Table of contents for Issue 36 in Retrobike

HARLEY-Davidson totally revamped its big twin range in 2017 with new eight-valve engines and your choice of two new Softail frames, the narrower and sportier of which is the basis for the new Fat Bob. The Fat Bob had previously been housed in the twin-shock Dyna chassis, then generally regarded as the pick of the big twins in terms of handling and on-road performance. The new model has substantially improved cornering clearance, suspension (upsidedownies up front) and twin-disc front brakes with four-piston calipers. Harleys have always been fun on winding roads but this one takes it to another level by not leaving half its undercarriage in its wake. It is much more capable of running with a ‘normal’ bike pack, if not challenging GSX-Rs for podiums. The only downside is…

THE Ducati Monster was released in 1993, designed in-house by Miguel Angel Galluzzi under the direction of technical director Massimo Bordi. It was relatively cheap to design, develop and manufacture, a parts-bin special created by mounting an air-cooled 900SS engine in an 851/888 chassis and wrapped in a minimum of bodywork. It was followed by a 600cc version in 1994 and has been in continuous production in a multitude of capacities ever since. Not only did it usher in the era of the modern naked bike — a stripped-down sports bike without sports bike bodywork — it sold like pasta in an Italian restaurant, comprising more than 40 per cent of Ducati’s sales from 1993 to 2000, literally saving the company’s bacon in what were diffi cult financial times. Ducati…

ENGINE Air-cooled two-stroke single (IT490); 87 x 82mm for 487cc; 4.9:1 comp (stock); ‘big’ Mikuni carburettor; runs on premix of Avgas and castor oil; CDI ignition; stock expansion chamber with custom one-into-two tailpipes; gear primary to wet clutch and five-speed gearbox; chain final drive CHASSIS Twin-downtube mainframe in tubular steel (CB750F); expansive rear subframe in chrome moly (owner); CB750F conventional telescopic forks with an XL500S 23-inch wheel and drum brake, Bridgestone Trail Wing tyre; CB750F dual-shock swingarm and 17-inch rear wheel with airbag suspension and ride-height adjustment, CB disc brake and Metzeler Laser tyre BODYWORK Benelli Mojave fuel tank (replica); modified Fat Boy rear guard; everything else by owner, including seat and paint SPECIAL THANKS Aaron ‘Poo Pants’ Kent for help with wiring the pneumatic system; Paul Jones (Z Power…

ENGINE Liquid-cooled four-stroke 60-degree V-twin; chain-driven DOHC, four valves per cylinder; 102 x 73.6mm for 1203cc; 12.5:1 comp; twin 60mm Mikuni throttle-bodies with closed-loop EFI; gear primary drive to ‘assist-and-slip’ clutch and six-speed gearbox; chain final drive CHASSIS Tubular-steel trellis frame with aluminium subframe; Sachs suspension all around (43mm front), adjustability varies with model; Brembo Monoblocs on 320/265mm rotors; rims 19 x 3in front, 18 x 4.25in rear; Dunlop DT3-R radials DIMENSIONS/PERFORMANCE Wheelbase 1524mm; dry weight 221kg; fuel capacity 13 litres; 123hp at 8250rpm; 87 ft-lb/120Nm at 5900rpm PRICE From $20,995 ride-away…

ENGINE Air-cooled four-stroke parallel-twin, 360-degree crank; OHV, two per cylinder; 73 x 89 for 745cc; 9:1 comp; 2 x 30mm Amal concentric carburettors; Tri-Spark ignition; individual headers with reverse cone mufflers; triplex chain primary drive to wet clutch and four-speed one-up, three-down gearbox; chain final drive CHASSIS Substantial single top tube with twin-loop bottom section in tubular steel; separate cradle for engine, gearbox and swingarm pivot; 34.5mm conventional telescopic forks, eight-inch twin-leading-shoe drum brake laced to 19-inch rim; twin-shock swingarm, seven-inch single-leading-shoe rear drum laced to 19-inch rim DIMENSIONS Wheelbase 1440mm; dry weight 180kg; fuel capacity 9 litres BEST FOR Riding; tinkering; drawing a crowd NOT SO GREAT Hard to find…

KAWASAKI released its Vulcan range of cruisers in 1985, initially as the shaft-drive VN700, followed soon by a 400 and then the big mutha VN1500, which eventually grew as big as two litres before scaling back to 1700cc in 2009. The factory released a zillion variants over the decades, some with parallel-twin engines, with the mid-capacity V-twins enduringly popular. The VN800A, styled like a Harley Softail with a bobbed rear guard and 21-inch front wheel, was launched in 1995. A second version, the VN800B (also known as the Classic or Drifter), was released the following year. It had 16-inch wheels with full fenders reminiscent of a classic Indian. Both models were discontinued in 2006, replaced by the VN900. Our feature bike owner Stephan is dismissive of the VN900 but there…

ENGINE Air and oil-cooled four-stroke vertical twin with 270-degree crank; SOHC, four valves per cylinder; 78 x 67.8mm for 648cc; 9.5:1 comp; Bosch EFI and engine management; wet multi-plate clutch and six-speed gearbox; chain final drive; 47hp @ 7250rpm; 52Nm @ 5250rpm CHASSIS Double-cradle tubular-steel frame with welded seat sub-frame UP FRONT 41mm conventional forks, not adjustable; single 320mm rotor with twin-piston sliding ByBre (‘By Brembo’) caliper, with ABS; laced 2.5 x 18in alloy rim with 110/90 Pirelli Phantom DOWN BACK Steel swingarm with twin piggyback shocks adjustable only for spring preload; single 240mm rotor with single-piston sliding ByBre caliper, with ABS; 3.5 x 18in laced alloy rim with 130/70 Pirelli Phantom DIMENSIONS Wheelbase 1400mm; seat height 793mm (GT, dual seat); wet weight 202kg; fuel capacity 12.5 litres WARRANTY Three…

Darley Street Mona Vale is usually busy on a Saturday but on the 13th July there was a noticeable rumbling sound to be heard all day as what felt like a huge part of the motorcycle community came down to support the launch of the Mutt brand on Australian shores. The launch served as a test bed for how Mutt Motorcycles plan to use the space at #68DarleyStreet with movie nights, ride outs and many more events planned throughout the year. Follow @muttmotorcycles_aus The inaugural Art Moto event was held in July, Ulverstone, Tassie. Combining a mix of bike builders, art, music and local business the event celebrated creativity and was a huge hit! Organisers are already making plans for next year. Contact 0438 750 455 for details.…

ENGINE Air-cooled four-stroke 45-degree V-twin; OHV, four valves per cylinder; single camshaft; 102 x 114mm for 1868cc; 10.5:1 comp; remapped EFI; custom stainless exhaust with Jekill & Hyde Shorty mufflers; wet clutch, six-speed gearbox and belt final drive; 105hp; 163Nm CHASSIS Twin down-tube mainframe in tubular steel; custom aluminium seat subframe UP FRONT Öhlins FG424 upside-down forks in custom triple clamps; twin Beringer Aerotec radial four-piston calipers on 320mm rotors; Dymag UP7X 17 x 3.5in forged aluminium wheel with Michelin Power RS 120/70ZR17 tyre DOWN BACK Cantilever monoshock swingarm in tubular steel; Öhlins HD501 shock; single Beringer Aerotec axial four-piston caliper on 290mm rotor; Dymag UP7X 17 x 6in forged aluminium wheel with Michelin Power RS 190/50ZR17 tyre BODYWORK Bespoke by Blacktrack Motors; Beringer levers and master cylinders; Rizoma grips;…

ENGINE Air-cooled 90-degree four-stroke V-twin; SOHC, two valves per cylinder, desmodromic operation; 98 x 71mm for 1078cc; 11.3:1 comp; custom exhaust with SC Projects muffler; Power Commander 5 engine management; gear primary drive to oil-cooled (wet) clutch and six-speed gearbox; chain final drive; 95hp @ 7500rpm (claimed, stock, at the crankshaft); 81rwhp (measured) CHASSIS Tubular-steel trellis frame with custom chromoly sub-frame; modified tank and shock mounts; soda-blasted and powder-coated white; Marzocchi 43mm upside down forks, fully adjustable, in custom top triple clamp, with twin 320mm Brembo rotors gripped by four-piston radial calipers on 17 x 3.5in wheel; stock Monster swing arm with Sachs mono-shock (junk), single 245mm Brembo rotor with 1198 twin-piston caliper on 17 x 5.5in wheel; Dunlop GP Racer 212 tyres BODYWORK 996 Ducati tank; custom tail section…

IT is a measure of how serious Polaris is to re-establish Indian as a genuine contender to Harley-Davidson’s position as the quintessential American motorcycle that they developed, from scratch, a race bike just for American Flat Track racing, the quintessential American motorcycle sport. “HAVING ENOUGH POWER IS CRUCIAL, BUT HOW THE ENGINE MAKES THAT POWER IS EVEN MORE IMPORTANT” AFT was formerly known as the AMA Grand National Championship, boasting champions of the calibre of Gary Nixon and Dick Mann in the 1960s, Kenny Roberts and Eddie Lawson in the 1970s, and Nicky Hayden in the 1990s and 2000s. Harley-Davidson riders have won the championship 50 times. The last Indian rider to win the GNC was Bill Tuman in 1953. Polaris acquired Indian as a heritage brand in April 2001…

HONDA first released the CB1000R in 2008, styled on the popular Hornet. It was discontinued in 2016 and then re-released very late in 2017 with all new ‘Neo Sports Cafe’ styling, less in your face than the original model and all the more desirable because of it. The new bike also scored a new chassis and the detuned (previous-generation) Fireblade engine copped fly-by-wire throttle and engine management technology, along with a long list of internal engine upgrades to pistons, camshafts, throttle bodies and cylinder head porting. Together with all-new bodywork, the bike is much more compact to look at and ride than its predecessor. The 2018 CB1000R got rave reviews in the Aussie mainstream motorcycle press, with only the hard chargers amongst them (and there are a few) wishing for…

LITTLE two-strokes were all the rage in the early 1970s as a new generation of riders took to two-wheels for commuting and weekend fun. Big four-strokes (then still mostly British) were expensive and took commitment to own. Small-capacity autolube two-strokes were plentiful and as cheap as chips, and faster than most expected, especially around town. Yamaha sold a zillion different ‘race developed’ RD two-stroke models in the 1970s, cashing in on the success of their 250 and 350cc production race bikes. The RD200 was not a detuned boy racer but more an RD125 twin stretched to within an inch of its life, which made it especially light and nimble. It had a great twin-leading-shoe front drum brake (until 1976), electric start (!), weighed nothing and with 20hp at 8000rpm and…

IN 1960, engineering giant Kawasaki acquired a minority interest in Meguro, one of Japan’s oldest motorcycle manufacturers. Amongst other models, Meguro had a licence to produce the BSA A7, a popular British 500cc OHV pre-unit vertical twin, but was struggling for working capital, which eventually led to Kawasaki taking full control of Meguro in 1963. Almost immediately, Kawasaki began making detail improvements to the BSA design, including punching out capacity to 650cc with slightly over-square dimensions which differentiated it from the long-stroke 650cc BSA A10. And thus the Kawasaki W1 made its debut in 1965 as the largest capacity bike made in Japan. It remained in production with the updated W2 and W3 models until 1974, by which time it was overshadowed by the 900cc four-cylinder DOHC Z1. In 1999,…

ENGINE Liquid-cooled four-stroke V-twin; SOHC, four valves per cylinder; 88 x 66.2mm for 805cc; 9.5:1 comp; Keihin 36mm carburettor with Hypercharger air cleaner; modified Big Dog exhausts (US); five-speed gearbox, chain final drive CHASSIS Double-cradle mainframe with rigid-look swingarm; 41mm conventional forks, modified internals; hidden Uni-trak rear shock; single 300mm disc front with twin-piston sliding caliper; drum rear; laced 16-inch rims with Shimco whitewalls BODYWORK Stock tank; Blue Collar Bobbers (US) bodywork kit; paint by Kyle Smith SPECIAL THANKS Kyle Smith of Smith’s Concepts, Brookvale BEST Style in spades; high standard of finish; loud NOT SO GREAT Not much at this price…

MERLIN MADISON Merlin Ladies Madison Cotton/ Kevlar Riding Jacket makes a bold, custom rider statement. This ladies chequered over shirt style jacket is designed to look and feel just like a heavy-duty cotton over shirt with an extreme abrasion resistant DuPont™ Kevlar® lining and impact resistant CE Armour. A combination of comfort, style and protection provide an enhanced summer riding garment. $229.95 www.merlinbikegear.com.au JEAN STYLE Stops bullets, tethers space shuttles and armours helicopters? Sounds like these jeans belong in a Bond movie. Whilst the jeans themselves may not achieve these feats, Saint says the stuff they are woven with, Dyneema®, will. The lightweight “Unbreakable Stretch Slim” jean with elastane allows the freedom and comfort to move on and off the bike. $509.88 www.saint.cc/moto BASTILLE DAY The REV'IT! Bastille Gloves take…

LOOKING to stand out from the pack on your next ride? Those with deep pockets could do a lot worse than buy one of these! “The Blacktrack Motors BT-03 is now available on special order, with a manufacturing time of six months,” Blacktrack brand manager Niharika Sharma says. “True to Blacktrack's philosophy of creating limited-edition motorcycles, only four BT-03s will be produced. Each will be unique, and can be adapted to the customer's personal tastes (within preset parameters). “Exclusive design, quality and rarity are Blacktrack's hallmarks. Like the BT-01 and BT-02 before it, the BT-03 is designed to run effi ciently and reliably, with high levels of performance and safety. It will undoubtedly become a collector's item.” For more info, get in touch with Niharika at contact@ blacktrackmotors.com and tell…

STEVE Menneto, 52, is President of Motorcycles at Polaris Industries Inc., who together with Polaris President/CEO Scott Wine ultimately sold their colleagues the idea of acquiring Indian in April 2011 as a heritage brand to run alongside its much younger Victory marque. Much has changed in the eight years since. “Our vision from the beginning was to be more than a traditional American V-twin brand,” says Menneto. “We continually seek to broaden Indian Motorcycle’s reach, and the FTR 1200 represents a significant step forward in that strategy. “The FTR 1200 motor is a totally different engine than what the Scout’s is,” says Menneto, “and it’s a very flexible platform for us to go forward with. It’s exciting how we’re going to stretch Indian way beyond Cruiser/Bagger/ Tourer, and the FTR…

AS the old Indian factory in Springfield, Massachusetts, was going through its death throes in the early 1950s, Indian factory riders won three consecutive National Championships, then decided at a single event, the Springfield Mile. Known as the Indian Wrecking Crew, the trio of Bobby Hill, Ernie Beckman and Bill Tuman won 14 AMA National races between 1950 and 1953, with Hill taking out the National Championship in 1951 and 1952, and Tuman in 1953. Beckman was the last to win a National race on an Indian when he was first home at the Williams Grove Half Mile in Pennsylvania in October 1953. The trio were great mates who loved their racing. “We were grateful to have made it through the war,” Hill told Motorcyclist in an interview in 2017.…

ENGINE Liquid-cooled four-stroke in-line four; DOHC, four valves per cylinder; 75 x 56.5mm for 998cc; 11.6:1 comp; PGM-FI fuel injection; FBW throttle with three preset riding modes; Akrapovic muffler; gear primary to wet clutch and six-speed gearbox; chain final drive CHASSIS Steel backbone frame with aluminium pivot plates; 43mm Ceracarbon upside-down forks with carbon-fibre one-piece 17 x 3.5in Rotobox wheel, twin four-piston calipers on 310mm rotors; single-sided swingarm with Showa mono-shock, 17 x 6in Rotobox carbon-fibre wheel and single 256mm disc; Dunlop Moto 2 rain tyres DIMENSIONS & PERFORMANCE Wheelbase 1455mm; kerb weight (stock) 211kg; fuel capacity 16 litres; 143hp @ 10,500rpm BEST FOR Turning heads; riding fast NOT SO GREAT Blending in with the crowd…

ENGINE Air-cooled two-stroke parallel-twin; 52 x 46mm for 195cc (stock); 2 x 24mm Mikunis with velocity stacks; XS650 ignition; autolube system removed, runs on pre-mix; homebuilt expansion chambers in stainless steel; five-speed gearbox CHASSIS Single-downtube tubular-steel frame, re-welded, braced, smoothed and painted by Alan Wells; custom subframe, ditto; conventional forks (rebuilt) with twin-shock rear, eBay spring/ dampers 25mm longer than stock; TLS drum front, SLS drum rear on 18-inch rims BODYWORK Stock fuel tank, repositioned; handmade everything else; Soul Red Mazda paint by Alan Wells SPECIAL THANKS Steve Turner; Wayne Mould and his good lady wife Mandy for trusting me with the build BEST FOR Winning trophies; sharing quality shed time NOT SO GREAT It’s perfect as it is…

ENGINE Air-cooled four-stroke vertical twin, 360-degree crank; SOHC, two valves per cylinder; 77 x 83mm for 773cc; wet sump; EFI, 2 x 34mm throttle bodies; electronic ignition; torque-assist/slipper wet clutch with five-speed gearbox; chain final drive CHASSIS Tubular-steel twin-cradle chassis with square-section backbone; 41mm conventional telescopic forks, no adjustment; twin shock rear, adjustable for spring preload; single 320mm front disc with twin-piston sliding caliper; 270mm rear disc with (smaller) twin-piston sliding caliper; 18-inch laced wheels; Dunlop K300GP tyres, 100/90-18 front and 130/80-18 rear DIMENSIONS & PERFORMANCE Wheelbase 1465mm; seat height 790mm; fuel capacity 15 litres; wet weight 223kg; 47hp at 6000rom; 63Nm at 4800rpm PRICE & WARRANTY $13,999 plus orc; two years, unlimited km…

JAMES Lansdowne Norton established his company in 1898 as a cycle parts manufacturer and produced the first Norton motorcycles with French and Swiss engines in 1902. The first Norton-engined model was a side-valve single in 1908. The factory had great success between the World Wars racing its OHV singles at the Isle of Man, where it won the Senior TT 10 times, backed up by healthy road bike sales of up to 4000 per annum. It then switched to war production, manufacturing almost 100,000 side-valve Model 16H solos and Big 4 sidecar tugs between 1937 and 1945. Two significant events occurred in the immediate post-war years that would cement Norton’s destiny; the introduction of the twin-cylinder 500cc Dominator in 1949 and the Featherbed racing chassis in 1950. The two were…

ENGINE Air-cooled four-stroke parallel-twin with 360-degree crank; bevel-driven DOHC, two valves per cylinder; 65.75 x 73.6mm for 488cc; 9:1 comp; dry sump; 2 x 31mm Amal TT carbs with single remote fuel bowl; Bosch magneto; duplex-chain primary drive to dry clutch and four-speed gearbox; chain final drive CHASSIS Dual-cradle frame in box-section steel; 32mm telescopic forks, 250mm magnesium SLS brake laced to 16-inch WM1 steel rim; box-section dual-shock swingarm, 250mm SLS brake laced WM1 steel rim; 2.5 x 16in Barum tyre front, 2.75 x 16in rear DIMENSIONS & PERFORMANCE Weight 155kg (oil, no fuel); wheelbase 1250mm; fuel capacity 20 litres; 48hp @ 7800rpm; top speed 220km/h BEST Under-resourced Commies have a red hot go; loud as; classic looks NOT SO GREAT Finding sticky tyres for those skinny 16-inch rims…

WHEN I was primary-school young, I was a subscriber to the King Arthur legend. Most princes were shiny and good people. They rescued damsels, slew dragons and generally upheld a whole bunch of noble ideals about chivalry. Fortunately, these illusions blew themselves away in my teens, when I discovered the Rolling Stones, girls who weren’t damsels, and motorcycles. The only Prince I was interested in back then was the Vincent Black Prince, a motorcycle I had as much chance of possessing as Emma Peel, my leather-clad fantasy combat-loving woman from The Avengers. “Listening to him talk was like reading his columns” But did that stop me fantasising about either of them? Never. Especially not Emma Peel, she just wouldn’t leave me alone … In more recent years, thanks to watching…