Innehållsförteckning för July 2018 från Real Classic

REDDY FOR ANYTHING Just to update you on the ‘Red Star’ which appeared in RC169. The little Beeza is running fine, the best it has ever done in my custodianship. I thought Rowena was a little cruel about the front brake; it does work, just not as fast as more modern ones and is as good as my B31. It also allows you time to contemplate where you want to end up… or should I say land! I’d like to thank some of the people who have helped me with the BSA over the years. There’s Pete Webb from Fremington who re-sleeved the carb, Raysons who made the silencers, the North Devon Motorcycle Club ‘breakdown crew’ for their assistance (twice!). And everyone I’ve bored with the latest disaster. Mike Dixon,…

The RD400 is the apex air-cooled two stroke motorcycle, a predator of the first order and last in a line of Yamaha twins, dating back to 1957 with the 247cc YD-1 racer. History shows a close, intertwining relationship between the Yamaha race bikes and their road-going equivalents. In fact, when Yamaha began selling production road racers such as the TD1 and TD2, the clamour for some of that racing knowhow to be sprinkled on their road machines became ever louder. With the arrival of the RD series, the by-then familiar layout of horizontally split crankcases and direct oil injection had provided the customer with a powerful, yet lightweight motorcycle. That energy was well controlled by a race-proven, twin loop frame and excellent suspension. The fast and light twins were more…

The first time I became aware of the Enfield Himalayan was on a Facebook post by Frank W. It immediately appealed to me and I impatiently waited for the chance to ride one. Earlier this year, I was at last able to have a test ride and the deal was done that very same day. I was offered a reasonable part-exchange value for my Honda SLR650 (sight unseen) and a few useful extras were thrown in, so I handed over my deposit and two weeks later the Enfield was delivered and the SLR taken away. I was advised to run the Himalayan in gently for the first 500km, no more than about 50mph. My favourite rides are bimbling along single track roads, so taking it easy for a while wasn’t…

Stage 2. Machine outline design This version of The Mi-Val is from 1954 or thereabouts and is the GS version. Well… according to the nameplate on the frame; as it’s complete with an adjustable steering damper, however, it seems to have some GL components. The fork shrouds have sidelights at the top either side of the headlamp – very Royal Enfield – and these were only fitted to the GL version. The seat appears to have been black and red – another GL variance – and as far as I can tell from investigation the only other changes were the colours and the carburettor, which for some reason was mounted with the slide horizontal on the GL version (some bikes) but not on the GS. So maybe this model has…

Dateline 2006. I was very fortunate to be seated among some of BMW’s most engaging and knowledgeable engineers, enjoying an early dinner in Berlin which produced more than just mashed schnitzel and a view of the city. The event introduced members of the press to the firm’s new R1200R twin. Emotions began to flow as the meal proceeded, lubricated by amber-tinted refreshment and inspired by my questions regarding BMW’s motives behind the R90S superbike. ‘A bold statement was needed, and delivered’ said the oldest of the engineers, who I’d unsuccessfully chased all day. ‘The S and the RS sold nearly every standard we made, which was good. For while we didn’t match Japanese totals, BMW stayed relevant by delivering a product they couldn’t; an exciting design with decades of heritage.’…

Look closely at the bike in the pictures nearby. Observe with interest that it is not an Ariel twin. Congratulate yourself on fine motorcycle recognition skills. The plan had been that I’d interrupt my riding delight around my favourite Marcher riding roads by dropping in on Chris at Venture Classics and borrowing an Ariel twin he had littering up the place. They’re interesting, unusual, and unappreciated machines, and I fancied clambering from my enormous – if obviously under-powered – modern machine and experiencing a little excitement with a Selly Oak rocketship. Chris had pulled it out into the early summer sun and it sparkled enticingly – a trick I’ve never mastered personally but admire in others. We set to demolishing a fine lunch, sank a gallon or two of paint-stripper…

If the story of the Triumph/BSA triples was a screenplay for a Hollywood film, it would be rejected as an unbelievable fantasy. It started in the early 1960s with the gem of an idea and continues today with brand-new racing Tridents still being produced to order. The history of the three-cylinder road bikes is intrinsically linked to the triples’ racing success on circuits around the world. When sales stalled it was victories in prestigious events that helped turn sales around, both in the UK and the USA. The victories became stuff of legend and triple riders became household names, regardless of which side of the pond they lived. The mid-1960s has a pivotal position in the history of two-wheeled motorised vehicles. Numerous events are labelled pre-65, so something obviously happened…

The Sammy Miller Museum in New Milton, Hampshire, UK is crammed full of interesting machines – including one of the biggest collections of exotic racing bikes in the world, and all are runners! These include the V8 Moto Guzzi, AJS Porcupine, Mondial 250 with dustbin fairing, Nortons, Ducatis, Suzukis, Hondas, Velocettes and many more! The Road Bike Hall includes a huge collection of factory prototypes and exotic designs from all over the world, and of course there are plenty of dirtbikes and trial icons, too – over 400 bikes in total. The Museum is open to visitors daily from 10am every day at New Milton, Hampshire B25 5SZ. 01425 620777 / www.sammymiller.co.uk…

Philosophy time over. Before I actually got down to some semi-serious spannering on Royston (I named him Royston the Royal Enfield in honour of my late cousin, who had a BSA C12, 127 BKT, and gave me pillion rides when I was knee high to a leprechaun) I studied the paperwork that came with him. There was a sheaf of receipts about an inch thick, and over the years owners had replaced all manner of brackets, bushes and bearings, the wiring harness, silencer and exhaust pipe (twice), had the big-end journal reground with a new conrod and paid for the Amal 389 to be rebored and sleeved and the jet aligned accurately. In December 1995, it was sold for spares or repair only by a motorcycle dealer in Grimsby so,…

I’m sure that I move in the same sort of circles as many people in RealClassic land. After all, I fit the profile; sixty-something, I’ve messed about with motorbikes for fifty years and I still own, ride and maintain a classic bike. I wondered whether to write about my first impressions of my new Royal Enfield Himalayan for this esteemed publication. After all, it’s not a classic, nor even a retro, so would RealClassic readers be interested? Please listen to my reasons before making a judgement. A straw poll at local watering holes for motorcyclists revealed unsurprisingly that a number of classic bike riders also own a modern bike. Many riders want something that they can just press a button and go for a ride, keeping their P&J for special…

For any of you who read the articles on my Norton Commando restoration, you may have noticed that it was a little lacking in detail. I decided to separate out the topic of the electrics for various reasons. I think a lot of people’s eyes would have glazed over, electrics being that black art where nothing makes sense. Hopefully, I can make some sense of it all, and show you what I did. If your electrics look like an explosion in a spaghetti factory, you may pick up a few tips on how to improve your electrics, or even gain the confidence to rewire it yourself. Some words of warning, though: if you’re a rivet counter, move on, otherwise you’ll be shaking your fist at the pages, and muttering, ‘That’s…