1935 Calthorpe Ivory Major

This is a 500cc English bike which was quite popular in the 30’s. This is the sport model with upswept pipes. It has an overheard valve engine with exposed valves. A nice restoration except for the crappy English paint job.This is a 500cc English bike which was quite popular in the 30’s. This is the sport model with upswept pipes. It has an overheard valve engine with exposed valves. A nice restoration except for the crappy English paint job.

YAMAHA 350cc

The RD350 was a motorcycle produced by Yamaha. It evolved from the piston port (pre-reed valve intake tract), front drum-braked, 5 speed Yamaha 350 cc "R5".^[1]

It featured a reliable aircooled, parallel twin, 6 speed (in some markets, such as the UK, the first model was sold in 5-speed form), reed valve equipped intake tract two-stroke engine. Available in either a dark green or brandy red with white and black side details with metal emblem "Yamaha" on the tank RD350 (1973), the RD350A (1974), simple purple tank with "Yamaha" decal on the tank, and the orange with white RD350B (1975). The B model (in the UK at least) also featured a silver and black colour scheme.

All models were equipped with "Autolube" automatic oil injection, relieving the user from the need to mix gasoline and two-stroke oil.^[2]

Rim sizes were 18" WM2 (1.85") front and 18" WM3 (2.15"), both being of chromed, wire spoked steel construction. In the UK, rim sizes were 1.60 front and 1.85 rear.

Brakes were: single front disc brake and a rear drum brake, a combination described by Cycle Magazine as the best in its class.

The frame dimensions of the street 350 were very similar to the famous Yamaha TZ250 and TZ350 series factory road race bikes, differing mainly in weight and front fork rake - the RD being ~27 degrees and the TZ being ~25 degrees. The frames appeared similar, side by side, with the street frame adorned with many brackets for the street equipment. The weight difference was substantial though, with the street going RD frame weighing almost twice as much as the "TZ" roadrace race frame.

The stock bike made about 32 to 35 true rear-wheel HP at about 7500 rpm - very fast for the time. A contemporary of the RD was the Kawasaki H2 750cc Triple, said to make 72 to 75 true HP (tested by Cycle Magazine at 55 bhp).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EBvuv1zcBQE

VINTAGE MOTORCYCLES

The Honda Super Cub debuted in 1958, 10 years after the establishment of Honda Motor Co. Ltd. (The original Honda Cub had been a clip-on bicycle engine). It was decided to keep the name but add the prefix 'Super' for the all-new lightweight machine.

Honda had discovered how to increase the power and efficiency of four-stroke engines by increasing engine speed (RPM). In certain markets, Honda used the slogan You meet the nicest people on a Honda.

In 1964, two larger-engined versions were offered, the CM90 (OHV 87 cc) and C65 (OHC 63 cc) with slight alterations to frame and styling.

Around 1967, the cycle was uprated, the 50 cc engine going from pushrod 4.5 bhp to SOHC 4.9 bhp (a bored-down C65 engine) called the C50, and similarly the 90 cc was redesigned with an OHC engine called the C90. Though the basic design of Cub remained unchanged, new styling and improvements included enclosed front forks. In the 1980s, Honda fitted a new capacitor discharge ignition system (CDI) to replace the earlier contact points ignition, thereby helping to meet emission standards in markets such as the US.