Workshop Archives - RealClassic

Yamaha TZR125

13th March 2022 RowenaH Buying Guide, Features, Retro Classic, Reviews, Road Tests, Workshop, Your Ride

Phil O’Hara wanted to make his learner-legal Yamaha stroker go faster. He also wanted to stop it oinking like a pig. The results of his experiments were a revelation… It was 1990 and I’d sold my car and required transport. These days one car generally replaces another, but this was then, not now. To substitute the metal box that had…

Gilera Nuovo Saturno 350, Part 4

29th January 2022 RowenaH Buying Guide, Features, Workshop

Stu Thomson is refurbishing an unusual single-cylinder Italian sportbike. This time, finishing touches… and will it run? The powdercoat was rubbed down with 600 grade then given three coats of 2k carmine red 2k. I rubbed down the tank again with 600 grade and then applied three more coatings, and left the paint to fully set which can take a…

Gilera Nuovo Saturno 350, Part 3

6th January 2022 RowenaH Buying Guide, Features, Workshop

Stu Thomson’s rebuild of this unusual single-cylinder Italian sportbike continues. This time he addresses some electrical issues and moves on to the wheels, suspension and preparation for paint… Electrical items on the Saturno are fairly standard for the period, 3-phse alternator, 180W, regulator-rectifier and CDI electronic ignition triggered from the alternator rotor. There’s also a separate rev-limiter box which has…

Gilera Nuovo Saturno 350, Part 2

25th November 2021 RowenaH Features, Reviews, Workshop

Stu Thomson is refurbishing an unusual single-cylinder Italian sportbike. Last time he sorted out the frame and swinging arm. This time he dives into the engine room… The engine / gearbox is described as a water-cooled, short-stroke, 4-valve, 5-speed, dohc unit with belt drive to the cams, with spring tensioning. The back side of the belt also drives the water…

Gilera Nuovo Saturno 350, Part 1

30th October 2021 RowenaH Features, Reviews, Workshop

Stu Thomson has a knack for finding unusual Italian lightweights, and this time he’s secured a dohc water-cooled single-cylinder sportbike. It’s one of the supermono café racers which were so popular back in the late 1980s / early 1990s. While a few 500s were imported into the UK, the smaller 350s were shipped straight to Japan, and now they’re reaching…

Classic Techniques: practical painting

30th December 2020 RowenaH Features, Workshop

There’s a moment in every bike’s life when its paintwork needs a bit of a refresh – but you don’t want to go to the expense and extent of a full-blown professional makeover. Bob Pickett set to with the sandpaper and spray cans… Regular readers may well recognise this particular Morini 3½, which appeared many times on the original RealClassic…