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Chains: What you need to know

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Classic TT returns

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Enfield Classic 650

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December 2024

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Treat yourself to a Classic Bike Subscription

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November 2024

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Batteries: What you need to know

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Egli-Vincent

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Snake Pass threat

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October 2024

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Tonkin’s TT tales

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A match for a Manx

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At lunch with… Brian Crichton

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Gilera Nuovo Saturno

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Fair and square

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Stately pile-on

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Get up for the Kop

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Time for a T140?

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Rick’s Fixes: cold comfort in the shed

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hole sideways

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SKY HIGH HILLCLIMBING

Did this Curtiss really do over 136.36mph at Ormond Beach, Florida in 1907? Nicksy thinks not...

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A RECORD OF EXAGGERATION

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HOW TO: MAKE A JET BLOCK EXTRACTOR

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BARON’S STROKE OF BAD LUCK

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How To: Make vintage bike grips

HOW TO: RECYCLE OLD CAR PARTS

THE ISLAND’S BIGGEST DRAW

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KEEPING THE FAITH

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HOW TO: FIT AN AMAL CARB TICKLER EXTENSION

HOW TO: REPLACE BSA BEARINGS

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Rick's Fixes

Mike Nicks

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#### The conventional roller chain has largely been superseded by sealed-ring designs on modern bikes, but should we be fitting them to classics too?

Illustration **REGINA INTERNATIONAL LTD** Photo **JAQUES PORTAL**

‘I won’t skimp on chains, because the cheap stuff soon stretches and sags – particularly if you like to hammer on and off the throttle and you’re a bit shy with the chain lube.’

The standard roller chain, consisting of basic links with pins and rollers, was original fitment to older classics. A roller link is composed of two sideplates with hollow bushes pressed into them and a roller that’s free to rotate on each of those bushes. A pin link has pins pressed into sideplates; these connect the hollow links with the pins passing through the bushes in the roller links. The pins rotate in the bushes and the rollers spin on the bushes.

There are also solid impregnated roller chains in which the roller and bush are combined into a single fixed piece and the pin links rotate within them; the chain lube or oil lubricates the gap between pin and bush. Us older riders remember heating a tin of lube on the stove to immerse chains in, while mother/the other half was out. We also remember when chains seemed to need adjustment every week.

**\+ Pros** Cheap to manufacture and hence cheaper to buy. Lighter and less bulky than O-, X- and Z-ring types.

**\- Cons** Need more frequent oiling than sealed types. Dirt and grit can wheedle its way into links to form a grinding paste with oil and lube.

The O-ring chain was invented in the 1970s and became common fitment to motorcycles the following decade. The basic construction of sealing ring chain is like that of a standard roller chain, but with the addition of seals between the roller links and the sideplates of the pin links. These seals serve the dual purposes of containing the lubricant that’s injected between the pins and bushes when the chain is manufactured, and keeping dirt and moisture out when in service.

X-section rings were an evolution of the O-ring, intended to reduce drag and improve sealing. Z-ring is a further evolution by Regina. The O-ring has a single, wide sealing face on each side once squeezed between the roller and pin links. Later versions are designed to provide a better seal, to keep grease in and cack out, while also reducing friction, which can be significant.

**\+ Pros** Longer life and less frequent lubrication and adjustment required, if quality material and construction is used.

**\- Cons** Heavier, wider and more expensive than standard roller link chains. Needs a special tool for fitting the rivetted link, although some can use a spring link.

Roller chains are one of the few things that are still produced to imperial measurements, but with a simple three digit code to specify the size: 428, 520, 525 and 530 are the most common.

The first number denotes the pitch of the chain – the distance between the centres of neighbouring pins – and if that distance is ⅝in that number would be ‘5’ (if it were a ‘4’, that would be 4 /8 or ½in; a ‘6’ is 6 /8 or ¾in.)

The next two digits are the measure of the width of the rollers, in that most convenient of measures – eightieths of an inch. So ‘20’ is20 /80in or ¼in. A 520 chain would originally have been specified as5 /8in x ¼in.

If we were referring to a chain with ‘25’ as the second pair of digits, we’d be looking at25 /80in or5 /16in; ‘30’ would mean30 /80in or ⅜in.

It sort of makes sense – imagine how small the print on the sideplates would be if that lot were expressed in millimetres. Although 428 doesn’t quite work with the fractions of 80ths, so we’ll gloss over that.

Quality modern chains are remarkable, with 150bhp bikes needing minimal adjustment over thousands of miles. Price apart, fitting a chain with sealing rings looks like a no brainer, but be careful.

Their design makes them wider, which can present issues if retro-fitting to an older classic. Sideplates can vary from 1.5 to 2.6mm, depending on duty type and manufacturer, plus the additional width of the sealing rings. However, modern materials and construction mean that, if sprockets are available, you can often run a narrower chain than the original fitment. The power of most bikes specified with a 530 chain in the 1970s can easily be handled by a modern 520 O-ring.

It is also possible to use O-ring chains on the primary drive of some older classics. This allows the chain case to be run dry, with occasional spray lubrication, eliminating oil bath leaks. However, O-ring chains run hotter than standard chains, so with no oil to aid cooling that may be an issue – as well as clearance and lack of oil to the clutch bearing.

Also, some older bikes require chains with an uneven number of links (some Triumph T140s are 107 links). These require a cranked link, something only easily available for standard chain.

Simple: keep it clean, correctly adjusted and lubricated. Go for quality over low price and replace chain and sprockets as a set. Gearbox and rear sprockets must be in line – wear on a sprocket’s face can suggest an alignment issue.

Correct adjustment is vital for longevity. Measure free-play in the chain with the suspension loaded unless the manual states otherwise – and check with the wheel at different points of its rotation in case there are tight spots.

Double check free-play once you have re-tightened the wheel spindle, as sometimes a swingarm can open outwards when the spindle is loose, causing the chain to tighten when it’s done up. An over-tight chain will prevent the suspension from working properly, damaging gearbox output and wheel bearings. Too loose can cause vibration or even jumping.

O-ring chains are less fussy about lubrication than conventional items, with most people opting for the convenience of an aerosol chain lube, the majority of which are O-ring safe (but check). Lube has more to do on a standard chain, where it needs to get into the links.

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#### Successful pre-Covid format returns, running alongside the Manx Grand Prix

After being ditched five years ago, the Classic TT is back, running in tandem with the Manx GP as it did between 2013 and 2019. It means there will be a 12-day racing festival in 2025, rather than the reduced nine-day format the Manx has run since 2022.

From August 17-29, there will be four Manx GP races for modern bikes, while all the classic machines will go in five Classic TT races. This means the Manx GP can return to its original role as a TT-feeder event for less experienced road racers, while the Classic TT can feature the likes of John McGuinness, Dean Harrison and Michael Dunlop to pull in the crowds.

“This is very encouraging,” says Rupert Murdon, an ex-Manx racer who now helps to run the Isle of Man section of the VMCC. “I’ve already had people phoning me, saying how pleased they are that it’s back to two weeks and that they’ll be coming over. We were surprised about the turnaround, but the government has obviously come under a lot of pressure from the \[tourist\] trade who could see the numbers falling. I’m optimistic.”

The Manx government says the new Classic TT/Manx GP arrangement has been agreed for the next three years.

Paul Phillips, Head of Motorsport, Isle of Man TT Races, said: “We are excited to bring it \[the Classic TT\] back as a celebration of some of the most iconic decades in TT history. The ’80s and ’90s, in particular, were a time of intense rivalries, iconic machines and record-breaking racing, and this event will be a place where fans can reconnect with those unforgettable moments.” **:a[iomttraces.com]{href='https://iomttraces.com' }**

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#### Royal Enfield reveal 650 twin-cylinder version of the successful 350 Classic

Back in 2022, Enfield launched the Classic 350 single, which was great for pottering around town, but was too small and slow for many riders. This new Classic 650 is the answer. Powered by the 646cc, 47bhp parallel-twin engine from the Interceptor and Continental, it promises a lot more speed – 70mph cruising should be a doddle.

The sohc air/oil-cooled motor is housed in the same tubular steel spine frame as Enfield’s Super Meteor and Shotgun cruisers, though the Classic is available with or without a pillion seat. The wheels are the same as the 350’s – 19in front and 18in rear – as are the 43mm Showa forks and chromed front headlight surround. The mudguards look identical, too.

All that metal adds up to a hefty overall weight – at 243kg, it’s significantly heavier than the 218kg Interceptor 650. Still, with a 31in (787mm) saddle, it should be easy enough to paddle about at low speeds.

Neat touches abound. The oil cooler fits snugly by the frame downtube so it’s barely visible, the fuel injection is hidden by a chrome shroud and there’s a pair of pilot lights either side of the main beam, just like on old Enfields. And the clocks have a prominent analogue dial, with just a small LCD panel below with a fuel gauge, clock and gear indicator.

Prices are yet to be announced, but expect it to be around £7000 – a little more than the £6799 Continental GT – when it hits showrooms next year **:a[royalenfield.com]{href='https://royalenfield.com' }**

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There’s a big beast on the cover of December’s issue of Classic Bike – a Kawasaki GPZ900R. It was a ground-breaking Japanese superbike, but this one was a rusty wreck before being transformed by a back-breaking restoration. For lovers of British bikes, there’s a comparison test of two BSA Gold Stars – can a modern-day recreation give a better riding experience than an original bike?

Elsewhere, a revealing interview sees former racer and GP bike tester Nigel Bosworth spill the beans on the multi-million pound deals that kick-started the Foggy Petronas WSB race project. There’s also a buyer’s guide to help you buy the best Triumph Speed Triple – now amazingly over 25 years old – plus Classic Bike’s revamped workshop section with even more of a focus on hands-on maintenance, along with an exclusive insight into Norton legend Norman White’s personal workshop.

#### The December issue of Classic Bike is out now at all good newsagents, or why not :a[subscribe today and get 6 issues for just £19.99!]{href='https://www.greatmagazines.co.uk/classic-bike-magazine?utm_source=classicbike.co.uk&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=bau_classicbike&amp;utm_content=newissue_clb' }

The festive season is quickly approaching, and what better way to celebrate than with a special treat just for you—or for someone you love? Enjoy :a[**6 issues of Classic Bike for just £19.99**]{href='https://www.greatmagazines.co.uk/classic-bike-magazine?utm_source=classicbike.co.uk&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=christmas_all&amp;utm_content=CLBxmasarticle' target='_blank' rel='noreferrer noopener'} — including **FREE UK delivery!**

• **Your perfect guide** for fixing and enhancing the bikes resting in your garage.

• **Practical workshop tips** to help keep your bike running sweetly.

• **Insightful buying advice** every month to help you make great buys

• **Great tales** from motorcycling's heroic past.

• **Be inspired** by our reader restorations and rebuilds.

Enjoy your favourite magazine for less this festive season

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Get ahead of your Christmas shopping this year and get a magazine subscription for the whole family. Why not treat them to something they’ll love, from entertainment to gardening, beauty to puzzles, we have a whole range of magazines for you to choose from.

What are you waiting for? It’s the perfect **gift for under £20!**

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Classic Bike’s revamped November issue features a new workshop section in response to reader feedback – so you get even more of what you want. A new feature puts you slap bang in the middle of a renowned mechanic’s workshop, starting with CB’s Rick Parkington’s palace of fettling. Along with that, there are 21st century updates on biking staples – from batteries to British bike basics – and regular updates on project bikes. There’s also the usual treasure trove of stories – why a superb Yamaha RD350LC restoration took seven years, an interview with legendary GP racer Freddie Spencer, a road test of an Egli Vincent and a scrapbook of scrambling photographs from TV’s Jack Burnicle. All this, along with readers’ rides and reminiscences, makes November’s Classsic Bike the ideal antidote for the longer nights.

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#### Buying batteries used to be simple, even if maintenance wasn’t. But now, with multiple options available, things have got complicated. This is what you need to know

‘I’ve used lithium batteries in race bikes, but to be honest I wouldn't bother for the road. Although I do much prefer AGM to old-style high-maintenance lead acid.’

Also known as a flooded or wet cell battery. This is the conventional old-style battery in which lead plates (positive and negative) are built into a case, each separated by a rubber barrier and the plates submerged in electrolyte. The sale of the acid packs which used to be supplied with these types of batteries is now banned. If you want a lead/acid battery, you should be collecting it filled and charged, from the shop.

**Pros** Cheap. Wide operating temperature range from below freezing to 100°F-plus. Relatively low self discharge rate.

**Cons** Needs regular topping up, risk of spills means they must be mounted vertically. Discharging by over 50% can damage the battery.

Sometimes referred to as VRLA (Valve Regulated Lead Acid). Similar construction to old-style LA battery, but electrolyte is sealed into the battery and the gases created during the charging process are controlled by the valve system. Increasingly superseded by AGM batteries.

**Pros** Same as for the LA above, plus maintenance-free. Can be mounted in any orientation (except upside-down).

**Cons** Discharging by over 50% can damage the battery.

A lead-based battery with acid in gel form instead of a liquid. Specified as OE on some bikes, but have now been more or less superseded by the AGM type.

**Pros** More tolerant to deeper discharge rates than a standard LA or SLA.

**Cons** Sensitive to excessive charging voltages (over 14.4v). Size for size, will store less power than an AGM and cold weather performance not as effective.

**ABSORBENT GLASS MAT (AGM)** AGM batteries are constructed with a layer of glass mat sandwiched between the cells. This layer holds the electrolyte in place so the plates are permanently immersed, making the battery more efficient. Now effectively the standard replacement battery for motorcycle use.

**Pros** All the advantages of SLA, plus they are less prone to sulfation (see right) and can be stored for longer periods without needing to be charged. Vibration resistance makes them ideal for motorcycle use.AGMs also accept a faster charge rate than a than a conventional SLA battery and are more tolerant to deep discharge.

**Cons** Higher cost than basic LA types.

Lithium battery cells have a nominal voltage of 3.2v and four are arranged in series to create a 12.8v battery.

**Pros** High energy to weight ratio (up to four times greater than an LA) which means lithium batteries are much lighter than equivalent lead acid batteries. More starting power than a lead acid. No leakage. Fast charging capability.

**Cons** High cost. Lithium batteries are intolerant of over and undercharging, either of which causes damage. Also less tolerant of cold than a conventional LA. They absorb heat faster than other types, which can lead to premature failure if sited in a hot environment. Lithium batteries need an inbuilt battery management system (BMS) to protect each cell from excessive voltage during charging, overheating and over current during discharging. In worst case scenarios, lithium batteries can explode or catch fire if the charger isn’t properly regulated. Confirm any lithium battery has aBMS and only buy from reputable suppliers.

Absorbent Glass Mat battery features electrolyteimpregnated mat beween the lead plates, and a safety valve to release any excess pressure. There’s no need for a translucent case, because there is no need to check the level of acid in the battery.

There are two commonly used methods of rating a battery’s output; the amp-hour (Ah) rating quantifies the amount of power a battery can be expected to deliver over a specified time, operating in a temperature of 25°C. Abattery rated at 10Ah should deliver one amp for 10 hours (or two amps for five hours) without recharging.

The other method of rating output is to quote the cold cranking amps (CCA). This tells you how much current a fully charged 12v battery will deliver for 30 seconds at -18°C, while maintaining voltage above a specified threshold. A high quality 10Ah battery might have a CCA rating of 180amps. CCA ratings are particularly relevant for electric start bikes with high compression/large capacity.

Battery code numbers such as YTX12BS or YB7-A mainly relate to the battery’s dimensions. Ideally, use the battery code specified by the bike’s manufacturer unless your battery supplier will guarantee that an alternative code will fit.

Battery life is dictated by sulfation and ‘shedding’. Shedding is the unavoidable result of the plates expanding and contracting during the charging and discharging process, shedding small particles off the plates. A decent quality battery will have a life expectancy of approximately 500 charge/discharge cycles, ie typically 500 days of use.

Sulfation is the process in which small crystals of sulfate in electrolyte attach themselves to the plates. In normal cycles of use, the crystals detach themselves (smart chargers recreate these conditions to prolong battery life). But if the battery is left discharged, the crystals can permanently attach to the plates, acting as a barrier, preventing electrolyte from saturating the plates and thereby making the battery less efficient.

A completely discharged battery is unlikely to recover, so disconnect the battery if the bike is parked for over two weeks. Ideally, a battery should have 12.7-12.8v when stored and, to prevent condensation leading to internal corrosion, shouldn’t be stored in the cold, and especially not on a concrete floor. If you don’t want to leave the battery in situ on the bike, store it somehwere dry, well ventilated and away from draughts.

If, after a couple of months, the voltage drops to 12.5v or less, recharge it; 12.4v is approximately 60% charged, normal on a vehicle too low for long-term storage.

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#### Norvins reignited interest in Vincent in the ’50s, before Egli did the same in the ’60s. As the owner of one of the former, Rick’s well placed to judge the latter...

Words **RICK PARKINGTON** Photography **GARY MARGERUM**

I should declare a ‘conflict of interest’ here. This Egli Vincent is a beautiful bike, hand built by an engineer to an exacting standard. It runs beautifully, sounds crisp, stops on a sixpence and the handling is absolutely superb. Widely considered the ultimate Vincent special, when done properly the Egli is one of those überclassics that some would describe as ‘incomparable’.

And that’s the problem. I can’t help doing just that – comparing the Egli to the Vincent special that I rode here today, my unassumingly shabby (if well-loved) Norvin. I deliberately chose it this time, because I’m genuinely curious to learn just how different the two bikes will be. My bike is not a café racer – it’s in standard Norton Dominator trim, but while the Egli has clip-ons and rearsets, the bars are positioned high, like straights. So it’s comfortable – less café racer, more ‘sports tourer’, which is essentially what Vincents were in the first place.

Like a Rickman, the Egli was really just a racebred replacement chassis, designed to offer upgraded roadholding characteristics – if owners wanted it to look like a racer, that was up to them; it doesn’t have to.

> ‘The Egli was just a race-bred replacement chassis which offered upgraded roadholding’

Unfortunately, the day started badly. Kicking the Egli over, the non-standard kickstarter snapped, the attached end springing back to deliver an accurate karate chop to my ‘old war wound’. The pedal looks like a modified Honda CB750 item, as skinny as Bambi’s foreleg, but it’s the only option; this is one of those ‘Vincent things’. ‘Unconventional’ describes most aspects of Vincent design, and their upended gearbox layout, with its kickstarter shaft at the front and gear pedal behind, means the Vincent kickstart can’t work with alternative footrests – the long Honda pedal swings out far enough to clear. Bump-starting big tall-geared Vtwins is hard work – but fortunately the Egli was an excellent starter, so the day wasn’t spoiled.

The first thing I noticed was the clutch – it’s feather light. Although Anthony Godin (who was selling the bike at the time of our test, although it’s now been sold) thought it was a Norton item, I’d guess it’s more likely the original Vincent. Vincents have a servo clutch that takes the power, the hand lever operating just a lightweight plate-type for pulling away. My Norvin came fitted with a Commando clutch and it was diabolical. There wasn’t enough lift in the Vincent mechanism and it dragged horribly in traffic. I’ve fitted a Suzuki GS1000 clutch using an adapter – it’s also light and works OK, but _just_ OK because the Vincent’s higher primary-drive ratio loads it more heavily than the Suzuki. The Egli’s gearing is also better; the mismatch between Vincent and Norton sprockets means my Norvin seldom reaches top on pootling roads; the Egli’s Triumph conical hub has a bolt-on sprocket offering more choice.

But the most obvious difference between the two bikes is handling. Both handle well, but the Norvin feels much more committed to a line; that is, having chosen your path it prefers not to deviate. The Egli feels more modern – not just because of the contemporary suspension, it’s just more flickable than the Norvin and happier to accept adjustments mid-corner, which has to be an improvement over the Featherbed. It was always said of Manx Nortons that they’d hold a line perfectly – but once they let-go, you were off. The Egli feels more forgiving. The suspension complemented the rest perfectly; the forks are from a modern Triumph and their twin discs with four-pot calipers were also appreciated, because the Norvin’s single-leading-shoe Norton drum struggles with the weight a bit.

Of course the Egli frame is an improvement; Norton’s McCandless-designed Featherbed frame took chassis design out of the 1930s; it deserves its legendary status and its echoes can still be seen on modern sports bikes – but Vincent engines were never intended to fit in a cradle frame, making the Norvin a compromise.

Egli’s frame was not a compromise; it was designed around a Vincent engine, following similar principles.

Philip Vincent didn’t approve of people fitting his engines into (as he saw it) inferior frames. Having designed his own unconventional design with monoshock-style rear suspension way back in the late ’20s, it puzzled and exasperated him that, despite proving the worth of his concept, the industry settled for the bendy and unsupported swingarm over his triangulated suspension system. Worse still, people were fitting his engine into such frames – and the Norvin was probably the primary offender.

> ‘Fritz Egli’s racing success attracted orders for frames from other riders’

By the mid-1950s, while the clean lines of the big alloy motor still attracted admirers, the Vincent chassis looked dated; no wonder people sought to fit these engines into a famously successful racing frame. Probably the first recorded sighting of a Norvin was a 1955 photo taken by Geoff Duke in Australia of the ‘McCrae Special’ – sidecar racer Sandy McRae’s Black Lightning-engined Manx – and Vincent-power was cool again.

Fritz Egli did it differently. The Swiss racer had competed on his tuned Rapide for a couple of years before reflecting that the advantage Norton had gained from updated chassis design could be applied to his Vincent. Rather than build a Norvin, Egli created his own frame. Like a Vincent, the oil was stored in a large frame member under the tank that was strong enough to support the weight of the engine. By 1968 his racing success was attracting orders for frames from other riders and the Egli Vincent was born.

With Vincent engines in finite supply, gradually Egli evolved his design to cater for high-performance Japanese engines – the CB750, Z1... even the Honda CBX – but despite Eglis later efforts, the name is still inextricably connected with Vincent, and the Egli Vincent remained in production until the end. But how on Earth can an engine designed in the 1940s be considered worth not one but two regenerations to meet the challenges of a new era?

I think there are two answers. The first can be found by riding this glorious Egli – or even my own shabby Norvin. Vincent engines are special. They manage to combine the character and ‘olde worlde charm’ of a 1930s single with enough roadgoing capability to exist in the 21st century. You don’t need one of the Godet 1300 engines with their mighty dollops of extra horsepower to discover this; a standard Rapide will do. The Vincent has stamina; it has just the right balance of capacity, power and heavy metal innards to pull a high gear and can sit happily at 80-plus on a motorway, with the addition of a passenger or luggage not affecting it. It’s the most relaxed old British bike I’ve found for motorway riding. In short, Vincents are pretty impressive for a 78-year-old design.

The other answer is the Vincent legend. Legend is an over-used word nowadays, applied to anything that’s just a bit better than the rest. True legend has to have a spark of magic about it – like that iconic image of Rollie Free, flat out at Bonneville in his Speedos, or Phil Vincent’s almost OCD insistence on making his personal idea of a perfect motorcycle, irrespective of how much it cost, his blind faith in other motorcyclists knowing a good thing when they see it as his guide and to hell with the accountants. I’d want it to be like that if I made a bike – you’d probably be the same. But the real magic here is that this ‘nutty professor’ character with his absurdly complicated solutions to technical problems nobody else had ever noticed – solutions that created problems of their own – somehow actually got it right in creating something that, while it never sold enough to sustain his company, was a born classic that’s still great to ride all these decades later. I’d say that deserves a better – sorry Phil, let’s say ‘more modern’ – chassis and brakes, so it can still hold its own on today’s roads.

What about me – would I part-ex my Norvin for the Egli? No, I’m afraid not. The Egli is the better bike, but I live in the past and I find mixing modern and old too jarring. I dreamed of owning a Norvin at the age of 16, and having brought my dream alive I’m not after an upgrade. But admittedly, riding the Egli has reminded me I must look out for a twin-leading-shoe front brake for it...

The passing of passionate Vincent specialist Patrick Godet in November 2018 created a hiatus in new Egli production. In 1970s England, Slater Brothers had frames made by Cheney under licence from Egli and in more recent years John Mossey Restorations bult replicas – but it was Patrick Godet in France who received Fritz Egli’s blessing to take over manufacture of the ‘Egli Vincent’ he created. Godet further developed the concept with new 1330cc engines of improved build quality and performance. Godet’s company survives him, but in the years since his loss, the classic world has gone through big changes.

“I don’t think anyone is making new frames at present,” says Steve at Vincent specialists Conway Motors. “But there are still plenty around. We can build Eglis for customers, but I think the last Godet Eglis were something like £46,000 with a two-year waiting list – and, now that Vincent prices have stopped spiralling, few customers want to wait two years when they can pick one up secondhand with virtually no miles on it for a lot less.

“If someone supplies the chassis, we can build a completely new engine from parts for around £26,000, depending on specification. Obviously, if you supply some of the parts yourself it will be less – but again, be careful. There’s ‘basket case’ engines and bits around that are basically just rejects from a rebuild –and you won’t save anything by supplying us with scrap crankcases, heads or cranks!

“The really crazy thing about it is that the obsession with ‘original’ bikes means that you could probably pick up a non-matching Rapide for about the same price as a new engine and just take the motor out of that, selling the chassis on as parts! I understand ‘matching numbers’ on bikes where specifications varied, but Vincent parts hardly changed at all. Numbering both halves of the frame was probably the worst thing Vincent ever did – without that, nobody would know or care!”

#### **  
SPECIFICATION - 1950 EGLI-TYPE VINCENT RAPIDE** {#block-7bf5171e-971c-4188-8838-b37aade8422f}

**ENGINE/TRANSMISSION** {#block-61b14922-ced8-4b5d-9d89-33fc44e2dab3}

**CHASSIS** {#block-4790962f-936e-4f72-bd26-cdce3c3e3f1f}

**DIMENSIONS** {#block-6b2cfacb-95de-4017-af40-bb59a6886790}

**PERFORMANCE** {#block-dc0a9230-bbe8-477e-ac06-5455ec2fe354}

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One of Britain’s most celebrated and historic motorcycling roads is threatened with closure due to a dispute over who should pay for repairs.

The Snake Pass, which weaves across the Derbyshire Peak District between Glossop and the Ladybower Reservoir, needs significant construction work due to landslides caused by recent heavy rain. Derbyshire County Council says using its road budget to fix the Pass would divert too much cash from other routes. It wants a £4m “landslip fund” from the Government to cover the reconstruction costs. The council highways director says a full closure is possible if the road cannot be made safe, and: “If there was a major landslip it would be beyond what we can do”. It will be temporarily closed from October 14-25 for further assessment.

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The October issue of Classic Bike looks at how Honda became the world’s biggest bike manufacturer, and it was a real privilege to talk with someone who actually knew company founder Soichiro Honda – and was closely involved in the amazing, ill-fated NR500 project.   
There is lots of other great stuff in this issue too, like the story of John Docherty restoring a 1939 Triumph Speed Twin that he’s had in bits for 40 years, and Bruce Dunn’s extraordinary obsession with the Yamaha TZ250 that means he’s amassed a vast collection of worn pistons. Alan Seeley’s Harris Suzuki project has made a big leap forward this month, with the frame and chassis finally being reunited. Plus, Rick Parkington has ridden a Kawasaki Z1.   
We’ve been speaking with Classic Bike readers a lot recently, and as a result of those conversations we’re making changes to the magazine from the next issue, with more workshop content. So enjoy this issue – but don’t miss next month’s either.

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#### **Steve Tonkin won the Junior TT in 1981, but this year he’s back on the Isle of Man with a freshly built Metisse-framed Gold Star**

Words: MARK GRAHAM Photography: DAVE COLLISTER & BAUER AUTOMOTIVE

Of all the tracks in all the places in all the world, the Isle Of Man Mountain Course is the one worth knowing best. Steve Tonkin (74) still has intimate recall. “I could lay in bed and go round the whole course in my head after I’d ridden there afew times,” he says. “After three years I knew where I was and what came next.”

British 250 Champion for three years running between 1981 and 1983, Junior TT winner in 1981 on an Armstrong 250, and regular TT podium-finisher and serial top-six man between 1977 and 1983, Tonks has returned to The Island for a holiday. On a TZ350 at “It’s been 10 years since I was last here,” he says. “I had a house to build that took four years, and I prefer doing things to watching other people do stuff.” Despite living temptingly close to Mona’s Isle (near Morecambe) he’s so far been too busy building and restoring bikes to make the crossing.

This year is different. “Gerry Rowley, who works with Tri-Spark in Adelaide \[Australia\] is coming over – he’s riding a T140 Métisse I built and I’m on my Gold Star Métisse,” says Tonkin of his long-awaited and now fully-fledged IoM holiday plan.

Much has changed since Tonkin’s heyday, but the fundamentals of a 37.73-mile lap remain the same. Like most top riders, he enjoys some sections more than others, but treats every inch of tarmac with the utmost respect. “On the whole, I preferred riding from the start to Ramsey. It was more involving, busier than The Mountain,” he says. “Don’t get me wrong, The Mountain section took some doing too, but it was less frantic. Having said that, never try and remove a visor tear-off up there. I did it once and nearly put the bike in the fence. You’re travelling that fast, but it may not seem like it.

“I used to get cracking right away. Not quite flat out, because the tyres weren’t up to temperature until Union Mills. Governor’s Bridge and Braddan you’d be steady through. But Braddan had me twice. I was leading the Senior one year on an RG500 Suzuki and the first lap was dry, but there was a ‘mist on The Mountain’ warning. I came into Braddan on lap two and it was wet – you couldn’t tell, there really should have been boards out – and the front went. There’s a big tree on the right and the bike hit it, so that was that. Then I had a gearbox seize on an F2 600 Honda. I was OK both times.

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#### **Norton’s overhead cam singles are legendary TT racers, but Peter Lodge chose to develop the company’s plodding ES2 ohv roadster – and he’ll be shipping it from New Zealand again to compete in this year’s Manx GP**

Words: Mark Graham Photography: Dave Kneen & Stephen Davison/Pacemaker Press, Lloyd Capon & Peter Lodge

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