Sundays are traditional days for Confession for some people, so might as well get mine over and done with on one.
They say there is a time and a season for all things and that the “Only Constant is Change”. It's true I suppose and it applies to bikes as much as to the rest of life.
Anyway, after several attempts on the part of a good mate over recent years to deprive me of the pleasures of my A10, I relented last month, and let it go after best part of 15 years in my hands. The guy had been chasing it for ages because he 'needs a modern bike' (!!) now his son is a teenager, and his pre-war stuff (he has nothing newer) is becoming less and less comfortable for day-long activities two up.
So, at his umpteenth time of asking, we shook hands on a deal and he took it away.
An incorrect beast, but a fine one all the same (to our eyes). In my hands, 50K miles roughly, with routine attention only for the most part. One complete engine strip, recent set of pistons, valves and exhaust guides and new followers not so long back, decent 4 spring clutch, belt-drive dynamo kit, new rear sprocket, newish 389 Amal and so on. According to the paperwork a '59-built HC-stamped SR originally, but fitted with an iron head and 7.25:1 pistons, cheapo stainless blade 'guards, Indian chrome tank, incorrect headlamp shell and a good few other aberrations to the purists out there. At its core, a solid creature, with the all the advantages of LJ crank and thick-flange barrel, and with a good local reputation for reliability over a lengthy period (often in borrowed hands of visiting friends). But incorrect for all that, which I was perfectly happy to reflect in the value.
The new owner is an ideal one for it – he doesn't want 'shiny shiny original original'; he wants function over form and a bike you can use every day knowing it will start and run, not *** oil out and that it will handle nicely. New TT100 one end, new Road Rider on a stainless rim the other. A bike that could be made 'correct' by stages if anyone wanted to go that way and had the ££, but in no need of anything much in terms of rideability. Half an hour's test run reinforced his almost carnal desire to possess the thing and the deal was struck.
So now I don't have any BSAs. My B31 went a while ago, to another local friend. So I'm left with my first loves, AMC Twins, a couple of Notruns (that do), and a baby LE Velocette for going to the baker's on. Plus a 20-year old XJR Yam for the rare occasions when I feel like using my left foot to change gear and am in a hurry.
It remains to be seen whether (or how badly rather) I'll miss the A, but so far, withdrawal symptoms have thankfully been limited.
So maybe the timing was right . . . .
