The combination of bouncy forks and clip ons on the RGS make for an uncomfortable ride however the sound it makes more than compensate. The Triumph is easier to live with for sure, it just does not feel as special. The thought of doing 100mph on either of them fills me with absolute fear.
@@philskype101 I would have to agree! Fair play to the guys who used to race these around the streets of London. With the brakes, I’m surprised they ever managed to stop!
My first bike was a 1957 Road Rocket. A great bike, rode it all through college. Wish I still had it. I was a youngster back then so I ran it pretty hard. Listening to this bike takes me back a bit. Thanks.
What a beauty, I'm an oldtimer and great memories came to my mind, had 2 friends that had this bike but one was blue and I think it had a single carb instead of two like the red ones.
I´m from Mexico and lived in the US for 2 years and in both countries both the red and the blue were available, the red one was faster and I think the reason was it had 2 carbs while the blue one had only one carb.
Absolutely gorgeous bike. 360º parallel twin is a favorite config for me and I love connecting to the ride on an air cooled machine with vibes. Thanks for the video. Cheers from NYC USA.
This is a very special Super Rocket. I had one back in the day, and I could never determine what I was seeing in the mirrors, the vibration was so bad. It was also really good at building up left-hand strength. Sometimes it felt as if the clutch cable had been welded to the frame.
Thanks John. Ha so it’s not just mine then! Don’t think I’d be happy riding without mirrors, so anything will do. The clutch isn’t too bad on mine. Although it squeaks a bit if you set off in a hurry. Not quite sure why 🤔
Well done Chris, great review and a lovely, well cared for bike - a big bill to get it that way, mind you... :) Subscribed haha! I'm older now but at University in 1973 I bought an old 1949 Triumph Speed twin. The ease of maintenance and the joy of old girls is wonderful! Never mind a leak - its when it stops leaking you have to worry!!
Yeah she’s stunning and so lovely to ride. Very lucky to have found her in such great condition 😊. Yes I have been told this actually - if it stops leaking, it has run out of oil ha! Glad you enjoyed. Many more videos to come 😊
That old BSA sounds and looks so great! I enjoy the sound of a 360 degree parallel twin but I like the way my KTM 790 275 degree parallel twin makes power. Of course there's the 59 year leap in technology too.
My 59 Super Rocket looks exactly as yours apart from the rev counter option. Great fun to ride but I only use it 6 or 7 times during the year, Ive owned it 6 years, doing between 30 and 60 miles each trip. Cruises along at 60mph and occaisionaly upto 80mph. I have been round it with the spanners to check nothing has come loose but not to over tighten anything and I use 24/28 psi in the tyres. It always feels nicer after a good ride and with fresh oils, Morris 40w engine and 50w gearbox is my preference. Hope you continue to enjoy your bike.
Thanks for the information there. Currently I'm using straight 40 engine and EP90 in the gearbox. Does seem clunky though between 3rd and 2nd. I'm assuming it's the box and not the oil! And for me 60miles is a nice distance. Certainly wouldn't want to be touring on one, and the back lanes suit it well. I do feel a bit sorry for her sat at 60 on an A-road, although perhaps I'm being a bit soft...?
I have two Royal Enfields (Indian made), a year 2000 model, and a 2019. The older one is bobbed, the newer is more or less standard. These old British bikes look so much better than the modern plastic ones. The 2019 model has electric start, fuel injection, and electronic ignition. Makes it much more reliable than the old standard setup. And neither one leak oil! Probably just good luck.
Sounds like a nice collection! I’ve been tempted by the new BSA Gold Star, but I don’t think I’d enjoy it as much as the classic one. Would be nice if my BSA had electric start though ha!
You have to use all the power available on an old A10, only 40-50 horsepower. I had a standard A10 Gold Flash [single carb] that would do 100mph no problem. Just get that throttle open to the red line.
In the documents I received from the previous owner, there was paperwork from a numberplate valuation company, which valued mine at North of £1500, and I think that was done sometime ago. I don’t intend on transferring the numberplate, and I’m not sure what would be reassigned to an old classic vehicle, but good to know nonetheless 😊
Hi there mine leaks in the same place usually from the rocker feed I've just run mine ine 1500 on her now loosening up lovely when I rode her the other week on hot day oil leak was worsed but they are a great bike to ride sound brilliant handle well good all round yours looks lovely ps I'm new to these like you i bought a 59 golden flash but I got stung buying mine engine was knackered 👍 great video nice to watch so glad you put this on
Ahh of course, it must be from the rocker feed! Didn't think of that before. Looking forward until she's run in and can start having a bit more fun on her. Thanks for the feedback. Looking forward to making the next video :)
you can actually get the single leading shoe to work really well, my 64 thunderbird has one and after preparing the hub and shoes it performs pretty much like a modern brake, don't be afraid to rev it, motorcycles even in the 50's were built for performance, I have had old British bikes for 40 years, still ride every day, tyre presures are tire dependant, so dont look at the manual, roadriders have higher pressure than say roadrunners, also use normal fork oil If the forks dont leak, monobloc carbs do have a lot of wrist travel, after 500 odd miles strart opening her up a bit, 70mph is a nice crusing speed, but the occasional 80mph is ok, another thing on performance, just check the colour of your spark plugs, make sure shes not too lean or rich, sounds and looks lovely by the way.
Thank you for all the feedback there! It’s always great to hear from people with a lot of experience in these areas. Since making that video shes now done 1800 miles in total so I’ve started opening her up and what a difference it has made to the riding experience. I’ve also had the carb looked at. She was running a bit lean it turned out. Documented it along the way with a number of videos and they should be coming out over the following months. Thanks again for the information there; appreciate it 😊.
@@CharltonsClassics thats brilliant, lean is bad so its great you caught that in time, causes overheating and can actually hole a piston, Its so important that the tuning is right, I will also say its a pretty easy job to stick new seals in the forks if neccesary. Its briliant that you have decided to run a vintage bike, the riding experience is second to none, they are not just a bike, you fall in love with them :)
@@GeneralMe100 Yeah I was struggling to diagnose it because some of the symptoms for lean / rich are quite similar. Separately, I changed the fork oil to a 30W and sorted the tyre pressures and it’s a lovely ride now. Just need the weather!
Don't touch the head bolts until you check the oil feed banjo bolts and the rocker cover seal first. I can see a trickle of oil coming down from that rear oil feed line.
I have a 1962 super rocket no nacelle has the tach and speedo super rocket gear box will have a number 2 stamped on it near the letters STD as the ratios are slightly different than the std box
dont tighten the rocker box down you will probably push the gasket out, best take it off and put a new srm gasket on and a very thin layer of gasket sealer
I have a copper gasket on mine, it works really well. That said, I have much more oil oozing out here and there, so just wipe. Never tighten one of the cylinder head fasteners individually, unless of course with the correct torque. You need the rocker box off for doing that.
@@lamprenen Yeah upon reflection it's only a small drip and it takes a fair while to work its way out; so to avoid damaging anything I think I'll just keep wiping it!
The Avon road riders are the only tyre for period bikes, that actually perform like a tubless tyre. I have them on my moto Guzzi and I have them on my Beeza.
The weight of the bike (said in a Yorkshire accent) is phenomenal! What? I think my A65 is about 185 kg that is nothing. But centre stand geometry is an art which few bike manufacturers get right. Moto Guzzi does it best. BSA is a bit of a struggle. My 2000 model BMW is quite good to.
Ha well I’m sure it’s nothing compared to a newer BMW but it’s a tiny little thing that weighs far more than she looks. I’ve obviously been brought up too soft with all these modern side stand bikes 😂
Agree. My guzzi spada just rolled back on that curly main stand The worst was my gs1200. Really awful and when I had the hard luggage fitted and any weight in them, nigh on impossible, nothing to get hold of. I’m 6’4” and it was definitely bad design
Yeah I could do with reducing it slightly. I believe the RPM meter was an optional extra on the UK models, but the nacelle has certainly grown on me. Thanks for the feedback 🙂
I remember when Kawasaki ripped off the design. They had to stop selling it in the States because of patent infringement. But well into the 70's in Japan it was their most popular motorcycle.
It should be very easy to put on centre stand, the idea is to push down with your foot and pull up, not back on the handle, bike should then just roll back ont stand, nice bike treat it well.
Yeah I think it’s my poor technique to be fair. Also, the times I have used the centre stand I’ve also unknowingly left little dimples in peoples driveways, so will stick with the side stand wherever possible 🫣🤫
I have two A10s, one a rocket and the other a 52 Flash and neither of them, are particularly easy to put on their centre stands. Where possible however, I run the front wheel onto something to lift it slightly, then theyre not too bad. Both are great bikes though and I love em to bits
@@steveatkinson689 the little grab handle does help a lot, but it’s not something I do regularly. Saw a friend drop his bike when his foot slipped off the centre stand and the bike fell the other way. Turned out to be quite an expensive coffee stop in the end!
try not run it on side stand your ride is so like mine people seem.to get up my arse regularly. you are a more experienced rider than me ie riding faster bikes i only passed 2 year ago to ride my bsa great video mate though
Hi Mick. Thanks for the advice there. What’s the problem with running it on the side stand though? To be fair, I’d probably use the centre stand more if the bike wasn’t so damn heavy 😂
@@CharltonsClassics hi there my old man's had one of these all his life he said somat about oil circulation I've just followed his advice and they are a pig to get on side stand but there is a knack to it push down right foot on side stand whilst pulling up with grab handle I find it easy like that unless I'm just used to it now lovely bike yours is mate 👍
@@shingerz ahh ok I’ll look into that I think. Yeah there’s certainly a knack to it, and note to self would be to make sure I don’t have a wet boot next time I try it, as my last slip was nearly an expensive mistake!
@@CharltonsClassics sound chris don't take my advice too serious mate it's just me old man told me knock the engine off when I did it once ,just changed the oil on mine its easy to do and i like to do it regularly considering how much the rebuild cost me 4l oil 25 quid to £3600 no brainer
Cut your loses and sell it. There is something seriously wrong with the geometry of frame to forks, I'd bet the frame is bent. Plus the issues that you pointed out, I'd be upset with the so called restorers.
I can see what you are referring to; I think the fish eye lens isn’t helping, and the fact that my camera isn’t completely central. Wouldn’t be surprised though if she has had a bump in the last 60 years, but frame alignment is cheap enough…thankfully
@@CharltonsClassics My observations are taken from what you said on the video, "The front is hopping about all over the place" and of course I could see that it was in fact doing what you said.
@@Gary-Seven-and-Isis-in-1968 ahh ok. I think most of that was caused by the tyre pressures I was running, which were much too low. I did a later video once I had changed the fork oil and put higher pressures in the front and it sorted that out to a large degree. I think sometimes I need to remember that it’s not a modern superbike and will handle very differently ti what I’m normally used to 😊
