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.

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Idiots who’d like to be reborn as sentient beings • Allow this lot to chunter on about the bikes they’d like to see make modern comebacks

welcome

A QUESTION OF VALUE • Are the PS classics we worship and crave massively overpriced? No – at least not if you look at what little else your money buys…

specieals we like • And truly international, too: USA via Germany, Japan, and North Carolina, USA

ps mail • Write a letter to The PS and if it's Star Letter material you win some cleaning products. Oxford Products’ products

BAGGER TRICKS • Everyone likes a one-make series, think Yamaha Pro-Am. US bagger racing is a two-make series (Indian and H-D), and about as nuts as motorcycle racing gets – short of a figure of eight destruction derby

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

PS HEROES • French superstar of endurance found his true calling after a season and a half of 250 Grands Prix. He retires as the most successful endurance rider of all time

THE STINK OF EXCELLENCE • The new Langen Two-Stroke channels the spirit of the LC, but with huge sophistication, and high-end build quality. It’s a great thing (for a fortunate few)

SELECTOR CHEAP MODERN NAKEDS • Aprilia RSVTuono, Honda X11, and Kawasaki Z1000 from the early millennium

GENRE REASSIGNMENT • Why is Triumph building a sportsbike from a naked when most manufacturers are doing the opposite? Because the Speed Triple 1200 RR is a brilliant idea

Practical sportsbikes

THE BEAST IS BACK • As a tribute to Steve Burns’ original 1992 Monster Wayne Leach’s updated take is about as close as you can go without it being just a slavish copy

PROJECT HARRIS MAGNUM • The more they delve, the greater the extent of the problems becomes clear. It looks as if the best way to rectify the tubework hackery is to take it back to Harris to rejig

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

SUZUKI GT200 X5 • One of the peppiest, and coolest-looking ultra-lightweights is a prime resto candidate

THE REAL LONG-TERMERS • Once a fan of a big Suzuki, always a fan of a big Suzuki. And now after 18 years and 50,000 miles yer man Maurice is going to stick with his Busa right until the bitter end

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

BARGAINS TO BIMOTA • Bankruptcy to Bimota more like, but never mind let’s press on with Alan’s faltering quest to equip himself (one day) with one of Rimini’s finest

Ask questions first, shoot later • Old Farmer Chris’s old man does his art homework before the spray gun is readied

Title goes down to the wire • Alan was in with a shout of lifting the Ultimate Streetbike Modified Class. This is how it went

Newer not necessarily better • Chris measures his swanky old Ducati 996 against even swankier new ’uns... the Panigales

Pesky, time-burgling Bandit • Sometimes...