Practical Sportsbikes

welcome

Welcome to the freshly-opened can of worms that is the June issue of PS. The internal topic of debate this month, skilfully converted to full feature format by Alan, is the best bikes of the 1970s. Many great contenders, no doubt: we took a fair while to pick the 10 that leave the most lasting legacy: whether it was pioneering technology, standout design, or even changing the way motorcyclists behaved. When you think about it, the decade saw a massive shift from staid old Brit metal to varied and exciting machines from Japan and Europe: both still motorcycling superpowers. They brought speed, technology, and even glamour to a once grubby mode of transport. Whether there’s a Slabbie, a 916, or a brand-spanking-new S1000RR in the garage, their very existence is owed…

the team

Damian Smith Art Editor Damo spends his hour-a-day exercise time running off last night’s bottle of £2.99 Merlot. And then the next 20 hours telling everyone about it on social media. damian.smith@pspb.co.uk Mark Graham Production Editor Beside himself with grief after the doors closed at his local, MG bought the landlord’s remaining stock and is working through it in a deckchair out back. mark.graham@pspb.co.uk Alan Seeley Technical Editor Has already fortified his home in anticipation of reprisals from owners of the ‘Five Worst ’70s bikes’, as picked by him. Do your worst. alan.seeley@pspb.co.uk Gary Hurd Workshop Consultant Our favourite furloughed plus size model has become philosophical in isolation: “It gives you time to appreciate and think about things more.” Righto Gary. editorial@pspb.co.uk John McAvoy Road Tester The total inactivity is almost doing him in: he’s seriously threatening to start working on bikes more…

find your old bike with ps

It’s simple really: to be considered for this we need to be satisfied you owned the bike, so we need pictures from its time with you, the reg number, and anything else you know that might help trace it. We won’t help trace random bikes, so please don’t send requests for old PB projects, or bikes you’ve seen at shows. We can’t guarantee an opportunity to buy it back. But if nothing else, you may discover the bike is at least alive and well – as was the case with PS reader Paul Barnes, who asked us if we’d put the word out to find the current owner of his KR-1. Through PS, he discovered it’s now in the loving care of Darren Mallett, who restored it and still rides it. We…

bilstein shocks and forks hit the market

Four-wheeled shock experts Bilstein are moving into bike gear: their first product is a complete replacement fork set and shock for all S1000RRs. The forks are a gas-pressurised design with damping in one leg and spring/preload adjustment in the other, with damping components derived from their considerable car knowledge. They’re aimed at track use initially. The shock is likewise a product of their expertise elsewhere, adapted and developed on bikes for the last five years, with some of the testing miles clocked up by our own Bruce Dunn. The damping adjusters are simple ten-stage compression/rebound dials you can operate with a gloved hand. There’s no separate reservoir – they reckon their design doesn’t warrant the extra weight. They claim it saves a kilo over rival designs. Bruce says: “The performance is…

win, win!

Winner of the Mat Oxley book is David Bone from Onchan, IOM. He correctly answered the TRICK QUESTION: Where did Mat Oxley fall off at while leading the 1986 250 Production TT. David answered: My guess would be E: This is all so unfair, he doesn’t know what he’s talking about. Oxley does know what he’s talking about. But only David worked out that E was the only possible answer: “If he fell off on a lefthander after Governor’s Bridge it would have to have been in the Governor’s Bridge Dip which is not part of Glencrutchery Road. There are no lefthand corners as such on the Glencrutchery Road section of the TT course, only fast left kinks at St Ninian’s Cross Roads and on the approach to Quarterbridge, neither of…

stay in your shed and read the best mag

FOR OUR LATEST SUBSCRIPTION OFFERS VISIT www.greatmagazines.co.uk “For now, we’re most of us locked down in garages and sheds (if we’re lucky). But that doesn’t have to stop you getting your monthly ration of your favourite mag. We’re carrying on making PSPB with the same mix of reader builds, our builds, tests of retro heroes and modern missiles, and technical features – all available delivered straight to you.” 1 PRINT EDITION DIRECT TO YOUR DOOR We sell single editions by post at the cover price, or you can take a subscription and save money. Subscribe to the print edition of PSPB and get FREE UK delivery as well as great discounts. Visit greatmagazines.co.uk for guaranteed best prices. FREE UK DELIVERY! 2 DIGITAL EDITION ON BIKES UNLIMITED We also have some superb offers available on Bikes Unlimited,…