anyone up for a good run out?

[mini-me]

https://www.facebook.com/motorcyclecannonball/

[murdo]

Not me, too many american tractors.

[mini-me]

40yrs younger and being able to cross over  by ship I'd have been tempted.

[john.k]

about six years ago,an entrant with a 1929 BSA sloper tried ......he had nine spare motors,five spare gearboxes,enough spare frames,wheels ,etc to build two bikes.Unfortunately on the first day of the run he took a wrong turning and ended up in a river.........This year someone is running a 1928 "Black" Ariel...Without any spares,except tires and chains.....The bikes lose so much power on the 10,000ft+ passes ,that riders often have to push for miles uphill to augment motor power......The winners are always one of a large group of 1911 Harleys,as age is a factor in the results..........but I reckon my 1928 FD Harley would go the course,whether I would is a another matter.

[chaterlea25]

Hi All,
I am just back home in Ireland after spending the last 3 + weeks in the USA on the Cannonball event
I was there as mechanic and driver of the service van on behalf of two riders, one of whom rode the black Ariel
The second rider had a 23 HD model F (magneto ignition J) that I had mechanically rebuilt over the last year
Unfortunately the HD rider fell ill and was not able to complete many miles
The Ariel rider/ re builder wrote a very long and detailed blog of the rebuild on Britbike forum
http://www.britbike.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/forums/7/1/ariel-forum
The Ariel suffered a few (mostly simply repaired) problems but got to the finish in one piece 
The main problem encountered was when the Ariel lost compression  (exhaust tappet kept tightening up), The exhaust valve seat in the head was recessing and the guide wore badly 
A Norton 16H guide "borrowed" from Team Norton luckily had the correct ID and OD but had a large shouldered section, I turned this down using Team Nortons mini lathe, also polished up the valve for reuse
Another team provided a Neway valve seat cutting kit and the seating got a severe cutting
It really needed a new seat, but needs must
Opinion was that as an oil ring was fitted to the new piston no lubrication was getting to the guide, even though 2 stroke oil was being added to the fuel ??
I'm not sure I go along with that theory !!

The Norton Team did really well and only one rider dropped some few points
I was delighted to see the 3 flat tank Triumphs did so well (models H, P and N)
The model H had been converted to chain drive using some massive sprockets and a tensioning gadget

The Brough SS100 suffered guide/seat wear the same as the Ariel, and a broken fork

The overall winner rode a HD single 

John

[john.k]

I offered the advice about the oil scraper ,not as my opinion,but repeating a warning issued by JAP Ltd in their instruction books from the era when scraper rings were becoming common........Its a shame about your man with the JD.....Delhi belly on a bike........aaargh!

[iansoady]

The Ariel rider posted some stuff on the Ariel forum. He had a very (some would say over) precise approach, looking for very detailed information about things like crankshaft balancing, piston clearances etc. However, I'm pleased to see he made it.

[john.k]

 like the adjustable magneto sprocket,about which ,the less said the better....Old bikes aint about rocket science ,just making sure nothing comes undone or falls off........

[chaterlea25]

Hi,
It wasn't the adjustable mag sprocket that gave trouble, even thought it was blamed initially, the points rotor screw
came loose and the rotor pressed key "unpressed" to let the rotor slip,
It became apparent quickly that evening after the original sprocket was refitted when the bike fired up and died almost immediately with no spark,

,just making sure nothing comes undone or falls off........

That's the lesson learned by the owner /rider   

John

[mini-me]

like the adjustable magneto sprocket,about which ,the less said the better....Old bikes aint about rocket science ,just making sure nothing comes undone or falls off........

spot on 100%
I despair of these newcomers who think they can turn their obselete machines into some clone of the latest Honda or what ever by an over application of bullsh!te and skills they think they have but don't.

However did those old bangers we bought for a couple quid [ £1.50  AJS 350 in 1968 was my cheapest] ever get us to work or wherever so often?

[Rex]

I like the ones who go on the Net to argue about oil and profess to buying the latest synthetic forty quid for five litre stuff, and then claim they change it every autumn after doing a whole 500 miles.
The bike is usually some mundane plodder that worked five days a week taking someone to work, and which was run on the cheapest crap oil that could be bought back then.
MV Agusta maybe, Ariel VB...nope.

[mini-me]

For some people changing the oil is the peak of their mechanical  ability.

And I bet they suck it out with a pump rather than use a spanner on the drain plug.

I despair of the way the old bike hobby is going.

[john.k]

Doesnt worry me what they do.........I know crazy prices will end in tears......Its getting so bad here you cant ride a bike on the road without some phone user running you down.