visit: www.qualitychromeplating.com
80% of bikes are misaligned by using swing arm marks, sprocket aligners or string. Use ProAligner to align your wheels directly with CMM-certified accuracy for precise handling. $29.95 US plus S&H. ProAligner.com 620-221-0852
Fork Seal Drivers All Sizes $35.75ea. Free Shipping H-D Specialty Tools Made Check Them Out at Facebook.com/bandlmachinellc E-Mail wmockw@gmail.com for more Info.
Join Motorcycle Classics at the following vintage bike shows this summer! 2nd Annual Vintage Motorcycle Festival New Jersey Motorsports Park, Millville, NJ July 11-13, 2014 Five classes plus Editor’s Choice www.njmp.com
3rd Annual Vintage Motorcycle Festival America’s Car Museum, Tacoma, WA August 23-24, 2014 Seminars sponsored by Motorcycle Classics www.vintagemotorcyclefestival.com
9th Annual Bonneville Vintage GP Miller Motorsports Park, Tooele, UT August 29-31, 2014 Five classes plus People’s Choice www.bonnevillevintagegp.com Visit www.motorcycleclassics.com/vmc for show updates!
TRADEMARK REGISTERED 1915
94
MOTORCYCLE CLASSICS
July/August 2014
Classic Motorcycle Race Engines
Elegantly written in a highly digestible style by the foremost expert on the subject, Classic Motorcycle Race Engines provides in-depth analysis of classic motorcycle race engines spanning eight decades, from the 1930s Guzzi 500 120-degree twin to the latest Yamaha YZR M1 in-line four. Author Kevin Cameron packs this book with technical data and provides an absorbing insight into the technology employed in a wide variety of motorcycle engines.
#6770
$48.95
How to Build a Café Racer
Written by well-known motorcycle and automotive author Doug Mitchel, this book starts with planning and choosing an appropriate bike, and detailed modifications that will appeal to anyone. The center of the book focuses on a gallery of finished bikes, including nearly every brand imaginable from Japan, Italy, the UK and Germany. The final chapters include two start-to-finish café builds.
#6684
$27.95
Hodaka: The Complete Story of America’s Favorite Trail Bike
Written by Ken Smith, this book is a captivating, colorful look back at one of the wildest machines of the 1960s and 1970s. The Combat Wombat, Road Toad, Dirt Squirt and the fantastic Super Rat are all covered in detail. More than 15 years in the making, this exhaustively researched tome contains all the details about the machines as well as a treasure trove of photographs, advertisements and graphics.
#7293
Superbikes and the ’70s
Superbikes and the ’70s by Dave Sheehan captures the spirit of the times during the launch of the superbike: the popular culture, the engineers and designers, the racers, dealers, and industry titans. This book tells the story of a Britain emerging from the dull, gray years of postwar austerity into the colorful, gritty and psychedelic reality of the ’70s. It provides a behind-the-scene perspective that reveals the full story of bikes such as the Triumph and BSA triples, the Honda CB750 and much more.
#6902
The Comprehensive Vintage Motorcycle Price Guide 2013-2014
Designed by enthusiasts, this guide opens with an overview of which bikes are hot and which are not, with commentary by vintage motorcycle experts on why prices are changing as they are. It also includes a guide to show how each price grade is defined and how to recognize which grade a particular bike belongs in.
#4499 $15.95
Classic Honda Motorcycles
Honda made its mark on the motorcycle world with small, affordable bikes, and grew well beyond that to create some of the most important performance machines ever built. This guide to the collectible Hondas gives prospective buyers a leg up on the current market for groundbreaking classics. Photographs of the models are accompanied by complete descriptions of specifications, components, paint codes and serial numbers. The author also highlights common repair and restoration needs, and looks ahead at future collectible models.
#6428 $40.00
$60.00
The award-winning documentary Hogslayer: The Unapproachable Legend recounts the story of the legendary duel-engine Norton Hogslayer and its command of the motorcycle drag racing world. The documentary features T.C. Christenson, who raced on the dragster, as well as John Gregory, who was the race team crew chief for Sunset Motors. Experience the life and times of their remarkable accomplishments as the Hogslayer captures multiple world championships in the 1970s.
$18.00
Shop Class as Soulcraft
Shop Class as Soulcraft became an instant best-seller, attracting readers with its radical (and timely) reappraisal of the merits of skilled manual labor. Using his own experience as an electrician and mechanic, author Matthew Crawford presents a wonderfully articulated call for self-reliance and a moving reflection on how we can live concretely in an ever-more abstract world.
#4805
Café Racers traces café racer motorcycles from their origins in the mid-20th century all the way into modern times, where the style has made a recent comeback in North America and Europe alike. The book travels through the numerous ever-morphing and unique eras of these nimble, lean, light, and head-turning machines. Café Racers visually celebrates a motorcycle riding culture as complex as the vast array of bikes within it.
#7254
$50.00
Honda Motorcycles 1959-1985: Enthusiasts Guide Motorcycles
For each of the Honda models covered, author Doug Mitchel provides four to six paragraphs describing the bike in general terms, including differences and similarities between the model being discussed and similar bikes. This book also includes the cost to acquire each project, the value when finished, which bikes and models to avoid, and where to find the frame and engine numbers.
#6973
$27.95
$28.99
Hogslayer: The Unapproachable Legend DVD
#6517
Café Racer’s: Speed, Style and Ton-Up Culture
$16.00
Triumph Bonneville & TR6 Motorcycle Restoration Guide
Triumph’s Bonneville and its single-carbed sibling, the TR6, are two of the most revered models in all of motorcycling. This book contains all the information needed to guarantee the correct restoration of your classic. More then 250 photos and extensive technical appendices supplement Triumph expert David Gaylin’s thoroughly researched text. This is a must for anyone undertaking the resurrection of Triumph’s classic big twins.
#6385
$29.95
Travelling with Mr. Turner
Travelling with Mr. Turner throws wide open a portal into another world. As the author travels north you begin to feel the ghost of Mr. Turner, and his larger than life personality, peering out of the pages. As they ride towards John O’Groats, the author on his modern Triumph and Mr. Turner on his Triumph Terrier in 1953, we encounter the bizarre history of Triumph Motorcycles. This book draws the reader in to experience how life was lived in those post war decades of tumultuous change and Rock ‘n’ Roll and how the legend of Triumph encapsulates an entire generation in a world now nearly vanished into history, but still somehow wonderfully alive today.
#5807
$16.99
PARTING
SHOTS
Rarity isn’t everything: A lovely Honda CL77 fronts a CB750F Super Sport at the 2014 The Quail Motorcycle Gathering.
Classics on the green: The Quail Motorcycle Gathering 2014
W
hat happens when you put together an upscale golf been in one place before. resort, 50 years of Bonneville Streamliners, the first Not all of the bikes on display were one of a kind. Affordable Brough Superior SS100, a new all-electric racebike, Japanese and single-cylinder Italian machines from the Sixties a three-star lunch, Eddie Lawson, Doug Polen and a horde of and Seventies parked near Triumph Bonnevilles and Norton enthusiasts? You get The Quail Motorcycle Gathering. Commandos, all scrubbed and sparkling. Best of Show went An eclectic display of the to Gene Brown and his 1932 exotic, the classic and the Vincent HRD Python Sport, brand new were arrayed in while Trace St. Germain the large green space, ringed received the Japanese 2nd with pavilions advertising the Place award for his 1981 Why We Ride documentary Suzuki GS1100EX, featured and other vendors. on page 14 of this issue. The Quail show always feaMost bikes on display do tures something never seen run, and a group of 100 before in public, and this year riders toured the Monterey it was several somethings. Peninsula the day before on The 218mph Lightning elecmany of the bikes in the tric Superbike was given its show, starting with a lap first outing. With a cruising around Laguna Seca. range of 180 miles and piles Quail will return next of torque, it promises to be year, and it’s definitely the first truly fast production worth the $65 admission, electric bike. A 1925 Brough which includes that threeSuperior SS100, the first one star lunch, served on real built, was last seen 50 years plates with cloth napkins ago, and the Bonneville and silverware. More info at streamliners from the last 50 signatureevents.peninsula years on display had never Built from 1909-1911, this is the sole surviving 1909 Winchester. .com — Margie Siegal
96
MOTORCYCLE CLASSICS
July/August 2014
“May you have warm words on a cool evening, a full moon on a dark night and a smooth road all the way to your door.” –Irish Blessing Great rides start in Firstgear.
firstgear-usa.com
facebook.com/FirstGearUsa