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Messages - cardan

Pages: [1] 2 3 ... 86
1
Identify these bikes! / Re: Please identify this motorbike
« on: April 19, 2024, 02:33:19 PM »
Also worth noting on grandad's bike is the sheet-metal shield that has been fitted in front of the twin down tubes, and presumably turning underneath as a bash plate. The rear stand has been removed and replaced by a long "field stand" behind the rider's left leg. I think these were part of the Ariel WNG design.

Leon

2
Identify these bikes! / Re: Please identify this motorbike
« on: April 19, 2024, 12:38:56 PM »
Some reading:

The photo of AMP366 comes from here https://motorcycletimeline.com/1935-2/ where it was captioned: "Three years after acquiring its first BSA 498cc V-twin for assessment the War Office ordered a lightweight version (hence the undersized fuel tank) but subsequently decided a side-valve single would be more suitable."

Here's a similar model that was for sale (some time ago) https://motorcycles-for-sale.biz/sale.php?id=37628 The model was called the B15 - some interesting comments on "standardisation" that happened on the military models. The tank on the bike in the photo with your grandad is most likely BSA C11; perhaps part of the standardisation process.

Leon

3
Identify these bikes! / Re: Please identify this motorbike
« on: April 19, 2024, 12:16:11 PM »
BSA built some lightweight 500cc ohv twins for the army around 1935. Here's one of them - could your grandad's bike be AMP366, and this be the actual bike?

Leon

4
Identify these bikes! / Re: Please identify this motorbike
« on: April 19, 2024, 11:15:08 AM »
Quote from: R on April 19, 2024, 12:21:51 AM
And whats that circular object in front of the engine, below the horn ?

No idea! Guess it could be magneto or generator related, or...

The nearly-vertical front down tube on the frame must be a decent identifying feature, but can't think of what it identifies!

Leon

5
British Bikes / Re: Brooks toolboxes
« on: April 18, 2024, 11:52:58 PM »
I have an ancient bottle of Neatsfoot Oil that is designed for the purpose - after murdo's comments I checked to see what is was made from. Very far from vegetable oil! Don't look up where it comes from before you use it.

It certainly conditions the leather but makes it hard to polish afterwards, so use in moderation.

Leon

6
Identify these bikes! / Re: Please identify this motorbike
« on: April 16, 2024, 06:18:52 AM »
My first thought with the twin filler caps was BSA C11, 1939-ish, but I can make out enough different bits and pieces to rule that out. Rear brake inside the back sprocket on the left, decent size front brake on the right, and I fancy I can see a full cradle frame under the engine joining the front down tube. Mmm... tricky. Much easier to identify a British bike from the timing side!

Leon

7
British Bikes / Re: Information about a Norman Rambler?
« on: March 22, 2024, 09:21:17 AM »
It's the same photo! I've not figured out where it was taken - the photo is part of a collection attributed to British Tube Mills, and presumably it was in Adelaide, and now we knoe it was c1954 I will take another look.

Leon

8
British Bikes / Re: Information about a Norman Rambler?
« on: March 22, 2024, 05:57:19 AM »
Wow.

I'd love to be a fly on the wall when management and designers were talking over new models and future directions. We think of 2-stroke lightweights as being pretty utilitarian, but there were obviously people in the companies who had aspirations to build a better mousetrap. I have to admit I don't know (or didn't know!) much about Normans, but I'll think better of their efforts from now on.

I recently researched Tilbrook in South Australia, and like some of the more interesting UK brands (DOT, DMW, Greeves...) it was a good reminder that there were some very interesting Villiers-engined bikes built in the 1950s.

Re the swing-arm Roamer in the photo above, I'd say 33d6 is spot on with 1954 (see attached). In 1951 and 1952 Super Elliott seem to have sold autocycles and Villiers engined "Super Elliotts", but I could find no photo or survivor... I assume they were just re-branded Norman/Roamer/Rambler. Yell if you've seen one!

Cheers

Leon


9
British Bikes / Re: Information about a Norman Rambler?
« on: March 18, 2024, 05:22:20 AM »
Quote from: 33d6 on March 18, 2024, 04:58:20 AM
All with front suspension’s that can make a grown man weep. Ask me how I know.

I'm ready!

10
British Bikes / Re: Information about a Norman Rambler?
« on: March 15, 2024, 12:02:23 AM »
Quote from: cardan on June 08, 2013, 01:25:41 PM
Do we know what the Roamer transfer looked like?

I bumped into this photo recently, showing a Roamer on a Super Elliott display in Adelaide the 1950s. Seems to be a 197cc Villiers (?) with swinging arm rear suspension, so maybe 1953 or so. In Adelaide you could buy this bike as a Roamer, Rambler, Norman, (all Norman brands) or it seems (during 1951-52) Super Elliott.

Anyway, the Roamer transfer is particularly ugly!

Leon

11
British Bikes / Re: royal enfield 355 1929
« on: March 12, 2024, 02:52:42 AM »
Hi John,

That's interesting - I'd not thought much about the tapered needle in the MDY (1928-on), but it seems this was it's first appearance on an AMAC carb. The tapered needle (usually called "variable jet") arrangement was covered in a 1913 Brown & Barlow patent, and was first used on their 1914 model carbs. So through the 1920s, B&B had models with tapered needles, and AMAC didn't. Until 1928. I wonder if this was part of the AMAL deal, where AMAC, B&B and Binks were amalgamated to form AMAL?

B&B's tapered needle and AMAC's air control on the side on the throttle body were two features used on the AMAL carbs for years...

Anyway, good tips for Geoff.

Cheers

Leon

12
British Bikes / Re: royal enfield 355 1929
« on: March 05, 2024, 11:49:51 PM »
Nice one Geoff! Hope you enjoy it.

Leon

13
Japanese Bikes / Re: A bit of wheel building.
« on: March 05, 2024, 11:37:37 PM »
Not sure what the original poster wants here... comments on his wheel building? I'm happy to chime in since I've built 100 or so wheels for old bikes. Personally I don't like highly-polished alloy on my bikes (which are mostly a bit ratty I'm afraid), and I don't think I'd build a 2-cross front wheel for a disc brake, and if I did I'd use rims dimpled and drilled to suit. Coupled with the 3mm of thread showing, which is pretty weird since the nipples are only threaded at the rim end so there's probably 5mm inside the nipple where thread is useless, I'd say the front wheel is pretty ordinary.

In all, however, the wheels look good and it's nice to see someone building wheels for themselves. It's a fun project.

It's the rudeness I dislike.

Cheers

Leon

14
British Bikes / Re: Albion EJ Final drive sprocket 17T
« on: February 15, 2024, 09:58:54 PM »
I wonder what is the world-wide annual demand for lightweight Albion gearbox sprockets? I have a sprocket box, so now I'll have to go out and look.

Leon

15
British Bikes / Re: royal enfield 355 1929
« on: February 10, 2024, 12:43:38 PM »
Hi Geoff,

Just be wary of too much oil: if the crankcase gets over-full with oil everything gets terribly hot and bothered. The trick is finding the Goldilocks flow: not too little, not too much, but just right.

Good luck!

Leon

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