Mine’s right on track
JOE STANTON
York resident Joe picked up his 1980 Honda CB250RS for just £275. With another bought for spares, the self-taught home mechanic is rebuilding it in a desert racer/flat-track style.
First job with this Honda was to remove all the bodywork. I needed the tank for another RS that I’d crashed, so when I saw a Honda H100 tank for £20 at an autojumble I thought I’d try that. I had to grind off the collars to get it to fit, but once on I thought it looked cool. It’s angular but still has curved edges, with something of an old flat-track look to it.
I went to Laurence at Yokai Motorcycle Engineering in Bolton to get the mudguards. He specialises in lighting and accessories, but fabricated new parts to match the lines of the tank. Once I’ve sorted the wiring harness and got the electrics working I’ll go back to him for the lights, too. There’ll
be a flat-track-style numberboard with a small light behind, and combined brake light and indicators at the rear.
I’ve rebuilt the top end of the engine. It’s been blasted and given a polished bare finish. I’ve used stainless steel for the new spokes in the wheels, which I’ve given black powdercoated hubs and rims.
I’m setting myself up as a wheel builder, and there’s a show in Leeds in July called Motorcycle Social where I’ll have a stand. I want to have the finished Honda there.
There’s another reason to get it sorted. My girlfriend is about to take her bike test, then the CB250RS will be hers – because it was her previous RS that I crashed at Dirtquake last year…