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The Classic Biker Bar / Re: ?
« on: April 18, 2025, 10:01:52 AM »
It is pretty moribund but like Lazarus revives. Usually.....
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British Bikes / Re: A10 front brake cables
« on: April 05, 2025, 10:06:25 AM »
Agree, silver solder needs far to high a heat. And plumber's solder isn't ideal as it has a period where it is soft but neither moleten nor solid. Tinman's solder is the stiff - 60% tin, 40% lead (known as eutectic). I've used multicore for decades with no problems.
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British Bikes / Re: A10 front brake cables
« on: April 04, 2025, 09:45:51 AM »
I agree entirely. However, a front brake might not be the ideal first attempt......
One of the first jobs I usually do on any newly purchased bike is to make up new control cables as they're invariably the wrong length, kinked, have their plastic coat damaged, have loose ferrules and inevitably have never been lubricated. How people ride with cables like these I'll never know.
Many years ago I went to one of the VMCC "try a vintage bike" days at Curborough. One of the bikes was a tatty Ariel 500. When I'd finished my stint I tried to pull up next to the owner and the front brake nipple pulled off. He berated me for wrecking his bike. I did point out that I might have saved his life as it was better to happen when it did than when he needed to stop in ahurry.
One of the first jobs I usually do on any newly purchased bike is to make up new control cables as they're invariably the wrong length, kinked, have their plastic coat damaged, have loose ferrules and inevitably have never been lubricated. How people ride with cables like these I'll never know.
Many years ago I went to one of the VMCC "try a vintage bike" days at Curborough. One of the bikes was a tatty Ariel 500. When I'd finished my stint I tried to pull up next to the owner and the front brake nipple pulled off. He berated me for wrecking his bike. I did point out that I might have saved his life as it was better to happen when it did than when he needed to stop in ahurry.
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British Bikes / Re: T140 rear wheel, binding when tighten spindle
« on: November 07, 2024, 04:48:06 PM »
Some bikes have a top hat spacer that fits inside the speedo drive to stop it being crushed. But I don't know about T140s.
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British Bikes / Re: Villiers chain ?
« on: August 10, 2024, 10:47:03 AM »
Like "Lucas" electrics - now supplied by Wassell and originated who knows where - but not Great Charles Street. The trade names are bought up by shysters to give a veneer of respectability.
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British Bikes / Re: Villiers chain ?
« on: August 02, 2024, 01:24:29 PM »
It might have helped if you'd said you were in Australia then I wouldn't have suggested a UK supplier.
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British Bikes / Re: Villiers chain ?
« on: July 31, 2024, 10:07:49 AM »
Have you tried the chain man? He lists a 1/2" x 3/16" 415: https://the-chain-man.co.uk/chains
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British Bikes / Re: Tool collectors
« on: June 29, 2024, 10:25:23 AM »
There might be some gems in here: https://www.facebook.com/commerce/listing/1160084381803071/?ref=share_attachment
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British Bikes / Re: Triumph Speed Twin
« on: June 27, 2024, 03:27:31 PM »Actually I thin k the change from the old style gearbox to the laydown box had more to do with the footrests .......the WW2 bikes had two footrests the same,laydown box has the RHS footrest with bends and loops to clear the gearbox.
The upright gearbox top mounting was a "fork" that engaged with a rearward lug from the seat tube. These were notorious for fracturing if the bolt wasn't kept tight. The laydown was much better in this (and other!) respect(s) as it had a solid top lug that sat between two engine plates.
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British Bikes / Re: Triumph Speed Twin
« on: June 27, 2024, 10:00:10 AM »
... and a good thing too. Always better to talk about Nortons.
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British Bikes / Re: Triumph Speed Twin
« on: June 26, 2024, 10:12:49 AM »
Mostly true. However years ago I put an ES2 engine in a 16H rolling chassis and had no issues with frame or footrests - but had to have someone chop out the underside of my freshly painted and lined tank!
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British Bikes / Re: Triumph Speed Twin
« on: June 25, 2024, 12:59:34 PM »Without anything to hand to test this out, I'd suggest almost certainly NOT.
This goes completely against manufacturers principles, that you must prevent upgrades,
at all costs !!
I'm not sure I agree - in fact most manufacturers (at least British ones) tried to have as much commonality as possible to save on tooling costs. My only experiences are with Norton and Velo singles and small unit Triumph twins but with these capacity changes were relatively easy.
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British Bikes / Re: Tool collectors
« on: June 21, 2024, 10:04:01 AM »
Funny that the people who built bikes at Bracebridge Street etc managed not to break things despite not having torque wrenches. I have one but very rarely use it as I think my "mechanic's feel" is good enough. And the only fixings I've ever broken have been ones irretrievably rusted in place.
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British Bikes / Re: Tool collectors
« on: June 12, 2024, 12:25:53 PM »
Yes, that's why I mentioned pre-UNF.....
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British Bikes / Re: Tool collectors
« on: June 11, 2024, 12:52:54 PM »
I'm not sure why combination spanners are denigrated. I find them useful in the workshop as the flat ring end gets where the usual cranked ring spanner won't. For example, the cylinder base nuts (pre-UNF) on small Triumph twins are tricky beasts. I just ground a small amount off the outside of the ring end of a combi and it worked perfectly.