Classic Motorcycle Mechanics
Classic Motorcycle Mechanics
This is the magazine dedicated to the buying, riding and rebuilding of the later classics and Japanese machines. Subscribe here.
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Q: Can anyone help me? Do you know what other starter motor will fit this machine as I cannot get one and I’ve tried everywhere. A: This is a Mitsuba motor, identified as 36496 on the outside I believe, though I do not think that is a code used by Mitsuba. You could try to…
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Q: With a cold engine it doesn’t respond to quick throttle openings. There is a bit of a difference once the engine is warm-though from about 55mph upwards, when the throttle is open to accelerate, the bike starts to chug and miss. If the throttle is held open to hold speed to 55-60 after about…
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Whenever you replace a wheel spindle make sure it’s greased. As Japanese bikes rarely received lubrication to their axles when new they have a real propensity to corrosion weld themselves to the inner bearing race. Removing a seized spindle is time consuming at best and at worse may even see the forks or swinging arm…
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Q: Just to say how much I enjoyed the ‘Why forks fail’, article, but surely the primary cause of forks ending up needing repair work is, in my experience, accidental damage. So, the difficult and awkward questions went unasked, questions like: A) Is it okay to straighten fork tubes? (and they ‘always’ get bent when…
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1 When separating major engine components, a tap with a soft hammer helps to release the bond between them. If that does not work, don’t automatically use a bigger hammer: you have undone all the nuts and bolts haven’t you? Some are carefully hidden by the designer, just in case! 2 When rebuilding an engine…
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Q: Hello, I’d appreciate your opinion on the need for coil replacement on my Z650 F1. I’ve recently fitted a Z750E1 engine into my Z650 frame, The bike is running fine but I’m wondering if I should uprate the original Z650 coils (points ignition) to new Z750 coils which are electronic ignition as standard. Would…
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Q: I ran across CMM in a forum and like a parent with a poorly child I turn to you in hopes of saving my nearly-new bike. Don’t ignore me just as it’s ‘new’. I planned some mods to my Raider: Cobra Dragsters exhaust pipes with Big City Thunder ‘monster baffles’ and I installed a…
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Q: Hi, I am rebuilding a GL1100 GoldWing it has been stood since 1989 and it is fitted with a Pantera fairing, which I would like to keep on for the period look. Would you know who could make a copy of the screen as the one I have is cracked but complete so it…
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Go to check/replace your front sprocket, grease the clutch push rod, inspect generator wiring etc. and you’re normally faced with something that looks like valve grinding paste lovingly mixed with a cow pat. And that’s pretty much what it is. Apart from making access difficult and unpleasant there’s a real chance this nasty concoction will…
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Having owned my RD400F for 12 years I decided it was time to restore the old girl. After spending a lot of time restoring the parts, one area for real concern was to place the engine in the frame without damaging the frame or the engine. My solution is simple! I used foam insulation, the…
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