41
British Bikes / Re: Villiers 196 super sports
« Last post by Vreagh on November 07, 2025, 05:27:48 PM »It's a not a great pic but the rain here (Cornwall, England) is teeming down but I hope it may give a clue.
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42
British Bikes / Re: Villiers 196 super sports
« Last post by R on November 06, 2025, 10:04:40 PM »Some clarity needed here
He is talking heads and you are talking cylinders
Might be a slip of the pen.
But that photo would help ...
He is talking heads and you are talking cylinders
Might be a slip of the pen.
But that photo would help ...
43
British Bikes / Re: Villiers 196 super sports
« Last post by cardan on November 06, 2025, 09:58:27 PM »The drilling in the cylinder between the exhaust ports is for an oil feed.Or perhaps to get some pressure to drive the weird Villliers oiling system? That would make more sense.
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British Bikes / Re: Villiers 196 super sports
« Last post by cardan on November 06, 2025, 09:54:18 PM »That's interesting. I think we might need a photo.
Most Francis Barnetts used the 172cc Super Sport engine, which has prefix BZ. The hot Brooklands version has prefix Y.
KZ is the prefix for for a 196cc Super Sport [edit: not Brooklands as I first said] engine, but I'm not familiar with KZB... Maybe it's some variant on the Brooklands/Super Sports.
The drilling in the cylinder between the exhaust ports is for an oil feed. The Brooklands head has a boss for a decompressor, but it is usually not fitted. Perhaps super-sporty riders/racers made do without a decompressor. If it's a huge problem, maybe you could use a thin aluminium gasket under the cylinder (not too thick or it will change the port timing) or a thicker head gasket to lower the compression a little.
Leon
Most Francis Barnetts used the 172cc Super Sport engine, which has prefix BZ. The hot Brooklands version has prefix Y.
KZ is the prefix for for a 196cc Super Sport [edit: not Brooklands as I first said] engine, but I'm not familiar with KZB... Maybe it's some variant on the Brooklands/Super Sports.
The drilling in the cylinder between the exhaust ports is for an oil feed. The Brooklands head has a boss for a decompressor, but it is usually not fitted. Perhaps super-sporty riders/racers made do without a decompressor. If it's a huge problem, maybe you could use a thin aluminium gasket under the cylinder (not too thick or it will change the port timing) or a thicker head gasket to lower the compression a little.
Leon
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British Bikes / Villiers 196 super sports
« Last post by Vreagh on November 06, 2025, 03:20:32 PM »Hi, I'm trying to identify what this 196 engine might have been fitted to originally, at the moment it's fitted into my built like a bridge frame. It looks like the standard super sport engine but has no decompressor and no provision for lighting coils or oil feed. Engine no is KZB 179 definitely a B and not an 8. Although it starts and runs well, I'm having trouble kicking it over compression and all the heads I've seen have a drilling between the exhaust ports. I'm thinking of drilling and fitting a Royal Enfield decompressor but don't want to ruin what might be a rare head. Any thoughts please?
46
British Bikes / Re: Villiers headlamp switch
« Last post by R on October 26, 2025, 05:41:50 AM »I'm set !
A Bantam ? tin bracket and later (?) Lucas lamp seem made for the job.
And that aforementioned small 6v battery.
Have a few bicycle ones. Decided there was no mileage in them = dry cell batteries again.
A better quality of rechargeables might work, but have proved elusive.
And look notably modern.
I'd still be curious what the model of this light switch is ??
A Bantam ? tin bracket and later (?) Lucas lamp seem made for the job.
And that aforementioned small 6v battery.
Have a few bicycle ones. Decided there was no mileage in them = dry cell batteries again.
A better quality of rechargeables might work, but have proved elusive.
And look notably modern.
I'd still be curious what the model of this light switch is ??
47
British Bikes / Re: Villiers headlamp switch
« Last post by 33d6 on October 26, 2025, 05:14:57 AM »We're going around in circles here. I think the best solution is that of Jferg also occasional forum visitor. When necessary he uses a clip on LED bicycle rear lamp that he has slightly modified to come on with the usual m'cycle stop light switch. This can be easily removed or changed from bike to bike with minimal mucking about. That's an idea worth exploring further. Go and have a look in your local sweatwheel shop, R. You might come away much happier.
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British Bikes / Re: Villiers headlamp switch
« Last post by Rex on October 24, 2025, 10:01:34 AM »they originally gave but wangling a replacement in and out of that headlight clip every month or so would drive me nuts.
You and everyone else, so after the one BSA supplied (if they ever did) went up the swanee doubtless they were never replaced. Just park off-road or where a copper isn't going to visit.
If someone was poor enough to be riding a little two-stroke in the 1950s, wasting money on dry-cells would have been well down the list of necessary expenditures.
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British Bikes / Re: Villiers headlamp switch
« Last post by R on October 23, 2025, 11:59:49 AM »I also like to have a brake/stop light fitted.
I VERY much agree with this.
Almost entirely the reason for this exercise.
From previous experience, batteries can go for months without needing a recharge if this is their sole purpose in life.
With led varieties, the voltage can go even lower before they cease to show a brake light.
I smiled at the 4.5v battery chatter. They can be sheer frustration. I don’t know exactly when they went off the market and I have mucked around making them up from two ‘D’ cells but eventually I got fed up and stopped bothering. I don’t know how many hours light they originally gave but wangling a replacement in and out of that headlight clip every month or so would drive me nuts.
This thought had crossed my mind.
From the totally pristine battery carrier, I suspect the original battery was removed and never replaced. ?
I looked into these batteries, and they are still available.
https://au.rs-online.com/web/p/speciality-size-batteries/7904697
Just powering it off the small 6v battery, with suitable bulb, would be simpler.
Opportunities for requiring a parking light are few and far between these days ?
50
British Bikes / Re: Villiers headlamp switch
« Last post by 33d6 on October 23, 2025, 10:48:57 AM »I understand your lack of concern over lighting. Who does expect to go riding one of these beastliest at night anyway BUT, (there’s always a but) you do occasionally get caught out. Country town rides and rallies have caught me out a few times, somehow you end up at a local riders home or a different pub and bingo, it’s got dark quicker than you expected. I also like to have a brake/stop light fitted. I have little faith in the road users following behind. Many only react to brake lights and never think beyond them.
You can fit a battery powered total loss system but then you’re always faffing around charging up batteries. Fit a basic direct lighting set up and you always have no hassle lighting but the brake light set up is iffy. There’s never an easy and simple 100% satisfactory solution is there.
I smiled at the 4.5v battery chatter. They can be sheer frustration. I don’t know exactly when they went off the market and I have mucked around making them up from two ‘D’ cells but eventually I got fed up and stopped bothering. I don’t know how many hours light they originally gave but wangling a replacement in and out of that headlight clip every month or so would drive me nuts.
You can fit a battery powered total loss system but then you’re always faffing around charging up batteries. Fit a basic direct lighting set up and you always have no hassle lighting but the brake light set up is iffy. There’s never an easy and simple 100% satisfactory solution is there.
I smiled at the 4.5v battery chatter. They can be sheer frustration. I don’t know exactly when they went off the market and I have mucked around making them up from two ‘D’ cells but eventually I got fed up and stopped bothering. I don’t know how many hours light they originally gave but wangling a replacement in and out of that headlight clip every month or so would drive me nuts.