Let’s head back to July 9, 1993. I bought an RD350LC, not knowing it would have such an influence on my life.
I borrowed the money from the bank and zoomed home from work to go and pick it up from the local bike shop/breakers. Just 96 hours later I was coming round in a hospital bed. Yup, just four days it took towrite the bike off. On my way home from work, a van did a U-turn in front of me in the pouring rain and I had no time to react (apparently); lucky for me that I have no memory of this accident.
Fast forward three months and I was able to get about again and start collecting parts to rebuild the bike. This bike was a bit of a local legend. Every owner had ended up in hospital on it. I was not going to let it beat me and the rebuild began. Spring 1994 the bike was finished. Me and a couple of friends loaded it on a trailer and headed to the BMF rally. We had joined the LC Club and were about to spend our first weekend showing the bike.
1/ The 'Candy Blue' as it once was...
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Pressing matters!
Ralph Ferrand works with tools all day long – he sells them too at bikerstoolbox.co.uk so he knows what works.
RETRO SPECTIVE Kawasaki Z1000
Stealing the name of a legendary Jap four sounds like sacrilege, but it wasn't. Welcome to the 2003-2009 Z1000...
Project Belgarda Yamaha TDR125R part 1 - Saucy Seventeener!
If you were of a certain age, your 17th birthday meant you could finally get something 125cc sized to go ride on. Classic Motorcycle Mechanics welcomes Niall Brooking to talk about his exotic Yamaha TDR125R.
Some sorta Sanctuary!
Inspired by the great specials builds from AC Sanctuary, Bob Haughton and friends set about making their own Zed homage!
Very boring times!
Progress on my latest Super Six had virtually ground to a halt halfway through November.
KAWASAKI ZZR1400
It seems fitting that with the Kawasaki ZZR1400 being discontinued at the end of 2020 and 2021 rumoured to be bringing a new Suzuki Hayabusa, we check out this green king of speed.
Peter Williams: Innovator, racer, gentleman…
Peter Williams, who sadly passed away in December, was more than just a talented motorcycle racer, he was also an innovator whose influences can be seen on modern machines to this day.
DETREVNI SNOBBERY!
The GSX-R1100K was a bit of a handful and Suzuki’s successor the 1100L was supposed to turn all that on its head: literally, as it was the first Suzuki model with the soon-to-be-fashionable inverted or ‘upside-down’ front forks…
Shanks' Pony
One of the sharpest Blades in the toolbox: careful with it, or you’ll get hurt! The RR4/5 was finally a full-fat 1000cc, used MotoGP technology from Valentino Rossi’s Honda RC211V, and it’s now a 17-year-old motorcycle: unbelievable…
Cat - isfaction!
Our Scoop rides the Suzuki TC120 ‘Trail Cat’ and comes away wondering why we Brits didn’t build something similar.
EXTRA-TECH: HOLLEY CONVERSION
IF you’ve spent any time off-road with a carbureted vehicle, it probably didn’t take long to find the limits of a bowl of fuel sitting on top of the intake. Angles are not friendly to this dated, but effective, technology. You can solve this problem using an electronic fuel injection system that replaces your carburetor with a more efficient throttle body injection. The Sniper EFI, provided by our friends at Holley Performance Products, is a complete solution containing everything needed to complete the job.
THE GLUE THAT BINDS US
Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Threads and Threadlocker
Yamaha WR250R Long-Ranger
Smaller bikes—in the West they’re something of a sacrilege. But in most parts of the world, a 250cc is considered “big.” I personally haven’t owned anything under 650cc in so many years that I’d become accustomed to manhandling big adventure bikes. I’d also forgotten just how practical smaller dual-sports can be. But… a recent extended trip to northern Thailand forced a re-think. While there I had so much fun on 250cc and smaller dual-sports that there was no way I could return without indulging.
The Magic Of Realism
When Gary Haynes, owner of Haynes Galleries in Franklin, Tennessee, was looking through the 2019 Art Renewal Center Salon entries for an exhibition at his gallery, his goal was to select pieces that were more than just technically sound.
Magical Moments
Haynes Galleries presents a new exhibition of Seth Haverkamp’s intricately designed portraits.
LEGENDS ON LEGENDS
Continuing our feature for 2020/21, as we speak to our former stars about their memories of great players from our opponents. This afternoon, a player who featured for both clubs with distinction, ALAN MULLERY, reflects on former Fulham great JOHNNY HAYNES.
12 Things To Do This Autumn
Summer may have faded away, but now’s the time to celebrate everything that makes Somerset a unique place to explore in the autumn months, says Catherine Courtenay
Repairing a Bicycle Crank
Alex du Pre tackles an unusual workshop task
Built To Last
Three old friends, two neglected old bikes. Steven Troupe brings a couple of single-cam Honda 750s back to life – and then gets to ride them…