Classic Motorcycle Mechanics August 2021

Hello, old friends (and new!) It was a bizarre thing, this month: meeting friends old and new in a coach park in York. The coach park was kindly ‘loaned’ to Danny Brown, a CMM reader and all-round top bloke who wanted to try and get as many of the fabled 50th Anniversary Hondas together in one place as possible. Despite some long rides (and some longer van drives) for all concerned, more than a handful turned up – as did I. For me, it was a bit of a step back in time, as back in the mid-1990s I was working for a biking newspaper and a magazine, so I recall the story behind the bikes and even rode a few of them. Sadly the guest of honour, Russell Savory,…

It was a bizarre thing, this month: meeting friends old and new in a coach park in York. The coach park was kindly ‘loaned’ to Danny Brown, a CMM reader and all-round top bloke who wanted to try and get as many of the fabled 50th Anniversary Hondas together in one place as possible. Despite some long rides (and some longer van drives) for all concerned, more than a handful turned up – as did I. For me, it was a bit of a step back in time, as back in the mid-1990s I was working for a biking newspaper and a magazine, so I recall the story behind the bikes and even rode a few of them. Sadly the guest of honour, Russell Savory, couldn’t make it due to ill health, but…

Sad news for the classic Japanese world – John Wyatt of Rising Sun Restorations passed away on Tuesday, 22 June whilst awaiting heart surgery. For anyone that needed advice on Oriental machinery John was a veritable font of knowledge and was both kind and generous when it came to sharing his expertise. His work was always top class and easily at ‘restorers’ reference’ level which, sometimes, accounted for delays in some customers’ commissions. If you visited his workshop there were generally numerous machines and engines in various stages of rebuild ready to be progressed as and when the correct components turned up. When we visited him back in 2012 John went to some lengths to explain he only wanted to use the correct components and really wasn’t happy to compromise on quality,…

HJC CARBON RPHA The RPHA 70 Reple is what HJC call a ‘supreme sport-touring helmet, designed for any ride from quick commutes to cross-country cruises’. It’s clearly carbon, lightweight, is a three-star winner from the sometimes confusing SHARP testing/rating and is Smart HJC compatible. Cheek pads are quick-release, you’ve got lots of vents to keep your head cool, and it’s available in all the normal sizes in some funky colourways. www.oxfordproducts.com LASER TOOLS BUTANE GAS TORCH This butane gas torch features a twin-flame head design that offers an even spread of heat, making it suitable for many heating tasks: removing bearing and gears from shafts, shrinking metal panel work or plumbing. It is powered by butane gas fuel — normal lighter gas or a propane mix. The flame can be adjusted hard or soft…

Archive John Wyatt: an appreciation WORDS: STEVE COOPER PICS: JOE DICK, MORTONS ARCHIVE Sad news for the classic Japanese world – John Wyatt of Rising Sun Restorations passed away on Tuesday, 22 June whilst awaiting heart surgery. For anyone that needed advice on Oriental machinery John was a veritable font of knowledge and was both kind and generous when it came to sharing his expertise. His work was always top class and easily at ‘restorers’ reference’ level which, sometimes, accounted for delays in some customers’ commissions. If you visited his workshop there were generally numerous machines and engines in various stages of rebuild ready to be progressed as and when the correct components turned up. When we visited him back in 2012 John went to some lengths to explain he…

cmm Stuff The latest riding kit, top tools, tyres, retro clothing andmore! HJC CARBON RPHA The RPHA 70 Reple is what HJC call a ‘supreme sport-touring helmet, designed for any ride from quick commutes to cross-country cruises’. It’s clearly carbon, lightweight, is a three-star winner from the sometimes confusing SHARP testing/rating and is Smart HJC compatible. Cheek pads are quick-release, you’ve got lots of vents to keep your head cool, and it’s available in all the normal sizes in some funky colourways. www.oxfordproducts.com LASER TOOLS BUTANE GAS TORCH This butane gas torch features a twin-flame head design that offers an even spread of heat, making it suitable for many heating tasks: removing bearing and gears from shafts, shrinking metal panel work or plumbing. It is powered by butane gas fuel…