PLANET MECHANIC

What’s the secret of a successful restoration project?

“If it’s not a bike you already own, so you’ve got no emotional attachment to it, make sure you start with a runner. Ideally it will be in good enough nick that you can get it back on the road as it is. That way you’ll get a feel for it and know whether it just needs a new saddle or a complete suspension strip and rebuild. “A lot of the bikes you’ll see will have been stored, often poorly, for years, but it should idle happily. If it doesn’t the carbs probably need a full strip and clean, and no, an ultrasonic bath is not enough. But poor running could also indicate that a valve has been

‘Going into an engine feels a bit like you are on Time Team’

open in a damp garage for 20 years and you are going to have to budget for a cylinder head strip at the very least. “Going into an engine feels a bit like you are on Time Team, as the last person to see its guts was probably a young bloke from Hamamatsu. But if it’s a twostroke, it could have been a home-tuner who has given it a squish band tighter than a Rizla paper and taken a Dremmel to the ports so it’s got a powerband as wide as a ‘chocolate mouse’s cock’ (copyright: Barry Sheene). Another reason why a runner is the best starting point. “Spares can be an issue; Suzuki are best, followed by Yamaha, Kawasaki and Honda, so get a parts book for research. You won’t make a fortune restoring a bike, but you’ll get a lot of satisfaction.”