Ed's transmission woes...

[Semper Gumby]

I'm contemplating a BSA OIF Firebird Scrambler.  

The R65 runs flawlessly (knock knock)  as does the CB350F.  I tore apart the CB400F's engine today to get at the cam chain tensioner which has locked in position.  Had to split the cases but the motor is back together on the bench so its a moral victory.  The acid test comes tomorrow when I stuff the motor back intot the frame and crank it up.

The CBR600F is awaiting some 37mm handlebar extenstions which 'we' think will work.  It looks like I am about to have 4 fully running bikes with no active squawks!!!!

Hence my need for a BSA.

[NC Steve]

Bill, if your motto is "wrench to live, live to wrench", the BSA would be perfect for you!
Back in 1979, I had the privilege of buying 1.5 1971 Firebird Scramblers for $400, which came to me primarily in grocery sacks & greasy cardboard boxes with the bottoms falling out. Adding to the adventure was the fact that I was a recent broke-ass college grad and soon-to-be newlywed, with a fiance who hated motorcycles.
To make a long story short, over the course of about 2 years I did get a complete bike assembled and had plenty of spares left over, and it even ran on occasion!
Let me tell ya, you haven't lived until you've set the timing wrong, kicked until you're on the verge of a  heart attack, and are finally rewarded with a huge backfire that nearly launches you over the roof of your house.
The pain and swelling in the right ankle are exquisite.....

[Justin B.]

I had a platoon sgt. years ago that required major knee surgery after that happened to him on his '49 Panhead.  [smiley=shocked2.gif] I don't know if I would owns something that tried to injure you if you didn't do everything "just right"!  

[NC Steve]

Yeah Justin, the old British bikes were great fun, when they ran, but would definitely hurt you if given the slightest opportunity. They truly defined the "battle of man & machine".
I think the only bikes better at shattering ankles and knees were the early XLCH Sportsters, with Morris magnetos...

[Ed Miller]

Wow, you guys were talking about one of my favorite topics on my thread, and I didn't even notice.  The guy I bought my Bonnie from told me that if I didn't kick it right it would launch me, but it never did.  I don't know what I'm doing right.  A heavier friend of mine wanted to try starting it, so I let him.  Launched indeed.  I don't know what he did wrong.

Anyway, quick tranny update:  I got it back Wednesday, so I took Thursday and Friday off from work to install it, hoping to ride it up to the Portland tech day TODAY.  The fact that I'm sitting here typing, instead of riding up there, is what's known as "foreshadowing" in literary circles.

The reinstall went fine, though I had to back it back out a bit to plug in the neutral switch wires DOH!  But as I was refilling the various drive fluids, I found the filler plug for the drive line was stripped, and wouldn't come out.  I briefly considered loosening the new drive shaft boot and adding the oil there, but that's just crazy.  I'll pull the final drive tomorrow and take it to Salem to be repaired.  I also noticed that my throttle cables are on their last legs, coming unstranded on the left side.  

After I discovered all that, I made a quick run to a British bike guy in Independance, about 20 minutes away, to buy a new reserve fuel tap for the Triumph, as the other one broke off Wednesday morning.  Yeah, gas everywhere, and I drove the car to work that day; just as well I guess, since the R65 tranny would have been difficult to get home on the Triumph.  I don't want to get good at that stuff like those pictures of people in Southeast Asia.  Anyway, I put the fuel tap in, added what gas I was able to salvage that morning, and fired the bike up and rode it a little ways, just to make sure it was OK.  Everything seemed fine.  This morning I head out and the kicker isn't turning the motor over.  It doesn't feel like the clutch is slipping, it's stiffer kicking than that.  It did that right after I replaced the gearbox cover the other week (I was in there to replace the shift lever return springs.) but then it started acting normally, and I figured it must have been some temporary misalignment.  Until this morning.  So I have something else to figure out.

I still need to prune all my grapes, berries, and apple and nut trees, too.  I think I need to retire.  Oh yeah, and I have new struts to put on my car, and new brake calipers and hoses.

I'm taking today off to go up in the hills.  

[Semper Gumby]

At the moment I have four running bikes all with little or no "needs".  Tomorrow I'm going to go look at a 1971 BSA Thunderbolt.  Today driving around Atlanta in the mist the fog and later a little cold rain(36'F on the handlebar).  Hey Will it made me think of England (I lived there for a time as a kid back in the late 60's)

And to bring this thread back from the brink - my tranny is at 72,000 miles and still counting.  Seems to be running just fine.  As long as I keep greasing the input shaft (and NOT the clutch) it continues with no additional wear.

[Semper Gumby]

Bill, if your motto is "wrench to live, live to wrench", the BSA would be perfect for you!
Back in 1979, I had the privilege of buying 1.5 1971 Firebird Scramblers for $400, which came to me primarily in grocery sacks & greasy cardboard boxes with the bottoms falling out. Adding to the adventure was the fact that I was a recent broke-ass college grad and soon-to-be newlywed, with a fiance who hated motorcycles.
To make a long story short, over the course of about 2 years I did get a complete bike assembled and had plenty of spares left over, and it even ran on occasion!
Let me tell ya, you haven't lived until you've set the timing wrong, kicked until you're on the verge of a  heart attack, and are finally rewarded with a huge backfire that nearly launches you over the roof of your house.
The pain and swelling in the right ankle are exquisite.....

ILOL Steve.  Its a funny image!

I actually like to wrench on the bikes.  The ignition cut out on the R65 for a split second out on the highway once.  The resulting "flash" and shotgun report were quite impressive.

Wish I could purchase the BSA for that price now!!!

[Ed Miller]

OK, it's done, except for a final clutch adjustment.  I lost my special tool (201 mm piece of straight wire) so I'll have to make a new one.  I'm riding it, but I make the clutch work better.

The tranny came back much better wrapped than I sent it, in one box then in another box, with padding between.  Now I know more about how to ship heavy parts.  The seals and bearings replacement alone would have been around 500 dollars, but the 5th gear was damaged, which added over 200 dollars more in parts.  Add the $260 tow bill the day it went out on me and I can see that my credit card won't see zero again for a while.    I HAVE to keep the bike now!

When I had a day off from work, I got the tranny back on and everything reinstalled.  I was filling the drive train fluids, planning weekend rides, when I found the final drive fill plug was stripped and wouldn't come out!  I don't know how I did that, as I use a short flex handled 3/8" drive ratchet to tighten those bolts.  I guess I'll have to stop lifting weights?  So the final drive had to come back off, and I had a local guy repair the threads.  

While the tranny was off, I had a new Bridgestone Spitfire put on the front, and replaced my upper brake hose which was not leaking but visibly cracking from UV light.  Or maybe ozone, I forget which.  I can't remember what else I did, tho it's all in The Book.

I rode a couple of hundred miles over last weekend and it all seems fine.  If I don't shift correctly I can still get a false neutral going from 5th to 4th (it passes 4th), but I hardly ever have that problem any more.  I didn't feel like paying the 200 bucks for the shifter upgrade that the later trannies came with, as I had stopped having problems anyway.  Coming back home from the Ugly Mugs showing of The World's Fastest Indian I was stuck behind a guy on an R1150RT.  I guess my R65 corners better on those tight coast range roads.    

Yesterday I broke my painful month long fast of not riding to work.  Yesterday I rode the Triumph, today the R65 as it's supposed to rain later.  I feel really lucky to have such a nice pair of bikes.

[Rob Valdez 79 R65]

$200 for the shifter upgrade!  Wow, I didn't know it was that expensive.

Glad to hear you are riding to work again.  Keep Ed happy!

[Ed Miller]

$200 for the shifter upgrade!  Wow, I didn't know it was that expensive.

!

Yeah, the whole kit used to be around 80 dollars, but BMW doesn't carry it any more so the individual parts add up to much more.  I'll be keeping my eye out for cheap 5 speed trannies from now on....