Topic: Classic Motorcycle Mechanics

[fastbroshi]

Has anyone in the US heard of this magazine?  I picked up a copy at Borders.  Pretty cool.  It covers bikes from yesteryear.  It's amazing how similar the Yamahas and Kawasaki's were of the same vintage.

[Bob Wessner]

I ran across a copy at Borders once, and I agree, pretty interesting mag.

[SteveD CB500F]

I get it every month.  It's a must read.

Those of you not in the UK can get it online using their new pdf-like process which delivers the mag to your inbox with searchable index, zoom etc.   I prefer the paper copy and have a pile going back about 5 years.

Check out http://www.classicmechanics.com/

[Jim Shea]

It's a great mag.
On the subject of styling; The new Kawasaki W650 looks just like an early Bonneville. I was told that the Kawasaki was actually designed before the original Bonny but never released? Any comments?

[SteveD CB500F]

Didn't the original Bonny come from the 40's?

[Jim Shea]

I think the very first one was 1959?

[Raul CB750K1]

Has anyone in the US heard of this magazine?  I picked up a copy at Borders.  Pretty cool.  It covers bikes from yesteryear.  It's amazing how similar the Yamahas and Kawasaki's were of the same vintage.

The magazine already existed before you and me were born....


I personally like it more than "Classic Bike" or "The Classic Motorcycle". While these two don't deal much in mechanics and go back to bikes of early XX century, almost exclusively british, C&MM deals with any bike -including japanese and european- and have lot of useful information. I generally buy them out of eBay. The magazine costs about 6 euro in Spain. I can usually buy them on ebay for 2 quid (3 euro) including shipping. Even when the magazines can be up to 10 years old, does it make any difference when they talk about bikes whose production stopped 20 years ago?  ;-)

Raul

[Uncle Ernie]

It's my understanding that the W650 was a rehash/redux/reprisal of a Kawi model iin the late '60s. Some magazines loved it, some hated it. Cycle World thought it was the best Triumph Triumph never made.  Certainly better than the current Bonneviles from England, in my extremely humble opinion.

[mrblasty]

I spotted one in a parking lot a few weeks back and was quite interested in it, someone on the board said that Kawasaki stopped importing it to the U.S

[MikeDeB]

I spotted one in a parking lot a few weeks back and was quite interested in it, someone on the board said that Kawasaki stopped importing it to the U.S

Yep, there were only imported for about 2 years.  I have no idea why they stopped.  I did get to look at one at a dealership once and what a nice bike.

Oh, and yes, I've heard of Classic Motorcycle Mechanics.  I buy it off the newstand whenever I come accross it.  Great mag.