Introduction from new member 54 A10

[Oscarmark]

Hi,

I have recently taken delivery of a 1954 A10 Rocket Goldstar Replica. Bought the bike without seeing it and on delivery noticed that there were a few cosmetic issues. The frame and swinging arm had been touched up by hand and to be honest it looked a lot better in the pics. The V5 says it was registered in January 1954 the frame number being CA7-1940 and the engine CA10R 9367. Having checked the register it appears to be an A10 Road Rocket?

Having ridden it around the block I set about stripping it down for sandblasting and powder coating. The wiring loom was a mess as was the gearbox casing.

I have bought the following:
New Amal Carb 389 series
Reconditioned gearbox with near perfect casings
Rear engine cover
New oil lines
New engine mounting bolts
Clip on bars
New cables and levers
New chrome chainguard
Wiring loom
Swinging arm spindle and bushes

Plus a lot more

I need:
Smiths chronometric tacho
Headlamp
Headlamp brackets
Chain adjusters

Everything that came off the bike that was black has been restored in powder coat including all the engine mounting plates. Timing cover and primary cover has been polished. I had a right job removing the swinging arm bushes, but after reading the forums this was resolved with a blow torch and a clever engineer who 'machined out' the remaining outer part of the bush.

Re-assembly starts next week.

I need some advice on a couple of things, the bike had the long type headlamp brackets, as I want to go with the clip ons and new bracket, how do I fix the fork gaiters? I have bought a new set with stainless straps, but don't see how I can attach them at the top ( underneath the bottom yolk ) Any advice on reassembly would be very much welcomed. I removed the engine by only taking off the rocker cover, so the main engine will be returned to the frame intact.

I would love to source a Siamese exhaust, but none I have seen on the net appear to fit a '54 bike?

Thank you all in anticipation of your support and advice and I look forward to posting pictures of my progress.

Mark
Epsom
Surrey

[RichardL]

Welcome to the forum and thanks for the pictures and detailed story. I must admit, given the way the bike looks now, I don't really understand the urge to change it so much, but, to each his own. You say you're changing to clip-ons, but the cafe commitment must be partial, since you're not looking for a new seat. Wondering why (with no personal cafe experience on my part, other than coffee) you don't use drop bars mounted in the yoke that don't require changing the fork shrouds and doing other mods? I notice that there is a tach in place. Is that a non-Smith's aftermarket piece or just broken?

Looking forward to photos from the new work.

Richard L.

[Oscarmark]

Hi Richard,

I am not after a show bike at all, but cosmetically it was a little rough around the edges.... I love the look of the Clubman spec, but didn't want to go for the full rear sets etc, so thought the clip ons would be something I could easily change back? Your keen eye has picked up the odd tacho. It is a new Italian affair I believe, driven off a brass lump on the timing cover. It looked pretty add against the newly re-furbed Smiths speedo. I did consider keeping the handlebars and putting the short shrouds on and then covering the springs with the rubber gaiters?

Regards

Mark

[a10 gf]

Hello there, Mark. Thanks for the fine introduction, and am hoping you will find the forum useful. Have moved you post to the Bikes, Pictures & Members board, no problem.

[chaterlea25]

Hi Mark,
Welcome to the forum,
Ok so I will attempt some answers to your questions
If you want to fit clip ons its a fairly major job, this is mainly because the standard fork legs are not parallel between the top and bottom yoke, so it is difficult to get the bars firmly clamped, parallel stanchions are available
(hard chromed so as you dont have a rusting stanchion looking out)
You will need "gold star" type headlamp brackets, gold stars had metal fork shrouds below the bottom yoke, if you want to fit rubber gaitors you need short cup shaped pieces to fit over the fork springs and the gaitors clamp to these !!
You will need a 4:1 ratio rev counter, the road rocket rev drive is normally 2:1, driven off the mag makes it 4:1
Gold Stars use a 1:1 drive box so their rev counters are 2:1, this is not a great idea as the rev counter mechanism is spinning twice as fast and gives trouble !!!

The 54 frame is almost the same as the RGS frames dimensionally (as they all are in the major dimensions)
its similarity is why they are used for replicas,
So a Siamised exhaust for an RGS should fit
whats wrong with the headlamp in the photos??

HTH
John

[Oscarmark]

Well after less than an hour as a member, I already feel very welcome, many thanks for that...

I was told by the guy I bought the bike from that the brass drive taken off the magneto is desirable, although to be honest I think it looks rather ugly, but as Richard said earlier each to their own!!
The chrome headlamp on the bike is not great and the switch is worn.... I understand that replacement units can be obtained for about £60 complete. I am already going off the idea of clip ons, although I have a set with lugs and levers. I may just try and get the shorty headlamp stanchions maybe in chrome.

I had also heard that some of the Siamese pipes on older bikes get pretty close to the frame? My bike has a QD rear wheel and 8" Goldie front brake? I will get a picture and post it.

Thanks again guys.

Mark

[a10 gf]

I already feel very welcome

Very good.

A practical comment, it's nice if tech discussions are done in the tech boards, to get topics sorted so they are easy for readers to find, and with content appearing under a good & relevant topic title.

[chicago]

Welcome to the forum mark and very nice bike. All the best, chicago

[muskrat]

G'day Mark, welcome to the forum.
Great intro and really nice looking bike. Build it how you want it and enjoy.
Cheers