Hay I've got a 404 on the back of the Guzzi now , If it last for 10,000 miles I don't care if it looks right .        It has a "FAT" look to it .  

I've run the 404 on the Sportster 1200 I had and it didn't last but 7k on the rear , but my habits have changed since then.

I also ran them on a 4 cylinder 750 Kawasaki years ago ... they didn't last any time on that thing !  

verslagen1 wrote on 03/01/23 at 21:54:47:




Interesting weather we are having lately.

It would have been my first ride for this year. Tried to mount my mountain bike today no way so l didn’t even try the Sportster. So I stumbled on my BSA engine today. Had been cleaning my work bench off cause I can’t do anything it seems , so I now have a 70/71 B50 race engine on the bench now. Seems it used to shine  now it’s grayish and shows every tiny nicks and scratches and oozes with patina and a tiny , not enough to form a drop yet spec of oil on a sump stud. I believe things talk to me such as guitars and motorcycles , etc. Sittin and staring at this primitive power plant , it begins to whisper to me. She’s tellin me she has waited long enough , she not concerned with powder coating or paint or polished chrome. She simply wants to be ridden hard. It is a true vintage racer , she’s 52 years old. So I already have a mounting opposition to doing an essential only restoration. I made the short list to get her race ready;fork,seals,tires,grips,points,plug,oil lines. I have a new chain and I’m confident I have everything else. Ooh number plates , that can wait but needs to be on the list.
 So what you think paint n polish or that good vintage patina down n dirty ?I’m so excited , it’s like a treasure hunt haven’t seen some of this stuff for 20+ yrs. Going out to the warehouse ; exhaust,tank,seat and any boxes marked BSA on the list.

Let me know what camp your in ; Ride It or Restore It

Wow the warehouse had lots of pieces for the puzzle
Bars
Exhaust
Tank
Seat
NOS 20+ year old Carlisle dirt track tires , era correct and yes I’m running them.

Jackpot of boxes still mia

It’s not a museum piece , it’s gonna better represent itself as what it is/was , a true vintage race bike. Paint is rough and cracking over the fiberglass. Just hints of rust, patina all over , now a new chain won’t work think I got some old nickel plated used chains for it.

Ride it !  

Me and the old BSA may need the same things ( maybe you too ! )

Ride it but remember we not SPRING CHICKENS !     Have FUN but B-NICE !

The THREE "R's"
1.   Restore it enough
2.   Ride it , let it give
3.   Respect it .

Your right they all talk , the hard part is to listen .
I hope to meet it one day and see if it will Talk to me too.

Forks are drained , I’ll order the kit for forks , seals , wipers , wiper clamps and new Ceriani made in Italy stickers. Old stickers still intact will stay. I have allocated a tight $200 budget. Well maybe $250 , shipping sucks ! Trying my hardest not to change anything and anything replaced means I don’t have one and now have to seek out a vintage replacement or a suitable era correct part. I’ve never dun this kind of build before. It has its own set of problems to solve. Hopefully , my goal is old and there should only a few things new on it that you might notice. So far it’s tires and grips. I did order a set of points and a new plug too. Clean front wheel and replace tire , waitin on tubes. It’s the polar opposite project from the Tracker. When I clean out the garage , all the bikes are out in the driveway , never fails always a few stopping trying to poach my bikes with some pitiful offer. This bike will only draw more fools with no money !