The BSA A7-A10 Forum
Technical (Descriptive Topic Titles - Stay on Topic) => Frame => Topic started by: LynnLegend on 28.08. 2017 18:31
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Hi all,
As I recently discovered, a plug spanner and a spare pair of plugs would be very useful additions to my toolbox - what else should my toolbox have? I've got a few spanners, a rag, and a flat head screwdriver.
My next addition will be a bottle opener - you never know when you might need an emergency beer!
Suggestions (both serious and jovial) welcome - let's fill her up.
Thanks,
Sam.
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I was told that the vital element of a Velocette toolkit was a pipe and tobacco. By the time you had got the pipe out, filled it with tobacco, got it lit and had a few draws, you might, just might be calm enough to put your mind to what had gone wrong with the wretched machine this time.
Couldn't possibly apply to a BSA.
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In my tool kit - fuses (if your wiring them) solderless cable nipples,pilot jet cap for monobloc with fibre washer (yes lost one once), oil tank filler cap (had one stolen in carpark) plus selection spanners.
Good breakdown recovery service which will collect you and bike and take you home irrespective of distance if you cannot fix it and a charged phone to call them.
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Hi all,
As I recently discovered, a plug spanner and a spare pair of plugs would be very useful additions to my toolbox - what else should my toolbox have? I've got a few spanners, a rag, and a flat head screwdriver.
My next addition will be a bottle opener - you never know when you might need an emergency beer!
Suggestions (both serious and jovial) welcome - let's fill her up.
Thanks,
Sam.
No. 8 wire, and duct tape *smile* Oh, and a hammer
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Range of small to medium sized whitworth and AF spanners. 6” adjustable wrench, universal socket, plug socket, 3/8 drive ratchet, flat and philips screwdriver, a long nail (for roadside finding TDC)
K2F pickups and spare fibre gear (can’t remember if the pinion puller is in there?), fuses, electrical wire, 14g galv wire, electrical alligator connector lead, gaffer tape, high temp silicone, spare 26tpi nuts and bolts of a few sizes. A rag. 2x sparkplugs.
What you don’t think I trust my BSA? But I do! That’s why I carry so many tools.
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Tyre levers, puncture repair kit and a pump - or even these CO2 bottles. Handy hint - do your routine servicing and tyre changing using only the tools in your bike toolkit. That way you WILL have the correct things and you will be familiar with using them.
Always a spring link or 2 as well.
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Good breakdown recovery service which will collect you and bike and take you home irrespective of distance if you cannot fix it and a charged phone to call them.
Same here.
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Assorted Zip ties *good3*
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Not to forget spare throttle, clutch and brake cables- run in situ/parallel with the ones in use, and/¿or are"on cable ends(nipples).
Having said all that, when I got mine on the road again 5 years ago, I was carrying a bagful of stuff *eek*, but over time that's all being left behind
-I've only had to push it home a couple of times *smile* (that was when I carried everything anyway) *conf*
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Spare magneto, generator, light bulbs, chains, sprockets, clutch, battery, tires, tubes........and a trailer to haul all this stuff! Seriously, though, when I toured on old unit construction Brits, I had some wire, electrical connectors, tape, a few combination wrenches and a screwdriver. If it couldn't be fixed with these, it was probably time to rent a truck.
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I only have my Registration and Insurance card. I guess when something breaks, I'll know what to carry.
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I only carry my Carole Nash break down Number now just in case. Too old too be pushing an A10 home for miles anymore. The last time and the only time the bike let me down it was three miles home and some of that was uphill.
ELLIS
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A trailer with another bike on it, *help*
Or just my green flag card.
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Many many years ago on my 17th birthday (as it happens) I set out on my A10 with sidecar to go from London to the Lake District.
I carried a comprehensive toolbox, sockets, spanners the whole works. I even took spare bolts and a gasket set. I blew a head gasket, my chain snapped and I ended up using virtually every tool and spare part I had taken.
Since then I decided to carry nothing whatsoever and that has worked for me. The 7 0r 8 times things have gone wrong for me (I mean actually stopping me continuing) I have either been within half a mile of home bar once and I had to call somebody out. That was a mag failure so no amount of tools would have helped anyway. At my age I am ar to old for roadside repairs anyway.
So my solution now is to carry enough money on me for a train or a cab and thats about it *smile*
I might consider carrying a box of matches tho to set alight to the damned thing if it lets me down
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I might consider carrying a box of matches tho to set alight to the damned thing
then you'll have to carry a fire extinguisher too. and a flame proof suit
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Many many years ago on my 17th birthday (as it happens) I set out on my A10 with sidecar to go from London to the Lake District.
I carried a comprehensive toolbox, sockets, spanners the whole works. I even took spare bolts and a gasket set. I blew a head gasket, my chain snapped and I ended up using virtually every tool and spare part I had taken.
Since then I decided to carry nothing whatsoever and that has worked for me. The 7 0r 8 times things have gone wrong for me (I mean actually stopping me continuing) I have either been within half a mile of home bar once and I had to call somebody out. That was a mag failure so no amount of tools would have helped anyway. At my age I am ar to old for roadside repairs anyway.
My thoughts exactly. I've noticed that some vehicles just have "Good Karma". I had a truck that broke down once, lost the electronic fuel pump while still in my garage. Never had a problem otherwise. The BSA is the same thing (maybe because it's a family heirloom). I had a valve stem tear out of the rear tube and the tire went flat instantly (at 40 mph). The tire rolled over on one side and I kept the bike upright until it coasted to a stop....at the top of my driveway. I got off the bike and pushed it into my garage. Not only did I reuse the tire (because there wasn't a single mark on the sidewall), but the tire never let the rim even touch the pavement. I replaced the tube and everything was good. Not a scratch anywhere. This is a "Good Karma" vehicle. I'm confident it's not going to leave me stranded anywhere.
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Nah as long as I wear safety shoes and a hi viz jacket I will be fine *smile*
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I expect some negative karma *fight* but maybe always ride with a mate on a japanese bike with a pillion seat *shh*
Or always hitch up the car with a trailer before you head out, so "mission control" can come rescue you *doh*
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A small modest tool kit and a MOBILE PHONE.
Cheers
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A small modest tool kit and a MOBILE PHONE.
Cheers
+ 1 here *good3*
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Finding myself miles from phone coverage on a regular basis, stuff to fix a puncture, a hat (essential for hot sun or heavy rain) a bottle of water and something to eat. Even in mobile phone coverage, it can be a long wait for recovery.
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Not to forget spare throttle, clutch and brake cables- run in situ/parallel with the ones in use, and/¿or are"on cable ends(nipples).
^^ I've come across a few guys who do this- maybe it's a Gutzzi thang...
I have to add that I somehow conveniently forgot three occasions THIS year that I had to do pick-up retrievals (X3).
1> When I was at the younstas house and a thunderstorm cam over quicker than I expected, the Racket started first kick as usual, but I only made it a mile down the road and it conked out (still raining-dark ), pushed it up and down a hill for a bit and it almost ran, but after a bit decided to cab it 6 K's back to the Low Chaparral (still raining)...took the van back for an easy retrieve...took two weeks to dry out, which imay have contributed to......>>
2> Fired up ok to head to a job, then a bit rough on one- only a few K's, but conked out at the last corner, rolled into the job, but end of day same as above, so called the other youngsta who this time was available to pick me up--then van retieval. (that time was the Magneto, so no tools would've helped)
3> Not technically a 'breakdown', but when a concrete truck drives over something it kinda breaks-down *eek*....cabbed it back and did a Van-duTch retrieval, really only a outta-shape wheel stopped me from riding......
My earliest big journey breakdown trip was when 'I was only nineteen', I decided to go see my mate in Sydney,( about 640 miles away at the time)... there was a girl involved so time was of the essence. That was the trip where my (Road Rocket) 6 spring clutch jumped ship from the shaft at about 2am at the best part of the trip on the Burringbar Range (Northern NSW)...hitched a ride to Burringbar Village at daylight, pulled it apart (allen key for chaincase screws, mainshaft-nut tool, ?)- forgot to put the circlip on and didn't make it far before it spat...hitched a ride on and RD400 back and found circlip- on the road again.
A few miles down the road, the madguard started flapping in the breeze, pulled up for fuel in Ballina and found some means to tie that on and swore that if anything else went awry it's hometime, but made it the next four hundred miles or so to Syddo, and the 640miles home no worries (except for running out of oil and money at the same time) did the 640 Miles in about 14,1/2 hours (including hunting down a wrecker for secondhand oil *smile*) I guess I had the right tools for the trip- and that was my 20th lap of the sunDay
Just remembered an extra thing to carry- was at a time of fuel strikes and shortages, so took a gallon (1 gallon BP oil tin) with me, and didn't need it until I was less than 20 K's from 'home' .....happy days
Have to mention that when I fuelled up in Taree at around ten or so PM there was a carload of 'ooligans being dicks as I pulled out, and a few K's down the track had lights screaming up behind, so pulled over up a track- lights off until they were way past, but then a few more k's down the road, there was a similar looking car upside down in the middle of a bridge looking not user friendly....
aah sorry that a bit astray, but tools yea can carry all you like, but sone c****s law says you may not have the one you need (that's why travellin' light is the only way to fly- JJ Cale)
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duTch, love that post!
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Have the same set in all three bikes, an adjustable spanner, which can also act on the hex topped spark plug socket a multi tool screw driver with lots of bits and a couple of fuses. Always carry a simplish Swiss army knife to get into tool box and for cutting. Never used on my bikes but helped others.
I too loved duTch's post, it reminded me of sitting under a flyover bridge near Slough under the M4 on route to Cornwall. It was throwing it down and the flaming Honda 500/4 would not run in that much rain. So sat it out, patience is a good tool to have in the box *smile*
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It was throwing it down and the flaming Honda 500/4 would not run in that much rain.
I once had a job as a courier riding a Honda 500 4. I can testify to the darned thing objecting to the rain!
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My one and only mechanical breakdown was a slight nip up 100Km into a 200Km ride. Stopped on the side of the road for 20 minutes till she cooled. About 30 1%ers stopped to help (Fourth Reich) but she fired up 1st kick. Probably nerves. Completed the trip at a reduced pace.
Most (not many) of my road breakdowns have been electrickal (Boyer ign). Two snapped dyno belts and a fried reg. At a very wet BSA National st Tamworth the left plug cap rubber was missing so in a straight line or in right handers she was running on one but in left handers the dead pot would come to life *eek*. Gaffer tape to the rescue. Fixed the reg with a DVRII and carry a spare belt. Tools = allen key, spark plug & spanner, flat & phillips screwdrivers, 1/4 5/16 3/8 ring/openend spanners, shifting spanner, a few cable ties and gaffer tape.
Cheers
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Gees Musky, I don't remember you being at the Surfers Paradise National.
Brian had to remove his maggy then after draining it out stand in the dunney for 1/2 hour with it under the hand dryer to dry it out.
I ended up with a primary & gearbox full of water hence the break down on the first run.
My kit sounds much like yours with a plug or two tossed in for good measure.
However I can never remember the A 10 not getting me at least to within pushing distance of home, even if it meant putting 60 psi in the tyre and riding like the clappers till it went down.
I can remember riding from Amaroo back to Sans Souci with the left rod bent & jambed on the journal, slowly smashing up the spiggot and on the bridge finally breaking the entire barrel off the flange bar one stud, but it was still running although I coasted to the bottom of the bridge and pushed it the last mile.
No other alternative, I was the only person at home with a license and the A 10 was the only vehicle.
Just because they have gone from daily transport to weekend toys does not mean they have become any less robust