Classic Bike Magazine nr. 416 van september 2014

CONTENTS
Classic World

04 THE BIG PICTURE
It’s 30 years since Yamaha applied its 500cc GP expertise to the RD500LC. We salute it

06 CLASSIC WORLD
Ariel’s resurrection, the early call for Classic Bike of the Year entries and win a Matchless

12 NEW vs OLD: MOTO GUZZI V7 SPORT
The original was a record-breaking, race-winning, heart-stopping work of genius. The new one’s a tidy retro. Is there any shared DNA?

18 EVENT REPORT: THE WEST KENT RUN
Myriad classics from almost every era of the motorcycle’s existence. And plenty of pub garden refreshment stops

24 DIARY
You’d think the classic calendar would be petering out by now, but you’d be wrong. So wrong

26 OUR CLASSICS
Works Racing’s Patrick Walker on the boundless joy of a Norton International, plus Belgium on a Laverda

33 YOUR CLASSICS
Discoveries, restorations and runners from your garages

35 LETTERS
Sticker money, plus when is a BMW R100S special? When it’s a limited edition Airline

39 MIKE NICKS
Kawasaki’s two-stroke triples have a monstrous reputation – is it all deserved?

41 JOHN NAISH
Naishy eulogises the Suzuki GT250 – the forgotten quarter-litre stroker of the 1970s

43 MARK GARDINER
Retired US talk show leviathan Jay Leno talks about his collection and future plans while swearing a lot

46 WANKEL-ENGINED WONDERS RIDDEN
For a while strong, smooth rotaries were the future – after riding Suzuki’s RE5, a DKW Wankel and Norton’s brilliant Classic, we can’t help thinking maybe they still should be

56 JABSAWOCKY
BSA M20 frame, JAP V-twin power. Fantastically eccentric

62 STUART’S SILENT STAR SPANNERMAN
Part 2: Gobert’s tantrums and winning with Schwantz

68 YAMAHA’S BRIT TWIN
Yamaha’s Triumph Trophy, the TX650, takes on the real thing

77 KAWASAKI H2 ENGINE STRIP
Inside Team Green’s big-bore two-stroke cult motor

84 SUBSCRIPTIONS
The easy way to commit to CB

86 TAGLIONI’S 750 MASTERPIECES
Ducati 750SS and TT1 race bikes worshipped

Classic Workshop

96 RICK’S FIXES
Un-seize spark plugs and sort colourblind Triumph wiring

99 PROJECT HONDA 400 FOUR, PART 5
That crankshaft. How are we bearing up? Don’t ask…

104 SPECIALIST: LAVERDAS
Seasoned Laverda man Roger Winterburn on how to get yours running like a dream

108 TOOLBOX: BUY CUTTING TOOLS
Workshop essentials for trimming, snipping and cutting

115 BIKES FOR SALE
Sell FOC or bag a bargain buy

130 THE WAY WE WERE
Your photographs, our pleasure

Welcome

Revelations in their droves this month. The first is that rotary engines aren’t rubbish. Indeed so animated was writer/pilot John Naish after his day on three Toberlone-pistoned wonders that I had to check that he had indeed ridden a DKW, an RE5 and a Norton Classic, and not accidentally thrown a leg over a bunch of 2014 roadsters. But no, John was adamant he’d tried three bikes that, decades previously, had promised a future of smooth, strong power. What might have been? Kind of, though even those in the know can’t decide whether the rotary engine really is superior to the meat-and-two-veg piston ’n’ conrod motors we’re used to – turn to page 54 and let us know whether you agree with Richard Negus or Patrick Walker, both of whom have first-hand rotary experience.

Elsewhere, there’s the revelation that, despite having worked with Wayne Gardner, Freddie Spencer and Kevin Schwantz, the most naturally gifted rider that GP mechanic Stuart Shenton ever worked with was a hard-partying kid from Australia. All will be revealed on page 62...

In other news, see you at Classic Bike Night at the Creek Inn, Peel on the Isle of Man. The date for your diary is Wednesday August 27.

Ben Miller, editor

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