Motorcycle classics 2014 07 08

2 MOTORCYCLE CLASSICS July/August 2014

DEPARTMENTS

FEATURES

NIC

K C

ED

AR

4 BLACK SIDE DOWN

The editor speaks.

6 READERS AND RIDERS

Road memories and thoughts on vintage motocross.

8 GEAR DRIVEN

6 sets of everyday saddlebags.

10 UNDER THE RADAR

Tomorrow’s Classics: 1988-1991 Honda NT650 Hawk GT.

12 VIEW FROM

THE SIDECAR

AHRMA Vintage Festival, The Meet returns and Hodaka gets celebrated.

70 MC HOW-TO

Learn how to replace Honda CB camshaft bearing blocks.

74 KEITH’S GARAGE

Keith’s fixes will keep your classic bike up and running.

78 DESTINATIONS

Ride the Rim of the World Highway on the way to Big Bear, California.

82 CALENDAR

Where to go and what to do.

86 COOL FINDS

New stuff for old bikes.

96 PARTING SHOTS

Quail Gathering 2014.

ON THE WEB!

RE Continental GTMC’s Richard Backus went riding with Royal Enfield CEO Siddhartha Lal at the North American launch of the new Royal Enfield Continental GT and discovered Lal — credited with turning Royal Enfield around — is a true motorcycle enthusiast bent on recasting the midsize motorcycle with bikes that look to the past while meeting today’s needs. More at MotorcycleClassics.com/Continental-GT

R O A DR O A D

MAP

14 LUCK OF THE DRAW:

1981 SUZUKI GS1100EX

Found in rough condition, this Suzuki was rescued by enthusiast Trace St. Germain, perhaps the perfect person to save a shabby Superbike from the 1980s.

22 TRIBUTE TRIUMPH: A CUSTOM

INSPIRED BY GARY NIXON

When Todd Van Dorn dragged a 1972 Triumph T120RV engine and several boxes of parts to Union Motorcycle Classics in Nampa, Idaho, he thought he wanted a bobber. What he got was something entirely different.

30 1957 MONDIAL 250 BIALBERO

The golden age of motorcycle road racing in the 1950s brought many makes to prominence, and none achieved world supremacy so quickly as the Italian marque FB Mondial.

38 PUTTING THE SPORT IN SPORTSTER:

1958 HARLEY-DAVIDSON XLCH

Competition improves the breed, they say, and the 1958 H-D XLCH Sportster was born of competition stock.

46 THE RED HUNTERS RIDE AGAIN

Shawn Doan owns two Ariel Red Hunters: a tastefully modified 1947 VH 500cc single-port, and a 1939 VH 500cc twin-port.

54 SOMETHING SPECIAL: HONDA S65

Honda’s small-bore singles were the first motorcycles for a generation of new riders.

62 1949 LAVERDA 75CC TOURISMO

The very first Laverda of them all, this is the actual prototype of Laverda’s 4-stroke, 75cc single. Legend has it the piston was cast in the family kitchen.

I like going fast, but as a street rider my opportunities to wick it up safely are limited.

Out on the track, you’re free to push as hard as you please to find the edge of trac-

tion and control, a point appreciated by editor Landon Hall in his newfound interest

in track days. But out on the street, in the world of erratic delivery vans, old ladies in

Chryslers and teenagers on cell phones, pushing the edge can put you on a line to

trouble faster than you can get out.

During a recent back road blast in a Subaru WRX STI, my foot buried in the throttle

to push the Subaru’s 310 horsepower out to its four wheels, it struck me that today’s

high-performance cars and motorcycles are so competent, so incredibly capable, that

by the time you get to the point of trouble, it’s too late. You’re going so fast, every-

thing is happening so fast, that you don’t have time to digest it. The point of no return

becomes a knife edge, and unless you’ve honed your skills, you can pass that point

before you even know it.

Increasingly, the bikes available to us are more competent than their riders. They’re

faster and heavier, making them harder for inexperienced riders to master because the

learning curve from zero skill is steep. I’ve always been a proponent of starting small

for the simple reason that your chances of success, of learning how to master and

control your bike, rise in reverse correlation to a bike’s engine capacity. Bikes like the

venerable Honda CB350, puny by today’s standards but considered midsized back in

the day, were and are a perfect learning platform.

A mainstay of the motorcycle market during the boom years of the Sixties and

Seventies, the over 250cc but under 750cc motorcycle had almost been marketed

out of existence. Recently, however, there have been encouraging signs the market

for smaller-bore bikes is starting to come back. Honda can’t make enough new

CBR250Rs, the CB500F is getting great reviews, and Harley-Davidson, the poster child

for big-bore battleships on two wheels, has started producing a new series of 500cc

and 750cc street bikes. After years of chasing the go-faster and bigger crowd, manufac-

turers are re-examining the market for smaller, and yes slower, motorcycles.

Royal Enfield CEO Siddhartha Lal thinks the midsized market is where the fun is,

a point he stressed during the U.S. launch of RE’s new Continental GT. Ironically, the

535cc single-cylinder Continental GT is the biggest motorcycle the Indian manufac-

turer has ever made. Be that as it may, Lal is chasing the midsized market because

A) it’s where RE already lives and B) he sees opportunity in expanding the category

because it represents accessible motorcycling. "There's space in the market for some-

thing that's less intimidating," Lal says.

Lal shares my conviction that riding slow can be just as fun as riding

fast. Sixty miles an hour on a Yamaha R1 is boring. But 60mph on a

Honda CB350 — or a Royal Enfield — can be a hoot. I got to spend a

day on RE's new bike, and pitching the Continental

GT into a series of decreasing radius, some-

times off-camber turns on a twisty back road

reminded me of just how fun riding small can

be. I might have only been going 40mph, but

it felt like double that as I leaned over and

squirted through the turns.

My pace was fast enough to be exciting,

but slow enough to let me digest every bit of

the road and surrounding environment. And

unlike the flyboys on their Gixxer’s, if a dog

ran out, I’d be able to get out of the way.

Speed's fun, but on the right bike, so is

going a little slower.

Richard Backus

Editor-in-chief

Digestible speed

—


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R E A D E R S A N D

RIDERS

Hot rodI enjoyed the May/June 2014 issue as

I have enjoyed all the issues since the

very first. This is the first time that I feel

compelled to write in the interest of my

fellow readers. I wish to refer to the fea-

ture article BMW/2 Hot Rod. First, I have

never been accused of being doctrinal

in matters of old Beemers. Thus, I do

not think it a sacrilege nor do I think it

is a good idea. I respect the beautiful

craftsmanship displayed in this “Hot

Rod” and the right of the owner to ride

whatever he wishes to. However, I do

feel compelled to warn my fellow read-

ers of the dangers of building and riding

this type of conversion. The primary

problem is the inadequacy of the /2

front brake. While the twin-leading-shoe

front brake used on the /5 is outstand-

ing for a drum brake, the /2 unit was not

even adequate for the power and speed

of the R60/2 engine, much less an R90S

engine. I have seen a few of these con-

versions and when the braking issues

are addressed they can be fine sidecar

rigs, though the R90/6 engine has the

more useful power characteristics for

sidecar use and is less valuable than an

R90S engine. For solo riding, the /5 and

later frames are far superior. In fact, the

BMW bikes entered in the ISDT in the

late Sixties used /2 engines mounted in

/5 prototype frames.

P. George/via email

Road memoriesRichard Backus’ Black Side Down column

brought back a lot of memories, as I’m

from Connecticut and I have traveled a lot

of miles in New England on classic bikes

riding with a friend of mine. The roads

and the ferries in New England are a must

for any person who rides.

C. Morse/Monroe, Connecticut

More road memoriesI’m sure many of your readers were

touched by your May/June 2014 col-

umn. It reminds us why we

keep riding after 50 years.

Although I lusted after your

“big” Norton, my wife and

I took our Honda 350 on a

3,000 mile honeymoon trip

more than 40 years ago. We

covered much of your route

and added a trip up Mt.

Washington. My wife still

kept her helmet on away

from the bike because of

the wind! Yes, we still ride

together.

Ken Fizette/Luzerne, Michigan

Norton touring in New EnglandIt’s strange how things work some-

times. I have one small road trip of three

to four days planned for this summer on

my 1975 Norton. It will be a meander-

ing ride from Ludlow, Vermont, to Mt.

Washington in New Hampshire. I couldn’t

think of another small road trip to do —

until I opened the May/June issue and

read Black Side Down. Taking ferries in and

around New England will be my second

road trip. Thanks for a wonderful theme

for a ride!

Mitch Zyman/Merrick, New York

Visiting CubaWe just returned from a wonder-

ful eight days in Cuba,

based in Havana at the

hotel Santa Isabel. We are

Americans and the trip was

through Latin Art Space

(latinartspace.com) and it

involved visits to several

artists’ studios and exhibi-

tions of music and danc-

ing. We were also treated

to a visit into Hemingway’s

house, which was particu-

larly interesting.

When I travel I usually

take a stack of magazines to

“Taking ferries in and around New England will be my second road trip.”

Rider: Brad Babcock, Lemont, Pennsylvania

Age: 67

Occupation: Retired videographer

Rides: 1953 Royal Enfield 350 Bullet, 1965 Royal Enfield 750

Interceptor, 1975 Honda CB125S, 1977 Honda Z50, 1983 Suzuki

GS450, 1984 Moto Guzzi V65SP, 1987 Yamaha SRX 250, 2002

Suzuki 1200 Bullet

BradÕs story: “I was particularly pleased to see the 1980-1983 Suzuki

GS450 as a Future Classic (March/April 2014), as I’m the proud owner

of a 1983 GS450E, which I bought new in 1985 and have kept in the

stable ever since. For six years it was my only bike. I commuted on it,

took it on sporting rides and toured on it, including several 600-900

mile round trips to Ontario. Now it’s my favorite back roads bike, pow-

erful enough, yet nimble. It now has more than 48,000 miles on it.

The sum total of repairs have been a new clutch cable, a new tachom-

eter drive cable and a regulator/rectifier, which was a known weak

point in Suzukis of that era. With eight motorcycles in the garage,

the GS450 is still one of my favorites. It’s all stock and original, except

for the added flyscreen and the seat, which I had redone by Sargents

when the original cover split. I still think it’s a very handsome bike.”


Brad Babcock’s put more than 48,000 miles on his 1983 Suzuki GS450 and still enjoys riding it today.

RIDERSS

read while away. On this trip my maga-

zines were motorcycle related. While I

was sitting at a café, almost immediately,

someone came up to me and asked to leaf

through it, and it didn’t take long for me

to realize that they cannot receive maga-

zines sourced in the U.S. Luckily I still had

one I had finished and it took about two

seconds to give it away. I did this with

the second and then the third. My new

Cuban friend said that these issues would

be handed around from one person to

another. Two of the three were copies of

Motorcycle Classics, which are probably still

making the rounds. So, if you are going to

Cuba and subscribe to motorcycle or car

magazines, you might want to set some

aside as you finish them to bring. It won’t

take long before you make some people

happy, yourself included.

Peter Krynicki/via email

Vintage MXI really enjoy Motorcycle Classics magazine and I appreciate the variety of bikes that are

covered in each issue. I just picked up the May/June 2014 issue and read John L. Stein’s

article on the experience and costs of vintage motocross. I’ve been racing in American

Historic Racing Motorcycle Association (AHRMA) motocross and cross country

events for 10 years and I’m glad to see our living museum featured in your magazine.

However, I fear the article paints a somewhat unfair picture of the costs of vintage

motocross, which may prevent some folks from giving it a try. There is no reason for

competitive vintage MX bikes to cost the same or more than competitive modern

bikes. With the possible exception of some British 4-strokes, all popular AHRMA-legal

bikes are simpler and more straightforward to maintain. There are literally dozens of

brands/makes of 1974 or older vintage MX bikes that are all generally competitive in

their respective classes, so the market has plenty of options to choose from. I choose

to race Bultacos mainly because that’s what my grandfather and father raced (I’m 26

years old and I grew up going to AHRMA races with them). We have a handful of them

that are basically stock except for tires and Works Performance shocks. We even run

the Amal carburetors and Motoplat ignitions. I don’t recall having to spend more than

$2,500 to have one complete bike ready to race and win. Bultacos aren’t everyone’s cup

of tea but I’ve won my share of races with them. I’m sure the same can be said of many

other brands I see at each race weekend.

Craig Light/Atlanta, Georgia

A few of Craig Light’s Bultacos, including a 200cc and 250cc

Pursang, a 125cc Sherpa S and a 175cc Lobito.

Circle #8; see card pg 73

1With years of expertise developing and sourcing motorcycle touring gear, when

Aerostich suggests a product, wise people listen. Case in point are these Ortlieb Low Profile Dry Bag Saddlebags. Made from exceptionally strong but lightweight and abra-sion-resistant reinforced PVC, these bags are unlike anything else featured here. A total of 34 liters of storage capacity means they can swallow a lot of gear, and swallow they do because instead of a zippered top or side panel they feature a 19.5-inch-wide access flap that simply rolls open and shut. Laterally and centrally positioned quick-release straps keep the bags closed, and their PVC construction combined with the roll top closure makes them waterproof and dustproof. The backside of each bag features a thermo-molded pad to protect your bike’s paint finish, and an inner organizer pocket features a large zippered pocket and two hook-and-loop pockets for securing smaller items. 3M Scotchlite reflectors aid nighttime visibility, and carrying handles make them easy to transport off your bike. Definitely the most intriguing bags we’ve seen in awhile. $217. More info: aerostich.com

2River Road’s textile Spectrum Medium Slant Saddlebag gives a nod to tradi-tion by combining old school leather saddle straps (complete with laced

adjustment panels) with RoadTex 1680 denier nylon, treated with a PVC coating to repel water. The medium-sized bags feature box-style lids for easy access and lockable zippers for secure storage. The interior is fully lined, and each saddle bag has its own custom-fitted liner bag for extra protection for your gear and added packing convenience. Zippered side pockets give extra storage space for smaller items like wallets and mobile media, and the bags are zippered to the saddle strap so you can remove the bags individually. They also feature heat-resistant bottom panels to guard against muffler burns. Quick-release straps aid in secure attachment of the bags while a removable neoprene layer protects your bike’s finish, and supplied waterproof rain covers ensure your gear stays dry. $179.95. More info: riverroadgear.com

3Cortech’s 2.0 36L Saddlebags are constructed from 1680 denier ballistic polyester with 1800 denier three-lined twill Jacquard

weave side pockets. (Jacquard weave gives better material control during the weaving process for extra strength and wear resistance.) The bags feature expandable main compartments for 36 liters of stor-

age capacity. Twin-zippered top panels with hook-and-loop flaps keep contents secure while giving easy access to the main compartments, and zippered side panels provide easily accessible storage for smaller items like maps, iPads and the like. There’s a protective heat shield on the lower

section of the bags, plus Phoslite reflective piping for nighttime visibility. Internal support panels help keep the bags’ shape, and a quick-release mounting system lets you add a Cortech Super 2.0 Tail Bag in seconds. Protective non-slip, non-scratch side pads protect your bike’s finish, and supplied rain covers keep things dry when the going really gets wet. Nicely proportioned and good looking, these bags should work well on just about any bike. $159.99. More info: cortechperformance.com

6 Great Saddlebags for Everyday Touring


1

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G E A R

DRIVEN

5The Summit Saddlebags from Wolfman Motorcycle Luggage are no-nonsense throw-

over saddlebags. Yet while they may be short on catch phrase extras, Wolfman’s expedition quality, made in the U.S.A. bags are long on utility and durability. Made of 1680

denier ballistic nylon and featuring 40 liters of cargo space they can hold a lot of gear, made easier with the Summit’s double-zippered side-opening

panel. Attachment is basic over-the-seat with straps running to the passenger pegs and rear of the bike, and plastic form panels in the bags ensure they hold their shape under all conditions. A non-slip, non-scratch backing protects your bike’s finish, and there are D-rings on the side of the bags for attaching a Wolfman Wolf Tail bag or any other bag you might have. The zippered out-side pockets are large enough to carry an iPad and more, and there’s reflective piping to aid nighttime visibility. A rain cover is extra, but the plastic paneled and PVC-lined interior should

make these bags pretty water-resistant as they stand. $187.99; rain cover $27.49. More info: wolfmanluggage.com

4If you’re looking for the ultimate in old school touring style with top-shelf qual-ity and utility, you’ll fall in love with Fox Creek’s Throwover Saddlebags. Made

with high-quality, super thick 3.6-4.0mm top grain cowhide (Fox Creek calls it Crazy Horse leather, the thickest they use) with a heavy stiffening panel riveted and sewn into the back side, these heavy-duty saddlebags will hold their shape while gently relaxing over time. The top-opening flaps secure with riveted leather straps to chrome-plated, riveted buckles. All stitching is nylon to ensure the bags stay together rain or shine, and the leather is oil and wax treated for long-term exposure to the elements. With roughly 30 liters of storage capacity they’re big enough for weekend jaunts, yet small enough to leave on your bike for everyday utility. Handmade in the Blue Ridge Mountains of southwestern Virginia, Fox Creek Leather products are among the best we’ve seen. Available in brown (shown) and black. $300. More info: foxcreekleather.com

6We’ve always liked Tourmaster gear, and Tourmaster’s Elite Saddlebags don’t disappoint. Made from heavy-duty 1680

denier ballistic polyester with 840 denier patterned panels, their 36 liters of storage space makes them perfect for most touring needs. Hard bag-style

zippered and gusseted side openings mean you can really cram in your gear, and interior form panels make sure the bags

hold their shape. A removable neoprene pad on each bag protects your bike’s finish, and supplied rain covers for each bag keep your gear dry when the weather turns wet. The zippered side pockets are amply sized and feature mesh inner pockets for storing smaller items like wallets, keys, mobile media and your registration papers. There are neoprene covers for the saddle straps when needed to

protect painted surfaces, and the removable saddle straps can be mounted under the seat of

some bikes. Quick-release straps aid attachment, and the bags feature protective heat shielding on the

bottom panels, along with reflective triangles on the rear of each bag for improved nighttime vis-ibility. They also feature quick-release straps to add a Tour Master Elite Tail Bag. $189.99. More

info: tourmaster.com

www.MotorcycleClassics.com 9

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U N D E R T H E

RADAR

As Honda’s current NC700 demon-

strates — the NC700’s radically

inclined liquid-cooled 670cc par-

allel twin is tilted 62 degrees for-

ward — Honda has never shrunk

from innovation as a way to kick-

start sales. So it was during Big

Red’s late 1980s doldrums that four

mold-breaking bikes arrived in the

U.S.: the screaming gear-drive dou-

ble overhead cam 400cc CB-1 four;

the practical but unlovely 800cc

liquid-cooled PC800 Pacific Coast

V-twin; the charming retro GB500 air/

oil-cooled single; and the revolution-

ary liquid-cooled 650cc V-twin Hawk GT.

But was the Hawk any good, or was it just

originality for its own sake?

As a midsize V-twin naked sport-standard, the Hawk antici-

pated Ducati’s M900 by seven years and Suzuki’s SV650 by

a decade. It incorporated a range of techie features like the

RC30-style Pro-Am single-sided swingarm, Pro-Link single

rear shock, cast alloy twin-beam chassis and stout (for the

time) 41mm front forks with alloy triple trees.

Somewhat at odds with this racy specification was the

engine, a bored-and-stroked version of the mild-mannered

1983 VT500 Ascot mill. This was a 52-degree, 3-valve, liquid-

cooled V-twin with offset crankpins, a straight-cut gear pri-

mary and 5-speed transmission — though the Hawk used

chain final drive instead of the Ascot’s shaft. Also new for the

Hawk was digital ignition and dual-plug cylinder heads. But

producing just 37.5 horsepower and 31ft/lb of torque at the

rear wheel on Cycle magazine’s dyno, was the Hawk’s hi-tech

spec wasted on a weedy powerplant?

Not so, said Cycle World, finding the Hawk’s powerplant very

satisfying “if you like riding a bike with immediate throttle

response … if you want a 650 that pulls from low rpm like

a 750.” Cycle agreed: “The torquey, flat power spread of this

engine coupled with a slick-shifting gearbox and light clutch

makes the Hawk a cinch to ride … a crack of the throttle will

zap highway traffic.” Cycle also recorded an impressive sub-

13-second standing quarter at almost 100mph, thanks in part

to the Hawk’s full-tank curb weight of just 411 pounds.

Cycle also liked the Hawk’s handling: “… the 650 GT has

those qualities that encourage a brisk riding pace: light

weight, nimble neutral steering, unshakable stability, lots

of corner clearance … balanced, responsive suspension and

accessible power.” Cycle World praised the Hawk’s handling,

too, noting that “with quick geometry and fat tires on wide

17-inch wheels, it responds immediately and positively to the

rider’s every input.”

It seems what Honda had actually produced was an out-

standing all-around motorcycle “that is as much at home on

city streets as it is on back roads,” Cycle World said, noting a

few negatives like a slightly short fuel range, a thinly padded

seat and heat from the headers, all of which compromised

its long-haul touring capability. Another area where Honda

had perhaps cut corners was in the suspension. The front

fork was non-adjustable, and Cycle World said it was “a little

soft, diving under braking.” Likewise, the rear suspension —

adjustable for spring preload only — “tends to feel mushy at

ON THE MARKET1989 Honda NT650 Hawk GT/$3,200

Honda NT650 Hawks donÕt turn up every day, which isnÕt particularly surprising given the modelÕs short run in the U.S. And when they do show up, good ones arenÕt cheap, a reflection of both owner and market appreciation for the model as it appears thereÕs a loyal following for HondaÕs forgotten twin. We found this 1989 model along with a first-year 1988 on eBay. The 1988 failed to sell with an offer of $2,995, while this bike had a ÒBuy it NowÓ of $3,200. Where the Ô88 had only 13,283 miles, this bike was showing 21,075. Yet miles donÕt tell the full story because the Ô89 looked very nice, with new fork seals, new chain and sprockets and a very nice Two Brothers exhaust system. The seller didnÕt supply much information, but the bike looked clean and well cared for. Not exactly cheap, but a nice survivor.


Forgotten middleweight:1988-1991 Honda NT650 Hawk GT

speed,” Cycle World’s editor’s opined.

Cycle’s tester also found the Hawk’s

riding position “rather cramped” and

the entire motorcycle “small and better

suited for smaller riders.” On the plus

side, Cycle World appreciated the inclu-

sion of a centerstand and thought-

fully positioned bungee cord hooks for

occasional luggage.

With all its good press and excellent

attributes, you’d think the Hawk GT

would have hit a home run in sales, but

it didn’t. After just three model years, it was dropped. For all its

good points, on paper the Hawk just didn’t stack up: at $3,995

for an optimistic output of 58 horsepower, it paled against

Honda’s own new 85 horsepower CBR600F, which came in at

just $400 more. Buyers simply did the

math — which is a shame, because if

they had ridden the Hawk, they would

have been surprised at its understated

performance and value, even though

it perhaps lacked outright horsepower.

Intriguingly, of the foursome cited in

the first paragraph — the Pacific Coast,

CB-1, GB500 and NT650 — the ungainly

Pacific Coast proved to be the longest

lived, lasting from 1989-1998.

Summing up, Cycle World called the

Hawk GT “a mix of old and new, a bike with one wheel planted

firmly in the traditions of yesterday and the other rolling

boldly into the technology of tomorrow.” It’s a concept that’s

perhaps better appreciated 26 years on. MC

1983-1985 BMW R65LSThe R65LS arrived in 1983 as a hopped-up version of BMW’s

entry-level R65. The short-stroke flat-twin engine featured larger

valves, Nikasil cylinders, a lighter clutch and flywheel, a larger

sump and Bosch electronic ignition. Horsepower was up from 45

to 50. Hans Muth (fresh from sculpting Suzuki’s Katana) molded

the futuristic mini-fairing/instrument panel, gas tank and seat/tail

unit (with glove box): Like many ‘80s fashions, it didn’t age well.

The standard R65 frame ran on new, lighter alloy wheels with

dual Brembo front disc brakes, but retained the rear drum. Final

drive was by shaft.

Like the Alazzurra and the Hawk, the LS wasn’t for those want-

ing outright performance. But it redeemed itself with a flexible

powertrain, friendly ergonomics and nimble handling. Cycle mag-

azine liked the firmer-than-usual-BMW suspension, which reduced

driveshaft reaction and improved cornering clearance. “Steering is

terrific,” Cycle said, making the

LS “a delight on curvy roads

or around town,” also noting,

“It’s hard to imagine how the

brakes could be better.” But

like the Hawk and Alazzurra,

long stints in the saddle were

uncomfortable, especially in

the neck and shoulders: Cycle

blamed a too-low handlebar.

Perhaps the R65LS’s biggest

problem was the badge on

the tank: BMW traditionalists

didn’t warm to it, and other

motorcyclists didn’t see the

value. Just 6,389 R65LS’s were

built over three model years.

Perhaps the R65 line’s great-

est contribution was in

lending its chassis to the

1981 R80G/S.

CONTENDERS Two-cylinder rivals to Honda’s NT650

1985-1987 Cagiva AlazzurraBy 1985, Cagiva’s canny Castiglioni brothers had bought

Ducati’s engine division and designed a range of motorcycles

around a 650cc version of Taglioni’s Pantah V-twin: the dual-

sport Elefant, custom Indiana and street bike Alazzurra. The

engine, forerunner of all 2-valve belt-drive Ducatis, was an air-

cooled 90-degree V-twin with single overhead cams and des-

modromic valve operation, fed by dual 36mm Dell’Orto carbs

and fired by Bosch electronic ignition. Helical primary gears

drove a wet multiplate clutch and 5-speed transmission with

chain final drive.

The powertrain was suspended from a “closed double cradle”

tubular steel frame with the swingarm mounted in bushings in

the rear of the engine cases. Campagnolo cast wheels carried

non-adjustable Marzocchi front forks and piggyback rear shocks

adjustable for preload and damping. Braking was by triple-disc

Brembos, but period testers found them weak and prone to fade.

Other gripes included lean-

mixture surging at midrange

revs, cold-blooded starting and

a painful, board-like seat.

While down on power

against its competition from

Japan, the Alazzurra worked

well in the twisties. Road Rider

praised its cornering as “an

effortless and confidence-

inspiring pastime.” The

Alazzurra proved to be a

sporty package with a strong,

torquey engine in a fine-

handling chassis, well-

equipped and finished. It

was, Cycle said, “sinewy,

poised, predacious in

an off-hand, casual

way.” Very Italian, then!

• 1983-1985• 50hp @ 7,250rpm/110mph • 650cc air-cooled OHV flat twin• 5-speed, shaft final drive• 417lb (dry)/45-60mpg• Price then/now:

$3,995/$2,500-$5,500

c


• 1985-1987• 55hp @ 8,500rpm/107mph• 650cc air-cooled SOHC V-twin• 5-speed, chain final drive• 421lb (dry)/41-47mpg• Price then/now:

$3,750/$1,500-$3,500

Years produced 1988-1991

Power 58hp @ 8,500rpm (claimed)

Top speed 115mph

Engine 647cc liquid-cooled

SOHC 52-degree V-twin

Transmission 5-speed, chain final drive

Weight (dry) 393lb

Fuel consumption 47-65mpg

Price then/now $3,995/$800-$3,000

HONDA NT650 HAWK GT

V I E W F R O M T H E

SIDECAR

The vintage race scene heats up July 11-13 as riders compete

in rounds 13 and 14 of the AHRMA/CPL Systems National

Historic Cup Roadrace Series during the 2nd annual AHRMA

Vintage Motorcycle Festival at Thunderbolt Raceway at New

Jersey Motorsports Park (njmp.com). This will be one of the

great events of the year, with racers gunning for the podium on

everything from 1920s handshift Indians to Seventies Japanese

Superbikes in 30-plus classes.

Motorcycle Classics will host the Motorcycle Classics Vintage Bike

Show, awarding trophies for Best Restored and Best Rider in

five classes, and we’ll also hand out our Editors’ Choice award

for the bike we’d most like to take home. This is a friendly,

relaxed show, with the focus on having a good time and enjoy-

ing the great variety of classic

bikes that vintage bike fans

own, whether they’re daily

riders, barnyard finds or

perfect restorations.

Other attractions dur-

ing the AHRMA Vintage

Festival include a motor-

cycle swap meet, live music,

motorcycle stunt shows, beer gardens

and more. Nestled in 500-plus forested acres, the 12-turn,

2.25-mile Thunderbolt Raceway is one of two tracks at the

race park, which is located less than an hour from Ocean City.

NJMP offers VIP suites and camping, and if you’re looking

for some fast and fun four-wheeling action, check out F1

Karting at the adjacent Lightning Raceway.

The Meet in TacomaIf you haven’t already, make plans for the 3rd annual The

Meet Vintage Motorcycle Festival August 22-24 at America’s

Car Museum in Tacoma, Washington. A concours event,

The Meet features 450-plus vintage motorcycles spread

out across the museum’s 3.5-acre Haub Family Showfield.

Last year’s event drew an estimated 4,500 vintage bike

fans, and this year’s show should easily best that thanks to

the announcement that fees for motorcycles entering the

concours have been eliminated. We’ll be set up with other

vendors ringing the field, plus there will be food, music,

a swap meet, a used bike corral, seminars and a Sunday

group ride. A panel of 14 judges including Motorcycle Classics’

Richard Backus will award trophies in 22 categories. This

show beats expectations every year, with an ever-changing

and growing selection of spectacular vintage motorcycles

from around the world on display. Best of Show last year

went to a 1955 Ceccato 75cc single, one of only a few made,

even fewer of which survive. More info at vintagemotor

cyclefestival.com

Time’s almost out to reserve your space

in the 2014 Benelli Vintage Tour. Led by

motorcycle tour veteran Burt Richmond with

Motorcycle Classics’ editor-in-chief Richard

Backus riding second, the Benelli Vintage

Tour features 10 days of riding through

Italy’s scenic Marche and Umbria regions

aboard vintage Italian motorcycles. Tour

participants will have their choice of vintage

Benellis and Motobis to ride, ranging from a

single-cylinder 1955 125cc Benelli Carenato

to a 6-cylinder Seventies Sei 750, with late

model “millennium” Benellis available for

those who want to ride two-up or just pre-

fer a newer machine. We’ll take in motor-

cycle museums including the famed Benelli

Museum and the Morbidelli Museum in

Pesaro, and finish the tour at the San

Marino GP at Misano World Circuit. Cost

for the tour is $3,500, which includes your

bike, hotel room, breakfast and dinner every

day, and a support vehicle and bilingual

guide. Go to motogp.com to purchase GP

tickets, which are extra. See the Mototouring

Benelli Vintage Tour ad on page 81 or go to

mototouring.com for more information.

Final call for Benelli Vintage Tour

AHRMA Vintage Festival at NJMP

Lovely NCR Ducati at last year’s The Meet in Tacoma, Washington.


AHRMA Vintage Festival, The Meet returns, MC tours Italy and Hodaka gets celebrated

Sold by PABATCO — Pacific Basin Trading Company — in

tiny Athena, Oregon, from 1964 through 1977, Hodaka motor-

cycles were developed on the premise that motorcycling should

be cheap: “No one should have to seriously strain their budget

to enjoy it,” a Hodaka sales booklet pro-

claimed. Developed by a small but dedi-

cated group of motorcycle enthusiasts

in an era when U.S. interest in motor-

cycling as a leisure sport was explod-

ing, the little bikes with the Hodaka

name — Japanese for “grow higher” —

became one of the biggest successes in

American dirt bike history.

Written by Ken Smith, the editor

of Australia’s excellent VMX vintage

offroad magazine (vmxmag.com.au),

with help from Strictly Hodaka owner

Paul Stannard (strictlyhodaka.com),

Hodaka: The Complete Story of America’s

Favorite Trail Bike chronicles the evolution of Hodaka motor-

cycles from PABATCO’s initial 1961 entry selling Japanese

Yamaguchi motorcycles to designing and specifying the

construction of its own range of dirt bikes, built by former

Yamaguchi engine supplier Hodaka.

PABATCO’s best years were in the Sixties and early Seventies

(15,736 Hodakas were sold in 1972), and motorcyclists of a cer-

tain age have fond memories of the Hodaka Ace, Wombat, Super

Wombat, Combat Wombat, Dirt Squirt and Super Rat. Yet cre-

ative names weren’t enough to save the small company against

rising competition, and new motorcycles

quit flowing in 1977: PABATCO shut

down its motorcycle operation in 1978.

Years in the making, the book’s release

celebrates the 50th anniversary of the first

Hodaka, the Ace 90, and a book release

party helps kick off Hodaka Days 2014,

held June 26-29 in PABATCO’s hometown

of Athena. Hodaka Days will feature for-

mer PABATCO employees, plus former

offroad superstars and industry insiders

Brad Lackey, Ron Pomeroy, Preston Petty

and Ken Smith.

Exhaustively researched, enthusiasti-

cally told and featuring scores of period

photographs and advertisements, the book contains full pro-

duction statistics by model and year, with engine serial number

data and yearly sales data by distributor and state. An absolute

must for any fan of offroad motorcycling history. Octane Press

(octanepress.com): 192 pages, $60. To order a copy, go to

MotorcycleClassics.com/Hodaka or see our ad on page 95.

Hodaka: The Complete Story of America’s Favorite Trail Bike


1981 Suzuki GS1100EX

Trace originally wanted to buy the bike just for its parts, but ended up

with the factory-spec restoration you see here. “I brought the bike home,

and I don’t know what got into me. I decided to restore it. It was really

badly oxidized, and I had never done a Suzuki before.”

Trace was lucky enough to be born in a motorcycling family. Instead

of having to hide his passion from his parents, as many kids did, Trace’s

parents encouraged him. “I have been working on bikes since I can

remember,” he says. “I mowed lawns to get my first bike, a Yamaha 80

with a stamped steel frame. I rode that thing to death.” The Yamaha was

replaced by a Suzuki 250X Hustler and then a Honda 350. Trace also

got into racing quarter midgets on the tracks at Sacramento and

Baylands in Northern California.

An accident when he was serving in the Army stopped Trace

from motorcycling for awhile, but eventually he was able to

resume riding. “Sporty, big displacement motorcycles get me

going — I like the horsepower,” Trace admits. A Kawasaki Z1R

was Trace’s street bike for a long time, and he still has it.

Trace also got back into racing. After trying road racing and

other types of motorcycle competition, he settled into drag

racing as his sport, starting in 1982 by building a Kawasaki

into a drag racer. “I didn’t want to do stupid things on the

street, and I enjoy being around drag racing people. People

in drag racing help each other. I have given people parts they

needed, and they beat me because they had the parts,” Trace

says. But that doesn’t stop him helping his competition. “You

have a better feeling about yourself,” he adds.

They say good guys finish last, but Trace earned two track

championships at the old track in Fremont, California, and has

notched seven track championships and one division champi-

onship at Sonoma Raceway in Northern California. Continuing

the family motorsport tradition, Trace’s son is also drag racing

— and winning, with two track championships under his belt so far.

Trace’s interest in mechanics has continued, as well. Now retired, at

least from normal work, he’s as busy as he’s ever been, building engines

for five drag racing teams. Trace also restores motorcycles for other

people with his buddy Brian Jennings, who also paints race bikes. “I like

TThis Suzuki is one lucky motorcycle. Found in rough

condition, unloved, for sale and facing an uncertain

future, it had the good fortune of being adopted by

Trace St. Germain, perhaps the perfect person to rescue

a deserving but shabby Superbike from the 1980s.

LUCK OF THEDRAW

Story by Margie Siegal

Photos by Nick Cedar


restoring bikes,” Trace says. “It keeps me

busy and out of my wife’s hair.”

This Suzuki, however, Trace restored

for himself. “Brian and I were going to

use this bike as a parts bike. Brian went

and looked at it. The bike was rough, and

the guy wanted too much money for it,

but all the original parts, including about

90 percent of the original nuts and bolts,

were in a box. Not only that, there was

a good exhaust system that came with

it — a Bassani exhaust that would be

worth a lot of money on eBay. We finally

reached a deal.”

The GS comes of ageThe GS1100 was the top of the line of Suzuki’s extensive lineup

in 1980 and 1981. In the previous few

years, the company had achieved an

impressive comeback, pulling back from

the edge of the cliff it had almost ridden

over on the back of the failed RE5 rotary.

The GS line of 4-strokes Suzuki was

selling in the late Seventies and early

Eighties were the antithesis of the exper-

imental RE5. Using — and improving

— proven technology, Suzuki engineers

designed a series of powerful and reli-

able motorcycles, with understated styl-

ing, good handling and decent brakes.

The first two GS models off the line were the 4-cylinder

GS750 and the 2-cylinder GS400, introduced in late 1976 for the

1977 model year. Using a new double downtube cradle frame,

they were noted for their good handling at a time when most

Japanese-built motorcycles were not. When the range-topping

GS1000 was added for the 1978 model year, racers quickly found

out that it took very little work to get a whole lot of power out of

the engine. A racer based on the GS1000 and tuned by “Pops”

Yoshimura won Daytona and the Suzuka 8 hours race in 1978,

and the AMA Superbike championship in 1979 and 1980.

Technology moves onDevelopment never stands still, and in mid-1978 Suzuki engi-

neer Sadao Shirasagi was assigned the task of upgrading the GS

4-cylinder engine. His goal was to improve fuel economy and

lessen emissions, as well as improve performance across the

powerband. To that end, Shirasagi employed 4-valves per cylinder

to speed up the entry and exhaust of fuel mix in and out of the

cylinders. The aim was to squeeze as much energy as possible

out of each gasoline droplet.

The design Shirasagi developed was called Twin Swirl

Combustion Chamber, or TSCC. A ridge in the cylinder head

combustion chamber roof effectively divided the chamber in two,

with one intake and one exhaust valve on either side. This ridge

directed the intake charge into two controlled circular swirls, and

a squish band in the chamber helped accelerate the motion. The

centrally located spark plug allowed even burning of both swirls

of fuel/air. The result was not only complete combustion of the

fuel/air mix, but an engine that could tolerate high compression

on a lean mixture.

Shirasagi’s TSCC cylinder head was featured on the new for

1980 GS1100, which replaced the top of the line GS1000. Unlike

the previous big GS, Shirasagi’s new engine used dual overhead

camshafts operating on forked rocker arms instead of shimmed

buckets. This greatly improved ease of maintenance, as valves

could now be adjusted with a wrench and screwdriver instead

of the far more time-consuming shim replacement required

previously. The GS1100 also featured electronic ignition, an air-

charged front suspension and something rarely found on a per-

formance motorcycle — a comfortable seat. Cycle Guide called it

“one of the best riding, most comfortable motorcycles ever built.”

Contemporary testers praised the ease of keeping the GS on a

line through a corner — “It will corner with the best of its rivals

and outdo the rest,” Cycle said — and they had a lot of fun playing

with all the suspension settings. The air-assisted forks featured a

single, easily accessible air valve, plus adjustable damping and

adjustable preload. The rear shocks had five preload positions

and four positions for rebound damping. It was without question

the most tunable factory suspension ever offered.

Unfortunately, adjusting fork preload required removing the

handlebars, which induced more than a few gripes. Other mild

gripes involved an inability to aim the headlight beam, carbure-

tion problems under light throttle, the lack of a petcock and leaky

valve covers. The single biggest complaint centered on the bike’s

hyper-sensitive carburetion, which some riders found impossible

to ride around. “At every expansion joint the throttle snaps open

a millimeter, enough to make the bike rear up and accelerate,”

Cycle Guide complained.

But back on the plus side, the big GS1100’s brakes were con-

sidered among the best in the business. And while testers liked

the suspension, they loved the engine. “Any motorcycle that

has effortless power at 3,000rpm — which the Suzuki does — is

very likely to have eye bulging top-end as almost a casual and

incidental by-product,” Cycle said in its December 1980 road test.

Cycle Guide concurred, stating simply, “It flat does what you ask of

it.” And it did.



The fight for the topFor 1981, Suzuki had the demanding task of bettering the

obviously excellent 1980 model. Aside from a change in paint

colors, there was a slight change in valve seat angles (60

degrees instead of 75 degrees for the first cut, for better intake

charging), a fuel petcock was added along with a gas reserve,

alternator output was increased and the rather busy instru-

ment display received minor changes such as the addition of

a sidestand light.

Cycle Guide conducted a compari-

son test for its July 1981 issue,

pitting the Suzuki against a Honda

CB900F and a Kawasaki GPz1100.

The GS was the favorite for tour-

ing on freeways with its comfort-

able seat, adjustable suspension

and roll-on ability in high speed

passing, but got marked down in

around town riding for its low-

speed carburetion problems. On a

twisty mountain road, the GS led

the pack for its cornering prowess.

The one place the GS really fell

behind was at the race track. “The

GS wanders and feels vague when

pushed through fast turns,” Cycle

Guide’s editors stated. Yet despite

disappointing road racing perfor-

mance, the Suzuki came in first in

overall performance. “The Suzuki’s

rare blend of shattering perfor-

mance and elegant manners keeps

it at the top of the class for the second year running,” Cycle

Guide concluded.

Up to this time, Suzuki had concentrated on engineering to

the exclusion of style. In 1981, the company contracted former

BMW designer Hans Muth for a radical redesign of the GS. The

Katana version of the GS debuted in 1982, and while not uni-

versally loved, its space-aged, avant-garde styling turned heads

and sparked discussion. The GS range continued on for a few

more years before being replaced by

the brilliant GSX-R range.

Still lovedSmart owners hung onto their

GSs, and many are still running

today. The big GS Suzukis have

earned a reputation for bomb-

proof reliability, in large measure

because the engine was overbuilt.

The crankshaft of the GS engine ran

in roller bearings, a design that,

while expensive to build, lends

itself to long engine life thanks

to its resistance to uneven loads.

Helping things, the engine’s low-

pressure lubrication system worked

well, even when operating in less

than optimum conditions.

Trace builds bikes to Antique

Motorcycle Club of America stan-

dards, which means the markings

on the bolts have to be the same as

the factory bolts and the cable rout-

Tall, wide handlebars make the big GS easy to wrestle. The air-assisted front forks featured adjustable damping and preload.

Twin 11-inch front disc brakes were praised by magazine testers back in 1981.


ing has to be the same as the factory.

In other words, it has to be factory

correct. “The hardest part was making

sure all the bolts were correct,” Trace

explains. “There are a lot of new-old-

stock parts for GS Suzukis out there, but bolts are hard to

get. Ninety percent of what I needed came with the bike, but

of course the other 10 percent were hard to find. Eventually,

I collected all the original bolts. I had to re-zinc plate a lot of

them, and the bolts for 1981 Suzukis came in an odd green/

black color. I had to reproduce that.”

If you are going to restore to factory specs, you first need

to know what those specs are, and Trace lucked out. “I had

enough resources to make sure I got the assembly right. Ray

Rains and Woody [Kahea Woods] helped with the correct bolts

and a lot of little things. Suzuki published excellent docu-

mentation, so I knew where the cables were routed and where

to put the clamps,” Trace says. Brian Jennings did the paint,

matched to a spot of the original paint on the bike. Trace’s

efforts paid off with the award for Japanese 2nd Place at this

year’s The Quail Motorcycle Gathering.

Despite careful attention as the bike went together, Trace’s

first ride out was somewhat disap-

pointing. “I didn’t like the factory bars.

It felt like I was driving a bread truck.

And the brakes felt mushy,” Trace says.

“I had to fix an oil leak from the cam

chain tensioner. There’s a little seal — which you can’t find any

more — that is leaking. I made a new seal, and we will see if it

works. I had to re-jet the carbs. I also haven’t been able to find

the right hot press seat cover and had to settle for a stitched

one.” Trace has recently found the correct seat cover, although

it wasn’t installed for our photo shoot.

After some suspension tuning, handlebar adjustment and a

brake line swap to improve performance, Trace was a lot hap-

pier. “The bike rides a lot better now that I had a chance to set

the handlebars, shocks and forks up more to my liking. The

bike is really nimble. It seems like it would be a nice cruiser. I

really want to take it out on the road, but not on a really tight

mountain road. That’s the problem with big bikes — on a tight

road, you never get out of second gear.” And while that may

be true, it doesn’t dampen Trace’s enthusiasm for the big GS.

“As soon as the weather warms up, I am going to put a lot of

miles on this Suzuki.” MC

“The big GS Suzukis have

earned a reputation for

bomb-proof reliability, in

large measure because

the engine was overbuilt.”

OE & Custom Parts

for Vintage Motorcycles

DIMECITYCYCLES.COM

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Union Motorcycle Classics (unionmotorcycle.com) are special-

ized builders of road racing-style machines based on British

and Italian platforms, and for the past five years the company

has turned out some exquisitely detailed projects. But they

all have a certain style, and the bobber isn’t among their

repertoire.

Mike Watanabe is one of the partners behind Union

Motorcycle Classics, along with Luke Ransom. Together,

the pair collaborates on the builds, each working within

their area of expertise. Mike handles design, fiberglass

bodywork and metal fabrication. Luke takes care of the

mechanicals and also does metal fabrication.

Looking backThe roots of Union Motorcycle Classics go back to 1998,

when Mike and his friend Bret Edwards formed Glass From

The Past, or GFTP (caferacingparts.com). At the time, they

were a pair of young kids obsessed with British road race

bikes from the late 1950s to the early 1970s, machines often

outfitted with fiberglass fairings, seats and gas tanks. “The

trouble was,” Mike explains, “that bodywork was unobtanium,

and we couldn’t afford it if we found it.”

So instead of trying to find and buy what they wanted, Mike and

Bret decided to reproduce their own fairings and gas tanks. With a

background in fine arts and graphic design, Mike had a talent for

shaping plugs, which are the forms to make the molds that will

eventually yield fiberglass components. Bret, meanwhile, proved

adept at working with fiberglass, and GFTP was created.

A custom Triumph inspired by Gary Nixon

WWhen Todd Van Dorn dragged a 1972 Triumph T120RV

engine and several boxes of parts — including the

stock Triumph oil-bearing spine tube frame and

swingarm — to Union Motorcycle Classics in Nampa,

Idaho, he thought he wanted a bobber. What he got

was something entirely different.

Story by Greg Williams

Photos by Mike Watanabe


Forming the UnionSkip forward to seven years ago.

Mike created his own custom motor-

cycles using GFTP pieces, and while

displaying one of his creations at

a local motorcycle happening, Luke

approached him and asked where the

bike came from and who had supplied

the bodywork. “I gave him my card,

and he came around asking what fair-

ing would work on his Yamaha RD60,”

Mike recalls. “I sold him a Dunstall-

style fairing, and he later showed up

with the fairing neatly and cleanly

mounted on the bike. We started talk-

ing, and I learned Luke was not only

a talented fabricator, but he’s also a

factory-trained mechanic.”

Mike and Luke worked together

on several projects, and they began

helping local motorcyclists by making one-off components

for individual builds. That’s when Luke suggested they open

a shop, and Mike knew the ideal loca-

tion — one where there’d be little, if

any, overhead.

Mike grew up on a dairy farm, and

his father still owns the property. An

old barn on the property, once suit-

ably renovated, became the home of

Union Motorcycle Classics. It’s the

barn you see in the photos here.

The Nixon TributeA few years ago, Luke got a call

to look at an old Triumph. It was in

pieces, and Luke told the owner that

Union would be happy to help put it

back together. Instead, the owner list-

ed the project on Craigslist. Todd Van

Dorn had been looking for a vintage

Triumph, and he bought the basket

case machine — which he then took

to Union. Luke was surprised to see the Triumph not only in

new hands, but in his shop.

“We asked what Todd was looking to do with the bike,”

Mike explains. “And that’s when he said, ‘I’d like to build a

bobber.’ I told him that’s not what we do.” Todd picks up the

story: “I went down to Union and talked to Luke and Mike

about what I wanted to do, and that’s when I got captivated

by the old fairings and all of the old parts in the shop,” he

says. “They had several of their café-style bikes on display

and I instantly changed my mind

— I wanted to get involved with

them because of their sheer pas-

sion, so I said, ‘How about a café

racer?’”

That was more in line with

Union’s style, although machines

rolling out of the shop’s doors go

well beyond what is the café norm.

“I told Todd I’d been dreaming

of building a Gary Nixon tribute

bike, and I thought his Triumph

parts and pieces might work for

such a project,” Mike says.

Todd went home and researched

the late Gary Nixon, who was

famous for racing 500cc Triumphs.

He was 1967 and 1968 AMA Grand

National Champion, and won the

1967 Daytona 200 on a Triumph

500. “That clinched it for me,”

Todd says. “I was honored that

they suggested the Nixon-tribute

was the bike for me — actually,

I was flabbergasted, and said yes

immediately.”

A recreated tank

Mike draws up a design brief for every UMC project. “That

way we don’t drift; we don’t end up with modern upside

down forks on a 1952 Matchless — and I know people do

that, and that’s cool, but it’s not what we do,” Mike explains.

In his brief for Todd’s T120RV, Mike mused about what would

have happened had Triumph “done something dumb like

race their oil-in-frame Bonneville

without having changed any of

the recognizable bodywork from

the race bikes of the late 1960s.”

Key to Todd’s Triumph is the

gas tank. GFTP’s Bret Edwards

is something of a Gary Nixon

fanatic. He’s been documenting

Triumph race bikes for years, and

he’d always wanted to recreate

the distinctive, and very rare, gas

tank from one of Nixon’s original

mid-1960s race bikes. Although

Mike said he could likely get very

close to the correct proportions,

he really needed to see one in

person to get it right. That’s when

Bret found the correct tank on

eBay, incorrectly identified as a

Dunstall item. With the tank in

their possession, Bret and Mike

were able to recreate the vessel.

Instead of making a replica tank

to fit pre-oil-in-frame Triumphs

only, they modified the bottom of

the tank to fit the wider backbone


The Daytona-style exhaust is made from stainless tubing, bends and mufflers from Cone Engineering.


of the later oil-in-frame spine-tube chassis. It seems these

frames, and subsequently the motorcycles that use them,

have been saddled with something of a stigma because of

increased height and weight. Beginning in 1971, both BSA

and Triumph 650cc motorcycles shared

the oil-in-frame platform. Although

BSA was in production for just two

more years, Triumph 650cc and later

750cc twins continued to use the oil-

in-frame chassis, right up to the end of

production in 1983.

It was Mike who got started building

Todd’s bike, installing the fiberglass

tank and a highly modified GFTP seat.

The frame needed to be shortened, so

the old seat hoop was removed and

a new hoop was bent and welded in

place. The larger, longer tank covered

the oil filler neck in the spine tube, so

Luke blanked off the stock location. He

then fabricated a filler tube, welded to

the spine tube and running back and

up to a horseshoe opening at the front

of the seat pan. The oil is still carried

in the frame: What looks like an alumi-

num oil tank under the seat actually

carries the battery and other electrical

pieces.

Up front, a handcrafted upper triple

tree replaced the stock Triumph unit.

Although machined from billet alumi-

num, Luke massaged the new piece to

make it look like cast aluminum. The

new top tree allows the fork tubes to be

pulled through and clamped, giving a

lower ride height. Magura clip-ons fea-

ture early Amal controls, polished to a

fine luster. The keyed ignition switch was frenched into the

side of the flat Lucas headlight shell, accessible by reaching

in front of the left clip-on and under the dash. The fork lowers

are stock for 1972, while an earlier 1969 full-width Triumph/

BSA twin-leading-shoe brake and hub

were modified to suit.

The rear swingarm is stock and it’s

sprung by Red Wing shocks. The coni-

cal rear hub is stock, and cooling holes

and screens have been added to both it

and the front hub. The hubs are laced

to shouldered Excel rims (WM2 18-inch

front and WM3 18-inch rear) and are

shod with Heidenau tires. With wheels

under the bike, Mike modified a stock

GFTP lower belly pan to fit.

Luke fabricated the intricate rearset

foot controls, and even made his own

plug for the sandcast 6061 T6 alumi-

num brake lever. After casting, it was

heat treated, machined and polished

— there’s only one lever like it, and it’s

on Todd’s Triumph.

To create the signature Nixon

exhaust, with the low right side and

high left side for Daytona’s high-speed

left turns, Luke ordered stainless steel

exhaust tubing and bends from Cone

Engineering in Los Alamitos, California

(coneeng.com). He stitched together

the headers, even putting a kink in the

left side tube so the primary chaincase

inspection cap would still be acces-

sible for checking chain tension or

adding oil. The mufflers are also from

Cone Engineering, and Luke made his

own heat shields.

A Glass From The Past belly pan was modified to fit the bike.

Triumph powerAs purchased, Todd was told

the 649cc Triumph T120RV engine

— R indicates Bonneville, and V

a 5-speed gearbox — had been

rebuilt and was ready to run. Apart

from tidying up a few loose ends,

Luke hasn’t done any work to the powerplant.

With the project ready for paint, Mike sought Todd’s

input. He gave Todd two options — blue, or blue. “Todd

picked light blue, and it’s not where I would have gone

because the Nixon bikes were darker blue,” Mikes says. “But

the light blue turned out great, and it really sets the tone

for the bike.”

Anything black on the Triumph was spray painted; there’s

no powder coat on this bike. Luke laid down the base white,

and Mike spent an evening taping out the graphics. Mike

also subtly modified a Triumph “T” logo for the back of the

seat cowl, and Brandon Herzberg of Interior Revolution in

Nampa, Idaho, sewed the seat cover. The finishing touch is

Nixon’s famous No. 9 on the lower fairing.

“I was a believer from the begin-

ning,” Todd says, “and I was 100

percent confident I’d get some-

thing spectacular. They exceeded

my expectations by miles.” Todd

comes from a woodworking back-

ground, and he’s been riding since

he was a teenager. He’s a master craftsman, having won

several awards for his cabinetmaking skills. That means he

understands the creative process. “When someone hires

me, they hire me for my ingenuity and my vision. I felt akin

to that working with Union.”

At the time of writing, Todd had yet to take delivery of

his Nixon tribute machine, and he hasn’t even ridden it.

But he’s not worried, because he says it was important that

the project be a rideable motorcycle. That’s the only kind of

machine Union will build — a fully functioning piece of kit.

It might not be a bobber, but in Todd’s mind, it’s some-

thing far better. And when he does get a chance to ride the

Triumph, he plans to ride it hard and fast. That would do

Nixon proud. MC

“I was a believer from

the beginning — I was

confident I’d get something

spectacular. They exceeded

my expectations by miles.”

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1957 Mondial 250 Bialbero

FB Mondial was the creation of the Boselli fam-

ily, whose four titled brothers Carlo, Luigi, Ettore

and Giuseppe founded a motorcycle dealership

in Bologna in 1929 under the FB (Fratelli

Boselli — Brothers Boselli) brand. Their

entry into two-wheeled manufacturing

came about thanks to Giuseppe’s success

in Italian motorcycle competition between

1927 and 1935, culminating his career

with a gold medal in the International Six

Days Trials (ISDT) on a locally made CM.

Seeking a sound basis on which

to build their fledgling business, the

brothers initially focused on making

three-wheeled delivery vehicles, but

production was interrupted in 1944

when the Bologna factory was razed to

the ground by the departing German

armed forces. Giuseppe Boselli, who

had by now acceded to his late father’s

title of Count, moved the business to a

new factory in Milan and began again.

A love of racingRecognizing that FB needed some distinc-

tion to its name in order to stand out from its

many competitors, Boselli decided to create a

heritage for his product by exploiting Italy’s love

of racing. Two years before the first road bikes from

the factory appeared, Count Boselli’s machines made

their debut in Grand Prix road racing.

The name chosen for the new motorcycle marque was

Mondial (meaning “of the whole world,” or universal). No

expense was spared to produce an instantly successful machine,

and Alfonso Drusiani, brother of the CM designer whom Boselli

had known from his competition days, was recruited from

Bologna to design the bike.

TThe golden age of motorcycle road racing in

the 1950s brought many makes to prominence.

Newcomers such as MZ, Ducati and MV Agusta,

which would play pivotal roles in motorcycle

racing history, mixed in with older, more

established teams. And none achieved

world supremacy so quickly as the Italian

marque FB Mondial.

Story by Alan Cathcart

Photos by Kyoichi Nakamura

The class chosen was the 125cc cat-

egory, the capacity of road machines

the Bosellis planned to manufacture.

Though 2-strokes dominated the class

at the time, Drusiani pioneered a

small-scale version of the bevel-driven

double overhead cam single-cylinder

4-stroke format that came to be typi-

cal of Italian race engineering. The

plethora of similar designs that fol-

lowed over the next 20 years, especially

the Ducati singles created by former

Mondial engineer Fabio Taglioni, all

owed much to that first small Mondial.

Drusiani’s debut Mondial 125 GP racer had a bevel-drive double

overhead cam dry-sump engine with an outside flywheel, which

was the main reason for its high 11,500rpm safe engine speed for

the era. It eventually produced 15 horsepower at 10,000rpm, ini-

tially running on a 9.7:1 compression ratio, somewhat marginal

given the low octane fuel then available in postwar Italy.

The Mondial threatened a fairy-tale victory on its racing debut

in the 1948 Italian GP at Faenza with rider Franco Lama. Sadly,

he was forced into the pits with a split fuel tank while well in

the lead, but the die had been cast. Indeed, both MV Agusta

and Morini immediately developed twin-cam 4-strokes of their

own once the Mondial’s supremacy

had sunk in, but by then Boselli and

Drusiani had more than a head start.

The Mondial was unbeatable for the

first three years of the 125cc World

Series, winning all 11 GP races run in

1949-1951.

Production bikes

With competition success achieved,

it was now time to focus on launch-

ing the line of FB Mondial road bikes.

These debuted in 1950, and though

the first range of models, consisting

of 125cc overhead valve lightweights,

had little sporting flair, the lineup

soon included not only 160cc and

200cc overhead valve and 2-stroke road bikes, but also, from

1953 onward, single overhead cam 125cc and 175cc sports mod-

els based on the GP bike’s bottom end, but with chain drive to

the camshaft and clad in modern cycle parts. These production

racers proved highly popular with private entrants, especially in

open road marathons of the day like the Milano-Taranto, won

outright in 1954 by Remo Venturi’s 175 single overhead cam

Mondial in defeating all the 350cc and 500cc entries, and the

Moto Giro d’Italia. Count Boselli soon had his sights set on the

250 GP class, which had hitherto been considered the preserve

of scaled-down 350s or specially designed 250s built along the

The Mondial’s twin camshafts are driven by a train of five gears running

up the right side of the engine.

precepts of the larger classes.

Drusiani began work late in 1955 on a 250cc twin, essentially

two 125 cylinders mounted on a common crankcase. When the

completed bike appeared at the start of the 1956 season, its

bulkiness was exceeded only by its weight — around 300 pounds.

Drusiani quickly realized it could never be competitive, so the

twin was quickly dropped. The obvious move was to produce a

250 single, and accordingly the Mondial designer returned to the

drawing board to produce what many people consider to be one

of the greatest single-cylinder race bikes ever built.

Beginnings of the 250 singleDuring the winter of 1956-1957, Drusiani and his six-man team

of mechanics worked on producing a completely new 250 single,

and a spinoff 125cc version. The new Mondial 250 wet-sump

single featured a vertical cylinder with twin overhead camshafts

driven by a train of five gears up the right side of the engine. The

closely finned light-alloy cylinder carried a cast iron sleeve hous-

ing a high-silicone three-ring cast piston, mounted via a floating

wrist pin on a 115mm-long Hoeckle steel connecting rod. It used

a needle-roller big-end and full-circle flywheels with

a ball main bearing on either side of the crank.

A 32mm Dell’Orto SS1 carburetor with remote

float was fitted (a 30mm carb was used on tighter

tracks for enhanced acceleration). The 250cc race

engine was over-square at 75mm x 56.4mm (the

same stroke as the 125 singles), permitting a safe

engine speed of 11,400rpm, with peak power of 29

horsepower at 10,800rpm. The gear primary drive

mounted on the left of the engine drove either a 5- or

7-speed gearbox via an oil-bath clutch.

With a dry weight of only 220 pounds without

bodywork, and just 242 pounds complete with full

streamlining, this new single was a far more pur-

poseful contender than the heavy twin. It used a new

twin-loop tubular steel frame, with twin bolted-on

struts running from the steering head to the front

of the crankcase. Clothed in the most effective full

streamlining yet seen in the small-capacity classes,

developed for Mondial by the Aermacchi aviation

company (yes, the same firm which then also made

motorcycles) the fairing was made of elektron alloy,

with both front and rear wheels more than 50 percent enclosed.

Thanks to the long, low tank that enabled the rider to tuck himself

well away behind the front screen, the 250 Mondial was timed at

Monza at 137mph — truly staggering performance for a 250 of the

era and faster than most 500 singles.

Racing for another ChampionshipCount Boselli had assembled a very strong team of riders for

an all-out effort to win another World Championship — though

as he later admitted, he never really thought it might be possible

to win two. In addition to Provini, former 125 GP World champion

Cecil Sandford had joined the Mondial team during 1956, and at

the 1957 TT a young Ulsterman who’d been making quite a name

for himself in various branches of the sport, from road racing

to scrambles to trials, was drafted into the team: His name was

Sammy Miller.

“Artie Bell [former works Norton rider] was sort of managing

me then,” Sammy recalls, “and he wrote to Count Boselli asking

for a bike for me. They sent one over for the TT, but it was one of

the old 1956 125s that was almost worn out. Still, it was better


Sammy Miller aboard the Mondial at the 1957 Italian GP at Monza.

http://www.MotorcycleClassics.com


than nothing, so I went out

and did my best on it. After

two days of practice, I was

second fastest. The mechanics

were very excited and phoned

home to tell the Count, and

next thing we knew there was

a telegram to say that two of

the latest models, a 125 and

a 250, were being flown over

to the Island from Italy for me.

Mondial was like that. There

was no expense spared if they

thought it was worthwhile.”

A fairy-tale end to the story

almost happened when Miller

led the 10-lap 250cc Lightweight TT race held on the shorter 10.79

mile/17.36km Clypse circuit until the last corner of the last lap,

where he fell off and so handed victory to teammate Sandford,

pushing the damaged bike the final uphill half-mile in 15 minutes

to finish fifth. Exhausted, Sammy had only a couple of hours to

recover and have a badly grazed arm and knee bandaged before

riding in another 10-lapper that afternoon, the 125cc Ultra-

Lightweight TT won by his Mondial teammate Provini.

Eight days later in the Belgian GP at Spa, Miller went bet-

ter still, finishing second to John Hartle on the brand new MV

Agusta twin, beating teammate Sandford into third. Provini had

led until his ignition failed on the last lap, though not before

demonstrating that his bike was much faster than those of his

teammates, who were unable even to slipstream him on Spa’s

long straights. There was a good reason for that. “Our bikes were

all pretty much identical one to the other in terms of the cycle

parts and general engine characteristics,” Tarquinio Provini once

said. “But I had my own special cams which were switched from

one engine to another, whichever one I would be riding next,

and together with various other detail modifications these gave

that bike extra performance. Look, I was the only Italian rider in

an Italian team, with Italian mechanics who were all my friends.

What do you expect?!”

Still, to finish first you must first finish, and Provini’s engine

expired on him after five laps of the next round at the Ulster GP,

followed five laps later by Sammy’s, too. This left race-winner

Sandford as the new 250cc World champion, with Provini clinch-

ing the 125cc title. But Provini got his own back in the final race

of the season at Monza, winning his home Italian GP for Mondial

from MV Agusta and Moto Guzzi, with Sandford and Miller

limping home fourth and fifth, respectively, with sick

engines.

It was to be the final appearance of the factory

Mondial team in action, delivering a clean sweep for

the factory in the 250cc World Championship, with

Sandford the new champion, and Provini and Miller

second and third respectively. “It was the fulfillment of

all my dreams,” Count Boselli recalled to me 25 years

later at a 25th anniversary gathering of the Mondial

Owner’s Club. “I felt such personal satisfaction for all

our team at our double World Championship success,

that it’s impossible to describe. It seemed a perfect

moment, which I knew could never be repeated. Having

achieved such success, we could only lose it if we con-

tinued racing. So I decided to stop.”

So two weeks later, on Sept. 15, 1957, the road racing

world was dumbfounded by the announcement that, in

conjunction with fellow 1957 World champions Moto

Guzzi (350) and Gilera (500), double World title holder

FB Mondial was withdrawing from racing. MV Agusta

originally agreed to stop, too, but Count Agusta later

thought better of it and went back on his agreement.

Personal experienceI once owned one of the six 1957 Mondial 250cc fac-

tory racers — making the chance to ride the Miller bike

at Sammy’s local test track a very welcome personal trip

down memory lane, even if it was the first time I’d rid-

den a Mondial with the full dustbin streamlining.

Dustbin fairing helped the Mondial run the 1957

Lightweight TT at an average speed of 75.80mph.

Sammy Miller pushes his Mondial across the finish line after crashing in the 1957 Isle of Man Lightweight TT.

My Mondial was No. 0504. My mates

Ron Lewis and Dick Linton rebuilt the

engine, with Dick taking care of restor-

ing the chassis. I’d planned to ride

the Mondial in the 1982 Isle of Man

TT Cavalcade, but prior to the run we

noticed a hairline crack developing in

the fragile crankcases. No choice but

to abort the mission to enable Ron to

strip the engine down again, weld up the

cases, add a bit of strengthening and put

everything together again in time for the

1983 TT Parade.

So it was that I found myself on the

Glencrutchery Road on the Friday after-

noon of the 1983 TT races. Once under

way and into top gear, the little single

was thumping away happily beneath me.

With no less than 10 gear pinions in the drivetrain to the double

overhead camshafts, there’s a considerable degree of mechani-

cal noise, the whirring of the gears joined by the clatter of the

exposed hairpin valve springs, which in traditional fashion

were to perform a comprehensive lube job on my left boot. The

long, gently tapering exhaust, which ends just inside the back

wheel, gives out a sturdy bellow more reminiscent of an AJS 7R

than a tautly strung Italian single, even at the upper end of the

10,800rpm rev band. In deference to the engine’s age and fragil-

ity, I kept the revs down to 9,000rpm throughout the lap. There

was a spell of megaphonitis around 4,600rpm before power

came in quite strongly from 5,200rpm upward, giving a very

usable 4,000rpm rev band. In spite of its tiny 50-inch (1,270mm)

wheelbase, the Mondial’s riding position

is ideal for me thanks to the position of

the seat far back over the rear axle. It’s

actually quite tall and therefore spacious

for a 250, because of the vertical cylinder

and tall engine.

The Mondial handles like a dream.

Mike Hailwood told me as much when I asked him about the

bike, as he raced a pair of ex-works Bialberos after the factory

quit racing. But it wasn’t till I rode the bike on the Island, fitted

with modern-compound Dunlop triangulars, that I was able to

find out just how true that was. Flicking the little bike through

the twists and turns of the Glen Helen section was a delight, with

the exhaust note bouncing off the rock faces and stone walls. The

Mondial’s handling — and braking — passed every exam I set for

it on that lap of the Island with flying colors.

Mondial won five World titles in just nine years, reaped count-

less Italian championships, and introduced the dolphin fairing,

full streamlining and the disc brake to GP racing. Not a bad

record, is it? MC

Fifty years in the making, the museum

goes back to 1964, when Championship-

winning trials rider Sammy Miller

started displaying restored motorcycles

at his motorcycle shop in New Milton,

Hampshire, England. In 1992 Miller

purchased Bashley Manor Farm, convert-

ing the premises into the Sammy Miller

Motorcycle Museum. The current collec-

tion of more than 400 rare and collect-

ible vintage motorcycle is among the fin-

est anywhere. More at sammymiller.co.uk

Sammy Miller Museum

http://sammymiller.co.uk

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1958 HARLEY-DAVIDSON

XLCHPutting the sport in Sportster

To answer that, we have to go back to the mid-1930s, when racer and

Motorcycle Hall of Famer Reggie Pink helped draw up the rules for production-

based track racing. As he was also a British bike dealer, Pink advocated for fair

competition between American brands and imports. The result was AMA’s

production-based Class C, which allowed overhead valve bikes of 500cc to

compete against sidevalve machines up to 750cc — or 45 cubic inches.

Harley-Davidson developed the famous WRTT specifically for this class.

The K

But it was post-World War II competition from lightweight British

parallel twins that motivated the Motor Company to develop a new

45-cubic-inch street bike, but still with one eye on Class C racing.

The result was the Model K of 1952, a unit-construction 750cc

45-degree V-twin in a lightweight (for Harley, anyway) chassis

with modern telescopic fork and swingarm rear suspension.

The engine retained sidevalves for Class C homologation pur-

CCompetition improves the breed, they say. And while the 1958

Harley-Davidson XLCH Sportster was born of competition

stock, its engine capacity eschewed the very type of racing its

direct ancestors were designed for. How come?

Story and photos by Robert Smith

-

poses, and the competition KRTT version

ruled Class C until Dick Mann’s Grand

National win on a BSA in 1963.

The Sportster XL But in spite of a capacity increase to

888cc for the KH and KHK, the flathead

K bikes couldn’t match the performance

of the new overhead valve British 650s.

Harley embraced the inevitable with the

883cc overhead valve Sportster, and in

doing so, the company acknowledged

two things: Overhead valves were the way

forward, and the Sportster was not going

Class C racing anytime soon. The KRTT

would soldier on until Class C rules were

changed for 1969, prompting the develop-

ment of the Sportster-based XR750.

The Sportster was launched for 1957

as the Model XL, essentially a new over-

head valve engine in slightly modified

Model K running gear. The iron cylinders

used a new 3-inch bore with the 3-9/16-

inch stroke from the Model K — a stroke

dimension that remains in all Sportsters

to the present. Iron heads with hemi-

spherical combustion chambers topped

the cylinders, with valves operated by

pushrods and rockers. Each pushrod

had its own single-lobe camshaft, the

Harley-Davidson seems to take an odd pride in its somewhat

confusing model code lettering system, one where the same

letter in a different position in the model designation can mean

different things. Fortunately, within the early Sportster lineup,

model codes are pretty consistent.

All OHV Sportsters from the beginning in 1957 carry the first

letter designation X. Interestingly, this code had been used earlier

for experimental models and also for the World War II shaft drive

flat twin model XA.

The first, most basic Sportster should have been the model

X. It’s speculated that the pre-production Sportsters had 6.8:1

compression and were in fact designated model X. But before

production commenced, compression

was raised to 7.5:1, so in line with Harley

tradition the X became XL, the L meaning

first level of tune (or, in the case of the Big

Twins, extra displacement). The third let-

ter was C for competition, or H for higher

compression/second stage of tune; XLH

meant the high compression/tuned engine

in the street chassis, XLC meant a standard

XL engine (maybe with magneto ignition)

but the bike stripped for competition,

and XLCH meant the high compression/

tuned engine in the XLC stripped running

gear. Well, for 1958, anyway. For 1959

the XLCH got its street uniform back, but

retained the magneto. R was always for

racing, and TT for that particular type

of enduro-style competition. Confused?

There’s a test later … — Robert Smith

H-D Alphabet Soup — What’s in a name?


The same, but different: Mike Quinn’s 1959 XLCH fronts the 1958 XLCH.

four arranged in an arc inside the timing

chest and driven by a half-time gear that

also turned the ignition timer.

A single Linkert carburetor fed the

engine, which drove a chain primary to

a multiplate clutch and 4-speed “trap-

door” gearbox (the geartrain could be

removed without splitting the cases).

Final drive was by chain on the right

side, and in a break with Harley tradi-

tion, the foot shifter was also on the

right with a one-up, three-down pattern

like British bikes at the time. Early mod-

els had a cast alloy outer primary cover

embossed with “Sportster,” but this was

later abandoned for a simpler pressed-

steel item.

The dual-downtube chassis connected

to 18-inch wheels by a telescopic front

fork and dual coil spring/damper units

attached to the seat subframe. Eight-

inch drum brakes provided stopping

power. The XL produced an estimated 40

horsepower, and as tested by Cycle maga-

zine, turned in a 15-second quarter with

a top speed of 101mph. This compared

well enough with the 42 horsepower

1957 Triumph Tiger 110 at 16 seconds

and similar top speed.

With deeply valanced fenders, a gener-

ous 4.4-gallon fuel tank, a large headlight

and a subdued exhaust, most reviewers

assumed the XL was intended just for

touring. All that would change in 1958.

The XLH and XLCH

A year before Triumph introduced the

Bonneville in 1959, Harley had a rocket

ship of its own. Although the Sportster’s

883cc capacity was too big for Class C, it

was fine for open Class TT racing.

U.S. TT was nothing like the Isle

of Man version and more of a cross-

country steeplechase. In the late 1950s,

Triumph Trophy Birds, BSA Catalina

Scramblers and Matchless G80s were

very competitive, challenging the KRTTs

and leading to the development of the

race oriented XLR.

With higher compression (around 9:1)

and larger valves, the XLR also used a

trick frame with thinner walls and lighter

weight. It also sported the now famous

“peanut” gas tank borrowed from the S

range. Ignition was by magneto. And as

the increased power could be produced

reliably, it made sense to produce a “cus-

tomer” version. This became the 1958

XLH. The XLH was essentially an XL with

the XLR’s cylinder heads, though the

castings were slightly different — long

reach spark plugs for the R, short reach

for the H. Everything else was as the XL.

The 1958 XLCH was a far more radical

departure. The “CH” designation, quite

logical in Harley-speak (C for stripped

bodywork, H for high performance), was

variously interpreted as “Competition

Hot” or “California Hot Rod.” Though

not an XLR, it could have almost passed

for one. The stock XLH was stripped of

its lights, mufflers and other extraneous

items (though lights and a license plate

bracket were available for an extra $60),

the fenders were bobbed and the peanut

tank fitted. The idea seemed plain: Here

was an over-the-counter hot rod you

could ride to the desert or track, com-

pete in a TT race and ride home again —

as long as you did it in daylight.

Sportsters weren’t big sellers in 1958,

with the Sportster range outsold four

times by the big twin FL range and

almost three times by the humble 165cc

2-stroke S range. According to Harley-

Davidson, of 12,676 Harley-Davidsons

sold that year, just 1,529 were XL vari-

ants: 579 XLs, 711 XLHs and 239 XLCHs.

The XLCH reappeared in the catalog

for 1959, but in a completely different

guise. Mufflers and lights were back,

although the performance modifica-

tions and magneto were retained. The

1959 XLCH also sported a new, smaller

headlight with the now-classic “eye-

brow” cowling and a high-level exhaust.

It proved to be the most popular XL

model with 1,059 sold, compared with

947 XLHs (coil ignition and low exhaust

but with the high compression engine)

and just 42 base-model XLs.

Performance numbers quoted at the

time are inconsistent, but it seems likely

a good 1959 XLCH was making around

55 horsepower at the crank and weighed

around 490 pounds wet, compared with

46 horsepower and 430-440 pounds for

the Triumph Bonneville T120 introduced

that same year. The XLCH would turn

14-second quarters at faster than 90mph;

the Bonnie’s performance was similar.

Mike Quinn’s SportstersMike Quinn lives in Coos Bay, Oregon,

and has a collection of more than 100

Harley-Davidson motorcycles, including

seven XLCHs. “I tried to get the whole line

up of CHs,” Quinn says. “I had the ’58, ’59,

‘60, ’61, ’62 — I do not have a ’63, a ’64 or

a ’65. The ’58 is basically a built-up bike.

It came as a ’58, but when I started look-

ing into it, almost everything was wrong,”

Mike Quinn’s love of Harley-Davidsons began a long time

ago. “Harley had that mystique while I grew up,” Quinn says,

“That was really the only bike I had any exposure to. I had

a couple of friends that bought them, so that’s how I got

interested. My first bike was a Harley 45, a civilianized WLA. I

bought that in 1961 from a friend of mine. Then I came across

another Harley military bike and bought that. Then I thought,

gee, it’d be cool to have one of those big Duo-Glides. It took

a number of years, but I finally came up

with one.”

And then another, and another, until

finally he had collected 112 Harley-

Davidsons, with an emphasis on every XL

and XLC made from the model’s 1957

introduction right up through the 1970s.

The Quinn collection also includes exam-

ples of most Harley models produced

between the mid-Fifties and the early

Seventies, with a 1970 XR750 and a very

original 1920 Model J — still shod with

its original tires — taking pride of place.

Remarkably, after all that effort, Quinn

has decided it’s time to move on. He’s

keeping his new Road King, but the rest

of his collection — including the 1958

XLCH featured here and its 1959 XLCH

stable mate — will go on the block at

the Mecum/MidAmerica Harrisburg

Motorcycle Auction in Harrisburg,

Pennsylvania, Sunday, July 27, 2014. More

info at mecum.com — Richard Backus

Heading to auction: The Mike Quinn Collection


On the block: Mike Quinn’s incredible collection will be sold by Mecum Auctions.

Bobbed fender was a nod to the XLCH’s sporting pretensions (far left), but small 8-inch single-leading-shoe brakes were only adequate.

http://mecum.com


Quinn says. “It had good numbers on the

cases, but I ended up taking everything

off it and getting all the right stuff, then

putting it back together.” The restoration

took two years.

“The preparation work, determining

what is correct — parkerized versus cad-

mium, paint versus chrome, etc. — takes

a lot of time,” Quinn says. “Often just

waiting for the motor or parts to get back

from chroming or painting seems to take

forever. The most difficult parts to find

were the rear fender, the 18-inch rear

Grasshopper tire and the correct peanut

gas tank. Most of the parts came from

swap meets.”

Quinn eventually found the correct rear

fender in Canada, while much of the hard-

ware came from now-defunct NOS Parts

and Old Dude Vintage Parts & Service

(olddude.com) in Atlanta, Georgia. Local

Harley dealers were particularly useful,

Quinn says. The engine was rebuilt by

Doyle’s Harley-Davidson, now in Eugene,

Oregon. Owner Mike Doyle and Gene

Walker of Salem Harley-Davidson both

helped with the project. Coos Bay painter

Greg Sweeney applied the glossy black

and white paint.

What makes the XLCH so special to

Quinn? “Well, more than anything I guess

I like the way they look. The first one

[1958] of course was an offroad competi-

tion bike. And the second one, all they

did was add the lights, horn and the high

pipe, basically kept the same thing. I like

the peanut tank, the Grasshopper-type

tires. I just think they’re cool looking

motorcycles,” Quinn says. “It’s a little dif-

ferent [from a big twin] since the shifter

and brake are on the opposite side. I’m

not used to that. I don’t like it, because in

a panic situation it’s difficult to remem-

ber. It’s not a smooth ride, it bounces, but

they’re fun bikes. They have reasonably

good power as long as you don’t compare

them to today’s bikes.” MC

No extras: The XLCH’s bare essentials approach gives it a lean,

almost athletic appearance.

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951-699-1500

YesterdayÕs style with todayÕs technology.

Available in XS to XXL sizes.

Starting at $99.95

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And in every British motorcycle manufacturer’s range, one for-

mat dominated all others: the sporting overhead valve, 4-stroke

single of 350cc or 500cc. BSA made the Empire Star, Velocette the

350cc MAC, and Norton’s Model 18 and ES2 500cc singles were

solid sellers. Triumph had yet to launch the Speed Twin but had

its 350 Tiger 80 and 500 Tiger 90, while AJS produced the Model

18 and sister company Matchless the G3. Rudge had the Ulster,

Sunbeam the Model 9, New Imperial the model 60 Grand Prix

and Royal Enfield the 350cc G2 Bullet.

Story and photos by Robert Smith

TThe decade before World War II was truly a golden

age for the British motorcycle industry. British

products outsold foreign brands many times over

at home, and by a comfortable margin in most

export markets, too.



1939 and 1947 Ariel Red Hunter

But perhaps most easily recognized — and to many eyes the

most handsome — was Ariel’s Red Hunter.

Starting gateAt the start of the 1930s, Ariel’s product range featured a

bewildering array of single-cylinder motorcycles, including

side and overhead valve engines of 250, 350, 500 and 557cc

capacities with both vertical and forward sloping cylinders,

single or twin exhaust ports, and 2- and 4-valve heads. Added

to the range in 1931 was the 500cc overhead cam Square Four,

penned by Ariel’s drawing-office newbie, Edward Turner. The

first Red Hunter was actually the 1932 VH32 500cc single, a

tuned version of the 4-valve VG32. Its specification included a

racing magneto and carburetor

The Ariel singles proliferated from a 1926 design by Valentine

Page, who had arrived at Ariel from J.A. Prestwich, the “JAP”

engine company. But the broad product range proved unwieldy

in the early 1930s depression, and when Ariel ran into financial


problems, Page left in 1932

for the then much smaller

Triumph company. Turner

replaced Page as design chief,

and set to rationalizing the

engine range: For 1933, the

overhead valve range was cut

to just three 2-port, 2-valve

singles available in three trim

levels. Top of the range was

the 500cc VH Red Hunter.

The Red Hunter

Page’s basic layout for the

500cc overhead valve engine

featured an iron cylinder and

head atop an alloy crankcase

containing a built-up crank-

shaft. Bore and stroke were

86.5mm x 85mm to 1935, then

81.8mm x 95mm from 1936-

on. Lubrication was automat-

ic with a plunger pump and

separate oil tank. The two overhead valves were operated by

pushrods inside external tubes, with fully enclosed valve gear

(beginning circa 1934). An oil-bath primary chain and wet clutch

drove the foot-shift, 4-speed gearbox, with final drive also by

chain. The Red Hunter could be ordered with either one or two

exhaust ports, and with high- or low-level exhaust.

The drivetrain was fitted into a tubular frame with rigid rear and

a girder fork at the front, finished with the Red Hunter’s distinc-

tive chrome-plated gas tank with red side panels and red center

stripes on the chrome wheel rims, both set off with gold pinstrip-

ing. Brakes were 7-inch single-leading-shoe drums front and

rear spoked to 19-inch rims with 3.25-inch rear and 3-inch front

tires. Every Red Hunter engine

was said to be bench-tested

for as long as two hours to

establish its reliability, and the

company claimed a potential

top speed of 100mph for the

500cc model with some light

tuning. By 1937, Red Hunter

editions of Ariel’s 250cc and

350cc overhead valve singles

were also on sale.

After the war

When the Red Hunter reap-

peared after World War II, it

looked much as it had before.

A new plunger suspension

frame had been introduced

as an option in 1939, with a

telescopic front fork arriving

around 1948. Ariel’s plunger

rear suspension featured an

Anstey link, an articulated arm

designed to keep the rear axle at a fixed distance to the final

drive sprocket as the suspension moved to maintain constant

chain tension. In practice, though, pretty much all the Anstey link

did was limit suspension movement and introduce more wear

points. The Red Hunter got a proper swingarm frame in 1954,

although the Square Four continued with the Anstey plunger

until that bike was discontinued in 1959.

Ariel became part of the BSA Group in 1944, and the postwar

models slowly lost their distinctiveness. By 1954, the red paint

and chrome had been replaced with Ariel’s mundane maroon

house finish and an ugly headlight cowl and fully enclosed chain

guard. It was like dressing a supermodel in coveralls.

Shawn Doan aboard his 1947 Ariel Red Hunter single port, which he rode to the annual Norton rally last summer, a 2,500-mile round trip.

But the times had moved on and twins were all the rage. A

500cc twin could produce more power more easily than a 500

single, and by the mid 1950s, the flagship sports models of most

British manufacturers were based on their parallel twins, like

Triumph’s Tiger 110, BSA’s Road Rocket, and Norton’s Dominator

88 and 99. With a few notable exceptions (BSA’s Gold Star and

Velocette’s Venom) the days of sporting

thumpers like the Red Hunter were over.

1947 single-port VH 500I meet the Doan Brothers, Shawn and

Brian, at the 2013 International Norton

Owners Rally in Buffalo, Wyoming. Brian

is outside my motel polishing his immaculate 1949 Norton

Model 7, while Shawn is running a cloth over his 1947 Red

Hunter. Both have ridden the 1,200-odd miles from Bellingham,

Washington, to be at the rally. (Brian later won Best in Show at

the rally concours.)

Shawn’s bike is nominally a 1947 model VH 500cc single-port

Red Hunter, but it has been tastefully

modified for serious long-distance rid-

ing, with alloy wheel rims and modern

tires. I arrange to meet Shawn back in

Bellingham so I can photograph his bike,

but when he pushes the Ariel out of the

garage, I can’t help but notice there’s


The 1947 Ariel VH Red Hunter has a standard single-port engine.

Everything you need to know is on the gas tank, from speed to time of day.


another Red Hunter parked behind it — a late-1930s twin-port

VH, perhaps the most purposeful-looking Ariel of them all. Of

course, I have to photograph both.

Shawn knows a lot about the history of his 1947 single-port.

“It was built in July of ’47, originally as a 350, and shipped

to Nicholson Brothers in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada,”

Shawn says. “I found it in Osoyoos, British Columbia. A guy

named Harold Land had it, and he had painted it all flat drab

green. I think he was trying to make a [military-specification]

W-NG out of it, but it doesn’t have the high ground clearance

frame or fork.”

The ’47 would have been shipped with a telescopic fork, but

Land had replaced it with a girder front end. “I got it as a girder-

rigid,” Shawn says, “which is what I was looking for. But it was

a 350 and I really wanted a 500 … ” An eBay search eventually

turned up a VH basket case, which allowed Shawn to complete

his project. “It was listed as a ’38, but it turned out it was a ’50

frame and at least one half of the engine case was a ’48 — the

other half didn’t match.

“Ariel was really good about making parts match year to year,

so subsequent modifications of the parts would fit the older

bikes — you could put the 500 crank in the 350 cases. I did that,

put the 500 head and barrel on it, and built it as a 500,” he says.

That was in 2003. Shawn estimates

he now has about 20,000 miles on

the ’47, including some 400-mile days

getting to motorcycle rallies. “I think it

handles wonderfully,” Shawn says. “It

handles great on a smooth road, the

country lane stuff, 40-60mph stuff — it

just seems like a lot of fun. I’m pretty

comfortable on it because I’ve ridden

it so much.”

Shawn’s only problem with the ’47 —

apart from intermittent issues with an

aftermarket ignition system, now replaced with a stock magneto

— has been a seizure and a burnt exhaust valve, both of which

Shawn attributes to a piston problem. “It turned out I had a high

compression piston in it,” he says. “I had it running on standard

carburetion, so the first time I held it wide open, I seized it. I also

burned a valve. I had trouble getting the mixture right. I realize

now that it was probably running too low a fuel level in the float

chamber.” To bring compression down, Shawn filed the high com-

pression piston’s crown down a bit and put a thicker spacer under

the barrel. “I think I’ve got it to about 8:1 now — the stock is 7.5:1.

It definitely makes more of a snap than my stock compression ’39.

I’m pretty happy with the way it runs,” he says.

Shawn also attributes smoother running to a new Amal carb.

“It runs nice. It seems quieter. It just doesn’t seem as ragged, and

it just seems like it’s running cooler.” Shawn has yet more plans

for the ’47. “I’d like to get an alloy tank made like the one on an

Ariel racer I have a picture of. I think that would be really cool. I’ll

probably just keep working on it to make it more reliable. But I’ve

been pretty pleased. It’s been a pretty reliable bike.”

The 1939 VH twin-port“I ended up with the two bikes: the ’47 from Osoyoos and I’d

bought this 500 from California. So I basically had the pieces for

The 1939’s twin-port engine looks almost identical to the 1947 except for tell-tale twin exhaust headers. Gas tanks are identical except for color.


two bikes,” Shawn says. He really liked the twin-port high-pipe

look he’d seen on a BSA Empire Star. “What I really wanted when

I went out to look for this Ariel was a ’30s bike. I liked the dual

pipes, because it just looked cool. It was a 1930s styling cue. I

liked the gauges in the tank. And then I found this bike, and it had

the bigger tank, the bigger engine and it had the big prewar head-

light.” So after building the ’47, Shawn had lots of pieces left over.

“When I bought the California bike, I could basically build the

bike I wanted,” Shawn says. “The ’47 was a two-port 350. But when

I started to build the ’39, I decided to find a single-port

head for the ’47. So then I was just able to build the bike

I wanted — the ’39 dual high pipe, the big headlight and

all that stuff. And the ’47 became my rider, because I like

riding it. I have all the 350 parts stashed away.”

Shawn originally had been looking for a BSA Empire

Star before he found his first Red Hunter. And he had a

chance to compare his ’39 VH with a BSA in the Deeley

Collection in Vancouver, British Columbia. “I was sur-

prised,” he says. “The Ariel looked like it had better brakes

and a better front fork. And I thought, ‘boy, I’m glad I got

the Ariel.’”

Shawn especially noted the more elaborate front fork

castings on the Ariel and its superior front brake with

its sliding block “servo” operation and cast-in cooling

ribs. However, Shawn still considers the ’39 to be a work

in progress, noting that the gas tank and headlight are

incorrect. The correct items remain on the shopping list.

Riding the Red HunterThough I’m a little apprehensive, Shawn encourages

me to take his ’47 Red Hunter for a quick spin. I’m expect-

ing quirky handling and no brakes, and a jarring, uncom-

fortable ride from the rigid rear and clunky-looking front

fork. What I hadn’t expected is how well everything works.

The engine starts easily with a good swing on the kick

pedal and thuds steadily with relatively little vibration.

Clutch take-up is smooth and shifting is relatively light.

And while the roads around Shawn’s Bellingham home are

mostly free of potholes, the ride is remarkably smooth, with the

girder fork and well-sprung seat soaking up the bumps. I’m sure

the modern tire rubber helps, too. Steering is steady and predict-

able — turning the bike at slow speeds is a breeze — and the

brakes are remarkably effective for a vintage machine.

Overall, the Red Hunter feels like a much more modern bike,

and must have seemed quite sophisticated in its day. I think I

understand why Shawn likes riding it so much! MC

The ‘39 twin-port’s chromed dual high-pipes really make the look.


SOMETHING

SPECIAL

At the same time many of these youngsters were coming of

age, a plethora of relatively inexpensive, high-quality, small-bore

Japanese motorcycles were flooding the scene. Although there

had been plenty of small bikes available before this, such as

BSA Bantams, NSU Quicklys and Triumph Cubs to name just a

few, leading Japanese manufacturer Honda pioneered the North

American market in 1959 with the introduction of its quaint little

step-through C100 Cub. Oil-tight and easy to run, Honda’s cheery

little 50cc 4-stroke singles became the transportation of choice

for many, and particularly for youngsters.

Quickly realizing the potential for small-bore bikes in America,

in 1960 Honda launched the C110 — a sportier version of the

Cub. Like its Cub sibling, the C110 featured a pressed steel

monocoque frame. But instead of a step-through the C110 frame

had a spine, which meant a gas tank where a proper motorcycle

had its gas tank, right between the rider’s knees.

In 1964, Honda followed the success of its C110 with the sport-

ing S90, followed by the S65 in 1965. While the larger S90 was the

more popular of the two motorcycles, the charms of the S65 are

hard to ignore.

Teenage transportationBorn and raised in Hales Corners, Wisconsin, Don

Schoonenberg found his S65 in August

of 1967. Back then he wasn’t much con-

cerned about its features; he was just

happy to have some transportation. “The

family cars always seemed to be at a

premium,” Don says. “With two older

brothers, everyone always seemed to be

using them.”

Having earned his driver’s license

a couple of months earlier, Don real-

ized he needed his own set of wheels.

When he learned a friend was selling a

1966 Honda S65 with 1,100 miles on the

odometer for $150, he didn’t hesitate.

“It looked like a real motorcycle, and it

was affordable,” says Don, who had been

working part-time jobs since he was 11.

Don would ride the S65 to his odd

jobs, plus back and forth to school and to

the beach. “I think what made that little

Honda fun for me is it gave me instant

freedom,” Don explains. “I could ride 15

miles across town to play volleyball. It

really opened up the world for me.”

Two years later, Don enrolled at the

University of Wisconsin – Madison, some

90 miles from home. On weekends dur-

ing the winter, he’d ride the bus or

hitchhike back home. In good weather,

he’d ride. Sticking to the back roads, and

avoiding the freeway, Don could main-

tain 55mph — as long as the pavement

stayed relatively flat. “Back then it was

pretty much a helmetless experience,

1966 Honda S65

AAmerica was changing in the early 1960s.

Music, film and literature all reflected a younger

demographic — a demographic of teenagers born

immediately following the end of World War II.

The baby boom was booming.

Story by Greg Williams

Photos by Jeff Barger

The S65’s high pipe suggests offroad as well as street potential for the little single.

and I’d wear a pair of sunglasses for goggles,” he says. “I’d strap

my book bag to the luggage rack and I’d carry an Army knapsack

on my back. At the university, the S65 was

the envy of the campus.”

Stored but not forgottenDon rode the S65 until 1971, when he

stored it away in his dad’s garage and

bought a 1950 Willys for general transpor-

tation. With just more than 5,000 miles on

the odometer, it was mothballed but not

forgotten. “There were a lot of memories

wrapped up in that little bike, and I didn’t

want to sell it,” Don says. “It took me to

places I otherwise wouldn’t have gone.”

The S65 didn’t lead to a lifetime of

motorcycling for Don, as it was almost 30

years before he bought another bike. In

1998, he bought a 1998 Harley-Davidson

95th Anniversary Edition Wide Glide. He

calls himself a fair-weather rider, and the

H-D has covered only 15,000 miles.

Don likes his toys — literally. He has

a collection of round-fender Tonka trucks

circa 1954 to 1957, and he has a fully

restored 1955 Chevy Bel-Air. While visiting

a car show, he stumbled across someone

displaying a Honda CB350. As the pair

began talking, Don allowed that he had an

old S65, and the CB350 rider suggested that

Don should get it running and show it off.

“Prior to that, I didn’t really know about

classic motorcycle magazines or that any-

one would be interested in my old motor-

cycle,” he says. At about the same time, a friend from a local

lawn and garden dealer also suggested Don should get the S65

running for short rides. “He recommended

I call up Brady Ingelse at Retrospeed, and

have him get it going. I thought it would

be wonderful to ride it again, so in the fall

of 2012, I put it in the back of my truck and

drove it to Retrospeed.”

Retrospeed in Belgium, Wisconsin (retro

speed.net), is a full-service repair shop

catering to both vintage and modern

machines. The company also specializes in

complete overhauls. Initially, Don was only

going to get the Honda running, but as he

and Retrospeed owner Brady Ingelse talk-

ed, Don decided to have the bike complete-

ly restored, even though the S65 wasn’t

a rusty, crusty mess. It had always been

stored properly indoors, so the little 62.9cc

overhead cam engine still turned freely.

Restoration beginsAt Retrospeed, the S65 was first made

to run, and run properly, with several test

miles added before being completely dis-

assembled. “We need to be 100 percent

happy with the mechanicals before we tear

it down,” Brady explains.

The pressed steel frame consists of the

headstock, spine and rear fender, with the

rear swingarm and front fork also pressed

steel. Front suspension is by Honda’s lead-

ing-link system, first seen on the Cub. Small

hydraulic shock absorbers are tucked inside


http://retrospeed.net

http://retrospeed.net


the hollow steel legs of the fork, and

the lower links pivot on bushings.

None of the sheet metal on Don’s

bike required major surgery, and every-

thing red, including the plastic front

fender and headlight cover, was paint-

ed by Total Auto Body in Grafton,

Wisconsin. The Honda’s silver engine

side covers and chain guard enclosure

were powder-coated, and the cracked

rear luggage rack was welded up.

While the S65 wasn’t officially outfit-

ted from the factory with a rack, Don

says he’d never known his machine

without the accessory. After repairs,

the rack and the distinctive high-lev-

el exhaust and heat shield, gas tank

panels and handlebars were sent for

chrome at the Chrome Shop in Rock

Island, Illinois. New bearings went in

the polished hubs and the wheels

were reassembled with new aftermar-

ket rims, spokes and nipples.

The engine looks like it’s floating,

suspended in the frame by two long

through bolts — one at the top of the crankcase and one at the

back. Brady didn’t have to split the cases, but the bottom end

was cleaned and treated to new seals. The cylinder was bored first

oversize (0.25mm) and a new piston, rings, pin and circlips were

installed. Fresh contact breaker points

went in the timing chest, and the valve

seats were cut and new valves installed

in the cylinder head. Brady sourced

a new fuel petcock and gas cap, and

he replaced all the control cables and

rubber components such as kneepads,

handgrips and footpeg covers. “I was

worried about being able to find parts,”

Don says, “but Brady was able to track

everything down.”

Brady likes to make a few unobtrusive

but very functional modifications when

working on old iron. “On any restora-

tion of an older Japanese motorcycle

we’ll run a ground from the taillight and

another from the ignition switch, and we

install a solid-state rectifier,” Brady says.

An aftermarket seat cover was the fin-

ishing touch, installed by the Upholstery

Shoppe in Fredonia, Wisconsin — they

do all of Brady’s recovering work. Don’s

S65 was finished by mid-2013.

When it was finally time to collect his

Honda, Don got up at 5 a.m. and rode

his bicycle to Retrospeed. Brady went over the Honda with Don,

and with one kick the S65 fired to life. Don rode it the 15 miles

back home, parked it in his heated garage next to his Bel-Air and

then carried on to work. “I put a few miles on it last fall,” Don says,

Narrow and light, the S65 was in its day the perfect two-wheeler for students and riders on a budget.

http://MotionPro.com

http://www.AvonMoto.com

“and I’m just waiting for some

really good weather now to get it

out and ride it again. I’ll be put-

ting some Sunday-ride miles on

it soon. It’s a really smooth rider,

and it’s quieter than I remember

because the old baffle in the

muffler didn’t last long the first

time around. It’s got a new one

in it now.”

Slow and steadyHonda built the S65 for just four short years, from 1965 to

1969. By the end of that decade, the small-bore market had, if

you’ll pardon the pun, shriveled, and 350cc bikes, once consid-

ered midsize machines, took over the lower-end of the spectrum.

It’s unlikely we’ll ever see

another decade like the 1960s,

when 50cc to 90cc motorcycles

flooded the market, but Don has

his small-bore memories. “Back

in the 1960s, the bike never let

me down mechanically. A pas-

senger would sure slow you down, but you’d always get where

you were going,” Don says. Don didn’t restore the S65 for show,

but he hoped to ride it to the 2014 Rockerbox Moto Fest June

6-8 at Road America, near Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, just 25 miles

from his home. “I restored it for the memory, and to keep that

memory alive. With a complete restoration, it’s like a brand-new

old motorcycle, and it should be good for another 45 years.” MC

“I restored it for the

memory, and to keep

that memory alive ...

it should be good for

another 45 years.”

The S65’s little 62.9cc overhead cam single is incredibly robust, a fact that endeared the little bikes to owners everywhere.

10th Annual Barber Vintage Festival October 10-12, 2014

Questions? Email [email protected], or call 205.702.8709.

Swap Meet | Vintage Motorcycle Races | Auction | And More!

Motorcycles by Moonlight Dinner with Guest Speaker Erik Buell

A Fundraiser to Beneft the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum



http://WWW.PECARD.COM

mailto:[email protected]


1949 75cc Tourismo Prototype

With the help of a friend and fellow worker, Francesco

designed and built Laverda’s first motorcycle at home in

his spare time. Then, like Britten and Buell, he used racing

success to establish the legend of Laverda.

Francesco Laverda was no ordinary man. He graduat-

ed from the University of Padova in 1937 with a degree

in pure physics. Soon he joined the agricultural tool

company founded by his grandfather Pietro Laverda

in 1873, but it quickly became obvious his mind was

thinking way beyond plows and tillers.

Italy emerged from World War II as a fragile

democracy bolstered by massive U.S. aid, as much

as $1.5 billion from 1948 to 1952. What followed

was an economic miracle. From a largely rural-based

economy, Italy was transformed into a manufac-

turing and design powerhouse. By the late 1950s,

industrial output was increasing at 10 percent a year

with almost full employment.

Francesco Laverda rode this tidal wave of opportu-

nity and he brought his physics background to bear

on the clever design of the first Laverda motorcycle.

Although it was planned as a low-cost commuter,

Francesco ensured it would also be a contender in the

developing road racing scene.

Long-distance events saw small-capacity racers

locked in a battle that swept through villages and cit-

ies. Chief among these events was the Moto Giro d’Italia,

which by 1954 had 50 different manufacturers entered and

was running more than 2,000 miles over eight stages. But

we’re getting ahead of ourselves.

Beginnings of the Laverda singleIn 1947, Francesco created his prototype by designing one

of Italy’s first 4-stroke motorcycle engines. His university

When we think of motorcycle inventors who built

bikes that bore their names, the likes of John

Britten and Erik Buell spring readily to mind.

In postwar Italy, Francesco Laverda achieved a

similar status in motorcycle development.

Story by Hamish Cooper

Photos by Phil Aynsley


studies of thermodynamics were used to ensure that the 75cc

pushrod, overhead valve, single-cylinder engine ran cooler

than its marketplace rivals and outlasted its race track oppo-

nents. The unit-construction engine had a gear-driven primary,

a multi-plate clutch in an oil bath and a 3-speed gearbox.

While the standard version of the engine produced a mod-

est 3 horsepower at 5,200rpm, racing versions pumped out 8

horsepower and revved to around 12,000rpm. Scale these fig-

ures up and you’re looking at an astonishing 107 horsepower

per liter. Francesco had turned pure physics into applied

physics (pure physics studies the basics of energy and motion

while applied physics uses these theories to solve technologi-

cal problems). Francesco worked with fellow Laverda employ-

ee Luciano Zen on the prototype, and Luciano, despite lacking

formal qualifications, eventually became Moto Laverda’s chief

design engineer.

Production beginsIt took Francesco three years to get his Laverda from design

through prototype, and finally into production in 1950. During

this time, cost considerations meant it lost the large alloy cas-

ing that enclosed the final drive and gears. The original goal

Based on Laverda’s standard 75

Tourismo that went into production in

1950, the 75 Sport was essentially a pro-

duction racer intended for the increasingly

popular road races then run across Italy.

Introduced in 1952, it proved very success-

ful, consistently winning the 75cc category,

including taking the top 14 positions in the

1953 Milano-Taranto race. Early bikes used

a pressed-steel frame, while later machines

had a dual downtube loop frame. The bike

shown here was ridden by factory rider

Genunzio Silvagni to win the 75cc class in

both the 1956 and 1957 Motogiro d’Italia

races. The bike was also used for short

circuit racing, with the lights and number

plate removed. In this configuration power

was upped to 12 horsepower compared

to 9 horsepower at 10,500rpm in long dis-

tance trim. Weighing only 143 pounds, it

had a top speed just shy of 75mph.

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was to offer a low-maintenance solution to the conventional

chain and sprockets, which tended to wear quickly from expo-

sure to dirt as many roads in Italy were unpaved back then.

Girder-style forks were at the front, while the rear swingarm

rode on a cantilever spring attached to the engine. Rugged

reliability was the hallmark of the production Laverda, and

fuel economy its crowning glory. In the right circumstances

it would sip fuel at a miserly rate of 200 miles to the gallon

(1.17 liters per 100km). Weighing just 143 pounds and with a

top speed of about 45mph, the Tourismo 75 was an instant

hit. Within five years Moto Laverda was a household name

in Italy.

Moto Laverda would produce nearly 40,000 small-capac-

ity motorcycles over the next decade. Its sales slogan was

L’utilitaria che vince le corse!, which translates as “the commuter

which wins races!”

Racing was key to sales publicity and Laverda soon pro-

duced a Sport model for road racing and a Regolarita (literally,

“regularity”) version for clubman’s reliability trials. In the 1952

Milano-Taranto race, which ran the length of Italy non-stop,

Sport 75s filled the first five places in their class, with 16

Laverda 75s in the top 20. The next year they filled the top 14

places, with class winner Guido Mariani averaging 50.5mph

over 1,895 miles.

The 75 was taken out to 100cc in 1954 and the wins contin-

ued. Laverda released the 4-stroke 49cc Laverdino moped in

1958 and a mini-scooter in 1960. For 1961, Laverda brought

out its first parallel twin, the 200cc Twin, which weighed 264

pounds and had a top speed of almost 70mph.

It’s not often an original prototype survives, so take a close

look at this one while reminding yourself that some of the

parts (including the piston) were actually cast in the family

kitchen. It’s obvious that some fittings, such as the oil tank,

carrier and pressed-steel frame, owe much to the agricultural

industry, but the little engine is a beauty, with deep finning

and an elegant simplicity that is timeless. MC

Laverda’s little 75cc overhead valve single proved to be unburstable (left) but the planned oil bath final drive proved too expensive to produce.

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In 1968, Honda introduced a new series of engines to replace

its earlier forward-canted overhead cam twins. First seen in

the U.S. in 174cc and 325cc versions, the new twins promised

efficient power and long-term durability. Yet as good as they were

— and still are — they did have a few problems, chief among

them a propensity for wearing out

camshaft bearing blocks. Some people

will tell you the fault lies in poor mate-

rials, but our experience suggests a

combination of factors, chief among

them owners failing to follow regular

oil change intervals.

The problem typically shows itself

as a ticking valve you can’t get quiet.

Adjust the valves and the noise will

quiet down, but then shortly reap-

pear. A subsequent check will show

the valve adjustment has changed yet

again. When it gets extreme, you can

see it in the ignition points cam not

being centered in the timing plate.

What happens is the camshaft bearings — or journals — wear

from insufficient lubrication, allowing the cam to move. The steel

cam runs directly in the aluminum cam journals, and if the oil

pressure fails, the steel will wear on the aluminum.

The top end of the 174cc and 325cc engines gets oil from a feed

in the right engine cover. Oil under pressure feeds into a channel

in the cover, where it’s directed to the

right side of the crankshaft and also to

the top end. The cover has two O-rings,

one sealing it to the case and another

sealing it internally. A failure in either

O-ring will result in a leak and pressure

loss, but when the internal seal fails

there’s no visual cue as the pressure loss is internal.

Compounding the issue, these engines don’t use an oil filter.

Instead, they use a sludge trap on the right side of the crankshaft

under the aforementioned cover: It’s basically an internal cen-

trifuge that separates and traps major particulates from the oil.

Further, a spring-loaded slip coupling

(Honda calls it an oil guide) in the

cover lines up with the sludge trap to

direct oil. If for any reason the cou-

pling sticks it can cause further loss

of oil pressure. If the oil isn’t changed

regularly there’s a risk of filling the trap

with sludge (rare), but the bigger risk

is dirty oil plugging the small internal

feed line to the cylinder head.

Technically, this isn’t a particularly

complicated job. You have to remove

the timing plate and the ignition

advance unit, so if those tasks are

beyond your ability, we’d suggest find-

ing a vintage bike mechanic to do the work.

An experienced Honda mechanic can replace a pair of cam

journals in a few hours, but if you’ve never done the job treat it

as a weekend project. New cam journals are unobtanium, but

used journals in good shape can be found. Expect to pay around

$30-$40 per journal, with sets slightly cheaper at $45-$50. You’ll

also want a new seal for the left journal, about $4-$6.50, and it’s a

good idea to have a new journal gasket

on hand, about $10. Run the engine to

full operating temperature when you’re

done, followed by a hot drain and a refill

with clean oil. As usual, have a good

shop manual on hand to aid in parts

identification and proper torque specs.

Replace Honda CB175 camshaft bearing blocks

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Old, worn bearing journal is at left, used replacement at right. The old journal was shot, showing more than 0.040in (1mm) of wear.


1The first thing we did was remove and

inspect the sludge trap cover on the

right side of the engine. Although not

visible, the inner O-ring seal was shot,

allowing oil pressure to bleed off.

2 With the cover removed we

discovered that the internal slip

coupling, which is spring-loaded on a

fixed snout to ensure oil feeds to the

crankshaft, was stuck fast to its bore

in the cover. It’s shown here partially

removed, ready to clean.

3The slip coupling cleaned and

reinstalled: Note the O-ring to seal

the cover to the case. A second O-ring

goes inside the engine; the raised cover

extension seals against it. Note, too, the

two oil galleys at roughly 6:30 and 3

o’clock; one is the feed to the cover, the

other is the feed to the cylinder head.

4We only needed to replace the

left journal, which is typical as

it’s farthest from the oil feed and thus

receives the least amount of lubrication.

The right side is easier, as you don’t

have to disturb the ignition. Remove the

ignition cover and both spark plugs.

5Next, remove the two screws

securing the ignition points plate to

the cam cover. To aid reassembly, you

can scribe a line on the plate centered on

the cover. The replacement cover won’t

have the scribe, of course, but the line on

the plate gives you a ballpark orientation.

7Next, remove the ignition advance

assembly from the cover, followed by

the intake and exhaust valve inspection

covers. The exhaust inspection cover

is visible here just above the exhaust

header. The intake cover is identical, but

is located on the intake or carburetor side

of the engine.

9Remove the four screws securing the

journal block and replace it with the

“new” one, with the new seal installed.

The mounting gasket can often be

reused. If it’s bad, do not use silicone as it

can block oil passages. All that’s left now

is to put everything back the way you

found it, followed by adjusting the valves,

running the engine and changing the oil.

Check the valves after the first cool-down

and adjust if necessary. Happy riding!

8Remove the left engine cover. Using

a 14mm wrench, rotate the engine

and line up the timing mark on the

rotor with the mark on the stator for

TDC. Both valves should be loose. If not,

rotate the engine to confirm TDC on

compression. Next, fully loosen the valves

to release pressure on the cam.

6Move the points plate out of the

way and use a 10mm wrench to

remove the bolt securing the ignition

advance unit to the camshaft. It might

need a light shock to break free but

should release relatively easily.


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K E I T H ’ S

GARAGE

“The instant you turn the key, the starter motor starts to turn.”

Suzuki misfire

Q: I have a problem with a 1979 Suzuki

1000E. It starts fine, but it sounds

like it misses a little just off idle. The main

problem is at 5,000rpm the engine mis-

fires or cuts out. I cleaned the carburetors,

installed new plugs, wires and coils. I am

having trouble setting the engine timing

using a timing light. I can’t retard the timing

to the correct specs because the plate bottoms

out on its screws, and you can tell it is worse

when I back that down. The idle is about

1,200. Any help would be appreciated.

Ken Erdman/via email

A: This sounds depressingly simi-

lar to a problem I had with a

customer’s Honda 750. It idled fine,

but it wouldn’t rev under load, and the

timing was hard to set. Sometimes these

problems can be caused by something as

simple as a bad connection in the ignition

or kill switch that only shows up at certain

RPMs due to vibration. It’s easy enough

to bypass the ignition switch and run a

wire directly from the battery to the coils.

You’ll still be using the ignition switch to

fire the starter, just augmenting the circuit

with a direct link and bypassing the kill

switch. If this improves matters, you’ll

have to determine whether it’s the igni-

tion switch or the kill switch. Another pos-

sibility is the points condensers. Look at

the points as the engine runs. Is one set

arcing more than the other? There should

be barely discernible sparks between the

points with the engine running. If one

or both sets of points are arcing exces-

sively, replace the condensers and see if

that improves things. Bad condensers will

definitely make it hard to time the engine

with a timing light, as the timing will be

erratic. Since you mention the points

plate being at the end of its adjustment,

it’s probably important that we establish

that the auto advance unit (AAU) is in

properly and working as it should. Before

that, though, make sure you have the

points gap set correctly. You can change

the timing by having the gap set too wide

or too narrow. Make sure you measure

the gap when the points are opened their

widest. The manual suggests 0.012in-

0.016in, I usually set it to 0.015in as that’s

the smallest wire on my wire feeler gauge.

Check your timing again to see if you can

now center the points plate. If not, the

next step will be to remove the points

plate and then the AAU. The points plate

will come off if you remove the three

screws holding it to the engine case.

You’ll need two wrenches to remove the

AAU: one to hold the crankshaft steady

and the other to loosen the bolt holding

the AAU in place. Once you have the AAU

loosened, check that the locating notch

and pin are in place in the AAU and the

crankshaft, respectively. Those are there

to make sure the AAU stays in time with

the engine, and if the pin is missing or the

notch is worn it could be why your tim-

ing plate is at the limit of its movement.

Check the AAU to make sure it operates

smoothly, lubricating it with a little light

oil if necessary. If everything on the AAU

checks out, reinstall it, making sure to

engage the pin on the crank with the

notch on the AAU. With any luck, you’ll

find the solution before you have to do

anything to the AAU.

Back-end weave

Q: I have a 1976 BMW R90/6 that weaves

to the left on acceleration and to the right

on deceleration. This is definitely not a front end

problem as the steering head has been checked and

greased and is adjusted properly. I have installed

new fork springs and a hydraulic dampener. The

front end, in my opinion, cannot be the cause.

When I ride I can see the frame snake underneath

me as I’ve described. The frame is not dam-

aged. I think it has to be the shocks or the

swingarm bushings. From what I can gather,

it is highly unlikely to be the swingarm

bushings. How can I check the health of the

shocks? They have been easy enough to dis-

mantle, and they feel equally resistive when I

test them by hand, but they appear to have

resistance in only one direction.

Ralph Parsons/via email

A: You may be too quick to dis-

miss the swingarm bearings.

They seldom give trouble on old

BMWs, but if the locknut on either

side is loose, the spindle that ten-

sions the bearing can come loose,

too. I would put the bike up on the

centerstand so that the rear wheel is free

to spin. Use a board under the stand

if you must to get clearance. Then try

pushing the swingarm left and right while

watching the pivot point where the swing-

arm joins the frame. If you see any play

there, the pivot bearings are misadjusted

or worn.

Sticking starter

Q: The starter won’t disengage on my Honda

CB550. The instant you turn on the key,

the starter motor starts to turn. What’s wrong? Is

it my starter button?

Kurt Limesand/via email

A: It may be the switch in the handle-

bars, but there is also a strong

possibility that you have a stuck starter

solenoid. I’d start by disconnecting the

thinner signal wires to the solenoid and

turning the key on again. If the problem

disappears, the starter button circuit is

shorted out. If the problem persists, your

starter solenoid is stuck and will need to

be replaced.

Oil-filled muffler

Q: While riding my 1971 Honda CL450

one day, a clattering noise came from the

engine. When I returned home I left the bike idling

in the driveway and soon discovered a pool of oil.

One muffler was filled with oil and oil was dripping

out through the bottom vent hole. What happened

inside the engine that would cause this?

Wes Martin/via email

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A: Unfortunately, any number of things

could have gone wrong. Did the bike

run any differently after you heard the

clattering noise? Having one muffler fill

with oil makes me wonder if an exhaust

valve guide has come loose and is drain-

ing oil from the head directly into the

exhaust. I’m afraid you’ll have to pull the

top off the engine and do more research.

The great oil question

Q: What type and brand of oil should I use

in my 1992 Honda Nighthawk? It has

15,000 miles on it. Do I have to be concerned

about using a certain kind of oil for a wet clutch?

Vaughn Giddens/Northeast Texas

A: Here’s a question with no answer

that pleases everyone. Every brand

of oil has its cheerleaders. The only thing

I will say is that for a vintage bike with

a wet clutch you should stay away from

modern oils with friction modifiers. They

will usually be identified as those oils

with a very low winter (W) weight, i.e.,

0w-40. The friction modifiers will make

your clutch slip. Another topic for end-

less discussion is the amount of zinc

dialkyldithiophosphate (ZDDP) added to

the oil. This additive helps lubricate high

pressure contact zones like flat tappets

and camshafts. Unfortunately, phospho-

rus is poisonous to catalytic convert-

ers, so modern oil formulations contain

less than oils formulated before catalytic

converters came into widespread use. If

you’re stuck using an oil with low ZDDP

percentage you can always use an addi-

tive. Be careful though: Too much ZDDP

is almost as bad as too little.

Clutch issues

Q: I have a 1984 Honda Nighthawk 700

with a clutch problem. When I first started

it after it had been sitting for three or four weeks,

the clutch needed to be broken loose. Then it would

work fine, but when stopped it wanted to creep. I

rebuilt the master and slave cylinders. After this

the pull felt better, but it did not fix the problem.

With 30,000 miles on the clock I felt replacing the

clutch would fix it, so I installed EBC plates and

springs. I deburred the clutch basket and checked

for smooth movement of the plates and steels, and

all was fine. I still have to break it loose after the

bike has been sitting for a long time, but now after

riding for a while, if I stop to fill up, the clutch is

locked up hard. It works fine if I do not turn it off.

I spoke to EBC and they are sending me a new

set of plates under warranty, but I would like your

thoughts before I dive back into it.

Richard Porter/via email

A: Sticky clutch plates are a daily haz-

ard on my old Triumph 500, usually

cured by pulling in the clutch and kick-

starting the bike. You might try that, but

substitute electric start for the kickstart.

How does it shift normally? Is it quiet or is

there a clunk? I’m trying to figure out what

would glue your plates together when

the bike sits for a few minutes. I assume

you’re using a good motorcycle-rated oil.

Although failure to do so usually results

in clutch chatter, did you soak the clutch

plates in oil before you installed them?

I’d love to hear from readers who have

experienced this problem and how they

fixed it.

Got a question about your old bike? Email

us at [email protected]


K E I T H ’ S

GARAGE


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Crisp, pine-scented mountain air. A light dusting of snow

with dry and mesmerizing twisty roads. Picture post card

vistas. The feel of the Alps. Quaint mountain enclaves

with names like Silverwood, Fawnskin, Twin Peaks, Crestline,

Running Springs, Big Bear Lake, Big Bear City, Arrowhead and

Arrowbear. It’s not a single destination, but a visually arrest-

ing and intoxicatingly beautiful region. A motorcycle ride in

California’s Big Bear region is as good as it gets on two wheels.

It’s one of my favorite rides.

Located approximately 100 miles northeast of Los Angeles

and a short 40 minutes north of San Bernardino, Big Bear is

an outstanding destination. The short ride north from San

Bernardino used to be a two-day horse-and-carriage trip, but

an early entrepreneur named Kirk Phillips introduced bus

service from the valley below using White trucks modified

with added rows of passenger seats. Phillips’ idea drove early

development of the region as a tourist destination.

Populated by California’s Serrano Indians for 2,000 years,

the Big Bear area grew rapidly during the Southern California

gold rush from the 1860s to 1912. The permanent population

is small (around 20,000), but that number swells to more

than 100,000 people during the winter season as skiers and

other tourists arrive. And, of course, there are the bears. The

grizzly population disappeared more than a century ago, but

they gave the region its name. The bears you might encoun-

ter today are the smaller black bear variety introduced to the

region in the 1930s.

Long a destination of the rich and famous, Big Bear has

been frequented by the likes of Shirley Temple, Cecil B.

DeMille, Ginger Rogers and other celebrities. Big Bear’s 7,000-

foot elevation attracts boxers like Oscar de la Hoya and mixed

martial arts experts who like to train at high altitudes. And

if you experience a sense of déjà vu as you ride through this

incredible area, it’s probably because Bonanza, Old Yeller, Paint

Your Wagon and a host of other shows were filmed right here.

There are four paths into this region roughly from the east,

the west, the north and the south. All are great, but here’s my

recommendation for the best scenery, the least traffic and

the best riding. Grab State Route 138 in the Cajon Pass (just

off of I-15) and ride in from the west though the Silverwood

region. SR 138 contains super-tight twisties as it meanders

past Silverwood Lake and climbs into the San Bernardino

Mountains. It brings you to the Rim of the World Highway (SR

18) to skirt the elevated southern edge of the San Bernardinos.

(Views of the Inland Empire below are absolutely stunning.)

Stay on SR 18 and it will bring you to the western tip of Big

Bear Lake (right at the dam that created the lake, originally

built in 1884 and expanded in 1910). Stay to the right and

you’ll roll through the towns of Big Bear Lake and Big Bear

City on the lake’s southern shore, or veer to the left to ride

around the lake’s less-populated northern edge. And for the

ride down out of the mountains, I recommend grabbing SR 38

at the eastern edge of the lake. SR 38 offers another great ride,

climbing across Onyx Summit (8,444 feet!) and back down to

the valley below. — Joe Berk

What: Big Bear, California. A glorious ride through Southern

California’s very own Swiss Alps!

How to Get There: There are five routes in: SR 18 from the

north, SR 138 from the west, SR 330 or SR 18 from the south,

and SR 38 from the east.

Best Kept Secret: For an amazing breakfast, try the Old Country

Coffee Shop in Running Springs (trust me on this one).

Avoid: Riding in during the winter months without checking road

conditions first (it snows up there) and speeding (the roads are

heavily patrolled by the CHP).

More Info: bigbearinfo.com

More Photos: motofoto.cc

THE SKINNY

The Rim of the World Highway offers great twisties and views.

BIG BEAR, CALIFORNIA

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C A L E N D A R

JULY/AUGUST

Don’t miss these upcoming events!Don’t miss the 2nd Annual

Vintage Motorcycle Festival

at Thunderbolt Raceway at New Jersey

Motorsports Park. Running through the

13th, look for AHRMA road racing and the

Motorcycle Classics Vintage Bike Show, along

with a swap meet, live music and more.

On the web at ahrma.org, njmp.com

Visit Lexington, Ohio, for

AMA Vintage Motorcycle

Days at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course

July 11-13. Watch the AMA Racing

Vintage Grand Championships, which

include road racing, motocross, hare

scrambles, trials and dirt track. Check

out the world’s largest motorcycle swap

meet, demo rides, seminars, stunt shows and more. On the web

at amavintagemotorcycledays.com

Head to McKee’s Sky Ranch in Terra Alta, West

Virginia, July 24-27 for the All Brands Motorcycle

Event, featuring a dual sport ride, road rally, AHRMA offroad rac-

ing, plus a swap meet and vintage bike display all four days. On

the web at mckeeskyranch.com

Join Motorcycle Classics at The Meet Vintage

Motorcycle Festival at America’s Car Museum in

Tacoma, Washington. Expect 450-plus vin-

tage bikes on Saturday plus a Sunday ride.

More information on page 12 of this issue

or go to vintagemotorcyclefestival.com

Head to the 9th Annual

Bonneville Vintage GP at

the Miller Motorsports Park in Tooele,

Utah, just outside Salt Lake City. Saturday

will feature the Motorcycle Classics Vintage

Bike Show, with Vincent as the featured

marque, along with Rounds 15 and 16

of the AHRMA CPL Systems National

Historic Cup Road Race on Saturday and

Sunday. Sunday will also feature a Custom Bike show. Enjoy

the CB160 Races with LeMans starts both days. On the web at

bonnevillevintagegp.com

Visit the Owls Head Transportation Museum in

Owls Head, Maine, for the Vintage Motorcycle

Meet & Antique Aeroplane Show August 30-31. Owners of pre-

1994 motorcycles are encouraged to exhibit and will be admit-

ted free of charge. More than 300 bikes are expected, along

with antique planes, Model T rides and more. On the web at

ohtm.org/events

7/11

July 1-5 — GWRRA 36th Annual Wing Ding. Madison, WI. gwrra.org, wingding.org

July 10-13 — 43rd MGNOC National Rally. Elkader, IA. mgnoc.com/rally_calendar.html

July 11-13 — Highsmith Memorial Ride/Trinity Alps Campout. Phoenix, OR. oregonvintage.org

July 12 — OVM Bend Ride. Bend, OR. oregonvintage.org

July 13 — 3rd Annual All Japanese Motorcycle Show. Overland Park, KS. kcvjmc.org

July 13 — Jeff Williams MC Swap Meet. Tulsa, OK. jwswapmeet.com

July 13 — Woodstock Vintage Motorcycle Ride. Woodstock Lodge, Woodstock, [email protected]

July 15-18 — INOA Rally in The Cascades. Ashland, OR. nortonrally.com/inoa-rally-2014

July 18-20 — 34th Annual British Biker Cooperative Rally. Blue River, WI. britishbiker.net

July 19 — Goldendale Gathering. Goldendale, WA. oregonvintage.org

July 24-27 — 2014 BMW MOA International Rally. St. Paul, MN. bmwmoa.org

July 25-27 — New York Rally.Lake Clear, NY. mgnoc.com/rally_calendar.html

July 26-27 — CJMC Classic Japanese Auburn Show & Swap. Auburn, CA. cjmc.org

July 27 — Jeff Williams MC Swap Meet. Kansas City, MO. jwswapmeet.com

Aug. 1-3 — 30th Annual Wisconsin Moto Guzzi Riders Rally. Lake Joy Campground, Belmont, WI. wmgr.org

Aug. 2-3 — OVM Oaks Park Picnic. Portland, OR. oregonvintage.org

Aug. 8-10 — Ohio Valley BSA Owners Club 33rd Annual Rally. Toronto, OH. ohiovalleybsaownersclub.com

Aug. 8-10 — Indianapolis MotoGP. Indianapolis, IN. redbullindianapolisgp.com

Aug. 9 — Kansas City Vintage Japanese Motorcycle Club 2nd Annual Midwest Regional Rally & Show. New Century, KS.kcvjmc.org

Aug. 10 — Jeff Williams MC Swap Meet. Oklahoma City, OK. jwswapmeet.com

Aug. 10 — OVM Batwater Station Ride. Portland, OR. or egonvintage.org

Aug. 15-17 — Minnesota Moto Guzzi Rally. Houston, MN. mgnoc.com/rally_calendar.html

Aug. 17 — British Iron Association of Connecticut 29th Annual Brit-Jam. East Haddam, CT. ctbritiron.org

Aug. 22-23 — 19th Oregon Moto Guzzi Rally. Odell, OR.mgnoc.com/rally_calendar.html

Aug. 23-28 — BUB Motorcycle Speed Trials. Wendover, UT. bubspeedtrials.com

Aug. 24 — Jeff Williams MC Swap Meet. Kansas City, MO. jwswapmeet.com


8/23

7/11

8/30

8/29

Kristin Porter and her lovely Aermacchi cafŽ won Best European Ð Restored, at the 2012 Bonneville Vintage GP.

7/24

http://ahrma.org

http://njmp.com

http://amavintagemotorcycledays.com

http://mckeeskyranch.com

http://vintagemotorcyclefestival.com

http://bonnevillevintagegp.com

http://gwrra.org

http://wingding.org

http://mgnoc.com/rally_calendar.html

http://oregonvintage.org


http://kcvjmc.org

http://jwswapmeet.com


http://nortonrally.com/inoa-rally-2014

http://britishbiker.net


http://bmwmoa.org

http://cjmc.org


http://wmgr.org


http://ohiovalleybsaownersclub.com

http://redbullindianapolisgp.com

http://kcvjmc.org




http://ctbritiron.org


http://bubspeedtrials.com


http://mgnoc.com/rally-calendar.html

http://mgnoc.com/rally-calendar.html

http://ohtm.org/events



Circle #20; see card pg 73Circle #18; see card pg 73

http://racetech.com

http://www.MotorcycleClassics.com/Gear-Up-July

http://www.motorcycleclassics.com/Gear-Up-July


86 MOTORCYCLE CLASSICS August/September 2014

C O O L

FINDS

TDC with styleBritish and European vintage bike parts

supplier Steadfast Cycles in Santa Clarita, California, is the exclusive dealer for

these beautifully crafted top-dead-center gauges from European Spares. Made in the U.S.A. from the highest quality brass and stainless steel, the Steadfast

Cycles TDC Tool features a knurled body for easy hand-operated installation and removal and degree lines on the piston to make confirming top-dead-center a

snap. Threads into any 14mm spark plug hole. $36. More info: steadfastcycles.com

Motorcycle artInspired by the great racing motorcycles

of the Sixties, Seventies and Eighties, Singapore-based motorcycle enthusi-

ast Francis Ooi, creative director for an ad agency by day and digital master by night, has produced a series of six digitally crafted prints profiling some of the most iconic racing bikes ever

made, including Mike Hailwood’s 1967 Honda RC174, Cal Rayborn’s 1972 H-D

XR750 and Kenny Roberts’ 1980 Yamaha YZR500 OW48. Each illustration has more

than 800 components and layers and takes more than a month to complete.

$65. More info: uglymoto.bigcartel.com

M l

EMGO Norton gas tanksBritish parts specialist JRC Engineering

now has EMGO replacement steel gas tanks for Norton 750 and 850

Commandos. Made from heavy gauge steel, the tank features a single-piece

stamped bottom with an interior baffle just like the original. Made in Taiwan to EMGO’s exacting specifications,

these are high-quality tanks and not cheap knock-offs like some of the

crudely made items we’ve seen show-ing up recently on eBay. Mounting points are solidly welded. Supplied

bare, accepts original petcocks and gas cap. $490.47. More info: jrceng.com

New Stuff for Old BikesFrom new CDIs for old Yamahas to tool packs for ADV riders,

here are six cool products every classic bike fan should know about.

Tool travelerLong-distance and ADV riders should

check out the new USWE Sports TX Rider Tool Belt from LeoVince USA. A main pocket large enough to hold a spare inner tube as well as other necessary travel tools is augmented by two side

pockets plus a tool organizer pocket. The TX Rider Tool Belt stays secure around

the rider’s waist thanks to a compression strap belt system that keeps it in place

no matter how rough or bouncy the ter-rain. $56. More info: leovinceusa.com

Triumph valve toolMotorcycle and power sports tool special-ist Dennis Stubblefield Sales makes a two-

piece valve adjustment tool specifically for Triumph twins. Designed to work on

most 1950s-1970s Triumphs 500cc twins, 650cc twins and 750cc twins, the 100 percent made in the U.S.A. tool makes

valve adjustment easy. The handled part of the tool is sized to fit the valve adjuster locknut and the knurled inner shaft keys the adjuster. A three-piece metric set for Japanese and European bikes is also avail-able. $28.95. More info: dssalesusa.net

Yamaha Virago ignitionVintage electronics specialists Rick’s

Motorsport Electrics now have CDI igni-tion boxes for Eighties Yamaha Viragos. Discontinued by Yamaha and not avail-able anywhere else, the new igniter box from Rick’s is designed to fit the 1984-1986 XV700, 1983 XV750, 1988-90

VX750 and 1983 XV920. “There are so many of these Viragos still out there on

the road,” president Rick Shaw says, “we knew we had to come up with a solution to keep more classic bikes alive.” Comes complete with mounting plate. $180.

More info: ricksmotorsportelectrics.com

http://steadfastcycles.com

http://uglymoto.bigcartel.com

http://jrceng.com

http://leovinceusa.com

http://dssalesusa.net

http://ricksmotorsportelectrics.com


50+ motorcycles including ‘68 Triumph, '57Triumph, '75 MZ, '73 Triumph, '57 Triumph,'72 Norton, '75 Norton 850 Commando, '72Triumph Bonneville, '75 MZ TS250, '58BSA, '57 Sears Puch, '67 Triumph, '60Harley Davidson Sportster, '66 BSA, '74Jawa/CZ, '48 Zundapp, '72 Honda XL250,'73 Jawa/CZ, '77 Triumph, '67 BSA Spitfire,'72 Triumph T120VD, '72 BSA Thunderbolt650, '71 Triumph, '74 Norton 850Commando, '72 Honda CL350, '67Triumph, '78 Triumph, '70 Harley DavidsonS&S Super XLH, '73 Triumph T100R, '63Triumph Bonneville, '78 Triumph BonnevilleT140VJX, '72 Triumph, '57 Triumph, '73Triumph Tiger 750, also selling numerousother motorcycles including various modelsof Jawa, Honda, Yamaha, Triumph, ZDirtbikes, Zundapp, etc. Details & specswill be available at sullivanauctioneers.com.Live internet bidding on all motorcycles,vintage signs and significant parts. Pleasenote: Huge quantity of motorcycle parts &related items.

"NO RESERVE"

SALE TO BE HELD AT SULLIVAN AUCTION SITE, HWY. 136 EAST, HAMILTON, IL

Sullivan Auctioneers, LLC • 217-847-2160 • Lic. #444000107

Info. @ www.sullivanauctioneers.com

Don’t be a stranger!Sign up for our Shop Talk newsletter to receive

the latest news from the classic motorcycle

scene and Motorcycle Classics.

Sign up today atwww.MotorcycleClassics.com/Newsletter

http://sullivanauctioneers.com

http://www.sullivanauctioneers.com

http://www.MotorcycleClassics.com/Newsletter

Check out these classic T-shirt designs featuring Norton Commando,

Triumph Bonneville, Honda CB750 and more!

All of our long-sleeve and short-sleeve charcoal T-shirts

are 100% preshrunk cotton with white graphics.

Call 800-880-7567 and mention

promo codeMMCPAE71, or order online

at www.MotorcycleClassics.com/Shopping

Limited quantity available

SHORT SLEEVE ........$7.99 (WAS $14.95)

LONG SLEEVE ........ $11.99 (WAS $19.95)



http://www.langlitz.com


http://WWW.LOCKITT.COM

http://www.baxtercycle.com

http://www.triumphday/britech.com


http://www.hvccycle.net

http://SteadfastCycles.com

http://www.bellacorse.com


http://www.joellevinecompany.com

http://www.hotwingglass.com


http://www.dssalesusa.net


http://WWW.YAMATOPDOG.COM

http://WWW.NOSYAMAHDECALS.COM

http://www.warkshop.com


http://Www.evengineering.com

http://www.rockypointcycle.com

http://www.MotorcycleClassics.com/Legendary

http://WWW.MOTORCYCLECLASSICS.COM/LEGENDARY

http://www.wickedtoughgraphics.com

classifed cycles, parts & accessoriesGEA

RBO

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LA

SSIF

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CYCLES, P

ARTS &

ACCESSO

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PARTS

100 psi liquid-filled oil pressure gauge1/8 NPT male inlet1-5/8 diameter bodyWith generic fittings and heavy nylon oil line $39 + shippingCustom brackets for Meriden Triumphs in stock.

www.triplesrule.com [email protected] 224-321-4912

View online the widest available selection of original classic Honda side covers, badges, and owner’s manuals. Visit your friendliest source for classic Japanese motorcycles and used original parts. Work with someone who will actually answer your emails! I have been riding since the 1960’s. I was District Sales Manager for US Suzuki in Ohio—I just love this stuff! www.classicjapanesemotorcycles.com

PERSONAL

AMERICA’S #1 LIVE CHAT DATELINES: Meet single men & women in your local area. 18+. Friendship, 1 -888-777-2235. Love, l-877-333-2863. 24/7.

ACCESSORIES

BYKAS SPOKE WRAPS

- Protect & Customize Your Spokes - Easy Installation

- Most Colors-$39.95www.bykas.com (503)631-3050

PARTS

Norton Commando Electric Start Kit. Some things are worth the wait. Over forty years after the first Commando appeared, theAlton EKit electric start conversion finally brings it to life at the touch of a button. Available in the US from The Classic Bike Experience www.classicbikeexperience.com or call 802-878-5383 www.alton-france.com

PARTS

\5thGearParts.com Used Honda and Yamaha parts. No Auctions, No guess work, No delays. Quality used parts

guaranteed. Lots of 80’s Honda stuff. Email: [email protected]

Web: 5thGearParts.com

Increase the performance and life of your vintage engine with the latest in performance beehive valve springs. Take advantage of the light weight of a single valve spring with the performance and control of a dual valve spring. This shape allows less reciprocating spring mass, smaller lighter top retainers, more clearance to the rocker arms and lower oil temps. Call for applications. Call (760)948-4698 or Web: www.rdvalvespring.com


http://www.triplesrule.com


http://www.classicjapanesemotorcycles.com

http://www.classicjapanesemotorcycles.com

http://www.bykas.com

http://www.classicbikeexperience.com

http://www.classicbikeexperience.com

http://www.alton-france.com


http://5thGearParts.com

http://www.rdvalvespring.com

http://www.rdvalvespring.com

http://5thgearparts.com

CLA

SSIF

IED

CYCLES, PA

RTS &

ACCESSO

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SERVICES

BARNYARD SCRAPS RESTORATION. Specializing in British motorcycles, original restorations, engine rebuilds, custom fabrication, service & repair. Thousands of NOS and used parts. We buy motorcycles, all makes and models.785-594-2109 (KS) www.barnyardscraps.com

OEM Style Hardware For HARLEY DAVIDSON Motorcycles

Nuts, Bolts, Screws & Washers Manufactured Like Harley Did it! Parkerized - CAD - Chrome

We Offer Hardware and Replacement Parts in Kits or Bulk 58 Page Catalog

Lists Parts from VL to Twin Cam We accept Visa and Mastercard

Visit our website at www.colonymachine.com

Toll Free: 800-321-3412, 330-225-3410 Fax: 330-225-9412

email: [email protected] 1300 Industrial PKWY. N.

Brunswick, OH 44212

SERVICES

36 Years of service We do Aluminum Polishing, Zinc Plating, Show Chrome finishes and much more, including motorcycle restoration parts! Call us now at 815-626-5223 or fax 815-626-5244. Visit: www.qualitychromeplating.com

80% of bikes are misaligned by using swing arm marks, sprocket aligners or string. Use ProAligner to align your wheels directly with CMM-certified accuracy for precise handling. $29.95 US plus S&H. ProAligner.com 620-221-0852

TOOLS

Fork Seal Drivers All Sizes $35.75ea.

Free Shipping H-D Specialty Tools Made

Check Them Out at Facebook.com/bandlmachinellc

E-Mail [email protected] for more Info.

Join Motorcycle Classics at the following vintage

bike shows this summer!

2nd Annual Vintage Motorcycle FestivalNew Jersey Motorsports Park, Millville, NJ

July 11-13, 2014

Five classes plus Editor’s Choice

www.njmp.com

3rd Annual Vintage Motorcycle FestivalAmerica’s Car Museum, Tacoma, WA

August 23-24, 2014

Seminars sponsored by Motorcycle Classics

www.vintagemotorcyclefestival.com

9th Annual Bonneville Vintage GPMiller Motorsports Park, Tooele, UT

August 29-31, 2014

Five classes plus People’s Choice

www.bonnevillevintagegp.com

Visit www.motorcycleclassics.com/vmc for show updates!

TRADEMARK REGISTERED 1915

http://www.barnyardscraps.com

http://www.colonymachine.com


http://www.qualitychromeplating.com

http://ProAligner.com


http://www.njmp.com

http://www.vintagemotorcyclefestival.com

http://www.bonnevillevintagegp.com

http://www.motorcycleclassics.com/vmc

http://Facebook.com/bandlmachinellc

Triumph Bonneville & TR6 Motorcycle Restoration GuideTriumph’s Bonneville and its single-carbed sibling, the TR6, are two of the most revered models in all of motorcycling. This book con-tains all the information needed to guarantee the correct restoration of your classic. More then 250 photos and extensive technical ap-pendices supplement Triumph expert David Gaylin’s thoroughly researched text. This is a must for anyone undertaking the resurrection of Triumph’s classic big twins.

#6385 $29.95

Travelling with Mr. TurnerTravelling with Mr. Turner throws wide open a portal into another world. As the author travels north you begin to feel the ghost of Mr. Turner, and his larger than life personality, peering out of the pages. As they ride towards John O’Groats, the author on his modern Tri-umph and Mr. Turner on his Triumph Terrier in 1953, we encounter the bizarre history of Triumph Motorcycles. This book draws the reader in to experience how life was lived in those post war decades of tumultuous change and Rock ‘n’ Roll and how the legend of Tri-umph encapsulates an entire generation in a world now nearly vanished into history, but still somehow wonderfully alive today.

#5807 $16.99

Classic Honda MotorcyclesHonda made its mark on the motorcycle world with small, affordable bikes, and grew well beyond that to create some of the most important performance machines ever built. This guide to the collectible Hondas gives prospective buy-ers a leg up on the current market for groundbreaking classics. Photographs of the models are accompanied by com-plete descriptions of specifications, com-ponents, paint codes and serial numbers. The author also highlights common repair and restoration needs, and looks ahead at future collectible models.

#6428 $40.00

Shop Class as SoulcraftShop Class as Soulcraft became an instant best-seller, attracting readers with its radi-cal (and timely) reappraisal of the merits of skilled manual labor. Using his own ex-perience as an electrician and mechanic, author Matthew Crawford presents a won-derfully articulated call for self-reliance and a moving reflection on how we can live concretely in an ever-more abstract world.

#4805 $16.00

Honda Motorcycles 1959-1985: Enthusiasts Guide MotorcyclesFor each of the Honda models covered, au-thor Doug Mitchel provides four to six para-graphs describing the bike in general terms, including differences and similarities be-tween the model being discussed and similar bikes. This book also includes the cost to ac-quire each project, the value when finished, which bikes and models to avoid, and where to find the frame and engine numbers.

#6973 $27.95

The Comprehensive VintageMotorcycle Price Guide 2013-2014Designed by enthusiasts, this guide opens with an overview of which bikes are hot and which are not, with com-mentary by vintage motorcycle experts on why prices are changing as they are. It also includes a guide to show how each price grade is defined and how to recognize which grade a particular bike belongs in.

#4499 $15.95

Classic Motorcycle Race EnginesElegantly written in a highly digestible style by the foremost expert on the subject, Classic Motorcycle Race Engines provides in-depth analysis of classic motorcycle race engines spanning eight decades, from the 1930s Guzzi 500 120-degree twin to the latest Yamaha YZR M1 in-line four. Au-thor Kevin Cameron packs this book with technical data and provides an absorbing insight into the technology employed in a wide variety of motorcycle engines.

#6770 $48.95

How to Build a Café RacerWritten by well-known motorcycle and automotive author Doug Mitchel, this book starts with planning and choosing an appropriate bike, and detailed modi-fications that will appeal to anyone. The center of the book focuses on a gallery of finished bikes, including nearly every brand imaginable from Japan, Italy, the UK and Germany. The final chapters in-clude two start-to-finish café builds.

#6684 $27.95

Hogslayer: The Unapproachable Legend DVDThe award-winning documentary Hogslayer: The Unapproachable Legend recounts the story of the legendary duel-engine Norton Hogslayer and its command of the motor-cycle drag racing world. The documentary features T.C. Christenson, who raced on the dragster, as well as John Gregory, who was the race team crew chief for Sunset Motors. Expe-rience the life and times of their remarkable accomplishments as the Hogslayer captures multiple world championships in the 1970s.

#6517 $18.00

Superbikes and the ’70sSuperbikes and the ’70s by Dave Sheehan captures the spirit of the times during the launch of the superbike: the popular culture, the engineers and designers, the racers, dealers, and industry titans. This book tells the story of a Britain emerging from the dull, gray years of postwar austerity into the colorful, gritty and psychedelic reality of the ’70s. It provides a behind-the-scene perspective that reveals the full story of bikes such as the Triumph and BSA triples, the Honda CB750 and much more.

#6902 $28.99

Café Racer’s: Speed, Style and Ton-Up CultureCafé Racers traces café racer motorcycles from their origins in the mid-20th century all the way into modern times, where the style has made a recent comeback in North America and Europe alike. The book travels through the numerous ever-morphing and unique eras of these nimble, lean, light, and head-turning machines. Café Racers visually celebrates a mo-torcycle riding culture as complex as the vast array of bikes within it.

#7254 $50.00

Hodaka: The Complete Story of America’s Favorite Trail BikeWritten by Ken Smith, this book is a captivating, colorful look back at one of the wildest machines of the 1960s and 1970s. The Combat Wombat, Road Toad, Dirt Squirt and the fantastic Super Rat are all covered in detail. More than 15 years in the making, this exhaustively researched tome contains all the details about the machines as well as a treasure trove of photographs, advertisements and graphics.

#7293 $60.00



What happens when you put together an upscale golf resort, 50 years of Bonneville Streamliners, the first Brough Superior SS100, a new all-electric racebike,

a three-star lunch, Eddie Lawson, Doug Polen and a horde of enthusiasts? You get The Quail Motorcycle Gathering.

An eclectic display of the exotic, the classic and the brand new were arrayed in the large green space, ringed with pavilions advertising the Why We Ride documentary and other vendors.

The Quail show always fea-tures something never seen before in public, and this year it was several somethings. The 218mph Lightning elec-tric Superbike was given its first outing. With a cruising range of 180 miles and piles of torque, it promises to be the first truly fast production electric bike. A 1925 Brough Superior SS100, the first one built, was last seen 50 years ago, and the Bonneville streamliners from the last 50 years on display had never

been in one place before. Not all of the bikes on display were one of a kind. Affordable

Japanese and single-cylinder Italian machines from the Sixties and Seventies parked near Triumph Bonnevilles and Norton Commandos, all scrubbed and sparkling. Best of Show went

to Gene Brown and his 1932 Vincent HRD Python Sport, while Trace St. Germain received the Japanese 2nd Place award for his 1981 Suzuki GS1100EX, featured on page 14 of this issue.

Most bikes on display do run, and a group of 100 riders toured the Monterey Peninsula the day before on many of the bikes in the show, starting with a lap around Laguna Seca.

Quail will return next year, and it’s definitely worth the $65 admission, which includes that three-star lunch, served on real plates with cloth napkins and silverware. More info at signatureevents.peninsula.com — Margie Siegal

P A R T I N GP A R T I N GP A R T I N G

SHOTS

Rarity isn’t everything: A lovely Honda CL77 fronts a CB750F Super Sport at the 2014 The Quail Motorcycle Gathering.

Built from 1909-1911, this is the sole surviving 1909 Winchester.

Classics on the green:The Quail Motorcycle Gathering 2014


http://signatureevents.peninsula.com

http://signatureevents.peninsula.com

firstgear-usa.com facebook.com/FirstGearUsa

“May you have warm words on a cool evening, a full moon on a

dark night and a smooth road all the way to your door.” –Irish Blessing

Great rides start in Firstgear.

http://firstgear-usa.com

http://facebook.com/FirstGearUsa

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