Classic Motorcycle Mechanics February 2022

Remember those bikes that just seem to be – and always have been – crazy and as mad as a box of frogs? They come and go in a generation and can even defy cubic capacity, so they don’t even need to be big-bore machines. I mean – I so recall riding a YPVS for the first time and thinking that it was a completely mad machine with a mental powerband that blew my mind away. But then I also remember riding a Kawasaki GPz900R for the first time in the early 1990s and not being that impressed. I guess it’s all relative, eh? That said, I do recollect having a pop on my mate’s round-headlight Yamaha FZR600. I was still in my teens. It was a naughty ‘round the block’ escapade…

Still crazy after 30 years! Remember those bikes that just seem to be – and always have been – crazy and as mad as a box of frogs? They come and go in a generation and can even defy cubic capacity, so they don’t even need to be big-bore machines. I mean – I so recall riding a YPVS for the first time and thinking that it was a completely mad machine with a mental powerband that blew my mind away. But then I also remember riding a Kawasaki GPz900R for the first time in the early 1990s and not being that impressed. I guess it’s all relative, eh? That said, I do recollect having a pop on my mate’s round-headlight Yamaha FZR600. I was still in my teens. It…

BACK ISSUES Whether it's recent releases or vintage copies, step back in time and browse through the ages with the Classic Motorcycle Mechanics back issue collection. £4.95 EACH (Inc p&p) For EU and ROW, please see www.classicmagazines.co.uk OVER 250 ISSUES ARE AVAILABLE TO ORDER TODAY AT CLASSICMAGAZINES.CO.UK JUNE 2021 • Allen Millyard • EU Beauties • Bike of the Year JULY 2021 • Big naked Aprilia • Suzuki GTlOOO beast • Motorcycle art AUGUST 2021 • BMW's step forward • Rare Blackbird ridden • Exotic Italians SEPTEMBER 2021 • Fantastic 50s • A Meteor feast • Sheene-inspired Suzuki OCTOBER 2021 • Four play • Delightful CB-1 • Laverda SF750 NOVEMBER 2021 • True class of 85 • CRK 1200 Roadster • Focus on E10 fuel DECEMBER 2021 • Honda Rebel…

£4.95 EACH (Inc p&p) For EU and ROW, please see www.classicmagazines.co.uk OVER 250 ISSUES ARE AVAILABLE TO ORDER TODAY AT CLASSICMAGAZINES.CO.UK JUNE 2021 • Allen Millyard • EU Beauties • Bike of the Year JULY 2021 • Big naked Aprilia • Suzuki GTlOOO beast • Motorcycle art AUGUST 2021 • BMW's step forward • Rare Blackbird ridden • Exotic Italians SEPTEMBER 2021 • Fantastic 50s • A Meteor feast • Sheene-inspired Suzuki OCTOBER 2021 • Four play • Delightful CB-1 • Laverda SF750 NOVEMBER 2021 • True class of 85 • CRK 1200 Roadster • Focus on E10 fuel DECEMBER 2021 • Honda Rebel ridden • Firebolt and Lightning • Big Kat legacy JANUARY 2022 • Big green Ninja • Terrific tiddler twin • Reboot - Suzuki SRAD OTHER ISSUES ALSO AVAILABLE - ORDER YOUR BACK ISSUES NOW! 2 EASY WAYS TO ORDER CALL: 01507 529529 ONLINE: www.classicmagazines.co.uk/backcmm…

cmm Archive Firestarter! WORDS: BERTIE SIMMONDS PICS: BERTIE SIMMONDS/MORTONS ARCHIVE Can it really be 30 years – three whole decades – since the first Honda CBR900RR FireBlade burst on to the scene? Way back in 1992, this bike really did set a match to the previous way of designing a big sportsbike. Before the FireBlade, marketing men decided the avenue for the next model and, invariably, it was always a case of ‘bigger and faster is better’! Not so, said engineer, former racer and (eventual) project leader Tadao Baba. For too long, he argued, big sportsbikes were about going fast, more in a straight line than around the corners as a racer; he wanted the thrill of the corner to be the most important part of sportsbike design. To this…

Can it really be 30 years – three whole decades – since the first Honda CBR900RR FireBlade burst on to the scene? Way back in 1992, this bike really did set a match to the previous way of designing a big sportsbike. Before the FireBlade, marketing men decided the avenue for the next model and, invariably, it was always a case of ‘bigger and faster is better’! Not so, said engineer, former racer and (eventual) project leader Tadao Baba. For too long, he argued, big sportsbikes were about going fast, more in a straight line than around the corners as a racer; he wanted the thrill of the corner to be the most important part of sportsbike design. To this end, his philosophy was ‘light is right’ with ‘mass centralisation’ being key…