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

BASKET CASES • If you found these in a barn, you’d leave them there

Contributor of the month

PS INVESTIGATES: HOW LONG DOES MODERN FUEL LAST? • Chris has built a special apparatus for this experiment. Because he cares

‘EEE GOT ‘LECTRIC DUCATEEE

MAKE YOUR NR750 STANDOUT

specials we like • ✪ From east, to west, to back east again

Not where you go, it’s what you go on...

ps mail • Write a letter to The PS and if it’s Star Letter material you win a grey T-shirt ‘designed’ by Damo. Who has that?

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

IN YOUR SHED • Part way through a restoration? Just completed a trick special? Send us your pics, and details

GPZ900R REBORN • Take one tidy example of a GPZ900R, hand pick just a few precious AC Sanctuary parts, and then work up the rest in the AC image, but without the eye-watering spend

TAKEN FOR A FUEL • Are we being had over by modern enthanol-rich fuels? Or are they no worse (and maybe even better in some respects) than the stuff we used to get served up?

Brazil’s bioethanol breakaway

SELECTOR 1980’S 750 MUSCLE • Still well under most people’s radar, a mint example of any of these three can be had for £5000. And the good news is the best of the trio is currently the cheapest to buy

STOP, TURN, GO! • The big technical breakthrough that all six MotoGP factories are chasing this year is – once again – turning, because the sooner you get the bike turned the sooner you can get on the throttle

RICH MAN’S STROKERS • Never quite cheaper than chips, exotic 250 two-strokes are now at the champagne and caviar end of the market. And here’s how it happened

POSTER

YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE • Yamaha’s new R7 revives the idea of a middleweight sports roadster – one that didn’t quite catch on with the TRX850 in the 1990s. Will it hit the mark this time?

DUCATI 851/888 • Highly desirable, surprisingly durable, and with a huge network of expertise and spares. Why wouldn’t you?

OUR EXPERTS

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

Phil Penhey 2004 Aprilia SL1000 • Kiwi with a hard-worked, but well-fettled 70,000 mile Falco. Worthwhile mods and religious servicing have kept this Priller in tip-top order

LIVING WITH A APRILIA SL1000 FALCO

ON (AND ON) IT GOES • The Fengineer (and welder) is deployed. Again. Of course he is. Onwards and forwards involves sideways and backwards for the ZX990 this month. And every month

BARGAINS TO BIMOTA • Alan has a dream: an insane reverie of owning a Bimota. Can he make it by trading his way from run-of-the-mill to cock-of-the-walk? (so to speak)

HOW TO THE LOWDOWN ON LOCKWIRE • Safety lockwiring, or wire-locking is the same thing. Whatever you call it, it’s essential prep for race machines, and has its uses on road bikes too

Tale of the Lockwire Snob

The garden of earthly delights • Old Farmer Chris gets the brush-cutter out to reclaim three abandoned ‘70s superbikes

Professionals make it happen • MG sees the light and allows skilled people to...