Practical Sportsbikes

Practical Sportsbikes magazine is about buying, fixing, restoring and riding sportsbikes from the 1970s, ’80s and ’90s. Every issue of PS – the magazine home of new-wave Japanese and Italian classics – is packed with: - The most inspiring and ingenious reader restorations - The most in-depth road tests and buyers’ guides - Unmissable workshop tips and how-to features Practical Sportsbikes gets under the skin of the bikes that really matter to our readers and explains how best to maintain, rebuild and enjoy them. So if you’re in to sportsbikes from the 1970-1990s, PS is essential reading.

Welcome

Seriously out there • Let loose solo and unaccompanied. Mercy...

Jim Lindsay 1954-2021 • Motorcycle magazine mover, and irrepressible two-wheel fanatic, is no more

Triumph and Yamaha plan electric lumps

New GSX-S thou’

specials we like • ✪ From way out Tokyo way, the biggest of big fours in an HB stylee✪...and a PS reader is hard to please

ps mail • Write a letter to The PS and if it’s Star Letter material you win a full year’s subscription to the very same. Aye

PSPB social club • Bikes and goings-on from our Facebook group

IN YOUR SHED

WINNING FORMULA • Laverda’s last ditch Formula 668 from the mid-1990s was a very capable chassis simply crying out for a decent engine. And it’s found one, at last

ps SELECTOR NOUGHTIES 1000s • Before electronic interference became the norm, these were the biggest, baddest sportsbikes around. Which one of these litre beasts still has the most bite?

“I knew it was time to design my own bike… so I sold the house” • The PS meets the man who’s risking it all to build one last, brand-new, road-going two-stroke

SPORTY ROAD TYRE TEST • We’ve tested them all, so you don’t have to. None are bad, but there are clear-cut winners

UNWELCOME DEVELOPMENTS • The Speed Triple is no longer carving its own nudist niche – so now it has all new running gear to take on the Euro supernakeds. Sadly, it hasn’t worked out

Upgrade time • Rutter’s Bathams Racing crew (ie Alec) gets underneath the 2021 homologation special BMW to see what it’s got. He’s impressed

Practical sportsbikes

SPORTY ROAD TYRE TEST • Safe in the cold and wet, yet sticky enough to give it big licks at the height of summer, these are the ideal tyres for spirited riding on performance-oriented bikes

1989-1995 YAMAHA FZR600 • Sharp chassis, durable engine with notably punchy midrange, and prices are still low. Do it. Do it now

Mille muddle

OUR EXPERTS

What’s the problem? • Bike not running right? Our experts have the answers to the toughest questions

HOW TO USE AN ULTRASONIC CLEANER • Good ones are expensive, but then so are most things that are actually any good. This is the proper procedure for cleaning carburettors. Pay attention, now

THE REAL LONG-TERMERS • Bought new in 1989, Kevin’s 3AJ XT now has 189,000 miles on it – hard, hard miles

LIVING WITH AN XT600/XTZ600

PROJECT ZX990 TURBO EXCUSES • The dog ate his top yoke, he left the shock on the bus… and we’re still only on Part 23. God, give us strength

Duane Gray • Sea containers are the secure, sensible choice for anyone after a decent space on a tight budget

5 Duane’s favourite tools… • A fine array of faves: the dB meter to avoid trackday noise aggro is a belter for around fifteen quid

It’s not all about big numbers • Although bigger numbers would be nice. Just get the best you can from what you’ve got

Go big to go faster • Simple matter of a final-drive ratio change makes a huge difference to the performance of this cherished relic

Getting locked-down • Nu-G fits a lock-up clutch to his Cretaceous Period drag...