What have you done with your bike/s today?

[muskrat]

G'day Fellas.
To follow on from my Cafe comfort mods.
Kicking over the beast has become difficult due to my physics and dropping 20kg in weight. She has 10.5:1 pistons and coupled with the short RR rods so the comp is too much, I have to jump on the kicker
So yesterday I decided to make a compression plate. I got some 0.75mm steel and used a gasket to mark it out. Well that didn't work, the gasket flexes a bit and the plate only matched 3 holes  .
OK how can I make one that fits Use the flange of a barrel, not easily done with the barrel skirts in the road. I had a set of big fin A7 barrels that had been "cooked" in the fire so were unusable. Marvelous what you can do with a 9" grinder So now I have a proper template to make the plate.
Then I remembered forum member JJ runs Eborbikes and makes compression plates as well as copper rockerbox gaskets. A quick email has two winging their way to me.
I also found a rear brake lever on ebay not far from me so I should have the Cafe sorted in a month or so.
Cheers

[dave55]

Delved in to the Dark World of a Magnatroid ! Having tended to shy away from doing such tasks for fear of dropping a clanger costing more money and getting a mate to time the mag up
Having received my mag back from the Mag Wizzard following a full refurb, i prepared my surgery this morning, put on my grubbyscrubs and in i went new gaskets  and all.
All area cleaned and prepped , read the service sheets and watched a video on youtube 3 times....What can go wrong ?
Heh Heh go then whats the secret to getting the long nut on under the mag, in and out 3 times before i managed to get hang of that bit.
TDC went ok and measuring before Tdc ok to measurement in service sheet fag paper at the ready and chok in the Auto Advance mechanism.....carefully put it on and Bugga it had moved ! Off with it and do it again and this time it seemed to stay put so put timing cover on with a few screws in case i had to take it off again.
Plugs in, leads on in correct order, petrol on....prime ...Kick once she weezed. Kick again she coughed a gave a tiny kick back . Kick again and Yee Harrrrr fired into life , runs ticks over and would not stop Ha Ha , kill switch not working. put everything back on and cleaned mess up ready to sort kill switch and brake light not workin in the morning
Well it took me all afternoon but i enjoyed doing it and next time i wont be afraid of the Dark !!!!

[Worty]

Well done Dave, you couldn't drop that motor into Bergs could you??

The long maggie bolt, mine comes out with the stud attached so you remove the maggie plus bolt together.  Putting back in is the same, locating the maggie on the two upper studs and then screwing the long bolt in with stud a few turns before adding the nuts on the upper studs.

May go for a blast on the Kwaka today, weather looks decent although a bit chilly.  Had both Covid and Flu jabs this morning so may be useless for a couple of days.

[dave55]

Not till it needs fixing Worty 

[Worty]

Not till it needs fixing Worty 

BUGGA

Went out on the Kwaka to blow a few cobwebs off.  Did 179m without even trying that hard - nice bike.  Did about 53mpg, but it's a small main tank with a biggish reserve.  Only 123 miles from brimmed to reserve - that's only 2.32 gallons.  I think reserve is best part of a gallon.  Always good to estimate the mileage just in case one forgets to turn the petrol tap  back to ON (rather than leave it on reserve and run out completely).  One nice thing was that there was no oil over the rear tyre and absolutely no leaks.  Bike arrived back home still looking like it was before I set off.  Whereas with the A10, oil over both exhausts, seeping through clutch lever bush on gearbox, and dripping from the speedo cable, primary drain plug, sump gasket and sump plug. 

[RDfella]

Been working on the B31. I built it in the mid sixties as a hill-climb bike and it was quite successful. A few years ago when the historic class started amalgamating classes, I built a 500 motor to replace the 350 (still think the dope 350 was quicker than the 500 on petrol). Anyway, as I gave up racing a dozen years ago, my son took to using it. Last time out the gearbox outer shell cracked. I got it welded, but then noticed other cracks. In the meantime, the bike languished in the shed. That was 2+ years ago (my son isn't noted for getting on with things) and so yesterday I brought the bike into the workshop and today replaced the cover with a good 2nd hand one. Started cleaning the bike up generally and checking it over ready for a start-up in the next few days.

[dave55]

Sorted the kill switch not working, it was the end of the wire where it fits in the mag that had gone corroded and was just held on with 1 strand of copper wire, sorted. Then fixed brake light not working, just needed switch adjusting on return spring bracket. sorted
Then went for my first ride in 2 years due to not being able to get on a bike ,( waited for new hip over 3 years and finally got done 31 August . ) Wow i was like a kid with a new toy, bit rusty for first 20 miles but still grinning from ear to ear after a ride of 70 mile. Bike ran really well and no oil leaks worthy of a mention . The only thing needs sorting is tickover too fast on way back noticed when had to stop at some lights......so all in all a cracking day and might have to have a pint Cheers Lads 

[RDfella]

Couple of pics of the B31. Slight oil weep from 'new' gearbox cover so that'll have to come off again. grrrrrr. Tomorrow I'll check the inlet valve as the GS alloy valve collar has a habit of creeping up the collets.
A few changes in these pics (sorry about the junk behind the side view confusing things) since I raced it seriously. In those days the oil tank was smaller, no kickstart or centre stand and front forks were minus shrouds etc. Engine was 350cc on dope (20% nitro when I could get it) but now 500 on petrol.  Exhaust was straight through (still is, hidden inside now-required silencer) and tyres were different. Those fitted now are my son's choice - as is his misguided choice of handlebar. You don't win hill climbs riding along sitting like a postman delivering mail on a Bantam. He will listen to his mates with no racing experience. 

[dave55]

Had a looky inside the front wheel hub on the new GF, bearing needed a clean out and fresh grease but ok.
Cleaned all dried crud out of brake drum and off the plate, brake shoes have plenty of life left and no lip or bad scoring on drum.
Not sure in lever correct one , seems a bit short with a worn piece on one side. Shoes are odd shape on one end So will ask questions in right section.

[Colsbeeza]

Got around to completing all the electricals two weeks ago but did not get a chance to test it.
Did that today - and all worked OK. Starter turns over the motor quite well, so now I can do the timing, complete the carb and lock it all up and ride it.
Col

[mikeb]

I got the modern serviced! (I need a paper trail as thinking of selling it). paid actual money. I had a 15 minute oil conversation (reminded me of some forum threads) and they still put the wrong type in. They noticed the rear pads were near the metal which I was unaware of - its funny how I can tell you the wear state of almost every part on the BSAs but the modern is just a black box appliance (with a fuel guage). They even cleaned it so it looks very odd next to the B.

[BigJim]

Yep MikeB, black box with a fuel guage sums up my modern too, fast but dull and getting to the plugs??
Anyhow, back on topic i took the day off today and told the mrs i was gonna do my books and get some shopping! The thing is the predicted rain blew through quick and left me looking for an excuse to get out on the bike. Feeling the need for seed (bird) i was up the road and out of town in no time. Of course having got my gear on it could never just be a quick dash to the shops. Before i knew it i was abroad (Wales) and racing down some lovely dry roads with the autumn leaves looking lovely. Crossing the bridge was the hairiest part, twas blowing a gale up the channel but at least the bridge was open. Came home rather weary but happy. Nearly posted this in the "what prevented you from working on your bikes today" section as i sort of intended to fix my oil tank fixings today. They keep vibrating loose, the thing nearly fell off when i went to the "yer tiz" rally.
Saw a lively maroon/burgandy/reddish A10 in Monmouth last Sat when long ride for coffee was needed. Smoothly purred past me with not one rattle? Very odd, and am very jealous! Don't suppose the miscreant is on this forum?
 

[dave55]

Not a lot , fit new wheel bearings in the A10 Bodge, then ordered new battery for Plunger.

[Black Sheep]

Finally sorted the intermittent charging on the B31. Turned out to be the field connector to the dynamo. Had fitted a new pattern push-fit connector which was narrower and shorter than the original hence poor contact. Dug out an old original one, cleaned it up and fitted it and once again I have charge. Not going to mention the dynamo and regulator swap done before I discovered the true cause.

[Worty]

Yep MikeB, black box with a fuel guage sums up my modern too, fast but dull and getting to the plugs??
Anyhow, back on topic i took the day off today and told the mrs i was gonna do my books and get some shopping! The thing is the predicted rain blew through quick and left me looking for an excuse to get out on the bike. Feeling the need for seed (bird) i was up the road and out of town in no time. Of course having got my gear on it could never just be a quick dash to the shops. Before i knew it i was abroad (Wales) and racing down some lovely dry roads with the autumn leaves looking lovely. Crossing the bridge was the hairiest part, twas blowing a gale up the channel but at least the bridge was open. Came home rather weary but happy. Nearly posted this in the "what prevented you from working on your bikes today" section as i sort of intended to fix my oil tank fixings today. They keep vibrating loose, the thing nearly fell off when i went to the "yer tiz" rally.
Saw a lively maroon/burgandy/reddish A10 in Monmouth last Sat when long ride for coffee was needed. Smoothly purred past me with not one rattle? Very odd, and am very jealous! Don't suppose the miscreant is on this forum?
 

Sounds like a dream day to me mate.  Always say to the missus 'I won't be long', (like a few days ago).  She says, 'You always say that and it never happens', she was right, 5.5 hours and 180m later ....... 🏍🏍🏍🏍🏍