Aberdale near done!

[rtw]

I have all but finished the restoration of my aberdale.
I know you would not expect much power from such a motor but I sense it is lacking power, it will wind up speed on the flat but slowly dies on any up hill climbs. could this be because the timing is out?

[mini-me]

single geared 70+year old 98cc Villiers?

that's what the pedals are for.

If you think the timing is out, then reset it.

[cardan]

There are two areas that will make a two stroke "guaranteed gutless".

1. The bore, piston and rings have to be in good order. Bore wear is often worse in the area around the port openings, and this is often missed by people more used to four strokes which wear at the top.

2. Crank case seals.

If you've done/checked these two things, you're left with some possible fiddling with timing, plugs and jets. You may as well get the most power you can out of it, but even then don't expect too much. I ride an e-bike most days - 250W (1/3 h.p.) max - and it's great fun and exercise.

Enjoy!

Leon

[33d6]

You don't say what speeds you were achieving on the flat but it would take a very good JDL engine to achieve more than 30mph and that would take some time to work up to. It will slow on any gentle rise let alone a hill.
Of course there can be other reasons why your engine isn't pulling well. For instance the brakes can be dragging slightly or the wheel bearings a shade too tight. It doesn't take much. The biggest killer though is rider weight. Back in it's day there was still some food rationing and the average person was much lighter than today. If you look up Army statistics you will find the average soldier back then weighed 10 stone and was 5'8" tall. That type of build is what your Aberdale was designed to haul around. Anything more has a distinct effect on performance. If you are 6' and 15 stone you are being very optimistic.
The JDL engine was also designed for economy, not performance. There was still petrol rationing and squeezing the most miles out of the last drop was more important than an extra 5mph. It wasn't intended for Continental tours or storming Lakeland passes.Expecting your Aberdale to mix it with modern traffic is a bit hopeful.

All in all your Aberdale fits a special historical niche. It's just one that doesn't offer many riding opportunities today. It looks good, congratulations.
Cheers,

[mini-me]

Very good point re rider weights etc.

RTW why don't you join Buzzing, the  best club for these sorts of bikes they organise a lot of runs over selected routes for these bikes.

My very first powered two wheels was an Excelsior Auto byke, but unlike you I never got it running even though me and my brother spent hours pushing it up and down the garden!

[iansoady]

Very nice restoration.

Some years ago I did a complete bare metal restoration of an NSU Quickly for reasons that escape me now. I thoroughly agree with the comments re low power and increased rider weights as the Quickly, although it started and ran very well, barely had the power to take off from a standstill with me aboard. I have to confess to being well over the stated 10 stone......

[mini-me]

 Those of us brought up in those days were all underfed and vertically challenged. Never saw anyone fat.

Most of them fat sods out there stuffing their faces with burgers and stuff don't know they are born, when i were a lad we lived in a shoe box all 12 of us and ate grass............etc etc etc

[cardan]

My very first powered two wheels was an Excelsior Auto byke, but unlike you I never got it running even though me and my brother spent hours pushing it up and down the garden!

My first foray into powered motoring was also with my brother, and an elderly Motorbecane moped that came from our uncle Jack. We got it running, and with a tank full of petrol managed to set it alight. It had a plastic petrol cap, and when this melted the burning fuel did a fair impression of a flame thrower from the mouth of the tank - the bike was on its side in the middle of the road by this stage. When the fire brigade came it was almost all over, but the memory of them throwing a bucket of water on the smoking heap lives on...

Leon

[Rex]

It's just one that doesn't offer many riding opportunities today. Cheers,

I like the way you put that, and I think it's very true.
Personally I won't ride anything under 350 as below that are just too slow for modern road conditions.
Having said that, 350 Ajays and B31s are hardly road-burners either..

[33d6]

Curious isn't it. Unless it has a chair on the side I can't get excited about almost anything over 350cc. Each to his own I guess.
Cheers,

[murdo]

Nice rebuild. Go enjoy it.

[mini-me]

On the flat

there is a reason the Buzzing Club is in east Anglia