Harris Magnum 2 - Z1OwnersClub GB (2024)

It's a little light on the project activity in here at the moment so thought I'd share what I've been up to over the last year or so. I'm afraid it's not a Z but of the same era and certainly "old skool".

Here's my start point. Photo taken August 2013.

Plan was to turn it back to look completely as it would have done on the Harris marketing materials of the day. The bike came with the original Harris seat unit and I bought an original fairing off an OSS member. Loosely assembled it looked like this

It was then totally stripped. Frame and swinging arm went back to Harris for geometry and crack testing plus a coat of red paint. Motor was stripped, new barrels procured and bored to 1170cc (originals were rusty having sat 19 years in a damp shed) and head to Grumpy 1260 for overhaul. All bodywork sent to Simon at Flying Tiger to repair and paint.

Some of the bodywork came back last Autumn but still waiting on fairing (come on Simon!!) and everything reassembled. A couple of disasters along the way but today it finally turned a wheel in anger and took it's first tentative trip up the road in nearly 4 years

Here's where we are today. Just the fairing to fit when it finally returns and we are done.

Coose wrote:That's just grand! I have a proper hankering for a period Harris...

I might be tempted to part with it once done. I simply cant screw myself in to a small enough shape to get my feet on the pegs. Harris must have used jump jockeys to design the thing back in the day. Certainly not 6ft 50 somethings with a bad back.....

I really dont want this ending up as a trailer queen.

martinz1000r wrote:

Coose wrote:That's just grand! I have a proper hankering for a period Harris...

I might be tempted to part with it once done. I simply cant screw myself in to a small enough shape to get my feet on the pegs. Harris must have used jump jockeys to design the thing back in the day. Certainly not 6ft 50 somethings with a bad back.....

I really dont want this ending up as a trailer queen.

Oh don't... No, actually, do!
(If you do decide to let it go can I please be near the front of the queue?)

KWACKERZ1 wrote:Love the period paint martin straight from the mag2 brochure. Love it bring it out for a play first before you flog it.
You need to take it to its spiritual home. Spa !!

Phil, I am toying with the idea of taking it to Donnington. I will be taking the Croz bike to Spa as it's the only place I don't have to worry about noise restrictions

That looks fantastic Martin, can't wait to see it with the fairing fitted.

Could you fit/fabricate some alternative rearsets?

# 104

Phil Churchett Award Winner 2011 & 2016
Buzzworkz Best Modified Zed 2016

Had to drop my r/sets about 60mm.....and also swapped the clip-ons for some nice flat bars. After riding up to the ACE last Easter, my elbows were painful for a few days afterwards?

BEFORE

AFTER

It really made a massive difference to the bike (& me) so I could actually ride it and more importantly, enjoy the bike

At risk of sounding like one of the rivet counters I usually groan at the desire on this was to keep it as close to the Harris parts catalogue of 1983 as I possibly could (where did that Koso speedo feature???). I would really like to keep those Harris pegs as they are rare.

Based on a discussion on OSS at the moment Harris apparently borrowed a gibbon from Whipsnade Zoo to help with designing rider ergonomics. That's why you can only fit on one if you have inside leg of less than 24 inches but arms that allow your knuckles to drag on the ground as you walk to be able to reach across the tank to the clip ons.

If I really cant squeeze myself in to it then new rearsets might appear and the Harris pegs will go in a box for if and when it ever gets rolled out for show pony duties.