Workshop

When we observed in RealClassic magazine that two similar classic bikes were using their tyres very differently, and wondered what it could mean, RC readers provided all kinds of answers… Tyred and Bemused My Norton Commander needs a new rear tyre, which comes as a surprise. It’s many years since I wore a tyre out…

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Even the best classic bike won’t corner correctly if its wheels are out of line. Les Howard has come up with an ingenious high-tech method to ensure one wheel follows the other, exactly… I’ve owned motorcycles for over 40 years, and repaired or renovated lots of them. Out of the all the maintenance jobs that…

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Many classic bike specialists run a technical helpline, and they’re often asked exactly the same question. So we investigated: what’s the most common technical question asked about Norton Commandos…? Some technical questions crop up time and again. Most classic bike specialists are happy to help their customers by providing this information and now they’re sharing…

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Dave Wooding’s saddle split and he didn’t want to pay top dollar for an inferior replacement. The solution was a leather saddle cover for less than a fiver… Problem? The fabric cover on the new Indian-made single saddle split as I fitted it to my old Enfield. Gaffer tape made a temporary repair, but would…

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A combination of modern materials and time-honoured techniques can cause problems when it comes to assembling the bottom end of a classic British bike. RC readers debate the how and the why of it… In RC128, Ian Copcutt excellent article about rebuilding a Triumph triple showed how a micrometer is used to determine correct big…

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Decoking MZ and CZ Exhausts and Baffles How would you remove the carbon from an Eastern Bloc two-stroke exhaust? Two RealClassic readers explain how they tackle the task… In recent issues of RealClassic there has been some discussion about removing the baffles from an MZ silencer. I’ve owned and ridden MZs for around twenty years…

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Transform your juddering and shuddering classic bike into a smooth performer. Always a sucker for a workshop gadget, Martin Gelder presents a balanced approach to carburettor set-up using vacuum dial gauges… A set of carefully balanced carburettors can transform the way a bike rides. They can turn a shuddering and rattling monster into a smoothly…

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As Alan Goff discovered recently, it’s not always easy fit a new set of shock absorbers to your classic bike (particularly if you have just the one set of hands). He built a special service tool to take the strain… Alan Goff recently rebuilt his Triumph Tiger Cub (you’ll be able to read all about…

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Derek Pickard looks at the stock MZ250 carb situation, tries the alternatives, finds what works and gives the details of how to make your ETZ run super sweet… Let’s start with a few hard facts: The BVF carb as fitted to the MZ two-strokes can only be considered ‘average’ in its metallurgy and machining. It…

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