Restorers Reference

Reference Pictures

Reference Picture Series
by
Graham Curtis

Click on Thumbnail for bigger picture

This is the beginnings of a complete series of pictures. More will follow. If you are interested in a particular model, I may already have pictures of full bikes and specific details. If you would like a copy of pictures taken by me in Mechanics, please contact by clicking on the link above. Even the larger pictures are shown in drastically reduced quality to enable them to fit on these pages. The original scans are 20-25 Mbytes. If you need high quality details to help with a restoration, each photgraph is available as a high quality glossy print on A4 paper. Prices start at £5 for single copies.

Suzuki AS50 1969

Andy Baldwin's gorgeous little 50cc Suzuki is typical of the machine on which the Japanese built their reputation.

The disc valve single cylinder two stroke screamed out 4.9 bhp at 8500 rpm, which was sufficient for well over 50 mph. When tested by Motorcycle Mechanics in 1969 114 mpg was achieved but the tester claimed of poor lights and lack of pillion space!

1977 Honda CB400F2 (4 Cyl 408cc, 37 bhp @ 8500)

Based upon the 350 four, early models of Hondas first Euro-Sportster were designated CB400F and came with pillion footrests mounted on the swinging arm. The sweeping four into one exhaust is either loved or loathed, but certainly gives the machine a look of its own.

The 'F1' got proper pillion footrests and gained a few other developments, such as longer cylinder studs to improve oil-tightness of the 37bhp engine.

The 'F2' was the last model in the range and added fancy paint work to the earlier improvements. Popular with female riders because of its diminutive size, the 400F could top 104mph and could manage a healthy 60 mpg. This restored bike is standard apart from stainless steel fasteners, front fork gaiters and Hagon rear shock absorbers.

Honda CB 550F
The Honda CB550F was born in 1975 out of the success of two earlier Honda models. The Mechanics of the model were inherited from the successful CB500, while the style was transferred from the ground-breaking CB400F. As is often the case the 'sporty' CB550 was actually heavier than the 'touring' CB500 and still produced a claimed 50 bhp but 1000 rpm lower at 8000. Garry Derland's CB550F is ex US air force and took 3 1/2 years to restore.

1969 Honda CB750
It is somehow reassuring to note that even the mighty Honda entered the 'big bike' market with some trepidation. Chris Rushden's early CB750 (sometimes erroneously referred to as K0) is a very early bike, built with sand-cast crankcases where later models are built with die-cast cases. Die-casting is very expensive to tool up for, so you need to be certain that you are going to sell high volumes to recoup the cost. With almost British reserve, Honda were holding back until they were quite certain of the market.

In 1969 Honda UK planned to import an initial batch of 12 CB750's, then aim for 100 per year. Prudent measures, considering the poor selling Black Bomber CB450. As it turned out, the 736cc (61 x 63) 67bhp superbike sold the world over and spawned a whole raft of four cylinder Japanese and even Italian lookalikes.

Imported from the USA, Chris prefers to describe his CB750 as 'renovated' rather than restored. With modern tyres fitted, he likes to use it.

1972 Kawasaki H2 750

Introduced in 1972 the awesome 748cc (71x63) H2 took testers' breath away with its performance. At a comparatively lazy 6,800 rpm the air-cooled two-stroke triple, breathing through three 32mm Mikuni carburettors, produced 74 bhp. When used as intended, the low-twenties fuel consumption could see off the 18 litre tankful of fuel in less than 100 miles, but the thrill of 0-100 mph in 13 seconds was what most owners bought the manic 750 for.

Acquired by Craig Hadfield from a School friend in the USA who owned the bike from new, this H2 took four years to restore. Essential to those H2 owners who could keep the front wheel on the ground is Kawasaki's optional twin 203mm front disc setup.

1976 Honda TL125S

Owned and restored over a period of five years by Ed Chapman, this example of the 125cc OHC four stroke single introduced in 1972 used the SL125 engine in a much slimmed down package. The little bike weighed in at just 202Ibs and the 56 x 49.5 engine was tuned to deliver 8 bhp @ 8000 rpm compared with the roadster CB125S 12.0 bhp @ 9000.

Yamaha YDS3C
Brian McDonough's YDS3C was imported from the USA and given the full restoration treatment. The high-piped version of the roadster YDS3 produced around 28 bhp from its piston-ported 56x50mm dimensions. Breathing through a pair of Mikuni VM24 carburettors, maximum power was produced at 8000 rpm and the bike weighs in at 348 lbs.

Kawasaki Z650

Adverts of the day claimed that the 64 bhp DOHC 652cc inline four would beat any existing 750 straight out of the crate when it was launched in October 1976.

After the fast but poor handling Z1, the Z650 was a revelation. With a top speed around 120mph it won over many riders looking for as usable middleweight. Phil Cobb's Z650 B2 was bought as a clean US import and is painted as a B1 model.

1971 Kawaski W1
Phil Klawsuc's Kawasaki W1 is a machine which fuelled accusations of the Japanese copying British designs. While the W1's 624cc engine is a dead ringer for BSA's 1950's A10 unit. It even kept the right-side gearchange, which succeeded in confusing our US cousins. Claimed power was 53bhp @ 5500 rpm which was sufficient to push the 440 lb machine along at 115mph.

While the cyle parts were thoroughly modern they could do nothing to disguise the engine's 1950's vertical-twin origins. Kawaski soon forged ahead of their bought-in Meguro beginnings and built original classics like the Z1.

Reference Picture Series
by
Graham Curtis

Click on Thumbnail for bigger picture

This is the beginnings of a complete series of pictures. More will follow. If you are interested in a particular model, I may already have pictures of full bikes and specific details. If you would like a copy of pictures taken by me in Mechanics, please contact by clicking on the link above. Even the larger pictures are shown in drastically reduced quality to enable them to fit on these pages. The original scans are 20-25 Mbytes. If you need high quality details to help with a restoration, each photgraph is available as a high quality glossy print on A4 paper. Prices start at £5 for single copies.
	Suzuki AS50 1969 Andy Baldwin's gorgeous little 50cc Suzuki is typical of the machine on which the Japanese built their reputation. The disc valve single cylinder two stroke screamed out 4.9 bhp at 8500 rpm, which was sufficient for well over 50 mph. When tested by Motorcycle Mechanics in 1969 114 mpg was achieved but the tester claimed of poor lights and lack of pillion space!
	1977 Honda CB400F2 (4 Cyl 408cc, 37 bhp @ 8500) Based upon the 350 four, early models of Hondas first Euro-Sportster were designated CB400F and came with pillion footrests mounted on the swinging arm. The sweeping four into one exhaust is either loved or loathed, but certainly gives the machine a look of its own. The 'F1' got proper pillion footrests and gained a few other developments, such as longer cylinder studs to improve oil-tightness of the 37bhp engine. The 'F2' was the last model in the range and added fancy paint work to the earlier improvements. Popular with female riders because of its diminutive size, the 400F could top 104mph and could manage a healthy 60 mpg. This restored bike is standard apart from stainless steel fasteners, front fork gaiters and Hagon rear shock absorbers.
	Honda CB 550F The Honda CB550F was born in 1975 out of the success of two earlier Honda models. The Mechanics of the model were inherited from the successful CB500, while the style was transferred from the ground-breaking CB400F. As is often the case the 'sporty' CB550 was actually heavier than the 'touring' CB500 and still produced a claimed 50 bhp but 1000 rpm lower at 8000. Garry Derland's CB550F is ex US air force and took 3 1/2 years to restore.
	1969 Honda CB750 It is somehow reassuring to note that even the mighty Honda entered the 'big bike' market with some trepidation. Chris Rushden's early CB750 (sometimes erroneously referred to as K0) is a very early bike, built with sand-cast crankcases where later models are built with die-cast cases. Die-casting is very expensive to tool up for, so you need to be certain that you are going to sell high volumes to recoup the cost. With almost British reserve, Honda were holding back until they were quite certain of the market. In 1969 Honda UK planned to import an initial batch of 12 CB750's, then aim for 100 per year. Prudent measures, considering the poor selling Black Bomber CB450. As it turned out, the 736cc (61 x 63) 67bhp superbike sold the world over and spawned a whole raft of four cylinder Japanese and even Italian lookalikes. Imported from the USA, Chris prefers to describe his CB750 as 'renovated' rather than restored. With modern tyres fitted, he likes to use it.
	1972 Kawasaki H2 750 Introduced in 1972 the awesome 748cc (71x63) H2 took testers' breath away with its performance. At a comparatively lazy 6,800 rpm the air-cooled two-stroke triple, breathing through three 32mm Mikuni carburettors, produced 74 bhp. When used as intended, the low-twenties fuel consumption could see off the 18 litre tankful of fuel in less than 100 miles, but the thrill of 0-100 mph in 13 seconds was what most owners bought the manic 750 for. Acquired by Craig Hadfield from a School friend in the USA who owned the bike from new, this H2 took four years to restore. Essential to those H2 owners who could keep the front wheel on the ground is Kawasaki's optional twin 203mm front disc setup.
	1976 Honda TL125S Owned and restored over a period of five years by Ed Chapman, this example of the 125cc OHC four stroke single introduced in 1972 used the SL125 engine in a much slimmed down package. The little bike weighed in at just 202Ibs and the 56 x 49.5 engine was tuned to deliver 8 bhp @ 8000 rpm compared with the roadster CB125S 12.0 bhp @ 9000.
	Yamaha YDS3C Brian McDonough's YDS3C was imported from the USA and given the full restoration treatment. The high-piped version of the roadster YDS3 produced around 28 bhp from its piston-ported 56x50mm dimensions. Breathing through a pair of Mikuni VM24 carburettors, maximum power was produced at 8000 rpm and the bike weighs in at 348 lbs.
	Kawasaki Z650 Adverts of the day claimed that the 64 bhp DOHC 652cc inline four would beat any existing 750 straight out of the crate when it was launched in October 1976. After the fast but poor handling Z1, the Z650 was a revelation. With a top speed around 120mph it won over many riders looking for as usable middleweight. Phil Cobb's Z650 B2 was bought as a clean US import and is painted as a B1 model.
	1971 Kawaski W1 Phil Klawsuc's Kawasaki W1 is a machine which fuelled accusations of the Japanese copying British designs. While the W1's 624cc engine is a dead ringer for BSA's 1950's A10 unit. It even kept the right-side gearchange, which succeeded in confusing our US cousins. Claimed power was 53bhp @ 5500 rpm which was sufficient to push the 440 lb machine along at 115mph. While the cyle parts were thoroughly modern they could do nothing to disguise the engine's 1950's vertical-twin origins. Kawaski soon forged ahead of their bought-in Meguro beginnings and built original classics like the Z1.

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