all

Q: The headlamp bowl was rusty and my mate gave me a new chrome one. Foolisly, I accepted and removed the headlamp in order to replace it. As you may know, in the shell there

Little spoils a bike like a graunching throttle. Cables are obvious and easy to lubricate but throttle tubes regularly get ignored. Whether it’s the conventional barrel type or early Japanese straight pull/scroll type the same

Q: My cruiser has recently developed an intermittent engine rattle, on tick-over the engine is okay, it seems to occur as I ride in top gear about 40-50mph, and as I lightly accelerate through the

Q: I am having a bit of trouble with my Honda CB72, 1965 model, and I wonder if you can help. Apart from all the other work I have done for my restoration, I have

Now and then you will find that a nut or bolt simply will not undo. You have tried everything: heat, penetrating oil and even an impact wrench but still the fastener remains resolutely tight. There

If your bike has grease nipples use them; if it doesn’t, investigate if they can be retro-fitted. Pivot points on suspension systems need a regular supply of fresh, clean grease. Decades of dust, seasons of

Q: I discovered your mag last year and a have been a reader ever since. I’m hoping, with all your years of accumulated experience, you may be able to help. CMM has inspired me to

Q: I’ve got a problem. After a run the bike is going okay, but while parked in the garage for a few days petrol leaked out through the breather pipe on to the floor. It

Q: I’m a reader of Classic Motorcycle Magazine  and a massive fan of motorbikes. I’ve just turned 16 and got my first bike – a Suzuki TS50X and want more power. I have looked for all the

Our experts at CMM are back with all the answers to your questions! Fill in the form at the bottom of the page to ask your burning questions!

Our CMM expert Steve Cooper answers YOUR questions!

Our CMM expert Steve Cooper answers YOUR questions!

Q: Having followed the manual (or so I thought) to adjust the rear brake on my BMW K1100LT I was left on a dual carriageway with a seized rear brake. At first I felt it

Q: I can’t seem to get electric power to my RD. When I turn the key I get no red or green light on the dash. This started after I hooked a charger to the

1 Locking washers were used in the past to stop nuts and bolts from coming undone, but the modern approach is to use a chemical solution: threadlocker. Do be aware of a few things though.

Having owned my RD400F for 12 years I decided it was time to restore the old girl. After spending a lot of time restoring the parts, one area for real concern was to place the

Go to check/replace your front sprocket, grease the clutch push rod, inspect generator wiring etc. and you’re normally faced with something that looks like valve grinding paste lovingly mixed with a cow pat. And that’s

Q: Hi, I am rebuilding a GL1100 GoldWing it has been stood since 1989 and it is fitted with a Pantera fairing, which I would like to keep on for the period look. Would you

Q: I ran across CMM in a forum and like a parent with a poorly child I turn to you in hopes of saving my nearly-new bike. Don’t ignore me just as it’s ‘new’. I

Q: Hello, I’d appreciate your opinion on the need for coil replacement on my Z650 F1. I’ve recently fitted a Z750E1 engine into my Z650 frame, The bike is running fine but I’m wondering if

1 When separating major engine components, a tap with a soft hammer helps to release the bond between them. If that does not work, don’t automatically use a bigger hammer: you have undone all the

Q: Just to say how much I enjoyed the ‘Why forks fail’, article, but surely the primary cause of forks ending up needing repair work is, in my experience, accidental damage. So, the difficult and

Whenever you replace a wheel spindle make sure it’s greased. As Japanese bikes rarely received lubrication to their axles when new they have a real propensity to corrosion weld themselves to the inner bearing race.

Q: With a cold engine it doesn’t respond to quick throttle openings. There is a bit of a difference once the engine is warm-though from about 55mph upwards, when the throttle is open to accelerate,

Q: Can anyone help me? Do you know what other starter motor will fit this machine as I cannot get one and I’ve tried everywhere. A: This is a Mitsuba motor, identified as 36496 on

Q: Do you know anyone who can check or test CDI units? And what are the obvious symptoms if a CDI unit is faulty? A: The usual symptom for a faulty CDI unit is no

Q: I am trying to find an aftermarket a 4-into-1 complete exhaust system for my 1100WT with no success. Could you tell me if any other models will bolt straight on, maybe a 1200 Bandit

Q: I recently purchased a 1986 GSX R750G. It is a Jap import, but I have read in your magazine that these bike are restricted to 75bhp and it certainly does not feel as quick

How do you determine the correct angle for the handlebar controls? Sit on the bike, extend your fingers in line with your arms and lower your hands on to the grips. The levers should be

Aqua blasting is all the rage at the moment. I’ve been doing it for years at home using a cheap B&Q pressure washer (£25) and a sandblaster pick up lance (eBay £9.99). I used to

Never, ever, take a brake shoe lining for granted. Almost without exception Japanese shoes are fixed to their alloy carriers by adhesive alone; you rarely see rivets used. Eventually dampness, heat and time can and

Q:  I’m getting desperate here on the garage floor with my DT400B twin shock. Over the last two years since I bought it, I’ve tried everything I can think of to stop a nasty chugging

Q: I have two valves out of a classic motorcycle (a Triumph) one and the other are the same size in all respects. The parts book gives a different parts numbers for each valve (inlet