Features

Joe’s bike was looking sorry for itself It's the sound of the V4s that got to me. Yes, I’m probably a lot younger than most of you CMM readers. I’m 23 and was just four years old when I went to my first World Superbike race and fell in love with the sound of the…

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Suzuki GT185 Describe a motorcycle as delightful these days and you’ll get a strange look. Motorcycles aren’t delightful. They’re awesome, amazing, stunning. But there was a time when the term fitted comfortably into the lexicon of motorcycle terminology. And it fitted Suzuki’s little GT185 two-stroke twin perfectly. It was in the early 70s, when Suzuki…

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Stafford motorcycle show, October 19-20 Special guest of honour is former 250cc GP champion and 500cc legend Christian Sarron. Christian will be adding his own brand of Gallic charm to proceedings and has a wealth of racing memories he wants to share with you. A new addition to the show for 2013 is stunt rider…

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Born on March 27, 1955, he received help from French rider Patrick Pons, who recognised Christian’s immense talent early on. Christian made his international debut in 1976 and by the following year had won his first 250cc race in West Germany. Injuries would always blight Christian’s career, as one paddock wag put it: “Christian doesn’t…

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Kawasaki KH250B2 Kawasaki triples were always known as fire-breathing, wild performers. Built on the reputation of the outrageously fast but evil handling H1 500, Kawasaki went on to offer the triple in a range of five capacities, from the 'widowmaker' H2 750 down to the cooking 250 triple, originally branded S1. UK law at the…

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Check out the latest CMM! A word from Bertie Simmonds, Classic Motorcycle Mechanics editor: We’re not making huge wholesale changes but we are going to spruce the ol’ girl up a little and bring back things you say you’ve missed, including the Q&A section. All this as well as giving you more of a chance…

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Norton gearbox overhaul The late Norton gearbox must be one of the best-known units ever made, although it was in fact an AMC design. Introduced on Norton, AJS and Matchless bikes in the 1956/57 season it was used on the former's products from then until production ceased with the Commando. Internal ratios are not identical…

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Between 1966 and 1972, Italian star Giacomo Agostini won the 500cc world championship as he pleased, with no significant opposition. The MV Agustas he campaigned were nothing like the modern versions produced by the Cagiva group: they were pure-bred racers that had been developed over two decades and had acquired a reputation as exclusive, exotic,…

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Iconic Yamaha FS1-E Last year I was wandering around the autojumble at the Stafford Show with the wife, when we paused in front of a stall selling a bashed and tatty Fizzy as a restoration project, priced at £750. "What is it with the FS1-E?" whispered the missus in my ear; "prices seem to be…

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Do your homework before visiting dealer Paperwork ?    There is no point going any further if the paperwork isn’t in order. ?    Does the seller’s address match the log book? ?    Do the engine and frame numbers match the log book? ?    Does the colour and model name match the log book? ?    Is there…

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