Road Rocket pin stripes

[roadrocket]

Hello!

I have tried the web and my available literature for photos of original Road Rockets as regards pin stripes on the petrol tank. Mostly you see one rather wide stripe separating the chromed and painted parts. But on a drawing of the 1954 export model (export only), you see a thin gold stripe some distance from the chromed area, and maybe also a gold stripe between red and gold. This can also be seen in a photo in Bacons book on a 1956 home market Rocket. Also in Bacon you see a 1957 model with just the single wide stripe. Can anybody out there comment on this?

Regards, Otto in Denmark

[bsa-bill]

think it's one thick on any bikes I've seen that were original, I put two on mine one thick one thin, think it's wrong but nice.
As with most thing A the norm is hard to pin down (see what I did there)

[Angus]

Having done some investigation on the number of pin strips on the tank for the Super Profile Gold Flash, I a fairly certain that they came out of the factory with both single and double strips.
I have found lots of pictures of Flashes with two strips and lots with one both the same year as my flash and earlier.
Also the picture/print on the back of the Roy Bacon restoration book show a bike with 2 strips and the following link shows a 1956 brochure with 2 strips.
http://cybermotorcycle.com/gallery/bsa_1956/BSA_1956_Brochure_A10_Golden_Flash.htm
Not sure about Road Rockets but they could be random two.

[Stephen Foster]

They may have left the factory with either one stripe or two but I am certain that My own 1955/56 "Flash" had two as when I originally removed the knee pad rubbers both the narrow & broad crimson stripes & unblemished beige were still in place & perfectly preserved .
I have also seen these with a single stripe ?

[Jules]

Good discussion topic this, what interests me most though is how to actually DO the coach lines/pin stripes on the tank (and guards etc). I have had my tank rechromed and painted (black) for my '56 Golden Flash, also the guards etc, and would like to add the coach lines/pin stripes (in gold) but am REALLY nervous about messing up the paint job!
Would appreciate your experiences on how best to do them/get them done, preferably by myself if possible...
thanks

[roadrocket]

I have done some research on the art of pin striping, or coach lining as it was formerly known. There is quite a sub-culture on this in the US, where intricate patterns is still the thing to have on your hot rod or Harley. This means that lots of the right brushes and paints are readily available, as a quick search on the web will show. Also ebay is a good place to purchase this. You have to get yourself one or more of the special long haried brushes made by companies like Mack and a tin of 1 Shot paint, and start practising. Lots of videos can be found on YouTube, showing skilled chaps at their art. I want to do this once I get my tank re-chromed and painted. It was done with masking tape on my current tank, and it just doesn't look right.

Otto in Denmark

[bsa-bill]

It was done with masking tape on my current tank, and it just doesn't look right.

Otto after reading your mail I think I might have a go (I don't have a steady hand but as I age the shake gets slower)   

Yes removing the tape often leaves a jagged edge, think we've all noticed, if your not confident to hand line better to use the stick on lines that aren't that bad or I believe there are roller type tools, however if you are going to use tape a painter once told me to use the cheapest Selotape you can fined, the really cheap thin stuff as being so thin it doesn't leave an edge. (you still have to pick the right time to remove it while the pain's not wet enough to smudge or hard enough for the tape to chip the edges)