What have you done with your bike/s today?

[limeyrob]

Took the A10 out for its first run. The paperwork it came with suggests it was last on the road in 2009.  Since I re-built the engine, fitted new brakes, re-wired it and generally fettled everything I was expecting a few teething troubles.  Did about 25 miles with no problems at all.  Not even a misfire which is amazing considering I upped the carb size and re-built the mag.
Engine pulls really strongly. A few drips from the chain case and sump plate.  Only real problem is gauges are useless.  The Chronometric speedo is at least 5 mph slow and takes so long to catch up it useless and the India copy re counter won't go above 2000 rpm (but it was £19 inc post so you get what you pay for).  Since it also has the wrong rotation tacho drive this is potentially a £5-600 fix on a £3000 bike so I'll wait until something comes along.
Main thing its a nice ride, handles well and feels up to some longer runs.  Well chuffed.

[Catz]

Nice one Limey.
Well i've been trying to get to the cause of the vibrations on my A10. So out for another quick blast and got the vibes in second and third gear up to 40mph then in fourth it clears up and good between 40 and 50mph, whereas before it was from 30 to 40. It's then crap from 50 to 60 but after that clears up again. It is an overall improvement.
Ran it today without the front mudguard and with the steering damper loosened as much as possible. I've also fitted brand new fork stanchions this week as well as new oil seals, seal holders and brand new progressive fork springs which are 11 inches long and experimenting with the volume of fork oil, started off at 100mil then slowly upped to 150 and now up to 175. Whether the bushes are in the oil is another matter but seems ok. I'm paranoid about getting another fork seal leakage but so far so good. Done away with the Eddie Dow damper rods which were doing eff all because the other mods had not been carried out by the old bloke i bought the bike off.
So i'm getting there, slowly.

[limeyrob]

Having done a lot of miles on A and B BSAs (same forks) they always leaked.  I look on it as evidence they have oil in .  The killer for these forks is water sitting in the seal holder then getting in the bottom of the forks and corroding the slider.  Its worth opening the drain screw every now and then to check and drain any water.  I don't know how the water gets in but it does .

[muskrat]

  I don't know how the water gets in but it does .

G'day Rob.
Riding in the rain or washing the bike water goes up over the seal holder and sits on the seal. I don't do either. Gets a wash once a year whether she needs it or not 
Cheers

[Worty]

Curiously, on my GF, the left hand seal leaked frequently so I changed it frequently.  I then gave up and thought I'd just top the oil up every now and then.  Now, it has stopped leaking and the level stays the same.  Maybe the oil seal has 'worn in'???

[muskrat]

G'day Fellas.
New Michelin Pilot Active (not made anymore, the local shop had a NOS only 2 years old) on the front of the rHonda and ordered a Michelin Road Classic for the rear.
Cheers

[Black Sheep]

BSAs are all in good running order so dragged out the Yamaha Diversion that has been siting for years and took the carbs off for an ultrasonic clean.

[Greybeard]

Today I rode 35 miles to the nearest BSA dealers. Because there have been various teething issues with the new Gold Star BSA UK have extended the bikes guarantee to four years and all the bikes are invited/recalled for what they are calling a health check. The clutch main nut gets relocked, (mine came loose) the ECU gets a software update. The dipstick gets changed for a slightly longer one,(some owners were overfilling the tank it seems).The headlamp gets a gasket, (some lenses cracked). Oil change. There may be other stuff. All this is done free and a goody bag containing cleaning solution, a neck snood, some WD40 type stuff and wheel cleaning brush are handed to the owner.

[Worty]

Today I rode 35 miles to the nearest BSA dealers. Because there have been various teething issues with the new Gold Star BSA UK have extended the bikes guarantee to four years and all the bikes are invited/recalled for what they are calling a health check. The clutch main nut gets relocked, (mine came loose) the ECE gets a software update. The dipstick gets changed for a slightly longer one,(some owners were overfilling the tank it seems).The headlamp gets a gasket, (some lenses cracked). Oil change. There may be other stuff. All this is done free and a goody bag containing cleaning solution, a neck snood, some WD40 type stuff and wheel brush are handed to the owner.

Good to see traditional BSA values are being upheld GB

[limeyrob]

Its certainly a bit different to the service I recall at Sir Morams, Lewis Bros or Commerfords .

[Greybeard]

I keep getting emails telling me that this thread has been updated but I only see the message from limeyrob on the 11th October as the latest post

[Worty]

I keep getting emails telling me that this thread has been updated but I only see the message from limeyrob on the 11th October as the latest post

Maybe it's that pesky Caretaker on the razz all the time

[Angus]

I have had the A7 back for 12 years and she has done 30K+ miles since her rebuild by Roger Sharman of Cake Street Classics. She has been great and I have done very little apart from regular servicing. She has had an oil ‘head leak’ for about 5 years, and this year it got worse. Every winter I have promised that I would fix it. Well this week I finally started. I now don’t think it was a head leak. I think the rocker box was leaking at the front of the inlet section, out of sight and the oil was gathering in the middle of the head, then leaking down to the fins and get blown back so it looks like a head leak at the rear making a mess of everything behind it. The plugs are a nice chocolate brown and there is some carbon but not loads, still really pleased with the job done 

[Colsbeeza]

I put the A10 on the stand today for a study. Last Saturday on a ride to the Paterson Club Concourse and Hub Run, it started on 6th kick ( a usual first or second kick starter) there were a couple of "clunks" from inside somewhere once on the road. Ran perfectly and quietly but pipes were a distinct purple at end of run, not unusual for a Triumph but unusual for the Flash. another 6 kicks required on the return trip. I'll be looking at the auto advance, which I had cobbled to run a much wider advance range including welding up a missing weight-stop post, and also inspect the electric starter gearing for anything fallen off whilst I have the chaincase off, and a good look at the plugs and carb needle position. I ordered a ultrasonic cleaner last week for the Lilac carbs which are black with varnish so might give the BSA carb a birthday as well. I will use the time to get to the bottom of the electric leg non-functioning - (suspected solenoid).
Col

[Timbo]

Getting quite a list of things I have done to it since my dad gave me it a month or so ago. Brakes, oil, battery, cables, fixed headlight, fixed oil leak (only to find another, acceptance is key), ridden it a LOT, love it. Bits of fettling here and there but mostly riding and improving her.

Today, I have soaked my new fuel tap plunger thingies in petrol ready to swap tomorrow and will drain and clean tank, swap throttle cable and another bar end mirror while i am at it.

For reference, the old man had done 200 miles in 2 years on her, I have done about 500 in about 7 weeks, my KTM1290 SAS has been ridden once for about 200 miles and the 640 Duke hasn't turned a wheel! Wondering what i can buy if i sell the Duke, I have caught the bug!