This is a new section dedicated to Bikes currently under restoration by Members. - Watch this space.

Stevie B - Honda CB200 Benly

The tank is now down to bare metal, ready for painting.

The 200cc Benly was bought to commute some three miles from my Living Quarter in Larkhill Garrison to Fargo Ammunition Depot out on Sailsbury Plain.
It was purchased for £100 way back in the summer of 1992. It was in quite good nick and a good runner. During a holiday period my son and I stripped the bike down. and gave it a good licking of black Hammerite on the frame work,

WE also  managed to source some brand new original Honda front & rear mudguards. These where purchased from a poor bloke living in Sailsbury who had the intentions of putting them on to his cherished steed until the wife got the better of him.
They where quickly fitted to my Benly, a service of some kind was administered and then bike and son were off to Bournmouth.

Time passed and I left the Army to find myself being self employed running a family Business as a Newsagents/General Dealers. Time was precious and more or less put biking in the background. My eldest son started work and required transport so I more or less gave him the Benly.

Then one fine day the front wheel was up the arse end of a Range Rover, the Range Rover winning with only minor injuries, the Benly loosing, with injuries only the Orange County boys could possibly fix.

Years passed, we moved houses twice, the Benly  followed in true loyal style. With the build of a new garage, and a new Triumph Sprint, it was time to get things going with the Benly. First I had to source another Benly as front end damage was excessive. New forks, headlamp indicators just to mention a few were in need of replacement. I managed to find one, it was a runner and all that was damaged on the original Benly was in a good state. First job was get the front end fixed this was done.
Then things slowed down to a bit of polishing on engine blocks and the likes of re painting the frame work. Lots of parts have being re chromed thanks to Ronnie from Donnie and his work mate who knows a man who knows a man.

All that needs to be done now is a re spray to petrol tank, side panels, headlight and fork shrouds. This would already be done, if it were not for all the rallies, racing events and many ride outs that are a must to modern day biking,

I simply can not afford to get a re spray, so if any body knows a man who can do it without me having forego any of the events mentioned it will be gratefully appreciated.   Really it’s the price of the re spray that’s holding me up and hopefully the simple task of getting it running again, after that no problems. So here is to the possibilities of another decade of a bike in the garage saga???

Oh by the way the date to press is Aug 08 (might have to start doing the lottery???)

Kev - Kawasaki VN1500 Drifter

Restoration.

Think about that single word for a second.

Restoration.

What does it conjure up? For me, its old fellas with beards working in a shed on an old, old British motorbike (or car) desperately trying to make it look like one day it will move again. Going to endless auto jumbles trying to find that elusive part, then realising it is going to cost more than 50p!

But isn’t that the fun?

Now, I don’t have a garage, just a knackered old shed, a half-decent toolbox and a fair bit of enthusiasm. But is this enough to tackle a restoration job?

I bought a Kawasaki Vulcan 1500 Drifter from a chap in Lincolnshire off e-Bay. Nice bloke.  He wanted to get rid of it because he wanted to make a trike. I always wanted a Drifter after seeing one at the Farmyard rally back in 2005. After a tense auction the beast was mine.  It is only a 2001 model and I thought I was getting a bargain.

I rode the bike back to Middlesbrough on probably the coldest night of the year. She ran like a dream!  A bit thirsty on the fuel (it has a Kuryakin Hypercharger fitted) but it was a great riding position and the trip soon went quickly.  That evening was spent having a nice pint with my mate Noel discussing my latest purchase.

After a few days I started to see what I had bought. Mechanically the bike was excellent, with some problems with it starting (which I put down to it being a big V-Twin) and an unbelievable loud exhaust.  The issue I had was with the large number of skulls (eh?) and the “custom” paint job. He must have got some black spray from Halfords and went to town. The indicators didn’t match either (different front and back) and with other cosmetic touches I decided to make this bike my own.

After a small search I found a paint sprayer who was keen to get into the custom bike world. After a short discussion and an excellent quote I decided to remove the custom paint.

The reason for the excellent quote is that I would strip the bike down and take the parts into him.  Easy? Well, you would think so, and it was going really well, until I wanted to remove the front fender. The nightmare of a sheared bolt really knarked me off but thanks to Capers was quickly resolved. All is required now is to get the tins down to the painter and get the brightwork done.

I am not going to throw chrome at it (not like our very own Chromo) but I am going to replace some things.  Indicators, floorboards, crashbars, highway pegs, windscreen and rear light assembly should have the bike looking as good (or better) than new. I will also need to put new baffles in as the ones which came with the bike are shot. Maybe new spark plugs will help with the starting issues?  Some new leather accessories might also be in order.

So what colour am I going with?  Well, you will have to wait and see!

Stevie G - Honda CB750 F2 1977