Indholdsfortegnelse for July/August 2021 i Motorcycle Classics

1959-1962 Triumph 650 T120R Bonneville The 1959 Bonneville was essentially the 1958 Tiger 110 650cc with a new splayed port cylinder head, dual remote-float Amal Monoblocs and a new one-piece crankshaft. It wore the Tiger’s dowdy headlight nacelle and valanced fenders. U.S. dealers asked for a sportier look. That came in 1960 with a new duplex frame, slender blades replacing the frumpy fenders and the nacelle nixed in favor of paired tachometer and speedometer. Unfortunately, the new frame was prone to breaking below the steering head, and a triangulating brace was added during the year. A 60-watt Lucas RM15 alternator and selenium rectifier replaced the 6-volt DC generator, though a Lucas K2F magneto still supplied sparks. British magazine The Motor Cycle tested the 1960 Bonnie, finding it “very fast” with…

Most of us had difficulty getting parental approval to ride a motorcycle. Mom would remind us about how dangerous they are. Dad would tell us that he never wanted to see a motorcycle in the woodshed. Imagine how lucky Fred Wacker was, as he had a Bonanza mini-bike when he was only 7 years old! On his 16th birthday in 1976, Fred’s father gave him an adultsized yellow Harley-Davidson, which happened to be an old WLA Army surplus bike from World War II. Fred Sr. was not only a fellow motorcyclist, but was also a British sports car fan, competing in MGs and other race cars of the 1950s. Luckily, Fred had a great role model in his dad, who taught him how to ride safely and how to keep…

SPONSORED BY A common problem with vintage British bikes, due to their dry crankcases and remote oil tanks, is wet sumping. Wet sumping is when the oil from the remote oil tank finds its way into the sump of the engine. In this How-To we’re going to show you two methods of curing the problem as it exists in Norton Commandos. Both of these methods involve changing the timing cover to incorporate a check valve on the pressure side of the oil pump. One method is to replace your stock timing cover with one from the MkIII Commando of 1975 and the other is a modification to the pre-MkIII cover that accomplishes the same thing. We’ll detail the differences as we go along so you can decide which method to…

In the late 1920s, the path across the desert from Arizona through California (a trail currently known as Interstate 10) was but a dirt road. A young Joe Chiriaco used it when he hitchhiked from Alabama to see a California Rose Bowl football game in 1927. Chiriaco stayed in California, working as a surveyor for the aqueduct that would carry water from the Colorado River to Los Angeles, and he recognized opportunity. That dirt road (Highways 60 and 70 in those early days) would soon carry more people from points east to Los Angeles. Shaver Summit (the high point now known as Chiriaco Summit) would be a good place to sell gasoline and food. He and his soon-to-be wife Ruth bought land, started a business and a family, and did…

What: Chiriaco Summit and the General Patton Memorial Museum, 62510 Chiriaco Rd., Chiriaco Summit, CA, 92201, (435) 922-0213. How to Get There: From Los Angeles take I-10 east for 156 miles; from Arizona take I-10 west. Chiriaco summit is approximately 70 miles west of the Arizona border. Best Kept Secret: The General Patton burger in the Chiriaco Summit Café adjacent to the museum. It’s awesome. Don’t Miss: Picking up a copy of Mary Gordon’s book, Chiriaco Summit, for a more in-depth history of the area, the Chiriaco family, and the museum. Avoid: Dehydration. Daytime temperatures are usually well over 100 F in the summer. More Info: generalpattonmuseum.com More Photos: bit.ly/PatMuseum The Patton Museum’s new Matzner Tank Pavilion. When we were there, one of the two M60 tanks you see in…

Long-term Norton Robert Freeman and his BMW, purchased new in 1963 (MC March/April 2021) won’t be challenged for the record of longest ownership of one motorcycle by me. But maybe I can be a notable also-ran in the competition. I’ve had my 1972 Norton Commando for a bit over 41 years. In late 1979, a very sorry looking Norton was traded in on a Honda Goldwing at the Honda-Kawasaki dealership where I worked. By January 1980 it was mine, replacing a succession of Suzuki 2-stroke twins (150cc, 250cc and 500cc) that had kept me on two wheels since I started riding in 1966. I got it running right and was entranced by everything about the bike. Aside from a 1974 Triumph T140V/Velorex sidecar combination for about three years in the…

By mid-April, things in Texas had finally started to loosen up a bit. Folks were getting jabbed and events that were cancelled in 2020 were slowly coming back on the calendar in 2021. Springtime in the Texas Hill Country brought perfect riding conditions with cool breezes, warm sunshine and roadside bluebonnets. The Cherokee Chapter of the Antique Motorcycle Club of America hosted the 2nd edition of the Texas Vintage Motorcycle Fandango at the Gillespie County Fairgrounds in Fredericksburg, Texas over the second weekend in April. It’s been called “The Best Little Vintage Bike Event in Texas” and included a swap meet with 140 vendors, tech sessions, 130 flat track racers and two shows with 116 classic bikes and 98 choppers on display. The event was first held in April 2019…

Only about 350 of Fabio Taglioni’s Gran Sport were made, but they saved Ducati Meccanica. Ducati was in trouble. The year was 1954 and the factory had recently laid off 600 workers because of poor sales. Fortunately they had a new boss who had the vision to realize that a race-winning motorcycle could save the company — and Dr. Giuseppe Montano knew the man who could design it for him. The company began in 1926 when Antonio Cacelieri Ducati and his three sons Bruno, Adriano and Marcello founded Societa Scientifica Radio Bravetti Ducati — the first company in Italy to make electrical capacitors and radios. Nine years later the brothers moved into a new factory at Borgo Panigale on the outskirts of Bologna. Before long they were employing 7,000 workers…

“One thing can be said about performance — breathtaking.”Cycle Guide, September 1972 Back in the day, Triumph Tridents were pretty fast. They did well at the drags and performed on the track. Somehow, in the years since production stopped, Triumph Tridents have gotten a reputation as dogs — slow, unresponsive dogs. Scott Dunlavey, the owner of this 1974 T150, builds modern race engines and should know a greyhound from a bulldog. He says Tridents are greyhounds. Back in the day, Scott rode a Trident back and forth to college. It was fast and reliable, and the only problem he had was the number of times he had to stop for gas on the 227 mile trip — exacerbated by flogging the bike outside of populated areas. “It got 35 miles…

What gives a motorcycle its character? What feature most identifies and defines it? I think most riders would agree … it’s the engine. In fact, in recent times, bike manufacturers have stuck to their chosen engine configurations to differentiate their brand, regardless of whether that layout is optimal for the purpose. Ducatis are always 90-degree V-twins (though sometimes hidden inside V-fours); Triumphs are parallel twins or inline triples; Guzzis are across-the-frame Vs; Harleys are … well, probably the most format-driven brand of all. So why, then, did Bert Greeves choose the same off-the-shelf paralleltwin 2-stroke engine for his premium street bike as a half dozen other British bike makers? The 1960 Greeves 25DB Sports Twin was competing against the Ambassador Supreme, Cotton Continental, DMW Dolomite, Francis-Barnett Cruiser 89, James Superswift,…

As the saying goes, when one door closes, another one opens. And it was in 1971 that dwindling corporate resources forced BSA, for years one of Great Britain’s leading motorcycle brands, to close the doors to its factory-backed motocross racing team. It appeared to be the end of a proud era that included two 500cc Motocross World Championships (1964 and 1965) among other achievements by BSA-mounted Jeff Smith and teammates of the time. The sun was slowly setting on the British Empire’s crumbling motorcycle industry. Yet, practically before anyone wearing a BSA shop apron had time to secure the latch, another door in another part of England opened that would keep the Beezer flame alive on motocross and scrambles tracks throughout the historic island. Alan Clews, a reputable privateer motocross,…

Exhaust port repairs Q: Do you have any suggestions as to Norton Commando exhaust port repairs? Should I have the ports welded up and rethreaded or bored out and put in brass threaded inserts? Also, anyone you know have expertise in this area? Thank you for your help! Mark Gwynn/Cleveland, Ohio A: I’ve had great results from Jim Comstock, but he’s a busy man so you’ll have to be patient. His website nortonmachineshop.com is for information only. You’ll have to drop him an email at one of the addresses listed on that page. Plug reading Q: I was wondering if you have any experience with the Gunson Colortune. And I also have a related question about getting a plug reading at full throttle. Rather than running over 100mph, can a…

It was a 100-mile cross-country off-road race like no other, held every June from 1975 to 1993 in the dark north woods of West Virginia. Beginning and ending in the sleepy town of Davis, each race lap served up 20 miles of brutal riding — nay, survival! — through countryside home to waist-deep mud bogs and gnarly woods where tree roots as thick and stubborn as elephant legs consumed the trails. There was never time to relax as riders also faced fast-moving streams and abandoned saw mills, and struggled up and down steep hillsides in Canaan Valley before winding back to the start/finish line on Main Street. The race was officially tagged as The Blackwater 100, but everybody in the off-road community knew it as “America’s Toughest Race.” The ominous…

Conventional wisdom says the 1968-1970 Triumph 650 Bonnevilles were the best, the product of a decade of continuous development. The crack-prone pre-unit duplex frame was history, and the 1963-on unit-construction engine was more compact and needed less maintenance. Balance factor and flywheel changes moderated vibration, camshafts were nitrided to reduce wear, and the 1968-on twin leading shoe brake was a potent stopper. The engine was mostly oil-tight, thanks to improved breathing and revised pushrod tube seals. Already becoming a classic, the 1970 Bonneville wasn’t broke and didn’t need fixin’. But they fixed it anyway. BSA Group’s in-house think tank, a safe distance from Triumph’s Meriden factory, dreamed up a new welded chassis that carried oil in its frame tubes, dispensing with the oil tank. Though built around BSA’s unit construction…

Canadian folk-rock troubadour Corin Raymond has a tune called Hard On Things, which appears on his 2016 album, Hobo Jungle Fever Dreams. While not exactly a theme song for Jim Balestrieri, some of the lyrics do echo how the Wisconsin man, who is an automobile racer, motorcycle collector and a partner in the Elkhart Lake-based Throttlestop Museum, describes himself. Corin Raymond sings in Hard On Things: “I’m hard on every tool I useI strip the drivers and the screwsI’m hard on my soleshard on my heelshard on tires I’m hard on wheelshard on clutches hard on brakesI’m hardest on my own mistakesmy suspension needs new springs‘cause I’m hard on things.” Jim says, “I do race cars, and I’m not known for something being more valuable when I’m done with it,”…

On November 30, 1956, Fabio Taglioni watched as two riders piloted their streamlined Gran Sport 100 around the concrete banking at Monza and into the record books. A slim aluminum fairing covered both wheels, which is why the little Ducati was named the Siluro (Torpedo). That was enough for Mario Carini and Santo Ciceri to claim a total of 44 world records. Lapping at up to 106.82mph, they took 13 records in each of the 100cc, 125cc and 175cc classes, and even five records in the 250cc class. The Siluro set the 50km (31-mile) record at 102.18mph, but most impressive was the 1,000km (621-mile) record that was smashed in just under 6 hours 30 minutes at 96.04mph. The only engine modifications were higher gearing and a 25mm Dell’Orto in place…

Engine: 741cc air-cooled 4-stroke triple, 67mm x 70mm bore and stroke, 9.5:1 compression ratio, 58hp @ 7,250rpm Top speed: 117mph (period test) Carburetion: Three 26mm Amal Premiers Transmission: 5-speed, right foot shift, chain final drive Electrics: 12v, aftermarket electronic ignition Frame/wheelbase: Single downtube cradle frame/58 inches (1,473mm) Suspension: Telescopic front forks, twin Girling rear shocks Brakes: 10in (254mm) disc front, 7in (178mm) SLS drum rear Tires: 4.1 x 19in front and rear Weight (dry): 460lb (209kg) Seat height: 32in (813mm) Fuel capacity: 4.2gal (16ltr)/35mpg (est.) Price then/now: $1,930/$4,000-$10,000…

Engine: 981cc air-cooled DOHC 3-cylinder inline 4-stroke with 180-degree crankshaft 75mm x 74mm bore and stroke, 10.2:1 compression ratio, 96hp at 8,500rpm Carburetion: 3 x 36mm Dell’Orto PHB Ignition: Bosch BTZ electronic CDI with belt-driven alternator Transmission: 5-speed close-ratio Clutch/final drive: 13-plate oil-bath with triplex chain primary drive and duplex chain final drive Chassis: Chrome-moly tubular steel open-cradle space-frame with engine as fully-stressed member Suspension: 38mm Ceriani telescopic fork adjustable for spring preload and rebound damping front, tubular steel swingarm with 2 x Ceriani shocks rear Frame/wheelbase: 58.5in (1,486mm) Weight: 441lb (200.5kg) with oil/no fuel Brakes: Dual 280mm Brembo cast iron discs with twopiston Brembo calipers front, single 280mm Brembo cast iron discs with two-piston Brembo caliper Tires: 110/80 x 18 Avon AM22 front, 120/60 x 18 Avon AM23 rear…

Engine: 249cc Villiers 2T 3-stroke twin, piston port, 50mm x 63.5mm bore and stroke, 8.2:1 compression, 15hp @ 5,500rpm Carburetion: 22mm Villiers S22/2 Transmission: 4-speed, right foot shift, chain final drive Electrics: 6v, 120 watt generator Frame: Composite light alloy and steel tube frame Suspension: Greeves leading link front fork with Metalastik bushing in torsion with hydraulic damping, swingarm rear with Armstrong spring/damper units Brakes: 6in (152mm) SLS Greeves drums front and rear Tires: 2.75 x 19in front, 3.25 x 18in rear Weight (dry): 270lb (122.5kg) Price then/now: £199/$2,500-$8,000…

Harley-Davidson WLA is the story of an iconic model in the long history of Harley-Davidson motorcycles, the WLA, which was used by Allied forces during WWII and developed for the U.S. Army’s mechanized cavalry. Known today as the “Liberator,” this book will unveil the history and stories of individuals who rode this icon to war and why the model is now a favorite among civilian collectors. This title is available at MotorcycleClassics.com/Store or by calling 800-880-7567. Mention promo code: MMCPALZ5. Item #10562.…

7/3 Head to the Barber Motorsports Park outside Birmingham, Alabama, for the third edition of the Concours de Competition et D’Elegance, with famed racer David Aldana serving as Grand Marshal. WERA will conduct the event on the track and in the paddock, while the Barber Museum will provide judging for motorcycles entered. If you would like to enter the event watch wera.com or the Concours de Competition Facebook page for the procedure to apply to participate, or contact Brian Slark at bslark@barbermuseum.org 7/16 Head to California for the inaugural AHRMA Classic Motofest of Monterey, July 16-18, 2021. Enjoy road racing at Weathertech Raceway Laguna Seca, along with motocross, trials and more. Saturday will feature the Vintage Motorcycle show by Hagerty. More info: ahrma.org 7/23 AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days returns to the Mid-Ohio Sports…