Love the description

[windmill john]

Trying to find myself a project and in the description, this one says:

“Wiring loom may want tidying up a bit.”

AF18D3E7-B101-48C4-B102-D273E25292DE.jpeg

[george baker]

Hi John
are you ok with electrics? If so it looks too trivial for you since apart from the electrics it looks ready to go

George

[Mjolinor]

I could do with one like that. No need to feel guilty about the dirt getting thick enough to plough.

[windmill john]

Rob and Mjolinor are the sparkys

It’s small enough to get in my shed and I could take all the time in the world.

I’m not going for this one. I think even though British, too high a price and with the current situation, too far.

Actually, if I couldn’t retire this, I don’t deserve to be a home mechanic.

The only craziness with British bikes is the main switch. If I recall, an Excelsior Consort I had, had either 8 or 12 contacts on the switch!!! It only had a head light, taillight and ignition.... 8 to 12 contacts!!!

[Rob Frankhamr]

The only craziness with British bikes is the main switch. If I recall, an Excelsior Consort I had, had either 8 or 12 contacts on the switch!!! It only had a head light, taillight and ignition.... 8 to 12 contacts!!!

Oh, I don't know... the general standard of electrics on bikes of that era is pretty horrible. It was even pretty horrible by the general standards of the day (which were generally pretty horrible to start with). Under rated wiring, switchgear open to the elements, you name it. It's almost as though the bike maufacturers of the day refused, as a matter of principle, to employ electricians delegating the design of such unnecessary things as lights and horn to anyone who could get a lamp to work 6 times out of 10.

The main reason for the horrendously complicated ignition switches was that most of the functions were switched by the same switch and the output from whatever sort of generator there was, was 'controlled' by switching and shorting generating coils... so at one stage or another, all of the output was switched and some of it was shorted direct to ground dependant on the light switch setting. Why anyone would think of that as a good idea I don't know.

The 'good side' of course was that the bikes would continue to start and run even with half the electrics shot and many of them had a switch setting that allowed the bike to be started with a completely flat battery... don't often see that now.

Rob

[Mjolinor]

I don't think that British bike (and car) manufacturers ever really left the calcium carbide era and that is why they were so convoluted.

I do not know who invented that Zener diode method of regulation but firing squad is much too good for him, hang drawn and quartered is more fitting.

[windmill john]

It’s an interesting hobby. Do I buy a British bike (can’t afford 99.9% of them) and spend a lot of time tinkering; isn’t that part of the interest....
Or go Japanese for an easier time.

Now.... the only problem here is that British parts are pretty accessible and lots of people are fabricating stuff.
Japanese bikes, pre last week... body parts are a pain to buy, find and cost the earth, but consumables okay.

I’ve pretty much forgotten about Airheads. Shouldn’t have sold mine, but now.... it’s cheaper to buy a Vincent!

[Mjolinor]

Just build yourself an airhead from bits.

[John Marshall]

I have always fancied a Victoria V35 myself. There is a very nice one about around the area.
Or what about a Nimbus?
I guess not cheap though.When I think back to 1978 I bought a T160 for £700 as I could not afford the £900 for the bike next to it. A Hurricane. Oh well.....
John

[windmill john]

Check out these prices from my birth month magazine I picked up:

8A49DC93-2EEA-4073-B224-0AE35EBFF3D7.jpeg

[Mjolinor]

Check out these prices from my birth month magazine I picked up:

They had motor cycles then? I wonder if Queen Victoria rode one.

[windmill john]

I’m a mere strippling compared to you