Well, yesterday, actually. Don’t ask.
Started a project (vee twin in BSA A10 frame) over 20 yrs ago. Having almost finished the engine, it got put to one side for a couple of decades. Realised this year I’d better finish it off before my time was up, so dug it out and got stuck in. Engine finished, in frame etc etc a few months ago. Front end is Suzuki GT (twin disc on spoked wheel) but had some fun identifying the calipers. Turned out they were from later GS model. Had to swap them left to right and vice-versa.
Anyway, got seat on, then waited a month for brake hoses to arrive (wanted to be able to stop the bike before putting it on the rollers). So yesterday tried to start it for the first time. On the rollers it popped a couple of times, then the roller’s starter motor broke its mounting. Hardly surprising – I thought this engine might be a pig to start, but it’s even worse than I imagined. Tried the kickstart next. At first I thought it was jammed, as it was as solid as a footpeg. But no, it’s just the compression. Seems combination of short stroke (75mm) 8.7:1 compression and 998cc is maybe a step too far, but not much I can do about that now. Rollers are out of commission until I can source another starter motor, but in the meantime am reminded that the Vincent kickstart lever is about ten feet long, so am considering lengthening mine to get more leverage. Whether the box and quadrant / ratchet can take the strain is another matter.
When I designed the bike I purposely made the primary drive a lower ratio to ease the torque on the gearbox (38/64 instead of 27/54). I thought that would also assist kick-starting, but clearly not enough. Could probably fit an engine sprocket in there up to perhaps four or five teeth larger, but making another one is a hell of a lot of work and then there's the problem of the belt. Not only expensive (was around £50 twenty years ago) but there's not a great choice of lenghts - and the gearbox is bolted to the rear of the engine. Bit depressing really.
