Pre-65 Bikes

As many readers of Old Bike Mart may have seen, there is a proposal from the EU to drop the need for MoT tests for vehicles registered prior to the 1st Jan 1960. The Federation of Historic Vehicle Clubs are one of the consultees and have a questionaire on line to see what people feel about the proposal. Visit the FBHVC website or the survey on this webpage to cast your vote before the 10th Jan. It will be one less job each year for riders of vehicles that qualify. Something good to come out of an EU Directive? That will make a change!

Any ideas where I can get a small spin on oil filter and housing as seen fitted to a number of pre 65 bikes? Thanks.

hello, i'm building a tiger cub and i'm looking for wheels and forks where can i get hubs (alloys) or what do i need to do to improve the stock hubs (i heard i should make the back hub wider) i have a aprilia mono fork (35mm) i would like to modify so it looks pre 65 who are the enginiers that can do something like that anyone has contact data from them ( email or phone ? ) kind regards bob

A friend of mine has just purchased a nice C15 for Classic Pre 65 Trials. It ticks over evenly, pulls well at the bottom end, but runs out of puff when being pushed up a hill climb . I’m sure it needs a larger main jet, but I’d like to get the whole settings right , from Amal carb type to all jets , needle and slide. Thanks everyone.

I have a C15, a B40 and a Tiger Cub that all need to have the carb moved further from the engine to help stop fuel evaporation (or something like that!). Does anyone have any idea where to buy such an animal?

hi all. firstly it doesnt look like my tablet likes the website and wont let me post a carriage return so apologies for the stream of conciousness style. putting a bsa c15 together and im using a bushman rear hub - i believe this is fairly common. 2 questions, anyone know where i can get a rear sprocket made up as it needs to be bantam mounting but c15 thickness? And anyone know the tricks of the trade to fasten it to the hub - as the bantam uses a crazy 7/32" bscy bolt which only appear to be available in the bantam length - as the sprocket will be thicker do i need to get the sprocket countersunk? Hope some one can help. jim

Sadly as yet no news is bad news and no sign of either the stolen van or the pre 65 parts that were inside has been recieved so not looking good and sadly it is beginning to look as if these were possibly stolen to order which is an option that not only saddens me but deeply worries me as Classic and pre 65 Trials riders i have always thought were a good bunch. In a previous post i informed as many as i could about Alan Whitton having his van stolen and that inside the van was the Bantam rolling chassis he had on show at Telford as a showcase for the parts he sells. Alan didnt have any photos at the time of this but someone has kindly responded to our request for a piccy…

Help needed, I need a valve lifter assembly for a 1961 B40, bolts to rocker cover. Can anyone help with this. B**ger to start without one !!

Am needing some help/advice. Have bought a 1961 T20 and recently topped up the primary chain case with oil, on the next run found it had leaked out onto the drive sprocket. I'd put in red ATF, so the leak was definitely from the primary chain case. I've not had a T20 engine apart, but I know that on the Triumph 500 and 650's there is an oil seal set into the back plate behind the clutch assembly. I can see that this engine doesn't have a removeable back plate, can someone point me in the right direction, is there an oil seal on the inboard side of the primary chain case and is it accessible once the clutch has been removed, the Haynes manual is pretty vague. Thanks.

Here is a photo of a villiers 6e with an Ajax conversion (fitted in a 1951 James rigid). Other than this was made by B&C Pearson, Knowle, Birmingham in the 50s and 60s and is, along with the Vale Onslow conversion the only conversions allowed for pre60 villers engined scramblers, I can't find out much about it. Anyone have any more info? Tim

Can anyone tell me where I can get a 15 tooth engine sprocket for my B25T engine. I believe it would have the same spline size as for a B40 or 441 BSA. I believe most people use an 18 tooth sprocket (which I currently have) but I know that with a half link in the duplex chain a 15 tooth sprocket will fit without the chain being too loose. Although not as strong as a full link, does anyone know of any problem using half links? I have already reduced the gearbox sprocket as small as I can and even with a 60 tooth rear wheel sprocket the gearing is barely low enough, so since I can't lower the gearing within the gearbox I prefer to get a smaller engine rather than put a larg…

Hi, I know this is a common problem and I have to get it past tdc before trying to kick start. I have a standard crank shaft duplex gear (19t?), low compression piston, 'R' Cam, strong clutch springs, ally billet pressure plate, primary chain tensioner and fill the case with about 100cc of ATF to keep the primary chain wet. I also have the Alan Whitton Modified (longer) Clutch Operating Arm Assy. The clutch slip when kick starting seems to be getting worse. This may be because the rings have bedded in and raised the compression. Should I just tighten the 3 clutch spring adjusters by a turn each and see what happens? Any advice appreciated. Bruce.

Hi, thanks for help so far, more silly questions now!! Which tyre is ok for a wobbler on a cub? Is it worth the extra cash for an IRC or Michelin X11 or will a Pirrelli MT43 be ok, I need all the help I can get grip wise!! Is the width at the tread all the same as clearance is abit tight. Im on a very hard MT13 at the moment, terrain is usually woods mud etc. Rgds

Hi All I'm going through the Villiers 37A motor on my Cheetah trials bike. I have a couple of queries : 1) There seems to be no gasket between the armature plate and the crankcase. I can't see one on the Villiers parts manual and repair manual either. There just was a smear of red hermatite gasket sealer on the mating halves when I took them apart. What is the correct way to re-assemble them? 2) There is a second coil in the left hand side of the armature plate which I presume is a lighting coil. The ignition coil is on the right hand side. Can someone please confirm this. 3) The gearbox and primary chaincase have oil filler and level indicator screws. Will SAE 30 oi…

Hi, I am resurrecting a rigid Bantam, now 185cc with a modified frame at the rear end and loop under the engine. Two problems have come to light, where the rear of the frame was widened for the tyre it seems to be lop-sided, i.e. tyre clears on chain side, but is very close on the other. Main prob though, is the steering head angle, having fitted honda forks with parallel steering stem, it looks like a chopper! Can anyone tell me what the steering head angle should be, as other people I have heard from say that other forks have been fitted yet the bike looks normal. I am judging this against tlr 200 honda and my 4rt, the 4rt isn't really comparable of course, just using…

What Spark Plugs are people using in their Ariels ?

Have a tiger cub trials with standard shocks, swingarm and distributor type ignition. The bike has alloy rims and enfield forks (i Think) Can anyone suggest alternative shocks, swingarm,ignition. Any other suggestions would be appreciated.

Hi, Be great if anybody could help - I have the opportunity to acquire B40GB engine no. 4640 with different frame number, I can't make head nor tail of which year this machine would be etc on the bsa owners website list can anyone help? Thanks Manzi

Just wondering if anyone is using any after market ignition other than the popular PVL on a Bantam 175 and if so any advantages (other than price) Thanks in advance.

I am the owner of a 1959 tiger cub. I wonder if it is a good idea to fit an oil seal in the guide valves to avoid some oil in the chamber combustion...?. There exist some from Norton with similar interior size. It only needs to mechanize the guide. Does anyone have any idea or sugestions about it? Thanks in advance