Expectation management
On the assumption that this column hasn’t managed to dissuade you from the concept of owning an older Japanese bike this month’s subject matter will either make or break. We’re talking about whether to go for a full restoration or a damn good clean and fettle. Obviously the choice is yours but here’s the inside line. You, the aspirant classic owner, really needs to decide now what your first Japanese classic is for. Is this to be a bike to ride and enjoy, is it simply to grab back a slice of your youth or are you genuinely, honestly committed to a full blown restoration? Ultimately there is no right or wrong answer but knowing what you want to achieve before you begin is going dictate the route you take and the financial commitment required.
If your current ride is a modernish sports bike and you’d like to sample something of similar ilk then it really is an easy fix. As an example, if an R1 or R6 is your daily poison then hunt down a Yamaha YZF750 which is effectively the granddaddy of Yamaha’s modern sport bike. For not much money you’ll find a tidy example that’ll need just a modicum of work yet will be relatively simple to fix. Reckon on a fork rebuild just to be sure all’s well, a check or refurb of the rear shock linkages, a full fluids change and a service. Unless the target bike is a rusting mess then the only other possible issue may just be a service of the EXUP exhaust valve system. From this you’ll take away a sense of satisfaction via doing most of the jobs yourself and will have been blooded into the world of old(er) bikes. For a modest outlay you’ll have something that falls under the heading of Modern Classic yet it’ll still have some redolence and relevance to your current bike… even though it’ll be a fair bit slower.
At the other end of the spectrum there’s the full restoration of something that’ll currently have Total Hound status. Know before you even part with your cash that you are extremely unlikely to ever get your money back on this sort of machine. However, for many classic enthusiasts such considerations are not even secondary. The pleasures are derived from find the bike, hunting down the parts, stripping the carcass and gradually renovating and restoring what many would see as scrap.
Trust me on this; there are few better feelings in the world of old bikes than firing up one that you’ve rescued from the pervasive disease that is recycling for recycling’s sake. The first catch of the engine, the sound of a previously mute exhaust, the smell of the oil and grease… it’s a huge buzz. However, we’re running away with ourselves here because there’s one very important decision that hasn’t been made so far. To what level are you going to restore this motorcycle?
The classic motorcycle press and its agents (guilty as charged – sorry!) tend to bang on about old bikes restored from rusty wrecks in cold leaking sheds to show-winning standards. This is, in all honesty, bordering on total rubbish! There, it’s been said, in print, here. Most of the classic motorcycles that have, are, or will be restored won’t win a show. If that’s your aim may I suggest you think extremely carefully before committing to such a concept?
The standards at most of the large shows are now so high that it’s been nigh on impossible for a greenhorn to get an award. And the reason is simply down to the mathematics. Take a large show of say 750 classic motorcycles which attracts the best restorers and