classic motorcycle forum

If I really want to get upset over prices,I just need to go my brothers,and he recites current prices for old Harley stuff...like $1000 for a 40s headlight,$800 for the little light off the front mudguard,$1200 for a speedo ,and on it goes....All stuff I have given away in the 1970s....of course ,thats a while ago now.

Mention of the dreaded Whitworth spanners rings a bell.....I ve got to do some work on the Gardner engine in my old crane ,and I d forgotten its all BSF threads ...need to be very careful not to lose a nut or bolt ,because unlike old bikes ,bigger BSF thread stuff is impossible to find in Oz.......Unlike a bike ,the old crane has to keep going,as Ive sold the land and included an agreement to clear up all the scrap laying about......I did about half before Christmas ,and Im so sick of the whole thing ,I d like to toss it in...but I cant without costing me heaps.......One slightly less depressing aspect is the price of steel scrap is well up ,and just scrapping an old crane returned some $4000.

...definitely an Indian Powerplus of the 1916 period,maybe the US war model ...but the pic is later,probably 30s as suggested.........Tower shouldnt be hard to locate ,unless it was destroyed in WW2........Indians may be forensically dated by Yanks......however ,Indian were in the habit of exporting models with several years earlier US market components  to third world markets..........the sidecar also has unusual arrangement with the wheel ,maybe spring suspension of the wheel.

I cant say Ive  actually bought a bike mag since the late 70s.......they were Ok to read over lunch when they cost 75c,and you could give them to someone else ......Anyhoo,I get much fancier trade mags full of actual useful info into my mailbox entirely free.......and strangely enough ,there is less advertorial in a free trade mag than a $10+ bike mag......Oh and for those interested ,its raining cats and dogs here ,half a metre overnight ,supposedly.......the reason Im interested is I was to get some machines moved Friday,truck never turned up ,now the back paddock will be awash,and the truck wants to come first thing Monday......at $200 an hour......and they have my card details.

1950s Velo 500s are just cooking singles with a price tag to match cammy Nortons.There is nothing special about them,quirky yes,but nothing special......In fact I suspect half the inflated price is down to all the drivel talked about the clutches.......Because in my recent experience ,the new generation of 50 somethings are paying very high prices for old bikes so they can talk endless drivel about them.

I was in the NOC for some years.....I actually did them a favour ,because they were spending more on magazine post than my yearly......anyhoo ,be that as it may,I found the spares scheme a disappointment ,and buying any used stuff from the scheme is folly,as it wont be worth  post cost........I believe they have an actual commercial agreement with the big boys in Norton spares to not compete......Which basically means if you have a Commando ,spares are plentiful from commercial suppliers,but anything uncommon,you wont get spares from the NOC or any commercial supplier.........My other observation is there is virtually no information on the forum ,except for a very few ,and all the "experts" who would normally post on other make forums ,are in fact doing Norton work professionally,and keep things to themselves.........(I dont need info ,just an observation)......And yes ,they are well heeled ......half a million quid in kitty when I was a member.

The fibre gears are also used  to transmit heavy loads without noise......quite common on some electric motor drives in largish horsepowers.........also use in lathes and drill presses to reduce noise from meshing gears..........which would be why they are used in mag drives ,to cut noise.......Only time I see them stripped is when large spanners are applied to mag drive nuts.......They are however notably abrasive ,and will wear contacting steel gears,unless the steel is very hard.......Ally used for cheapness,the fibre is very costly.........The large ally idler gear in the Vin. cam drive was notorious for shedding teeth.