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Spring Fever (Read 2440 times)
Ruttly
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Spring Fever
03/26/23 at 10:43:28
 
Spring is here , open practice at Lodi Cycle Bowl today and  TT coming up soon. I know I won’t be ready but maybe I can catch a TT near seasons end. It’s a good goal anyways. Mocking up the BSA , still needs frame/swingarm cleaned then assembly will begin. Most everything is cleaned and most everything is here (stuff ordered). Hopefully , have a roller with brakes , tank & seat by this time next week. I did say hopefully !  I was doing good with my $500 budget , but front brake pads and rear shocks broke the bank.
So I’m in for a penny and in for a pound , I won’t say I’m drawing the line cause I’ll go over it , but I’m at a whopping $900 , guess that’s still pretty good for a basket case project. Not to sure of its value , I really don’t know what a vintage BSA flat tracker will fetch , maybe as high as $5500. The coolest thing is it will also make a great road racer too. I gonna need leathers for that. Think they will let me TT in motocross gear. Gotta go clean the frame/swingarm. New shocks will need some aging , just enough so they don’t look new that would ruin the patina effect.
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Re: Spring Fever
Reply #1 - 03/27/23 at 10:35:36
 
Cleaning frame today , just maybe I’ll get some shocks today ! It has the possibility of rolling by morning. Stopping by Tuesday. Tank & seat by Wednesday. Image in my head , becoming clearer , even after a simple green bath  that I thought would leave the bike smelling like a urinal cake , nope she still fills the garage with her special smell of vintage motorcycles. Almost same smell as a motorcycle museum. My guitar room smells just like the guitar shop downtown. Vintage & expensive woods has a very special smell.
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Re: Spring Fever
Reply #2 - 03/27/23 at 22:12:57
 
Wrong shocks , that will be at least a week delay , way bummed
Turn it around and start at the other end
I’ll make a 13 1/2” strut to hold it up tomorrow and continue.  Sad
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Re: Spring Fever
Reply #3 - 03/28/23 at 08:25:14
 
So Ruttly , Your working on restoring an old BSA .

You mention the term "TT" makes me remember an old Honda 350 twin I had years ago that I wanted to put "TT-Pipes" on.    The curve of the TT's makes me grin !  Smiley

is yours the 500 or the 650cc ?
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Ruttly
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Re: Spring Fever
Reply #4 - 03/28/23 at 10:46:14
 
MM , It’s a 1970 BSA B50MX 500cc single vintage flat tracker/ TT.  A TT is a flat track race with usually at least 2 right turns and a jump whereas flat track is wide open and turn left. TT pipes are downswept an under usually but not always out on the right. A guy who worked at the local dismantler built and raced it in the mid to late 70s. I think I got it in 82 , made it into a street tracker with mirror & lights , never had a lic plate , I didn’t worry they couldn’t catch me. It been a basket case for 40 years , no excuses , time flies , it’s time has come. Plan to build it as a race bike with all era correct parts so it looks just like it rolled off the track in the 70s. It also has optional front disc brake for TT racing. So by changing left side foot peg and adding a front brake it becomes a TT bike. Plan to do at least 1 TT race at Lodi maybe later this year. She is a very primitive beast and might be competitive in the vintage class , if not it will be hella fun to be back at the track again. That’s what it’s all about anyways. Maybe this is the reason she was mothballed for 40 years !  Cool
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Re: Spring Fever
Reply #5 - 03/28/23 at 21:31:25
 
MM , I used to really like the chrome TT pipes on the old CB450s and then later with the CB360 they had a 2 into 1 with TT pipes , ol skool. They were early street trackers. All of the 70s bikes is where I get my influences from the Savage tracker was to replace the BSA for a street bike like the SR500 and the Sportster did. They all are emulating Flat trackers either by oem design or mine , I don’t know how to stop , fevers a raging !
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Re: Spring Fever
Reply #6 - 03/29/23 at 04:01:40
 
Rage on brother.
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Re: Spring Fever
Reply #7 - 03/29/23 at 09:42:28
 
Todays rant. I’ve been seeing a modern electronic ignition for the BSA singles but I think it’s for street versions with lights with a full stator. The MX model only has a partial stator. About 1/3 on as compared to a full stator. Less weight and less magnetic drag with the 3 volt MX ignition. But like I said she is very primitive and still uses ignition points. I know I could probably adapt an electronic ignition to it from like a lawn mower or weed whipper. I would rather the points system. The rotor is the same rotor only the stator is different making 3 to 4 volts , after that there is only points , condenser , coil and a kill switch. Did some digging the hot set up was a Mallory condenser from a hot rod ignition( huge brass cased condenser ) and an Accel solid core spark plug wire with silicone plug cap. Did more digging found both condenser and plug wire with cap and a new set of oem points. Going back to school here , setting points and timing , might have to make a static timing light to help indicate the points opening for static timing , then when it’s running set timing with a timing light. I still have timing lights , dwell meters , vacuum gauges for the ol skool stuff. Speaking of dwell the MX model uses a different mechanic advance unit than the street models , street uses a 12 degree advance unit while the MX uses a 5 degree. Also the 5 degree unit has been advanced to full advance and welded in that position. Flat track wfo slow wfo slow wfo slow , so this gives me instant advance and instant and crazy throttle response. I never lost a drag race on that bike it beat Honda 500 , Yamaha SR/XT/TT , Suzuki 370 and give the twins a bad time too. I get to use my forgotten skills  for points & timing. Can’t wait to see a big fat purple spark !
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Re: Spring Fever
Reply #8 - 03/29/23 at 10:01:22
 
Wait a minute we’re talking Lucas electronics , I’ll settle for any spark what so ever , I’ll take it.
 Grin Grin Grin
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Re: Spring Fever
Reply #9 - 03/29/23 at 10:24:01
 
She is a fair weather bike not for riding in the rain , unless you enjoy the electric chair ! Yeah once your both good a wet , if your left knee gets anywhere near the spark plug wire your still safe , till you rev up gettin ready for a 5000 rpm shift from 3rd to 4th and your fingers reach for the clutch lever

BAM you just provided the ground to the positive ground system , you are officially lit up. The smell of burning flesh and hair lingers in your helmet. Almost enough to make you drop the bike. Your fairly well insulated by the rubber pegs and grips in the rain , but go ahead touch the clutch , I dare ya
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Re: Spring Fever
Reply #10 - 03/29/23 at 19:17:33
 
I'm glad you can understand all that !   Smiley

The HEI was one of the best things that came out of the 70's , I think .

I never quite understood the point system except that the motor fired when the points opened and the points needed cleaning once in a while.

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Re: Spring Fever
Reply #11 - 03/29/23 at 20:10:37
 
I agree , the hei was the best thing to happen since rubber tires. But this is no girly man bike with a rev limiter , this will rev till the valve float , straighten out you elbows and make your as$ cheeks pinch the seat cover , hanging on for life. I wouldn’t want to change a thing. I used to keep half of a broken points file in my wallet.
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Re: Spring Fever
Reply #12 - 03/30/23 at 05:07:16
 
“straighten out you elbows and make your as$ cheeks pinch the seat cover , hanging on for life”

Yes indeed; a light weight big single, properly set up & rightly tuned, wide open and pulling hard … Yeeee Haaaa !
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Re: Spring Fever
Reply #13 - 03/30/23 at 10:41:38
 
A B50 MX stock about 310 lbs , not exactly light. If I had to guess mine is right about 300 lbs still heavy in the flat track realm. I’m not one for lightening everything it has to be tough & durable. Old vintage stuff is
different not as refined as modern singles all those valves and counter balancers with electronic ignitions of course they are faster , smoother. The   power delivery is much less refined , much more primitive more like riding a worn out carnival ride. Scary at times , hella fun , can’t wait for it to scare the hell out of me.
Again !
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Re: Spring Fever
Reply #14 - 03/31/23 at 11:16:42
 
Did a quick polish job on the aluminum tank. That is the only part I’m gonna hit with an electric buffer & polish. Everything else is hand cleaned with Simple Green. Most of the patina is gone leaving a nicely aged bike , but have no fear , patina cleaned not removed , it will slowly reappear as time goes on. A step back in time , in a sense part of my going up. Besides the grips & tires & peg rubbers , nothing has been changed. A Time Machine right down to the points. Ooh shocks n stuff gettin delivered today , gonna burn some midnight oil. The roller will emerge tomorrow and greet her first dose of sunlight in 21 years. How cool is that !   Cool
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