ClassicMotorcycleMechanicsJune2020

(Jacob Rumans) #1

I


t’soneofthemain
determinantsofhowproper
abikeryouare.
Whathappensinwinter
mate?IsitintotheHyundai
i 30 ,heatedseatson,withyourfancy
velocipedeserviced,washed,driedand
coveredupinyourmancave-specgarage?
Or,areyouhardercorethanthouall
throughthedarknightsandsaltyasphalt?
Commutingbrightandearlyevery
morning,rinsingthesaltoffatnight,
crankingupyourScottoilerandbreaking
outtheKeiseheatedvestandwinter
gauntlets?Likemostofus,I’msomewhere
inbetween.
BeingfromScotland,myfirstdecadeof
ridingwascarriedoutunderfrankly‘shyte’
conditions(that’saScottishterm!).I
vividlyrememberwearingSIXpairsof

trousers(threepairsoflongjohns,leather
trousers,combattrousers,waterproofson
top)in 1991 whileworkingasacourierin
aGlasgowwinter.
Workingasabikejournalistfor 25
yearsmeansI’vehadsomemiserable
times,too:donningventedone-piece
leathersforhigh-speedrunsdowna
barely-above-freezingBruntingthorpebeing
aparticularhighlight.
Nowadays,I’mluckyenoughtohaveall
thekitneededforalongwinterride–
heatedgear,thermals,AlpinestarsGoreTex
suit,theworks,andwouldbefineifI
suddenlyhadtoridetotheArcticCircle.
ButI’llnothesitatetotakethecaroutif
needed,andeventhoughmygarageis
mostlydryandwarm,mysofainmahoose
ismuchmoreappealingonadarkand
stormyJanuarynight.

Freshfromwinterhibernation,Al’sprojectFazer 600
finallymakesittotheMoTstation.Buthowdoesitget
on?Andwillhegurninthisepisode?

Projec tYamahaFZS600Fazer part 6 W


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Boxing clever!


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YESHEDIDIT!Hepulledamassive
gurn!Oh,andthebikepasseditsMoT.

84 /classicmotorcyclemechanics


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