Motorcycle restoration: The engine

A motorcycle engine is a thing of beauty: A compact mechanical symphony, engineered with precision. And one of the most satisfying jobs during a motorcycle restoration is restoring an engine back to its original glory. That’s what happened this week in E3 Motorcycles’ Brooklyn workshop. Going under the knife is the engine in the Honda CB550 owned by New York agency Woods Witt Dealy & Sons. “The bike arrived with a thin layer of oil covering the cylinder and lower engine,” recalls E3’s David Browning. “It started and ran, but most definitely sounded its age.” In the latest Saturday Sessions...