Pre-65 Bikes

Just come in out of the garage after wrestling with the rob Homer frame i bought thinking i would save myself a bit of money. OK its CDS not T45 like those Alan Whitton ones but with my level of inexpertise it wont make much difference. Well after spending hours and hours over the last week or two trying to get things to fit i am beginning to wonder if the saving was really worth it. I have had a DRR frame supplied through Alan before and everything just fitted together as it should. No re drilling, no reaming out, no filing etc etc. Plus the welding / brazing is to die for and it seems a shame to paint over it. Is it just me ? Do i just happen to have a Friday frame ? OK…

I’ve just acquired a nice set of 32mm yokes for my BSA project, I’m now after a pair of forks to suit Anyone know what bikes had 32mm good forks fitted?

I purchased a project C15 (1960) with no head steady and then bought one off of eBay. The one I purchased has a flat bar to connect head to frame clamp but it did not seem to fit so I used a simple spacer. It all fits together but is too wide and interferes with the gas tank. Is this the wrong head steady? Could someone describe what the correct one would look like? It looks pretty simple to make....maybe just longer where it attaches to the head. See the picture.

Hi guys.. I was wondering if any of you might be able to help me with the identification of an engine that i have purchased but not been to collect yet as I'm a little dubious about the engine number after a bit of looking about. The engine number is apparently C15T 5693 I have had a good look but it appears to me that they did not produce any engines for the C15 with the T prefix past the number 2200... I just wondered if any of you have come across ones with numbers this high as its been advertised as a genuine C15T engine (rare apparently) I just dont want to be a horror and find out its just a C15 with a T stamped on it. Any info would be greatly appreciated…

What is the maximum engine capacity that can be achieved on a 200(late motor) Cub without increasing the stroke?Anyone have any comments on the no doubt numerous ways of doing it?Cheers,ALT.

Does anyone know what type of Norton sliders are used to make the trick forks?

Hi - I have just put my C15 engine back together after fixing a number of oil leaks (I hope!). It never ran very well before - it seemed to never idle properly. I've only owned it for a short while and managed to nurse it through for its first job which was just to deliver my daughter to her outdoor wedding (about 100 yards up a drive!) without getting oil on her dress! Now I have it all back together, it starts easily and I seem to be able to get a lovely, smooth, medium speed idle but as soon as I open the throttle it bogs and dies. I am out of my depth and need some help - maybe a sequence of things to eliminate/try? It is a fairly standard looking engin…

Anybody tried or have knowledge of the big bore kits for the villiers A series bottom ends.Ive been told that you can get them out to 350cc is this correct.Who makes these conversions and what sort of a price,will the crank/big end, clutch and gear box stand the extra power and can you get away with rejetting standard amal carb. Is it a worth while conversion cos i'm thinking along the lines of building a jimmy with one of these engines. Colin

Hi - I'm new to the forum and new to the pre '65 movement. Saw the demo at the Historic motor sport show and it re-awakened old urges. I've acquired an unmolested '59 Francis barnett Trials 83, which needs new tyres. I can't find a 19" trials tyre anywhere. Millers advised me to build a new wheel with an 18" rim. Is this the only way? Any help would be appreciated

Hi all, a friend has these on a Bantam but what are they exactly? He needs some parts and wants to be sure Thanks in advance, Dave

Hi Guy's. I have had the story from Ally Clift about the Original BSA "Otters" built down in the west country by the late Harry Foster. The story is now on the BSA Otter web site if you care yo look. www.bsaotter.com Ok. After reading the stories, I now think I should try and find an Harry Foster BSA "Otter" frame in any condition, so that I can build one of these bikes up for the web site, and for my collection. Do any of you know where there is a frame? There were 36 built, so there still could be a discarded one in someones garage? Let me know on my web site, if you have or find one, thanks. Regards Charlie.

Hello all, I am in need of some help, before i burn the **#@! bike, I have a real ugly 197 Villiers "7E" maybe in a BSA d3 frame, just bought it and want to get it running. I have spark at the plug.. the plug seems to be getting wet from fuel but not drowning... but no real fire only coughs and the odd hiss out carb. Also it has a dellorto ub20s carby. Anybody that wants to throw there hat in the ring is welcome and no idea would be consider silly.. Bike is in Australia and is my pre 65 project if it lives that long. will be waiting "sleeping" at my keyboard till I get some ideas.. Timing setup? points? I dont know. Thanks guys Chris

Anything better for polishing up alloy ?

Was this a bargain or about right? I wish I

Hi all, Does anyone have any information on the Cotswold BSA frames and the history around them. I also hear a lot about John Husband, did he build he a lot of bikes?

Can anyone tell me where this washer should be? Took the sump filter off today and it was lying in the bottom, it's about 22mm diameter

Is there a recommended process to make a C15 not a big oil leaker? When running, my C15 leaks oil on to the bash plate and then to the ground so it is unclear where it is leaking from. I don't see any obvious leaks from gasket areas. After parked for a couple of days, it starts to leak which I believe is wet sumping. All check balls and springs were replaced but during the rebuild most everthing was corroded so the condition of the ball seats is unknown. There is a tube fitting on the head which I connected to the oil tank so there is no real breather...is this correct? The frame has a right side kick stand that would seem to make the leaks worse with all of the ven…

I continue to have problems with the Cub I built from all my spare parts for my Son to ride. It has a habit of leaking the contents of the Sammy Miller type top tube oil tank onto his shed floor!. The first time this happened I replaced the steel balls in the later type oil pump for a plastic ball and spring upgrade kit from UPB. But after sitting in his shed for a few months, it just did it again. I drained the remaining oil from the engine sump and got about 250 to 300 ml out. The total capacity is around 750 to 800 ml with the external oil filter and oil tank filled. I did notice the jubilee clip on the oil feed pipe to the bottom of the engine wa…

Hi I've been trying for some time now to get some details on enlarging the capacity of my B25. It's had several mods already done, including changing the cam, and it now plonks and pulls pretty well. I would like to know the easiest way to get it out to say 280 ish ideally without having to bore the crankcases. I did hear a 650 triumph piston would do it? But which model and compression, is there enough on the standard liner to go out that big, if not what liner will I need? thanks Paul B

Hi people , anybody know info of a Sun Wasp trials bike please ....Many thanks