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

Tools of PS • Blunt chisels, claw hammers, and rusty spanners

Contributor of the month

CLAMPDOWN ON CHROME • Health and safety regs will soon be making life tougher for platers and customers. Surprised? No. Not really

specials we like • From the Far East, from Stateside, and Down Underneath too

Hedged tribute to a legend of our times

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

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

TOP 10 750s • The sweetspot for power and handling since the early 1970s, and the cornerstone of production-based racing, 750s remain firm favourites despite the arrival of litrebikes. PS ranks the best from the early days to their 1990s heyday

DECENT ENOUGH, STILL WORTH A MENTION • Good, but not great: five contenders for the top ten, and why they were ruled out

MAXIMUM BOOST • How an ageing 750cc four trounced the all-conquering Ducatis in BSB’s glory years

Ps SELECTOR TW0-STROKE TRAILERS • With money tight for the vast majority of us, a clean DT, KE or TS is a more attractive option than ever. Simple, available, and affordable dual-purpose trailies make perfect sense

POSTER

SWEETER THUNDERACE • This almost madly faithful BSB YZF750 Mackenzie-rep started life as a common or garden Yamaha YZF1000R. Hard to believe, but true

GREAT BRITISH GARAGES • The nation’s home mechanics and bike industry pros reveal their workshop set-ups, their best gear, and top tips

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

HOW TO KEEP IT KLEEN WITH THE DOKTOR • How can you not heed the hard-earned advice of bike valeter Valentino Glossi?

RESTORING SUZUKI KATANA 1000/1100 • A big, old thing, and of its time. And yet still a totally arresting form to behold even today. Fancy one?

PROJECT ZX990 TURBO IN SHAPE TO SHIP OUT • Wiring whiz Ferret foolishly agrees to sort the ZX990… but only once his demands are met

Hamish Renfrew 1976 Laverda 3cE • Over 46 years, with 200,000 miles clocked, this Breganze triple has only been off the road (through a schoolboy error) for three weeks. Yep

LIVING WITH A LAVERDA 3cE

THE MAIN MODS

BARGAINS TO BIMOTA • Alan’s trade-up dream is still (barely) alive as his first buy ZXR400 begins to fight him a little. He gets on top again, but the profit margin is dwindling

The beginning of the endgame • Completion is now just pipes and dyno runs away… it’s only been five years. So, not that long at all

Ploughing on with the Mirage • Old Farmer Chris develops a deep and lasting appreciation of his big green Italian tractor

Stop. Look. And then look again • Wise words for us all. All except MG, that is – done over by a simple factory model year switch

The savage and the saviour • Kat’s rot issues made much worse by Gary’s death wheel ‘skills’. So, The Fengineer saves the day

Breaking bad. Touring good • Doddery old chap shelves plans...