What have you done with your bike/s today?

[Greybeard]

....the roller’s starter motor broke its mounting. Hardly surprising – I thought this engine might be a pig to start, but it’s even worse than I imagined.

I guess it will loosen up once it's run for a while.

[Black Sheep]

Rode the A10 to a farming meeting in Glen Clova. Frost and thick fog most of the way there though much better on the way back.
190 mile round trip, a steady 65-70mph on the faster bits. On arrival, a few comments ranging from "my brother had an A7" to " you passed us on the way here".
Nice to cross the Forth and Tay bridges again.

[RDfella]

Jim - there's pics somewhere - I believe it's under 'other bikes' or whatever the title is. Can never find things on this forum so don't ask me for a link! Other than fitting the calipers, seat and rear mudguard, nothing much changed since then. For obvious reasons I want to make sure it actually runs before finishing off - eg front mudguard, chain guard, exhausts, alter fuel tank to clear front carb, lights, horn, footrests etc.

[lawnmowerman]

Jim - there's pics somewhere - I believe it's under 'other bikes' or whatever the title is. Can never find things on this forum so don't ask me for a link! Other than fitting the calipers, seat and rear mudguard, nothing much changed since then. For obvious reasons I want to make sure it actually runs before finishing off - eg front mudguard, chain guard, exhausts, alter fuel tank to clear front carb, lights, horn, footrests etc.

Found it https://www.a7a10.net/forum/index.php?topic=14353.0 There are probably more older posts.
Looking good!

Jim

[RDfella]

Pretty much decided to lengthen the kickstart lever. Anyone know the length of a vincent lever? I'd guess around 12 - 13 ins.

[chaterlea25]

Hi RD,
Having  very long lever on a Vincent I suppose  helps, that said the Kickstarter is very low geared on them. This makes the  bastards hard to start unless the cosmos is in perfect alignment especially with magneto ignition
The one I worked on recently would start relatively easily once warm but was an absolute fu##er when cold. Although it would fire up easily on a bump start down my sloped drive
The magneto  has been properly sorted + it was NOS before hand
I have just acquired two electronic ignition kits for one, Pazon and Boyer but then I would need to replace the Miller gen and concert to 12v
Back to your project
Could you rig up a direct starter onto the crank end like you see the boys use on drag bikes?
Once you get the bike tuned and running properly then revert to kickstartong ?

A (moe) elderly friend who rebuilt an 80 ci HD A couple of years ago was having trouble with getting it running after rebuild
He rigged up a lawnmower flywheel onto the end of the crank, and mounted a starter motor to the bench so it would  engage with it ( bike secured to the bench)
Once he got the carb and ignition sorted he then reverted to the kickstart !!
John

[RDfella]

Thanks for the ideas, John.
Obviously I’m looking for the easiest way to start it, so I’m going to go longer kickstart route first. If that doesn’t work, I may try fitting a vee belt pulley behind the drive side crank nut and drive that from an electric motor.
Thanks again,

[WozzA]

I lost 3rd & 4th gear on the plunger... after pulling the gear box to bits I discovered everything in order..  EXCEPT the obvious..  the cam selector plunger had somehow become stuck in it's housing..      A quick clean & reassemble & Hey Presto... all gears again..   

[Kickaha]

Had some foot pegs to straighten after a minor incident riding like a dick down a shingle road

[muskrat]

G'day Kicky.
At least with our old real steel bikes things can be straightened. Imagine the cost of a whiz bang modern.
Cheers

[muskrat]

G'day fellas.
Yesterday (Saturday) I took the plunger down to a local (Bawley Point) car and bike show. Sorry no pics, I lost my box brownie! This was her 1st ride since tank repair and re-paint. Only got 1/2 way and she was going like a pig. Stopped at a mates place and pulled the carb (932 concentric). The filter on the inlet banjo was full of crap and pilot circuit blocked. All cleaned and she roared the rest of the way there and back. Mate on a 70's 650 Trihard couldn't keep up!

Cheers

[Black Sheep]

Discovered that if you don't do up the dynamo securing strap properly, after a few thousand miles the dynamo can slowly rotate with the engine vibration and the dynamo chain can slacken off sufficiently for it to jump off the sprockets.
This will only occur when you are a couple of hours from home and it's getting dark.

[Swarfcut]

Learnt this the hard way, so now mark the timing case and dynamo flange....if the marks move I know the chain is slacking off. Marks in line, chain more or less as it was set up, sleep easy.

Swarfy.

[Greybeard]

Discovered that if you don't do up the dynamo securing strap properly, after a few thousand miles the dynamo can slowly rotate with the engine vibration and the dynamo chain can slacken off sufficiently for it to jump off the sprockets.
This will only occur when you are a couple of hours from home and it's getting dark.

I hope the chain did no damage

[orabanda]

A (moe) elderly friend who rebuilt an 80 ci HD A couple of years ago was having trouble with getting it running after rebuild
He rigged up a lawnmower flywheel onto the end of the crank, and mounted a starter motor to the bench so it would  engage with it ( bike secured to the bench)
Once he got the carb and ignition sorted he then reverted to the kickstart !!

Remember 6 volt VW Beetles?
A friend engineered a reliable emergency starting system; he modified the the dynamo drive pulley (on the crankshaft) to accept a lawnmower pull cord; worked a treat!