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WIN S-DOC chain cleaner! Win Tamiya kit for ‘The Way We Were’!

I picked up a copy of the December 2018 issue of Classic Motorcycle Mechanics because of the bike on the front cover, the Yamaha TZR250. A month or so before this I’d bought its ‘mini-me’ version, a 1994 Yamaha TZM50R. The TZM50R is a three-quarter size version of the TZR250. They are known as ‘Gag’ bikes in Japan; tribute bikes built to celebrate their manufacturer’s prize-winning sports bikes. The bike wasn’t in great shape when I bought it. It had been raced, so much of the original bike had been binned in the quest to reduce weight and an aftermarket exhaust had been fitted to increase the measly amount of power (they had around 10hp). Gearing was also a country mile from stock. It had no ECU, no original wiring loom, no lights, no speedo, no side-stand, cracked fairings, damaged screen, bent leaking forks, the list goes on and on. Due to its rarity (even in Japan they are rare), I wanted to get the bike back to road legal condition and set about its restoration. However, I wasn’t prepared for the cost of the parts for this bike. Most parts were available from Japan, but I ended up forking out over four times the cost of the bike in parts, the total cost of the bike and parts coming to over £5000. I had to make up some new stickers for the fairings as these were no longer available new or aftermarket, jobs like this took the longest. Even the anti-vibration foam panel that sits over the rev counter I had to replicate. I did a few subtle upgrades such as the floating front disc, titanium fasteners, titanium caliper pistons, and an ITG air-filter. I’ve kept it on pre-mix rather than refitting the OMP and run it on Klotz oil, but have all the original bits to go back on it now. It’s the first bike I’ve ever owned or restored and it turned out way better than I expected. It now sits in pride of place in my garage alongside my latest acquisition, a 1992 Honda NSR50, the mini-me version of the legendary NSR250. The Honda I imported myself from Japan and is 100% original and mint. All that this bike needed were new fork seals and a tank of gas. Both bikes are surprisingly quick and have all the features of their bigger brethren including water-cooling, electric start (NSR is kick-start), six-speed gearbox, and dual piston calipers. They are both currently taxed, MOT’D, and ready to hit the road once Boris gives us the all clear!