time. And not half bad today
SPECIFICATION
KAWASAKI ZZ-R600
ENGINE MODEL GUIDE THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW
Type liquid-cooled, DOHC, 16V inline-four
1990 ZZ-R 600 D1 BRAKE CALIPERS £120); twsuspensiontech.
Capacity 599cc Original ZZ-R. Claimed Notorious for flaking/bubbling co.uk offer a YSS alternative
Bore x stroke 64 x 46.6mm 98bhp, sports tourer with paint, leaving the underlying for £339. It’s also likely the
Compression ratio 12.0:1 faired-in indicators front aluminium exposed to the rear linkages won’t have seen
Carburation 4 x Keihin CVKD 36 and rear, 4-2 pipes, side elements. A regular – no less grease since their original
and centrestands. Fastest than an annual – strip and clean fitment…
Ignition digital 600 of its time with a is essential if the brakes are to
TRANSMISSION function as desired. The caliper CUSHDRIVE
Primary/final drive gear/chain 154mph top speed. bolts are poor quality too; best An issue even when new,
Clutch wet, multiplate Colours: red, blue. practice is to replace them particularly on the D model.
Gearbox 6-speed 1991 ZZ-R600 D2 every time they’re removed. As a result, the transmission
Colour and graphics can feel rough and snatchy
CHASSIS changes only. Colours: EXHAUST – an easily worn gear
Frame aluminium perimeter frame black/red, blue/silver. Very few ZZ-Rs will have lever mechanism doesn’t
Front suspension 41mm telescopic forks, 1992 ZZ-R600D3 survived with their original help either. Wemoto sell a
New colours only. Colours: mild steel downpipes and replacement cush drive for
preload and rebound damping black/grey, blue/red/ collector box intact, especially £50. A small price to pay for a
Rear suspension Uni-Trak monoshock, adj if the bike’s seen winter vastly improved transmission.
purple. action. Luckily most will have
preload and rebound 1993 ZZ-R600 E1 been fitted with a stainless FINISH
Front brakes 2 x 300m discs, 4-pot Tokico Heavily revised model replacement. Delkevic do a A mixed bag. The plastics,
with new chassis, complete stainless system for instruments and controls
calipers bodywork, ramair both D/E models – downpipes are decent enough, but thin
Rear brake 240mm disc, single-pot caliper induction, and minor £194, silencers £269.99. paint finish on metal surfaces
engine tweaks taking doesn’t take long to chip off
Wheels 3-spoke cast aluminium claimed power to 100bhp. SUSPENSION and allow corrosion a way in.
Tyres 120/60 ZR17 front, 160/60 ZR17 Still the fastest 600, but The ZZ-R is more of a sports
less sporting than its tourer, so the suspension is SERVICING
rear rivals. Colours: black/teal about ride quality than extreme Proof of servicing is a must.
DIMENSIONS green, violet/red. performance. But over time – The ZZ-R’s motor was a high
Wheelbase 1399mm (55.1-in) 1994 ZZ-R600 E2 and especially given the ZZ-R is revving 14,000rpm redline
Seat height 780mm (31-in) New colours only. Colours: perfect for two-up and touring unit back in the day... so
Fuel capacity 18 litres (3.95 gal) black/red, violet/red/ – the stock damping will have regular oil changes are a must
Dry weight 198kg (136.5lb) suffered. Sportsbikeshop. if the engine is to stay strong.
PERFORMANCE silver. co.uk do a quality Hypropro Fresh lube and filter every
Power (claimed) 98bhp@11,500rpm 1995 ZZ-R600 E3 shock for £406.85 (Hyperpro 3000 miles is standard good
Torque (claimed) 47.2lb.ft@9500rpm Suspension uprated with fork springs can be had for practice.
Top speed 153.4mph preload and rebound
adjustment. New brush
Like a junior ZZ-R11. With a 150mph top whack stroke style graphics.
years. That tells you something about the Colours: black/red/violet,
bike’s popularity, and integrity of design. black/grey/violet.
Which makes finding a decent ZZ-R much 1996 ZZ-R600 E4
easier than hunting down an RF, for Colours: purple/blue, red.
example. You’ll pay more for a later model, 1997 ZZ-R600 E5
obviously, but there are plenty of attractively Digital clock added to
priced examples out there to make bagging a instruments. Colours:
bargain a relatively easy task.
silver, red.
And remember, a ZZ-R600 is cheaper to 1998 ZZ-R600 E6
insure and run than a larger capacity Colours: black, red.
alternative, too. Brilliant, cost-effective 1999 ZZ-R600 E7
all-rounders don’t come better than this. Alarm and immobiliser as
standard. Colours: black,
red.
2001 ZZ-R600 E9
Colours: silver/beige, blue.
2002 ZZ-R600 E10
Colours: silver, black.
2003 ZZ-R600 E11
Colours: silver, black.
2004 ZZ-R600 E12H
Colours: silver, red.
2005 ZZ-R600 E13H
Colours: silver, black.
Practical Sportsbikes 51
“WITH A FEW CHOICE
MODS YOU’LL HAVE
NO ISSUES PUTTING
EVERY CBR YOU SEE
IN ITS PLACE”
YAMAHA
YZF600 THUNDERCAT
Y es, we know, stupid name.
Someone at Yamaha clearly Corrosion is an even greater issue for the aluminium, so heavier and less trick. No
spent far too much of the mild-steel 4-1 exhaust, so check any matter, Thundercats won supersport races at
1990s watching crap cartoons. standard system that’s still in place. both British and World Championships back
in the day, so the potential is there.
The styling isn’t a matter of taste, it’s fugly
Better fork internals allow you to make
But don’t let that, or the fact from every angle and hasn’t improved with full use of the blue spot front calipers, too.
With 296mm discs to chew on, it’s an
PS ‘designer’ Damo runs one, put you off age, although the fairing does a reasonable excellent set up. Then there’s the motor. Not
a straight lift from the FZR, but a fettled and
the YZF600R because there’s much to like job of deflecting the elements. And the improved unit that benefits from forged
pistons, lighter ignition rotor and block, and
behind the ludicrous name. Like most suspension, while adjustable, is on the lower higher spec valve springs, all of which
equates to a 5bhp hike in top end – no doubt
contenders in that era’s supersport 600 class end of the quality spectrum and will, by also helped by the ramair system.
the T’Cat (apologies, it sounds even worse now, have lost any sense of composure it All that gives this Yam potential to hit
mid-150s, which is more than enough to
when shortened ) was built with one eye once had. keep a period CBR honest. Yamaha even
produced a race kit, so if you’re thinking of
firmly on cost, but the bike’s underpinnings That said, the sweet steering chassis is building a Thundercat track tool you’ll
certainly free a few more horses with that.
are sound and in terms of performance this good (provided there’s a semi-decent shock
On the road a T’Cat is competent and
little Yamaha has strong legs. fitted and the forks have been refreshed or comfortable rather than breathtaking, but
you can’t have everything from a dirt-cheap
Let’s get the not so good stuff out of the preferably upgraded by an MCT, K-Tech or hack. For getting about, buzzing to work and
back, weekend scratching, and even a
way. The steel Deltabox chassis, pinched similar).It owes its heritage to the FZR600R mini-tour, a well kept YZF600R is more than
up to the job.
along with the engine from the previous which in turn borrowed the design from the
And with a few choice mods – we’re
FZR600R, attracts rust like moths to a flame YZF750R. The big difference is in thinking specifically suspension – you’ll
have no issues putting every CBR you see in
once the micron-thin paint is chipped away. construction; it’s steel rather than its place.
PRICE GUIDE
HOUND £400-£800 TIDY £1200-£1800 MINT £2300-£3000
Expect rust and corrosion Running, MoT’d machines; Very few mint examples.
to have taken hold on every condition dictates the value. We’ve seen one or two low
metal surface. But bear in Don’t be afraid of 50K-plus mileage models, but do you
mind Damo’s YZF was like a mileages so long as the bike’s really want to start paying
creature from a lagoon, but been regularly serviced. YZF750 money for a steel
we were able to bring it back Stainless steel exhaust framed 600 that’s never
from the brink. system is a bonus. going to grow in value?
52 Practical Sportsbikes
SPECIFICATION THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW
YAMAHA YZF600
Fairing has true FINISH GEARBOX
ENGINE aerodynamic value. Easy to spot. If a Thundercat Can give trouble at 40,000
Type liquid-cooled, DOHC, 16V inline-four That big lip is a wing, shows significant signs of miles-plus. The shafts can wear
not even a winglet decay, you can be sure the leading to the bike jumping
Capacity 599cc same level of neglect has been out of gear under load, so a
Bore x stroke 62 x 49.6mm dished out on the stuff that test ride is advisable before
Compression ratio 12.0:1 really matters, like the engine. handing over any cash.
Carburation 4 x 36mm Keihin downdraft If you buy a good one, regular
cleaning will be essential if it’s WHEEL PAINT
CV to stay that way. Rubbish, as per most Yamahas
Ignition digital TCI of the period. If it’s not chipped
TRANSMISSION BRAKES and flaking, it’s only a matter of
Primary/final drive gear/chain Blue spot calipers are time. Powdercoating will sort
Clutc wet, multiplate excellent, but they need the issue for good.
Gearbox 6-speed maintenance just like any
others. Get the most out of ENGINE
CHASSIS the system by fitting braided If it’s burning oil, walk away.
Frame twin spar steel Deltabox lines. Discs can warp/crack on Unlike bigger Yams (YZF750,
Front suspension 41mm telescopic forks, higher mileage bikes so check FZR1000, etc) the Thundercat
adj preload, compression and rebound carefully. doesn’t usually have a thirst for
Rear suspension monoshock, adj preload, lube. If it’s smoking, walk away.
INSTRUMENT LIGHTS
compression and rebound Bulbs that illuminate the EXHAUST
Front brakes 2 x 300mm discs, 4-pot idiot lights on the dash are a Most mild steel original
nightmare to replace; much systems will have rotted by
bluespot calipers removal of bodywork and now; fit a stainless steel 4-1
Rear brake 245mm disc, 2-pot caliper covers is required for what if it’s not already wearing
Wheels 3-spoke hollow cast aluminium should be a simple job, so check one. Black Widow complete
Tyres 120/60 17 front, 160/60 17 rear that they’re all still good. systems start from £325.
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase 1415mm (55.7-in)
Seat height 810mm (31.7-in)
Fuel capacity 19 litres (4.1 gals)
Dry weight 189kg (417lb)
PERFORMANCE
Power (claimed 100bhp@11,500rpm
Torque (claimed 48.7lb.ft@9500rpm
Top speed 153.3mph
There are far worse places to be than on a T’Cat MODEL GUIDE Engine strong and dependable, but gearbox can sometimes be trouble
Practical Sportsbikes 53
If further proof were needed of a T’Cat’s 1996 YZF600R
ability to perform as a modest runaround, Thundercat
just look at Damo’s. It cost us nowt five New 600 supersport
years ago, was dragged back from the dead, model based on outgoing
and has been ferrying our internet dating FZR600R; sharing the
lothario about on a threadbare budget ever same chassis and engine.
since. And if we have our way, forever… Styling more sports
tourer. Colours: yellow/
silver, blue/silver, red/
white.
1997 YZF600R
Thundercat
Wiring loom tweaked for
easier fitment of alarm
system. Colours: yellow/
silver, black/red/silver.
1998 YZF600R
Thundercat
No changes. Colours:
silver/orange, black/silver,
red/white.
1999 YZF600R
Thundercat
No changes. Colours: red,
silver/orange/black..
I f you’re looking for a cheap do-anything 600 form the RF is less impressive, and But the king of the top value older 600s is
600, any of this trio will fit the bill. merely adequate, so even for cheap money unquestionably the ZZ-R. This Kawasaki’s
They’re all mechanically strong, easily do you really want to settle for ‘just alright’? engine is significantly better than the
and relatively cheaply improved, and opposition (CBR included), plus its more
there are enough examples on the used A Thundercat does everything an RF will generous ergonomics lend the bike a far
market to make finding a good one not too do (except perhaps look OK in anything wider scope of possibilities, plus the overall
much of a headache. other than total darkness…). And it level of finish ,and the thinking that went
performs other key tasks markedly better. A into its design is that bit better.
That said, an RF would be bottom of our YZF’s engine is keener, the handling a notch
list. The 900 is an epic machine, also higher, and there are more of them about, so If you’re on a tight budget but still harbour
fantastically cheap but with a mega engine finding spares is far easier. And yet they’re dreams of long-haul trips as well as demand
that’s the primary reason for buying one. In just as cheap. everyday usability – it’s the ZZ-R. And if
you like to give your adrenal gland a tickling
every once in a while, a ZZ-R600 could be
just the ticket.
RF if you have to, Thundercat if you must, but the
outright winner is far and away the mighty ZZ-R
54 Practical Sportsbikes
DYNO AND ENGINE TUNING CENTRE
APPROVED DEALERS:-
MOTEC • LIFE RACING • SYVECS • MBE • DYNOJET • WOOLICH
t: 028 3882 0026 www.holeshotracing.co.uk
[email protected]
30 Lough Road, Dromore, County Down,
Northern Ireland BT25 1JE
Vintage Honda parts specialistsince 1986
Where would these bikes be without our parts service?
David Silver Honda Museum
with over 150 models from
1950’s - 1990’s.
ORDER ONLINE, OR CALL: 01728 833020 www.davidsilverspares.co.uk
[email protected]
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CFROOMMINWGAY,
WAY BACK
The Crighton CR700W rotary is a
big hit of nostalgia trying to make
a case for itself in the modern
world. And that won’t come easy
Words: Chris Newbigging Pictures: Jason Critchell
roduction-based race bikes are governing body keeps a close eye on new When the bikes were outlawed, the money
tools for a job, and not innovations, often quashing or controlling dried up, and he withdrew… but didn’t quit.
drastically interesting in them at the outset. New backers Gilo Industries use rotary
themselves. The rules are power in unmanned aerial vehicles for
tighter than ever, discouraging That’s why the CR700W is exciting. The military applications, where the light,
innovation and spending. power unit (as F1 would have it) is still efficient and cheap-to-produce design is
Road-going homologation models have considered far-left radical despite its innate advantageous, given it may well be shot
much of what’s permitted to begin with, so simplicity and long history. There is no road down behind enemy lines...
the racers don’t have the ‘factory’ feel, with bike (yet): it is being developed solely with
unobtainium bits all over like they once did. the purpose of speed. Engineer and They came into contact with Crighton
Even MotoGP prototypes are kept within namesake Brian Crighton was the driving when owner Gilo Cardozo wanted to fly a
strict parameters: you have a choice between force behind the JPS Nortons, Hizzy’s rotary parajet over Mount Everest, and
Vee or inline four because the rules make ‘White Charger’ Norton TT-winning bike, needed help getting it to run at such altitude.
anything else uncompetitive, and the and the Duckhams-Crighton that won the Brian sorted it: a partnership made. Gilo’s
1994 British Supercup Championship. considerable business might gives the
60 Practical Sportsbikes
Return of the rotary
It’s still a thing of
great presence (and
indeed wonder)
CR700W proper backing, allowing 28 years Guy Martin assessed the machine at Cadwell Park Once he’d parked up his tractor for the day
of quiet development to make it back into Practical Sportsbikes 61
the public eye.
Money and enthusiasm are now driving
Brian’s vision. Gilo and his team are driven,
intelligent, but uncommonly nice people to
associate with, too. Ego and narcissism often
pervades projects of this kind, but the
Crighton team have been nothing but helpful
from the start, and they agreed to let us have
a go at our own private test at Cadwell. We
also invited Guy Martin along for further
input, for both this feature and the bike’s
development.
Boss Gilo Cardozo looks on as
the CR700W is warmed-up
RIDING THE CRIGHTON triple from the 1980s. It’s also a lot more canted back at an angle like a 250GP bike
advanced internally, dealing with the age-old are a stark contrast to the wide, close, and
Privateer/family rotary racing outfit Wiz battles of lubrication and cooling. It’s near-flat angle favoured on typical 200bhp
Norton were kind enough to let me ride fuel-injected, not carburetted. Plus, there are superbikes for leverage and control over
their customer-spec F1R in 2016, so I’m no issues with parts, so they can put 220bhp 180kg four-strokes.
familiar with the species. It was a small, through as many shafts as they want…
uncompromising, and slightly crotchety The Crighton is 50kg lighter, with what
thing, but with clear merit and potential A lot has moved on, but in the same little inertia the tiny shaft and rotor create
given its natural competition (RC30, OW01, breath, some things haven’t. Take the frame: running backwards and offsetting the (also
ZXR750R). The main issue for the Wilson made from the Spondon Engineering jig, last minimal) rotational inertia of the Dymag
family (Wiz) was the lack of spares: they used to build the Duckhams British carbon wheels. It doesn’t necessarily need
were running their bike at around 120bhp to Supercup bikes in 1994, with little changed you to put such elbow in, but control and
preserve the mainshaft, rather than the 140 other than Brian’s favoured twin shocks feedback is affected. And the fairing shape
or more the factory bikes (and ZXRs) could reduced to a single, still without linkage. would prevent much in the way of
run, treating the shaft as a short-lived personalising the riding position.
consumable. Even so, it achieved all but a The seat is higher and the back edge of the
120mph lap in the hands of Josh Brookes. screen further away than the old Nortons, The CR700W experience is alien in many
affording me valuable space to tuck and ways. Take the power: there is plenty of it,
The CR700W is taller, lighter and more move around where the original left little and I fully believe the 220bhp (crank) claim.
powerful than the Nortons, which were room six-feet of Fenlander to do anything. “F*** me, that’s proper fast. Proper fast,”
roughly the size of a Honda NS500 racing But the handlebars, set deep in the nose but were Guy’s first words when he got off it.
62 Practical Sportsbikes
Picture: Steve McDonald Photography Return of the rotary
“THE REV RANGE IS SHORT, NOT FAR BEYOND 10,000RPM IN A SUDDEN BLINKING
OF SHIFT LIGHT AND THE ROUGH BURP OF THE LIMITER”
But it’s geared super-tall. Cadwell Park only Gearing affected Guy when he rode the engine braking, very little inertia, and while
just required fourth gear. It still wheelied bike to reclaim the rotary landspeed record the slicks/Bitubo suspension instill a certain
onto the start/finish straight despite the lazy on Brian’s behalf at Elvington. It went no amount of confidence, the typical loads and
ratios, staying aloft through a slow-shift from faster in sixth than it managed in fifth. “I was forces that generate the ‘feel’ you’ll be used
second to third, until I made an effort to put a bit disappointed when I rode it there,” said to aren’t there. “It gives a false sense of what
it down. The rev range is short too, hitting Guy. “After Cadwell, I’d have put money on it can do, because it’s so light, so agile. It
the rev limiter not far beyond 10,000rpm in it doing 200mph, but to get to 190mph with doesn’t ride like anything else, and it feels
a sudden blinking of shift light and the rough nothing left to give, was a bit of a letdown impressive, but it’s not necessarily going that
burp of the limiter. after the impression it made before.” fast,” said Guy.
Slow-shift? Yes. There is no quickshifter, On the positive side, the linear power puts That’s going to be the first issue for the
because the long power stroke and unique the rear tyre under less duress than a litre Crighton team. Racers can ride most things
characteristics of the rotary mean cutting bike does. There’s no traction control, so it’s to a degree, but their riding styles are honed
fuel or ignition for fractions of a second a welcome trait. No doubt you’d come to on point-and-squirt ‘diesels’. Anybody they
won’t stop the rotor driving the shaft: so the work it harder with familiarity, but the get to ride the bike will have to adapt in a big
gearbox isn’t unloaded, and the cut/ smaller, evenly spaced power pulses are way before they can start critically
reintroduction might upset and blow the kinder to tyres than the more jolting appraising the bike to aid development.
motor. There isn’t a solution yet, so you have combustion pattern of a four-stroke.
to change with the clutch if you want the Second, they would like to race in BSB.
gearbox to last. A full day of acclimatising will be needed 220bhp is barely enough: particularly when
for anyone to get a grip on it. There’s no the four-strokes have at least that much, but
Practical Sportsbikes 63
“TO HAVE THEIR BSB
NEEDS MET, AND ENTRY
GRANTED, THEY’LL HAVE
TO CONVINCE THEY’LL
HELP BRING MORE
PUNTERS IN”
Can this rotary effort draw the
crowds of yesteryear? That’s just one
consideration of many
64 Practical Sportsbikes
Return of the rotary
with more like 6000rpm of usable grunt up Shades of grey: how many compromises will have to made for BSB eligibility?
to the peak. Four-strokes are also a good On the (massive) plus side, it
match to the Pirelli tyres, which don’t suit didn’t half sound good
the Crighton’s chassis characteristics. circulating Cadwell Park in the
evening summer sun
Then there is homologation. There is a
plan for 250, £95,000 road bikes built to Practical Sportsbikes 65
single vehicle type-approval, which sidesteps
emissions regs as well as the need to fit ABS
and other niceties. That bit is ‘easy’. If they
find the customers. More difficult will be
convincing BSB authorities to let it in under
favourable rules. It’s unlikely it will be
allowed to run at such a weight advantage.
Even with carbon rims substituted for forged
aluminium, they’d have to ballast and neuter
its major advantage.
Tech-regs for the motor will be a problem:
BSB will have to accept that it’s 700cc, not
the 2100cc you may argue it is, given the
three faces of the rotor simultaneously
induct, combust and exhaust fuel/air
charges. Then there is the financial
consideration. BSB is a for-profit
organisation. Jonathan Palmer (the ultimate
owner of BSB) and Stuart Higgs (Series
Director) won’t have to worry about gas
prices this winter.
To have their needs met, and entry
granted, they’ll have to convince they’ll help
bring more punters in, without affecting the
status quo with existing teams. Which, if
Crighton were to build a bike as they please,
it would. Would you risk Honda, Kawasaki,
et al leaving for the sake of the Crighton?
The rotary will have to play the game. At
the moment, it isn’t, mechanically or
politically. Even if those ambitions were
shelved, the bike needs a lot more
development to marry Brian’s expertise with
the standards of modern bikes.
There are many parallels, and lessons to
be learned, from the Suter MMX500;
evocative, supposedly obsolete technology
updated and modernised for elite customers
– even the price was similar. Suter had some
advantages – current expertise in race bike
design for a start (the bike is effectively a
Moto2 chassis with a 2-T motor), but they
never sold the intended run, or achieved
much racing it at the TT. Breaking into a
four-stroke-centric world is hard.
The Crighton needs some intensive
development, and will no doubt face a few
harsh realities too. Despite our lukewarm
initial impression, it has merit, but it’s at the
start of its journey, not the end – if they’re
prepared to put a lot of R&D into the whole
package, and not just the motor that has
been the main focus until now, it could get
on terms with four-strokes. If it’s allowed in.
Guy summed up the challenge they’re
facing. “These superbikes are at such a level,
new models sometimes end up slower than
the old bikes until they’ve had work done.
You can’t just bolt a bike together and
compete straight away, you’ve got to put the
time and money in.”
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ALL MAJOR CREDIT CARDS ACCEPTED
35 years of
PA3G8ES 69 PROJECT HARRIS MAGNUM 2
NEW series where Alan takes at least 11 years
to build-up a Magnum from large lumps
74 WHAT’S THE PROBLEM?
If we were to tell you what this long list of
problems was, you’d perhaps be less inclined
to investigate. So, we’ll deepen the mystery by
revealling nothing about their nature
77 RESTORE A... YAMAHA TDR250
As their popularity soars, we highlight areas of
concern (few), while owners spill the beans
82
69
RIDE IT. BREAK IT AGAIN. DUMP IT 82 REAL LONG-TERMERS
IN A BARN. SELL FOR A FORTUNE
A Spondon with some proper miles under its
large-diamater aluminium tubed frame
86 BARGAINS TO BIMOTA
It’s Alan again, and his unceasing (ie
troublesome) task of trading up to his dream
bike (emphasis on dream). Part 9 already
90 GREAT BRITISH GARAGES
Every cheap wooden shed or expensive
purpose-built structure holds items of huge
attachment to the owner. Like this one
95 NEXT MONTH
Where we make promises we cannot fulfill
96 ON OUR BENCH
Gary gets a TS250 Suzuki (after four years
of “I really fancy a TS, I really do.”), Old Farmer
Chris’s old man gets his Zephyr 11 on its
wheels, Bruce continues to destroy expensive
TZ engine bits, Alan services his Fazer 6’s
carbs (after six years), while fat bastard MG
fires his KH1F up a steep hill
106 PROJECT HUNTER
With honest Gary Hurd. Everyone’s favourite.
Well, nearly everyone’s
77
104
Practical Sportsbikes 67
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That’s at least the next four years THE PLAN
of Alan’s life laid out before him To resurrect a
Harris Magnum 2
in less time than
it would take a
new generation of
dinosaurs to roam
the earth before
get ting wiped out
by a meteor.
01PART
HARRPIRSO MJ EAC GT NUM
Does Alan need another project? Of course not. But the bones of a potent Harris
Magnum 2 were too good to ignore. Here he goes again…
Words: Alan Seeley Pictures: Simon Lee
ike all the best projects called Dan Leather. He is parked right opposite there’s still a long way to go. I might sell it.”
it starts with a chance our motley assembly, his Harris right in our The words are out of my mouth before I
conversation. Me and Big line of sight. Through a mouthful of dry bun
G had settled down for the and overcooked sawdust sausage, I manage to barely know what I’m saying, and I should know
customary beer, barbecue and mumble my admiration for Dan’s GSX-engined what I’m saying because I don’t even drink
talking of bollocks in the paddock between special and the Harris Magnum in general. anymore. “I could be interested in that,” I offer.
practice and race days at the inaugural round “At the right kind of money. What do you want
of Ultimate Streetbike on 28/29 May at “I’ve had the beginnings of a 1984 Magnum for it?” Paul doesn’t know and we agree to
Melbourne Raceway. 2 project knocking about for years,” says one discuss matters further when all parties to any
I had previously been greatly taken by a of our party, Paul Morris, a PS friend and rabid potential transaction are completely sober,
1983 Harris Magnum 2 belonging to a guy Suzukiphile. “I bought the frame in a right state. judgement unclouded by the still-pumping
I’ve been repairing it and gathering parts but adrenalin from a full day on the drag strip.
Practical Sportsbikes 69
A project in large lumps is
always better than a
basket case
“FOR STARTERS,
I’M DEFINITELY
STICKING WITH THE
BANDIT ENGINE. I’M
ALSO GOING TO GET
RID OF THE SLABBIE
SWINGARM AND USE
THE ORIGINAL”
I’m in the wrong company if I have any hope my own Magnum already taking shape in my undo the mods for a Z1000, CB900 or GS or
of being steered away from another project. mind. Barely back home the following evening, I TSCC lump? Gary soon puts the kybosh on that
“Magnums almost never come up at decent message Paul Morris to request some pics and idea. “Have you seen how much one of those
money. You might not get another chance,” says more details on what he has. Paul tells me that engines is, let alone how much they cost to
Big G, who would be interested in the project the frame’s main section has been modified to rebuild – you’ll easily do £4k,” he says. “Stick
himself were he not harbouring ambitions of take a Bandit 1200 engine. A pic of the bike with the Bandit.”
building a Spondon Katana, that desire being with empty Bandit cases mounted up shows
further fuelled by another in our group, Mick that this seems to sit right. There’s my first As it happens, Paul has a complete 30,000-
Varey who is currently having GIA build him a decision. If I buy the bike, do I stick with that mile Bandit engine he bought for the project,
frame to do exactly that. option, one that is still in keeping with the type and this is something that can come with it.
of engine the bike probably had when new, or There’s also a Triumph T595 front end in some
I gaze a while longer at Dan Leather’s bike, custom yokes and brake calipers as well as a
70 Practical Sportsbikes
pair of Aprilia wheels. Included in the frame PROJECT BIKES
part of the deal are fuel tank and Harris cap, a
seat unit, carbon fibre electrics tray, original Seat unit’s a substantial
swingarm, a Slabbie swingarm, a new Nitron moulding, frame will
shock intended for a CB900 Hornet and some require work, while ‘peg
Harris rearset plates. After some too-ing and mounting plates and filler
fro-ing we arrive at £3200 for the lot. cap are essential bits to
have along with the tank
Exactly a week from our initial conversation,
Paul and I are shaking hands on the deal, we’re Dependable, top value
loading the bones of a Magnum 2 into Big Bandit 12 engine to
G’s van and Paul is filling out the V5C – the provide motive power
Magnum is registered as a Harris.
Sitting in the van on the way to the PS
lock-up, I’m already building the Magnum in
my head. Big G offers an unending stream of
suggestions too. Photographer Simon Lee,
The Fengineer, took the pics of the project and
has offered his services to tidy up welds and
complete the reconstruction of the frame’s
back end. I’m in good hands.
The beauty of starting with a project
in this state of undress is that you
have pretty much a blank canvas. I had
originally intended to keep news of the
Magnum quiet until the project was well
underway. Somehow, however, there is a
security breach and word gets out. In any
case it’s a timely project now that ZX990
is complete. Everyone has an opinion on
how the bike should look. Big G is leaning
towards something with a streetfighter
stance, Steve Burns Monster style, and
it would certainly be a path of fairly little
resistance given what we’ve got – there
are even mounts on the forklegs for a pair
of bug-eye style headlights. Editor Chris
favours something fully faired, more in
keeping with the full-on sports style of
many of the originals. Me, I’m thinking more
of a halfway house, perhaps half-faired like
my 1993 Ducati 900SS and with flatter
’bars. It would be a shame to hide the glory of
that perimeter frame behind fairing lowers.
New top and full Harris pattern fairings are
available, so there are no issues whatever
direction I elect to go in.
For starters, I’m definitely sticking with the
Bandit engine. I’m also going to get rid of the
Slabbie swingarm and use the original. For
some reason, the owner before Paul chopped
out a little cross piece from the ’arm, although
luckily the cut-out section is still with it.
Whether or not the Nitron shock can be
used, or will have to be moved, depends on
whether it is the correct length, something like
the correct spring and damping rates, and if it
will be happy to function mounted flat, as per
the original. Certainly Harris specify Nitron
for their current frame builds, so it should be
something close.
When it comes to wheels, the original
bike would have had 18-inch Dymags when
it was built by Harris in December 1984. I
know where I can source a pair of these but
by the time I’ve bought them and had them
crack-tested and refinished, they would be
an expensive option. There is still currently a
PROJECT BIKES
That headstock is going
nowhere. You couldn’t build
one stronger if you tried
reasonable amount of tyre choice, however. One of the issues of the stripped-down, clearance under the tank to take them. Those
But I’ll stick with the Aprilia wheels for now. race-focussed design of the Magnum is that won’t come cheap, but I have a spare pair of
there isn’t a lot of room to mount electrical Keihin FCR41s from my Ducati that can be
Also, according to Harris’s records, my bike componentry out of sight, especially if I’m sold to raise some funds.
– let’s refer to it as a ‘bike’ for now – frame going for a semi-naked style.
number HP699 was built with Marzocchi forks So here we go again, full of big ideas and
and Harris yokes. These are both long gone. I First order of business is to get the frame pumped-up on enthusiasm. My Magnum opus
like the looks and modern functionality of the finished and tidied up. The crossmember for begins here.
Triumph units and rugged appearance of the the shock mounts has to be remade along with
custom yokes, so if the geometry pans out, I’ll its bracing, and the subframe will have to be The name of Harris Performance has been
be going with these. Luckily, the internet yields completed. At some point the original rear end synonymous with top-flight motorcycle
much of the detailed spec of the original bikes had been chopped off, and Paul and a mate had competition for more than half a century, the
right down to trail and castor. gone a long way to reinstating it. The Fengineer firm being set up by brothers Steve and Lester
is standing by with some lengths of Reynolds Harris in 1972.
Electrical matters hold no fear, with the input 531 as per the original, his tube profiler and his
of the omniscient Ferret already secured. bronze welding kit. At a somewhat lower level The Magnum 2 appeared in 1982 and
“I’ve done loads of those,” says the peripatetic of skill, I will be wielding the power file to tidy became a top special frame choice of the
master of the electrons. I’ll probably look at the light pitting on some of the original tubes. 1980s for those who wanted a chassis to
an Ignitech ignition. Dynatek is the default match the performance of the big-cube four-
choice for Suzuki cognoscenti, but the Ignitech Meanwhile I’ll get on the lookout for a set strokes of the day. Fabricated from Reynolds
option promises wider tweaking of the ignition of carbs. A dry fit with a spare set of Mikuni 531 tubing, the perimeter frames used the
system. There will be stick coils to save space. RS flatslides reveals that there is just enough engine as a stressed member and delivered
handling that the manufacturers of the bikes
72 Practical Sportsbikes that donated their motors could only dream of.
Bodywork was penned by Anglo-German
firm, Target Design who were also responsible
for the Suzuki Katana.
Among the engines benefitting from
Magnum handling back in the day were
Kawasaki Z1000s, Suzuki GS1000 and
GSX1100s, Honda CB900s and even Laverda
Jotas. Aside from these old favourites, Harris
currently list the Kawasaki GPZ1100, Z1000J
and Suzuki Bandit 1200 engines as options
they will build a Magnum 2 for.
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Bthikeeannostwreurnsntiongthreigthotu?gOhuerset xqpueersttsiohnasve Kawasaki GPX750
Honda NC30 on idle but heat up straight away when I rev Just too much
the engine. When I pull the choke the engine
Test pilots bogs down rather than revs up. My Kawasaki GPX750 has a 16-inch
front wheel. The tyres usually available
My Honda NC30 stopped running which I have checked the timing, I have 150psi are normally 110 or 120 section. However,
I traced to a low compression issue. I of compression on all four cylinders, I’ve found a 130 section sports tyre for a
have undertaken a full engine rebuild, but I checked for a spark on all four plugs, good price.
just cannot get the bike started easily and replaced both coils, set all pilot screws at Will it be worth fitting? Or is a 130 no
often not at all. When I do get it running, the two turns out, vapour blasted the carbs and good on a bike that age?
front two pipes get hot very quickly but the ultrasonically cleaned them and made sure Nathan Daniels, PS Facebook Group
back two (especially on cylinder three) take the passageways/jets are clear, and set the
a while to get to temp or just don’t run at all float height as per the manual. Paul Fairclough says: I’m guessing
Julian Heath, email you’re talking about a 130/70 16 –
the early Honda FireBlade fitment. Your
Gary Hurd Kawasaki’s rim really isn’t wide enough to
says: Sounds take the 130. When it’s squeezed onto the
like issues with the rim, you might also find you have clearance
pilot jets, particularly issues with the mudguard.
given that the bike
behaves better at How smart is smart?
higher revs. Look at
those, then check the I kept my battery on my bike connected
carb balance using to a brand-name ‘smart’ charger but it still
vacuum gauges. If packed up. Am I missing something?
none of this yields any Colin Elland, email
joy, it might be worth
double checking the Ferret says: It could be the battery rather
cam timing, and also than the charger. That said, here’s the
the valve clearances. lowdown on chargers. The ‘smart’ ones seem to
be getting smarter. So the earlier ones aren’t
always so smart. However I like and use CTEK
Honda CBF500 Newly rebuilt head, but not quite behaving itself and have done for years. If you’re going to lay
up a bike for long enough for the battery to go
Lean leak? isn’t the issue, try turning the pilot screw out a flat then just take it off the bike. Just like you
quarter turn. You could try fresh fuel but that drain carbs to guard against stale fuel. Those
The cylinder head on my Honda CBF500 doesn’t explain why the problem would only be ‘umbilical cord’ chargers appeal to our inherent
has been newly rebuilt. Now the bike starts on one cylinder. There’s also the chance that laziness as humans.
easily, revs to the redline, and doesn’t seem you have a suspect ignition coil. Remove your battery
down on power. Spark plugs are brand new. from the bike and give
However, particularly when cold there’s a it an overnight trickle
puff through the intake on cylinder number charge every six
two. I’m told this suggests a sticking valve. It weeks or so. By all
is intermittent, and largely disappears when means use a smart
warm and higher in the revs. charger for this. Then
Any ideas? I’ll admit the fuel was at least leave the battery on
three months old. Could one valve clearance be the shelf.
too tight? Dirty valve stem?
Dan White, PS Facebook Group
Gary Hurd says: I’m thinking it’s lean on
that cylinder. Check for an air leak. If that
OUR EXPERTS Alan Seeley Gary Hurd Ferret Saul Towers Paul Fairclough
In an effort PS’s technical guru The owner/ Saul at Yamaha Do not (whatever
to expand is oft described as a operator of specialists Flitwick you do) call tyres
his musical man who deserves Ferret’s Custom Motorcycles ‘black round
appreciation, Alan a medal. As you can Electrickery (01525 712197) things’ in Paul’s
has fashioned see he’s still not got (07765 832420) is the epitome of company. The
himself a badgermin this month. the gongs he so richly deserves. is a happy-go-lucky chap, unless kindness – and the shining light offence you’ll cause is equalled
Neighbourly relations are at an Please feel free to extend your you use his Christian name, which of reason when it involves a only by those who ever call
all-time low. deepest outrage when you see him. is: a closely-guarded secret. Yamaha – especially a piano. Ferret ‘Jason’.
74 Practical Sportsbikes If you’ve got a problem with your bike, write to What’s the Problem? Practical Sportsbikes, Bauer Media, Media House, Lynch Wood, Peterborough, PE2 6EA,
or email [email protected]. If you have any relevant pictures, be sure to send/attach those too to assist our boffins in their enquiries
WHAT’S THE PROBLEM?
A V-four behaving like a V-twin
is far from ideal. Not what you
want at all. Most frustrating
Honda RVF400 coil is £140 plus VAT and import duty, so I’m plugs foul more readily, possibly giving the
reluctant to shell out only for it to happen impression that the coil has failed. New plugs
Pair of drop-outs again. An upgraded reg/rec has been fitted, the sort it out, but only for a while. Changing just
CDI replaced and the battery is less than 18 the plugs or just the coil would have been a
I have an issue with my Honda RVF400 months old and always kept on an Optimate. better first step.
NC35. A couple of months ago it dropped Barry Davy, email
the front two cylinders but the rear pair got So, measure the coil resistances across
me home. Ferret says: You might do well to do a spade terminals and HT leads. Compare with
An HRC trained mechanic stripped and compression test on the front cylinders. If values in the manual, and if within tolerance
cleaned the carbs, fitted new plugs, and cylinder pressure is low, combustion chamber then that probably wasn’t the issue. Failing
replaced the front coil with a good, used item, temperature is reduced. This in turn means sidestand switches can also throw up unusual
with new HT leads. A month later it did it again. symptoms, so it’s worth checking that too.
Do I replace the replacement coil? An OEM
Yamaha Fazer 600 Saul Towers says: An electrical issue is Yamaha RD250
favourite here, specifically the throttle
Sensor sense position sensor. That’s what the rev counter The right profile
popping up to 3k is telling you. The TPS is
My 1999 Yamaha Fazer 600 is running attached to the outside of carb number four. One of the combustion chambers of
erratically at low revs, the rev counter First, check it’s plugged in. Then, inspect the the cylinder head for the 1976 Yamaha
needle flits about a bit and I also notice that contacts in the plug connector. RD250 I am rebuilding is dinged and pitted,
when I turn the ignition key, the needle goes You can test the maximum resistance presumably from some horrendous blow-up
to 3000 for a few seconds then drops to of the unit with a multimeter between the where one of the piston rings has found itself
zero before I start the bike. terminals on the TPS where the blue and in several pieces atop the piston. Can I just tidy
I’m thinking it’s probably electrical but I black wires go, you’re looking for 5k plus up the worst of it with some abrasive, or should
guess it could be carburation. or minus 1.5k. Next connect the meter I have it welded up and reprofiled?
Brian Ellis, email between the yellow and black wire Karl Wilson, email
terminals, and by slowly turning the
throttle from closed to you fully open, Alan Seeley says: Flat off the high points
you should see it range between zero and you should be just fine. Sticklers
might insist it should be welded up and
and plus or minus 1.5k. If that checks reprofiled, or machined for an insert, but your
out OK, the TPS is good. Next check RD isn’t in a high state of tune so will cope OK.
the continuity of the wiring from the
ignition module plug to the TPS plug. Practical Sportsbikes 75
If that’s all good, adjust the TPS.
Turn the ignition on but don’t start
the engine, then disconnect and
reconnect the TPS connector.
Loosen the TPS mounting screws
and move it gently until the tacho
needle is at 5000rpm then
retighten the screws.
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YAMAHA TDR250
Gone from Yamaha’s UK model list after a mere two years, TDRs are now in big demand
C ould it be that Yamaha’s expansion to give better low and mid power this time 150mm. The box-section swingarm
TDR250 is more popular now delivery with good ground clearance. The was aluminium for Japanese domestic
than it was when current in the Mikuni TM28SS carbs were rejetted to market bikes while the rest of the world got
late 1980s and early 1990s? match the pipes and different airbox. steel.
Certainly that would appear to Crankcase induction was via reed
be the case in the UK, where two-stroke fans valves. The liquid-cooled engine had its You will not be able to help yourself when you turn a
now can’t get enough of Yamaha’s quirky two-stroke oil supplied by Yamaha’s tired TDR into a fit and tidy example like this. True
Powervalve twin. established Autolube system. Power
output was a claimed 49bhp at Practical Sportsbikes 77
Owners desperate to live the TDR 10,000rpm. There was a 240cc version
experience gladly snap them up, regardless for the French market.
of what territory they were originally sold
into. Quite right too, the genius of the Yamaha used what it called an
TDR250 is now all too apparent. ‘orthogonal’ arrangement of engine
mounts to minimise vibration. The
There was some confusion among the same theory was applied to the TZR;
British motorcycling public when the ‘orthogonal’ describes a layout placing
TDR250 arrived in 1988. That was the mounts at right angles to one
compounded by the contemporaneous another.
availability of the TZR250 2MA; pretty
much the same engine in a sportsbike The TDR could claim a world first
package, aluminium Deltabox frame and all with its combination of a CDI ignition
– much more our kind of language back with a digital advance system. This
then than the TDR with its tubular steel 4-bit microprocessor system also
frame. One brochure said of the 250: “The controlled the all-important YPVS
Yamaha TDR – adding a new dimension to set-up.
the already exciting field of sport riding.”
Fair enough, but it needed a slightly squinty Chassis-wise, the tubular steel
view to see that dimension. frame had a high headstock for long
air-assisted forks with decent travel
If the TDR250 was meant to be a trail bike, of 160mm. Castor angle of 27° and
it lacked a little focus. That despite Yamaha 114mm trail made for a short
specifying a trail style chassis and lowering wheelbase and quick steering, even
the parallel twin engine’s first gear for better with a chunkily shod 18-inch
dirt tractability – with the commensurate wire-spoked front wheel. Rear was
benefit of snappier acceleration on the road 17-inch. Yamaha’s Monocross suspension
– and fitting a crossover high-level exhaust featured at the back, again with long travel,
Brake discs were the same size as the TZR “Prices continue to rise.
with the TDR having a single 320mm rotor But experience the
at the front and 210mm at the rear. Front
caliper was a four-piston Sumitomo and the urgent surge of a TDR
rear was a two-pot from the same hitting its powerband...
manufacturer.
more than worth the
The Dakar-style front fairing attached to outlay”
the frame and tank rather than the
handlebars. This was done, Yamaha said, so
as not to add weight to the forks. Less
credible was their brochure claim that the
rev counter was placed in a recess at the
front of the fuel tank to minimise front end
inertia. Really all that achieved was to place
the tacho inconveniently out of view.
So if we didn’t get the TDR back then, we
certainly do now. The upright riding position
and spaciousness of the trail-style
ergonomics make sense on the road.
Especially for those of us who struggle these
days to bend ourselves to the strictures of a
small sportsbike chassis.
Prices continue to rise. Projects command
the kind of money you would have paid for
a tidy runner a handful of years ago. But
experience the urgent surge of a TDR hitting
its powerband, and realise that here is an
addictive sensation that is more than worth
the outlay. Everyone should own a TDR at
least once.
1989 you can go. A 150 makes the bike over-tyred Essentially, I’ve done a frame-up full rebuild,
YAMAHA TDR250 and runs too close to the swingarm. Tyres are replacing just about every worn-out part with
Continental Conti Attack SM. NOS Yamaha parts from Webbs in Lincoln. I
Owner: Dave Harviek also hear good things about Breakers 111 in
“Like many TDR owners, I have fitted a blue Greece for custom parts.
Owned for: five years spot front caliper. I matched it to an Accossato
mastercylinder. “Rupe’s Rewires built a custom wiring loom.
Paid: £2000 Ignition is a Zeeltronic with a custom map.
“I’ve stayed with the standard swingarm for
Resto cost: £2500 now although I do have an ally FZR400 3TJ one “I made my own ally mudguard incorporating
that I might fit. It requires a few mods. a WR125 light and LED indicators. I race a TZR
“I bought my UK-spec TDR as a pile of bits. so am familiar with the engines. The workshop
Well, I actually bought one-and-three-quarter “Most of the bodywork panels were OK but manual is useful as is the TDR250 Owners
bikes and brought it all home in my pick-up. a few of the lugs required plastic welding. ELP page on Facebook.”
I was able to choose the best parts and sell Racing in Surrey did the speedblock paint.
some of the others to offset costs.
Paint looks good,
“I’m used to working on bikes through my pipes look great,
business HVK Performance doing race bike that’s a fit TDR
prep, trackday builds and specials. This is also
my third TDR having owned one new in 1989.
“The engine arrived with the top-end off and
it came rebored with Yamaha +1mm pistons.
I had John Floyd at Floydy racing rebuild and
blueprint the engine. It’s been done in a fast
road tune, with the carbs taken out 3mm by
John then rebuilt by Allens Performance. It
runs Boyesen carbon reeds, heavy duty crank
bearings, and so on. Mark Dent made his first
set of TDR pipes for my bike. They’re still
underseat but don’t crossover for better gas
flow. I’m expecting around 60bhp.
“I had Central Wheel Components rebuild
the wheels with 17-inch SM Pro rims on both
ends. There’s a wider rim at the back to take
a 140-section tyre. That’s about as wide as
78 Practical Sportsbikes
1988 Chunky Metzeler Sahara rear still
YAMAHA TDR250 offers plenty of grip, says Steve
Owner: Steve Allen
Owned for: two years
Paid: £2800
Resto cost: £3000
“This was my Covid lockdown project having They offer a handy discount to members of “I bought genuine seals and pistons from
originally owned a TDR250 back in the late the Trail Riders Fellowship. The main wiring Fowlers to rebuild the brake calipers. I did the
1980s and early 1990s. It’s a Japanese loom was OK but some of the peripheral stuff master cylinders too and fitted Goodridge
market model and I bought it from West Coast needed work; I stripped and cleaned all of the brake lines. The cables were all good including,
Imports. I now also have a UK market bike switches. luckily, the particularly hard-to-find combined
rescued from a garden to do. That second bike throttle and oil pump one.
donated its original screen and grab handles to “The original rims were delaminating and
this bike – they’re very difficult to find. had blistered through the anodising. I kept the “I regularly referred to a PDF of the workshop
original hubs and Central Wheel Components manual, downloadable from the UK TDR250
“Illusion Race Paint in Towcester did the blasted and refinished them, then built Owners Facebook page. YouTube was a useful
plastic repairs, and painted those and the fuel the wheels on new Excel rims. I went a half reference too. I MoT’d my TDR this January but
tank as well as fitting the graphics. inch wider on the rear and fitted a 130/80 had to wait until April for a reg number from
Metzeler Sahara rear. I used to be able to get the DVLA. That first ride only revealed a leaky
“The bike had done 28,000 kilometres. Me the ’pegs down on my old TDR on Saharas. fuel tap so I just fitted a new one. And it’s good
and my mate Sean rebuilt the engine, replacing Front tyre on this one is a Pirelli MT60. to go.”
bearings and seals but leaving the crank intact,
just replacing the outer seals. Sean is always
doing work for other people’s bikes. We honed
the barrels and replaced the piston rings. And
we’ll see how it runs.
“I had the carbs aqua blasted then put them
through the ultrasonic cleaner at work three
times. Then they were rebuilt with new pilot
jets, O-rings and float needles from Fowlers.
1989
YAMAHA TDR250
Owner: Paul Hodson
Owned for: three years
Paid: £4500
Resto cost: £1200
“I’m just at the point of taking my TDR for an Oranges and yellows look a bit colour-clashy, but the rest is as tidy as you like. Black is best for these
MoT. It’s taken a couple of years; I had a year
out building a new workshop. I’ve owned TDRs with occasional purchases on eBay. The TDR carbs came up really well. I put them back
before and they’re pretty easy to work on. Forum has lots of good info on it too. together with rebuild kits. The loom was good
Mine is a Japanese market model and I bought and I put that in the ultrasonic cleaner too –
it from West Country Imports. It was a runner “I rebuilt the wheels myself once I’d had the the connectors came up like new.
but a little scruffy, so I rode it only briefly original rims re-anodised. You can do most
before stripping it down. jobs on the TDR if you take your time and “I fitted new bushes and bearings to the
think things through. swingarm and linkage. The forks were
“I’ve tried to keep this bike as original as alright but I installed new bushes anyway. I
possible and have another one to do all the “Most of the original spokes came undone have kept the standard shock for now but
blingy stuff on next. I’ve been able to keep easily, I had to replace the few that didn’t ,and I might do more work on the suspension,
resto costs sensible by doing a lot of the polished the rest. For some reason, the rear perhaps rebuilding or replacing the shock and
refurbishment, cleaning, polishing, and paint wheel has smaller gauge spokes than the modifying or replacing the fork springs once
myself. I did some bodywork repairs myself front. Anyone know why? I’ve ridden the bike.”
and had the rest done and then painted by
Morley Brothers in Milton on the outskirts of “I got myself an ultrasonic cleaner and the
Cambridge.
“According to the odometer, the bike had
done just over 30,000 kilometres and the
engine was in pretty good shape when I pulled
it down. I left the crank as it was and replaced
all the other bearings and seals, and fitted
new piston rings.
“I used Fowlers for most of my parts – their
exploded diagrams are a useful reference –
Practical Sportsbikes 79
RESTORING
Resto costs won’t ruin you. “Some stuff is
Finding and buying one to surprisingly good value.
restore is the hard part A new crank is £692.70
which starts to look like
a good deal compared
to rebuilding one”
Martin Johnson is well known inTDR circles bodywork. Petrol tanks are also difficult if you which means you need thinner base gaskets
for his tuning work and expansion chambers. buy a bike without a good one.They incorporate to correct the compression ratio. Squish
You’ll find him through theTDR250 Owners the oil tank making them hard to replicate. clearance should be 0.9mm best achieved by
page on Facebook. skimming the head to a 0.1mm step at the
“Best places for genuine parts are Fowlers, start of the squish area.
“TheTDR250 is a good bet to buy and and AndyTempest atWebbs of Lincoln is a
restore as there are plenty about. And they’re walking encyclopedia ofTZR/TDR part “Zeeltronic and Ignitech ignitions offer
pretty easy to work on thanks to what I call numbers). Some stuff is surprisingly good value. crisper response and nicer power curves. And
‘Yamaha logic’. A new crank is £692.70 which starts to look like there are some useful small upgrades such as
a good deal compared to rebuilding one that is the output seal.The originals have a lip to
“There are a few tricky items such as totally shot. locate in the crankcases, but the ones
suspension bushes and the perennial issue of Yamaha sell now have no lip and are secured
“Mitaka pistons are as good as OE and with a circlip in the groove so the ’cases don’t
cheaper.Wössner forged pistons also sold for have to be split.
the DTR125 are good, but have slightly
different sizing so the cylinders will have to be “Always use genuine Mikuni carb parts;
honed to suit, they are also slightly shorter Allens Performance have most spares in
stock. If fitting a wider rear tyre, Kawasaki
ZXR250 front sprockets are 3mm offset so
can help with chain clearance.
“Blue spot front calipers are popular and
work best with YamahaWRX or YBR125
11mm master cylinders. FZR250 swingarms
fit with some juggling, and also work well with
the 1WG era FZR400 linkage. YSS offer
good value replacement shocks.
“I also recommend Andy Ball at 2T
Engineering to set up modified/misbehaving
TDRs, rebuild and tune engines and supply
CNC replica power valves.”
Hard to believe this model ran for only two years. If we knew then what we know now... But we didn’t Swapping out the Sumitomo caliper for a blue
spot is the go. 11mm mastercylinder needed
80 Practical Sportsbikes
PRICES Tacho is in a dumb place.
Aside from that it’s all well
Immaculate £6000-£8,000
Rider £4000-£5900 thought out and easy to
Project From £1500 spanner on
MODEL GUIDE
1988 Yamaha TDR250
Capacity 249cc
Bore x stroke 56.4 x 50mm
Power 49bhp@10,000rpm
Torque 26.7lb.ft@8500rpm
Dry weight 137kg
TIMELINE AND
COLOURS
TheTDR appeared in
a few different colour
schemes
internationally. These
are the colours
officially offered on
UK bikes
1988/89
Faraway Blue,
Yamaha Black/
Competition Yellow
1990
Yamaha Black/
Competition Yellow,
Forest Green/Sweet
Blue with frame in
Faraway Blue
Practical Sportsbikes 81
SPONDON CHRIS’S
’97 SPONDON GSX-R11
Building a Spondon was a had been rear-ended on a Honda CBR600, bracket. “The GSX-R1100L was a brilliant
comparative cinch compared the time and circumstances were right. candidate for a donor bike for a Spondon,
to getting Spondon to build a says Chris. “The 1100s had got heavier and
frame. Chris has had his for 25 “Spondon were crazy busy in those days more unmanageable with each successive
years now – and counting and it was hard to get an order in,” says model although the engine was still brilliant.
Chris. “A mate suggested that if I went over I’d ridden a J, and that was a different beast,
Alan Seeley there with a grand in cash for a deposit in and my Yamaha 1000 EXUP was so much
my pocket, I might have some luck. better than the L. I think I rode the L for
W hen you buy or build a bike about a day or two before I started stripping
you often get so much more Sure enough I got to the Spondon it for the Spondon. I was able to sell the
than a mere machine. You can workshop and Bob Stevenson told me that bodywork and other stuff I didn’t need for
end up with a whole new set of yes, they were too busy, but were just off to good money as the GSX-R was still a
friends, a new way of life, and even another the pub and would I care to join them. Over relatively new bike then.”
nickname that sticks. So it has been for a few drinks I told them that I wanted a
‘Spondon’ Chris, proud owner since 1997 of frame kit for a GSX-R1100 and had £1000 Chris, with the occasional assistance from
a Suzuki GSX-R1100L-engined special in a cash deposit on me. Living up to his ‘Sweary his mates, got to work on the build. “The
– that’s right – Spondon chassis. Bob’ nickname said, ‘For f@$k’s sake give us bike spent some time in a bedroom in my
the f@$kin’ grand. But don’t call me, wait mum’s house while I was doing it, and I
Back in the mid-1990s, Chris had been for me to call you.’ I did as he asked and finished the build in 1999. As well as now
intending to buy a Spondon frame for some eight months later he called me to ask, ‘Do owning a Spondon I also realised another
time but had never quite been able to get it you want this f@$kin’ frame or what?’ My ambition; John Winthrope of Crossbow
together, particularly the funds required. Spondon was ready.” Calendar fame wanted to feature the bike in
Then, recovering from an accident where he a calendar on the understanding that I didn’t
Bob asked Chris to bring the back wheel allow it to go in any magazines before the
from his 1100L donor bike, he made up the calendar came out,” says Chris.
spacers for it while Chris waited, and
supplied him with a Brembo rear caliper and
That tubing can only be from
one place... Spondon,
Derbyshire. Top left: Hizzy on
the bike. Left: A calendar
82 Practical Sportsbikes
“LIVING UP TO THE REAL LONG-TERMERS
HIS ‘SWEARY
BOB’ NICKNAME Gears and pinions and
HE SAID, ‘FOR whatnots are a nod to
F@$K’S SAKE Chris’s heritage
GIVE US THE railway involvement.
F@$KIN’ GRAND. Paint is by Phillip
BUT DON’T CALL Bradbury of Warpaint
ME, WAIT FOR Practical Sportsbikes 83
ME TO CALL
YOU”
That first iteration of the bike had a Ducati
916 seat unit. Paint was by Paul Scarisbrick
who finished the bike with a blue-into-
purple fade at Chris’s request. Suspension
was a TZ250 shock supplied by Spondon
and the GSX-R1100L forks, both reworked
by Maxton. One trick feature was a thumb
brake designed and made by Bob Stevenson.
“That was a new thing. The only other
thumb brake I’d heard of at that time was
Mick Doohan’s,” says Chris.
Soon Chris was racking up the first of the
Spondon’s 56,000 miles to date, mostly on
days out around the Lake District’s beautiful
routes, and with a couple of trips to the Isle
of Man. The bike even had a brush with
stardom at the 2002 Woodvale Rally when
guest of honour, the late Steve Hislop – who
would win the British Superbike
Championship that year with Monstermob
Ducati, sat on the bike for a photo call.
Of course every special is always subject
to change and it wasn’t long before Chris
had fitted a 1216cc big-bore kit and a Roger
Upperton reworked cylinder head. “On the
stock 36mm carbs, it was a real wheelie
machine,” says Chris.
Wheelie machine or not, Chris had long
hankered after a turbo for the Spondon.
Around six years ago he took the plunge. “I
did my research and decided to go with
Dave Dunlop and his outfit, Fast By Me
Turbo Systems,” says Chris. Initially the bike
was kitted out with a Mitsubishi TDO4-13
turbo. The plenum chamber Dave made is a
work of art. Capacity stayed at 1216cc but
on lower comp pistons to cope with the
turbo. He also fitted a lock-up clutch from
Fast By Me.
“I can’t speak highly enough of Dave and
Fast By Me,” says Chris. “Their customer
service is second to none. I’m more familiar
with how things work now but in the early
days if I wasn’t sure or had a query, Dave
would just have me come by the workshop.
He would never take any money either; I
had to tuck cash in his toolbox.
When it came time to uprate the turbo a
couple of years ago, Chris stuck with Fast By
Me and Dave Dunlop fitted an IHI VF28
“PEOPLE THROW
THOUSANDS
AT PARTS ON
SOMETHING THAT
LOOKS A MILLION
DOLLARS. I SPENT
MONEY ON
SUSPENSION”
Fast By Me took care of ball-bearing turbo. “It spins up faster and
the turbo intsallation hits a lot harder,” says Chris.
Yes, that’s a thumb- Other upgrades to the Spondon included a
operated rear brake you pair of carbon fibre Dymag wheels for a
see to the right of this Hayabusa, Armstrong discs – front calipers
caption. Made by the late are still the original Nissins, a Translogic
Bob Stevenson in digital dash and ISR master cylinders for
Spondon’s heyday clutch and brakes. An AEM wide band
system checks the fuelling and warns of lean
running, and a Dynatek DD3 system
controls the ignition. The Dyna runs 2° of
advance over stock but at 10,000rpm the
ignition is set to retard the advance by 4° to
keep things safe. Top engineer and drag race
stalwart Jim King helped Chris with the
wiring.
Chris runs 12psi of boost for ‘normal’
riding. “If you up it to 15psi it will wheelie in
top gear but it’s a bit much and you’re in
every danger of flipping it,” says Chris.
During the makeover, Chris also redid the
cosmetics. Out went the 916 tail unit to be
replaced with one from a Honda RS250
Aoyama replica. “I made a new subframe
then got busy with the Dremel on the seat
unit,” says Chris. “I used white window
frame foam to form the shape of the seat
base then made it in glassfibre. After that I
had it covered in foam and vinyl. I
glassfibred in a CBR600 tail light.”
Phillip Bradbury of Warpaint repainted the
bike. Chris gave him carte blanche on the
design provided it featured a lot of blue and
a turbo. Phillip also paid tribute to Chris’s
association with the heritage railway scene
by incorporating a lot of cogs into the design.
Chris’s bike is a great rolling advert for
Phillip’s work and Chris always carries some
Chris is very fond of a wheelie. Frankly, who isn’t?
THE REAL LONG-TERMERS
Proof positive that
turbocharged
machines can do the
miles too. That’s
56,000 so far on
Chris’s Spondon
Chris stays on top of all maintenance, and says a LIVING WITH A “My Spondon has
turbo bike can be just as reliable as a stocker SPONDON GSX-R1100 always been on the
road so I keep on top
of his painter friend’s fliers with him when Owning a special, even one with a turbo of servicing. Jim King
he goes to shows. need not be a mechanical nightmare if recommended I use
you’re mindful of a few details reckons Liqui Moly 10w40
Spondon Chris’s bike means a lot to him. Spondon Chris. semi-synth so that’s
A big part of his recovery post-accident, it what I use and I change
has also brought him a load more friends. “Provided your turbo is properly installed the oil and filter
“Spondon is not like any other frame and set up, your bike can be every bit annually.
manufacturer,” says Chris. “When you as reliable as a standard one. It’s useful “For tyres, I always
bought one of the frames you bought more to understand how everything works; just use a mate’s old
than that. You have new friends too. Every the function of the fuel pump, turbo oil race scrubs, so there’s
year Bob would have a barbecue with a full scavenge pump and so on. It’s important no particular brand or
hog roast and free beers for people who that the carbs are properly fettled and preference. The brake
bought frame kits. It was open house for maintained, after all they’re not designed to discs are Armstrong all round. My preferred
everyone and the whole thing was done on be under pressure but will handle it just fine brake pads are EBC HH.
trust. If you got lucky and found a room with if the seals and so on are good. “I’m a big fan of wheelies so you might
a spare bed in you could sleep in there, or think I get through a lot of fork seals. But if
you could stick a tent up in the garden. you’re gentle in how you land a wheelie, you
won’t pop them.
“Even when Bob was on holiday, he was “I run a Facebook page called UK Specials
known to leave the keys for his house for for people with aftermarket-framed
anyone wanting to stay who was going to bikes and it has 4700 members. I’ve been
watch the Grand Prix when it was at a member of the Street Specials MCC
Donington. Since Bob passed away and for 15 years too and there’s a lot of help
Norton swallowed up and spat out Spondon, and support available there as well. The
we have a meet usually at Mallory Park or Spondon OC page is useful too. Join the
Donington, and every year Bob’s daughter right groups and you will get the answers
Becky, and Stuart Tiller, the surviving to any questions you might have. The
partner of Spondon, attend. We kept the members will have been there, done that.”
brand going even when it was not in business
because it meant that much to us. It’s a THE MAIN MODS
pleasure to call the owners and the
manufacturers friends.” 1. SPONDON FRAME steering. Lighter wheels 7. DASH
If there was ever a big are one of the easiest ways A Translogic digital dash
Chris has been on a long journey of engine that benefitted to all-round performance marshals all the main info
ownership with his Spondon. “Unlike most from a big aluminium tube gains. on a single easy-to-read
specials, this one gets used. Lots of people Spondon frame, it’s the unit. There is a separate
throw thousands at parts on something that Suzuki GSX-R1100L. 4. EXHAUST boost gauge for the turbo,
rides like crap but looks a million dollars. I Looks the absolute Twin slash-cut system by down by the engine on
spent money on setting the suspension up so business too. Dave Dunlop at Fast By the left. There is also an
it’s nice to ride. There’s nothing on the bike Me. “Can’t really call them AF gauge for the AEM
that doesn’t need to be there, apart from a 2. IHI VF28 TURBO ‘silencers’,” laughs Chris. system on the handlebars.
trick paintjob. Me and it have had a journey, Spins up quick and delivers
done a thousand wheelies together, she’s the goods with minimal lag. 5. IGNITION/FUELLING
kept me safe, it’s a bike for life, and its never Big power gains from way A Dynatek DD3 system
finished... only for now. less than a bar of boost. supplies the sparks while
Supplied by, and ancillaries an AEM wide band system
I can’t see me ever parting ways with it. made by, Fast By Me Turbo keeps an eye on the air/fuel
Someone asked me the other day if I’d ever Systems. mixture.
sell it; I wouldn’t let it go even for 40 grand.
And it certainly isn’t worth that.” 3. DYMAG WHEELS 6. MASTERCYLINDERS
Carbon fibre Dymag ISR units take care of
wheels mean quicker hydraulic duties for both
acceleration, braking and brakes and clutch.
Practical Sportsbikes 85
THE STORY SO FAR... Masonic handshake. They
are, after all, on the square.
PS’s technical editor believes he That’s 13 Benedict Square
can buy his dream Bimota DB4 by
trading up from various old nails.
After a sticky start with a Kawasaki
ZXR400 (still for sale) he has now
made some progress. Whether or
not this progress continues depends
very much on his ability to choose
the right bikes to flip...
PART 9
BARGAINS TO BIMOTA
If you thought Alan’s noble quest to bag himself a Bimota had stalled, you’d
be entirely correct. But he’s rallied, with a long-awaited sale to his credit
Words and pictures: Alan Seeley
T here are two parts to the buying and mean that even if the Kwak doesn’t make Tokico six-pot front brake calipers were
selling of bikes, those parts being back the money invested in it, any loss will beyond economical repair, particularly as
buying and selling. Thus far I have be much mitigated. The SRAD has netted a the Nissin four-pots they are so often
managed just fine with the buying bit, decent profit of just under £800. So I’ve replaced by aren’t a lot of money. Big G
the selling not so much. As of this month, all reinvested £1200 in another PS-era bargain, turned up a pair for £60, less than it would
that has changed with the sale of my 1996 a 2010 Bandit 1250. have cost to refurbish even a single six-pot,
Suzuki GSX-R750 SRAD. and with free-moving pistons and a decent
Of course there were a couple of tasks to set of pads, all I had to do was bolt them
However, we’re not in profit just yet, as the complete before the SRAD could be straight on.
1993 Kawasaki ZXR400 I started out with considered ready to go to its new owner.
still languishes in the workshop. What it does Last month I’d decided that the original The braided brake lines the bikes came
86 Practical Sportsbikes
Bargains to Bimota
with were arranged with one from the Been and gone. SRAD now sold. Fancy that
mastercylinder to the right caliper, and a SRAD didn’t need that much work to make it
second bridging the two calipers. This wipe its face. We can only hope Alan
second line was around a centimetre too continues in that vein, that his eye for profit
short to do the job on the Tokicos, making it does not deceive him
impossible to angle the banjos to prevent the
braided hose having to be bent sharply Before throwing the Suzuki to the wolves A very nice chap by the name of Rich
against the fork bottom castings. of eBay and Facebook Marketplace, I decide Hanley is very keen to buy the SRAD and
to advertise my intent to sell among my after a few minutes of polite negotiation, we
Still, that gave me an excuse to break out Facebook friends. Some of those friends agree on £1900. I offer to stick an MoT on
the Venhill workshop line-building kit. An share the post. This generates some the bike but Rich tells me not to bother as he
angled banjo at one end and an inline fitting immediate interest and I find myself doing has plans to work a little more on it himself
at the other went onto a longer piece of some Facetime viewings of the bike. An before returning it to the road.
braided hose for a neat fix. Bleeding the asking price of £2150 doesn’t seem out of
brakes up takes a matter of moments. the way, giving me some wriggle room. I’ll Flushed by this sudden success, and
be happy to get close to two grand. unexpectedly solvent, well kind of, it’s time
Before declaring it a good day’s work, to hunt down another bike. In conversation
there are a couple of electrical tasks to take
care of. I’d noticed that some of the brass Practical Sportsbikes 87
terminals in the block connectors at the front
of the bike were green with verdigris. Sorting
them properly means taking each terminal
out of the block for a thorough clean. A
proper terminal tool makes this a lot easier
than poking around with a jeweller’s
screwdriver. Some contact cleaner and a
combination of wet-and-dry paper and a
brass brush remove the oxidisation. It’s a
time-consuming business however; one of
the blocks has 13 connections – 26
terminals. Of course one of these has to
cause an issue, breaking the sprung tongue
that grips the blade connector. The new
terminals in the workshop electrical box are
just slightly too big to go into the block. I
know that Ferret has some but rather than
wait for them to be posted, the most
expedient solution is to simply make a new
block for the errant wires.
Another small electrical task is the
replacement of the rear left indicator. This
was broken off when I got the bike but the
previous owner supplied a replacement
when we picked it up. A similar problem of
our own making has occurred with the front
right indicator. Some kind soul walked into
it in the workshop and snapped the head off.
The break was at the end of the stem so it
went back together neatly enough with
some industrial strength superglue. Good
enough, until someone did it again, this time
the break was halfway along the stem and
repair out of the question. An original
replacement would mean buying a new one
as I could find only complete used sets on
eBay. Too costly either way, so I spent £25
on a JMP pattern replacement – pretty
decent quality.
All that done, and the bodywork can go
back on. I find myself to be one fairing
fastener short. Not too bad for a bike that’s
been through more than one pair of hands
while it’s been disassembled.
So there it is. A complete SRAD that’s
ready to MoT and, more importantly, ready
to sell. It’s taken so long to get to this point
that I’m initially discombobulated, and enjoy
a brief moment of inertia while I figure out
my next move.
Looks very much like Greek
mythological figure Sisyphus
rolling a boulder up a hill, only
for it to tumble back down as
he nears the summit...
EXPERT VIEW
Gary Hurd is
pleased with
the latest
developments:
“How much of a
stake am I going
to have in your
Bimota when you
finally get it? I
keep finding the
bikes after all.
The SRAD worked
well for you and
the new owner
is going to be
delighted. Crack
on with the Bandit
and that will be
gone by this time
next month.”
If Alan’s sensible (ahem), he’ll have that cover off, dress it back, and then tickle it with some silver with Gary Hurd, yes him again, the
88 Practical Sportsbikes Bikefinder General, he remembers that his
neighbour Gareth has a 2010 Bandit 1250
he wants to sell.
So we head up the end of Big G’s
cul-de-sac with a fistful of £20 notes, and the
desire to buy. We’re greeted by the sight of a
very tidy Bandit, its silver and grey metallics
glinting seductively in the sunshine. The
overall condition of the bike belies its
61,422 miles.
By all accounts the owner prior to Gareth
did the bulk of those miles on an A-road
commute, so they’re the ‘right’ kind of miles.
In any case those big engines are very
understressed, so the numbers on the
odometer are no reason to walk away.
The big Suzuki has obviously been very
well looked after, presumably kept clean
year-round, but there are a few signs of
corrosion. There’s the odd rust patch on
things like the steel anti-vibe weights of the
pillion ’pegs, and a fair amount of paint has
departed the leftside engine cover. The only
Bargains to Bimota
Nick in the seat is annoying, but
hardly the end of the world
No-name can is in fine fettle. Not
too loud either. This bike should find
a home fairly swiftly, you’d imagine
real issue we can see, and it takes some We agree on £1200 and the Bandit is Mechanically it’s sweet but I’ve still done
effort to find anything to complain about, is wheeled the 75 yards to Gary’s garage. I nothing about painting or wrapping a set of
that the gear position indicator pick-up isn’t already have a buyer in mind for this one, so bodywork. One option being mooted in the
working, hence the neutral light is failing to we’ll see what he says when I wheel it under office is to fit a set of race bodywork and sell
illuminate. A common problem on these it his nose. I’d keep it myself as a handy it as a sorted trackday bike. An option is
seems, and an easy fix if we arm ourselves runabout if I didn’t already have my Yamaha should probably consider.
with a new switch. Apparently they clag up Fazer 600. And I’ve got to keep shifting
with chain lube and the oil finds its way into bikes along to keep the Bimota dream alive. Still, on to the next bike for now and just
the mechanism. wait until you see what I’m planning on
Then there’s the matter of the ZXR400. buying next. Sportsbike it isn’t.
Bandit 1250 in pretty good nick barring a few bits of rust where you’d reasonably expect it. An honest machine THE COST SO FAR
Time spent this month 6 hours
Indicator £25
Fairing V-piece £15
Calipers £60
Suzuki Bandit -£1200
Bandit gear position switch £60
Carried over from last month -£2989.38
Sale of SRAD +£1900
TOTAL -£2198.38
Practical Sportsbikes 89
THE O’TOOLE SET-UP
IKEA BINDERS
Cost: £8 each
Where: Your local Swedish shop
“My obsession with just about everything
from the 1990s obviously involves
motorcycle magazines, and I’ve got all the
important ones; PB, Road Racing Monthly,
and of course PS since it came out. I’ve
stacks of rough copies too, but all the mint
ones are in these binders. If I was going
to go total librarian on it I’d have all the
files marked up and numbered. Maybe
something to keep me occupied this winter.”
Words: Mark Graham Pictures: Simon Lee
KUSHITANI LEATHERS
PATRICK O’TOOLE the phone. I asked him to repeat himself Cost: £300
about five times, but just couldn’t work out Where? Race paddocks and online
h e’s in the building trade, or what is what he was saying. It would have been rude “I don’t understand why people buy new
now termed the construction to ask him a sixth time. And I’m Irish.” stuff when a decent set of secondhand
industry. His day job involves Kushitanis are still £300. There’s nothing
making big things for people to live However, the mild floor incline can be quite like them in terms of quality. This
or work in, his leisure time is largely forgiven when the high-end spec of the is just a small collection that’s gradually
spent buying and selling remainder is considered: Welsh slate roof building up… If you buy things when you
motorcycles, and all the associated gubbins (surplus material from a job at Oxford can when they come up for sale then this is
that goes with them. ALL of it. “I’ve got University botanical gardens), ornamental what tends to happen. If something is good
about 60 or 70 paddock jackets at the triangular windows (leftover from an value, and I’ve got the cash, I’ll buy it.
moment,” says Patrick, with only the merest unspecified building project), and then an
hint of a sheepish smile. He simply cannot Italian marble tiled floor, air-con, and now FOXLEY STARTER
help himself. central heating too. Cost £300
Where? Off Mark Forsyth
Patrick began with a 10 x 8ft wooden shed “The office at the far end was actually an “Met him at Peterborough Services to
in the same place as his current block-built office at one stage, then I got to critical mass buy this off him many years ago and he
10 x 4m edifice now stands. “It’s slightly on with bike storage. And if things get worse the was a pleasure to deal with [Has to be a
the p•ss because I couldn’t understand what kids’ Wendy House will be requisitioned different Mark Forsyth – CN]. I learned
the Irish block layer was trying to tell me on (although we call it a cottage because of its everything about bikes from that era of PB
thatched roof). I built if with storage in mind. so I probably bored him to death. He was a
90 Practical Sportsbikes They’ll just have to deal with it.” gent, but I must have absolutely done him
in chatting. Starter’s great though, which is
the main thing.”
“I’VE GOT ABOUT
60 PADDOCK JACKETS
AT THE MOMENT,”
SAYS PATRICK, WITH
ONLY THE MEREST
HINT OF A SHEEPISH
SMILE”
FABIEN FORET’S R6 Supersport 600 bikes are still so underrated. STEALTH SINK
Cost: Yes I mean, they were fast then, they’re still fairly Cost: No
Where? Belgarda Yamaha quick, and there were so many of them made. Where? Friends in the trade
“This is a 2005 R6 from when Fabien Foret I don’t know where they’ve all gone to. They “Where space is such a valuable commodity
and Jurgen van den Goorbergh were riding must still be out there somewhere, but you’d you can’t afford to have bench room taken up
for the Italian Belgarda Yamaha team. These have thought more would have surfaced.” by something you might only use to wash a
part or even your hands at some point. I used
to have a parts washer like most people do,
but they just take up so much room I thought
there must be a better way, and this seems
to be it.”
Practical Sportsbikes 91
O’TOOLE TOOLS AND KIT
1 Mitaloy 22mm
breaker bar
Cost: Free
Where? Heavy plant tool kit
“My dad, who’s 84 now and has
still got 12 bikes, was a plant
mechanic, so there were often
spare digger toolkits knocking
around that had various items
liberated for motorcycle use.
HONDA EM300 GENERATOR This is great for spindle nuts and
Cost: £20
Where? Kempton Park autojumble bigger stuff.”
“Every time I get this out and use it someone
comes up and tells me it’s not got some earth SHAKESPEARE FISHING SCALES
wire that it’s supposed to have, but I don’t care Cost: £2.50
about that. It’s used for tyre-warmers as you Where? Autojumble 2 Teng socket set
might expect, and I just don’t see any point in “Well, it says £2.50 on the tag, but I probably
replacing it when it works well. It hadn’t run for got ’em for a quid. These are essential for Cost: Free with PS
at least 10 years when I got it. But after an oil knowing how much weight you’re saving
and filter change, and fresh petrol, it fired first between road bits and kit parts. For instance, subscription
pull. No kidding.” a kit alternator rotor might only be 200g less
than a road part, but when you tally it all up, Where? From The PS
the savings count overall. Not to mention the
benefits of reduced rotating mass.” “Amazingly for a freebie, well
almost a freebie if you want to
read PS regularly, this is a really
good little 3/8-inch drive socket
set. If you’re going to do another
offer like this let me know and I’ll
subscribe again. This was a really
good deal.”
Temperature gun
3 Cost: £15
Where? Middle at Lidl
“If you don’t want to leave half the
skin on your fingers on exhaust
header pipes, this is a must.
The accuracy of the readings is
academic, but I suspect it’s pretty
OVERHEAD SOCKETS accurate. But for knowing what’s
Cost: Tenner NOCO GENIUS 2 CHARGER
Where? ’Leccy shop Cost: £30 hot and what’s not, you can’t do
“Extension leads are easy to trip over, a chore Where? eBay
to use, and this just makes life so much easier “These are great value and haven’t failed me without one.”
if you have to use any power tool next to the yet. They’re so easy to use compared to some
lift. You can have as many as you want where of the supersmart chargers you can get now, Carb rubber
you want, and you’re always ready to go.” so I bought four of them. If something’s good, persuaders
get more of them, especially when they’re as 4
cheap as this.”
Cost: £3 a set
Where? Kempton Park
autojumble
“These are US Pro, but it doesn’t
really matter who makes them so
long as they’re strong enough to
hook stubborn carb rubbers into
place. If they’re too sharp, just
grind the hooks a bit blunter. If
you don’t want to spend half a day
doing it ‘properly’ then these are
a must.”
Wire brushes
CASTROL A747 2-T OIL 5 Cost: five for a quid
Cost: £5
Where? Hersham Racing Services RFX EXHAUST PLUGS Where? Kempton Park
“This is an old, old bottle on the left, and I only Cost: £4.99 (2-T) £7.99 (4-T)
put it in the lawnmower these days. It’s got to Where? The www autojumble
be 30 years old. And Ken Inwood who I bought “These make a lot of sense especially when
it from is, I think, still doing some races with you’ve got a reverse-cylinder TZR that likes to “If you’re cleaning clag off
his van, in his eighties. I run all my strokers on drop chunks of carbon back into the cylinder if
A747 apart from the 5KE TZs which want Elf it gets damp. And they should be jammed down sprockets then you’ve got to have
HTX976+. It’s £20 here these days and still the pipe of any bike in some form of storage. It
only £15 a bottle in France. I wonder why?” doesn’t take much exposure to moisture for an brushes that will do the heavy
exhaust valve to go rusty.”
work without coming apart. I
get so much stuff like this from
Kempton. I can’t stay away. It
actually hurts me if I don’t go to a
Kempton jumble early.”
92 Practical Sportsbikes
Left: Yamaha FZR400RR SP and Honda NC30 Above:
Ex-Brian Reid TZ250 Yam, bathroom tiles from an
autojumble at Spa Francorchamps: “They were
destined for the bathroom, but got vetoed by the
family.” No such thing as an empty shelf in this place
12 3
45
Practical Sportsbikes 93
6 Scotchbrite pads TOP O’TOOLE TIPS
Cost: 30 for £15
1) Always go to autojumbles if so when they come back they think
Where? Where else but autojumbles? you can. Even now, with eBay and it’s gone.Then, when they see it’s
“It’s hard to get your head round using something that’s actually everything else there are aways still there, they’re so relieved they’ll
scratching the surface you want to make better. But if you go with things to be had. And go early, nearly give you the asking price.
the correct grades methodically – it works really well. So simple really early. If entry is say £8, and
and so effective.” an earlybird ticket is a tenner, 3) Always buy the best bits you can.
then you’d be mad not to dive Fitting cheap parts to an expensive
in at the crack of dawn, and you bike is madness.
7 Peek polish don’t have to queue either. And
Cost: £4 a tube if you see something buy it there 4) Get the best security you can,
and then. Haggle, obviously, but alarms, cameras, strobes, the lot.
Where? eBay don’t expect to come back later Screw everything down. Make it
“This will shine anything I’ve come across, and it doesn’t leave black and expect it to be there. really hard for anyone to rob you.
residue like Autosol, which if dries becomes more like a grit. This is
absolutely the best, and it comes from Saffron Walden in Essex if 2) If you’re selling at a jumble, 5) Be nice. It’s a small world the
that’s important to you.” move things around on your motorcycle game and if you’re not
pitch. If someone takes a while straight with people you’ll get found
looking at something, move it out in the end.
RC30 and OW01: Patrick has
all the big boxes fully ticked
8 Hose reel
Cost: free
Where? Team Roberts
This is a magnesium 16.5-inch BBS rim that the team ran in their WANTTO BE IN THE NEXT GBG?
KR3 racebike at some point, but it developed a small crack so If you have a workshop, garage, or shed that should be on these
pages email us at [email protected]
became scrap. It’s now been repurposed as maybe the lightest
garden hose reel in the world.”
94 Practical Sportsbikes
NOV ISSUE 145 ON SALE 12 OCT
PLUS TO THE
BOL D’OR
SINGLES
BUYING GUIDE: Off to the 100th
anniversary
Yamaha SRX, edition of the
Honda XBR and
Suzuki Goose wild French 24-
Hour race on the
RESTO GUIDE first GSX-R, and
on probably the
1991-1997 Ducati last too. PLUS
750/900SS Mat Oxley’s brief
rebuild guide
history of Le
PROJECT BIKE Castellet lunacy
Project Harris
Magnum 2 trial build
The story so far...
PB builds a project bike in
1987. It’s pretty, but rubbish.
Now Gary’s hoping to make it
pretty again, and better than it
was to start with
Gary’s new TS250, Old Farmer Chris’s old
man’s Zephyr 11, Bruce’s TZ250, Alan’s
knackered Fazer 600, MG’s KH1F in action
Gary Hurd Once upon a time, this was a groundbreaking project... it’s a piece of history. Sure
1977 Suzuki TS 250
It’s the Second Comely-ing
Ex-PB feature bike comes full circle, to Big G’s garage for a very reverent restoration
Gary’s dyed his hair to match the TS’s tank. Nice he arrival of thisTS250 is a blessed Akront alloy wheels front and rear, and a Davida
96 Practical Sportsbikes relief to all those around me, because Moto monoshock conversion (from the days
I’ll stop banging on about getting when they were an engineering company, not
one. And it’s also exciting, because it’s one of just a piss-pot lid brand). Derek Huxley built a
few air-cooledTS mud-pluggers with any kind hydroformed expansion chamber and a lot of
of history. If you don’t have an encyclopaedic time was spent messing around with the motor,
memory of old Performance Bikes features, let but it ended up being no faster than stock either,
me bring you up to speed. and slower than the Z250, so it lost the battle.
In 1987, art editor Peter Comely and features
editor Rupert Paul went head-to-head in a Now, 35 years later, it’s won the war. For a
budget build-off, aiming to extract more speed start, it’s still here. Reader AlexTulloch came
and handling from manky old 250s. Rupert forward on our Facebook group to say his mate
chose a Z250, dressed it in a GPZ600 fairing bought the Z250 from Rupe, passing it around
and spent ages messing around with the engine, their circle for a little while before it got broken
only to end up running it near standard – and not for parts.
going much faster.
Peter, and this – my –TS250 got more It’s also much cooler – then and now.
heavily involved in getting it to handle better. Don’t forget that supermoto wasn’t then
It got RD350F2 forks in stock yokes, 18-inch an established ‘thing’, and Peter’s creation
predated the TDR250. and any other
production motard.Though the flimsy alloy
PROJECT BIKES
DON’T FORGET
SUPERMOTO WASN’T
AN ESTABLISHED
‘THING’ AND PETER’S
CREATION PREDATED
THE TDR250, AND ANY
OTHER PRODUCTION
MOTARD
Engine externals have suffered. Internals will need a refresh too, certainly a thorough inspection bolts used everywhere aren’t so cool, especially
In 1987 this was the epitome of cool. Maybe not No such thing as a smart dash back in those days the ones in the handlebar clamps.
‘Eeee got monoshock, innit. Knowing Gary there’s a strong chance he’ll convert it back to twinshock They do show how little it has been messed
with, at least. Apart from the last ten years
in former PS photographer Mark Manning’s
garage, we don’t know what it has been up to. It
doesn’t seem to have gone far, as he picked it up
from Corby, so it probably hasn’t left a 25-mile
radius of the PB/PS office. Mark didn’t do much
either – he intended to restore it, but apart from
repainting the expansion chamber, and getting
someone to repaint the tank (but not the YPVS
front mudguard for some reason), it has only
deteriorated a little more. It ran when he bought
it (I’ve seen video proof), but the carb slide has
seized now, so it’s beyond just dropping some
fuel in and kicking it.
Looking at it, it needs a total strip anyway
so there’s not much point.The powdercoat is
flaking from the chassis (some bloke called Pete
O’Dell did it, according to the old mags – I’ve a
mind to make a complaint), the electrics are
rough, and everything needs some sort of help.
Even the speedo has been left upside down
at some point, filled with water, and ended up
looking a bit of a mess inside. It’ll all come good,
and it’s such a simple bike it seems daft not to
just do it properly.
I’m interested to see if it still has the ported
barrel. If it does, I’m contemplating just getting a
standard barrel instead to get it running well, or
having the tune revisited to see if we can get it
working better than they did at the time. Other
than that, it’s going to go back together as it is.
It’s such a great bit of the magazine’s history, it
wouldn’t be right to do anything else.
Pro-Bike Indiana Digital Analyser
How long: 15 years 10
Cost: er... 10
Contact: classified adverts
A mate lifted this from a dealer he was
working from when they went bust. Naughty…
but I’m grateful he did. It shows you carb
balance, but it also picks up on things like leaky
valves. If you work on a
lot of carbed bikes, it’s
worth trying to find a
secondhand one – I can’t
find them for sale new
anywhere.
Practical Sportsbikes 97
It looks longer than stock, Story so far:
but it’s not. Add the missing
bits and it’ll look right again Chris’s dad builds a Japanese
restomod-style Zephyr 11.
With our assistance, the
project drags its heels nicely.
As you might expect
Father Newbigging
1992 Kawasaki Zephyr 11
No pushing... and no running
Slowly but surely, the Zephyr is turning out well. Emphasis on the slowly, though. Yes, really
he Zephyr hasn’t been seen in some head needed a few more bits than previously needed replacing – trivial yet critical things
months, because there has been thought when it came to screwing it back like cylinder dowels – and the lead time from
little to report. So to recap: the together. Typically. Kawasaki was lengthy. Parts had been ordered
last time you saw it, the bottom end required from Webike.net in Japan earlier in the build, as
a snapped stud extracted, and the thread Gary has been helping rebuild the engine delivery from across the globe was faster than
repaired with great effort. Just to complicate in the time it has been out of these pages. It from a warehouse in Europe, but the site has
things, the barrels got a fin broken off, and the took weeks to do, as every time they tried to suddenly stopped selling any genuine Kawa
do a job, they’d discover something minor that parts. Given they were selling parts cheaper
Clocks and ‘bars and switchgear look very tidy with more efficient service, you might imagine
Moriwaki plugs for the frame. Yeah, and why not? Kawasaki’s global importers got the hump and
stopped it….
That held the chassis rebuild up, as the heavy
motor is best fitted into a bare frame with the
top end off, before dropping on the cylinders
and head in situ. Getting the motor sealed-up
has allowed the build to leap forward, and the
old boy’s vision is becoming clearer.
It’s not a wild build in an engineering sense, but
well-chosen bolt-ons, some light fabrication,
98 Practical Sportsbikes
THE PAINT
SCHEME IS SECRET.
COULD LOOK GREAT,
COULD BE A DOG’S
DINNER. HE IS COLOUR
BLIND, AFTER ALL
and a careful choice of finishes and details Engine external finishes are a
is paying off. A Shabon Dama top yoke, a sight to see. Looks real good
Galespeed forged alloy front wheel, a Guzzi V7 Longer shocks needed, rear caliper too. But not very far away from completion. So we are told
neo-retro headlight and dinky billet indicators
from Japan make the stock forks look a hell of
a lot better, as does the satin black Cerakote
on the lowers. The bill for all that is less than a
third of what a set of right way up Öhlins forks
would rush you.
The rear end is slotted together for the first
time too – it’s a CB1300 swingarm tweaked
to suit by Simon Francis Services, and the
brushed finished reinstated by True Fusion in
Kent, with a clear Cerakote over the top for
protection and sheen.
The engine is now in, and the slight
guesswork of choosing the various finishes has
proved the correct choice: it hangs together
nicely. Getting the swingarm done properly
paid off too: a fancy version of a belt sander
(used for industrial finishing) did a far better
job than you’d achieve with an abrasive pad.
Talking of finishes, the wheels don’t match.
That’s coming a little later, when the bodywork
returns from paint, when he’ll choose either
a gold to match the front rim, or perhaps
something else, depending on how it all gels.
The colour scheme is still secret (for some
reason), other than we know he considered
various Japanese Zephyr restomods before
mixing his favourite designs and colours. Could
look great, could be a dog’s dinner. He is colour
blind, after all.
The rest of the bike is largely a matter of
remembering where the bits came from. A few
little touches are being added as he goes –
Moriwaki frame plugs, an oil catch can for the
main engine breather in lieu of the feed into
the absent airbox. So it goes...
Swarfega Jizer (rattle-can)
How long: one Laverda cleaning session
Cost: £6 a tin 3
Contact: scjp.com 10
I used a tin of this to clean the Laverda’s
sprocket carrier assembly and rear wheel
before it went for refinishing. Or, at least I
tried. Some of the clart was
caked on, granted, but the
spray didn’t do much on
lighter residue, even with
agitation. I switched back to
more modern products. It
smells horrible too.
When it’s on song, it’s The story so far...
so worth all the aggro
Man obsessed with TZs
keeps throwing pistons
and heads at it, or throws it
up the road. Now, at last, it
seems to be behaving itself
Action pictures: Matthew Siss, Chequered Flag Images
Bruce Dunn
2001 Yamaha TZ250
Exorcists hard at work again
Reliability demons lurking in race bike take time to flush out. But it seems all is hunky-dory
he next round of the National ACU the back of the grid because of the previous out with the engine, split the cases, new crank
250GP series at Donington was up DNF. I managed a ninth place. Still not happy and seals in. And we’d ruined another Yamaha
the weekend following my 105mph with the bike I decided to can the last race of the kit head.The only alternative was to use VHM
Snetterton crash. The frantic rush to try and day and head home. Less than a dozen racing heads.These are pretty good as you can
sort the bike out was a wasted effort; I wasn't fit laps all weekend – racing sucks sometimes. specify the exact volume and squish to suit,
enough, nothing broken, but I was just beaten up and because the combustion chambers are
from it. Forget Donington, the following round Back in the workshop for a full strip and separate they’re cheaper to replace.
at Pembrey in South Wales became the target. rebuild. For the second time this season, it's
Qualifying went OK (third row, with a new Nasty deposits on the outer crown. Too familiar
Bridgestone rear slick for the race so I could When his bike’s tip-top he can do the business
dig in straight from the start). But the bike went
onto one cylinder as the warm-up lap started.
Very odd. I pulled out of the race and checked
the spark plugs, because it felt like an oiled-up
plug. To my horror it was a smashed piston.
So, once more, me and my mate Roland set
about stripping the engine, cleaning up debris,
and fitting (yet more) new parts. On Sunday we
got out in the first race, and I had to start from
100 Practical Sportsbikes
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2022-09-01 Practical Sportsbikes
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