Bardon Choke & Albion gearbox Kickstarter & Gearchange

[Ian_dw]

Hi, I am looking for a Bardon choke control for my 1923 restoration project, and now I have got the right gearbox for my machine, I am missing a kickstart lever, and the Albion gearbox lever. If anyone has any spares, or a contact, I would love to know.. Thanks Ian

Image shows what I am missing on the gearbox!!

[cardan]

Hi Ian,
Does the McKenzie have it's original Vici carb, or something else? The Vici has just a single control - the throttle - which was a bit unusual in the early 1920s when most cards had two levers - throttle and air.
There was no convention for levers, in terms of which way they "opened", but a good idea might be a lever that opens inwards when mounted on the right side of the bars. You need to know the diameter of the bar - 7/8" or 1".
The attached image shows the Bowden single levers available at the time - the 401 was cheap and cheerful, and the 403 is the deluxe model. Both these come up on ebay pretty regularly, but the 403 is usually expensive.
If you want to go cheap and cheerful there are lots branded Villiers that would do the job for not much money.
Cheers
Leon

[Ian_dw]

Thank again for the info Leon, and it’s a Webb carburettor. I have the manufacturers “inventory” of most of the parts used on the bike  ie saddle manufacturer = brooks, choke control = Bowden. Just haven’t seen one on eBay yet?? I know I could get anything to work, just trying to be as original as possible..

Cheers Ian

[33d6]

I’ve often found the quickest way to find the right part is to ride the bike as is while telling all and sundry you hope to eventually find the correct part one day.
People are much more willing to help someone actively campaigning a bike that they can see in use than some mystery bike hidden away.
To paraphrase an old movie quote, “If you ride it, they will come”.

[cardan]

McKenzie used a Vici single lever carb when the Motor Cycle tested the machine in August 1922, but a Wex (not Webb) single lever by show time in November.

There are other versions of the 403, like the 1914 model attached. Just beware of levers made by Bowden Brake Co. (the others are made by Bowden Wire). Bowden Brake Co. carb and magneto levers have a cast alloy body that - no matter how good it looks - is likely to fall in two if you try to rotate the main screw that holds the lever together. I have a tin full of the b.... things that I should just throw away.

Cheers

Leon