Motorcycle General Discussion

[Bob RodgersonParticipant @bobrodgerson97362]

Nice Velo Shaun,

ere are some shots of my Venom, fitted withAlton Electric start/alternator, Thurston belt drive & clutch conversion, Thurston Thruxton type cylinder head, BTH self generating magneto and Mikuni Carb.

The second picture shows the bike after fitting the Thurston Head and Mikuni carb.

The bike is going into the spring sale at Stafford.

Edited By Bob Rodgerson on 16/04/2017 11:58:22

[Involute CurveParticipant @involutecurve]

That looks really well Bob, I've seen the Alton electric start on a couple of velos, I heard they had problems with the sprag, I've actually got all the necessary bits to make one of my own, which I may do over this winter.

My next major project may well involve a billet replica Velo engine but with a modern twist and then installed into a Featherbed frame I have kicking about.

Time is the enemy…………

[Bob RodgersonParticipant @bobrodgerson97362]

I have a similar problem, lots to do, not enough time or space. I want to make a 700cc Vee- twin using a couple of Humber side valve cylinders making the cases from solid but just don't have the time. I would also like to resurrect my A4 Pacific in 5" gauge project again and so many other things.

[JimmieSParticipant @jimmies]

First part of a short series 'capturing the lives of the people who populate the extraordinary world of Irish road racing' states this Wed 19 April at 22-40. (BBC One Northern Ireland)

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b08mp802

Edited By JimmieS on 17/04/2017 09:57:42

[martin perman 1Participant @martinperman1]

BBC1 Northern Ireland, I assume it will be on IPlayer for the rest of us.

[JimmieSParticipant @jimmies]

Apologies Martin and other early readers for omitting that important detail. Was doing a quick paste job from a local site to this and got too excited! Must edit.

I will post any other upcoming TV shows related to local m/c racing as and when details are available.

Enjoy

Jim

[JimmieSParticipant @jimmies]

What someone did in NINE weeks when he wanted to build a fake (replica look-a-like) Norton 18 of 1927.

[Mike PooleParticipant @mikepoole82104]

Posted by JimmieS on 17/04/2017 09:33:05:

First part of a short series 'capturing the lives of the people who populate the extraordinary world of Irish road racing' states this Wed 19 April at 22-40. (BBC One Northern Ireland)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b08mp802

Edited By JimmieS on 17/04/2017 09:57:42

I shall try and watch this somewhere, The Roadracers is my favourite documentary on Irish road racing, sadly the three stars, Joey Dunlop, Frank Kennedy and Mervyn Robinson are no longer with us. The atmosphere of road testing an all night rebuild in the dawn mist on public roads is not to be missed. Still available from Duke Marketing on DVD with the added bonus of Joeys lap of the TT course on the legendary Honda V4.

Mike

[garyParticipant @gary44937]

hi, i have been trying to contact armour motor products for a week now without success, does anyone know if they still trade, regards gary

[Mike PooleParticipant @mikepoole82104]

The website appears to be active, maybe they have a long Easter break?

Mike

[SillyOldDufferModerator @sillyoldduffer]

The website has a easily missed banner saying "***IMPORTANT*** We will be closed from the 14th-18th April for Easter. "

[garyParticipant @gary44937]

no reply to emails or phone before the 14th or today, will try again tomorrow. gary

[thaiguzziParticipant @thaiguzzi]

[thaiguzziParticipant @thaiguzzi]

My '79 Triumph. Back on the road again…

Five years off it, (i thought it was only 2-3, amazing what old age does to the memory, or having other motorcycles to ride…).

Arty farty photos taken by my daughter yesterday.

[garyParticipant @gary44937]

rare nice day here in the north east of scotland so decided to take my rudge for a blast, just got off a roundabout when i had a sudden rear wheel blow out, very scary i thought the frame had snapped. a closer look showed red insulating tape had been used instead of a proper rim tape with the result the tube had been rubbing on the spoke nipples. i had given up on armours for a new exhaust for my velocette and sourced one elsewhere so decided to fit it when i got the rudge home. turns out it is 3" to long, i remember when the wife used to say better long than short. o well better attack the nice new chrome with a hacksaw gary

[Barnaby WildeParticipant @barnabywilde70941]

I finally gave in to caution & gambled a whole £15 on a set of Chinese fake Pazzo CNC adjustable levers for my Bandit 1200.

I've heard nightmare stories about these where it's always 'a mate' who bought a set to discover they're made from cheese & shaped by hammer on an anvil, covered in burrs, poorly finished & never ever fit the target bike.

They took 1 week to arrive by Royal Mail & bugger me they're excellent quality. The CNC paths look well thought out, the adjusters have a nice positive click & they fit perfect with a lot less slop than the originals.

The anodise is a deep glossy black which I know will wear & fade over time but for £15 you couldn't post 'em back to China for the price. The Pazzo levers retail about £150.

[thaiguzziParticipant @thaiguzzi]

[HopperParticipant @hopper]

Posted by thaiguzzi on 04/05/2017 03:34:50:

Looks like a well sorted Triumph there with the extra breather and the access bung in the timing cover. Nice mag set up.

How did you get a Triumph in Thailand? Did you import it yourself? Is that easy to do? (Always thought about retiring there one day but the lack of decent bikes puts me off. Hadn't thought it possible/easy to import your own?)

[Involute CurveParticipant @involutecurve]

Posted by Mick Charity on 03/05/2017 18:18:38:

I finally gave in to caution & gambled a whole £15 on a set of Chinese fake Pazzo CNC adjustable levers for my Bandit 1200.

I've heard nightmare stories about these where it's always 'a mate' who bought a set to discover they're made from cheese & shaped by hammer on an anvil, covered in burrs, poorly finished & never ever fit the target bike.

They took 1 week to arrive by Royal Mail & bugger me they're excellent quality. The CNC paths look well thought out, the adjusters have a nice positive click & they fit perfect with a lot less slop than the originals.

The anodise is a deep glossy black which I know will wear & fade over time but for £15 you couldn't post 'em back to China for the price. The Pazzo levers retail about £150.

Please be careful when fitting your new levers, I personally know of two people who fitted new cheepo levers that where not actually designed for the master cylinder they had, initially they seemed to work ok ie the brakes worked!! however they later discovered that although it all felt ok in actual fact the piston wasn't quite returning to its correct position in the cylinder and so blocking, the expansion port, we are talking less than 1mm of piston travel here, the consequences of this as the brakes warmed up in service for one of them was a written off bike and a broken leg, the other an ex TT racer managed to stop before the front wheel locked, it was an easy fix once the brakes cooled but also easy to miss, this is especially important on Radial master cylinders.

HTH

Shaun

[JimmieSParticipant @jimmies]

Gary

Good to see someone on this forum has excellent taste when choosing motorbikes.

Jim

[JimmieSParticipant @jimmies]

Gary

Good to see someone on this forum has excellent taste when choosing motorbikes.

Jim

[JimmieSParticipant @jimmies]

North West 200 races on Tuesday 9th to Saturday 13 May.

Watching and Listening details assuming your will not be sticking your head through a hedge.

NW200 Racing Watching and Listening

[Barnaby WildeParticipant @barnabywilde70941]

Posted by JimmieS on 04/05/2017 19:47:02:

North West 200 races on Tuesday 9th to Saturday 13 May.

Watching and Listening details assuming your will not be sticking your head through a hedge.

NW200 Racing Watching and Listening

Me & the missus have the NW200 on our bucket list now that the IoM TT has become ridiculously expensive.

[Barnaby WildeParticipant @barnabywilde70941]

Posted by Involute Curve on 04/05/2017 07:06:35:

Posted by Mick Charity on 03/05/2017 18:18:38:

I've heard nightmare stories about these where it's always 'a mate' who bought a set to discover they're made from cheese & shaped by hammer on an anvil, covered in burrs, poorly finished & never ever fit the target bike.

I personally know of two people who fitted new cheepo levers that where not actually designed for the master cylinder they had, initially they seemed to work ok ie the brakes worked!! however they later discovered that although it all felt ok in actual fact the piston wasn't quite returning to its correct position in the cylinder and so blocking, the expansion port, we are talking less than 1mm of piston travel here, the consequences of this as the brakes warmed up in service for one of them was a written off bike and a broken leg, the other an ex TT racer managed to stop before the front wheel locked, it was an easy fix once the brakes cooled but also easy to miss, this is especially important on Radial master cylinders.

HTH

Shaun

Yep !

I re-bled the brakes after fitting them. There is a good fraction of travel before the fluid pumps & the reservoir level drops when released.

I did notice the rubber boot is slightly perished on the brake MC so an OEM part is on back order (3wks approx).

Incidentally, I've got a set of fake Brembo 19 RCS radial MC's on their way from China. Apparently they have gotten much better over the years & only need a little bit of fettling to make them good !

[thaiguzziParticipant @thaiguzzi]

Posted by Hopper on 04/05/2017 07:00:25:

Posted by thaiguzzi on 04/05/2017 03:34:50:

Looks like a well sorted Triumph there with the extra breather and the access bung in the timing cover. Nice mag set up.

How did you get a Triumph in Thailand? Did you import it yourself? Is that easy to do? (Always thought about retiring there one day but the lack of decent bikes puts me off. Hadn't thought it possible/easy to import your own?)

Thanx. Motor is 830cc, Weslake "Full Circle" crank and Carillo rods. Crank, if ever sold (not going to happen) on Ebay et al would go for a fortune, possibly £2k… Bike was built to this spec (ish) and looks in '94-95. Owned it from new.

Access bung is for an easy bleed of the Morgo rotary oil pump. Each rockerbox has it's own breather too. Can't have enough of 'em on a Brit parallel twin.

Getting it into Thailand. Long story, but basically came in with my Guzzi in two of my own containers c/w Snap On tool cabinets, Boxford lathe, Mig welder and all household and workshop possessions. Paid legal import tax on everything EXCEPT the two bikes. Big mistake in hindsight. They have legal import p/work now and all taxes paid, which was expensive and a headache, but no legal plate, and because they are not FI, never can have. Can legally ride them everywhere except inside Bangkok (not interested riding in there anyhow) and the two main motorways from BKK to the NW and NE.

So yes, nowadays importing your own is impossible. However there is a huge bike scene over here, and in the last 5 years, new and S/H prices have dropped dramatically. Although most models are still more expensive than in the West. Triumph and Ducati have factories here, and there is a good choice of motorcycles of all styles these days.

Plus… it is Thailand…

Going back to the "Nanny State West" occasionally once every 18 months or so for a 4-6 week period, and it just saddens me, not shocks me, saddens me.

Me, i "retired" out here when i was 43…

Edited By thaiguzzi on 05/05/2017 09:23:13

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