Classic Motorcycle Mechanics

Dedicated to the later classics and Japanese machines, Classic Motorcycle Mechanics has it all. Now 116 pages of road tests, rebuild guides, 'Street Specials' reviews and much much more... Staff Bikes - Classic Motorcycle Mechanics is the only magazine that "Buys its own bikes, rebuilds 'em and rides 'em".

Classic Motorcycle Mechanics • August 2025 Issue 454

Guilty pleasures: we all have them…

LUCA!

Stuff • The latest riding kit, top tools, tyres, retro clothing and more!

Tested • Riding kitworn, tools twirled&tyres turned

BIG RETRO KWAK COMING!

NEW ITALIAN HALL AT SAMMY’S!

1990S SPORTS YAM REBORN

PRE-ORDER YOUR CMM

DEALS AND COLOURS FOR BUSA/KAT!

EKINS MACHINE TO BE AUCTIONED

MOTOGP RETRO YAM

cmm events • Wanna get into CMM’s new events section? Then contact us at: BSimmonds@mortons.co.uk. You may even become ‘Event of the Month’!

FEEDBACK • Post to Mechanics, PO Box 99, Horncastle, Lincs LN9 6LZ or email your pictures to editorial@classicmechanics.com

Show us yours

The way we were… •  Send us your nostalgic snaps of you back in the day with your steed! Either send to me at bsimmonds@mortons.co.uk or via our vibrant Facebook page. C’mon, we’ll send you a T-shirt if you are our first pick!

STAR SPANGLED SPANNIES! • Steve Cooper enjoys twin takes on Suzuki’s middleweight triple, the GT550 two-stroke – and one with a dash of superstar Barry Sheene.

Owner’s story – Phil Green’s Suzuki GT550A

Building the upgraded GT550 – Nick Davey

ROBO-FLOP! • In the mid-noughties Honda took bits from humble machines like the Transalp and Deauville and tried to make something hard-hitting and special. But was the DN-01 all show and no go?

Pulling punches • Ralph Ferrand works with tools all day long – he sells them too at bikerstoolbox.co.uk so he knows what works.

SUBSCRIBE TODAY AND WIN

Q&A

LAVERDA SFC750 REPLICA

Magic of Marsden! • Since leaving Z-Power, Kawasaki Z-legend Dave Marsden has been spending his ‘retirement’ building a range of Kwak-based specials. This is his RDM-ZII.

SHOW US YER SHED! • We want to see YOUR shed, your workshop, your garage space, your man/person cave – call it what you will! We want to know what you love and loathe about the space you have to fettle and – each month – we have a £50 Venhill voucher for you to spend on Venhill’s British-made control cables and hoses if you’re selected! Contact us at: bsimmonds@mortons.co.uk. Don’t forget the pictures!

Finally finished! • Yes! It’s taken a while to percolate, but the café racer is finally done. Beautiful work, Malc!

Fuel’s out! • Andy’s bought himself a classic piece of 1990s middleweight nostalgia: but where is that leak coming from?

HONDA MBX80 • Neither the fastest nor cheapest but you do have the quality assurance of it being a Honda!

It’s my bike – Steve Mawson

What to buy and how much to pay

Bay-Watch* • Kev Raymond keeps his eye on the choppy waters of the classic world to see if any projects, donors and bargains are out there worthy of being dragged out of the surf for some mouth-to-mouth…

Pip’s tool and pipe works! • …not bad at his age! Our Pip talks precision when it comes to placement of the Trinvader’s pipes.

Forks off! • Our cheapskate Francophile is continuing to ‘make do and mend’ his Kawasaki off-roader.

Power to the people! • Well, or more accurately, power to our mate Vic! The continuing saga of his search for useable power.

Next month IN YOUR SYMPATHETICALLY RESTORED CMM!

Ups and downs: I’ve ‘ad a few!