Indholdsfortegnelse for November - December 2018 i Motorcycle Classics

Rider: Lee Buffenmyer, Lititz, Pennsylvania Age: 67 Occupation: Offset pressman (retired) Rides: Lee has four street-legal bikes in his 20-strong collection, including a 1970 Suzuki TC90, a 1976 Suzuki Gopher, a 1975 Penton Enduro 100 and his Penton café racer. Lee’s story: The 1985 Hillclimb Amateur National Champion, Lee Buffenmyer raced for 18 years, many of those aboard a Penton, his favorite make. We bumped into Lee at this year’s Vintage Motorcycle Days, and asked him to tell us about his café’d Penton, something we’d never seen anyone do. “This started out as a 1973 Penton 125cc Six-Day enduro. I bought it as a rolling chassis in really sad shape, but it had a title. I wanted something I could ride on the road. My thought was, what if John…

1988-1991 Honda Hawk GT NT650 “The Hawk is the most creative reinterpretation of the standard motorcycle anyone has dared to try, ever,” wrote Cycle magazine in its review of the Hawk GT. But was it worthy of sharing the name of Honda’s groundbreaking early twins? The GT combined a stretched version of the Shadow 500/VT500 Ascot engine with a brand-new alloy perimeter beam chassis and “Pro Arm” RC30-derived single-sided swingarm with chain drive. The liquid-cooled, dual-crankpin 52-degree V-twin used three valves per cylinder feeding a 5-speed transmission by gears. Like the Monster, bodywork was minimal. But that’s where similarities end. While the Monster was flashy and raucous, the Hawk was refined and “polished,” Cycle said. It delivered modest power but across a broad torque range, and handled with “impressive agility”…

“When I was growing up near Milan, Italy, scooters were everywhere.” — Gianluca Baldo, owner, Bello Moto vintage scooter center The story goes that at the close of World War II, Italian businessman Ferdinando Innocenti looked at the ruins of his bombed-out factory and saw the future of Italian personal transportation. Going a bit further back, Innocenti had founded a seamless steel tubing factory in 1922 and moved it to Milan in 1931. That factory, like much of Italy’s industrial base, was destroyed by the Allies during World War II. At the same time as Allied aircraft were dropping bombs over Northern Italy, other Allied planes were dropping paratroopers to secure strategic objectives against the Germans. Once they hit the ground, the paratroops needed transportation, so Cushman scooters were dropped…

When Suzuki launched the GS1150ES in 1984, a single word succinctly summarized the machine — horsepower. There were 100 ponies chomping at the bit in the engine department, and Cycle World magazine pushed its test bike through the quarter-mile in 10.94 seconds. That, said Cycle World in its April 1984 review, made the GS1150ES the quickest production bike the magazine had ever tested. Motorcyclist made similar statements. In fact, that magazine clocked the bike at 10.47 seconds in the quarter-mile. Locomotion Such prodigious locomotion wasn’t lost on self-described two-wheeled street hooligan and adrenaline junkie Jose Rumbaut. He grew up in Chicago, Illinois, racing BMX bicycles, but as a young teen he longed for a two-wheeler with an engine to go faster. Luckily, his father, Jose Sr., owned motorcycles as a…

In 2015, the legendary Brough Superior marque was reborn, with production commencing in France of the first new high-performance street bike in 75 years to carry the iconic British badge on its tank. This came after Austrian-based Brit Mark Upham, owner of the Brough Superior brand, had licensed famed French designer Thierry Henriette, owner of Boxer Design in Toulouse, to create the all-new SS100, which made its public debut at the 2013 Milan Show to mark the 90th anniversary of the model’s introduction. Henriette and business partner Albert Castaigne have relaunched Brough Superior as a manufacturer of high-performance, high-quality and inevitably high-priced motorcycles which, despite their retro styling, employ thoroughly modern advanced technology, high-class materials and radical design. Powered by a liquid-cooled, 88-degree V-twin engine developed for Brough by Akira…

Whatever you’re doing, stop. Get off your computer, quit playing with your cellphone, and get on your motorcycle. Your destination is the Nethercutt Museum and Collection in Sylmar, California. It’s outstanding, and you need to experience it. The Nethercutt Museum (owned by Merle Norman Cosmetics, of which J.B. Nethercutt was a co-founder) includes several collections in two buildings. The first displays approximately 120 vintage automobiles, and you should prepare to be dazzled immediately; the collection starts in the lobby with a drop-dead-gorgeous two-tone blue-and-silver 1937 Talbot-Lago that looks like it just rolled off the assembly line. A grand hall showcases rows and rows of American and European classic cars, with special displays for vintage components (horns, headlights, hood ornaments, spark plugs and other antique automobilia). There’s a vintage steam locomotive…

Until 1993, streetfighters were the province of impoverished riders who had low-sided their sport bikes and couldn’t afford to fix the busted bodywork, so they made a feature of the naked look. Things might have stayed that way without the inspiration of Miguel Angel Galluzzi. The story goes that then Ducati technical director Massimo Bordi challenged Galluzzi to design a new motorcycle that could be extensively customized with factory or aftermarket options. That implied a minimalist machine without bodywork. Bordi also wanted to minimize development costs while avoiding a proliferation of new parts. It’s said that Galluzzi already had the solution in mind. Galluzzi fitted Fabio Taglioni’s tried-and-true 904cc air/oil-cooled desmodue (desmodromic valve actuation) engine into a steel-tube trellis frame adapted from the 750/900SS and 888 Superbike, and with the…

Vee Two Hailwood Replica The Vee Two Hailwood Replica made its public debut at last August’s Isle of Man Classic TT, displayed alongside the original Ducati 900F1 the legendary Mike “The Bike” Hailwood rode to victory in his famous TT comeback 40 years ago, in 1978. Powered by the all-new Ritorno (Italian for “comeback”) 905cc bevel-drive desmo V-twin engine, the Hailwood Vee Two is an exact copy of Hailwood’s winning bike, which was powered by a factory prototype of the classic Ducati bevel-drive V-twin that was never put into production. The Vee Two Hailwood was created by Ducati specialist Brook Henry and sport bike and race bike accessory manufacturer Paul Taylor through their new joint venture, Vee Two USA. Henry produces the engines at his company Vee Two in Australia…

When two young friends approached Triumph boss Edward Turner in 1937 and suggested supercharging a Triumph Speed Twin to break the Brooklands lap record, Turner dismissed them with a wave of the hand. They did it anyhow. When Ivan Wicksteed and Marius Winslow packed off to Bedales, a private boarding school near Petersfield, southwest of London, England, their parents had no idea the boys would become great friends and go on to build a supercharged Triumph that would break the Brooklands 500cc lap record. But this was a school that nurtured individuality and initiative, and for these boys, that meant riding and tuning motorcycles. In 1932, Ivan borrowed a 250cc BSA and won a bronze medal in the Schoolboys’ Trial. A year later he was riding a 500 Norton, which…

When we held our first Ride ’Em, Don’t Hide ’Em Getaway at Seven Springs Resort in Pennsylvania in 2016, we thought it’d be pretty amazing if even 20 readers thought it would be cool to join us for a weekend riding old bikes on back roads. Eighty-three of you showed up. And you came again in 2017. Apparently, we were on to something. Our 3rd Annual Getaway was Aug. 10-12, 2018, and like the first two it was another great weekend of riding — mixed with occasional wrenching — and lots and lots of comradery, the glue that binds it all together. Old bikes need a little extra love, and we had our share of roadside adventures, including an electrical short that temporarily sidelined my ’73 BMW R75/5. Yet those…

Originality of design is at least as much a gift as a science, especially when it comes to concocting a new kind of motorcycle that nobody else has done before. The problem is that you never really know if it’s all going to work out right until you’ve translated your ideas into metal, for one man’s flight of fancy can be another’s passport to oblivion — weird, rather than wonderful. Even then, the ultimate judgement awaits: the verdict of the buying public. On that basis, Italo-Argentine designer Miguel Angel Galluzzi must have been a mighty relieved man after the acclaim accorded to his Ducati Monster as it began to reach dealer showrooms around the world early in 1993, 25 years ago. This came after he was finally able to build…

Clutch question Q: I have a 1988 Honda VT1100 with a hydraulic clutch. Since I got it last year, the clutch engages as soon as the clutch lever comes off the grip. The previous owner said that’s the way it always was. I’m used to my 1972 Honda CB750 cable-operated clutch engaging near the end of release. The VT1100 clutch doesn’t drag when fully disengaged. I rebuilt both the master and slave cylinders but nothing changed. I don’t have an owner’s manual, so I don’t know if this is normal. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated. Dan/via email A: Hydraulic clutches sometimes feel odd if you’re used to a cable-operated clutch, but what you’re describing doesn’t sound right. When operating the clutch, does the lever move far before you feel…

What: The Nethercutt Museum and Collection, 15151 Bledsoe St., Sylmar, California, 91342, (818) 364-6464. Admission to both the museum and the tour are free. Open Tuesday through Saturday. How to Get There: From the south, take either I-5 or I-210 to Polk Street, to Bradley, and then Bledsoe. From the north, take I-5 south. Sylmar is about 30 miles north of Los Angeles. Best Kept Secret: Caruso’s Italian Kitchen in Sylmar. It’s only 2-1/2 miles from the Nethercutt. Try the pizza, the sausage and peppers, or anything else. It’s awesome. More Photos and Video: bit.ly/nethercutt-berk More Info: bit.ly/nethercutt-cnet…

Before Maldwyn Jones joined the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) Hall of Fame in 1998, he already had firmly planted one foot into history during a flat track race in 1910. That was the year he’s credited with being the first motorcycle racer to wear a steel shoe for flat track racing. According to an article penned by Jerry Smith for the April 1983 issue of Cycle Guide, Jones fashioned and fastened a special steel plate to the sole of his left boot in an attempt to minimize wear to his boot. Turns out that Jones and other racers often dabbed their left feet as gently as possible above the track’s surface while cornering to prevent a fall should the bike’s tires lose traction. If the bike began to slip, the…

First-generation M900 Monsters are thin on the ground in the U.S., as few made their way here during the first few years of production. Showing a low 17,861 miles on the clock, this 1995 M900 has the hallmarks of an enthusiast-owned machine, with touches like a Corbin saddle and aftermarket carbon fiber mufflers, although we could do without the yellow wheels. Although no service history is provided, it looks to be in excellent all-around condition and the price is in line with current offerings. That said, Ducati enthusiast Robert Smith offers a few pointers for would-be owners: “1) Look for cracks around the rear swingarm pivot in the back of the transmission case. They’ve been known to let go. 2) The electrical system on 1990s Ducati 2-valve twins is marginal,…

Yamaha’s plan to update its popular 1975 RD350B model was simple: For model year 1976 they committed to building an even better version of America’s favorite 2-stroke motorcycle. The solution was found in upping the little oil-burner’s capacity, which Yamaha engineers did by about 14 percent, stretching the stroke from 54mm to 62mm for a boost from 347cc to a full 399cc. The end result was the RD400C, perhaps the most advanced production 2-stroke motorcycle up to that time. But the bigger-is-better philosophy was only the tip of the iceberg, as that bigger engine formed the foundation for a much improved street bike. To borrow from Cycle World magazine’s test in their March 1976 issue: “The Yamaha RD400C is the closest thing to a perfect motorcycle that we’ve ever run…

Fourteen years ago, Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman gave adventure riding its biggest boost when they rode from London across Northern Europe to New York on BMW R1150GS motorcycles. BMW supplied the bikes, which became a best-seller after McGregor and Boorman’s ratings-winning, seven-episode TV series Long Way Round was released in 2005. But Ewan and Charley weren’t the first corporate adventure riders whose efforts boosted sales of a particular model motorcycle. That honor falls on Leopoldo Tartarini and Giorgio Monetti, who 60 years ago rode across 42 countries and five continents to promote Ducati’s new 175 Tourismo. Like Ewan and Charley, they filmed their epic adventure, but on 16mm cameras with no sound. Sixty years later, a film and book are finally being released. Like Ewan and Charley, Leopoldo and…

Long before space became the final frontier, it inspired some of the most powerful imagery of the mid-20th century. The V-2 rockets of World War II ushered in the space age. Then, in 1951, the Soviet Union launched two dogs, Dezik and Tsygan, into space and returned them to Earth unharmed, suggesting that space travel for humans was also possible. It seemed like the universe and everything in it would soon be within reach. Suddenly, space jargon and images were everywhere, reflected in the shape of everything from appliances to auto tail fins. Oldsmobile built the Rocket 88; the world’s first jetliner was the Comet; The Jetsons were on TV; newsstands were crammed with space comics; and It Came from Outer Space was just one of hundreds of Hollywood sci-fi…

The Barber Vintage Festival may have eclipsed Vintage Motorcycle Days as the largest vintage motorcycle event in the U.S., but don’t think that VMD's lost its shine, because as this year's July 6-8 show proved, it’s still a crown jewel in U.S. motorcycle royalty. Truth be told, we hadn’t been to VMD for a number of years, and frankly wondered if it would still glow with the same incredible energy we remembered from years past. After experiencing yet another weekend of what we’ve always called the Woodstock of vintage motorcycle weekends, we’re happy to report that VMD is yet one of the greatest events on the vintage calendar. The continued success of VMD is easy to understand. Organized in the mid-1990s by the American Motorcyclist Association (americanmotorcyclist.com) as a benefit…

10/27 Visit Norcross, Georgia, for the 28th Annual Blue Moon Cycle Euro Bike Swap Meet on Saturday, Oct. 27. The swap meet is open to all parts, accessories and apparel for European motorcycles. Display your late model, used or classic bike for sale in the Consignment Corral for $25 each. No fee for buyers or sellers, and free lunch for all. The swap meet runs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, then come back and join in Sunday, Oct. 28, for the Blue Moon Cycle Vintage Ride. Join the Blue Moon staff and friends for a scenic ride through the Georgia countryside including a lunch stop and a special attraction. This ride is open to all motorcycles 1985 and older. Admission is free, and the ride leaves at 9…