classic motorcycle forum

[  As we look at the Amal catalogue  it shows a pilot jet which can be varied yet looks to be a screw in item.

I'm confused. The Amal Premier carb has both a fixed size but  removable pilot jet (screwed in horizontally into the body) and a mixture adjusting screw. Maybe you're looking at a diagram of this type, though I thought your carb was a Wassell.
According to Hitchcocks it's been common with the new Premier carbs for people to get these two items confused. The pilot jet should remain tight in the body.

I've got a 1947 Flying Squirrel and it's an absolute joy to ride. It will be the second last to be sold when anno domini starts taking it's toll.
Like a good racehorse they can be finicky and require regular attention, but there's little to touch it for enjoyment when it's on song. Smooth, powerful, nicely-built and guaranteed to be a conversation starter when you park up.
Never ridden a 1920s model but as I understand it they're much the same regarding maintenance requirements and pleasure of ownership. The earlier bikes are two speed and the later ones three speed, and some consider that to be a drawback when riding.
The SOC is a good club (for spares and info) but it doesn't seem to be the place to buy one as they seem to be rarely advertised. I would suggest CarandClassic or good old Ebay might be better.

..having a nice cuppa with the rest of the bike-riding old boys on Thursday when the conversation went around to "I hear Bob's got a new bike"
"what's that then?"
"He's got a Motobecane"
 "Wot one of those horrible mopeds?"
"Nope, a 125 SV from just post-war, it doesn't run as it's not complete, and he got it from one of those French sellers at Kempton. Looks really nice though".
Sometimes you just have to bite your tongue and keep schtum. This was one of those times.

That Montgomery has clearly been recently restamped, and as it's not DVLA registered that will be a red flag to the DVLA inspector when he examines it. The Carlton had had a recent makeover too (Red rims? Really?)  and the front mudguard is a poor fit.
Personally I would rather see honest rusty bits and missing mudguards etc than pay a premium for something that's been assembled for resale.

mention of difficult hot start....... a sure sign of mag windings breaking down......a mini capacitor(aka Thorspark)

Do you mean Easy-Cap? Thorspark is the replacement points assembly system.

Here's another tip for you then, don't touch the Favor with someone else's barge-pole, let alone your own. Small French motorbikes have been discussed many times on here and the general consensus is to avoid.

Both seem reasonable although personally the Cotton is a little small engine-wise, but that's only my opinion. The Ajay seems OK but like any unfinished resto you really need to see it in the flesh. The restorer may have passed before he completed it but that doesn't mean that it hadn't stalled before that due to some difficulty or other.

True, but then we're talking about a mass-produced rudimentary iron-head commuter than was designed 70 or so years ago. So many manufacturing variables and so many rebuild variables since that that the figure is only ever a guide or starting point.
The point is that accidentally moving the mag lever too far would make it too advanced, and that's harmful.
I have read on the Net about riders who claim to  time to TDC and then jigger with the lever constantly to keep it in the advanced "sweet spot", but I don't think I've ever met someone who advocates that on an old British work-a-day bike.
Dial gauge? A little OTT on a manual mag-equipped B31. This ain't a GP racer...