Workshop
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Suzuki VL800 Volusia
Q: My cruiser has recently developed an intermittent engine rattle, on tick-over the engine is okay, it seems to occur as I ride in top gear about 40-50mph, and as I lightly accelerate through the gears to top gear, on motorways holding 70-75mph there seems to be no ratttle. It sounded as if one of…
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Five minute fix – Throttle tubes
Little spoils a bike like a graunching throttle. Cables are obvious and easy to lubricate but throttle tubes regularly get ignored. Whether it’s the conventional barrel type or early Japanese straight pull/scroll type the same ground rules apply. Carefully remove the twist grip, cleaning both the handlebar and the inside of the throttle tube firstly…
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1976 Suzuki GT550
Q: The headlamp bowl was rusty and my mate gave me a new chrome one. Foolisly, I accepted and removed the headlamp in order to replace it. As you may know, in the shell there is a huge tangle of plugs and wires which are squashed between the reflector and the back of the shell.…
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Triumph Valve issues
Q: I have two valves out of a classic motorcycle (a Triumph) one and the other are the same size in all respects. The parts book gives a different parts numbers for each valve (inlet and exhaust). The problem is knowing which is which. I have looked in all my service books but cannot find…
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Yamaha DT400B
Q: I’m getting desperate here on the garage floor with my DT400B twin shock. Over the last two years since I bought it, I’ve tried everything I can think of to stop a nasty chugging action when the throttle is shut. It seems to be more violent the hotter it is and the longer/higher the…
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Five minute fix – Brake Linings
Never, ever, take a brake shoe lining for granted. Almost without exception Japanese shoes are fixed to their alloy carriers by adhesive alone; you rarely see rivets used. Eventually dampness, heat and time can and will rupture the adhesive bond causing the lining to come away from the shoe. The two potentially disastrous scenarios here…
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Your tips – Aqua Blasting
Aqua blasting is all the rage at the moment. I’ve been doing it for years at home using a cheap B&Q pressure washer (£25) and a sandblaster pick up lance (eBay £9.99). I used to use special sand that you had to buy from B&Q, but you can use dry sand from a builder’s merchant…
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Mark’s rapid fire tips
How do you determine the correct angle for the handlebar controls? Sit on the bike, extend your fingers in line with your arms and lower your hands on to the grips. The levers should be just touching your outstretched fingers: then the switches will be in the right place too. Take care when routing the…
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1986 Suzuki GSX-R750G
Q: I recently purchased a 1986 GSX R750G. It is a Jap import, but I have read in your magazine that these bike are restricted to 75bhp and it certainly does not feel as quick as it should be, Where are the restrictions in this bike and how can it be derestricted back to its…
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1998 Suzuki GSX-R1100WT
Q: I am trying to find an aftermarket a 4-into-1 complete exhaust system for my 1100WT with no success. Could you tell me if any other models will bolt straight on, maybe a 1200 Bandit or any of the other GSX-Rs? I don’t mind having to make a new bracket etc. as long as the…
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