Classic Motorcycle Mechanics

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WIN S-doc cleaning kit and Tamiya kits!

Here is my resto-mod RD500 1GE. It’s reasonably standard but has some changes to make it more usable and fun to ride in the modern world. All changes can be unbolted! It has: Pretech 4 Pot calipers, 300mm Front Brembo discs, Yamaha MT-09 front master cylinder, Race-tech cartridge emulators, Dymag 17in wheels with 120 front and 180 rear shod with Pirelli Supercorsa­s, TSA expansion chambers, paintwork by Mark Cordwell, Nitron rear shock with black spring, Venhill brake lines and a Brembo Rear Disc. I did a lot of the work myself, but needed lots of profession­al help as was by Daz Wood and of available spare time Martin at M E Motorcycle­s of Burtonon-trent did the final build – also a big thank you to lots of other providers like Granby Yamaha, Fowlers of Bristol, Total Blast Services of Coalville, Vapourworx of Newhall, the late Dan Hegarty of RTR Motorcycle­s at Bingham and many more. I was warned that the different wheel and tyre sizes would ruin the handling but in fact the handling is superb by OEM standards and it now feels like a 250 rather than a heavyweigh­t 500. Its handling is now very light with a fast turn in and no signs of instabilit­y. The upgraded brakes give me much more confidence in modern traffic. My plan was to make the bike look standard at first glance and that the changes would not be too noticeable unless the bike was examined closely. This was my first full restoratio­n – hence all the help and more listed above – if I’d known how difficult it was I would never have started the project – so it’s a good job that I didn’t know! Keep up the good work at

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