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nero
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21-11-2009, 07:01 PM
1

The BSA and other Brits

This is the bike I had for years in the 60's, I covered over 100,000 miles on it, . . a wonderful machine, . . it had a fantastic "bark" from the exhausts when you gave it the "gun" and it was British made, and made to last, unlike the Japanese imports today IMO.



The Triumph Bonneville, to prevent the chrome exhausts being discoloured by heat I wound a few copper wire strands round the pipes next to the engine.


They were wonderful bikes.
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21-11-2009, 07:15 PM
2

Re: The BSA and other Brits

OH had a BSA in the 60s (before I knew him) and although he speaks incredibly fondly of it, it's tempered by the fact it always, always broke down (usually on the A4 between Maidenhead and Reading when he was coming into Reading of a weekend on the pull ) or he used to 'drop it' in the slightest bit of wet weather. His was quite a big bike, 500cc or similar . . .

I just love the bit in 'A Matter of Life and Death' when Roger Livesey is screaming along the wet lanes on his wonderful throaty old English bike - don't ask me what it is - to meet his maker.
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21-11-2009, 09:13 PM
3

Re: The BSA and other Brits

Originally Posted by Yola ->
OH had a BSA in the 60s (before I knew him) and although he speaks incredibly fondly of it, it's tempered by the fact it always, always broke down (usually on the A4 between Maidenhead and Reading when he was coming into Reading of a weekend on the pull ) or he used to 'drop it' in the slightest bit of wet weather. His was quite a big bike, 500cc or similar . . .

I just love the bit in 'A Matter of Life and Death' when Roger Livesey is screaming along the wet lanes on his wonderful throaty old English bike - don't ask me what it is - to meet his maker.
It was a Vincent like this I think.
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21-11-2009, 09:22 PM
4

Re: The BSA and other Brits

The first bike I got when I was 16 in 1958, a Norton 16H 500cc single, there were no restrictions on the size of bikes for learners in those days, It was a big beast.





Bob McIntyre rode the Manx Norton to many victories on the Isle of Man, he lived not far from me.

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21-11-2009, 09:43 PM
5

Re: The BSA and other Brits

Triumph Tiger Cub, a single cylinder 200cc little barker, great bike.
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21-11-2009, 09:55 PM
6

Re: The BSA and other Brits

The daddy of all British bikes, The Vincent Black Shadow, . . a 1,000 cc V twin cylinder, this guy's a novice, the kick starter can break your leg if the engine pre-ignites, this is why the boots in those days has a steel plate in the instep.

There's a valve lifter lever on the handlebar, it lifts the exhaust valve to ease the strain of kicking the massive cylinders over, on the downward swing with your leg, half way down you let go of the lifter, this gives full compression to the engine and it will start.

I've seen a few nasty scraped shins with this type of bike.

Nowadays they press a starter button, . . wimps.

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21-11-2009, 10:36 PM
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Re: The BSA and other Brits

Ah yes - the Vincent Black Shadow. You can tell where I get all my bike knowledge from because there was a Morse episode in which an artist rode a VBS - OH salivated a lot LOL!

It's interesting about the Matter of Life and Death bike; 'he who knows' never reckoned on a Vincent.

I shall show him this thread tomorrow.
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21-11-2009, 10:49 PM
8

Re: The BSA and other Brits

Some of the cops used Velocette's like this one.



The postmen used these, a BSA Bantam.
 

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