Vincent Black Shadow mo'bike:1953 model.

[qwerty]

For inclusion in a novel I would be grateful for the following information

Anyone know the starting procedure.
I am assuming:

•Turning on petrol tap under tank.
•Tickling the carb.
•1/4 throttle
•Kick start.
Questions;
•Did they have a key ignition?
•Was there a choke? (I presume there was one, was it on the right or left-hand side of the handlebars?)
•Am I missing something else?

• Were there any quirks or foibles associated with the starting procedure that I could use for

authenticity?

Ta, qwerty.

[R]

Well, there are 2 carbs, to start with.
And the valve lifter, essential to get the crank to where it will start.
But you knew that...

"Am I missing something ?"
A Black Shadow ?
1st time we have been approached to help steal one

P.S. Rapides were more numerous.....

[Rex]

I wouldn't worry over-much; endless technical minutaie in a novel are a turn-off for me, and I like technical minutaie...

[qwerty]

Thanks, R -

Well, there are 2 carbs, to start with.
And the valve lifter, essential to get the crank to where it will start.
But you knew that...

Eh! No, what's a valve lifter?

What about the choke and ignition?

Rex, they are under time pressure and they can't get it started.

[Matt]

Dont forget to bring it up to compresion on one cylinder, go over a bit then the same on the other cylinder or your gonna get hurt!

[yebbut]

they are under time pressure and they can't get it started 

Oh dear, they have chosen the wrong bike haven't they?

don't know what sort of  era your  novel is set, but anyone who needed a quick getaway would be on a Triumph 650

why the Vincent,? drawn in by the myth?

as one who is contempory with the things I can only say they were an overrated pile of crap [and still are as far as I'm concerned]

[Welsh Wizard]

Well, there are 2 carbs, to start with.
And the valve lifter, essential to get the crank to where it will start.
But you knew that...

Eh! No, what's a valve lifter?

What about the choke and ignition?


Rex, they are under time pressure and they can't get it started.
[/quote]

I take it they have turned on the petrol, downloaded a manual and read it.

[R]

Is this info still required ?

There is a video which sounds like it may help
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D00FcmgXxb8

Note that I haven't watched it...

Starting a bike which no-one is familiar with can sometimes be very tricky !
I've heard of folks selling them in despair.

Yes, the magneto lever should be part retarded for starting - assuming it pulls the timing full advanced for normal running, you set it back a bit.
Yes, if there is a choke lever - for normal running you pull it full up - you should feel it pull the choke slides up. For starting, drop them back down a bit - full down will probably be too much.

The valve lifter, which is normally near the clutch lever (but a shorter lever) is squeezed, and the kick starter gently pressed down - you should feel a piston go over top dead centre, and then the pressure comes off the kickstarter. Continue to squeeze the lever, and press down again on the kickstarter. Doing this, you find that you get 2 compressions in fairly close succession, then a long period where the flywheels can easily be turned over. The idea is to just ease over the second compression, stop squeezing the valve lifter, and then give a hefty kick to try and start it. This gives a l-o-n-g period of flywheel rotation to build up momentum during the kickstart kick, which should bounce it over compression, fire up and keeping running.

If this is too vague, can go into more detail.
Someone who is familiar with starting a big single should be able to help here too, its just a matter of finding the right crank position to start it. Setting the controls.  And that long swinging kick.

Have fun.

[Rex]

Rex, they are under time pressure and they can't get it started.

Then the solution is obvious. Just rewrite it to-

"Hey Ismail, I can't get this fu***** pile of s**t started. Told you we shouldn't have gone shopping in that over-priced Atlantic Motorcycles in Berkshire..."

[yebbut]

Atlantic?
are they still going?

[Matt]

I took the liberty of writting this part of your story for you I hope it helps. LOL
After 4 or 5 attempts to start the Vincent it became clear why the Japanese had taken over the bike industry. The Honda hadnt been started for 6 months so it after turning the petrol on and flicking the key it took 2 kicks to get it running and they were away!

p.s. To be fair to Jim if anyone was silly enough to pay way over the odds for a bike from him without doing the research who was the fool? I knew Jim for a little while way back and for sure he was / is a total bandit but his customers were mainly people who were only buying because classic bikes seemed like a gold plated investment, they had ni knowledge of or interest in bikes for bikes sake.

[wetdog]

To be fair to Jim i have bought two items off him , a two speed morgan and a 250 manxman , i have enjoyed both and bought them at a good price , both have been good solid investments , as dealers go hes OK but i would have bought private if they had what i wanted

[qwerty]

Hold it! Hold it!........Sheeeeesh!

Okay, so I got it wrong, (sigh!).

It's 1972 in Spain. A male and a female are escaping from a remote house. They discover an immaculate well-loved m/cycle in the garage, the owner is Belgian but has lived in Spain since the end of WWII.

The male has never ridden a M/cycle and tries to start it but can't.  He is pushed aside by the female who has ridden her brother's m/cycle and knows the likely starting sequence.

Ther questions I should of asked:-

A.Can anyone suggest a M/cycle, which would be a desirable classic in 1972, that is heavy, with a pillion but has a reasonably simple starting procedure, i.e. no valve lifters ar magneto thingamebobs?

B. Can anyone suggest a M/cycle that the female's brother could of owned (pre 1969), which could be the basis of the females knowledge - something smaller and lighter, (could be two stroke)?

I thank you.

[Welsh Wizard]

T120 triumph, 6T triumph, T110 Triumph, BSA A10, BSA A65 1965 lightning ( simplest of the lot to start) Norton 600cc Dommi or even a Norton 650 , that's just a few that her brother may have had dealings with , even back in the 60's most younger people would not be able to afford a Vinny .

Most of the above ignition, tickle the carb or carbs depending on model, stroke engine to a point where you start to feel compression and give it a good kick some times with a slight blip of the throttle.

twin carbs
T120
A65 lightning

Single crab
6T
T110
A10
in the 60's the ton up boys would do there best to tune up their motorcycles, add the extra carb, add a morgo kit to the trumpies so they would be a 750 instead of a 650

[Rex]

It's 1972 in Spain. A male and a female are escaping from a remote house. They discover an immaculate well-loved m/cycle in the garage, the owner is Belgian but has lived in Spain since the end of WWII.

So how about a nice Sarolea, FN or Montesa? They would be more likely for a Belgian in Spain post WW2. A British roadburner would probably have been prohibitively expensive.

{Incidentally, "could of owned"?  Sure you're a writer...? }