A BSA called Marge

An interlude into my motorcycling past as I try to gain a lap or two with my rebuild over the blog. Marge, as I said before, is now separated into her component parts, with some final fettling going on, and painting started. The frame is at three levels of condition. The main frame looks like new, and the only work I needed to do was to tighten up the lower head race, which was a sliding fit – i.e. it slid out when I took the forks off. I recall a conversation with Ian Dabney where we discussed various ways of fixing this. I have in the end, after considering special techniques, such as metal spraying, machining a new race, etc. resorted to the tried and tested method using a strip of old beer can. It has the additional advantage that you also get to buy some more beer. Other than that, it was a thoroughly scientific process and feels quite solid. Both the rear subframe sections are pitted, the left hand being far worse than the right. I suspect they have been acquired from d...

Chapter 9. Gentlemen Start your engines – an exhausting time in more ways than one This past week has been a little sad in some ways. I quickly went from having what was a functioning motorcycle to an empty space on my workshop floor. The next stage is to strip the machine for painting, and I managed to get the whole thing apart in an afternoon, the various components are now stored away in boxes, on shelves, or under benches. I am trying to tag all the small parts because I know so well that a little detail, I spent hours working out, can easily be forgotten. I consoled myself however with a couple of bike rides. Based on what I considered to be safe practice and published advice from the VMCC and Trail Riders fellowship I have been out on my BMW café racer and my 1974 custom Harley 1000 XLCH. Both bikes went incredibly well considering the layover – as enthusiastic as I was to get out. I took essential tools and tyre inflation kit just in case and have filled up a large jer...

My blog is very quickly catching up with my real-world build but after last week’s heady success its back to a reality check with the realisation there is still a long way to go. So, I have made a “punch-list” of what needs to be done. It is a bit like doing your revision timetable at school, rather than actually doing any revision. Its already filling a page of A4 notepaper and it does not include the obvious items such as “paint the tank”, buy “footrest rubbers”, etc.  I am still enjoying the moment however and have followed my usual practice of mocking-up the remaining fabrications, whilst I push the bike around whilst it’s still on wheels and admire it – it will soon have to come apart for painting. Before it disappears as an entity, albeit temporarily, here’s Marge with primary chain guard, battery box and even the brake pedal in cardboard. This week as promised I will provide a bit more detail of the engine rebuild as there are some items of interest. As purchase...

I can’t begin without saying that I’ve had the bike running, albeit briefly! I’ll come to the detail later in the story, but it represents a milestone in the build. I genuinely gave it about 10% chance, particularly as it meant having to do a bump start in my back garden and stopping before I hit the garden furniture. I also had to fit the second hand Amal 276 carb as the Kehin look-a-like, referred to last week, was about 1-2 mm too big to fit in, plus a myriad of other last minute snags, such as the gear selector jamming. That’s the good news story - you know I was being clever, going on about using plugs in the various ports and holes to stop bolts dropping in? Guess what, just about to fill the gearbox with oil and a small cover screw falls in. First thoughts (the devil on your shoulder) it’ll sit there at the bottom of the box and no-one’s the wiser. Second thoughts, what if it catches in the gear teeth and wrecks the box – remember no spare parts available for this dear old...