Practical Sportsbikes

Motorcycle Insurance

Efficiency in
motion

Find out how we can be your
Motorcycle Insurance provider.

The Carole Nash Difference

Our policies include as standard:

UK & European breakdown and accident recovery,
including Homestart (worth over £100 when
compared to other providers)

Up to £100,000 legal expenses cover in the event
of an accident which is not your fault

Salvage retention rights

Ask us about:

Agreed Value

Call now for your insurance quote

0333 005 6979

carolenash.com

UK opening hours: Mon - Fri 9am - 6pm, Sat 9am - 5pm, Sun Closed. Based on 7,455 reviews as of February 2021.
As with all insurances, terms and conditions apply. Carole Nash Insurance Consultants Ltd is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority,
firm reference no. 307243. Carole Nash is a trading style of Carole Nash Insurance Consultants Ltd, registered in England and Wales no. 2600841.

SPORTS TYRE TEST: SIX SETS RATED

2021’s best fast road tyres: don’t buy a set until you read this

Guide to the finest litre-bike steals:
160bhp, real-world grunt, and yours

for less than a scabby 350LC

JUNE 2021
£4.60 ISSUE 128
12 MAY - 8 JUNE

PLUS LAVERDA 1000 189,000-MILE Ultrasonic cleaning how-to
FORMULA SPECIAL TÉNÉRÉ 660 Ducati 996 gearing swap
Restore an FZR600
Wheezy parallel twin gets a Taking an old school traillie Lock-up clutches

hit of SV1000 power to the ends of the earth





JUNE 2021 ISSUE 128

12 PS WORLD FEATURES

8 NEWS 25 SPECIAL BREW: LAVERDA

Sorry, if it’s not all good, but we can’t just make it Take the woeful 688cc parallel twin out of a

up (like we do with the rest of the magazine) Formula, and insert a 1000cc V-twin, make

12 SPECIALS WE LIKE good, nice up the rest of it, and you have a
pretty, powerful special. Indeed you do

Yes, we like specials. And here be some of the 35 SELECTOR: SUPERBIKES
very finest in the world today, and tomorrow

16 PS MAIL The best of the Noughties litre bikes assessed
by none other than Mr James Moore, former

20 Artisan furniture gets totally out of control, editor of this organ, and now denizen of King’s

we’ve got coffee tables now. Yes, coffee tables Lynn, Norfolk. Norfolk and good. As they say

20 IN YOUR SHED 44 LANGEN

What you get up to in your shed is, of course, Yes, The Langen. It’s a brand new two-stroke.

entirely your own business... See what you make of it...

58 POSTER: ZX-10R

Old green motorbike with bits cut away so you

can see inside, how it works, and whatnot

25 BLACK MAGIC
Aussie ace builds the bike
that could have saved Laverda

4 Practical Sportsbikes

44 50 NEW TRIUMPH

Latest Speed Triple not great.

Sorry, but there you are

54 BATHAMS RACING

Alec takes the new BMW
M1000RR to pieces – and
very much likes what he sees

62 TYRE TEST

The latest sporty rubber
ridden, and rated by Old
Farmer Chris, and a bloke he
roped-in from the local pub.
You just can’t get the staff
these days

35

50

Practical Sportsbikes: BUY IT. FIX IT.
Time and money are
75 RESTORING A 94 360º GARAGE
utterly wasted on YAMAHA FZR600
anything else Duane and his big metal box
Readers, experts, and SS600
See page 60 Champ Paul Brookes, talk FZR 100 ON OUR BENCH

80 WHAT’S THE MG and two little singles, Old
PROBLEM? Farmer Chris and his 996, Gary
and his drag bike, The Fengineer
Loads of them this month... and his clever CRM-X

82 ULTRASONIC 110 FOR SALE
BATH TIME
Always worth a look. Mostly
Jim Moore on the dos and don’ts
of cleaning carbs. Pay attention 114 PROJECT
HUNTER
86 THE REAL
LONG-TERMERS Nu-G digs up stuff for less than a
grand, then buries it all again
Kevin Thomas and his trusty
189,000 mile XT/XTZ Ténéré 75

91 PROJECT ZX990
TURBO

Oh, god... not this again



SUBSCRIBE

TO GET YOUR FIX OF

PS EVERY MONTH

See page 60

ISSUE 128 JUNE 2021

I t’s good to be back out there. Out there, in the ongoing Project ZX990 saga every month, the
the obvious sense – out there, riding sod… I’d take him seriously, were he not the man
motorcycles for leisure, without it being (a) who took a whole year to remove a single fastener
cold and miserable, and (b) a lockdown from his RM370. Go on, back in your box…
where you’re not supposed to be tooling around
on motorcycles for kicks anyway. I’ve ridden my It’s nice to feel a little optimism again anyway,
old 996, the new SpeedTriple, and tested a bunch with bikes on the road and the decks cleared in
of tyres on your behalf too. Safe to say, I’m dialled the garage to crack the project bike once and for
in and the cobwebs blown away after that lot. all. If you’re not quite there, maybe there’ll be
something in here: whether it’s selecting new
But it’s also nice to be back out there – ‘there’ tyres for your bike, following Gary’s tips for a top
being the garage, a luxury I’ve not had much time home ultrasonic carb clean, or maybe treating
to indulge myself in since last summer for various yourself to one of the litre bikes from this month’s
reasons, to the constant derision of one Mark guide. Enjoy the issue.
Graham, who chuckles to himself captioning up Chris Newbigging, Editor

Old Farmer Chris has somehow found his
way to a runway – and can’t bear to look

Seriously out there

Let loose solo and unaccompanied. Mercy...

Damian Smith Art Editor Alan Seeley Technical Editor Contributors this month
Damo made noises about going out to Old Al has been out and about on his
buy himself a bike. It didn’t happen, so he Fazer: nothing drastically exciting, just Jim Moore
threatened to just put the Thundercat the simple charm of riding a simple Big J made himself very useful this
on the road (hasn’t happened, either). motorcycle, for a simple mind. Simple. month: not only did he spend a fair chunk
of time digging up essential knowledge
[email protected] [email protected] about litre superbikes from the class at
its competitive peak (2005), he also
Mark Graham Production Editor Gary Hurd Workshop Consultant found the time to coerce a lightly-singed
MG is our most out-there employee, Nu-G’s ‘out there’ was outside the garage, Gary into demonstrating proper use of an ultrasonic
ever. So far out, we’ve no idea exactly emerging from a cloud of extinguisher cleaner, rather than simply hoying a bank of carbs in, and
where ‘there’ is. Probably just as well, the dust, after a set of leaky flatslides hoping for the best, as some might do. Good man.
truth is likely to be mind-boggling. started a garage fire. No harm done.
Practical Sportsbikes 7
[email protected] [email protected]

facebook.com/groups/practicalsportsbikes [email protected]

Jim Lindsay – a top man
of many appetites

Words: Chris Newbigging
& Mark Graham

Jim Lindsay 1954-2021

Motorcycle magazine mover, and irrepressible two-wheel fanatic, is no more

t is with sadness we report huge appetite for life, and his unquenchable
the death of Jim Lindsay, who enthusiasm for anything with two-wheels.
died of cancer last month, aged
66. Jim wrote for PS, but way Aside from his skills with the spanners, Jim
before his contributions to this was also a computer king. He was an early
magazine, he was instrumental in the launch adopter of all things Apple Mac, and set up
of Performance Bikes, when it successfully Macmasters, a successful systems installation
morphed from Motorcycle Mechanics. He was business in 1990. And it’s going strong today,
also editor of Motor Cycle News in the late with daughter Jo now in charge.
Eighties, before becoming publisher of PB, and
other EMAP titles (as they then were). So much He was as genuine a motorcycle man as he
for the CV. was friend to many. He leaves wife Margaret,
Jim should be remembered chiefly for his and children Dan, Jo, Sophie, Maddie and Alice
– respects to you all. The funeral was held at
Peterborough Crematorium 30 April. RIP Jim.

Monster book of Monsters

PSPB contributor/old road test hand Alan Cathcart has
written an exhaustive tome about the Ducati Monster from
origins to the present day. It’s a hardback, and 140 pages
of paper thicker than Damian, even. At £51 (posted) it’s
one for dedicated Ducatisti, but Alan’s access and
knowledge of the Italian bike industry is unrivalled;
it’ll be a good ‘un. It’s available in English or Italian.
See: https://www.motoitaliane.it/en/books/

8 Practical Sportsbikes

Yamaha commercial ’leccy motor.
How often do you change the oil?

Triumph and Yamaha
plan electric lumps

I t’s not going away, is it? This they’ll wheel out something
month, Triumph announced from their own stable with it
they’re working with Williams too. Again, they make claims of
to adapt washing-machine motors power density, blah, efficiency,
(we think, we didn’t read it that yawn etc. Just give us a bike, and
closely in all honesty) for a bike, we’ll see how fast/far it goes,
that’s a bit like a Speed Triple, and if we like riding it. Thanks.
minus the triple bit. TE-1 they
call it. They make claims for the
battery being lighter, longer
lasting, all the usual guff.

Mean while in Iwata, Yamaha are
a step ahead and offering electric
motors on a commercial basis for
all manner of vehicles – from bikes
to cars. They’re inviting outsiders
to cough up for their parts and
expertise. You’d have to think

Promises, promises...

Last month we said that Guy Martin’s Hayabusa would appear in this
issue: it hasn’t, sorry. With Covid stuff easing, the telly lot have grabbed
him, and he’s been too busy to do much with the bike and us. We’ll get him
soon, promise.

New GSX-S thou’ GSX-S is now apparently fatter in the midrange,
putting it on a par with the rest of us post-lockdown
T here’s an updated motor that needed to be cleaner,
GSX-S1000. If you so the valve overlap has been Gordon Bennetts! It
haven’t been paying reduced, fattening the midrange could be you, yes you
attention, that’s Suzuki’s (it was a bit top-endy before)
supernaked, at the cheaper/more without too much impact up top.
road-oriented end of things, but
still perfectly adequate. And It’s also ride-by-wire now, where
that’s been the problem: it’s before it had cable-actuated
competent, good value but with a throttles, which just doesn’t cut
few niggles, and little sparkle. it when you try to balance clean-
burn with nice response: it was
The new ’un looks like it could snatchy and horrid. With that,
have made a better fist of it – comes new rider aids, and it’s
still the same frame, the same had a general spruce-up – funkier
GSX-R1000 K5-8 derived mill, styling, a better shock and some
but with some updates we reckon other frills. No word on whether
will make it better to ride. the faired version, or Katana
which shares the running gear,
Unusually, Euro 5 can be will be updated too.
thanked for that: it’s an old-ish

Blag a go on Brookes’ BSB Ducati

Insurance gadges Bennetts would like to prove they’re not a
heartless mega-corp only bent on taking your premium, by offering
one lucky punter a go on Josh Brookes’ BSB-winning Panigale V4
RS. You need to be a Bennetts Rewards customer – either buy
insurance, or pay £36/year for the various other benefits touted.
Only then will you get an opportunity to enter, and a panel will judge
who’s best suited to riding a 230bhp race bike (without tossing it at
the Recticel, ideally). See: bennetts.co.uk/BSB

10 Practical Sportsbikes



we like

From way out Tokyo way, the biggest of big fours in an HB stylee

Paint doesn’t make it look any less big.
Bigger, in fact. Big on bigness

YOSHIHITO YAMASHITA and ’rods, as well as a blueprint throughout. Dog leg exhaust
At the top end he’s installed Yoshimura ST-1 hanger works well
SUZUKI GSX1400 cams, lightened cam sprockets, DLC (diamond (below). But not
like carbon) coated Falcon gudgeon pins, plus entirely sure about
Some people have just got it when it comes to polished/reshaped ports and combustion the blue disc carriers
visualising and executing an outstanding update chambers for 10.3:1 compression. All that (bottom)
of an already saucy model. Yoshihito Yamashita equates to 145bhp and a tarmac twisting
from Koganei City, Tokyo, is one such visionary. 105lb.ft at the wheel.
He doesn’t own a specials shop or a bike building
empire. No, Yoshihito-san is just a bloke with FUELING AND EXHAUST
a passion for his GSX1400 whose subtle and Mixture is fed into the motor via the
beautifully executed upgrades have elevated his original fuel-injection system, but the secondary
Suzuki to a level way beyond that of the stock butterfly valves have been removed for the
bike – and above many pro-built specials. greater flow demanded by the head work.
Yoshihito has remapped the ECU to smooth out
Obviously, and quite rightly, his 1400’s any jerkiness removing the secondary valves
chassis is home to high end engineering and would have caused. A titanium ‘Baby Face’ four-
top shelf parts, and the motor’s had a healthy into-one system provides spent gases with the
injection of extra grunt too (we’ll come to that), quickest, most efficient route out of the motor,
but Yoshihito-san’s decision to reference the as well as removing several kilos from the bike’s
criminally under represented HB colours from overall mass.
Suzuki’s early ’80s GP and TT-F1 racing exploits
is nothing short of inspired. Who knew an CHASSIS
ancient, loud fag packet scheme could work so This isn’t an open cheque book build; it’s
well on a big retro? been created to ride and enjoy, so Yoshihito has
chosen upgrades that’ll offer the most benefit
ENGINE per Yen spent. Unsprung weight is drastically
Yoshihito-san wanted more grunt from reduced and steering quickened thanks to eight-
the already brawny 1400, but without losing the spoke Galespeed Type-E road spec wheels,
bike’s easily accessible drive. The bottom end has Sunstar floating discs and Brembo calipers and
been treated to a dynamically balanced crank Öhlins piggyback shocks.

12 Practical Sportsbikes

That engine has had a lot of
love and devotion: balancing,

blueprinting, matched
combustion chamber

volumes, the lot

The hills are alive with the sound of a very big four

Practical Sportsbikes 13

we like ...and a PS reader is hard to please

This has got so much going for it, MOTO RELIC
not least the pinstriping in
all the right places YAMAHA XT500

Gnarly is the adjective that best
describes this XT500 special built
by Moto Relic’s gaffer Sean Skinner.
From every angle this pumped-up
trailie, based around a 1977 XT,
exudes a single-minded purpose akin
to Yamaha’s own HL500 ’crosser
– and that’s a massive part of its
appeal. So too is the attention to
detail (check out the scalloped fuel
tank that allows the YZ250 forks
to swing lock to lock), the lustrous
factory-esque silver hue, and the
neatly routed underseat pipes.
1970s trail enthusiasts may also
clock the Suzuki PE250 swingarm
holding the twin chunky Ikon shocks
in place. Yup, gnarly gets our vote.

Single-sided
swingarm with a wire-

spoked wheel
somehow looks even

tricker than with a
cast item

XTR PEPO/MAX BOXER

BMW R80 XTR

The mods made to this once mundane
R80 ST leave so little of the stock
bike left untouched its origins are
now meaningless. Frenchman Pepo
Rosell joined forces with Spanish
BMW specialists Max Boxer to create
what is perhaps the sportiest R80 in
existence. Only now it’s an R100 with
a bigger motor, blue-printed, balanced
and gas-flowed, and fitted with larger
valves, lighter, high-comp pistons and
40mm Dell’Ortos. The chassis is where
it’s really at though, bringing together a
Guzzi tank, one-off XTR fairing, TZ seat,
and Ducati Sport Classic wheels and
forks. A boxer truly fit for the fight.

14 Practical Sportsbikes



Write a letter to The PS and if it's Star
Letter material you win a full year's
subscription to the very same. Aye

Always meet other on track – and that oh-so- Revvin' Kevin (right), top rider, good sport, one
your heroes last-gasp final lap in the 1991 German Grand of the all-time good old boys
Prix when Kevin overtook Wayne virtually on
W hilst pottering about in lockdown the line at The Hockenheimring to win. This month’s Star Letter
I came across this picture of me Such a memorable performance – if only The wins a year's subscription to
meeting that great Texan rider and Saddlers could be so inspired.
1993 World 500cc Champion Kevin Schwantz Mark Dabbs, Walsall The PS. Next month's too,
– oh, and let’s not forget the marvellous Walsall unless there's a new deal
FC scarf. Yes, let’s have more reader selfies with the
greats, or even the not-so-greats, please – MG
Who of your readers can forget his epic
jousts with Wayne Rainey? Which sometimes
saw them coming into hard contact with each

Split 'cases and spilt innards Some Suzukis, in the "correct" colour ways Home furnishings

Wondering what’s happened to MG’s Rights and wrongs The man is clearly delusional. Here are some engine
XL250? [It’s in this issue on page 100] Everybody knows the colour coffee tables that I’ve
I’ve just read the article about of a Suzuki should be blue. If been working on this past
Here’s where mine’s at. Well, I think this is Kris Dwornik’s long-termer you need any proof, here it is. year and a bit. I get an
progress… the only trouble was, when you GSX-R750 in the April issue. Pete Sims old bike engine, strip and
split the crankcases the top one is meant to In it, he states the only colour refinish it, and put it in a
lift off, leaving the gubbins in the bottom. for a Suzuki is red. custom steel frame with
What actually happened was it all stuck in a glass table top. A couple
the top then fell to bits all over the bench. are nearly ready, and I have
a few others on the go.
‘Oh dear’ I think I said. Took all afternoon
yesterday to put it back together Then you It’s a variation on the V8
find the idler gear for the tacho drive can engine tables that seem to
only be put in BEFORE the crankshaft, so it be popular, but there’s a lot
all had to come out again. See it lying on the more work going into mine.
bench bottom right in the top picture. Colin McGlinchey

It’s slowly coming together. Mmmm... They’re not
Neil Hay, IOM really clocks though, are
they Colin? – MG

Separated at birth...

Has anyone noticed the striking similarities
between Gogglebox star Stephen Webb (left)

and Fengineer Simon Lee (right)?
Simon Barnes

16 Practical Sportsbikes

PSPB social club Follow us on instagram:
Practical_sportsbikes

In a museum in Tas, Oz, genuine Bikes and goings-on from our Facebook group
NW6A, ex-Mal Campbell

Remember Mal Campbell Apparently he won 19/21 races Rees Lambo Laming Simon Turner
on it, although he missed winning Classic bike ownership Early 1996 Suzuki
G’day PS, I read with interest the the ASBK title by one point due to summarised in a single GSX-R750T SRAD restoration
feature on the Merkel replica the absent round. photograph. nearly finished.
VFR750F. A genuine 1987 NW6A
VFR resides here in Australia, in a Later that year Honda sent two Tom Warner Colin Robson
museum in Tasmania. NR750s to Oz to race in the end OW01 finally back My RF900 might not
This particular bike was first of season Swann Series. together, and is good to go. appeal to the purists and it’s
raced by Wayne Gardner in a gone through some changes
200km race in Japan in early I saw them race at Sydney’s over the years, but it’s the only
1987, where he used it to hose Oran Park and the sound was bike I'd never sell.
a field of factory F1 bikes. It something else, like RC30s turned
was then sent to Australia to be up to eleven. Luke Gorman
raced by Team Honda’s lead rider Out on the strokers.
Malcolm Campbell. I’ve included some shots of the
VFR, plus one photo I could find of
This was a thank you to Campbell on the NR.
Campbell from Honda as he Simon Heggie, Down Under
missed a round of the Australian
Superbike Championship to ride
the NR750 at the Le Mans 24hr,
at Honda’s request.

In local competition Campbell
was basically unbeatable on
the factory VFR, despite strong
Yamaha and Kawasaki opposition.

Rocky (letter left)
makes a decent

point, and makes it
very well. We'd

like to know who
'Hotshots from the

shire' are, though

Stuart Melhuish Paul Davies
So, a little maintenance Made some progress on the
ended up expensive with 6/8 big project, a GPz550 bored out
pistons seized. to 615cc, engine is going in a GT
frame.

facebook.com/groups/practicalsportsbikes

Send your pics, and story to: [email protected] for possible inclusion in
the mag, at MG's discretion. If you wish to bribe your way in to this pages, be sure
to mail him a tin of surströmming. He loves, despite the cost to his social life.

Practical Sportsbikes 17





Part way through a restoration?
Just completed a trick special?
Send us your pics, and details

To: [email protected]. Please include clear, high-resolution pictures as well
some info on bike, as you see below. Our fave submission wins a prize

Honda CBR600F A ‘tidy up’ led to a four-year
full resto for Steve Clarke
Builder: Steve Clarke
Owned for: six years Transitioned from turd to
So far: fully restored track-ready tearaway
What’s next: a nicer exhaust
A new lease of life for an XJ and its
I‘ve owned my CBR600F for the last six years, after owner – 13, the number of renewal
buying it on eBay unsighted. I had one brand-new
back in the day, and had so many great memories, so
I had to have another. I did try to find my original one
but unfortunately it now seems to be off the road
(H67 HDY). If it’s lurking in your shed...

I thought it would just need a bit of a tidy up, but on
closer inspection it was crying out for a bit more so
I bit the bullet and went head first into my first rebuild.
It took me just over four years to strip and rebuild it
to what you see now. The only thing I want to change is
the exhaust. I won’t get the money back that I spent on
it, but that’s not the point.

Kawasaki ZX-6R G2

Owner: Matt Goodfield
Owned for: four months
So far: finished build, track only
What’s next: a few UK track days, maybe a race...

You can’t polish a turd, but you can spend too much
time and money on one. I’ve been inspired by PS,
and I wanted to build a pre-2000 track bike. I bought
this hound of a ’99 ZX-6R for £950.

It now has an Öhlins rear shock; full K-Tech fork
internals; rebuilt GSX-R SRAD four-pot front brakes
with Brembo mastercylinder; stock motor with K&N
air filter and 4° ignition advancer; and Harris rearsets
and exhaust hanger. The colour scheme is a nod to
my favourite ZX-7RR colours – the fairings are ropey,
scraped and old but look OK for the track now they’re
painted. Now it’s time to ride.

Yamaha XJ600

Owner: Matthew Hiscox
Owned for: five years
So far: saved my life and consumed my time
What’s next: finishing touches, life out of lockdown

Ipicked this up cheap: a £600 blind bid on eBay, you
know how it goes on a rainy day. On collection it was
running but you can tell it had issues including twisted
forks and awful brakes, but nonetheless I rode it back.

When pitted against friends on a GSX-R600, gen-
one ZX-6R and a gen-two ZX-6R, I couldn’t believe how
well it stood its ground.

After a stage of being unhappy in my job I quit and
secured a four-day-a-week job, allowing me to have
a build day. It’s kept me sane. It’s eye-opening how
good an old XJ can be. If you get the chance to own
one at a silly price, take the plunge.

20 Practical Sportsbikes

Back in black, stealthy
and almost healthy

Bike Of The Month Refreshed, refurbed and immaculate from
every angle, only carb niggles keep the SRAD
Suzuki GSX-R600 from perfection. Stick with it, Chris. You’re
almost there
Owner: Chris Mason
Owned for: 11 years Practical Sportsbikes 21
So far: rescued and rebuilt

It’s been 18 years since she ran right,
but this neglected SRAD is perilously
close to being back in the game

Ihave an ongoing project, this restomod of a
‘98 600 SRAD. I’ve had her for 11 years after
rescuing her from a friend (who had her under
a tarp in his garden for seven years )

Like all projects, life got in the way, so after
having the frame and swingarm powdercoated
and collecting a few parts to fit, the job stalled
for nine years.

The first Covid-19 pandemic lockdown
offered me a chance to restart, which I did with
renewed vigour, the project went on at a pace,
parts were ordered and fitted, and old stuff
cleaned and painted.

I kept a Facebook page all about the build and
an Instagram feed too ( see Project SRAD on
both). I’ve built up a following and have had some
great advice from them and the pages of PS.

It has HEL radial brakes, master cylinder and
clutch lever, forks from a GSX-R1000 K5, a YSS
shock, Gilles rearsets and a GPR silencer, lots of
stainless fasteners and so on.

It wouldn’t run without choke to begin with –
it’s running and riding now, though it’s still not
100% so I’ll have to look at them again.

This month’s bike of the
month wins a year's
subscription to

The PS. Next month's too,
unless there's a new deal

Suzuki GSX-R750WP Rob swapped a rebuilt KE (below) for
this GSX-R750. Fair trade? Think so
Owner: Rob Monk
Owned for: three months
So far: full service and caliper rebuild
What’s next: front fork rebuild

Ithought you may be interested in the The wheels have been badly-painted and I Mechanical access easier with bodywork off
latest addition to my garage. A 1993 think they should be red. They’ll go for powder
GSX-R750WP which I’ve had for just a few coating. The bodywork is all in good order,
weeks. I swapped a 1978 Kawasaki KE175 there were a couple of bits of trim missing but
for it which my 12 year-old son and I had they have been easy to replace.
completely rebuilt.

The swap was pretty much a textbook
example of how not to buy a bike, bought
on the merit of VERY flattering photos, the
swap completed at night, in the rain so
I couldn’t really see what I had taken on until
the morning. That said, it did start without
too much encouragement and it had six
months MoT, so how bad could it be?

My plan was to give it a bit of a tidy and
get out on the road with it. However, with
spare time on my hands I soon found myself
with the tank off and checking the valve
clearances and camchain tension; both OK.
I soon learned that the difference between
working on a twin-shock trail bike and a
modernish sportsbike is the complete
lack of accessibility. Flushing the coolant
required the petrol tank to be emptied
and removed as the radiator cap is hidden
underneath it. I had to do that six times
before the chocolate river that was the
coolant finally ran clear and fresh coolant
could be added. I’m currently midway
through rebuilding the calipers, of which
only half of the pistons in each caliper were
moving freely. I’ll probably replace the front
discs too. I think fork oil replacement will be
in order as well.

Kawasaki ZRX1200R Is that a Summer House we see in the
background? Nice shade of blue. Nice
Owner: Scott Taylor
Owned for: four years
So far: made it the bike I wanted
What’s next: Summer muscle bike fun

H ere’s some pics of my ZRX. I bought it four
years ago – I wanted something a bit more
road based as my knees don’t fit round my ears
anymore. I spotted this for sale, built in the
style of a streetfighter – flat bars, seat up in
the air, enduro headlight and so on. It had the
front and rear ends from a ZZ-R1400 fitted
but needed sorting as the rear alignment was
way out and all wheel and head bearings were
shot, which made for an interesting ride.

I’ve done a complete nut-and-bolt rebuild,
blasted and delugged the frame, then I fitted
a ZX-7R seat and tail unit. It has a Dunstall-
style nose fairing. Virtually every part has
been changed or made/welded by myself. BDK
Racing set it up, and it’s making 145 bhp at the
wheel. It goes stops and handles like a muscle
bike should.

22 Practical Sportsbikes



Vehicle We supply a
Wiring comprehensive
range of wiring
products for repair,
modification or
complete rewire to
your classic bike

CATALFORGEUEE Visit our website, phone or email for a
free catalogue

www.vehicleproducts.co.uk

Tel: 0115 9305454 Email: [email protected]

Vehicle Wiring Products, 9 Buxton Court, Manners Ind.Est.,
Ilkeston, Derbyshire DE7 8EF

since 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]

IN ASSOCIATION WITH

YOUR BIKES, YOUR WAY

WINNING
FORMULA

Laverda’s last ditch Formula 668 from the mid-
1990s was a very capable chassis simply crying
out for a decent engine. And it’s found one, at last

Words: Alan Seeley | Pictures: Half Light Photographic

On a paddock stand – in a paddock.
An actual paddock. Grass, and that

Practical Sportsbikes 25

YOUR BIKES, YOUR WAY

Left to right: In business since 1873 – but
not any more. That’s what you call a snout.
It’s a high-spec front end. You might want to
contact Alpha Design (that’s Chris and mates)
if you need some quality work done on a
special in New South Wales, Australia

It’s entirely possible a Suzuki-powered bike like this might have saved Laverda

L averda’s Zane-built creations Chris’s Formula 668 was a little tatty and
(1992-2000) are niche had running issues. Still in the UK at this
motorcycles. Specials built point, he found a useful local ally in the
using them as a base are shape of specialist MikeWaugh of
another notch still on the dial Montydons. “Mike set up the fuelling for me
marked ‘esoteric’. and sold me some spares to keep it going,”
Chris Hall, aYorkshireman who’s been says the 52-year-old mechanical engineer
living inAustralia since 2009, describes how and CAD specialist. “This is the best-
he started on the path of Laverda ownership handling bike I ever owned and I love the
and eventual extensive modification: “I’d sat looks, but I still can’t understand why
on one at the NEC Show around 1997 and Laverda went to so much trouble to build a
felt drawn to the bike.At that point the only great looking and handling bike around an
Laverda I had any clue about was the mighty old clunker of an air-cooled parallel twin
Jota from the 1970s. I knew nothing about motor. Ever since I bought the Formula back
the Zane bikes. But when this 1998 Laverda in 2007 I thought it could use a little more in
Formula popped up on eBay a decade later the engine department.The final straw was
(and at a bargain price) I decided to have it. when a mate said that it with its 180-degree
It was one of only 200 built in black with firing order it sounded like a lawnmower. I
upgraded engine mapping and some carbon couldn’t hear it any other way after that.”
fibre body panels.”
Things once heard that can’t be unheard.
Zane: an amalgamation of Breganze (where Lavs As well as that, Chris found it increasingly
were built) and Zanini (backer that took over in ’92) challenging to source parts and keep the
Formula running right after his move to
Australia in 2009. “I reckoned that given the
bike’s handling abilities it would be worth
trying to transplant a better engine into it.As
well as more power I could have something
more reliable and easier to get parts for.
Because the Formula Mirage is a parallel
twin, theYamahaTRX orTDM engines
looked like possibilities,” says Chris.

However presumably to ensure he got
away from any suggestion of the
‘lawnmower’ tag, he decided to look at
V-twins. “I’m a long-time fan of the Ducati
916 and SP-1,” says Chris. “Maybe I had
some notion of building a poor man’s 916.”

26 Practical Sportsbikes

Practical Sportsbikes 27

1 Irregular-hexagonal Chris got on good terms with a local bike
Suzuki dash neatly breaker who allowed him to wander the
shelves, holding a tape measure up to likely
masked behind a carbon

panel in the Lav’s cockpit

looking lumps. Many were considered and

2 Suzuki swingarm and rejected, such as a Honda Firestorm engine,
linkage was lifted no use because it is designed to have its
swingarm pivot off the back of its crankcases
wholesale and grafted onto

the Laverda lowers

rather than the frame. “After much searching

1 3 Swingarm also and measuring of prospective donor engines
received some I decided upon the Suzuki SV1000S – by all

substantial, but very finely

wrought, bracing. Wheel is accounts a strong and reliable lump, and
Honda FireStorm
narrow enough to fit between the Laverda

4 Rear subframe was frame tubes. Plus, I knew it would sound
heavily reworked, but much better,” says Chris. “I had set my own
challenge – replace a 668cc parallel twin
only a Zane Laverda Golden with a 996ccV-twin without compromising

Anorak award-winner

would ever spot it

any of the bike’s best traits, and keep within

the confines of the original bodywork.”

Having ended his student days with an

honours degree in automotive engineering,

Chris was perhaps less daunted by the

transplant than others might have been.

Included in the deal for the Suzuki engine

was a written off frame.This allowed Chris

to copy the shape and dimensions of the

2 SPECIFICATION Suzuki engine mounts, to replicate suitable
components to fit the Laverda frame.
LAVERDA
FORMULA 1000 “The original Laverda rear frame
crossmember and shock mounting was
ENGINE removed, since it was exactly where the SV

Suzuki SV1000S. SV rear cylinder needed to be,” says Chris. “I
loom. SV headers fabricated a whole new frame crossmember
with bespoke link and mounting brackets for the SV1000 rear
pipes to reworked suspension linkage.The SV1000S swingarm
Laverda end-cans. with standard bearings and suspension
Modified fuel tank linkage were fitted into the Laverda frame
and airbox.

CHASSIS using bespoke spacers.”
Chris’s friend Brian Carter found himself
Laverda Formula
frame with bespoke milling the engine mounts and another mate
mounts welded on to Brett Rostirolla took care of TIG work, and

take Suzuki also added some bracing to the swingarm for

SV1000S engine. cosmetic purposes. Between them Brett and

3 Redesigned mounts Brian would make a great many spacers,
for SV swingarm, brackets and so forth for the project.
which is also braced.
The rearward protruding pot also invades
Custom shock and

linkage mounts. WP the space where the fuel tank resides. Chris

shock. Strengthened had Brett rework the tank to make room

and lightened while retaining the fuel cell’s capacity by
subframe. Honda adding a section in where the now-
FireStorm rear wheel redundant (and massive) Laverda ECU was
and disc with custom

bracket to take previously. Brett also made a new baseplate

Brembo caliper. to weld into the bottom of the tank for the

Original WP usd forks SV fuel pump. Chris used the SV loom and
and Brembo front ECU as well as the clocks, although he did
brakes. SV clocks. modify and retain the Laverda ignition
Reworked fairing and

tail unit. Stock barrel.The SV sidestand switch was deleted

rearsets lightened, and bypassed as it was deemed too big and

Yamaha pegs. Pillion clunky and would have been hard to hide.

IN ASSOCIATION WITH pegs modified for The ECU and relays live on a bracket
wider SV swingarm.
designed by Chris beneath the airbox cover.
4 Grab rail deleted.
As for the exhaust system, stock SV

Those knee grips do a great job of breaking up the YOUR BIKES, YOUR WAY
matt black mass of the tank. Work well
TAKE CHRIS’S ADVICE

1. Do lots of research before
committing to buying donor parts
or going down a certain route with
your design, since you can spend a
lot of time and money before you
realise that it’s not going to work.

2.Take your time to find the best
people to provide you with expert
services and advice that you can’t
provide yourself unless you’re Allen
Millyard (absolute genius), in which
case you can do everything yourself.

3. Be realistic about how much you
want to spend and how long it’s
going to take you – if you want to
make a proper job of it, then just like
Grand Designs, it will take three
times as long, and cost three times
as much as you thought.

4. Be prepared for setbacks and
move on in another direction until
you’re happy with the result,
otherwise you’ll never finish.

headers are connected by bespoke link pipes would run on standard mapping,” says Chris. ECU for optimal fuelling and performance
– another Brett job – to eviscerated Laverda So after we photographed the bike, Chris with the current system configuration,
cans giving the big twin plenty of bark, and resulting in a max power and torque of
the free flow it requires. took it for a dyno session with tuning expert 109bhp and 67lb.ft. Pretty much standard
Harley Borkowski at RB Racing in Sydney. for an off-the-shelf SV1000S, but a 68%
The SV airbox was one of the trickier “This initially confirmed it was running power upgrade on the old Laverda 668cc
issues. “I had to chamfer the front bottom slightly rich.A second run without the top of parallel twin at 65bhp and 44lb.ft.”
corners of the bottom section of the airbox the airbox confirmed it would benefit from
to clear the frame spars, and I had to move additional air inlets,” says Chris. “In The holes in the sides of the airbox were
the intake snorkel from the front to the rear. anticipation of this I had brought some tools visible through the grilles in the Laverda
I also had to reduce the volume of the top and so I was able to cut some holes in the airbox cover so Chris has now modelled
section to clear the Laverda airbox cover. I sides of the airbox top with the help of a some downturned bellmouth/snorkel ducts
wasn’t sure how the mods may have affected cardboard template that I had made the in CAD and had them 3D printed inABS for
the dynamics of the inlet, and also running previous day.With the newly modified better aesthetics and to keep moisture out.
modified exhausts may have affected how it airbox top fitted, Harley could remap the
The SV engine forced another significant

Cutting and shutting fuel tank, and rejigging airbox eventually achieved a fit Tightly packed, as all V-twins tend to be. It’ll be hot as hell in there at full gas
Practical Sportsbikes 29

YOUR BIKES, YOUR WAY

“CHRIS’S ONE NIGGLING DOUBTWAS THAT strengthened where it counts, and the tail
HE MIGHT COMPROMISE THE LAVERDA’S unit itself has been reworked for smoother
lines without deep screwhole recesses, and
BEST ATTRIBUTE – ITS HANDLING” the pillion grabrail deleted. Chris had the
paint done byAndrew and MartyAsh atAA
mod.The Suzuki’s final drive chain is on the major mods pretty much within the confines Panelcraft, including the frame and wheels.
left where the Lav dressed to the right.The of the original fairing and it had to be
original rear Marchesini wheel would have relieved only slightly where the lowers meet Throughout the process, Chris had just one
looked wrong when flipped but Chris had the crankcases.There’s even room for a niggling doubt.That was that he might
noted that a Honda Firestorm wheel looked tailor-made aluminium battery box in the compromise the Laverda’s best attribute – its
similar and was the same size while of course left of the fairing.This is just one place where handling. However at the end of the build
having its sprocket on the left. “I removed plentiful new and bespoke aluminium and process he has found that the Formula’s
the cast lettering from the Honda wheel and steel brackets are to be found.A bespoke virtues remain intact.
used filler to reshape the rim edge and it was fairing mounting bracket makes up for the
hard to tell it from the Marchesini,” says shortcoming of the original which barely Chris’s Laverda Formula 668 is a very
Chris. Friend Brian turned spacers for this supported the panels, as well as providing a different beast from the bike that left the
while Brett made a bespoke bracket to allow home for the liquid-cooled Suzuki’s radiator. Zane factory. It’s also a brilliant example of a
the Laverda’s original rear Brembo caliper to special whose initial appearance fools you
be used with the Honda disc. There’s loads more one-off goodness to be into thinking you’re looking at a stock bike
spied around the bike – lightened rearset with a few tasty mods.Then you get closer
At the front the originalWP forks remain, brackets, gear and brake levers, and an and realise you have a load of questions that
rebuilt and with the carbon mudguard electronically remote-controlled latch for the keep leading to even more questions. So
original to the bike dropped to hug the tyre pillion seat pad.Then there’s a bespoke good is the fit, quality and finish of the mods
a little closer.The original Brembo brakes are petrol filler catch tray/toolkit tray under the Chris has made to his Lav that the deviations
a virtue and were retained. bodywork. Chris’s friend Colin Hutchison is made from standard could be passed off as
a carbon fibre pro (carboncopies.au.com) factory – albeit a far more fastidious factory
Referring once more to his original ethos, and made the rear hugger, dash, underseat than any to be found in Italy – or indeed
Chris says: “I wanted it to look like the panel, number plate bracket (which also elsewhere in the mid-1990s.
original bike with some subtle external carries a combined tail light and indicator
mods, with all the major upgrades going on unit) and heel guards. Now that the bike is complete, Chris plans
where only the dedicated Zane Laverda to use it as a showcase for what he and his
enthusiast would be able to spot them.” The original subframe has been lightened specialist collaborators can achieve in bike
of extraneous material while being building. He hopes to build a new specials
True to that, Chris did manage to keep the business post-COVID.

Should be a shoe-in for Chris with his
ethos. Look out forAlpha Design (alpha-
design.com.au) and expect to see some
outstanding works.

The original was always cute with a disgrace of an
engine. And now it’s one very decent motorcycle

Emma Airey, Head of RH Insurance, advises on insuring a special like this Laverda SV1000S
““RH Insurance is happy to quote for modified bikes provided the owner is able to provide a copy of a current MoT
certificate and, if requested, (which would be the case with this Laverda SV1000S as it’s been modified by the
owner) an engineer’s report, plus photos. Because of its bespoke nature, RH considers requests for insurance on an
individual basis and we’re happy to discuss your unique requirements over the phone.”

Call 0333 043 3911 or visit rhsspecialistinsurance.co.uk

30 Practical Sportsbikes

Specialist vehicle
insurance from
people who share
your passion.

rhspecialistinsurance.co.uk

0330 912 0017

From iconic models to future classics –
we’ve been providing specialist vehicle
insurance for over 40 years.

RH2103/04
ΎdĞƌŵƐ ĂŶĚ ĐŽŶĚŝƟŽŶƐ ĂƉƉůLJ. Motorcycles must be registered prior to 2000 and must not be used as your everyday transport. Z, ŝƐ Ă ƚƌĂĚŝŶŐ ƐƚLJůĞ ŽĨ WůĂŶ ,ŽůĚŝŶŐƐ WůĂŶ
,ŽůĚŝŶŐƐ ŚĂƐ ŐƌĂŶƚĞĚ Ă ůŝĐĞŶĐĞ ƚŽ Z^ ^LJŶĚŝĐĂƚĞ ^ĞƌǀŝĐĞƐ >ŝŵŝƚĞĚ ƚŽ ƵƐĞ ƚŚĞ ďƌĂŶĚ ŶĂŵĞ Z, ƐƵďũĞĐƚ ƚŽ ƚŚĞ ƚĞƌŵƐ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ůŝĐĞŶĐĞ dŚĞ ŝŶƐƵƌĞƌ ŽŶ Ăůů Z, ƉŽůŝĐŝĞƐ ŝƐ ^LJŶĚŝĐĂƚĞ Ϯϭ
Ăƚ >ůŽLJĚ Ɛ ǁŚŝĐŚ ŝƐ ŵĂŶĂŐĞĚ ďLJ Z^ ^LJŶĚŝĐĂƚĞ DĂŶĂŐĞŵĞŶƚ >ŝŵŝƚĞĚ Z^ ^LJŶĚŝĐĂƚĞ ^ĞƌǀŝĐĞƐ >ŝŵŝƚĞĚ ŝƐ ĂŶ ƉƉŽŝŶƚĞĚ ZĞƉƌĞƐĞŶƚĂƟǀĞ ŽĨ Z^ ^LJŶĚŝĐĂƚĞ DĂŶĂŐĞŵĞŶƚ >ŝŵŝƚĞĚ
ǁŚŝĐŚ ŝƐ ĂƵƚŚŽƌŝƐĞĚ ďLJ ƚŚĞ WƌƵĚĞŶƟĂů ZĞŐƵůĂƟŽŶ ƵƚŚŽƌŝƚLJ ĂŶĚ ƌĞŐƵůĂƚĞĚ ďLJ ƚŚĞ WƌƵĚĞŶƟĂů ZĞŐƵůĂƟŽŶ ƵƚŚŽƌŝƚLJ ĂŶĚ &ŝŶĂŶĐŝĂů ŽŶĚƵĐƚ ƵƚŚŽƌŝƚLJ WůĂŶ ŝƐ ĂƵƚŚŽƌŝƐĞĚ ĂŶĚ
ƌĞŐƵůĂƚĞĚ ďLJ ƚŚĞ &ŝŶĂŶĐŝĂů ŽŶĚƵĐƚ ƵƚŚŽƌŝƚLJ ZĞŐŝƐƚĞƌĞĚ KĸĐĞ Ϯ ĞƐ ZŽĐŚĞƐ ^ƋƵĂƌĞ tŝƚŶĞLJ KyϮ ϰ> ZĞŐŝƐƚĞƌĞĚ ŝŶ ŶŐůĂŶĚ ZĞŐŝƐƚƌĂƟŽŶ EƵŵďĞƌ ϳϱϬϰ ϰ



Going... going... gone. If it’s
ass you wish to haul, look
no further than these

NOUGHTIES 1000s

Before electronic interference became the norm, these were the biggest, baddest
sportsbikes around. Which one of these litre beasts still has the most bite?

Words: Jim Moore | Pictures: Bauer archive

Y ou can’t buy a new visceral, hair-raising, and exciting race reps new – and only a select few can push them
superbike today ever produced. properly on track. So why pay £15K for a
that doesn’t have its current model when you can enjoy 90% of
performance filtered We’re talking about Kawasaki’s first the thrill for £10,000 less?
by micro-computers ZX-10R, Honda’s original CBR1000RR,
and algorithms.They’re Suzuki’s epic GSX-R1000K5/6, and That’s what older models, like this quartet,
amazing machines (obvs) but now so Yamaha’s reinvented high-pipedYZF-R1 offer.And more yet if you factor in the
powerful they need to be tamed by traction 5VY.While all four use electronics to operate added frisson of taming 150bhp unfettered
control, anti-wheelie,ABS and myriad their fuel-injection and mapping systems, by electronics.
other failsafes. making rapid progress is more down to rider
Back around 2004-’05, however, statement input than computer intervention. So, which is the most exciting?Which is
superbikes were still analogue – just, and easiest to ride fast?And which one is the
the last of that breed were some of the most The simple truth is that no one can get future classic to buy now while prices are at
near the limits of a big superbike on the their most tempting? Here’s PS’s pick of the
road, whether it’s 15 years old or brand best superbikes of the early 2000s.

Practical Sportsbikes 33

KAWASAKI Light, a bit flighty, and
with a savage power
ZX-10R C1
delivery. All good, then
K awasaki’s original ZX-10R is bad-
ass. Former PB tester Bruce Dunn
was right on the money in 2004
when he said, “It’s a hooligan’s
bike,” after first riding a 10R. It’s that
alright: all attitude, ferocious peaky power,
and analogue handling; intense in a way that
even the first CBR1000RR can never be.

The ZX’s unhinged reputation isn’t
hyperbole. Power delivery focusses on a
banzai top end rush; it really starts charging
from 8000 before rocketing onto peak
bhp at 11,700rpm.At the rear wheel that’s
148bhp – some way short of Kawasaki’s
175bhp claim, but that’s still a lot of horses
focused in a few thousand rpm for a bike
weighing a mere 170kg. It’s no coincidence
then that the ZX feels like a 600 with a
monster motor stuffed under its tank.

Bottom end torque is disappointing
for such a full-on powerplant, especially
compared to a GSX-R1000, and this lack of
instant low-down pickup can manifest itself
in jerky lowdown throttle response. But if
you’re after a ZX-10R you probably won’t
give two hoots about low-speed running,
you’ll want it precisely because of the bad
attitude and searing top end.The gearbox
isn’t as precise as it could be with rapid
clutch-less changes though.

Alarmingly, Kawasaki never bothered to
fit a steering damper as standard, despite
the bike’s light weight, sharp steering,
stumpy dimensions, and trigger throttle.The
handling has a narrower range of operation
than its rivals, too. On smooth surfaces and
race tracks this omission is not a problem
and the 10R will happily tear apart corners

“THE ZX FEELS LIKE A 600 WITH A MONSTER
MOTOR STUFFED UNDER ITS TANK”

PRICE GUIDE TIDY £3000-£4000 MINT £4200-£4600
Anything from a clean, lightly modded There are genuine minters out there. Blue
HOUND £2200-£2600 examples to high mileage (50K-plus) and green are the most desirable colours.
Rare, but they’re out there. Abused track stockers. Bolt-on tat is to be expected. Go as close to stock as you can. Only pay
bikes, crash damaged, or left to rot at the Pay less if none of the stock stuff comes top dollar for a modded minter if the OE
back of the shed – we’ve seen them all. with the bike. Parts worth having are a parts come with it. Finding an original rear
Check for frame cracking. Only worth quality steering damper and shock mudguard won’t be cheap or easy.
considering if you’re building a track tool.
Must be cheap though.

34 Practical Sportsbikes

SPECIFICATION Happiest on the THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW
KAWASAKI ZX-10R C1 smoother surface of a
track, much harder CRACKED PANELS: In a bid to
ENGINE work on the road save weight Kawasaki went a bit
Type liquid-cooled, dohc, 16v inline-four too thin on the bodywork plastic
which can crack if fasteners are
Capacity 998cc over-tightened or forced in before
Bore x stroke76 x 55mm panels are properly lined up.The
Compression ratio 12.7:1 tail plastics are notorious for this.
Fuelling digital Mikuni FI, Gently warming bodywork with a
43mm throttle bodies hot air gun before removal is good
practice. Cracked ram air ducts are
TRANSMISSION also a known issue.
Primary/final drive gear/chain

Clutch wet/multiplate
Gearbox 6-speed
CHASSIS

Frame aluminium beam frame
Front suspension 43mm usd forks, adj
preload, compression and rebound damping
Rear suspension Uni-Trak monoshock, adj
preload, compression and rebound damping
Front brake 2 x 300mm discs, 4-pot Tokico

radial-mounted calipers
Rear brake 220mm disc, 2-pot caliper

Wheels 6-spoke, cast aluminium
Front tyre 120/70 ZR17
Rear tyre190/50 ZR17
DIMENSIONS

Wheelbase 1389mm (54.6in)
Seat height 825mm (32.5in)
Dry weight 170kg (375lbs)
Fuel capacity 17 litres (3.73 gals)

PERFORMANCE
Power (claimed) 175bhp@11,700rpm
Torque (claimed) 84.8lb.ft@9500rpm

Top speed 176.25mph

like a shark in a feeding frenzy. But over GEARBOX: Doesn’t take kindly CORROSION: Even minor
rippled or uneven roads the possibility of to quickshifters – if you’re buying neglect can have a ZX looking
experiencing a trouser-filling slapper is a an ex-track bike or the owner does scruffy. Fasteners, exposed metal
distinct possibility. Light riders may also find lots of trackdays be wary. Check surfaces, footrest hangers – all
the damping harsh; this is less of an issue for the ’box works OK beforehand. the usual suspects. Once
those, like me, who never skip a meal. Even from new they were a little corrosion has taken hold it’s very
clunky and hesitant to shift up difficult to get the finish back to
Getting the 10R stopped is as easy as without the clutch. factory standard.
encouraging it to bust three-figure speeds.
The radial-mount four-potTokico calipers MODEL GUIDE WARPED DISCS: A known TYRES: All four bikes have an
offer immense power and feel as they issue according to our Medium G: old-fashioned 190/50 rear as
bite the wavy 300mm discs. Later 10Rs V 2004 ZX-10R C1H “It’s not just a ZX-10R issue, it’s a standard. A 190/55 offers a
got larger diameter rotors and a radial All new Kawasaki general Kawasaki problem if the sharper profile, making them
mastercylinder – caliper replacement and/or bikes we get through the more nimble, but also helping
bigger discs are an easy retrofit if you want. superbike. C models workshop are anything to go by.” keep a little weight forward,
referred to as ‘Gen 1’. Full Later 10Rs came with larger which can aid stability. Win-win.
Equipment is spartan, but that’s to be titanium exhaust with cat diameter discs which help heat
expected from a bike designed to be as light dissipation. CRACKING FRAMES: Beware
as possible.The faired-in indicators are a nice in silencer, claimed track bikes and previously
touch, the thin, easily cracked panels less so. 175bhp, no steering crashed examples. Frame welds
Fortunately, the mirrors offer a reasonable damper, radial-mounted can crack just above the cylinder
view of what’s behind – important on calipers, but no radial head if an impact is hard enough
something so rapid.You’ll either love or mastercylinder. Colours: – should be visible with a torch
loathe the all-in-one instrument binnacle. and without removing bodywork.
The digital speedo is easy enough to read at green, blue, black. Kawasaki say the issue is down to
speed, the LCD tacho less so. overtight adjustable motor
2005 ZX-10R C2H mounts. This puts extra pressure
Perhaps the biggest issue with a ZX-10R Final year of the visceral on the welds. If they’re tightened
C is finding one: (a) because they were Gen 1. Kawasaki made as per Kawasaki settings there
only sold for two years, and (b) owners love many very minor tweaks, shouldn’t be a problem.
them and tend to hold on to them precisely which included suspension
because they live up so completely to their damping, gear selector
billing. Few, if any, 1000cc sportsbikes are as mechanism and gearbox
pure and exciting as the first generation 10R. shafts. Colours: green,
There really is nothing else like it.
titanium, black

Practical Sportsbikes 35

Calm, composed, almost the complete
antithesis of the rabid ZX-10R

HONDA “AT TIMES YOU HAVE TO REMIND YOURSELF
YOU’RE ABOARD A PUKKA RACE REPLICA BECAUSE
CBR1000RR
FIREBLADE THE POWER IS SO ACCESSIBLE”

A fter years of gaining a few extra over with the ZX-10R.The CBR1000RR is Constantly reminding himself he’s on a race rep
cee-cees with every refresh longer, heavier (not by much, mind) and a
Honda’s Fireblade finally popped tad more spacious than its rivals; it packs
its litre cherry in 2004 as the a 1410mm wheelbase and 179 kilos (dry)
all-new CBR1000RR. Hanging back on compared to the stumpy 1389mm/170kg
capacity was no longer an option in the class, Kwak. Little surprise the Honda is a whole
even if weight was trimmed to a bare lot easier to use than the green bike.
minimum, because superbike rule changes
had made 1000cc the new premier race class. In fact, the CBR is a real pleasure to
ride.Although blisteringly quick (it makes
Winning races was important, obviously, 147bhp at the back wheel and 73.9lb.ft
and Honda certainly meant business – of grunt with one of the smoothest torque
HRC built several full-factory Blades for curves of the bunch), at times you have
the BSB and AMA championships, but the to remind yourself that you’re aboard a
CBR was first and foremost a road bike, pukka race rep because the power is so
a point that Kawasaki gleefully glossed accessible and not at all intimidating.A

PRICE GUIDE

HOUND £2000-£2500 TIDY £3000-£4000 MINT £4500-£4800

Likely to be a battered ex-track tool so unless you Plenty about with up to 40K on the clock. As the label suggests. Low mileage (under 5K
know the bike’s history, and you’re confident in the Aftermarket paintjobs may be hiding crash per year), lots of service history, stock colours,
previous owner, walk away. A tatty road bike is damage; a Repsol bike may not be an official minor bolt-on tinkering, and perhaps an uprated
likely to have been horribly neglected – again not a replica either; these were 2006 onwards – check shock/forks. If the mileage is low, make sure the
good start point for a 170mph superbike. the V5 and the quality of the paintjob. bike’s been stored somewhere warm and dry.
Genuine, mint Repsol reps are sought after.

36 Practical Sportsbikes

SPECIFICATION THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW Either this
HONDA CBR1000RR HRC-inspired paint
ALTERNATOR FAILURE: A BIG ENDS: Mr Gary Hurd has scheme, or a genuine
FIREBLADE known problem with ’04/’05 bikes. also rebuilt a few Fireblade factory Repsol job are
Honda America acknowledged the bottom ends. Long wheelies what you want
ENGINE issue, claiming low rpm riding starve the crank of oil and
Type liquid-cooled, dohc, 16v inline-four made the alternator overheat, eventually the big ends let go. MODEL GUIDE
causing the windings to short Check for rumbles.
Capacity 998cc circuit and, in the worst cases, burn V 2004 CBR1000RR
Bore x stroke 75 x 56.5mm out. If the battery won’t charge the FUEL PUMPS: As with the All new from the
Compression ratio 11.9:1 alternator could well be on the way GSX-R, Fireblade fuel pumps can
Fuelling PGM-DFSI electronic FI, 44mm out. Reg/rec units are also known succumb to the ravages of ground up, and built
to fail. ethanol rich unleaded. If you’ve with racing in mind as
throttle bodies got the time, remove, clean and well as the road. 998cc
TRANSMISSION ROCKER COVER GASKETS: A inspect the pump and its filter as
Primary/final drive gear/chain byproduct of alternator failure, part of your yearly schedule. motor, underseat
Clutch wet/multiplate Gearbox 6-speed according to Medium G. “I know it exhaust, chunky braced
sounds a bit mad, but we had a SPEEDO RECALL: The digital swingarm, RCVstyling
CHASSIS spate of these through the speedo was found to be and CBR6 style lights.
Frame aluminium beam workshop. Turns out that when the under-reading by 25%, which is
Front suspension 43mm usd forks, adj preload, alternator windings were burning more than enough to set off a Electronic steering
compression and rebound damping out, it let off a gas or fumes that speed camera. Check the bike’s damper. Colours: red/
Rear suspension Unit Pro-link monoshock, adj drifted up and contaminated the been recalled and sorted. As a
preload, compression and rebound damping gaskets. That led to failure.” You guide, they should read 18mph at white/blue, blue/
Front brake 2 x 320mm discs, 4-pot calipers heard it here first… 2000rpm in second gear. graphite
Rear brake 220mm disc, single-piston caliper
Wheels cast aluminium 3-spoke (hollow) RCV-style Arrow system is super-rare, but cool AF if you can find one 2005 CBR1000RR
Front tyre 120/70 x 17 Largely unchanged,
Rear tyre190/50 x 17 Colour and graphics
updates. Colours: red/
DIMENSIONS silver/silver, red/
Wheelbase 1410mm (55.5in)
Seat height 820mm (32.2in) graphite, black/
Dry weight 179kg (388lbs) graphite.
Fuel capacity 18 litres (3.95 gals)
2006 CBR1000RR
PERFORMANCE First substantial
Power (claimed) 172bhp@11,250rpm update. Sleeker
Torque (claimed) 84.8lb.ft@10,000rpm
plastics, larger front
Top speed 178.5mph discs (320mm up from

refined superbike without traction control 310mm), revised
– who’d have thought it? calipers, and

No matter the speed, the CBR flatters substantial work to the
rather than intimidates.There’s a poise and cylinder head to
sophistication to the ride. Some of that
stability and confidence is undoubtedly improve gas flow and
down to Honda’s remarkable electronic valve timing. Black
steering damper.You need to ride a Blade frame and swingarm.
fast down a bumpy road to appreciate what Colours: red/black,
an amazing piece of kit the damper is. black/white, black.

Make no mistake though, the Fireblade is 2007 CBR1000RR
no sports tourer or shrinking violet, it’s the Last of the underseat
full-on superbike with 176mph tucked up pipe models. Swingarm
its sleeve, but out of this bunch it’s the bike silver again. Repsol
you could live with every day.
replica added
Honda did a fine job designing and
building this Blade, from the beautifully
braced GP influenced swingarm, racy
underseat pipe, magnesium look radial
fork bottoms, neat comprehensive dash,
RC211V styling, and general high standard
of finish. Compared to the awkward
looking 2008 Blade, the 2004-’07 is a
styling masterpiece. Only the two-tone
colour options on some models spoil the
show – a clumsily executed horizontal
line splits the colours halfway up the
fairing panels, ruining the bike’s otherwise
magnificent curves. Repsol or HRC
inspired blue/white/red colours look best.

In fact, there’s not much to dislike about
the Honda. It’s mind-warpingly fast, a
doddle to ride, still looks ace, and there’s a
whole raft of decent performance upgrades
out there to make it better still.Values are
probably not going to get much lower, so
the time to buy is now.

Practical Sportsbikes 37

SUZUKI output that kicked the ZX-10R out of the
ring – 159.2bhp and 80lb.ft of torque, both

GSX-R1000 K5 at the rear wheel, and with more power
and oomph than the Kawasaki all the way
from 3500-13,500rpm.This engine’s still a

S uzuki’s GSX-R1000 punched its masterpiece, even 16 years later.
way onto the scene in 2001, To ride, the K5 and K6 are diminutive
literally shovingYam’s R1 to one
side. For the following 10 years the – like a svelte 600, with rapier steering
and perfect balance delivering blink-quick

GSX-R continued to raise the bar with every direction changes, all underpinned by a

subsequent refresh. By the time the K5 tower of power ready to be unleashed at

arrived in 2005 Suzuki were really cooking. any time.Although biblically strong, the

But then it had to be good given what it was bike’s power curve is progressive without Road, or track, K5 or 6 – products of a factory on peak form

up against. any unexpected thumps or troughs along everything – power, drive and chassis
control – equates to a faster, cleaner, more
Suzuki really went to town with the the way, even for the sake of emissions – finessed ride.

engine, reducing every possibility for fuelling is spot-on. Overtaking is genuinely The Kayaba suspension,Tokico four-pots
(radial-mounted, natch), lightweight three-
power-sapping drag, putting the 998.6cc as simple as pulling the trigger of a gun. spoke alloys and chunky, braced swingarm
wouldn’t have looked out of place on a
motor together with the clinical precision Click, bang, gone. BSB bike a couple of years before the

of a MotoGP mill. Items like the impossibly The GSX-R has none of the Kawasaki’s

light flywheel, weight-matched rods, and nervousness, or threat of unexpected

pressure sensitive piston rings are all straight violence. It’s as user-friendly as the Honda,

from racing.The reward was a power yet way more exciting to use. More of

Nicely put together, no
significant flaws to
speak of... why
wouldn’t you?

“OVERTAKING IS AS SIMPLE AS PULLING THE
TRIGGER OF A GUN. CLICK, BANG, GONE”

PRICE GUIDE TIDY £3800-£4500 MINT £4800-£5200
Mechanically sound but expect a raft of add-ons, There are still a good number of beautifully
HOUND £2600-£3200 not all of them good. End cans can vary from kept K5/K6s out there that have escaped
There will inevitably be the odd dog out there, but Yoshimura to noisy tat off eBay.Tail tidies are being owned by knuckle-draggers. Blue/
why bother? It’ll cost you more to put right than it inevitable. High mileage isn’t an issue as long as white bikes are the more desirable – and (of
would to buy and improve an example in better nick. servicing has been kept to, and suspension/brakes course) faster.The owner will tell you almost
If it’s rough it’ll have been through the hands of a are in good fettle. as much about a GSX-R’s life as the bike.
mouth-breather.

38 Practical Sportsbikes

SPECIFICATION Arguably the zenith of THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW
SUZUKI GSX-R1000 K5 the GSX-R family

ENGINE FUEL PUMP: Modern home to dirt, moisture and
Type liquid-cooled, dohc, unleaded is no friend of the corrosion, which in turn can start
16v inline four with TSCC GSX-R’s fuel pump or associated the eventual road to electrical
filter. They clog up and eventually gremlins.
Capacity 998.6cc fail. Does it start on the button?
Bore x stroke 74.3 x 59mm Is it fuelling smoothly throughout RADS AND OIL-COOLER:
Compression ratio 12.5:1 the range? If not, pump failure Both take a battering from the
could be just around the corner. crap and crud kicked up by the
Fuelling electronic FI, front wheel (when it’s on the
44mm throttle bodies CLUTCHES: The K5/K6 is ground). Corroded, knocked about
sensitive to the stack height of rads and coolers are common, and
TRANSMISSION its clutch plates, says our G. If won’t help the bike’s performance
Primary/final drive gear/chain they’re not spot on, the clutch will in hot weather. Have a good look
Clutch wet/multiplate Gearbox 6-speed be grabby. If you rebuild the inside the fairing before you buy.
clutch, use genuine or quality
CHASSIS replacement plates only. Cheap HEAD RACES: Wheelies and
Frame aluminium beam frame replacement parts have no place GSX-Rs go hand in hand, so
Front suspension 43mm Kayaba usd forks, in a GSX-R motor. expect the head races to have
taken some level of abuse. An
adj preload, compression ELECTRICS: No major issues, easy win if you spot defects
and rebound damping but block connectors can become before buying.

Rear suspension Kayaba link-type
monoshock, adj preload, compression and

rebound dampingd
Front brake 2 x 310mm discs, 4-pot

radial-mounted Tokico calipers
Rear brake 230mm disc, 2-pot caliper
Wheels hollow three-spoke, cast aluminium

Front tyre 120/70 ZR17
Rear tyre 190/50 ZR17

DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase 1405mm (55.3in)
Seat height 810mm (31.9in)
Dry weight 166kg (366lbs)
Fuel capacity 18 litres (4 gals)

PERFORMANCE
Power (claimed) 178bhp@11,000rpm
Torque (claimed) 87lb.ft@8500rpm

Top speed 178.4mph

K5 arrived. Even now they’re good kit, if MODEL GUIDE
well maintained. Just keep an eye on that
speedo; it’s ridiculously easy to find yourself V 2005 GSX-R1000 K5
bombing along at colossal speeds. Good All new model. 11cc
omen trackday riders, though… bigger displacement

Finish was often an afterthought on than K4, twin injectors
GSX-Rs of old. Exposed wiring looms, per cylinder, 40mm
minimal equipment and ill-fitting panels
were the norm. But by 2005 Suzuki had got shorter wheelbase, and
their act together, and the K5 is the proof. 2kg lighter too.
Neat, faired-in indicators aid aerodynamics,
and look trick (not to mention thwarting Indicators faired-in at
those who wish to fit crappy aftermarket rear and in mirrors at
mini-winkers), the triangular prism shaped front, tri-oval silencer
titanium end can oozes class, and the way with internal cat. Colours:
the panels bolt together would’ve impressed
a Honda engineer from the early 1990s. blue/white, black/
graphite/silver, yellow/
A tidy K5 or K6 will deliver 90% of the
performance and experience of a new black
GSX-R1000, look better while it’s doing
it, and save you at least £10,000 into the 2006 GSX-R1000 K6
bargain. If that’s not reason to get one on Unchanged other than
your wish list, we can’t imagine what is. colours and graphics.
Colours: blue/white,
graphite/black, red/ Demanding enough to make you a better rider, without destroying you
Practical Sportsbikes 39
black

YAMAHA Yamaha addressed the elephant in the The relaxed footpeg position has another
room, too.Anyone who’s ridden an early R1 benefit. Direction changes are executed as
YZF-R1 in anger will know all too well how easily much by the rider’s feet as they are through
the ’bars can be snapped into a lock-to-lock the ’bars, making this already swift turner
T he 2004 5VY was the R1’s most slapper when the front wheel’s skipping into a bike sharp enough to outmanoeuvre a
radical redesign since it first over uneven ground. Fitting a steering 600 in the right hands. Like the Honda, the
appeared in ’98. It’d been tweaked damper as standard to the ’04 bike showed R1 flatters its rider.
before, even appearing as an all- Yamaha’s awareness of the issue, solved the
new model in 2002, but the ’04 bike took problem, and complemented the bike’s new
Yamaha’s flagship sportsbike to a whole new user-friendly nature.
level. Underseat exhausts, ram-air induction,
radial-mounted front calipers, a thick-set The riding position is integral to that
underbraced swingarm and striking new change in personality and is notably
styling set the tone, as did a claimed 20bhp different in feel to earlier R1s.While
hike in performance. obviously sporty – this is a superbike, after
all – there’s room to move about, and the
With the 2004 R1,Yamaha pulled off that low set ’pegs (for a race rep) don’t leave
most difficult of tricks: making it faster, you compressed like a coiled spring. If I was
more powerful, and better balanced than going to cover any miles on one of these,
its predecessors yet, crucially, easier to ride. I’d be hunting down theYamaha’s key if the
With 147bhp at the back wheel the 5VY Honda’s weren’t on the table.
was right where it needed to be to fight its
rivals; crisp, linear fuelling makes that power “A BIKE SHARP ENOUGH TO OUTMANOEUVRE A
all the more accessible.And because of that, 600 IN THE RIGHT HANDS. LIKE THE HONDA,
it’s a faster road bike than R1s of old.
THE R1 FLATTERS ITS RIDER”

PRICE GUIDE

HOUND £2000-£2500 TIDY £3000-£4000 MINT £4000-£4500
Anything that’s had a hard life. It can take A well-executed MotoGP paintjob is nice, but Not hard to find, so again base your buy as much
just one careless/lazy owner to neglect basic standard colours are better – they’re a clearer on the owner as the bike. If it’s kept in a warm, dry
maintenance and cleaning to leave an R1 looking indicator of a bike’s past life.. Only pay top garage on a trickle charger and paddock stands
tired. Same deal with the others – avoid unless money for something with fresh tyres, with a it’s likely to be a belter. And again, make any OE
it’s dirt cheap and/or you’re building a track tool recent service completed, and that’s clearly been components part of the deal.
and it’s all coming to bits anyway. mechanically pampered.

40 Practical Sportsbikes

SPECIFICATION Blisteringly quick, THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW
2004 YAMAHA YZF-R1 abundantly
comfortable too (for a EXUP VALVE: Doesn’t matter quickshifters. These gearboxes
ENGINE full-on sportsbike) if it’s a first generation EXUP aren’t built to run them, though
Type liquid-cooled, dohc, 20v inline four set-up or a later, more refined something like a modern Cordona
system, they all need is reactive to gear/rpm, so is
Capacity 998cc maintenance. Make it annual and kinder than older fixed kill-time
Bore x stroke 77 x 53.6mm you’ll never have an issue. types
Compression ratio 12.1:1

Fuelling electronic FI,
42mm throttle bodies

TRANSMISSION
Primary/final drive gear/chain

Clutch wet/multiplate
Gearbox 6-speed
CHASSIS

Frame aluminium beam frame
Front suspension 43mm Kayaba usd forks,

adj preload, compression and rebound
damping

Rear suspension Monocross monoshock, adj
preload, compression and rebound damping

Front brake 2 x 320mm discs, 4-pot
radial-mounted Sumitomo gold-spot calipers

Rear brake 220mm disc, single-pot caliper
Wheels six-spoke, cast aluminium
Front tyre 120/70 ZR17
Rear tyre190/50 ZR17
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase 1395mm (54.9in)
Seat height 835mm (32.3in)
Dry weight 172kg (379lbs)
Fuel capacity 18 litres (4 gals)
PERFORMANCE

Power (claimed) 171.3bhp@12,500rpm
Torque (claimed) 78.9lb.ft@10,500rpm

Top speed 177.7mph

Brakes were never an issue withYam’s top MODEL GUIDE VALVE CLEARANCES: Yamaha EXHAUSTS: Lighter
sportsbike, and the 5VY’s are even better say valve clearances don’t need replacements are common,
than earlier models.The gold-spot calipers V 2004 YZF-R1 5VY checking until 25,000 miles, so particularly for the central
are radially mounted to the Kayaba forks, 20-valve, short-stroke any lightly used example will be cat-section backwards. Ensure
and boast bags of power and feel. 998cc motor, with forced needing them done in the not too the bike’s been mapped to suit,
air induction. Claimed distant future. Worth checking and get the OE pipes if you can
In terms of style, the 5VY is a high point because our G has seen – replacements aren’t cheap.
along the R1’s evolution. Later models 172bhp. High level clearances closing up and even
– notably from 2010 onward – lost the silencers, underbraced valves sinking into their seats well SP: Yamaha released a trick
early bikes’ perfect blend of brutal beauty, before inspection mileage. If SP version in 2006, primarily
and instead just looked brutally ugly; the swingarm, 5-spoke performance feels down, this aimed at Superstock riders who
pink frame was a particular low point.The wheels, radial-mounted might be an issue. could take advantage of the
5VY is also pre-big-bang, so it retains the front calipers. Completely lighter wheels, better suspension,
characteristic shrillness of a pure inline-four. changed from previous GEARBOX: Strong but can be and slipper clutch. If you’re
model. Colours: blue/ clunky through the lower ratios – looking for an SP make sure it’s
There really is so much to recommend white/black, burgundy/ it’s a Yamaha, it’s normal. Same genuine, and not a tarted-up
the R1. It offers the thrill of a pure-bred deal as with ZX-10Rs and stocker.
1000 in an easily accessible package, and black, silver/black
yet it retains enough character to guarantee All pretty straightforward
its appeal for years to come. Still looks V 2005 YZF-R1 under the skin
handsome, too. Better still, a good one Cosmetic/graphics
can be had for under £4000.Why pay big changes only. Colours: Practical Sportsbikes 41
money for an earlier 4XV when you can blue/white/black,
have so much more for less? burgundy/black, silver/

Among the best stoppers of the era. And still good black

V 2006 YZF-R1
Looks similar to 2004/’05

model, but with subtle
tweaks to chassis rigidity,
a 20mm longer swingarm,
gold coloured fork tubes
and a 3bhp hike in power.
The R1-SP appeared the

same year, with lighter
aluminium Marchesini
wheels, Öhlins suspension
and a race-ready slipper
clutch. Colours: Roberts
rep yellow/black, blue/
white/black, silver/black,

(SP) black/gold

“2005 WAS WHEN EVERYTHING
SUZUKI HAD LEARNED FROM PREVIOUS

MODELS, AND FROM MOTOGP,
CAME TOGETHER”

This is the one

I t’s hard to pick an outright winner to snap one up straight away – owners like a ditch if you’re a tad too enthusiastic,
from this bunch because by the turn of hanging onto them, so you may have to no, it’s the sort of edge that’ll add to the
the century ‘bad motorcycles’ weren’t hunt one down, but that’s just proof of how experience and make every ride that bit
really a thing.And while there are good they can be. more enjoyable.The 5VY is a supremely
distinct differences in character and capable machine, bridging the gap between
feel between these four, none of them are If you like thrills without drama, the the original R1 and the latest all-signing
flawed. Far from it. Honda’s got it all going on. Lightning fast, MotoGP inspired offering – and more
yet accomplished enough to pootle about affordable than either.
The Kawasaki is the most exciting, by on and use every day, the CBR will boogie
a considerable margin. It’s also, if we’re when you want to, or go steady. Unlike the So that leaves the Suzuki. If it were my
honest, the most brutal and, at times, Kwak it won’t bare its teeth, unless you’re cash, I’d be edging towards the GSX-R.The
intimidating. If you’re not used to riding really unpolished with your inputs.And like K5 and K6 were, and still are, magnificent
big sportsbikes the ZX-10R probably isn’t all these bikes here, the 2004 Blade looks bikes, and a real indicator of when Suzuki
the best place to start. But if you’ve got a better than its successor. Great bike, but… got really serious about their flagship
few miles under your belt, like your bikes superbike. Sure, the earlier GixxerThous
to have a bit of attitude, and revel in a …theYamaha almost matches the Honda’s were good, but 2005 was when everything
sledgehammer power delivery, the Kawasaki ease of use, yet still retains a big dollop Suzuki had learned from previous models,
should be in your sights. Just don’t expect of excitement and attitude to boot. Not and MotoGP, came together to produce
the sort of attitude that’ll spit you off into the best litre sportsbike of its time. More
powerful than a ZX-10R, faster than an R1,
more exciting than a Blade. It’s got the lot.

The ZX-10R, Blade and R1 have all got plenty going for them, but none of them can quite match the power and poise of the big Suzuki. The GSX-R takes it
42 Practical Sportsbikes

Services Parts

• Re-Bores • Piston Kits

• Crankshaft • Gaskets
Rebuilds Sets

• Cylinder • Crankshafts

Re-Sleeving • Bearings +

• Cylinder Honing Seals

Wolverhampton Tel: 01902 307457

www.pjme.co.uk

Overseas Orders Welcome

w w w. s i g m a p e r f o r m a n ce. co m
01892538802

Motorcycle Brake Caliper Rebuild & Refurbishment

Brake Caliper Seal Kits, Pistons & Spares

Seal kits from £15

Rebuilds from £44

Powerhouse, Unit 3A Broom Business Park, Bridge Way, Chesterfield, S41 9QG 01246 260665 www.powerhouse.uk

“I knew it was time to
design my own bike...
so I sold the house”

The PS meets the man who’s risking it all to build one last,
brand-new, road-going two-stroke

Words: Old Farmer Chris | Pictures: Fullgas Creative/Gunhill Studios

44 Practical Sportsbikes

Birth of the Langen

There’s a hint of LC in
the headlight/tank/
seat. That’s intentional

T his is the Langen. It is a high- moved back to this area to work for CCM,
spec, lightweight two-stroke as they moved to CAD-based engineering.
with power on the level of a
customer Grands Prix 250. “I’m proud of what we’ve done there, but
That is clearly a good thing. I’ve always had an itch to do something
It is also, you might argue, individual, show a bit of design prowess.Two
a café racer – potentially less of a good years ago, I woke up one morning and knew
thing.The current faux-vintage fad attracts it was the time: CCM were in a good place,
more than its fair share of ‘artisans’ with so I sold the house and car to start my own
more expertise in waxing moustaches than engineering company.”
building proper bikes.
Before he pulled the trigger on his own
Thankfully, Christofer Ratcliffe (aka project, the work of an ex-Ferrari apprentice
Langen) is an ordinary motorcyclist who caught his eye.Vins Motors’Vincenzo Mattia
appreciates bikes that ride properly as well developed his own fuel-injected, twin-crank,
as looking stylish.The fact he’s working out 90º V-twin two-stroke to power a bike of
of an industrial unit inWigan, not set up in a his own – the carbon monocoque-framed
Soho shopfront (or even a ludicrous stately Duecinquanta sportsbike.
home, as Norton’s previous owner did for
reasons unfathomable) tells you the bike “I wanted to make a cafe racer – a modern
doesn’t exist purely for the benefit of the one.And one problem with launching a new
more superficial type of motorcyclist. company like this is that it’s hard to get the
attention you need – a two-stroke engine is
“ I was born in to bikes – my dad had perfect for helping it stand out.”
them, and my mum was the first female
despatch rider inThe North,” he recalls. The engine is a mix of traditional and
“Dad worked for Cotton, which later current thinking: the twin-crank layout
became CCM, and when I was old enough mimics anAprilia RSA250, though rather
I got into small capacity racing onAR50s, than the disc-valve induction of the all-
then got on the road with aTZR125. conquering GP bike, it has a huge pair of
I studied automotive engineering too, reed blocks with carbon petals. One throttle
working forTVR for a year, but I had to take body, with fuel and oil injectors mounted
a job elsewhere for a while. 10 years ago I on it, feeds both cylinders.The airbox and
filter is the U-shaped carbon piece behind
the front wheel, with two intake slots, not

Nice to see some RWU Öhlins being employed Swan-neck Tommaselli clip-ons. Very retro
Practical Sportsbikes 45

Birth of the Langen dissimilar to various years ofTZ250 and
NSR500, as it goes…
Bet it would go well around Three Sisters
(here, where the reveal was) The cylinders themselves are from a
YamahaYZ125 (giving the Italians a 50-
There might well be many areas where you’d choose to do things year headstart on port design and so on),
differently – and you can, if you’ve got that £33,600 handy with heads specific to theVins.The engine
management is more sophisticated than any
two-stroke yet seen: an ECU controls the
fuelling, the oil injectors, even the electronic
water pump.At tickover, the air-fuel/oil
ratio is around 500:1, which is all it needs at
minimal engine revolutions.

TheVins road and race bikes are pushing
100bhp, though the unfaired, road-focussed
nature of this bike prompted Christofer
to request his own tune, pegging peak
power back to 75bhp, but with strong drive
from the midrange, making it more usable.
Talking of usability, Christofer made a
simple demand that required a complicated
redesign: a neutral light switch.The 100
examples of the Langen will be registered in
the UK via the MSVA system (Motorcycle
SingleVehiclaApproval), which is less
stringent (and way cheaper) than full Euro 5
certification, but which requires the tell-tale
neutral light.

The crankcases didn’t have any provision
for it, soVins have redesigned the motor
to include one. On top of that, it has
different transmission ratios, mapping and
expansion chambers to change the power
characteristics.They’ve also done a lot of
work to ensure it’s happy with the increasing
percentage of ethanol included in European
and British fuel.

“It has a nice bubble of torque from
5000rpm, but it still goes nuts at 10,500rpm.
I tried the Duecinquanta – it’s incredible, but
it’s tiny, and really a bike for the track. Our
bike is designed for the roads in this country
– it’s more plush, with more torque lower
down thr rev range, more usable.”

The chassis betrays Christofer’s recent
history at CCM, with a tubular-alloy
trellis made from a unique specification of
720 aluminium alloy tube, developed in
Germany for Langen, and assembled as a
chassis in the UK with carbon fibre plates to
the rear of the engine holding the swingarm
pivot. It’s one of the reasons the bike costs
£28,000 (plusVAT). Chris has built the bike
exactly as he wanted, not to a price.When it
comes to small-volume bikes that means a
high price tag.

For the money, you get Öhlins RWU forks,
with springs made specifically for the 114kg
dry mass of the Langen (with all fluids, and
fuel expect 130kg with the 11-litre tank
brimmed). K-Tech make theVincent-esque
laid-down twin shocks. “They make great
stuff and their expertise is beyond doubt – I
wish they made a right-way-up fork too,”
says Ratcliffe. HEL make the calipers and
mastercylinder. Hubs, with floating disc
rotors mounted direct, are Langen’s own,
with tubeless rims (3.00F/4.25R) from the

Clockwise from top left:
You’ll not be short of stopping
power. And it will sound like

a motorcycle should. Rear
suspension follows a design
patented by Phil Vincent used
as early as 1928. Engine is as
modern as a two-stroke gets

same supplier BMW use.Tyres are a nod to Bodywork is carbon, including the will be offered.Want your kids’ names, or
the past – Dunlop’s retro-reproTT100. integrated headlight/instrument housing, a replica of your tribal tramp-stamp etched
which also has a gold leaf detail on the into the crankcases?They’d do it.A ‘race’
Electronics? None, other than the various bezel. Something Christofer is pleased kit is being considered too, for those who
management systems.There’s a throttle with, though slightly pained by some of the want to exploit it as a machine, rather than
cable, no traction control, and noABS – reactions to it. a statement.
another reason not to pursue Euro 5. “The
Euro approval demandsABS, with lots “Can I just say something about that?” This development mule has now finished
of pumps and hoses we couldn’t hide. It he says. “A few people have said we could morphing from show prototype to pre-
doesn’t need it, we didn’t want it.The noise make the bike cheaper if we didn’t have the production bike in final spec.And if you’re
limit is also lower – the emissions would gold leaf, but it’s not very expensive. It’s one wondering where the numberplate goes…
actually meet the latest standards, it’s the of the cheapest details on the bike. It’s just it’ll be on a simple metal bracket under the
rest we don’t want to ruin the bike with. It’s something that’s different, and means every seat, not on a fugly swingarm bracket.
not loud, but still sounds like a two-stroke.” single bike will be different in a subtle way.
The only way we could have made the bike The testing process should be completed
SPECIFICATION cheaper would be to build it differently. It’s by June.And we’ve been promised a go.
just what it costs…” Should be interesting.
ENGINE: 249.5cc (54mm bore/54.5mm
stroke) liquid-cooled, fuel-injected, reed- Nearly half the run of 100 are sold, despite You have to wish anyone so out there as to build a
valve induction twin-crank, 90º V-twin only making a brief public appearance new bike from scratch the best of good fortune
two-stroke. 75bhp/33lb.ft @11,700rpm at Salon Privé (a massively toffee-nosed
(claimed). Six-speed cassette gearbox, wet concours d’elegance at Blenheim Palace in
clutch. Electric start. Oxfordshire). “We felt so out of place – most
people had watches that cost more than our
CHASSIS: Tubular alloy/carbon fibre bike.We were amazed to take some orders,
spaceframe. Öhlins 43mm RWU forks, though they were mostly people who want
adjustable for preload, compression and to put it on display. But we’ve sold more
rebound damping. K-Tech Razor-R cantilever to guys who are going to use them – some
twin shocks, adjustable for preload, ride have sold RG and RD500s to buy them.”
height, compression and rebound damping.
2x 300mm discs, HEL radial four-piston Each of those owners can spec the bike as
calipers (front), 265mm disc with opposed- they wish: Chris is currently investigating
piston HEL caliper (rear). Tubeless spoked alternative wheels – carbon, for those who
wheels, Dunlop TT100 tyres (120/70-17 want a less retro, more sporty appearance.
front, 150/60-17 rear). Titanium expansions, rather than the
traditional clear-coated mild steel, will be
offered too. But finishes, seat covering, even
bespoke machining and cosmetic detail

Practical Sportsbikes 47

Built to suit your rider
weight & riding style

2 year guarantee
Fully re-buildable
Stainless 304L damper body
Billet machined mounts

18mm piston rod
Made in England

www.hagon-shocks.co.uk

020 8502 6222

AUTHORISED Check out our
PARTS website today
DEALER
for the

40 years of the Z1 full range

NEW RX-3 multi-function www.z-power.co.uk

Touch Screen, Gear Indicator, Temperature, Unit 4 Victoria Street
Fuel Gauge, Volt meter, Clock. Industrial Estate,
2 x trip, Odometer, GPS option Leigh, Lancashire
WN7 5SE, England
Tel: 01564 775522
www.digital-speedos.co.uk Email: [email protected]
Tel +44 (0)1942 262864
Fax +44 (0)1942 670816

ALL MAJOR CREDIT CARDS ACCEPTED

25 years of

LEADING BRITISH MANUFACTURERS Design and manufacture
OF ADVANCED ULTRASONIC CLEANERS of motorcycle transmissions

OUR FULL RANGE OF UNITS ARE SUITABLE FOR CLEANING ALL • Standard ratio
ENGINE COMPONENTS FROM CARBURETTORS TO ENGINE BLOCKS • Close ratio
• Selector forks
Contamination removed in seconds • Selector drums
• Dry clutch kits
Hilsonic are leading British designers and manufacturers of ultrasonic • Special projects
cleaning equipment with over 35 years of experience and supply
industry throughout both the UK and Europe.

FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE VISIT OUR WEBSITE OR CALL US
QUOTE PSB10 FOR 10% DISCOUNT ON NEW MACHINES FOR
PRACTICAL SPORTSBIKE READERS.

www.hilsonic.co.uk For all products please visit novaracing.co.uk
or call on 01403 711 312
Units 1-4, Cashel Road, Wirral, Merseyside CH41 1DY.

Tel: +44 (0) 151 639 6020 / Fax: +44 (0) 151 639 5782

We’ve tested them all, so you
don’t have to. None are bad,

but there are clear-cut

winners

P50 TRIUMPH SPEED P54 BATHAMS RACING:
M1000RR ARRIVES
TRIPLE 1200 RS
Poultry-fancier Michael
All-out, all-new, but not Rutter and team finally
alright. We ride the new get their swish new
Hinckley naked, and Beemers ready for ’21
don’t rate it that highly