I guess this is pretty overdue. I do like reading the techie stuff and replying to it but it’s high time I said hello properly, so here I go.
I started my life with BSAs back in 1961 with a C11G and a year later bought a ’58 A7. When BSA bought out the RGS I had to have one but couldn’t any way afford it, so I built one, had the head ported and revalved by Alf Hagon, put a sports fairing on it and revelled in a great bike. I used to sprint it in the production class at NSA events here in the UK. Its best ¼ time was 13.66 secs. That bike never let me down on the road. I sold it in the ‘70s and still know where the bike has been since the late ‘70s: in a crate in a garage near the south coast because its owner lives in Saudi!
In the early ‘90s I had my BSA interests rekindled by an A65 which I rebuilt, which has been added to by a RGS, which I spent a long time rebuilding. That got me back into using machinery and I now have accumulated a large home-made grit blaster, a large home-made stoving oven (as I like the old fashioned stove enamel on these bikes), a Colchester lathe, Bridgeport mill, a small CNC mill (driven by Mach3) and an assortment of other fabrication kit.
After the bank crash the 2 person company I used to work in was hit hard so I finally retired and now I spend a lot more time in the workshop. I belong to the Gold Star Owners’ Club, and what a great lot of knowledgeable people they are!
About a year ago I suffered a shoulder injury that left me kicking my heels, so as I couldn’t do stuff in the workshop, I decided to put an idea that I’ve had in the back of my head for some time into practice - it had become clear to me that there are parts for A7s and A10s that people were saying they wanted, but which didn’t seem to be available, so I have used some engineering contacts to make parts that I’ve designed. Very much a niche supplier. I have set up a website to sell these parts and also put some on eBay. Most recently I’ve had an op on my shoulder which has got it almost as good as before, so once again I can lift rotary tables etc.
About 7 years ago I bought a late Rudge Special which had supposedly been restored (it was shiny at least). Various problems caused me to look inside it, and what a sick patient it was. The engine builder had broken just about every rule there is (e.g. a ball race on both the TS and the DS, 60 thou bent con rod to name but two!). With guidance from the owner of the brilliant one man website
http://www.rudge-whitworth.com the bike is now running as it should and is a very comfy and capable machine. I do like quick bikes and there is a CBR1000RR in the corner that begs me to take it out. My wife has a Tiger Cub which alas she doesn’t ride much now. I suspect this may be the bike we’ll hang on to till last, as it’s so easy to start!
