Table of contents for Issue 348 in Motorcycle Trader

The 2019 Isle of Man TT was always going to be difficult. We’ve had a run of ‘special event’ TT meetings including questionable ‘100th anniversary’ events that culminated this year with the actual 100th race. There was no racing during the world wars so nothing from 1915 to 1920 and nothing from 1940 to 1945. The ‘foot and mouth’ cattle disease also stopped the TT for a brief period. The first TT was in 1907 so the 2019 TT is the real deal. It follows 2018 where, in perfect weather, Peter Hickman on a BMW S 1000 RR set an average speed lap of 135.452mph (217.989km/h), which was the fastest ever on the Mountain Course. Regardless of this year’s challenges, the IoM public relations team has worked overtime from the…

1137cc inline four, 122kW, 250kg (wet) FOR A genuinely good ride; robust AGAINST Will eat tyres if you’re heavy on the throttle $4000-$5000 and up They’re a genuine all-rounder and undemanding to own This was once Honda’s glamour bike, the performance flagship, named after the world’s fastest spy plane, the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird, and for a brief time was the quickest thing you could buy on two wheels. One of Honda’s primary aims with this machine was to knock Kawasaki’s ZZ-R1100 off its perch as the world’s fastest motorcycle, and it succeeded. The gap wasn’t big, but the end result was an independently measured 287km/h top speed. There was nothing spectacularly innovative about the design. Housed in a twin-spar aluminium frame was a pretty straightforward inline-four 1100 running 16 valves…

649cc parallel twin, 52kW, 205kg (wet)  FOR Light and versatile, ABS AGAINST Not hugely powerful $4000-$7000 What we’re looking at here is the later, second-gen bikes from 2012 (some with a 2011 build date) and finishing up in 2016. They’re reasonably current, can be had with ABS, and are a well-proven platform. There’s in fact nothing wrong with the first-gen ER-6, other than its looks, which seem more dated. As for the 2012 bike, it is one of those machines that adds up to being a little more than a quick scan of the specs might suggest. While the power isn’t earth-shattering at 52kW, it is delivered across a broad rev range and this is one machine that can be hustled through a set of corners at a very respectable…

883cc V-twin, 35kW, 260kg (wet)  FOR Big name on the tank AGAINST No sportsbike $6000-$8000 This may not be the most intuitive choice for a burner bike, but if you like the idea of running about on something with an historic brand name attached, this could be a solution. In truth, the 883 series was long regarded as the entry-level (read: poverty pack) end of the H-D offerings. To some extent, that’s doing the bike a disservice as they can be great fun to punt along. If it were my money, I’d be targeting late 1996 through to 2004. By this time, you have some welcome updates to the package and it’s starting to feel a bit more like a modern motorcycle. The performance is fun if you’re just using…

987/1092cc four, 65/73kW, 260/290kg (wet)  FOR Much more capable than they look AGAINST Look for clutch woes $3000-$6000 Back in the mid-1980s, BMW took this kinda weird techno turn, steering away from its traditional boxer twins and developing inline fours and triples. The weird part was that, unlike any other motorcycle maker out there at the time, they laid the engines on their side, along the frame – so with the head poking out the left and the crankcase out the right. Now there’s a whole history behind why and how this happened, all of which defies my theory that it was the result of a big night on the schnapps back at HQ. Never mind. What these things are legendary for is unkillable engines What the company succeeded in…

Tip for today: do as I say, not as I do. I generally tell anyone who listens that the smart and often most economical way to buy an old bike is to pay a little extra and get a good one. Less stress, less cost in the long run, and more riding. Of course, many of us have an unreasonable urge to buy a project every now and then which, if nothing else, gives you something to do when it’s too bleeding horrible outside to ride. That’s the theory. I’ve got two on the go at the moment: a 1995 VFR750, which I want to set up as an el-cheapo RC30 replica, plus a 1987 Yamaha FZR1000 Castrol 6-Hour Replica. That was the last year of the legendary production race,…

Stevens brothers Harry, George, Jack and Joe were manufacturing engines for two-, three-and four-wheelers in Wolverhampton in the British Midlands at the beginning of the 20th century. They formed a company in 1909 using Jack’s initials (Albert John Stevens) as the business name. AJS first entered the Isle of Man Junior TT in 1911 scoring a modest result. In 1914 the capacity limit for the Junior race was increased and the company responded with a 349cc engine coupled to a four-speed gearbox and chain final drive. That year AJS motorcycles filled the first four places plus sixth in the Junior TT. This success further increased the already-healthy demand for their models and the company moved to a larger premises. Unfortunately, the British Ministry of Munitions soon prohibited manufacture of bikes…

The CBX was released in 1978 when the Japanese manufacturers wanted a notable (perhaps the word should be noble) superbike to head their range. Honda decided a totally new concept was needed and set Shoichiro Irimajiri and his design team to work. Irimajiri had engineered many Honda racing machines of the 1960s, including the RC166 six-cylinder 250cc of 1964. His team came up with a memorable creation to head the Honda range: a six-cylinder 1047cc, 24-valve, twin-cam bike that oozed presence and gravitas. “There was something exhilarating and exciting about the six-cylinder CBX,” Irimajiri said of his team’s creation. “The rumble of the exhaust, the feeling of acceleration, the vibration, its smooth, high-rev engine – something in the CBX that could not be measured in numbers like speed or weight.”…

Superveloce $49,990 MV Agusta’s super-sexy Superveloce 800 ‘Serie Oro’, or ‘gold series’, will have a rideaway price of $49,990 when it arrives in March – not $54,990 as the Australian distributor, Urban Moto Imports, initially announced. Unveiled in a thinly disguised concept bike at last year’s EICMA motorcycle show in Milan and now available for pre-order, the Superveloce 800 ‘Serie Oro’ will be limited to 300 units worldwide, around 30 of which will be heading our way. MV Agusta’s retro racer is based on the F3 800 platform and draws heavily on the company’s racing pedigree with features such as the bulbous carbon-fibre fairing, circular lighting and a trio of SC Project exhaust outlets – one on the left and two on the right. Aficionados will point out that this…

If ever a machine deserved the supernaked name, it’s the Tuono 1100 V4 Factory. Not only does the naked superbike offer class-leading performance it also offers impeccable manners. When Charris and I tested last year’s Aprilia RSV4 and Tuono 1100 V4, we agreed that about the only thing that would really improve the bike, would be electronic suspension to match its rivals. This year’s Tuono fulfills our wishes, with semi-active electronic Ohlins suspenders that take the all-rounder to new levels of versatility. During last year’s test, I remember making fork and shock spring preload as well as compression/rebound adjustments between our road and circuit riding. This was a job that required tools and time off the bike. That can now be forgotten. The suspension has two modes: • Semi-active mode,…

RST SUPERBIKES After multiple delays in practice as a result of the wet weather, the first race on the program, the RST Superbike race, finally got underway. It was a replay of the 2018 event with Hickman, Harrison and Cummins filling the first three positions. Dean Harrison’s Kawasaki ZX-10R led the way and was leading Hickman’s BMW S 1000 RR by 1.5 seconds at the end of lap one. Harrison extended this lead to five seconds by the half-way point of lap two but started suffering surging issues with the Kawasaki’s fuelling, allowing the BMW to get to the pit stop at the end of lap two in first place. That was enough to win the race. It was scheduled for four laps, but a fatal crash on lap three…

645cc V-twin, 48-56kW, 195-220kg (wet)  FOR Great engine, ultra-reliable AGAINST No fancy tech $3000-plus There’s method in our apparent madness in lumping together the SV and V-Strom, and that is they share numerous components, the most significant of which is the engine. And that unit is by far the highlight of the entire series. It may seem like hyperbole, but Suzuki’s mid-range V-twin is one of the nicest powerplants ever to come out of Japan. Over time, variants have powered naked and half-faired SVs across three generations, the Gladius, plus a couple of generations of V-Strom. I know from experience that at 90,000-100,000km, one that’s had basic servicing is a very long way from worn out and still feels fresh. Meanwhile, they generally deliver very accessible power across a good…

It may look a little dated, but the underlying formula still works 1063cc V-twin, 45kW, 240kg (wet)  FOR One of the better sorted cruisers of its era AGAINST Usual cruiser ride position $4000-$6000 For a while there, it seemed like there were nearly as many Viragos as Harleys on the road. From their launch, in 1986, they seemed to fill some pent-up demand for reliable cruisers that didn’t cost a fortune and a fair number ended up in the hands of the-then-just-emerging Ulysses Club. While its popularity tapered off over time, the Virago 1100 nevertheless enjoyed a 13-year run and survived with relatively minor updates along the way. As a package, it had appeal for anyone who wanted the big V-twin cruiser experience, with minimal maintenance. The two-valves-per-cylinder air-cooled engine…

If the idea of an adventure tourer that doesn’t cost the price of a decent car has some appeal, this would be my first port of call 644cc single, 32kW, 162kg (wet)  FOR Versatile, tough AGAINST Not a great highway bike $3000-$8500 Frankly, if you were preparing a motorcycle for a trans-global adventure, you’d be mad to not at least consider this one. You’d need to fit a bigger fuel tank and a seat that’s actually comfortable and maybe toughen up a few areas (such as heavy-duty spokes), but it wouldn’t be a prohibitively expensive exercise. And it would get you there. We know this because Dave Morley did exactly that with a DR some years back and reported on it in these very pages. MT even built a couple…

There are two burners, or sacrificial anodes, in my home fleet: a BMW K1100LT (above) and Honda Blackbird. The Honda is a first-gen example that cost $3500 a few years ago and is often the go-to when I just don’t want to be messed around. Its mileage is nearing 70,000km and so far it’s cost sod-all to run. Some servicing can take a little patience, as things such as sparkplugs are well hidden under bodywork and an airbox, but fortunately that’s a once-every-blue-moon task. As for the BMW, it cost me $2600 about a year ago and promptly bit me on the wallet to the tune of a new clutch. However, the numbers still added up. It serves the multiple roles of preferred transport in crap weather, or when I…

If a picture is worth a thousand words then the story of Martin Harvey is already reaching its word count. What you’re looking at is a colourful, Cockney man renown for many things in motorcycling, depending on your age, where you’re from and what you’re into. The spirit behind all of Martin Harvey’s ventures, however, is a simple and inspirational can- and will-do attitude to everything in life. And the further outside the norms of convention, the better. We thought this Shed Masters story was going to be about the craft of self-taught leatherwork and a passion for Moto Guzzis, but we need only scratch the surface to learn there’s a helluva lot more to this irreverent Londoner. Frequent costume changes, rapid-fire zingers and pearls of wisdom, and bombshells randomly…

“It’s not just a test of man and machine, it’s as much a test of mental strength and character.” And just like that, challenge accepted. It only took that one sentence from Cam’s story on last year’s 24-Hour Reliability Trial to decide that, despite the odds being somewhat stacked against me, it was time to get off the proverbial couch and give something new a red-hot go. What I lack in shame and ability, I make up for in enthusiasm and naivety. As introduced in last month’s column, we’ve got our hands on a ripped and ready Yamaha WR250F for the monumental challenge that comes with riding for 24-friggin-hours off-road in the middle of winter. Oh, and the small fact that we’ve already announced the ambitious plan in a national…

“Triumph now forges definitely ahead for 1930,” bragged that year’s catalogue. The delights promised for the new range included chromium plating – “a rustless finish that only requires an occasional wipe over to maintain its brilliance”. A new handlebar design “with no outside wires and no screwed-on controls” was also revealed. However, the most important news was the introduction of a 500cc twin-port OHV engine to the range in the CTT model. In February 1930, The Brisbane Courier was impressed with Triumph’s new 4.98hp single-cylinder 497.5cc model. Motorcycling reporter ‘Wayfarer’ wrote: “[the cylinder] is of the two-port type, with a heavily ribbed detachable head, and the overhead-valve gear is operated by pushrods, enclosed and lubricated on the well-known Triumph system, the rocker shafts being supported in enclosed roller bearings. Roller…

In the early 1970s, the motorcycle scene was in ferment. Japanese manufacturers were redefining what a motorcycle should be, and introducing new and exciting models with the promise of more to come. The British industry was tottering and many pundits expected BMW motorcycles to go the same way. After all, the German company had been producing flat-twins with shaft drive since the Max Friz design was introduced in 1923. Many riders considered the company’s models to be conservative, slow and expensive. BMW management decided a fresh approach was needed to produce a premium sportstourer. For the new model, the bore on the R75/5 engine was enlarged to 90mm, increasing capacity to 898cc with a 9.5:1 compression ratio. This was coupled with a five-speed gearbox. Claimed output was 67hp at 7000rpm…

Aprilia prides itself on its rich racing heritage. Countless victories in grand prix and superbike competitions confirm the marque’s pedigree. So when Aprilia announces a new version of its flagship sportsbike, you expect something special. Yet somehow, this year’s RSV4 1100 Factory has flown under the radar, with the likes of Ducati’s new Panigale V4 and BMW’s all-new S 1000 RR stealing the spotlight. Early pictures of the RSV4 gave some clues as to why: apart from the new MotoGP-inspired winglets, the bike looked largely unchanged, despite its $33,990 price tag, up from $31,990 (plus on-road costs). So when two of the RSV4’s fiercest rivals are offering complete redesigns, you have to ask whether Aprilia has done enough to keep up. What better than a day on one of the…

Here’s a recommendation for Aprilia: Send your entire engineering department off to watch Harry Potter movies. The first one who then develops a motorcycle invisibility cloak gets a major pay rise. That insight flashed into my mind as the Tuono 1100 V4 Factory and I were contemplating doing something at unmentionable speeds, of which it was perfectly capable. It’s uncertain how many laws might have been broken in the process, but I dare say the subsequent roadside chat with the law may have taken several hours. Of course, in the absence of stealth technology, the simplest and cheapest solution would be to sign up for some track days… The Tuono 1100 Factory is the flagship supernaked class bike and the big news with this one is the adoption of second-generation…

892cc inline four, 66kW, 240kg (wet)  FOR Versatile and bulletproof AGAINST Average suspension $3000-$5000 If you search online for ‘Universal Japanese Motorcycle’ this is what should appear. In many respects, the ‘Divi’ (as its fans called it) was a very old-fashioned motorcycle that formed the backbone of the dominance of the Japanese industry from the 1970s. Housed in a steel double-cradle frame was an air-cooled inline four with two valves per cylinder, fed by a bank of carburettors. No fancy electronics on this one. The transmission was just five speeds and final drive was an ultra-low-maintenance shaft. It will be going long after many of its faster and fancier rivals As for suspension, you scored a very conventional nonadjustable fork and a twin-shock rear with ride height adjustment. Oh yes,…

996cc V-twin, 80kW, 210kg (wet)  FOR Fast and great fun AGAINST Thirsty $3000-$8000 Back in the mid-1990s, Suzuki and Honda decided there was room in the litre-class sportsbike market for some serious competitors to Ducati. Enter toys like the VTR1000 and Suzuki’s TL1000 series. Though Honda went on to develop a couple of truly special superbike variants in the SP1 and SP2, the sales numbers for the cooking versions may not have been quite as high as they hoped. There was nothing essentially wrong with the formula. Far from it. The first VTR of 1997 was a genuinely quick bit of kit – not Fireblade quick, perhaps, but not far behind. Where it lacked the sheer horsepower and precision of the ’Blade, it made up for it with loads of…

1470cc V-twin, 47kW, 315kg (wet)  FOR Long-lived and generally sorted AGAINST Not particularly quick $4500-$7000 If the Virago won early fans among Ulysses Club members, the bigger 1500 Vulcan soon took over as the top dog. Built between 1987 and 2008, the series generated a huge number of variants over time and was, to Kawasaki’s credit, continually updated and developed. While it was never really at the cutting edge of motorcycle development, the big twin could be relied on to deliver a decent level of performance and acceptable handling. They’re pretty hard to beat on a bike-per-dollar basis There was, however, a mechanical issue that popped up with these, up to 1999 build. In a very small percentage of cases, a plastic oil pump gear could fail. If you spotted…

Very few things with wheels will beat you from a standing start You have to love the implied contradiction in the term ‘power cruiser’. Really? It didn’t exist up until the early 2000s and then it seemed pretty much every maker and their dog wanted to have a go at it. Up to then, cruisers were an eponymous device – they did what they said on the tin: cruise. Now they had to have power and speed as well. Given the suspect chassis dynamics of many, that seemed like taking your life into your hands. Suzuki’s effort, the Boulevard M109R, launched in 2006 and arrived on the tail of a long list of contenders. You could argue that Yamaha can claim the first modern power cruiser, with the launch of…

Very few people were venturing to Central Asia by motorcycle in 1997. During the four months I travelled there, the only other riders I met were three Frenchmen: Fabrice, and brothers Frédéric and Patrick. They rode two Honda XL600s and a Suzuki DR650 and were on their way to Mongolia for the Naadam Festival in Ulaanbaatar. Our paths crossed in Bukhara, Uzbekistan, and we travelled together to northern Kazakhstan. While we had several hair-raising adventures during our month together, one of the most thrilling was our attempt to cross the Altai Mountains into Siberia. This particular route from Ridder to Karagay is one of those must-do adventure rides. Back in 1997 it was out of bounds, but I hope the Russian and Kazakh governments have seen the potential of this…

LESSONS IN LIFE I recently rode the Danseys Pass, between Central Otago and North Otago, NZ. It’s a lovely, twisty, 30 kilometres-or-so of single-track, high-country shingle and as I now ride for endorphins rather than adrenalin, I mostly pull over to let the faster vehicles by. This particular time, I steered off the berm too far and the back wheel hopped into the grader-formed ditch. I dabbed with my foot, missed, and fell in like a dropped piano. The truck that had passed me didn’t see me in its tailings of dust and grit so there I was: stuck fast, banana-shaped and winded under my stalled bike with the exhaust pipes ticking and a gentle weep of fuel from the tank. The pannier had pinned my foot fast against the…

The mid-1990s was a challenging time to be dropping a new motorcycle into the market. While sales were slow, having effectively fallen off a cliff from the later ’80s in most western markets, the technology race had far from diminished. Quite the opposite. This was an environment where the Ducati 916 was ruling World Superbike (winning the title in 1994-95-96), Honda’s Fireblade was maturing as a truly formidable product, while Kawasaki’s 280km/h ZZ-R1100 was the top-speed king. And then Suzuki wandered into view, with a steel-framed 900 kinda middle-of-the-road sportstourer. Interesting. This was 1994 and the model lasted five years, during which time it scored respectable sales but was never a headliner. These days, I suspect 90 per cent of riders couldn’t identify the model, even if you ran over…

As technically brilliant as BMW’s Rallye suit might be, not everybody wants to follow the herd and look like a GS Power Ranger. That’s where this subtle EnduroGuard suit comes in, combining the all-weather robustness of the company’s road/touring-oriented StreetGuard suit with the off-road functionality of the iconic Rallye. Heck, you can hardly tell it’s a BMW suit, which is perfect for brand agnostics. BMW has been producing its own riding gear for decades and it inevitably plays at the top end of town – in this case, $1399 for the jacket and $1000 for the pants. So when you’re talking $2400 for the set, you have every right to expect it to be the best you’ve ever had. We’re pleased to say we haven’t put the EnduroGuard suit to…

BSA launched the A65 series in 1962 with full unit construction and Lucas alternators/ coil electrics in place of the previous magneto/ dynamo system. The Lightning, with twin Amal carburettors, was the all-round sports version and the US market was its primary target. The 654cc, OHV parallel twin had a claimed output of 54.7hp at 7000rpm and a top speed of 102mph (164km/h). Road holding was excellent, but a vibration problem plagued the A65 series above 5500rpm. Rumours circulated that taking the engine above 6200rpm could break the headlight bulb’s filament. In 1967, UK magazine Motor Cyclist Illustrated tested the touring model, the Thunderbolt. “Despite its restyling, I still found the Thunderbolt reminiscent of the old Gold Flash. If you have a successful basic formula, why bother to change it?”…