February 2010 Issue 268 | on sale now | view issue contents

CLASSIC MOTORCYCLE MECHANICS > THIS MONTH...

• Honda 400/4 - then & now
The 1975 road test reprinted and owning one in 2010
• Ring-a-ding... Bang
Tuning LCs in the 80s (and how to do it properly)
TESTED:
• Honda CB250K2
• Suzuki GSX1100EF
• KAWASAKI GPz750
• KAWASAKI A7SS
PLUS:
• 29 READERS' BIKES
• BUILD YOUR OWN CONCEPT BIKE
• RE-COVERING YOUR SEAT
• HOW TO BUY A Z900
• PEOPLE’S PROJECT PART 2 – IT RUNS
• CARB BALANCING

Feature > Back to the beginning

Gary Wise cut his teeth on bikes at a time when licences and helmets weren’t required. A Honda CB250 K2 was his choice of bike; it was also his first choice of restoration several decades later. Garry Stuart reports...

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Editorial > Introduction from the Editor

What makes a classic? Harder to answer than you’d think. Away from the auction rooms it’s often as likely to be about memories as ability. For many of us it’s all about first bikes or first big bikes, at least. How could anyone forget theirs? The crashes. The break downs. The adventures. The mates you used to knock around with, terrorising the local neighbourhood on any given Sunday afternoon. That first summer of freedom. Deep down, they’re partly responsible for the way our lives have turned out...

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Latest news > Build your own concept bike

Last year Honda said their gorgeous CB1100R concept bike could be a 2010 model. Unfortunately it isn’t. But fear not CMM has worked out how to build our own.

Honda’s concept bike shown at 2008’s NEC show looked suspiciously production-ready to us. In fact, earlier this year, one of the grey import dealers showed us a catalogue of 2010 models with the Honda in it – 12 months on and there’s still no sign...

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National news > How much does yours make?

Come along to the first Classic Mechanics dyno day and find out

Classic Mechanics is running a dyno day on 23 January. This is your chance to find out not only how much power your bike is making but have the fuelling analysed by an expert to hopefully pinpoint areas of weak or rich running caused by worn carb components or aftermarket exhausts and filters. We’ve negotiated a very special discounted rate from Autocentre in Rushden (who are running the day) of just £10 per run...

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National news > Bristol show

Hard to believe, but fast approaching is the ‘season opener,’ the Bristol Classic show. Dates for 2010 are 20-21 February. Tickets are priced at £9.50 for adults, £7.50 for senior citizens and £3.50 for children. So, if you’re looking for something to blow away those winter blues, then look no further than the 30th Carole Nash Bristol Classic Motorcycle Show...

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Gallery > 16th Carole Nash Classic Motorcycle Mechanics show

The Stafford show was blessed with sunny autumn days which ensured a record attendance to see the bikes on display, haggle over items in the vast autojumble and enjoy a social weekend with other bike enthusiasts. These pictures give a taster of the fun weekend's activities but there will be a six-page show report in the December issue of Classic Motorcycle Mechanics on sale on Wednesday 18th of November...

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