What have you done with your bike/s today?

[Black Sheep]

And here it is. 2 gears, no clutch. Every stop is an engine stop, every start is a push start. Oiling is by a spring-loaded plunger on the tank. Why take it out today? Well, it's amazingly quiet and wifey was still asleep and would have been woken up if I had taken her rather rorty A10 instead. It's her Douglas too.

[bikerbob]

Completed the new lifting handle photo attached it works but is not so easy as the A65. I think it has got something to do with center stand itself, couple of years ago I noticed that while on the stand both wheels were touching the ground so took the stand off and built up the feet keeping the same profile and now the rear wheel is a good inch clear of the ground maybe I have built it up too much read somewhere that the rear wheel should only be maybe half that distance.

[RDfella]

bikerbob - you've got to have a rasonable clearance between the rear wheel and ground when on its stand. The main problem in my view is the fact the lifting handle in on one side, making an already awkward job even harder. Yet if it was behind, then reaching the stand to hold it with a foot whilst lifting would be difficult. Can't win. Time for air or hydraulic lifters.

[muskrat]

Been chasing an oil leak on the rHonda. For weeks now I've been swapping oil coolers and hoses changing o rings and adding gaskets. Turned out to be the hard plastic oil pressure line had a kink and the tiniest crack dripping onto the cooler and frame. Fixed with new line and went for a blast.
Cheers 

[Greybeard]

And here it is. 2 gears, no clutch. Every stop is an engine stop, every start is a push start. Oiling is by a spring-loaded plunger on the tank. Why take it out today? Well, it's amazingly quiet and wifey was still asleep and would have been woken up if I had taken her rather rorty A10 instead. It's her Douglas too.

I love that machine!
My first powered two-wheeler, before I was old enough to ride on the road, was an old James Autocycle. Although it was probably made in the 1940's it felt very much like an early motorcycle. Here is a picture of a very smart one, not mine.

[kiwipom]

And here it is. 2 gears, no clutch. Every stop is an engine stop, every start is a push start. Oiling is by a spring-loaded plunger on the tank. Why take it out today? Well, it's amazingly quiet and wifey was still asleep and would have been woken up if I had taken her rather rorty A10 instead. It's her Douglas too.

...Black Sheep, that is indeed a beautiful classic, love the `bicycle`front brake, couldn't see anything to stop the rear wheel, cheers

[duTch]

 

Completed the new lifting handle .........and built up the feet keeping the same profile and now the rear wheel is a good inch clear of the ground maybe I have built it up too much ....................

 B-Bob, with the new handle there, you're lifting more bike weight than you were before....as RD mooted, further back is less ergonomic so a bit of a potential no winner.....maybe the original lack of height was due to worn stops, (to me the stand angle does look a bit much)
  I had a similar situation with my Gutzzi, but different geometry so easier fix, but still a work in progress (only taken 25years so far).... my suggestion as I've said before is a small timber wedge about 8" x 3" x 2" to slide under the wheel to roll up on (front or rear and) and lower the stand as it comes back- makes it very easy and could probably easily fit in a bracket or nice leather pouch on the side where the 'new' handle is.....
 With the Gutzzi, I sometimes still need extra height so just use packers under each leg and do one side at a time rocking and packing it until I have enough height- but no good out and about....

[ironhead]

And here it is. 2 gears, no clutch. Every stop is an engine stop, every start is a push start. Oiling is by a spring-loaded plunger on the tank. Why take it out today? Well, it's amazingly quiet and wifey was still asleep and would have been woken up if I had taken her rather rorty A10 instead. It's her Douglas too.

I love that machine!
My first powered two-wheeler, before I was old enough to ride on the road, was an old James Autocycle. Although it was probably made in the 1940's it felt very much like an early motorcycle. Here is a picture of a very smart one, not mine.

GB  I had one exactly the same when I was a nipper back in the late sixtys. Flogged it mercesly.

[Greybeard]

My first powered two-wheeler, before I was old enough to ride on the road, was an old James Autocycle. Although it was probably made in the 1940's it felt very much like an early motorcycle. Here is a picture of a very smart one, not mine.

GB  I had one exactly the same when I was a nipper back in the late sixtys. Flogged it mercesly.

There was a circular cinder service road around the back of the housing estate where I lived. I must have driven the neighbours mad riding like a loony around that track. I still have some of that cinder tattooed into the skin on my kneecap!

[bikerbob]

Thanks for those comments dutch I do think that on the swinging arm models it is critical that you get the height and angle of the stand correct, as I said earlier I did build up the feet of the stand and it only took about 5mm to raise the back wheel from touching the ground to having a good inch clearance but at the time I did not take any notice of the angle will look at that when I get some time. The A65 has a similar handle and it is no problem putting on the stand but it is the opposite of the A7 which when on the stand the rear wheel is clear and the front touching the ground whereas the A65 when on the stand it is the front wheel that is well clear of the ground and the rear touching. I did have an A10 some years ago and it was no problem getting on the stand but this A7 is just not easy, I will look up some old photos of the A10 and try and compare for angle.

[bikerbob]

Had another look at the stand and am of the opinion that maybe part of the problem is when you put the stand down and hold it with your foot and pull back the feet tend to dig in instead of rolling back so I think a reshape of the feet or angle is called for.

[Greybeard]

Tidied and rearranged stuff in my shed. I'm trying to get some enthusiasm to work on the Beezer.

I've had a piece of bright sheet metal that I think is Stainless Steel for some years. I think I picked it up somewhere, like in the road, or something, I can't remember. It's about a millimetre thick. I previously had it fixed to my workbench at our last house. I remember the trouble I had then making a hole through it, (see picture). My current bench is narrower so I decided to cut this material. My Jig-saw with a metal cutting blade barely marked it. I had to use an aluminium oxide cutting disc in my angle grinder. Next job was making holes through it for my vice. I remembered someone here recommending using a masonry bit to drill tough materials. I buggered up a series of drill bits making pilot holes and enlarging them to 1/2" so the vice bolts could pass through. Anyway, the job is done now. I just wondered if you could tell me what it is that I have been working on.

[Black Sheep]

Decided that I'll have to do something about the WD B40. It needed a drive side main bearing so elder son took it away to fix it. Many months later it came back in a number of boxes. In his attempt to shift a stuck engine bolt, he had drilled it off centre and then snapped the drill bit. So I have a sadly abandoned frame and swinging arm with a stuck engine lurking in the corner surrounded by boxes of bits. It should only have been a weekend's work. Oh, it is now a rusty mess. Total rebuild required. 

[Greybeard]

And here it is. 2 gears, no clutch. Every stop is an engine stop, every start is a push start. Oiling is by a spring-loaded plunger on the tank. Why take it out today? Well, it's amazingly quiet and wifey was still asleep and would have been woken up if I had taken her rather rorty A10 instead. It's her Douglas too.

I keep coming back to look at your veteran Douglas. It's stunning!

[Black Sheep]

Late father in law was the second owner. It's fun to ride, sits at about 35mph on the level. I use it locally and on VMCC runs, often 100+ miles in a day. Here it is in Northumberland.