The BSA A7-A10 Forum
Bikes, Pictures, Stories & more => Introductions, Stories, Meetings & Pictures => Topic started by: Rocket Racer on 10.11. 2009 09:05
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Quietly progressing for a competition entry beg of Feb 2010 - A 1955 A10RR styled on the 1955 daytona shooting stars that were built by Roland Pike using Rigid all welded goldstar frames.
My frame is a replica (BB32R) as it will be doing some hard work. But have stuck to the factory drawings and using BSA parts where ever possible to create an authentic rolling chassis. It will be a traditional sitter style. Sidecar chassis should be on in the next two weeks. Lots to do!
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Looks great!
I take it that you already know of Myles Raymond's sites:
http://www.beezanet.com/daytona/default.htm
http://beezagent.blogspot.com/
What tyres are those?
Cheers,
Iaioon
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The Daytona bikes seem to be so poorly recognised, its good some are preserving the legacy.
My own bike cannot claim any such provenance as it is a model BSA never made. Simply an interesting and pretty special I want to build and will be proud to own and race. An A10RR in the same goldie frame type as the Daytona A7's were. And of course mine is intended as a racing sidecar, so needs sidecar lugs and other amendments. However if there had been side cars at daytona, I like to think my interpretation is something the factory might have cooked up from the parts bin.
My tyres are 16" Dunlop sidecar racing tyres shod on alloy 16x2.5" rims.
The Daytona bikes would have had the crinkle hub QD rear wheel but I thought this was a bit fragile for the nature of side car racing which is very hard on wheels (and forks and frames and brakes and...), so have opted for the full width alloy BSA/Ariel rear hubs used on A10 from 1956. (On my previous Norton outfit, I had a Triumph front hub crack)
The forks are BSA (A65) but we are making fresh sliders which will carry a leading axle (to reduce trail) and a substantial fork brace to stiffen them up. The intention is to use BSA parts where ever possible and build a machine that could have existed in the period. I will be fitting a locally made daytona style oil tank, but the bike will run a dunlop trials type saddle rather than a humped race seat.
I managed to find a bobbed mudguard off a Royal Star which will go on the rear wheel which will need to be fully valanced for my passengers safety. I hope to have pictures of it evolution over coming months...
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Two weeks to go, have had to borrow a motor (big thanks to Ian!) so we can focus on completing the rolling chassis.
Still too many loose ends...
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Nice looking project, it has reminded me of this video of a cracking race at olivers mount in yorkshire. It`s a bit of a random choice being a triumph, but great to watch
cheers, Rich
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8LM3PyGvhwg&feature=related (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8LM3PyGvhwg&feature=related)
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Are you sure that sidecar is big enough for a grand piano?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vcsg-TImc9o
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Great clip Rich, loved the slides out of corners and the wheelie onto the finish straight.
And thats a GRAND piano with a Bass.
Cheers
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Olivers mount is a great little circuit which is public road in parkland when not in use. What the video doesn`t show is how tight the hairpin at the end of the start straight is, and how steep the following climb is. I know this because i was on holiday up there a couple of years ago and i drove round in the wifes car, although she didn`t appreciate me trying to get into third gear going up the hill! nuff said....
Rich
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We got it going, plenty of minor refinement to be done, but steers and brakes well. *beer*
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G'day RR,
Great to see. Looks the goods. I know you'll be looking for more horses, we (racers) all do. Took me 8 years of development to get 120 MPH out of the A7 only to be beat by a A50. With a chair on the side you'd be after torque.
That fork brace looks as if it would do the job. Well done, waiting for race results.
Cheers
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*ex* Congrats and admiration.
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Thanks guys, it certainly got a lot of attention in the pits. We only finished one race, I was conscious I had a mate's borrowed small jnl motor fitted and a thin flange barrel, but through the faster corners the rig was drifting very predictably and tracked nice and straight at slow speeds in the pits with no head shaking. I'm a happy man, best toy I've ever had! just need a super rocket for the road as a test bed for engine development...Might have to sell the B50 *sad2*.
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Thanks to Terry Mustchin who posted this photo of my rig online. kewl... Shows off my doubled up single sided 8" brakes well!
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Great photo, great bike (and courageous riders !)
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Thankyou, a nice outcome of getting the bike racing was a pit conversation that has highlighted some parts for sale including most of a '55 A10 and a pile of odds and sods including an alloy head with twin carbs (specs unknown). Just need to convince the treasurer and I may have enough to not only have parts support for my race bike but also a solo roadster in some trim, possibly as a street scrambler/flat tracker but with a decent front brake. hmmm *respect*
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Sell your children, explain how you would save heaps as well as get bits. Get that head !
Are you going to chrome or paint the frame ? Looks like fun, not enough f's in fun.
Cheers
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as rigs often take a beating (lots of twisting forces), I'm thinking a quick sand of the bare metal and a clear coat might be the answer. Easy to touch up if welding required and look a bit different to black.
the twin carb head may not actually offer any performance gain, but would be ffffun!
appreciate the encouragement...
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That will look different. Can I have a dollar for every time someone asks "whenya paintin'it"
Twin carbs are harder to set up but offer the possibility of altering jetting for individual cylinders. You may notice with siamese pipes one pot a little richer than the other. Induction bias is eliminated.
Just trying to justify my use of twin carbs to me !
For a bit more grunt try a 1" spacer between the manifold and carb.
Cheers
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another image from its debut, painting progressing and have got the parts for the engine. Hope to have it all back together for August.
The tank photographed is a loaner, mines at the chromers, all panel beaten.
Note the font brake, leading axle and fork brace, but still a BSA front end and brakes.
Sadly the B50 had to be sacrificed to help fund the growing pile of A10 parts in the barn...
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That is really awesome, man. Congrats on getting that together.
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Great work, mate! Looks mean.
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painting progress *smile*
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Great paint job.
BENDER RULES!
*lol*
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This just keeps getting better
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shiny shiny
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If you can't beat'm, BLIND'M *smile*
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now sporting a pair of 10TT9 racing carbs, a suzuki based clutch, rod operated rear brakes as well as a few other goodies. Still a few loose ends to tie up, race no's, pillion pad, coil mounts and sourcing some fresh alcohol so... should be able to fire up soon.
Still running the stock zorst, but have plans for replacing this...
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I'm blinded. A real credit to you mate. If she goes as well as she looks (and I recon she will) the rest will only smell the meths.
Cheers
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Nice one! I see you have an (electronic) BTH magneto fitted.
Richard
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Thanks guys, this forum and its encouragement has been a real help. I'm also really thrilled with the way this project has come together.
The only catch with the bt-h (other than cost) is that its not possible to retain the extended long nut on the third stud underneath as the body is slightly larger, so a normal nut must be used which is a bugger to do up.
The BT-H would have cost $1500nzd to get landed last year with all the taxes but then is at least new. I have had too many problems with old magneto's in the past and not having a decent one to start with came to the conclusion a good ignition was money well spent. Time will tell...
I was really thrilled to be able to source a matched pair of amal race carbs, one is currently on loan until I'm a bit more financial! The cables are the nylon insert type which fit very neatly under the tank and the throttle is a quick action tomaselli.
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Just being stupidly curious. There is a number on your front engine mount plate which looks like it begins with "NNZ". I that part of vehicle registration for New Zealand?
Richard L.
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Thats a "Motorcycling New Zealand" (MNZ) id plate. All sidecars raced in NZ must have an id plate and a logbook recording the bikes details and race history.
The bikes not registered for road use, although if it was it may have a small "VIN" vehicle identification number plate on the frame, if recently re-registered from scratch.
Just being stupidly curious. There is a number on your front engine mount plate which looks like it begins with "NNZ". I that part of vehicle registration for New Zealand?
Richard L.
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Don't know how it works in NZ, but if you were over here I'd put it on club plates. *eek*. The cafe is basically my old racer with head & tail lights and guards.
Cheers
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...
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That's one very pretty outfit .... Well done Rocket Racer. Look forward to seeing you at the front of the queue!!
John
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The weather finally cleared enough yesterday to test run at a mates with a long sealed driveway.
Clutch slip made starting difficult, so we resorted to a tow. Took quite a wile to get one cylinder to chime in, accompanied with the enchanting smell of methanol and castor oil. A bit of throttle cable and carb fettling and both cylinders were up and the engine was mechanically quiet and felt lovely and sharp.
The exhaust joints weren't good enough and blew oily residue everywhere, but I was still grinning like a lunatic. No unwanted clunks, knocks or rattles...
a minor oil leak from an oil line off the oil tank and had a few nice runs.
So need to sort the clutch, clean and seal the exhausts, and should be ready for a longer run up.
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you could always try a burt monroe up the beech ! thats if you are a kiwi at home.
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Good to hear she's a goer. Fine tuning time. I luv that smell so I add a little castor to my petrol so others can too, funny how they sit behind for a while before overtaking (if they can). Can't help with the clutch, maybe Orabanda can.
Why not install the kicker, till your racing. I thought chairs were allowed kickers, solos aren't.
Cheers
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Why not install the kicker, till your racing. I thought chairs were allowed kickers, solos aren't.
Cheers
The issue with kickers is that its another somewhere oil can leak. Unlike solo's we get a lot of oil surge from side to side within the motor. Its not unknown for bikes on say an anticlockwise circuit to quietly fill the timing cases as the oils being pushed sideways and that can be problematic. My Norton retained a kicker and it always left an oil weap on the zorst by race end.
I've removed the kick start mechanism and plugged it.
I'm also running an upper cyl lube in the methanol. But I do love that smell *respect*
I suspect I'm short a clutch plate in the basket...ooh er that doesnt sound good *doh*
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Just had a mate ring me to tell me I've apparently made copy in the May/June Classic Racer copy #149 on my bored and stroked 750 A10rr while racing at Pukekohe!
Would be great if it was actually bored and stroked and not just a stock motor with +20 pistons going as quickly as we could on methanol and castor oil.
Still we managed to embarrass an 850 commando kneeler and some 70's triumph kneelers with 5 speed boxes.
Must find a newsagent and source a copy!
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Good one RR, will check the newsagent when the sun comes up.
Crop the chair off, tilt the bike 45 degrees, yep you'll make a good solo racer too *smile*
Cheers
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Good one RR, will check the newsagent when the sun comes up.
Crop the chair off, tilt the bike 45 degrees, yep you'll make a good solo racer too *smile*
Cheers
As the rigs a bolt on, technically I'd need to change the wheels back from 16", fit some normal fork springs, stock sliders to bring the trail back and put on a side stand. The thought has crossed my mind more than once.
My other thought was to build a second one as a solo! the rigid frame saves so much weight it helps offset the spare tyre round my waist. Sadly finances preclude this without a lotto win.
My hack solo parts are slowly being collected, but still money to be spent getting the outfits cyl head right and also want to fit a joe hunt mag so the slow burning methanol all gets burnt. I think my modern lectronic bt-h has too short a spark duration (will put that on the road hack on petrol).
But do love my training wheel on the a10, no worries with losing traction, its always drifting...the skinny tyres just cant get enough grip, its a real hoot. We need to get you onto a race chair! might need to get you cross the ditch sometime *beer*
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One big mistake I did make was painting the bike with acrylic lacquer, hadn't realised that methanol makes this paint type bleach white if spilt.
The engine plates got nasty very quickly so have just had them electroless nickeled. provides a really neat finish while not as flashy as chrome.
I'm very tempted to see if the solo frame will fit in their plating bath too (time and finances permitting)!
The nice thing about it is you get an even coating unlike electroplating, so this could be done on anything...The Indian fours had electroless nickeled barrels and heads, but I am considering doing more cycle parts on the bike.
Must admit I like it as a finish.
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Looking at the pic I would need to put rollers on my toosh !
Till they build a bridge or tunnel I'm stuck here, don't like planes or boats *doh*.
Cheers
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Looking at the pic I would need to put rollers on my toosh !
Till they build a bridge or tunnel I'm stuck here, don't like planes or boats *doh*.
Cheers
My crewman Mark sticks a knee slider on his! He had velcro sewn onto his leathers specially. He takes it off when racing his solo race bike, it seems to work quite well.
sidecars are hard on crew leathers as they do tend to spend time skimming the track surface with various body parts.
If they built a bridge we'd all be over there for that weather of yours. Mind you we might pipe some of our surplus water supply across it if you needed it.
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Your outfit looks pretty cool, we have three A10s race with us - though not ever at the same time it has to be said. Am happy to catch up with you to discuss all things outfits - mods experiences etc. Cheers, David
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Your outfit looks pretty cool, we have three A10s race with us - though not ever at the same time it has to be said. Am happy to catch up with you to discuss all things outfits - mods experiences etc. Cheers, David
Nice to know there are more racing A10's out there...more pictures always appreciated. Is the one shown yours? How do those forks cope as they dont look braced...
if its not a secret spill the specs's. *loveit*
According to classic racer #149 May/June 2011 p91, mine is bored and stroked to 750cc! while sadly it was actually just a typo in the programme and is running +20 8:1 bsa pistons in worn bores and stock internals so still a 650. But has still managed to keep some bigger and later small wheeled kneelers humbled. It goes really well, but could do with another gear on the faster tracks where I get dealt to down the long straights by the 750 and 850's. Am trying to encourage more people to build these smaller stock capacity bikes as were raced back in the 50's and 60's in NZ.
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No, the bike in the pic is not mine . I race a 51 Thunderbird with moderate success - a third place two seasons ago and several fourths last season. The folks I race against with few exceptions have been doing it since God was in short trousers and are VERY good and hard racers; they are also without doubt the most sociable and helpful people in the paddock if NOT on the track. We had a Kiwi race in our series a couple of years ago and a quick racer he was. If you can raise the pennies to get yourself and your "monkey" over here I'm happy to get an outfit sorted for you to race - probably manage some accomodation too . . . .sleeping bag and floor sounds about right for you jolly rough Colonial types. The Vintage racing sidecar scene here is not as sprightly as I would like; my passenger also does F2 and apart from tyres he reckons it's cheaper. I am currently rebuilding the two motors I blew recently; the one piece crank cracked in my 360 motor and the scavenge pipe came loose in my 180 with Norton crank and T140 top end. This little mishap turned the bottom end into a steel oil and alloy soup, smashing barrels pistons and rods though we managed to salvage the crank and cases together with the head. Did I mention that I'd borrowed it? You can catch me on sidecarstar@hotmail.co.uk and I'll give you contact details for your fellow BSA sufferers this side of the globe. Cheers, David
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No, the bike in the pic is not mine . I race a 51 Thunderbird with moderate success - a third place two seasons ago and several fourths last season. The folks I race against with few exceptions have been doing it since God was in short trousers and are VERY good and hard racers; they are also without doubt the most sociable and helpful people in the paddock if NOT on the track. We had a Kiwi race in our series a couple of years ago and a quick racer he was. If you can raise the pennies to get yourself and your "monkey" over here I'm happy to get an outfit sorted for you to race - probably manage some accomodation too . . . .sleeping bag and floor sounds about right for you jolly rough Colonial types. The Vintage racing sidecar scene here is not as sprightly as I would like; my passenger also does F2 and apart from tyres he reckons it's cheaper. I am currently rebuilding the two motors I blew recently; the one piece crank cracked in my 360 motor and the scavenge pipe came loose in my 180 with Norton crank and T140 top end. This little mishap turned the bottom end into a steel oil and alloy soup, smashing barrels pistons and rods though we managed to salvage the crank and cases together with the head. Did I mention that I'd borrowed it? You can catch me on sidecarstar@hotmail.co.uk and I'll give you contact details for your fellow BSA sufferers this side of the globe. Cheers, David
Th kiwi over your way was probably Will Williamson on his red triumph. He runs a 750 kit on his bike so I can't catch him on the long tracks, have yet to have this bike on the shorter ones so will see then.
Know what you mean about attrition, at Pukekohe this year 3 rigs snapped cranks (1 bsa, 1 triumph & 1 norton).
Your right about the scene though, all good people and a ton of fun.
Would be nice to get back to the UK, but current finances preclude, any spare goes into the bikes!
Cheers
Tim
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The outfit number 12 is ours!
(David if you are going to post a picture at least make it a gud un!)
This is our first season on 3 wheels ( I did some meetings last season as a solo whilst trouble shooting the bikes rebuild), the previous picture must have been taken at the Pembrey circuit in Wales.
We wanted something we could both get involved in so this really is a husband and wife team.
The bike has been with us for the last 23 years or so and spent many of those pulling a Watsonian child adult chair, only going back on 2 wheels when the kids were (much) too big to fit in the chair. After a few years of sitting quietly in the corner of the garage we felt it was time to give her some of the care and attention she deserved. Stripped down to the last nut and bolt. she was treated to new bits as required and as we have other bikes for use on the road we thought that putting her on the track would be proper and fitting.
Having been on track with some of the other 'Big Wheelers' it is obvious that we don't have enough experience yet and that I don't think we will ever have the power that the alcohol burning Triumphs have. That aside it is fantastic fun.
Spec is; A10 on standard bore and stroke, 9.5:1 comp, Spifire cam, A7SS head with big valves and twin monoblocs.
Mark and Sue
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Observant types will notice the picture was taken before number 12 was allocated.
Regarding the forks, no they are not braced though they are lowered 1 1/2", and they do tie themselves in knots. Future mods will probably include bracing them and reducing the trail.
Still running a STD gearbox which has big gaps between the gears - perhaps a scrambles 2nd gear would help that (has any one got some going spare?).
Brakes are an 8" cast iron front and Ariel type rear- both relined and skimmed when SRM put the alloy rims on- and I am impressed with how well they actually stop. (Front gets a bit hot after a while - so the old adage 'what do you want brakes for - they only slow you down' holds well).
More to come as I think of it.
Mark and Sue
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Mark & Sue,
great to have you on the forum! thats a lovely bike *loveit*. As a sport sidecar racing is not just one for the boys, something thats quite uncommon with so many sports. We have quite a number of mixed teams over here too and have even had a grandfather/grand daughter crew which is really nice.
After being lent an A65 big wheeler at a meeting I had to have a sidecar and ended up restoring an old Norton atlas racing sidecar and raced that for a number of years successfully, but it wasnt pretty and wasnt a BSA, which triggered my own build which you can see from this thread has been a bespoke build. But my time on the Norton (sold to finance the BSA build) has meant I'm riding the BSA fairly well from day 1, so some of the crews of latter 750 & 850cc bikes I'm currently able to beat, will be able to kick my ar$e if they figure out how to both carry corner speed and drift. Although I'm also still shaking down the bike and having some expensive head issues that I hope to have resolved soon so do hope for a bit more pace yet to keep them honest.
Looking at your use of struts on the rear (on my norton I did the same), what has that done to your trail?
On mine I cut down a set of springs (that stiffened them up) so my fork bushes are further apart assisting the front end.
As I also built the bike on 16" wheels fitting a fork brace was much easier. You really need to get the trail down to somewhere between 0 and 1" otherwise the forks have to work too hard steering.
Fitting 16" wheels does also help reduce trail although I also had my engineer make some new fork sliders with a leading axle and fork brace mounts!
I do run a pair of 10TT9 carbs, mainly as they're so pretty *respect*, but also good for methanol which keeps the bike nice and cool, although does necessitate dumping all fluids each meeting.
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Mark & Sue,
just looking at your front cast drum. Keep a careful eye on it. the earlier cast hubs (but not the late twin leader type hub as much) can fail.
I had one break up on me on my old rig and was lucky to spot the tiny crack in it before it disintegrated. Under racing sidecar use, front hubs take a real beating (flew/twist/heat) and failure can be catastrophic. So just check it regularly for cracking.
You dont want a front hub disintegrating under hard braking *warn*
the crack usually start at a spoke hole and the hubs crack right across opening up. Not a biggie if you just keep watch for it, may never happen then of course.
Cheers
Tim
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Tim, thanks for the advice re:front hub. I have heard tales of Triumph hubs cracking but not BSA ones so I will keep a close eye on it.
Regulations over here for pre58 outfits insist on wheels of 18" minimum - hence 'Big Wheelers', so unless we fancy trying to match the Imp engined classic (small wheeler) outfits we will keep to the 19 and 18 fitted.
Struts on the rear were the easiest solution to lower the C of G and make boxing the rear wheel in simpler. My wife still has all of her fingers and wishes to keep them!
Forks have Eddie Dow type dampers which (certainly as a solo) work surprisingly well and also have some old top bushes with the top flange cut off to reduce the rebound length, that with 40mm chopped off the springs has brought the front down.
We are using Avon racing compound tyres on the bike which despite their rounder profile give phenomenal grip and yet can still be drifted as well.
Regarding alcohol- we would rather drink it than burn it and really cannot be bothered with the hassle of having to throughbolt the barrels (or rip the flanges off!) and watch it rot through everything else.
(Bizzare twist- the bike still has a current annual MOT test and because of free road fund license on pre 72s over here it is 'road legal! (almost) Hmmm - could pop the number plate on and spin it around the block...
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I do like the idea of having a race rig street legal!
Yes the hub I had break up was a triumph type on my norton rig.
I'd be very interested in seeing the rules you race under. are you able to send me a link or pm me a soft copy?
We break our classes into pre 76 and pre 63. Our pre 63 rules get interpreted as including big wheeled kneelers and both A65 and 750 atlas motors, so my retro build was a case of being one eyed!
I could always fit bigger wheels if I brought the bike over (once the kids move out), so would be useful to have an understanding of the UK rules.
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Hello Tim. I watched Mark and Sue race at Pembrey and thought they went very well. The outfit stayed mostly in one piece which is always a help and the rest of the sidecar people very were pleased to see them. I think it's true to say that non racers don't always appreciate the mega effort needed just to get a bike to the grid never mind develop it; deal with the million and one other things and pay TONS of money to entertain; so well done Mark and Sue. With regard to methanol fuel, I switched to it last season after my local airfield refused to sell me any more Avgas. I haven't found a huge performance boost but the bike runs much cooler, and that together with fitting Boyer ignition and rubber mounting the carbs certainly helped reliability. Cheers, David
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Tim, have a look on
http://www.britishhistoricracing.co.uk/downloads/
This is the racing arm of the Vintage Motorcycle Club. As you have probably found in your neck of the woods just because the bikes are old (and most of the riders) doesn't mean that the racing is any less frenetic. Perhaps the biggest issue is trying to get younger riders to take up old bikes. It is getting to the stage that it is becoming difficult to fill a grid in some classes - especially pre 34 solos and pre 58 sidecars. There is also the Classic Motorcycle Racing Club
http://www.crmc.co.uk/
who cater for later machines (and Japanese!)
I know this is a forum for A7 and A10 and even though very few actually race them, everybody who sees ours goes misty eyed and remembers their own experiences with BSA's twin. (It appears that everyone wanted a RGS and made do with a Flash with alloy mudguards and a lot of imagination. All regard them with affection though. I am sure we can see why).
Regards Mark and Sue
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Mark & Sue,
thanks for the link, although I'd fit into your pre 72 currently due to my 16" wheels but as I can ride the bike solo and could fit bigger wheels I could potentially comply with pre '59. Do your pre 59 and pre 72 classes run together or separately? We do struggle for numbers with the older bikes so my usual competition are kneelers with disk brakes! very satisfying to beat an 850 commando on minilites running disks.
I see theres a trophy for 16" wheeled machines, are there many racing?
I certainly get a lot of interest in my A10, its such a "right" bike. I too run a std box but the budget doesnt currently stretch to a 5 or 6 speed. I'm currently encouraging a mate to build an A10 to replace his tired A65 rig that has broken the frame far too many times to be good. His A65 runs around 770cc and I could still pass him on my stock 650, although he sadly snapped his crank a little later in the meeting.
Not a cheap exercise racing sidecars but a lot of fun and great people, boths guys and ladies racing. We're lucky to have some youngsters involved which is nice.
Tim
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Hello Tim, I have attached a pic of us at Mallory Park on Easter Monday. The tank artwork and numbers are by a Kiwi expatriate Dave Docherty who came over a few years ago to trial for Leicester Tigers our local Rugby Union side. Dave also did the numbers for another of your compatriots Paul Dobbs when he raced Roger Moss' Scott in our meetings. I met Dobbsy in the bar at Cadwell Park for a brief chat and like my fellow club members was dismayed at his fatal crash at the TT. Next season should see me out on my current project an early Ironhead Sportster - it will be running on methanol to keep that rear cylinder cool with "Y" spec cams and an SU carb. I'm a touch worried about the gearbox which not only does not have such a great reputation but also has a huge gap between third and top. I know I could put an Andrews box in but a shortage of that elusive quantity money has put that particular development on hold. Cheers, David
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With the state of the usd, couldn't resist buying a new joe hunt mag to help burn the fuel. needs a bit of judicious filing before it'll fit, but looking fwd to trying it once I have the cyl head sorted.
Had the bike on display at the recent CRC Speedshow in Auckland. The bike was on display with a modern long bike and an F2 rig that won on the IOM a number of years back. It got a lot of attention.
I didnt know Paul Dobbs personally but everyone knew the guy. RIP mate, he loved his racing.
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Just thinking something I hadn't mentioned is that I'm quietly moving towards using electroless nickel as a finish on parts on the bike. Have done the engine plates and a number of other parts but will be doing the stanchions and more fittings shortly. Gives a great workmanlike finish without the excess shine of chrome and being an even coating in microns unlike electroplating is a good substitute for silver paint.
Must measure the frame and see if it will fit in the nickel baths they have...
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Tim, I must ask what set-up you're using for a front brake? I'm restoring (to race) a Norton Featherbed outfit that has Aus race history back to the 60's. Just currently weighing up the options brake-wise, but a TLS 8" is definitely the way to go. Yours looks super-neat, I just can't pick what it's from?
Cheers, Matt
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Matt
Thanks for asking, being keen on making this period, I wanted BSA brakes and sourced a pair of 8" half sided front hubs (early A65 finned) , pressed them apart and had a new centre made that they are pressed onto.
So I've got double sided sls, with leading arm which is what you'll see on images of the daytona race BSA's as distinct from the brake lever to the rear as used in road BSA's
Its not suitable for a solo (weight!) but perfect for the chair. will probably ventilate brake plates in due course but no immediate need to tls it.
The blanking plugs have all been taken out and there is air flow between the two sides
I didnt want the later excellent 8" BSA/Triumph type TLS brake from the late 60's as it didnt look period and I wanted to retain an authentic 1955 vibe, given these later half width brakes are almost identical to the goldie hub of the fifties.
The dual brake arrangement fits just!
It may only be a norton but racing sidecar pic's always appreciated.
Tim ;)
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Time for an update. Its been a quiet year racewise, My outing at Pukekohe in Feb highlighted valve issues and the the engineer who did the work took over 6 months! *sad2* but has done a good job *smiley4*.
In the meantime I bought a new Joe Hunt Magneto, only to find it wouldnt fit without modifying the crank cases *eek* so have milled the cases to suit and am slotting the mag holes so I have some rotation adjustment available without pulling off the timing gear.
The mags putting out 3.5 amps so should burn that methanol nicely
I've also just outlayed a pile of money for a cam that is purportedly nos and has the engraving (not stamping) 67-358 and a label attched saying Harman & Collins. Will be interesting to check what its capable of. May look into getting some copies done.
If anyone is interested plse PM me.
Cheers
Tim
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That looks nice RR. They must take some off the base circle to get more lift. Must be careful and check the followers drop far enough to reach it, and the valve gear doesn't bind up. Might need to take a bit off the top of the guides.
Would be interesting to know the cost of a copy.
Cheers
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That looks nice RR. They must take some off the base circle to get more lift. Must be careful and check the followers drop far enough to reach it, and the valve gear doesn't bind up. Might need to take a bit off the top of the guides.
Would be interesting to know the cost of a copy.
Cheers
I'll make some inquiries and let you know. A mate who is also building an A10 outfit has expressed interest and we do want the Birmingham mafia to rule on the track!
May be some economies in a small batch run...
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A mate of mine had one of these cams back in the early 60s.
He told me years ago that the base circle was smaller but I can't remember what he did about the pushrods etc.
He reckoned it wasn't much good on the road.
Trev.
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won't be going near the road, except for street circuits!
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New photo from Pukekohe festival in February.
the 358 is at a cam shop so it can be replicated as required.
Hope to have the rig down to Taupo for racing late April.
Bike should also feature in one of those bike & rider profiles in classic racer, where they write a paragraph and have a little pic of the bike...
I'm also looking to try and add a road going A10 Road or Super Rocket to the shed this year if all goes to plan...
;)
sadly no footage from the camera (which belongs to my co pilot)
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after fairly underwealming results at Pukekohe, with results mainly towards the rear (although technically a third in pre '63 in one race) of the mixed pre 76 and pre 63 grids. This weekend we went to Taupo (last meeting before the winter break), a much tighter track with hopes that all the corners might offset our capacity and gearbox deficit (fields including a beem, guzzi, 850 commando, maney norton, T140, harley etc -all with bigger engines, most with 5 or 6 speed boxes and most with disk brakes and small wheels).
A great turnout of 14 rigs...cold but a weekend of brilliant racing. By our last race on Sunday I was exhausted and considering just circulating, but we had a blinder of a start and got 4th on track. Still buzzing *yeah*
Bender just flew and I was on cloud 9. Absolute magic.
My co pilot did manage to get some good helmet cam footage of two of the races where we finished mid field, and will try and get this onto you tube (in which case I will add a link).
I'm a happy man *beer*
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Great to hear RR. It feels great when it all comes together, and seeing the caliber of the bikes behind you. Well done.
Cheers
PS what would it cost to get a 358 made up?
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Well done Rocket Racer
Looking forward to the tube video
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Great to hear RR. It feels great when it all comes together, and seeing the caliber of the bikes behind you. Well done.
Cheers
PS what would it cost to get a 358 made up?
Muskrat, the cam grinder sent me this in an email
"at a guess $ 350ish to weld and grind, we would expect trouble with bending of the cam,to do one would be great to get an idea, a simple reprofile would be $ 160+"
the cam has been recorded so they can be made to order. given the radius is smaller, I believe a 357 could be simply reprofile ground.
The money is of course NZ dollars, not proper AU Dollars!
If you're interested pm me and I'll send you the cam grinders details.
Tim
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For any kiwi's in the north island, although I wont be able to get there, I have arranged for Bender to go to the SRA "Have a go day" this weekend on Saturday afternoon in Taupo where a fellow big wheeler rider will take out members of the public for a spin!
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http://www.marktime.co.nz/results/120429-CMR.HTML
results from taupo is anyone is interested...look in the section headed CSC PCSC (classic sidecar -pre 53 and post classic sidecar -pre76)
was going to upload them but not jpg's ...
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wa1FqfPuUGw&feature=colike
one of the helmet cam footages from Taupo as posted by my trusty crewman if anyones interested. Probably our worst race of the weekend. The tacho is an 8k unit so when I'm checking it from time to time, typically when I know the revs are up ;) , the 9 o'clock position marker reference point which can be seen is 7000rpm.
sound is very quiet, so turn it up!
not sure who took the following, but its from the same meeting...
http://youtu.be/ujG4Z1qBaME
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Raced again last weekend at Taupo again, had dropped the gearing further so able to use top gear, comfortably the quickest 650 racing, although partially due to the tight track as we're unfaired and the bike is light.
Racing at hampton downs labour weekend (late oct), then due to replace the rods. Intending to do a short rod conversion and fit A65 rods and modify one of the barrels to suit.
May even be time to fit the 358 cam, but then that may make it harder to glean the difference of the rod revision, so may not *conf* do that yet.
Both my crewman and one of the other 650's crew ran helmet cams, so looking forward to seeing the footage, In one case we theoretically have footage of us having a very close racing incident with another rig and taking evasive action involving some 2 wheeling. If its any good will follow up with a link to utube.
Had three close calls, got rammed by a beemer R90 (their crew was the meat in the sandwich) (our lap times were the same but they were quicker on the straights), put my crewman into a traffic cone laying on the track (heard it and saw it bouncing gracefully over him ;) ) then had to take evasive on a corner where a rig had some issues ahead of us then ran wide as we were going round him. A great weekend.
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDX571L0024 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDX571L0024)
taken from an A65, Bender features...2nd race 4 kicks in around 7 minutes
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Really great and interesting thread!!
Keep up the good work and results!
And good luck, we are all rooting for ya!
Julian
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Great stuff RR. only swung once on a short circuit Trump in the wet. Couldn't see anything after turn 1. Just felt the riders boot on my butt pushing me further out. Recon I'd have more fun on the tar.
Keep the "A10" flag flying.
Cheers
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and from my passenger...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ojp77AjtrMg (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ojp77AjtrMg)
we decided to start at the back and stick with the other 650's as in earlier races we'd ended up in no mans land just circulating with no one to play with...
Sound is very quiet. The helmet cams make the track and the distances seem very wide and far away.
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Good one RR. Old Bender ain't too shabby mate. What was the one you beat home? Much more fun when you have someone to play with.
Cheers
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Good one RR. Old Bender ain't too shabby mate. What was the one you beat home? Much more fun when you have someone to play with.
Cheers
The bike we initially follow is the A65, then the white kneeler is a 650 triumph also on methanol. The guys on it are ex racers, so still getting back into their groove, so was nice to just give them some pressure without worrying about forcing some hard passes. At the end of the day its social racing so fun to put on a show.
I now have some helmet cam footage from April, which I'll take a look through and post if half decent. Three wheels are a lot of fun ;)
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This is the last of the footage from an earlier meetng (April this year)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ujLaaBk_6V8 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ujLaaBk_6V8)
at one stage a little white big wheeled kneeler comes past us and just walks away - something to do with the 6 speed box and the big capacity Maney motor. We also get passed by a dark green Guzzi and a Red beemer.
The orange and yellow kneeler that keeps popping alongside is an 850 commando and the blue bike we're chasing along with the bike in view at the finish are both 5 speed T140's
That meeting had a few more bikes so the field was more condensed.
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Really enjoyed watching that..........Well done Sir!
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Fantastic !!
Love a go at that !!
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appreciate the feedback!
Am now considering where to source some nice "I" section steel rods in 6" before my original A10 rods decide to make a mess. Looking to shorten the barrel 1/2".
Also tossing up whether I should also try the 358 cam at the same time.
Have bought a nice belt drive clutch too, although need to repair the crank splines before fitting the alloy front pulley, the splines havent got worse but have always been badly worn.
Have also got a spare A10 type brake lever finally which is a better shape than my A65 one which will simplify primary case removal, currently a multi step process. Will need to modify my crossover brake set up to fit.
A good mate has provided a donor outer primary cover with a big hole in it where the cush drive bulge should be. Will be looking to modify it further to cover the belt drive but enable cooling and access to the clutch without removal.
Am intending to fit a low profile dual seat so after a seat base. The steel frame of my trials saddle (unsprung) can be a literal pain in the ...on bumpy circuits.
Will also be reviewing the frame carefully for any breakages, two of the engine mounts had cracked and sidecars are very hard on frames.
Cheers
Tim
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Great video's mate, keep'em comming.
Never ending improvements when you race. I thought about the short barrels and 6" rods. Never got there.
I like open primaries.
Cheers
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Back in the days when a whole bike and a double adult Watsonian set you back about £25 out of somebodies back yard, I ended up with a bit of an oddball. An A7 bottom end and barrells, with A10 pistons and head! The piston skirts had been "altered" with a hacksaw so they didn't hit the crank. That is how I remember it anyway! The point is, "oversquaring" the engine made it quite pleasant to live with but didn't make it any faster for sure. What is the thinking behind shortening the barrells in your case?
Cheers Rob
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Back in the days when a whole bike and a double adult Watsonian set you back about £25 out of somebodies back yard, I ended up with a bit of an oddball. An A7 bottom end and barrells, with A10 pistons and head! The piston skirts had been "altered" with a hacksaw so they didn't hit the crank. That is how I remember it anyway! The point is, "oversquaring" the engine made it quite pleasant to live with but didn't make it any faster for sure. What is the thinking behind shortening the barrells in your case?
Cheers Rob
Not sure if these attachments are legible but they are the rationale behind my latest plan...
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Thanks for posting that, It has made me bog eyed reading it, but I understand what seems to be the crux of the matter. ie the angle of the shorter con rod altering the speed of the piston at different points in its travel. Good luck with it!
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Thanks for posting that, It has made me bog eyed reading it, but I understand what seems to be the crux of the matter. ie the angle of the shorter con rod altering the speed of the piston at different points in its travel. Good luck with it!
a good synopsis, effectively the piston acceleration increases as does piston speed, not necessarily good things but within the realms of expected rpm ok. The A65 and Norton twins all run short rods, the norton on a longer stroke.
With quicker piston acceleration the motor should have an improved induction and exhaust cycle...in theory
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There are strong arguments for both short and long rods,
However, in general you use short rods in a fast circuit engine that runs at high speed for longer periods, and when engine service life is not such an issue. Piston acceleration is increased and so is piston side load (greatly), in fact the piston side load is increased in proportion to any extra side thrust you may pick up from the rod angularity so be rather skeptical of that "plus point" A longer rod "dwells" at tdc for longer allowing the flame to have more time to burn completely and have more effect exactly where it is needed, therefore also allowing more flexibility for spark timing inaccuracies etc, it generally gives a less fussy engine and also one that pulls off of the corners better. Read any serious papers / books about NASCAR engine building and you will find more info on this subject than your head can handle!!
Good luck.
Julian.
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when i first noticed this page/post/headline this image automaticaly came to mind lol.
(http://)
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when i first noticed this page/post/headline this image automaticaly came to mind lol.
(http://)
Brilliant, even looks like an A10 engine! *yeah*
A good mate tells me the cartoon relates to Ogri borrowing his Grandmothers A10 to win 5 Pounds!
Sheer class
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yeh thats right his granny claims to have done "the ton" in/on it lol.
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Looking at Rocket Racers signature (the script at the bottom of each post.) I thought it was a shame they didn't issue the same advice for the M series! *contract*...........
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qumlsvxTof4
Gladly all was well! *lol*....................... And good advice for us all at the end. Good ol' Sumpy!
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A mate of mine lost his front one on a Trihard. Wasn't as pretty as that!
Cheers
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Latest plan is to fit line bored T140 rods with steel end caps. Price was right and the budget a bit tight.
Barrel shortening to progress over Christmas.
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http://festival.nzcmrr.com/gallery/category/5-classic-festival-pukekohe-2012-the-engines?start=20 (http://festival.nzcmrr.com/gallery/category/5-classic-festival-pukekohe-2012-the-engines?start=20)
engine featured on the NZCMRR website! nice and shiny ;)
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And the best looking too RR well done. The timing side of the G50 comes second.
Cheers
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time for a bit of minor pre season fettling, first race of the season 7th & 8th September,
will be fitting the T140 rods and a shortened barrel, steel caps/alloy rods.
Pistons fly cut to clear the flywheels
my SR aka "rusty" in pieces in background and my ZB33 under the blue cover
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G'day RR.
How much difference in balance weight?
Yep that looks like a classic racers shed.
Cheers
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apologies for the delay in responding, my wife's kitchen scales are giving me sufficient variation that I cannot effectively identify a weight difference between pistons or rods although it appear the rod saving in reciprocating weight is offset by the increase in rotational weight. Will try and source a decent scale but expect it'll be a suck it and see.
Got the barrel (and pushrods) back on the way home from work, looks nice, but waiting for a fresh set of big end shells for the rod swap out.
Will be interesting to see if it goes back together with minor pain or shows up lots of butterfly effects :!
The pistons actually look more modern fly cut, I'm quietly optimistic but we'll see.
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barrel painted. still waiting for a fresh set of main bearing shells before I can swap out the rods, supposed to be racing it over weekend of sept 7th at Taupo *eek*
so a bit of work to do, a wet weekend so spent quite a lot of it easing the gudgeon pins of the 9:1's which are going into it, which were a tight fit. a slow job.
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Looking good mate!
We are all waiting to see it running again.
julian
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Had an ah ha moment mid week, split the crank cases and my much abused (white metal) plain bush was starting to break up. Will look to do both my A10 motors with a bearing conversion. Should be back together for the Barry Sheene meeting over Labour Weekend.
http://www.barrysheenetranstasman.co.nz/ (http://www.barrysheenetranstasman.co.nz/)
Ah the joy of racing (or running) old bikes ;)
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Thought a picture of the short rod motor with pistons fitted was in order. No wonder they need to be fly cut!
sadly my late crank refused to fit at short notice, the flywheels being 4 mm bigger than the transitional crank hung up on the scavenge oil pipe and my 358 cam would have required the cam followers modifying to pick up full lift as the base circle was smaller the followers couldnt drop sufficiently and I don't have time to modify.
Motor appears to have gone back together well, still need to time mag, set tappets and fit oil pump and new fittings. Might even be able to run up this weekend weather and time permitting...
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G'day RR.
What length are the T140 rods, and how do the big & little ends measure up?
I just fired up mine after the conversion. Beautiful, 60Lb oil pressure. I hope the noise I can hear is just backlash in the timing gears *dunno*.
Cheers
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The rods are 1/2" shorter than std A10, these had been resized for an A65 race bike, then the owner decided to go carillo steel. Apparently T140 rods do need to be narrowed, but these were ready to fit as sourced. Gudgeons are as per A10.
The story goes that the T140 used the 750 BSA twin rods so they should feel at home on the short A10.
They are steel caps on alloy, so should keep pressure better.
The motor does get a hard work out so nothings certain. Hoping to give it some quieter running for its first day on the track, build it up and see how we go. The short rod motors are supposed to pull 8k and it will be ibteresting to see how it compares with the previous motor contents which could spin out to 7500 through the middle gears.
Got the wasted bolt and spacers sorted this afternoon but still not quite ready to start and weather here this weekend atrocious :(
looking forward to seeing this puppy run!
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So why not use A65 rods? They're 6" like A7 but biger big end same as the LJ A10.
In my A7SS racer I used A10 SJ rods shortened by about 2.5mm and A75/T160 pistons. Saw 8K often.
The noise I heard was timing (advanced). Sorted that and balanced the carbs. Beautiful, 30Lb oil at idle hot, 60Lb at 2K hot.
Cheers
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So why not use A65 rods? They're 6" like A7 but biger big end same as the LJ A10.
In my A7SS racer I used A10 SJ rods shortened by about 2.5mm and A75/T160 pistons. Saw 8K often.
The noise I heard was timing (advanced). Sorted that and balanced the carbs. Beautiful, 30Lb oil at idle hot, 60Lb at 2K hot.
Cheers
I would have gone A65 rods, but these came up and no harm in having steel end caps, got it together late Sunday, but weather was rubbish and ideally need a pusher to get the chair rolling fast enough for a bump start on a gravel drive. so hope to fuel it up this coming weekend. Being methanol, the fuel goes in last minute then needs draining after use. But looks promising.
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http://clmintiepix.photoshelter.com/gallery/Barry-Sheene-Oceania-Challenge-2013/G0000LMs3TEbS9po/6/1 (http://clmintiepix.photoshelter.com/gallery/Barry-Sheene-Oceania-Challenge-2013/G0000LMs3TEbS9po/6/1)
if you scroll down you'll find a couple of shots of Bender (306) in action over last weekend 25/26/27 Oct
and a shout out to Tom from the forum who came and introduced himself at the meeting.
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Looks great RR , LOOKS VERY PROFESSIONAL , your hardwork as paid off best of luck for your future outings, regards BobH *respect*
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Bike went very well for the Barry Sheene, but did lose a number of bolts and broke one of the head steady straps and worse had some damage to the crank cases, so will need further repairs.
My joe hunt mag packed up in the last race, last lap, last corner (but miles from the pits at the bottom of a hill) but all in all had a ball
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The joys of racing, even the lows. I miss it.
Can you hide Pazon inside a JH ? *whistle*
Cheers
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I'll persevere with the joe hunt a bit longer, not sure why... mainly bloody mindedness.
I must admit the highlight was a race when it showered heavily on one corner and made that sweeper extremely slippery (solo's leaking oil ;) )
On that corner we were overhauling a couple of 750 triumphs each lap after hanging onto them through the dry circuit, only to be blown back off on the straight. But it was very satisfying sailing past them sideways and carrying more speed. only downside was the joe hunt cancelling the party last lap
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Had one of those "bugger" moments in the weekend: having decided on running a late crank for the motor I had the crank balanced (including some removeable plugs so I can increase the balance factor track side if necessary) I started reassembly only to find that while the flycuts for the pistons were spot on for the heavy crank, they are insufficient to clear the flywheel on the lighter later crank at bdc. So now need to flycut more metal off the pistons which will adjust the balance.
bugger bugger.
The balancer estimated the motor as previously run was well balanced for a stationary motor *eek* due to the increased rotational weight of the steel capped rods. Just wasnt suitable for a motorcycle.
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Don't you just love modifying one part then discovering you need to modify other bits to make it fit. *problem*
Just be careful the pistons don't get too short. I remember a Trihard owner shortened his pistons that much they tried to do a backflip at 8grand.
What factor are you looking at? How do you get to the plugs trackside without taking the barrels off?
Cheers
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without the plugs we're starting at 65%, the plugs will increase the balance factor up to around 70% and should (will believe it when it works) be accessible if we remove the sump plate.
As the bike has a rigid frame and short rods and is pulling 3 wheels and two people, it had my balancer who is very experienced with british iron really pondering (owns an A65).
He did mention that modern roads (higher speeds) have altered the optimum balance from back in the day when they were first sold, which made sense.
Have also realised that my magneto is still away for repair, having broken the points spring in October, so have been trying to chase that down, won't be doing a lot of racing without a mag *eek*
Have swapped my carb floats for some remote ones, so also need to make up some mounts and figure out where to fit them. just as well I've got a couple of weeks until racing. Does look a little concerning having a bare rolling chassis to look at right now.
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This years festival has come and gone, 2 1/2 days at the track and some great racing. Bender ran flawlessly, the only time I touched a spanner was to drain fluids.
Had some ding dong battles with a comparably powered triumph kneeler, taking two each out of four races and a highlight of holding off a small wheeler 850 commando 5 speed for 3/4 of race 3 after they fluffed turn 1 on the start and then in race 4 passing them at least 3 times under brakes involving some big drifts and beating them up the hill over the line *fight*.
We were pulling 7000 in top on the main straight and the bike is still showing none of the problems we had pre balance. Hopefully someone will post some pics of us in front of that norton *yeah* which I can tag here.
My crewman Mark did his usual excellent work even having crashed his solo over the course of the weekend but luckily had only damaged his pride and his kawasaki so was still fit to crew.
Bender did good *wink2*
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Good to hear ! how about some piccy's ? regards Bob.
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https://www.facebook.com/Nzsidecar (https://www.facebook.com/Nzsidecar)
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Excellent RR , the guy in 244's wearing out the tarmac with his shoulder isn't He ? What bike was that and you seem to be giving him something to think about , best wishes Bob.
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Excellent RR , the guy in 244's wearing out the tarmac with his shoulder isn't He ? What bike was that and you seem to be giving him something to think about , best wishes Bob.
244 is a 650 pre unit triumph 4 speed, also on methanol, so we're well matched performance wise. and had 2 finishes ahead and 2 behind them, all good close racing.
Beating an 850 commando 5 speed was a highlight in race 4 although in race 3 we held them off for 3 of the 4 laps after taking them on turn 1.
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Hi Rocket Racer - very impressed with your work - this is our A10 we have been racing in Aussie since 2002. They are good fun.
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That would have to be tyre smoke there Lex *good3*.
Cheers
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Hey Muskrat - turn 8 I think at Eastern Creek - to misquote Paul Hogan - that's not tyre smoke - this is tyre SMOKE.
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Don't mind a bit of the old flattrack speedway action.... *smile*
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There must be a more comfortable way to get to work.
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Hi Rocket Racer - very impressed with your work - this is our A10 we have been racing in Aussie since 2002. They are good fun.
Lex,
great to finally make contact, brilliant to have another A10 rig on the forum. *yeah*
I'll be looking for a thread on your bike now you've joined the forum...
Would be good to find a meeting we can put the bikes together for. Seeing that tyre smoke photo has reminded me I need a new tyre on the rig, they seem to wear quite a lot *grins*
Cheers Tim
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That be turn 9 Lex. Last time I was there I was sliding down the link road on my idiot. Lost the front after going in too hot. *bash*
Cheers
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The Broadford Bike Bonanza is on at the State motorcycle complex 17th to the 21st of April...
We'd LOVE to see you both there... *smile*
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Hey Wozza - sorry mate - would love to get there one year, but I will be working in the Pilbara for most of April. Sounds like the ducks guts though. I will be at Lakeside for the Australian Historic titles though. Haven't raced there since 2001 and I am keen as mustard.
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Hey Wozza - sorry mate - would love to get there one year, but I will be working in the Pilbara for most of April. Sounds like the ducks guts though. I will be at Lakeside for the Australian Historic titles though. Haven't raced there since 2001 and I am keen as mustard.
http://www.qemsc.com.au/lakeside2014.html (http://www.qemsc.com.au/lakeside2014.html)
a clockwise circuit with only one decent left hander by the looks of it, need to con you into coming over to Hampton Downs or Taupo
http://www.hamptondowns.com/pages/65/circuit-map.htm (http://www.hamptondowns.com/pages/65/circuit-map.htm)
http://www.tauporacetrack.co.nz/the-tracks/track-layouts (http://www.tauporacetrack.co.nz/the-tracks/track-layouts)
Can't see myself getting to Oz before the winter,
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Have a meeting in the last weekend of April at Taupo and my regular crew is unavailable... So my wife has volunteered *loveit*
Hasn't been on a bike for at least 18 years (before children) and has never crewed on a chair.
We'll have another novice pairing out on a Lightning to play with, so should be a lot of fun and entertaining.
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Good luck mate. At least out on the track YOUR the boss. If she doesn't do as requested it will hurt.
Cheers
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A fellow member just sent me this. I thought it appropriate.
Wife's First Hunting Trip…
After 20 years together, my sweet husband invited me to go hunting with him this year.
I couldn't believe it... the first time ever!
I never thought he'd be willing to share his 'guy time' with me!
And, being the thoughtful man that he is, he even gave me
an opening day present. He calls it 'The First Timers Lucky Hat'.
I'm so fortunate to be married to him.
I have attached a picture of me in my lucky hat.
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Good for her RR and you , you never know could be the start of another partnership if she enjoys it !!
Musky, that guy sure knows how to show a girl an explosive weekend ! BobH.
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Love the lucky hat.
Had a bsaoc pub night yesterday, consensus was most of the guys wouldnt be up for crewing so were fairly impressed. I can't complain ; even if she doesnt make it a regular habit, I am allowed four beesa's in the shed which has admittedly taken a number of years of patient planning *whistle* to wrangle but keeps me very happy *yeah*
Now if I could just convince her to ride rather than passenger...
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heh Tim, if you asked me about Taupo I might have done it, and joined the sidecar nutters club *pull hair out*
However there might be a slight weight disadvantage issue in my case......
I have taken my version of mission control out on the bike but just imagine if the worst happened and I dropped it the telling off would be of historic proportions *help*
So it doesn't happen often...
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Your offer has been duly noted and recorded, I'm always looking for suitable victims, I mean crew *whistle*
Might not be in April, but you may be called...
bwah hah hah -
But no actuallly its great fun and I highly recommend anyone who gets the chance should try it.
The Sidecar Racing Association runs a "have a go day" in May at Taupo on the short old circuit where we take the public out and passengers include kids and grandparents, so no excuses for staunch bikers *doh*
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I promise you RR if I ever get over I'd love to have a go on the chair ,s eems only right to sample it after I've had such fun on outfits while supposedly being "in charge" is a great idea and it's a shame it's not done in the uk. Have a great weekend regards BobH.
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At least out on the track YOUR the boss. If she doesn't do as requested it will hurt.
Not quite that simple, it works both ways, the swinger (if they know what they're doing has a lot of contol) and its easier for the swinger to bail if it goes wrong
heh Tim, if you asked me about Taupo I might have done it, and joined the sidecar nutters club *pull hair out*
There's still time
Sidecar Have a go Day is May 10th at Taupo Motorsports Park
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I can report she did really well, didn't fall off and although we finished last in the one race on Saturday... we were on the same lap as everyone else and she really enjoyed the left hand sweepers where she was leaning right out and the power was wound on and we weren't far off a full race pace through most the track excepting the tricky chicanes where I took it a little easy to give her time to get into place for the exits. She wasn't quite so sure about all the change overs as taupo has a lot of bends so is very hard work for passengers. A good effort and am very proud. Looks like my existing crews spot is still safe til the kids all move out.
http://www.marktime.co.nz/results/nz-classic-motorcycle-racing-register/2014/04/26 (http://www.marktime.co.nz/results/nz-classic-motorcycle-racing-register/2014/04/26)
For someone who has never raced and hasnt been on a bike for 20 years *respect*
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Well done Mrs G. *yeah*
Cheers
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and an image to plug the HAGD
https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc3/t1.0-9/10292146_437635113039395_6408925195461953496_n.jpg (https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc3/t1.0-9/10292146_437635113039395_6408925195461953496_n.jpg)
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Family shopping trip, or extra ballast for faster shopping... *shh*...corners...?
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She wasn't quite so sure about all the change overs as taupo has a lot of bends so is very hard work for passengers.
Full track?
Fully experienced now so you'll be able to go faster with her next time
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track 2, so the outfield sweeper was her favorite, she wasn't so nimble on the chicane before the start finish straight. I think we will see her out again, but will need a set of leathers that fit and the other condiments (helmet and back protector) which we borrowed. Her infield work was well up to scratch and the speed (cough cough) of the mighty A10 didnt phase her *sleepy*
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track 2, so the outfield sweeper was her favorite, she wasn't so nimble on the chicane before the start finish straight.
Not sure on a classic, but a modern F1 you can just about ignore the entry into it and you really only work the right in the middle and left on the exit
It's a good track, unfortunately I wont make the HAGD, I was planning on riding the A10 up but an engine rebuild that has turned out a bit worse than I had hoped has put paid to that
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I see there's a Spitfire circulating as well.
Cheers
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For any NZ "mainlanders":classic sidecars will be there for probably the only ever time in late November, early December for the Burt Munro and Timaru Festivals
http://burtmunrochallenge.co.nz/ (http://burtmunrochallenge.co.nz/)
http://www.cams-racing.org.nz/ (http://www.cams-racing.org.nz/)
Bender will be going down for both meetings, at Burt classic sidecars will only be doing the street event at Wynton.
Classic sidecar racing is limited to the NZ North Island so this is a unique opportunity for us to race down south and for the public to see classic chairs in action.
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Classic sidecar racing is limited to the NZ North Island so this is a unique opportunity for us to race down south and for the public to see classic chairs in action.
Quite a few people here are going just to se them, guy here was trying to buy the Trident that Roger Stent built but someone had already put an offer on
Did you not do BSTT? had a bit of a look but didn't see your outfit?
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Best of luck with the meeting RR. Why don't they race'em down south?
When I was racing (solo) in the 90's chairs were also racing against Morgan's and alike. Great to watch.
Cheers
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Classic sidecar racing is limited to the NZ North Island so this is a unique opportunity for us to race down south and for the public to see classic chairs in action.
Quite a few people here are going just to se them, guy here was trying to buy the Trident that Roger Stent built but someone had already put an offer on
Did you not do BSTT? had a bit of a look but didn't see your outfit?
Sadly couldn't do the Barry Sheene meeting; the Wynton and Levels meetings may be my last for some time due to some personal commitments but am planning on ensuring Bender does continue to get some track time even if I cannot be involved for a time.
Yes Rogers Trident outfit is a real sweetie and built as a proper front exit classic. Whoever buys that will have a well sorted machine.
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https://www.facebook.com/pages/RawPhotographyMx/336658219848114 (https://www.facebook.com/pages/RawPhotographyMx/336658219848114)
Levels, Timaru, Southern Classic Festival
http://youtu.be/Z1zF5X_jdoo (http://youtu.be/Z1zF5X_jdoo)
Wyndham street races: cold, windy with hail and rain...brutal but a great day
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Good to see you lot down here and to meet you, everyone I spoke to loved the Sidecars, just need a few more to come down for the next one
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The team running the rudge outfit had a ball and we understand several people are considering building classic rigs having seen what they are missing.
So there is potential for further classic sidecar racing in the south island ...
The weather at Wyndham was challenging, but loved Levels and the organisers at both meetings treated us like real people *eek*
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From Levels, Timaru
https://www.facebook.com/pages/RawPhotographyMx/336658219848114?sk=photos_stream&tab=photos_albums (https://www.facebook.com/pages/RawPhotographyMx/336658219848114?sk=photos_stream&tab=photos_albums)
https://www.flickr.com/photos/100098058@N05/sets/72157649880910255/ (https://www.flickr.com/photos/100098058@N05/sets/72157649880910255/)
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Bike being loaned out for the Pukekohe and Hampton Downs race meetings but after that hope to fit these all going to plan.
will need flycutting and will need to recheck balance factor and check valve clearances and consider through bolting but looking forward to trying these.
Then I just need a CR box...
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They look too nice to put in a motor. Are they cast of forged?
Cheers
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They look too nice to put in a motor. Are they cast of forged?
Cheers
Don't know yet, they are hopefully on their way from the old country, due in later in Jan.
But they are certainly extremely sexy
As someone with hi comp experience do you think a thick flange motor would need through bolting to run these?
They would certainly take the motor to the cusp of what BSA ever supplied to the public, while remaining a 650.
I could potentially run these at a demonstration meeting run by the car boys in mid March to see whether the motor will hold together.
The side on photo on flea bay showed one piece cast iron oil scraper rings, which I don't like. Will be looking to fly cut the pistons to clear the crank (as short rod) and recheck balance as well as get some 3/4 piece oil scraper rings.
I recall (must find) that period Eddie Dow literature recommended the slightly milder 356 cam when using methanol and 14:1 for optimal performance, I've also got a 358 grind I could throw into the mix.
I'll post the underside pics off fleabay
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G'day mate.
They look cast to me but I like the strengthening rib. I only ran that higher comp on the A7SS with thin flange barrels and lifted a couple of those before I through bolted. My 1st fix before through bolting was to modify the head steady and use a jack bolt from the frame tube. Tightened till the tube just started to flex *eek*. She ran really well on meths with the 357, twin 932's and 38 degrees advance at 7500rpm.
Cheers
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After its run on ANZAC day (racing under loan) Bender developed loose spokes which had me thinking the worst...
Yep needs some TLC,
Back in the shed, at least we have the winter months to sort out *work*
and no it wasnt crashed, sidecars are just hard on rolling chassis parts
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Curious - do the spokes stretch or the rims deform.
Yes I can see a lot of G dumped on wheels on corners
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"and no it wasnt crashed, sidecars are just hard on rolling chassis parts "
Yep ,that's more than true, I completely demolished a sidecar wheel drifting the outfit through a sharp righthander heading into Kendal ,the 2 in the sidecar were not amused ,they were hanging over a 50 ft drop only hawthorn bushes stopped us *doh* !!For my "sin" I was sent back home by bus for another wheel. Obviously not in the same league as RR's damage but shows how much energy is produced, Bob.
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I wouldn't like to be on it in another 10 laps. Could have been catastrophic.
Cheers
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olivers mount sidecars remember watching fritz sznideger? world champion bmw leading in timed practice for grid positions a tripod and camera mounted on front of the sidecar making a film for castrol oil steering with his left hand and winding the camera with his other hand in a class of his own with right hand chair
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Sheds a mess and the hubs away being reinvented, so working on the two road bike projects as only the trusty single is going.
Hope to have the road rocket aka Bender out at the Barry Sheene over Labour weekend (late Oct)
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Hope to have the road rocket aka Bender out at the Barry Sheene over Labour weekend (late Oct)
See you there, my accomodation and holidays are already booked
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I'll be sleeping in my luxury 7x5 bike trailer, it just fits a camp bed and saves putting up a tent. No spare money for booked accommodation I have bsa's to maintain *whistle*
do need to renew my licence and club membership though. I'd like to do Taupo but may not have a front wheel and subject to a number of complicating factors, so jury's out on that...
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I'll be sleeping in my luxury 7x5 bike trailer
I'll be sleeping in my double bed in the hotel, shout me a coke and you can sleep in our pit garage ;)
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I was just trying to work out what October related to here in the Northern hemisphere. Doh.
Still, looks like we have the first entry for pics in the ugly guys with bikes category. Nice one.
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I was just trying to work out what October related to here in the Northern hemisphere.
Uhhh. October. ;)
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The pictures with the ugly dudes were taken in October at a Labour Weekend meeting at Hampton Downs some years back.
I suspect my looks haven't further improved.
October in NZ is spring, in the north typically unsettled and mild, so can be wet and windy or hot enough to make race leathers unpleasant.
The pics were to show off my luxury accommodation, I've slept in the covered pits before but they leak badly when its raining, while my trailers reasonably watertight.
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bwah hah hah *yeah*, have managed to buy an SC gearbox. Just need to go through it carefully and then of course swap it out with the STD box. Then all I need is a front wheel and we should be good for the spring.
First thing that I did when it arrived was count all the ratio's and magic has all the right stuff inside.
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http://www.shoraibatteriesinternational.com/gallery/ (http://www.shoraibatteriesinternational.com/gallery/)
spot the BSA A10...
New front hub currently in the works to replace the one pictured that collapsed and also currently rebushing the layshaft and sleeve gear in the SC gearbox, so its nice and fresh.
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*????* Hi Tim aka RR... just wondering why the pic shows number #242 when bikes race number is # 306 ? *conf2*
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*????* Hi Tim aka RR... just wondering why the pic shows number #242 when bikes race number is # 306 ? *conf2*
They are apparently going to correct that... It does mean you found the A10 in the gallery though
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The hubs been repaired, no lightweight but it wasnt before either. It gone for relacing. Labour weekend is creeping up and still don't have the layshaft clean up and new bushes done on the SC box, so may have to leave the STD in for another meeting.
http://www.shoraibatteriesinternational.com/ (http://www.shoraibatteriesinternational.com/)
Haven't been out on the bike since the Bert Munro street races in Wyndham Southland Late Nov last year where (technically summer *shh* ) we raced in sleet, the definition of summer is a bit different in Invercargill.
Luckily the bikes done three meetings without me so should know its way round the track.
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It was great to finally be back on the bike this weekend, hadnt raced it since the Timaru Southern classic and the Burt Munro meetings last year although it had been out loaned for three meetings.
We did manage to lose a few parts *sad2* both carb float ticklers on the TT's, an oil tank bolt and one of the big front screws on the primary side and an exhaust bracket broke, bizarrely the 4 studs on the ariel rear hub that retain the sprocket worked loose and one was hitting a frame bolt *eek*, and the box is now blowing out of third...
However we were pulling between 7-7500 over the start finish before turn 1 and we had tyre squeel all round right round the big sweeper holding 6k in third in a lovely drift lap after lap. Absolutely brilliant.
In the first race we had a brilliant tussle with a pre 73 835 honda four kneeler with an aussie crew who didnt know the track, so they smoked us on every straight and we passed them on every corner *wink2* of course the start finish happens to be on a straight so the result was a foregone conclusion but what a hoot. They got quicker over the weekend and while lap times remained similar we only beat them home once after they stalled on the start and couldnt reel us in.
A mate had a close encounter with a concrete barrier on his xs650 rig and managed a ride in the ambo with a broken shoulder.
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Good to see you're back doing what you like ...racing good luck to you and your chairman . Seems the bikes really doing well after all your hard work. cheers Bob
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A mate had a close encounter with a concrete barrier on his xs650 rig and managed a ride in the ambo with a broken shoulder.
I wondered what had happened to them when I saw them parked up out of T4
I cant have been looking in the right places I didn't spot you out there all weekend
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A mate had a close encounter with a concrete barrier on his xs650 rig and managed a ride in the ambo with a broken shoulder.
I wondered what had happened to them when I saw them parked up out of T4
I cant have been looking in the right places I didn't spot you out there all weekend
pitted at the bottom of the skid pan with some other rigs.
The Yam got run off the track in a bit of questionable overtaking, although not a deliberate action and the perpetrator had no idea Pete was even there. He'll mend and is still going to the Burt although won't be at Manfield.
I'm moving house so the bikes are being scattered to mates houses and I'm unlikely to be out before the Festival in February and even that is subject to a number of big if's with domestic challenges...
Did wonder if I'd see you
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http://www.marktime.co.nz/results/nz-classic-motorcycle-racing-register/2015/10/25 (http://www.marktime.co.nz/results/nz-classic-motorcycle-racing-register/2015/10/25)
race 22 was probably our best result although we had a great play in the last race with the other big wheeled 650 pre 63 #244 which the results don't really show
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A number of these links have since been broken so have purchased and attached my favourite
Some images from the Shorai batteries international:
https://www.facebook.com/DougCornesPhotography/photos/a.688406947962209.1073742104.186523164817259/688407137962190/?type=3&theater (https://www.facebook.com/DougCornesPhotography/photos/a.688406947962209.1073742104.186523164817259/688407137962190/?type=3&theater)
https://photographybyjossie.smugmug.com/keyword/bsa/i-znd8J8k/A (https://photographybyjossie.smugmug.com/keyword/bsa/i-znd8J8k/A)
https://photographybyjossie.smugmug.com/Shorai-International-Classic-New/i-74RcF4W/A (https://photographybyjossie.smugmug.com/Shorai-International-Classic-New/i-74RcF4W/A)
the last one above where my passing maneuver on the pink 835 honda shown repassing us didnt quite come off...
https://www.facebook.com/336658219848114/photos/a.469772456536689.1073741962.336658219848114/469776986536236/?type=3&theater (https://www.facebook.com/336658219848114/photos/a.469772456536689.1073741962.336658219848114/469776986536236/?type=3&theater)
https://www.facebook.com/336658219848114/photos/a.469772456536689.1073741962.336658219848114/469777029869565/?type=3&theater (https://www.facebook.com/336658219848114/photos/a.469772456536689.1073741962.336658219848114/469777029869565/?type=3&theater)
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Lookin' really good Tim. *yeah*
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Lookin' really good Tim. *yeah*
Thanks, the A10 punches above its weight and its a joy to ride.
*wink2*
We're in a rental for the next year so the bikes now gone to a mates to store, so doing maintenance will be difficult...and it does need a wee bit before its run hard again..
*sad2*
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Hi was lookn @ your other post great outfit love a spin on that *yeah* but im a bit far away lol ;)
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RR, never ceases to be enjoyable seeing pictures of your rig ,out where it belongs on the track , *respect* *wink2* with your level of determination having the bike a few miles away won't faze you and you'll manage a few outings ,best of luck Bob
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Thanks guys *good3*, I'm trying to get my late mk2 A75 reregistered after a long layup by the previous owner. I think I'm almost there *pull hair out*
I bought an SC box for the outfit which getting rebushed has taken a bit longer than anticipated, but that should help with starts and closes up the gaps in the box which will be interesting: according to my calcs if I'm changing at 6500+, I'll have 5000+ in the next gear right through the box, whereas the STD box rev changes are more variable, so my changes should be more manageable based on the tacho.
My existing std box was just a freshened up STD and has just started blowing out of third after 5 years of abuse.
Over our Labour weekend meeting the Monday was hotter and we had the chronometric showing somewhere between 7200-7500 in top over the start finish straight. Slightly nerve racking having the motor fully nailed between the concrete barriers trackside, chin banging on the steering damper. Don't mind it so much through the gears and round the big sweeper into that run we could hold a good solid 6000 sideways in third with the tyres screaming and it was such a buzz *loveit* . The races are typically only sprints (around 4 laps) but that weekend we were doing 5 laps which was enough to allow some odd buts to loosen off.
I'm constantly torn between keeping the bike authentic (a 4 speed 650) and trying to chase the 750 kitted bikes by tricking the motor out, but its actually great how it is *respect*
But then who wouldnt want an alloy barrel with 75mm bores... *doh* $$$$$$ Might have to keep it stock *conf2*
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With the HAGD this weekend I finally got the SC box fitted; such fun swapping out a gearbox with the engine in situ , but am getting better at it. With Bender there are also brake cross over linkages bolted to the the top plates to come out and the oil filter is also in there and the oil tank off too...
Have also had an o'ring added to the gear spindle to reduce/remove oil leaks on the anticlockwise circuits which the Taupo track is. Hopefully that removes the oil stains from collecting on the muffler. (oil and fuel swill within sidecars is a special feature)
As its a short track we're using for taking out the public have fitted a 52 tooth back sprocket ;) The biggest one I've got.
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Good luck and have much fun with the race at the Tapo circuit.
Our first race was canceled by snowy track and weather with low temperatures about 2 gedrees.
Hoping next race will start at better conditions.
cheers Klaus
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Just about to start packing up the bike, heading off for Taupo after lunch. We've got 50 litres of methanol, which should be enough to take members of the public for a spin round the racetrack. Its on a short anticlockwise track, so they get to do the hanging over the track routine if they are keen and should give plenty of opportunity to lift the wheel *grins*
Should be a good day. Will be a bit of a change not racing at the track *conf2*
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https://www.facebook.com/DougCornesPhotography/photos/ms.c.eJw9kVuSBTEIQnc05SMR3f~;G7rQ0~;XkKBE0ADDxqzC5QfyCfW4hzrvhG5rj7y3fWf~;LlivUbxE5uMfNMedVPntWnY~;Py04d~_exlOXf24j55zxMk87YNDXXnA6nfEvXmh~_Xbq8vchhzjX75rv2vxW37APmh~;6Tf7hvlDfDPm9Lyy2L4~_Y~_~_g9wvZ9aj6e1QNi7qP74~;~_DHn9Ld~_6n~_8KTXGL~_h7eY~_Y4f~;lRv5w~-~-.bps.a.777971215672448.1073742159.186523164817259/777971245672445/?type=3&theater (https://www.facebook.com/DougCornesPhotography/photos/ms.c.eJw9kVuSBTEIQnc05SMR3f~;G7rQ0~;XkKBE0ADDxqzC5QfyCfW4hzrvhG5rj7y3fWf~;LlivUbxE5uMfNMedVPntWnY~;Py04d~_exlOXf24j55zxMk87YNDXXnA6nfEvXmh~_Xbq8vchhzjX75rv2vxW37APmh~;6Tf7hvlDfDPm9Lyy2L4~_Y~_~_g9wvZ9aj6e1QNi7qP74~;~_DHn9Ld~_6n~_8KTXGL~_h7eY~_Y4f~;lRv5w~-~-.bps.a.777971215672448.1073742159.186523164817259/777971245672445/?type=3&theater)
https://www.facebook.com/DougCornesPhotography/photos/a.778294722306764.1073742160.186523164817259/778295168973386/?type=3&theater (https://www.facebook.com/DougCornesPhotography/photos/a.778294722306764.1073742160.186523164817259/778295168973386/?type=3&theater)
Doug Cornes Photography has some nice images of the bikes and people at the HAGD
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Looks great mate. You need to kick your passenger out further.
Cheers
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Looks great mate. You need to kick your passenger out further.
Cheers
Just members of the public... so didnt need to push them further out with my boot *whistle* just rode to their efforts. They enjoyed themselves.
The SC box behaved. The o ring mod in the gear lever bush cured my leak on the left handers, no more unsightly burnt oil on the muffler *yeah* Oil swill is a unique to sidecars problem, goes with the fuel swill in the carbs which I havent cured but is only a problem when at "parade" speeds so *whistle*
A bit of hiatus coming up with winter. no more meetings until the spring (September). But no major work due on the rig at least so can focus on progressing the road bikes.
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Its actually been a couple of years since Bender the A10 did any hard work under my watch although I did lend it out for a number of meetings. I won't go into the why that happened, but this last weekend I ran the bike out at Taupo for a 2 day meeting in pissing rain with my long time crewman Mark and we had a lot of fun splashing around very sideways.
I knew the bike was a bit tired and we had a number of minor breakages that need resolution as well the motor going off song and the box not being up to plan, quite often not finding top. So often lapping as a 3 speed.
So its time for a full strip and refresh: a new exhaust system, either repair or replace the seat and a six speed BSA TT industries box. Will post pics when it arrives but due in a month
Also reconsidering building a dustbin fairing to cut the drag and keep us competitive on the faster tracks, but that might be later. Might make some inquiries to the guy who straightens my petrol tanks.
It was great to see at least a dozen crews racing with more off under maintenance so should see easily see grids in mid/high teens on the track come spring
*woo*
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and a six speed BSA TT industries box.
You obviously have far too much money
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and a six speed BSA TT industries box.
You obviously have far too much money
one of the two real shit things that happened last year was my dad dying, so spending a chunk of my estate share.
I still have plenty of debt, but am in a WTF mood. Life is too short. I hope he would approve
Anyone can find the money if they have the priority and don't mind giving up something else.
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Hi Tim, wouldn't mind one of those boxes myself, are they the gearboxes made in Nelson, cheers
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Hi Tim, wouldn't mind one of those boxes myself, are they the gearboxes made in Nelson, cheers
Yes, a modern cassette selection box in a repro case. They have the same gearset running in a 90HP triple, so should be sufficient for a humble A10
Most of my competitors are running 5 speeds and with my 4 speed on the down changes theres a big load being dropped on the rods, however much I try not to and on the up changes there are big gaps between the gears; so my theory is I can knock it down one pretty much as soon as I roll off the throttle into a sweeper, and find a good compromise gear rather than having the choice of it revving hard or bogging. Its a plan and those boxes are in demand second hand. Yes they wont resell for the 6k NZD cost but will always be worth decent wedge.
I spent a decent part of the weekend unable to reel in a 5 speed 650 trumpet, but able to keep up, so with an engine freshen up and a fresh box reckon I'm back in the game.
http://www.ttindustries.com/bsa_gearbox.html (http://www.ttindustries.com/bsa_gearbox.html)
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Good to hear you so up beat and I'm sure the bike will uphold BSA tradition in the best possible way. By the way sorry to hear about your Father . regards Bob
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Good to hear you so up beat and I'm sure the bike will uphold BSA tradition in the best possible way. By the way sorry to hear about your Father . regards Bob
Thanks Bob, my dad sadly died a fortnight after my wife, so last year was fairly brutal and a large part of why I hadnt raced for a couple of years.
This weekend I finally got my lathe set up after 5 months in the new house. So seem to finally be getting my head back into a better place for messing with BSA's. So have the '55 race bike and my '54 road rocket to rebuild over the winter.
SO things definitely brighter.
You've got to be an optimist to own BSA's ;)
Tim
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Wow- sorry to hear all that Tim, all the BEST to you *good3*
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Wow- sorry to hear all that Tim, all the BEST to you *good3*
Ditto. Sincere condolences for your losses.
Richard L.
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Thanks guys, the banter on the site was a welcome distraction during a difficult period and we have a great group of people here.
Tim
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Well today was a special day, a parcel arrived from Nelson contain a brand spanking six speed *yeah*
I've been pondering the distractions in the shed and now thinking two of the bikes will be sold hopefully before Christmas: my '72 Rocket three and Rusty my american trim Super Rocket.
This should allow me to focus on Bender my '55 race bike and the unmolested '54 road bike. Cannot possibly complain with a pair of special road rockets (and my trusty B33).
Hopefully the super rocket will offset the spend going into the race sidecar which quietly adds up *eek*
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G'day Tim.
Just make sure you short shift whenever you can to give the motor a rest. She won't like being at full boil ALL race. I have seen a lot of motors in pieces after a box change to more cogs.
Cheers
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G'day Tim.
Just make sure you short shift whenever you can to give the motor a rest. She won't like being at full boil ALL race. I have seen a lot of motors in pieces after a box change to more cogs.
Cheers
I hear what you're saying. My hope is that I can lower my hard red line into the mid sixes and keep the motor in the 5k to 6k range, whereas it has often ran through to and well beyond 7k which I haven't been happy with, but then it was also sometimes down in the 4's out of the power.
There is also some other development work in the winds which I will keep quiet until finished and hopefully realised as planned. But I'm hoping I can reduce load on the motor by being able to downshift less brutally.
I'm hoping to have it ready for testing by the spring (around September).
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new pipes taking shape, but above top front engine mounts, both downtubes have broken so time for some repairs and careful review when engine and gearbox out.
It has taken a lot of abuse and not really what BSA designed these frames for
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Love the gearbox, jealous as. *eek* But would probably need a kicker for road use. *work*
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Love the gearbox, jealous as. *eek* But would probably need a kicker for road use. *work*
They say they're going to be doing kick start versions but I'd just fit electric start
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They will fit a kickstart if you want one and at a modest charge, but on my race bike its plugged so didnt go down that route. They don't have a speedo drive,
They do splined or tapered mainshafts and the clusters are common to their other boxes.
With the motor on the boil more, I'm looking to retire the chronometric tach and fit something that will give real time information
I'm thinking about doing an HPC coating in black on the exhaust system rather than chrome this time so any castor oil marks dont show
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Here powdercoaters offer a ceramic coating for the inside of headers.
There are a bunch of theories on why it's good for racing, but a lot of regular guys do it because the headers last longer I guess. *dunno2*
Lee
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Hi RR
I would have been very tempted to go for the splined mainshaft option *????*
John
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If all goes to plan *eek* the next race meeting is late August; engines stripped down, crank needs a grind and...
but hoping the streamlining will be completed sometime this week, the bikes rolling chassis in Carterton sans most bits
so a few things to do.
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Carterton? In the wairarapa?
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Carterton? In the wairarapa?
Simon, yes, about 14 hours return in the truck :o
Probably heading down for a days outing in the next week, dropping it off I left at 5am and was home by about 8pm.
The very clever guy doing the work has one of Geoff Perry's bikes https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h9He_3pX1_I (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h9He_3pX1_I)
Tim
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Hi Tim,
the fairing looks great *good3*
I have ordered last week my TTI 6speed for the A10.
Designed a stronger new barrel with a 3D programm for a 750 big bore conversion, seemed very expensiv to produced the mouldings.
Don,t know if spend this tousands of Euros for a mould and no one want these barrels.
cheers Klaus
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Carterton? In the wairarapa?
Simon, yes, about 14 hours return in the truck :o
Probably heading down for a days outing in the next week, dropping it off I left at 5am and was home by about 8pm.
The very clever guy doing the work has one of Geoff Perry's bikes https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h9He_3pX1_I (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h9He_3pX1_I)
Pm just sent (you will be passing my house......stay over if you want)
Tim
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Hi Tim,
the fairing looks great *good3*
I have ordered last week my TTI 6speed for the A10.
Designed a stronger new barrel with a 3D programm for a 750 big bore conversion, seemed very expensiv to produced the mouldings.
Don,t know if spend this tousands of Euros for a mould and no one want these barrels.
cheers Klaus
Klaus,
your barrel plans sound like a thread on their own. I know I'd love a big bore alloy barrel, I guess interest always comes down to cost. http://www.shopevengineering.com/BSA-Alloy-A65-Cylinders-detail.htm?productId=-525795&browse=-35182%27A=0&shopby=-8415&catalogid=-2087 (http://www.shopevengineering.com/BSA-Alloy-A65-Cylinders-detail.htm?productId=-525795&browse=-35182%27A=0&shopby=-8415&catalogid=-2087) and whether if you could preconfirm enough interest to justify 10 or 20 barrels like the a65 owners have.
But given most my competitors are on 750-1000cc replica motors it would be nice to keep my a10 in the game.
Tim
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Hi All,
A while ago Julian M built a big capacity A10, CNC machining the cylinder
https://www.a7a10.net/forum/index.php?topic=6024.0
I'm sure he did not throw away the CNC program *eek*
As he is in the "trade" it would be worth contacting him
I have read about Jer Hill's A65 cylinders on britbike forum they seem to be the business *smile*
Currently he is looking for orders to make another batch of 10, 5 speed A65 clusters but is having difficulties getting commitment *sad2*
Some years ago there was a move to remake cast iron A10 cylinders but the number of reject castings made the proposition uneconomic, as the foundry wanted to be paid even though the castings were unusable
Yes Sure, I would love an alloy cylinder for my A10 *smile*
John
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how much weight is that fairing gong to add Tim? looks rather large (and very cool)
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how much weight is that fairing gong to add Tim? looks rather large (and very cool)
All alloy *dribble*, has to be period too, some of the period fairings were very heavy but they make the bikes faster *yeah*
Also provides room for some subtle (18") BSA logos *whistle*
the build timeframe is tight, new rod bolts have arrived ex SRM, big end shells due from Nelson anyday, but the crank needs a grind and the (steel capped T140 eg A70) rods checking. Rings coming from Cycle Torque in Hamilton, ooh need new wire circlips! a few loose ends ;) Pistons and bore still within wear tolerances but only 9:1 (+60), would love a set of hi comps that size. Damage to engine Cases away being welded up by Jamie *work*
The things we do for entertainment and because we have a slight bias towards BSA over other lesser marques
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Cant wait to see it in the flesh - Benders Tuxedo!
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Benders Tuxedo!
don't you dare put a bow-tie on that thing *evil*
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Hi Tim
do you tested the fairing in the windcannel?
Nice fan beside the corner *smile*
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Spose you could call the shed a windtunnel on a friday arvo when the mates turn up. LOL.
Cheers
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Don't actually have an engine right now, cranks at the grinders, but thought you might like to see the body *woo*
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looks awesome Tim!
i assume its gong to be silver?
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looks awesome Tim!
i assume its gong to be silver?
Mike,
I think the colours called aluminium, I think it'll stay bare alloy initially, but it does look good. Perhaps it might need to be painted silver one day.
I've theoretically got some 18" BSA Red logo's turning up to go on the sides, but the priority right now is to rebuild the bottom end this Saturday with Bob. I need an engine
Cranks ground so need to flush the sludge trap and reassemble. New ARP bolts, shells, rings and circlips. Pistons still in serviceable limits. In theory I need the motor fully reassembled and back in with ancillaries by the end of this weekend so I can run it up next weekend *whistle* It is looking tight.
I did learn over the weekend that with the fairing fitted and the gearbox in, then its too late to install the clutch pushrod *doh* That will have to wait until the fairing comes off to refit the motor.
See you Wednesday night I hope.
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Sorry RR ,I'd be pleased to help but it's a bit of a hike from Liverpool , couldn't you get someone more local ??? *smile*
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Hi Tim,
tell all the guys who know Sonja and me kind regards on wednesday *wave*
I m still waiting for the sixspeed, maybe I can fit till the next race in ten days
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Silver/Aluminium or maybe polished, just imagine how many tubes of Autosol Solvol that would take ;)
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Sorry RR ,I'd be pleased to help but it's a bit of a hike from Liverpool , couldn't you get someone more local ??? *smile*
Bob, you've put me on the spot, there I was counting on your being here. If you can't make it luckily I do have a fallback Bob who is a wizard with crankshaft assembly to assist.
Will be a big day I need that motor back together and back in pronto
Tim
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Hi Tim,
tell all the guys who know Sonja and me kind regards on wednesday *wave*
I m still waiting for the sixspeed, maybe I can fit till the next race in ten days
Klaus, will do and please pass my regards to Sonja. i'm looking forward to seeing how different the bike is to ride with both the dustbin and six speed fitted. Hopefully the brakes can cope.
Thankfully *eek* being August and Taupo its going to be very cold and most likely wet, so the fairing may help the methanol beastie run warmer and the brakes unlikely to overheat. But I'll still need my thermals under my race leathers. We're also now forced to wear CE chest protectors. Do need a new skid lid, got growled at last scruitineering for my old lid. Pondering going Bell Bullitt for the retro look; sadly open face lids don't meet the CE requirements so need to stick with full face.
Tim
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Silver/Aluminium or maybe polished, just imagine how many tubes of Autosol Solvol that would take ;)
The thought did pass my mind that Bender may need renaming to Brasso!
The fairing isnt absolutely perfect so don't think a full polish will suit it, but do want it smart.
Paint would enable a wee bit of filler so may be an option further out but not a priority
I think this will create some wow's in the pits and thats just from me and my crewman Mark!
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Keep us all posted RR cheers and sorry to let you down ,I was on my way but the wife stopped me !! *sad* Sue packs a mean upper cut !! *fight*
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Silver/Aluminium or maybe polished, just imagine how many tubes of Autosol Solvol that would take ;)
You'll have noted just how well the space shuttle performed from take off after they stopped painting the main tank though.
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first run up on this Sunday 20th Aug just past, racing next weekend, was a little tight for the rebuild of the bike but got there.
Quite an effort. She is a wee bit noisy with the twin megaphones, might need a plan B if we get pinged by the noise police and black flagged.
But great to have Bender running again.
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Nice looking `dustbin` Tim, hope goes like you think it win and win more, cheers
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Looks very purposeful! *smile*
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Looks great mate. Good for a few more mph down the straight.
What's the (beautiful) noise limit over there?
I got pinged once at Amaroo Park. 110db *eek*. Our limit was 98 db. So I took the last turn a bit tighter to get away from the fence and got away with it.
Cheers
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Largely wet and cold in Taupo, but hardly surprising. We managed a 6 minute practice at which point we lost the gear lever *whistle* and for that period kept the running in revs down to 5500 on the newly ground mains.
For the racing we kept it to the low 6's, the new box allowed us to keep the revs between 5 & 6 and bender was humming.
The fairing did suffer some cracking at welds so some remedial work needed.
we also had a progressive smoking problem which I thought was rings, but turned out to be the LH float needle being held open by the tickler spring working its way into the tickler orifice so the carb was flooding the lh side. So most of the pics had the bike smoking *red* more than I'd have liked.
We had some good racing with an R100, an XS650 with a 750 kit and an 850 Coventry climax (all later 70's machinery). in the first race we got narrowly beaten by a Norton atlas as we were struggling with the tuning the bikes balance due to the fairings, but in race 2 the atlas blew itself to bits on the start line red flagging the race. Flywheel disintegrated. During practice the only other bike in my class (a pre-unit triumph) had lifted its barrel but luckily not fully hand grenaded. So my a10 was the sole survivor of the pre 63 class over the weekend!
We removed my passengers fairing to allow him to move better and will refit it further forward as he has long legs and isn't prepared to have them surgically shortened *doh*
But bikes in largely one piece and am knackered from 2 days racing but all good fun.
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Nice one Tim! Sounds eventful.
So the BSA won on endurance, and style of course.
Did the dustbin help / change things much?
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Nice one Tim! Sounds eventful.
So the BSA won on endurance, and style of course.
Did the dustbin help / change things much?
We certainly had more straightline speed than we've ever had, but then it wasn't enough to give us an edge against the extra cc/hp/torque of all the pre76 bikes which are all 750cc + and mainly have fairings too.
But then the gearbox meant we were not slogging or flogging the engine so much, but it was constantly on song and gearchanging was ongoing. brap, brap brap, rather than whaaaaah! so we didn't need to clock well past 6 and into the 7's like we were before. A 6200/6500 red line should now be achievable to conserve the old motor.
The sidecar fairing did interfere with Mark and was removed, we'll move it forwards as he needs to be able to move. It also took me reflection after race 1 to come up with a plan to manage to get my weight where it was needed which involves waving my gear change foot out in the air and allows me to move forward and left on the left handers, otherwise my feet were locking me to far to the rear and preventing me getting across. So some riding adaption has been necessary.
Mark also wants a new handhold so some changes and refinement to follow.
I'd also tried copper rocker box gaskets but can't say they were very successful and wept all weekend, more than I will put up with...
Once the fairing has been repaired I'll look into rubber mounting it and would also like to convert the front brakes to hydraulic, possibly 4LS
But then also want to progress my road 54 RR and my daughters C12...
see you at Northcote.
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Thats just really cool.
Love the pictures.
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Nice one Tim! Sounds eventful.
So the BSA won on endurance, and style of course.
Did the dustbin help / change things much?
Once the fairing has been repaired I'll look into rubber mounting it
Not sure if it will work with fairings but it works with ally mudguards......fitting rubber grommets in enlarged bolt holes may suffice for rubber mounting, Jaycar sells them for cents. Just stops metal to metal contact, maybe reduces stress when bolting up tight as well.
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will refit it further forward as he has long legs and isn't prepared to have them surgically shortened
Sounds like a serious lack of commitment on his part ;)
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will refit it further forward as he has long legs and isn't prepared to have them surgically shortened
Sounds like a serious lack of commitment on his part ;)
We're hoping to get down to Levels for the Mike Pero Southern Classic at the beginning of December.
Just got sent this picture of us ahead of several rear exit XS yamaha's all sporting 750 kits ... we try
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great photo tim. and amazing how photos of 50's bikes come out black and white.
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Like that ,great photo RR *yeah*
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Pukekohe festival in two weeks, bikes almost ready...
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Best of luck mate.
Cheers
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While the Pukekohe festival was eminently forget-able with two magneto's failing and only managing two practices *problem*.
The compensation was prize giving for the season which had completed just prior where my humble A10 won its first championship *woo*. Yes it won the 2017 sidecar series for pre 63. This was also my passengers first championship win, so nice to do.
Should be a cheap Joe Hunt Mag for sale shortly, the K2F is thankfully a warranty job and belongs to my '54 road rocket. Looking to go Pazon with total loss from a battery.
Tim
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it won the 2017 sidecar series for pre 63
more accurately I think you won it Tim *good3* *good3* *good3* *good3* *yeah* *yeah*
who needs pyeongchang when the sidecars are on!
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Good onya Tim *yeah*
Yes I went electric ignition in my 2nd season. Ran it total loss and would get at least half a dozen races on a charge with a tiny 4 amp battery 3.5"x4"x2.5". Sill in the cafe and will give me at least 1 hour of road riding.
Cheers
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Well done Time *yeah*
The Joe Hunt looks like a carbuncle and does not realy fit good.
Once up on a time I had fit such a Magneto I had to grind the crankcase and Magnetohousing
down to fit.
For my new RickmannOIF framed A10 I have ordered a new BTH selfgenerating Mag.
Oh yes its a lot of Money but its worth. Never had any probs with this BTH mags, adjust and forget it.
No charging Batteries or any fails of them.
cheers Klaus
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screen fitted and seat upholstered. have fitted the pazon, just need the mods (strengthening) to the sidecar nosecone and new tacho mounts
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Love the looks, mighty.
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Love the looks, mighty.
Yep, looks like a helluva thing. Real nice.
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Now to cover the thing with sponsorship stickers.
Cheers
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RR ,love that dustbin fairing ,how much added to the topend with it fitted ?? Bob
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love that dustbin fairing , (http://love that dustbin fairing ,)
me too, got evil thoughts of a miniature jet turbine sneakily installed inboard of that cooling air intake, might just need a bit of adjustment to the steering tho, and asbestos leggings *smile*
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The link don't work for me.
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The link don't work for me.
This, maybe: https://goo.gl/fZQmyX
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I dont have much to offer other than I have greatly enjoyed this topic, Dustbins are COOL! *beer*
And flogging your old racer is even cooler. Thank you!
(Show those BMW lads a thing or 2 while you are at it)
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RR ,love that dustbin fairing ,how much added to the topend with it fitted ?? Bob
Hard to tell what we gained as I'd also done a 6 speed at the same time and that keeps the old girl on the boil, however we were pulling taller gearing than previously at both Taupo and Pukekohe, but ignition issues meant our attempt at running a gps speedo were inconclusive. The bike does keep accelerating where it used to hit the wall with its two lardy middle aged crew. Problem is much of our competition is now either 1000cc pre 76 or big bore triumph and we lack the cubes to really get the drive.
We've got a play weekend with the public at Taupo this weekend and the rain has forestalled any test run with the Pazon. So I'm hoping we dont just end up a stationary display exhibit *dunno*
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perhaps I need some rockets? as long as it doesnt end up like the thunderball A65 which morphed into a plunger a10 before it went in the quarry
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YeMI7KYunVI (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YeMI7KYunVI)
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CnS9SZ26MSU&index=24&list=PLn0aB6wamNojvz14Hse84r_d9wzhsKEnz (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CnS9SZ26MSU&index=24&list=PLn0aB6wamNojvz14Hse84r_d9wzhsKEnz)
spent all saturday running Bender the A10 around taupo racetrack taking all ages out for a run around the track. Ran like a clock all day *yeah*
which was just as well as I was dosed up with cold and flu meds to function.
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is that an open face helmet on the track Tim? *eek*? are there rules?
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This just got posted on another forum. Bugga 3 wheels when you only need 1.
Cheers
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http://www.marktime.co.nz/results/nz-classic-motorcycle-racing-register/2018/09/15/RACE10 (http://www.marktime.co.nz/results/nz-classic-motorcycle-racing-register/2018/09/15/RACE10)
our best result of the weekend, motor wasnt the happiest, has a lazy cylinder so needs some attention
but lovely day out and nice to make some noise.
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*yeah* *yeah* *yeah*
Everything in front was bigger and younger, everything behind was younger. Well done mate. Lap times are consistent. Any photos?
Cheers
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Think I may have found some one on one competition for you, maybe a bit far to go *smile*. At the Stafford show, it was really busy so hard to take piccies but had to have one of this.
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G'day Angus.
Looks to have a similar double sided front brake to RR's. Do I see twin monobloc's with a seperate float chamber?
Cheers
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Looks like it Muskrat, although the monoblocks appear to have a float chamber two so not sure how it all works. Did not load the closeup as was convinced of the quality.
edit now why is that thumbnail upside down
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interesting,
looks like the ariel hub on rear and a brace across the front tubes for the chair mount as well as struts on the swing arm.
Not sure if the float is for additional capacity or as a swill pot.
There is also a rig in queensland, so at least 3 a10 rigs about.
Mine needs some TLC, have some +80 pistons to go in and need to review the valves as burning a bit of smoke on the LH after a float issue caused by a faulty tickler spring holding it down and washing that side extensively in methanol.
I may try a pair of concentrics and petrol as that may clean up my fuelling issues on corners. Just a bit distracted at present.
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it should be noted the 8" front brake isnt really up to sidecar racing as it doesnt appreciate side flex and will fail *cry*
It can however be resurrected!
In hindsight a better bet would be to build a bespoke hub using vincent drums where the drum isnt under tension and allows for longer spokes, but then that wouldnt be a BSA brake.
I've also had a full width unflanged triumph hub fail on a previous norton sidecar. Cast iron, like alloy doesnt really cut it on a race rig.
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here's the front brake off "The" Chris Vincent A7/A10
presumably the full width goldie hub
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Hay Angus, looks good to me.
Cheers
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I had a very special gift recently from a forum member that deserves appreciation and relates to Bender.
Angus has created a one off whisky tumbler I will certainly be using with pleasure.
On one side is an image of Mark and I racing and on the other the BSA logo intercut with an image of bender and the BSA logo now saying Bite my Shiny metal Ass.
Very hard to get a good photo that does it justice but quite amazed and floored by this *loveit* *loveit*
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Glad you like it. I was supposed to do it a couple of years ago. Here is my own glass. Now for a nice dram of laphroaig, your good heath *smile*
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Great news for kiwi's, the NZSCRA is running another HAGD at Taupo on 30th May 2020.
Now my bikes still in storage (extensions and renovations) since the last one, but hopefully get it back next week and I'll get onto a top end rebuild to fix the smoking...
Bender my A10RR will be there making noise!
As you may have seen from the video, this is a non competitive take the public for a spin day.
The last couple of years have been tough due to some personal issues but now I'm hoping to have some time and energy to put into racing the chair again and even seriously scheming to build an A7ss based solo race bike if the stars align so I can run several bikes at each meeting. Now that might be a fresh thread ...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CnS9SZ26MSU&index=24&list=PLn0aB6wamNojvz14Hse84r_d9wzhsKEnz (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CnS9SZ26MSU&index=24&list=PLn0aB6wamNojvz14Hse84r_d9wzhsKEnz)
here's a report of that link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3FPNmOvzRiE&list=PLn0aB6wamNojvz14Hse84r_d9wzhsKEnz&index=27 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3FPNmOvzRiE&list=PLn0aB6wamNojvz14Hse84r_d9wzhsKEnz&index=27)
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Well that didnt happen and the top end still needs doing.
May have the garage vaguely tidy enough to tear the top of the motor off. Fairly confident the LH bore and valves are poked from a serious methanol bore wash during a race due to a stuck float. Needs resolving. Catch is I know the motors already on +60 and the only +80's I've got are 8.25 GPM's :-\ Not convinced that'll cut it but the alternative is sleeving back to std which might be the best option as 10.5:1 are readily available in std and +20. If I went straight to +20 I could also fit some 14:1 alcohol pistons but I was thinking of going back to petrol to reduce messing around with fluid dumps each meeting.
Aim now will be to try and have it going for the summer (Dec/Jan) as a couple of other pre 63 rigs have come out of the woodwork and are more fun to race against than the small wheeled BMWs and Yamahas that hold too many cards to give me a fair chance.
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Stay with dope, RR. Going to petrol probably loses around 20% power and starts overheating worries. Also, I've always found alcohol motors more responsive then petrol ones. When the historic class here started lumping 350's with the 500's etc I changed my B31 dope motor for 500 B33 on petrol. Not the same pickup out of corners nor as much bhp throughout the range. Disappointing overall. If I was still racing I'd change it back.
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Stay with dope, RR. Going to petrol probably loses around 20% power and starts overheating worries. Also, I've always found alcohol motors more responsive then petrol ones. When the historic class here started lumping 350's with the 500's etc I changed my B31 dope motor for 500 B33 on petrol. Not the same pickup out of corners nor as much bhp throughout the range. Disappointing overall. If I was still racing I'd change it back.
There's no doubt alcohol is brilliant, makes engine so soft and torquey. Storing the stuff is causing some stress with management as it needs to go in her garden shed for storage purposes. Having a carb mishap stuff a cylinder was annoying, so am planning to fit some concentrics which wont look as cool as my 10tt9's but also shouldnt flood and wont be having bias issues on corners (a sidecar issue as the bikes dont lean on corners). Staying on dope could also give me a chance to run my 14:1 +20's hopefully the engine would hang together, might need fresh rods though.
Am also investigating whether the new small fin barrel I have could be readily cast as I could do with one for each of my race bikes.
Ideally I need some comparable high comp 72mm pistons, investigating that too. questions questions
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Barrel and head finally off over weekend, does need a measure up, no obvious drama's and wear and oil marking appears consistent across top end. Do have a set of sleeves on order and a set of std 10.5:1 from Baxters, but might get away with fresh rings in short term and the head freshened... So officially now all my preunit twin BSA's are in pieces!
Wasnt planning on stripping the sidecar until the road road rocket was back together but conscious Christmas shutdowns fast approaching and parts delivery definitely slower these days. Would like to be racing for the next Pukekohe festival beginning of Feb so limited top end work the current plan. I know if I tear down the crank I'll want to replace the rods and need to rebalance.
Was nice to be working on it, this engine has endured some serious abuse and is still hanging together (famous last words). The engine has a patina from running on castor all these years, is the correct description manky *shh*
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After finding nothing dramatic wrong other than expected wear and tear, a second opinion review of the parts from an engineer mate, I've got some fresh (hepolite rings, had the bores honed and as there was some oil seep from the pushrod area on the head gasket, skimmed the barrel. Will also reassemble head and bang it back together. Have just bought a small ultrasonic cleaner as looking to try some concentrics, have a matched set of 30mm or a pair of LH 32's (might be hard to adjust) and probably run this season on avgas.
Would have liked some 3 piece oil rings but the hepolites were readily available and it will get a hard run in .
Fairings also get some further repair and will cut it down a bit.
I think the next time this motor comes down it'll be due for new rods etc, but its done very well for a road based designed motor not usually considered to be that robust. It's taken a lot of stick and outperformed my expectation.
I'm thinking that its next incarnation might be with an alloy barrel and nikasil bores for close clearances, perhaps a65 cams and followers *doubt*, scheming is underway. But thats next year if I'm lucky.
Have also entered the NZCMRR pukekohe classic Festival early Feb
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G'day Tim.
Good to hear mate. These motors are a lot more robust than most think.
I just got a 10 liter ultrasonic cleaner. It's first job was the rHonda carbs. Just had to break them down into pairs. Works great.
Cheers
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HAGD 2021 confirmed for kiwis!
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revisions for the Pukekohe festival early feb
fairing has been repaired and shortened which gives me a lot more room to climb around and shows off the motor. Am also going to trial running on petrol at this meeting, so have thrown some old 930's on.
Just need to sort out a number board for the RHS and the tank needs welding around a tap, having developed a leak. Carbs will be tuned at the track and the rings run in.
numbers are down for the meeting with only a dozen sidecars as we have a clash with the Burt Munro in invergiggle. I sadly dont have the time to do the Burt this year. Hoping the bike will behave, its been in storage with house renovations and of course the curse of 2020.
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Rocket racer that thing looks the business. Bet it goes well too. Really smart👍🏻
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Rocket racer that thing looks the business. Bet it goes well too. Really smart👍🏻
Thanks Alex! I'm afraid my thread is up there with war & peace in scale and goes off topic frequently. but in summary the bike was an idea I had around 2007 when I was racing a norton twin sidecar. I liked the style of the daytona beach race specials BSA built. So I had a replica BB32R frame made and sourced an engine , gearbox, hubs etc (mainly came out of the states). I wanted something authentic looking and of the period. The first build was in 2010 and I've had a ton of fun with it. It's a great wee bike, a bit undersized capacity wise for its class which is up to 1300cc so up against bmw's, yamaha's, harleys and big bore trumpets and notruns, but is never embarrassed punching above its weight. I've been very pleased how robust its been (touch wood) has taken a huge amount of abuse. I fired it up yesterday for the first time in donkeys, bump start down the road... The noise was glorious! I do have conceptually two other preunit BSA twins, but one is still not yet a complete pile of parts (will be a race 500 solo) and the other needs me to find time to assemble. Both are early alloy headed twin port motors.
When the engine was fresher it routinely saw 7500 but now in deference to its state of wear and the six speed box which keeps it buzzing, I keep it to 6500 ish, but it is rarely run below 5000rpm.
Tim
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Credit to you for building your dream. I bet it does sound a treat. Get a link up on YouTube with a video so we can drool next time you fire it up. I%u2019d love to hear it. The six speed box sounds interesting, I had to read that twice. I%u2019ve heard of nova 5 speeds but not a six. Care to expand, just curious out of interest.
Edit: even better a video of it racing!
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Credit to you for building your dream. I bet it does sound a treat. Get a link up on YouTube with a video so we can drool next time you fire it up. I%u2019d love to hear it. The six speed box sounds interesting, I had to read that twice. I%u2019ve heard of nova 5 speeds but not a six. Care to expand, just curious out of interest.
Edit: even better a video of it racing!
Alex, nothing recent video wise, but here's a 2012 link before I had the fairing and with the original STD 4 speed at a track called Taupo. The current box is from TT Industries in Nelson. https://www.ttindustries.com/bike-gearboxes/ (https://www.ttindustries.com/bike-gearboxes/) A lovely piece of kit, full replica shell, not a repurposed BSA one. very slick change. Highly recommend, they option a kickstart if required.
I originally ran a siamese with a goldie muffler but these days have bsa daytona style pipes and mufflers, she's not subtle soundwise on song.
Cheers
Tim
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ojp77AjtrMg&feature=youtu.be (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ojp77AjtrMg&feature=youtu.be)
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Saw that video a while back and still hugely impressed.
Richard L.
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Saw that video a while back and still hugelyy impressed.
Richard L.
Thanks Richard, The engine is really due for a rebuild but while its running have plenty of machines needing attention
Tim
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Sure wish that video had audio!
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G'day RR.
Saw that race a while back but still had to watch again. You like putting the swinger in the gravel!
What size cons are you using?
Cheers
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Sure wish that video had audio!
It does have sound *smile*
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Made my day
Top video of you going round the track. Enjoyed watching that thanks.
Would be nice to see a walk around video of it with the new exhausts on at tick over if it will do that.
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G'day RR.
Saw that race a while back but still had to watch again. You like putting the swinger in the gravel!
What size cons are you using?
Cheers
Is the passenger called "the swinger"?
Richard L.
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Is the passenger called "the swinger"?
Richard L.
Yes they are
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will try and arrange some footage at Pukekohe, I'm usually otherwise distracted.
Mark my crewmate does sterling work, his leathers certainly take a beating.
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G'day Richard.
Yes, and bad ones are just called ballast LOL.
Cheers
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Sure wish that video had audio!
It does have sound *smile*
The audio didn't work for me..............
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https://www.facebook.com/ChaoticPhotographyNZ/photos/a.1136830646762187/1136822850096300 (https://www.facebook.com/ChaoticPhotographyNZ/photos/a.1136830646762187/1136822850096300)
quite a few pics and even a short video called race four posted by chaotic photography nz.
https://www.facebook.com/ChaoticPhotographyNZ/photos/a.1136836243428294/1136833440095241/?type=3 (https://www.facebook.com/ChaoticPhotographyNZ/photos/a.1136836243428294/1136833440095241/?type=3)
numbers were down due to a semi clash with the Burt Munro meeting and the pukekohe track doesnt favour a 650, being very fast but we managed to finish a second down on to a small wheeler R90in race 2 (pictured), then broke the motor in race day 2 last lap, back straight. Autopsy to follow, but had managed to run the oil tank dry on the friday due to a rubbing oil line, so potentially doomed the motor before hand. Not a disaster, have spares and the hole in the engine isnt that big...
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RR haha the hole in the engine isn't that big *eek*---- I would be screaming and crying at the same time if that is possible- never tried it-yet
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G'day RR.
Looks like a great day. I really do miss it, maybe one day, but not much pre 63 over here now.
I see a pic of a bike I've been watching the development of for a few years. It's got more titanium than the space shuttle and almost as quick!
Cheers
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still trying to find pics of the action, and havent had a chance to touch motor as have a several thousand km ride on my ZB33 coming up very soon and top ends still off.
Will try and get a better copy of this photo.
technically we had two pre 63 outfits entered, mine and an 800cc matchless that is a full replica, no original parts. There is also a 820cc 6 T based machine with disc brakes running in pre 76. all the rest were small wheelers with more modern engines.
Am fairly torn between rebuilding as a good honest a10 or sinking money into trying to keep up as a bored and stroked special. Problem is the A10 is the oldest bike out there but is very popular and on tighter circuits still competitive as a 650. something to ponder.
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RR haha the hole in the engine isn't that big *eek*---- I would be screaming and crying at the same time if that is possible- never tried it-yet
driveside.
also my crewman Mark in repose on the friday practice
I will pull the top off as soon as time permits to assess damage and rebuild effort. Not bad for 10 years of abuse and some significant contributing issues over the weekend all the fault of the owner.
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someone peeping at the hole, that picture looks rude *whistle*
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someone peeping at the hole, that picture looks rude *whistle*
photobombed by Kilroy?
its always rude to see a hole in an engine ::hh::, was just pleased the whole engine didn't Chernobyl. I still have dents in my fairing from another rigs norton atlas flywheel that once detonated on a start line and tore its engine to pieces quite spectacularly and red flagged the race. Whereas I simply coasted to a close although I knew it was bad. We got pushed back in by another crew on the warm down lap.
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G'day RR.
Saw that race a while back but still had to watch again. You like putting the swinger in the gravel!
What size cons are you using?
Cheers
30's
sorry for the lack of updates, I was probably in denial. Must say 10 years of abuse and it only failed because the dickhead owner thought he could limp back to the pits with the oil return bleeding out. Yes it ran the drive side shells which over the weekend hung together for I think three races hitting 7500 lit up out of the hairpin and cycling nicely from 5000-6500 until it disnt want to spin past 5500 when I shut it down and she let go.
https://youtu.be/BY_woDj0m2s (https://youtu.be/BY_woDj0m2s)
All the repair works been done, barrels sleeved back to std, new map steel rods big ends on +40.
Biggest pain is getting all the metal flakes out. I have washed and washed the oil tank and still need to reflush engine drillings. Oil lines will be scrapped. hopefully I can get it all out.
Very proud how tough this engine has been! for a fragile road engine they can sure take some abuse. I'm still angry with myself for letting it happen, I could have not raced after the oil leak and stripped and checked it and it would still be making noise. Sorry about the engine p o r n pictures attached.
The big end shells looked like someone had been beating the snot out of them which is sadly the case.
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G'day RR.
I know the feeling. Bugga.
Cheers
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Hi RR, just checked 2009 I started reading about you and this rigs exploits ,what a story and my god you've stuck at it, not forgetting some of the tough times to! Re the wrecked motor strange sometimes you know you just have to let it run its course ,the rebuild now will produce another superb motor and you'll decide which way to go. Good luck to you and thanks for all the interesting posts past and to come ,cheers Bob.
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Hi RR, just checked 2009 I started reading about you and this rigs exploits ,what a story and my god you've stuck at it, not forgetting some of the tough times to! Re the wrecked motor strange sometimes you know you just have to let it run its course ,the rebuild now will produce another superb motor and you'll decide which way to go. Good luck to you and thanks for all the interesting posts past and to come ,cheers Bob.
Thanks Bob, the forum has introduced me to people worldwide. have even lent vehicles to both a Brit and a German member, sent parts to Ireland and US and do enjoy sharing the journey with my fellow preunit twin enthusiasts. I decided the engine would stay largely stock. I got some 10.5's but found they have quite a gudgeon pin offset so tdc was a few mm down the bore and by that stage had resleeved assuming the same deck height, so couldnt machine more off. So I settled on some 9:1's much like the ones that came out, just std size. I am planning to scale back my racing the outfit but once the rig is race ready still do selective meetings and also get the solo up. Might even look at lending the rig out under supervision...
When I first built the racer I wondered how strong it would be, you hear such horror stories. I'm no engineer, just an IT guy who- has enjoyed fettling and pottering with old shit since he was a teenager. But in spite of my lack of expertise my engines have largely been able to take surprising abuse.
Getting all the aluminium debris out has/ is being a shocker. after about the 10th wash (every cleaning product I can think of) I rinsed the oil tank with PA10 to lock in any further debris.
But I have to repeat that I cannot praise this engine enough. Its tough and goes so well.
My original stock 54 RR rebuild has taken too long, case alignment issues and its all matching stock original. But its all happening, if its not right it doesnt go back together until it is.
But Bender my loyal sidecar is top of the queue right now.
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RRacer case alignment issues!! look out for a post on the berger build about a problem a very good engineering workshop has had with my matching A7 ss cases that i got back today. camshaft bushes and alignment, they have gone the extra mile to get things correct , very possibly on the forum tomorrow.
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RRacer case alignment issues!! look out for a post on the berger build about a problem a very good engineering workshop has had with my matching A7 ss cases that i got back today. camshaft bushes and alignment, they have gone the extra mile to get things correct , very possibly on the forum tomorrow.
Sounds very similar! my excellent engineer has it in hand. mandrel in the camshaft bushes and crank. Will get it right. Its very subtle but I suspect its a factory fault. it relates to a separate thread of mine (renovate not restore) . Its also possible that engine (a first year 54 road rocket) may have had a crank swap as it had a std size transitional crank, not a small jnl. whereas my 55 sidecar engine was as acquired a std small jnl.
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The engine is coming together, just mocked up timing side at present: tappets, timing and replace all oil lines to do.
will be moving oil cooler to new location so I cannot repeat my disaster of having a line rub on the back tyre *problem*
also fitting oil pressure gauge on deck all mounted over the catch tray and visible by rider and crew.
Really nice to see him coming back together even if all our race meetings are cancelled due to omicron restrictions *sad2*
Cant wait to hear some noise. Even pondering running him without his front fairing for a few meetings.
Post rebuild will be trialling multigrades rather than castor, also pondering oil temp gauge.
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What difference, if any, has the modded head steady made ?
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What difference, if any, has the modded head steady made ?
The stock one broke along with an engine mount on the cases. This much stronger head steady hasnt failed and spreads the load better.
Sidecars are very hard on all rolling chassis parts; I've broken the front down tubes, the front hub failed and broken the head steady and broken off engine mounts from the cases. routine inspection is necessary.
The poor things are abused with two lardy blokes and unlike solos dont lean, so we put side loads through everything, which motorcycle parts arent designed for. Partly why I run such a butty front fork brace and a heavy front axle.
such an upgrade would not be needed on most solos, perhaps on a race engine it might be. my usual strategy is to only upgrade if I've had an issue.
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Had the engine run up over the weekend, the oil rings are a bit sh!t not sure they will break in. Am trying to source some multipart ones but struggling to get some in time for Easter racing.
More importantly since my monumental faux pas where I ran a main bearing, the rebuilt engine now sports at least for the moment an oil pressure gauge. I initially tried a car one rated to 80 lbs and was rather intimidated when on start up the gauge sailed off the dial!
I had a spare gauge rated to 100 lbs and tried this sunday. The engine at low idle warmed up (NOT RACE HOT) sits at 65lb and with a few revs was blowing the pressure valve at 85. I swapped out the OPV to another one and that blows at 75. Apparently the Les Williams ones are rated at 75-85lbs, so the pressures seem within the realms of reality, whereas SRM ones are more like 50 I'm told.
The gauge appears to flutter at high pressure, presumably the valve working. We ran it up and down the road a few times keeping it to under 5k, and the pressure was nice and solid.
I'm assuming the pressures are high because of the SRM pump and the lack of timing side bush instead running a end fed crank.
At present I am blowing a lot of smoke with the one piece rings. Hopefully we can get it a bit more settled before easter. New avon sidecar tyres fitted front and rear, looks nice with out the fairing for a change. Have moved the oil filter so its now fitted inboard.
Sidecar HAGD happening in May at Taupo too.
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G'day RR.
Best of luck with her.
Nice use of a rigid/plunger tool box for an oil tank.
Cheers
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G'day RR.
Best of luck with her.
Nice use of a rigid/plunger tool box for an oil tank.
Cheers
yes that was a replica tool box, anything that needed to be chopped or modified I bought repro bits. the rear mudguard was off a bobbed royal star. My engineer made things like the sliders from scratch with hydraulic pipe so they look like stock but have brace mounts and leading axle. I still love the look of this bike, based on the daytona bikes and the rigid BB goldies of the day. crazy to think its 12 years old now. Imagined when I was stuck in Australian hotels working away from home. All built from bits and pieces and bloody mindedness.
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I don't know if anyone else noticed this, but there are a couple of things there that may not be factory original.
Richard L.
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I don't know if anyone else noticed this, but there are a couple of things there that may not be factory original.
Richard L.
*lol* *lol* *lol* *roll* *work*
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I probably did post comparable images a few years ago- when the front wheel failed but here's a couple of pictures of the original hub after failure: two half sided 8" with the extensions pushed out and a connector between. unfortunately cast iron isnt very flexible and failed completely on one side and only had half the tangs on the other side attached. it was noticed that the spoke tension seemed off as it was all sitting together quite happily. It was definitely a holy sh!t moment.
It now sports a machined centre and plate, with the previous damaged drums cleaned up and bolted to it, so looks identical but is far stronger. I have quite a few offerings to the gods of speed.
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will be moving oil cooler to new location
How is that plumbed in ?
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will be moving oil cooler to new location
How is that plumbed in ?
On the return line before the rocker feed. Its on the gearbox/primary drive cases and still lower than the return feed back into the oil tank. Its now over the catch tray area and visible to the passenger.
whereas before we had it in front of the back wheel around the location of a mainstand (not that we have one). the problem with that was it was totally unsighted during riding, so we could see a problem until oil got on the tyre, couldn't readily assess the problem while riding and as it was not over the catch tray, we very unpopularly bled the oil out on the track limping back in. If we'd stopped immediately and pushed back I wouldnt have run the driveside main bearing. *problem*
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, also pondering oil temp gauge.
I've been thinking about that very thing, you can get a oil temp gauge on top of the dipstick for Ducati, BMW and probably other makes, it wouldn't be too hard to adapt one to the BSA oil tank filler cap, obviously wouldn't be able to see it on the go but would be an easy way to check at various times without having to plumb one in
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Hi RR
Good to hear you are running again, I have a Vokes filter plumbed in on the return line but was told by a well known BSA man to make sure it was fitted after the rocker feed to help increse feed to the rockers and your oil cooler could have the same effect. I seem to remember that the low oil tank and return pipe of the Daytona bikes highlighted the problem with top end becoming starved. might be worth having a look after a run.
Best Regs
Chris
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, also pondering oil temp gauge.
I've been thinking about that very thing, you can get a oil temp gauge on top of the dipstick for Ducati, BMW and probably other makes, it wouldn't be too hard to adapt one to the BSA oil tank filler cap, obviously wouldn't be able to see it on the go but would be an easy way to check at various times without having to plumb one in
conversations with a goldstar race owner seem to indicate getting decent oil temperature is more an issue of getting it hot enough. Apparently quite common to run half full tanks to get the oil hot faster. I'm parking the cooler and temp gauge idea. Running without the fairing and the meeting being Taupo and a cooler month will give a good opportunity to shake it down with the latest changes.
The top end (famous last words) has given no issues for a decade of abuse, its probably just about due for a proper review. Need to build several other motors first though...
We will take a spare oil pressure plugged line in case we have issues with the new set up. A mate who has owned a lightning since 73 has always had an oil pressure gauge on it.
Am very interested to see how the pressure behaves at race temperatures albeit not summer. now I suspect it may hold well given I dont have a plain bush timing side. Was talking to a mate about plain bushes and (he's a very clever guy) and he suggested a potential issue with the BSA design is the groove is in the crank, not in the bush. So the oil doesnt hydraulically drive into the oil feed effectively. He used better words than that, he's an engineer, I'm just an experienced hack who gets by.
Cranks now 40 under and the motor now has MAP steel rods.
Hopefully I can provide some good news after the Taupo run out over Easter. Oh the joys of messing around with old bikes, nothings ever a given only the guarantee of entertainment, possibly for others...
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I have a Vokes filter plumbed in on the return line but was told by a well known BSA man to make sure it was fitted after the rocker feed to help increse feed to the rockers
I’d do the opposite. There must be something to be said for filtering all of the oil, rather than just most of it. And any proper filter will cause very little impedance to oil flow.
If you want to restrict the return line after the rocker feed, then just do that, with a small diameter passage or hole.
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no trouble on mine with the car type filter, i have a clear tube take off after the filter and oil flows up to the rockers nicely, there's also a clear tube after the filter back to the tank, i like looking at bubbles. not on my black&tans today though i have been busy with the berger build. pub tomorrow instead *beer*
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oil filter was relocated, decided against oil cooler, even though I have one. With the oil cooler on a rocket three the popular mod is to fit a thermostat so the cooler only gets used when the oil is hot enough.
ok rings turned up Thursday. so today pulled top end down to fit them. Put the head in a cardboard box then noted 10 min later it was dripping oil out the inlet manifold *doh*, pulled the valves out and the inlet on the drive side was flogged out. When did I last check those guides *dunno*. bugger this heads in no state for much. Had a look in the spares, my other heads arent really suitable, but I do have a spare set of guides set aside for the A7ss. If I can get the guides done before next weekend and back together we are back in with a shot for a run out over easter still. All up to the reconditioner if the guides are going to go in. He's promised to get into it Monday afternoon. If it gets any more complicated suspect we're toast. I did fit the new rings but suspect the oiling was purely the guides.
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G'day RR.
Are you going to fit seals to the guides?
Cheers
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G'day RR.
Are you going to fit seals to the guides?
Cheers
short answer no.
longer answer, none of my fifties machines run seals, my a75 had them on the inlets. I've thought about them but only in passing. On the oils I'm running I dont really see a need. I just focus on the things that have to be done/causing me pain and that heads given good service for over a decade. The inlet was potentially smacked about by the blow up. As a methanol motor it had cast iron guides but now its gone to petrol will be bronze guides.
My main concern is whether std guides will go in cleanly or is the job going to spin into time (and money, given I need to have it back together before the weekend if I'm going to make the Easter race meeting. *roll*
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G'day RR.
If the head was well heated before pushing the old guides out I don't see a problem. If this is the 10th set going in I'd look at going oversize.
Whenever new guides are put in the seats need to be visited. Sometimes just a lap, sometimes a cut is needed.
Seals only need to be on the inlet.
Cheers
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G'day RR.
If the head was well heated before pushing the old guides out I don't see a problem. If this is the 10th set going in I'd look at going oversize.
Whenever new guides are put in the seats need to be visited. Sometimes just a lap, sometimes a cut is needed.
Seals only need to be on the inlet.
Cheers
the catch that came out is that the two exhaust guides are both 40 over. Hoping to have some made this morning which if all goes to plan should enable the seats to be recut this afternoon. The inlets went in nicely.
So ideally I'll be reassembling tonight and if I run out of time take some time off work mid week...
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while I vaguely recalled having an oversize guide (actually both exhausts) I certainly hadnt realised how big the guide bores had been taken out to! about 3mm bigger than stock *eek*. the inlets are std still
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while I vaguely recalled having an oversize guide (actually both exhausts) I certainly hadnt realised how big the guide bores had been taken out to! about 3mm bigger than stock *eek*. the inlets are std still
Wow, were they std for something else (like a Merlin)? Must've had major damage to go out that far.
Cheers
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The bike ran reasonably well at Taupo, the oil pressure copper line failed, so needs a flexible line and a rocker oil feed bolt was lost, so minor issues. Main learning was that refitting an 80lb oil gauge was a mistake with an uncalibrated OPV. excepting idle the gauge read off the dial, really needed a 100lb guage *doh*. now this motor does run a timing side conversion and SRM pump, but seems to be constantly reliant on the OPV, so I need this to be set around the 50lb level.
I have just had a simple test jig made so I can review blow off pressures.
Quite interesting to compare old A10 type which rely on the ball bearing which as soon as lifted fully opens three vent holes, whereas the more modern OPV plunger is more progressive, only opening via two holes and like a throttle slide the holes are progressively opened as the plunger exposes them. Winding out the dome cover lowered the blow off pressure. the Les Williams tri type have quite high full blow off and with oil and a compressor could still stand 90lbs before fully open although start blowing off lower. In my case not helped by an engine rarely run below 6000.
I need to tinker more but my first thought is that with an oil gauge fitted a std ball bearing OPV is just fine . Far lower and far more crisp blow off.
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didnt realise I was being recorded! Must have been a mobile phone...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1t9f3mdCGm4 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1t9f3mdCGm4)
It was too hot to be in race leathers, The final Pukekohe festival, over 400 bikes and entrants including three of the 10 Brittens !
Blew the head gasket so not a success for me. Mind you the Yamaha sidecar pictured next to us had the front wheel collapse! Luckily not hurt.
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Mind you the Yamaha sidecar pictured next to us had the front wheel collapse! Luckily not hurt.
Grant and Matt, they travelled up from Rangiora and Invercargill, Matt was my swinger for the first season I did riding the LCR, I raced against Grant and Matt before that when they rode the Windle F1 and I was a passenger on an LCR
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Nice guys, they were very lucky! thought they had a flat tyre and decided to quietly motor back in, until they hit the chicane on the back straight and the steering and the front wheel went in different directions. Luckily on the last race before they headed off, so they had a better weekend than I did. I didnt see the hub, was in the queue for the pit crossing during bike recovery. Great to hear there are four classic big wheelers down south, might need to bring mine down one day.
I have a bit of review to do, Might be bottoming out head bolts on the shortened cylinder? Thats twice the heads blown on that side now. But the BSA national rallies coming up soon and want to get the '54 RR revinned although unlikely in time for the rally, will probably take the ZB33
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pulled the top down and the problem was a little unusual, the head bolts had been rubbing on the top section of the bolt and had lost the tightening into friction as the head was pulled down. So when the engine heated the bolts lost their tension on the head and the head started weeping! So the head holes need more clearance so it tightens down!
After similar problems in October, I threw in some 10.5's in that I had (they were grooved ones from Baxters in the US), however they had offset pins and dont come up fully the deck height.
So I've just invested in some 10.5 hepolites also from the US (should arrive sometime in March), hopefully these will sit flush with the deck height.
Also looking to buy some fresh concentric alcohol 30mm's as my carburation was lay rich with the TT's which also have always suffered with float swill. Will look to jet it up on a dyno before racing again possibly in the spring
I've also bought a '51 ZB34GS to take to the track and circulate at meeting along with the sidecar. Can't help myself... I did sell my vincent, so just BSA's in the shed now.
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Nice to see this one coming along again Tim, we’re going to get the 54 road Rocket back on the salt next month all going well. As for head bolts, I have used 10mm metric fine socket head high tensile bolts, the thread pitch is close and tapping into the barrel is very cautious, also drilling the rare alloy head for clearance is a no going back episode, but it will give deeper thread embedment into the barrel, also APR H/T head washers. I did use those Baxter 10.5s, but ended up designing my own now, about 11 to 1 forged with thin rings.
I’m using with great effect a pair of 32mm Mikunis wit Noton manifolds, however porting is quite adventurous on my bike, you may be able to go back over my past posts to see why.
Cheers mate
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G'day RR.
Hows the solo going.
I think this pic would be you on the chair after a solo race!
Cheers
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Barrels getting a hone, skimming head and barrel, new valves and seats ground, new 10.5's powermax have been flycut for clearance and once top ends on the exhaust will gain the option to fit an air/fuel meter to get the jetting right for methanol. Have fitted a set of concentrics with methanol internals. May be the last build I do with it.
Still planning on having a solo racer to give me another few years trackside with it. Will look to renew efforts with the A7SS projects which had stalled with the rolling chassis largely complete (do need a good solo race seat)
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to get the jetting right for methanol.
When I ran methanol in the BSA, found it ran just as well with the main jet in my pocket rather than the carb.....
On methanol, as long as it runs rich you're OK (power is not down as it would be on petrol). Run lean and a piston's gone in seconds. Not sure a meter's going to show much on dope.
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to get the jetting right for methanol.
When I ran methanol in the BSA, found it ran just as well with the main jet in my pocket rather than the carb.....
On methanol, as long as it runs rich you're OK (power is not down as it would be on petrol). Run lean and a piston's gone in seconds. Not sure a meter's going to show much on dope.
G'day RR.
You would know all this already.
RD's not far off the mark. With meths it can run 20% rich with no drop in performance. With twin 932's on the A7SS I had 680 main jets.
The only problem I had was at the end of the Creek's straight was the slides were frozen wide open *eek* and had to hit the kill button for a second to get them to drop *ex*
Cheers
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Thanks guys, I hear what you're saying. An engineer mate who worked on both tuning a landspeed indian (sidevalve) and on a track vincent so done a lot with methanol tuning pointed out to me that often main jets on methanol are not the limitation, it can be tap or bowl restriction that negates effect of altering the jetting.
On the TT's it was seriously rich last outing, black smoke. wasnt good and too much does result in bore washing. I'm now fitting 30mm concentrics and the advantage of the australian supplied set up for the air/fuel gauge is that it is designed for methanol readings and should give me settings in real time set up on the chair. and at all the openings. Once the engine is back together and I'm back from the IOM the first challenge will be determining cutaway, I think I'm in the ballpark jetwise.
https://raytechautomotive.com/products/lambdaking (https://raytechautomotive.com/products/lambdaking)
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Finally got the barrel and head back, skimmed, seats ground for the new valves and bores honed. So should be able to start top end reassembly this weekend.
I also had a chat to my engineer about my A7ss bottom end which I want to prioritise (with the a65 crank etc) so I can progress its build next. He'll get onto it this weekend as its been sitting around for a while doing nothing . Not getting any younger and when I retire proper wont have any money for that sort of caper.
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Generated some serious power after a days testing at Taupo, sadly didnt get past race 1, the head steady held it together and allowed us to get it shut down before the clonking turn fatal.
Appears damage limited to the resleeved barrel
first pic of engine is as assembled after being pushed back in after a dnf
The poor lone head stud at the front snapped
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Commiserations RR *sick*
Trials and tribulations of racing.
Been there, done that a few times with thin flange A7 barrels (un-sleeved 1mm os) @ 14:1.
Hope your crank and rods are OK.
Cheers
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*eek* ...& the 'like' refers to the detailed pics, fascinating, not the mishap.
Best wishes.