For those who like old Motorcycles.

[MrWolf]

Polishing those carbs up creates a polishers nightmare. That zinc alloy doesn't like being polished and doesn't stay shiny for long, unless he's had them lacquered? Originally those carbs were painted aluminium silver to stop corrosion, but it soon fell off. I like to keep bikes clean and original looking and a lot of those stainless fasteners don't stay tightened up because they're the wrong grade.

Fitting a stainless nut onto say an EN16T wheel spindle is asking for the threads to bind up.

Shiny is good, shiny and genuinely rideable is much better.

[PupCam]

 

On 25/09/2023 at 17:27, spikey said:

And talking of prices, I've been noseying round various Facebook old Brit bike groups and there's been much shaking of head in wonder here at the prices being bandied about for old iron that would have changed hands for a tenner if you were lucky in the 1960s.

 

I think most bike prices have taken a significant dive recently.   Most of the prices I saw at the recent Silverstone Auction held at Shuttleworth (Old Warden) seemed very modest and a friend who always used to claim to be a "Collector" rather than a trader although he definitely is  a trader according to what I think is the official definition has been wittering on about how depressed prices have been over recent months.

 

On 05/10/2023 at 23:04, Northmoor said:

But @2mmMark makes an excellent point about the number of perfectly serviceable vehicles probably being scrapped unnecessarily, just like the last government scrappage scheme did.  Now THAT was a spectacular waste of taxpayers money, or as I call it, MY money.

 

And of course the carbon cost has already been realised and banked unlike that of any future vehicle including a so called green EV.  The previous "cost" cannot be undone but shouldn't be wasted by early and completely unnecessary disposal.

 

On 06/10/2023 at 11:10, Kickstart said:

Oxides of nitrogen are greatly caused by combustion temperature, and a lean mixture greatly increases that.

 

And as modern vehicles are all lean-burn presumably that is the reason NOX has become an issue when it wasn't previously?

 

On 06/10/2023 at 17:26, spikey said:

Couldn't help having a good gawp at a rebuilt A65 in town this morning .  Somebody must have spent an inordinate amount of money having it blasted, polished and generally tarted up.  

 

Not only have I never seen Amal monoblocs polished before, but it's also never occurred to me that anyone might do that.  Surely if they'd gone a bit manky over the years, all it would have taken to restore the nice original finish is blasting with the appropriate medium, of which there seems to be a vast choice nowadays.

 

I can confirm that a quick blast of Ali and its alloys does a pretty fine job of making a half decent finish.     The dummy Smiths Chronometric gearbox I made for the BSA out of Ali turnings Alutited together were turned into a reasonably fine rendition of a casting by a quick blast.

 

 

 

 

As I mentioned the other day on ER I thought the collection deserved an airing  particularly as it had recently succumbed to the "What is the correct number (X) of bikes to own?" formula:

 

     X  = N + 1     where N is the number you currently own.

 

 

 

Drat!     N has just increased to 3 and there's no more room in the garage!

 

Oh well.

 

Alan

 

 

Edited October 10, 2023 by PupCam
Too many "other days"

[Kickstart]

16 minutes ago, PupCam said:

And as modern vehicles are all lean-burn presumably that is the reason NOX has become an issue when it wasn't previously?

 

 

Drat!     N has just increased to 3 and there's no more room in the garage!

 

 

 

NOx can be fixed with a catalytic converter relatively easily (and other tricks), but vehicles have got ever cleaner. Even in the late 1990s there was a story that Saabs emitted cleaner air from the exhaust in London than they took into the engine!

 

No space in the garage, but is there space for a shed?

 

All the best

 

Katy

[PupCam]

1 hour ago, Kickstart said:

No space in the garage, but is there space for a shed?

 

Well, now that you mention it 🤣

[TheSignalEngineer]

A few interestring machines parked up outside the cafe at Rivington today as I cycled through the car park.

First I came to was a1963 Velocette Vouge.

Heavy, underpowered fibreglass version of the Noddy Bike which never lived up to its name. 0-60 if you were lucky and had a long enough downhill run.

 

Ignoring the Norton Dominator as it was not in a position to photograph, just around the corner was this Francis Barnett

 

And immediately past that a Dot which I believe is a Mancunian,

 

[MrWolf]

Nice spot! I hadn't seen a Vogue for years and then came across three parked up in Skipton a couple of years back. The engine always reminds me of the IFA flat twin from the early fifties.

The Francis Barnett looks like a mid fifties Falcon. I had a rigid frame one when I was in my teens, wish I still had it, it cost me £40 and came with two free tea chests!

I think that you're right on with the DOT, it looks like a Mancunian from about 1957. It should have a green painted front mudguard with side valances.

 

Old Bike Mart.

Edited October 29, 2023 by MrWolf
Picture

[spikey]

7 hours ago, MrWolf said:

... I had a rigid frame one when I was in my teens, wish I still had it, it cost me £40 and came with two free tea chests!

 

I should think it did at that price!  Anyhow ...

 

Q "What's the difference between a Villiers 9E engine and a 10E?"  A "Ten degrees 🙂"

 

I think I only ever saw a horrible Vogue the once.  What on earth were they smoking in Hall Green when they designed it?

[MrWolf]

Probably inhaled the fumes from making the engine cover for the Valiant?

 

[Sidecar Racer]

[Kickstart]

Hiya

 

FZ750 now almost completely stripped down.

Still can't get the r/h footrest hanger off. Turns out the bolt is seized to the bush in the footrest hanger (the hanger itself has a pair of rubber bushes, with a steel bush in the middle of them - these rubber bushes are not available as seperate pieces). Probably going to have to drill the bolts out.

 

Front engine mounting bolt is stuck in the engine on one side. It goes through 2 part of the engine casing, and is stuck on the side furthest from the bolt head. If I put a breaker bar on the bolt I can see it twist along its length. It is only an M8 bolt and I am unwilling to try putting more force on it as I will likely snap it. Probably keep putting penetrating oil on it for a bit before I try again (neither heat nor penetrating oil has done the job yet).

Undecided how far to strip the engine. I will take off the head and barrels to refinish them, but not sure whether to split the crankcases as then I wouldn't know where to stop with replacing bearings, etc. After I washed the engine I got rid of the water, then connected a battery to the starter and cranked it over to clean out any left, then a bit of WD40 down the intakes and repeated a few times.

 

Forks have been dropped off for rechroming.

 

Brake disks are being their standard pain to undo. Despite only putting 3 bolts on each to hold them on for storage, it seems I used Loctite........ So blow torch time.

 

One of the rear linkage pieces is a pin, and both the ones I have are damaged (the heads of the pins have chunks missing). No longer available from Yamaha, but found a new old stock one on Ebay in the USA so ordered that. Bearings all see ok and the swinging arm and one link have cleaned up nicely. Other link is cast iron it appears and while it would be easy to blast clean it would also wreck the needle bearings which are more expensive that they should be - I might just clean it with a wire brush on the Dremel and then mask and paint it.

 

While I have never noticed it when riding, seems the r/h handlebar is slightly bent. Hopefully I can find someone with a press and the skill to straighten it. Annoyingly, despite the bar obviously being made from 2 pieces I cannot see how to seperate them.

 

The chain protector on the swinging arm is very rotten. I have designed a copy to 3D print. The master seem almost right and I have done some tweaks, but not yet checked the updated one is fixed. If it works OK I will make a mould and cast a copy in polyurothane.

 

All the best

 

Katy

[MrWolf]

On 24/10/2023 at 08:55, spikey said:

 

I should think it did at that price!  Anyhow ...

 

Q "What's the difference between a Villiers 9E engine and a 10E?"  A "Ten degrees 🙂"

 

I think I only ever saw a horrible Vogue the once.  What on earth were they smoking in Hall Green when they designed it?

 

£40 seemed like an absolute fortune for as dismantled Villiers powered bike when I was 14, but I have seen very few since, I expect you would have to go to a pre '65 trials event or more likely seek out someone's extensive but never used bike collection.

 

The Vogue is very much an outsider, even among Velo fans, but I think that they should be preserved and used as they're every bit as much a part of motorcycle history as Gold Stars and Z900s.

 

We lost far too many British lightweight motorcycles to the scrap heaps during the vanity registration number obsession of the 80s and 90s.

[MrWolf]

1 hour ago, Kickstart said:

Hiya

 

FZ750 now almost completely stripped down.

Still can't get the r/h footrest hanger off. Turns out the bolt is seized to the bush in the footrest hanger (the hanger itself has a pair of rubber bushes, with a steel bush in the middle of them - these rubber bushes are not available as seperate pieces). Probably going to have to drill the bolts out.

 

Front engine mounting bolt is stuck in the engine on one side. It goes through 2 part of the engine casing, and is stuck on the side furthest from the bolt head. If I put a breaker bar on the bolt I can see it twist along its length. It is only an M8 bolt and I am unwilling to try putting more force on it as I will likely snap it. Probably keep putting penetrating oil on it for a bit before I try again (neither heat nor penetrating oil has done the job yet).

Undecided how far to strip the engine. I will take off the head and barrels to refinish them, but not sure whether to split the crankcases as then I wouldn't know where to stop with replacing bearings, etc. After I washed the engine I got rid of the water, then connected a battery to the starter and cranked it over to clean out any left, then a bit of WD40 down the intakes and repeated a few times.

 

Forks have been dropped off for rechroming.

 

Brake disks are being their standard pain to undo. Despite only putting 3 bolts on each to hold them on for storage, it seems I used Loctite........ So blow torch time.

 

One of the rear linkage pieces is a pin, and both the ones I have are damaged (the heads of the pins have chunks missing). No longer available from Yamaha, but found a new old stock one on Ebay in the USA so ordered that. Bearings all see ok and the swinging arm and one link have cleaned up nicely. Other link is cast iron it appears and while it would be easy to blast clean it would also wreck the needle bearings which are more expensive that they should be - I might just clean it with a wire brush on the Dremel and then mask and paint it.

 

While I have never noticed it when riding, seems the r/h handlebar is slightly bent. Hopefully I can find someone with a press and the skill to straighten it. Annoyingly, despite the bar obviously being made from 2 pieces I cannot see how to seperate them.

 

The chain protector on the swinging arm is very rotten. I have designed a copy to 3D print. The master seem almost right and I have done some tweaks, but not yet checked the updated one is fixed. If it works OK I will make a mould and cast a copy in polyurothane.

 

All the best

 

Katy

 

Keep persevering Katy, there has to be at least one monkeyed bolt and one bolt seized in an inaccessible spot on every bike, it's practically the law!

[Kickstart]

Always at least 1!

If I have taken things to pieces previously they tend to come apart OK as I tend to use copperslip, but the factory didn't and this bolt probably hasn't been removed in 35+ years.

 

Few minor bits to do still then get the frame blasted clean before a couple of repairs (tabs on the back of the frame, etc). Then a mix of powder coating and Cerakoting. Undecided which exhaust system to use. I have an original 4>2 exhaust in reasonable condition, but it is from a Japanese market bike and they had a bit less power to comply with Japanese licence laws - and not sure if the way the limited the power was something in the exhaust.

 

All the best

 

Katy

[MrWolf]

On a lot of Yamaha motorcycles the power is restricted via the timing. On the old 600 Diversion it's via the ignition backplate and swapping it for a four degree advance plate made a huge difference, to the point where, unless I've missed it, one still holds the LEJOG record for 600cc and under.

[Kickstart]

16 minutes ago, MrWolf said:

On a lot of Yamaha motorcycles the power is restricted via the timing. On the old 600 Diversion it's via the ignition backplate and swapping it for a four degree advance plate made a huge difference, to the point where, unless I've missed it, one still holds the LEJOG record for 600cc and under.

Entirely possible it is restricted like that. Or could be cams. Or a mix of these are other items. Think the Japanese limit was ~77hp, while the bike was over 100hp claimed in Europe (claimed, so probably about 90 in reality)

 

Not easy to change the timing, as the ignition system uses pickups against the crank, and pickup positions and the crank triggers are fixed. So it would need a different cdi unit. As an aside, the ignition system is one of the changes between the early and the late fz750, with the early and late systems being pretty much completely incompatible. Early ones had 2 crank pickups, late had 1 crank pickup. Coils have substantially different resistance (and later coils on an early bike can fry the ignition unit).

 

All the best

 

Katy

[MrWolf]

They seem to enjoy doing things like that. The aforementioned Diversion is an early one with 38mm fork stanchions, which are now unobtainable and the later front end with the 41mm stanchions is not interchangeable.

It's not just bikes, or just Japanese vehicles either, it's pretty much anything designed and built in the last forty years, as has been proven by the aggravation a mate has had trying to repair his otherwise mint looking Land Rover Freelander, it will have been off the road for a year come December.

[Kickstart]

My Diversion years ago was an early one. The one with the vacuum operated fuel pump, which is on a similar level of usefulness as a Honda cable operated disk brake.

 

As an aside , ABE (All Bike Engineering) do list replacement 38mm fork stanchions for the early Diversion.

 

One reason I hoard parts is because dealers no longer keep any real stock, so once the manufacturer gives up support there is pretty much no chance of finding items hanging around as old stock.

 

All the best

 

Katy

[MrWolf]

That's useful to know, I'll pass it on thanks.

 

I've found that it's far easier to obtain parts for bikes that went out of production sixty years ago. Those folks who bang on about sustainability should take note!

 

I found it a real PITA getting parts for even brand new bikes, dealers and repairers weren't the slightest bit helpful within a hundred miles of where I live. 

It would of course been a different story had I dropped off the bike in question, told them all I ever did was put petrol in the tank and handed over my debit card..

 

One company I do find very very helpful and knowledgeable has been selling Honda products since the sixties and that was Ling's of Norfolk.

 

https://hondaspareparts.co.uk/

 

No connection, just thought they earned a plug.

[MrWolf]

That reminds me, the April 2023 Honda Forza 125 I replaced some bits of plastic on has gone back with electronic maladies and they've also found that the driveshaft is scrap!

[Kickstart]

Ouch on the Honda Forza

 

Parts I tend to look at the online parts listings, and get a part number. Then I can search around based on that, and also search which other models use that part (eg, the suspension pin I have ordered for the FZ750 is shared with the FJ1200, and the part I have ordered was listed for the FJ1200).

 

Fowlers, CMSNL and a few others are useful for that.

 

For Yamahas it is worth trying Webbs of Lincoln, and for Suzukis Robinsons Foundry

 

All the best

 

Katy

[MrWolf]

Thanks for the info, I'll keep a note of it, I don't often do much with Japanese bikes, so it's a case of asking around everywhere.

 

Thank goodness that production costs equals shared components throughout ranges and carrying on using certain components on models superseding.

 

I have a collection of spares catalogues and works manuals for BSA machines from 1939 right up to the end in 73, and cross referencing saves a lot of aggravation. 

It also means that you can occasionally get a rare part for a bargain price because it's listed on the part numbers or model code for something far less ostentatious than what you want it for.

[PupCam]

On 30/10/2023 at 14:30, MrWolf said:

I have a collection of spares catalogues and works manuals for BSA machines from 1939 right up to the end in 73, and cross referencing saves a lot of aggravation. 

It also means that you can occasionally get a rare part for a bargain price because it's listed on the part numbers or model code for something far less ostentatious than what you want it for.

 

But watch out for casting numbers  ....    I found a lovely, looked like NOS crankcase casting with the right casting number for my '39 250.     Trouble is they used the same basic castings for both side & overhead valve engines in some cases.   Same casting, different machining!

 

Which reminds me, I really must start disposing of all my spare cases and cranks now the 250 is up and running and seems reliable.   Got to try and recover some of the cost of all those bits!

 

 

Alan

[PupCam]

Seems  like I was caught leaving Pure Triumph at Woburn yesterday 😀

 

 

I have to say the little RD200 is lovely to ride now I've got to the bottom of a couple of little issues but I'd forgotten how much you have to  really use the gearbox on small two strokes.     Oh yes, and it really doesn't like the combination of middle age weight and a head wind! 🤣

 

Alan

 

[Kickstart]

Hiya

 

I am working on my FZ750 at the moment.

 

One issue with these is the trim around the choke knob and the electric reserve switch which cracks and not very available these days. Also the early model chain sliders are no longer available (and after the first 2 years they changed the rear suspension and the chain slider is different - later ones still available)

 

I had a play with CAD and I have made versions of both. Struggling to print the choke knob trim cleanly (but I have a resin printer on order so that should fix that). Also printed the chain slider, but think I will probably use a print as a master to make a mould, then cast it in polyurethane.

I sent the STL files to a guy in NZ (on the basis even once I get around to doing my versions, the cost and time to post to NZ will be slow) and he has printed some versions he will use. Chain slider is in TPU and it will be interesting to see how well it resists wear.

 

All the best

 

Katy

[Kickstart]

Well, last week I MOTed the Freccia. Minor hassle with the rear brake so a quick retest.

Engine seized on the way back. Not sure if the bike is upset at having been off the road for 18 months, or upset at having its rest disturbed.

 

Seems to have used a load of coolant but it wasn't overheating. My guess is it has drawn water in through the head gasket (an O ring on these engines). Probably need to check carefully that the head is flat

 

All the best

 

Katy