That was a nice ´57 BSA with Aerial hubs, just like mine. It is a great bike, once you have fitted a Triumph clutch, a voltage regulator to go to 12 volts, and green linings for the brakes. You have to be prepared to get to know your magdyno very intimately though, they can be as much trouble as the rest of the bike. Replace the silly cardboard thing that insulates the casing from the armature bearing with a pressed in plastic washer and the spark will improve. Then you have to learn about grinding a pinion onto a tapered shaft, that rarely goes right first time ... Roadholder fork stanchions will fit for less flex, bushes can be reamed to fit, and I found a Goldie touring inlet cam which was a big improvement on the standard. Fill the ammeter with atf and it will stop bouncing around, and keep on top of your chain tensions, they have differing agendas !
I remember buying a 2012 RE 500 Classic and putting a sidecar on it. GPS 103 kph flat out with a tail wind downhill was about it's top speed. Besides from the fuel injection and front disc it was basically still a 1950s bike. I put some knobbies, a bash plate and led lights on it and it was a great adventure bike. I loved it.
Yes, I had a Matchless, a BSA, and a Velocette. All great bikes, which I'm sure only broke down due to youthful incompetence. Incidentally tho, I rode from Essex to the Isle of Wight festival in 1969 without any breakdown! I did really covet a Norton ES2, and the Vincent Comet - I imagine these aren't in your sample as they are now too rare and expensive. Thanks!
The 1947 RE J model 500 was an excellent bike. I rode alongside one through NSW, Victoria, SA and back to NSW. Only had to pull the head off once when a valve stuck.
I've gone to an Enfield Bullet Sixty 5 now, all the Brit bike fun, but a whole lot less of the grief😎 The Sixty 5 has carb, tls front brake, points, 5 speed and left foot change, worth seeking one out.
With a lot of all that sort of stuff its not easy to reveal the differences that made that type of thing much less a certantaity or more like an attempt to push ahead and make the effort - at least, that’s what I thought back when it was…
I'm not sure I would consider the Velocette an affordable single ? What price bracket had you based affordable on ? I would like to see a comparison including cheap classic 2-strokes, I have a 1975 MZ es150/1 a 1955 Francis Barnett Falcon 70 with Villiers 8E engine a 1975 CZ 175 Trail. Something along those lines & possibly under the 200cc mark would be great.
Back in 1957 I had a 1954 MSS (took my test on it), it was a fantastic bike. As you said it'd cruse all day at 70 and return a genuine 70mpg, with its large fuel tank it would go for ever. It had a beautiful two level duel seat and one handed wheel adjustable rear suspension, the only downside were the Miller electrics. By the way it would have made the good video a really great one if you'd have given us some idea of their prices.
Always well spent time looking at your videos. None of my three British 500 singles is on the list, so I guess I had too much money to spend. Just curious, which British bikes in the fifties and sixties was most produced for the home market?
In the 50s it’s likely a 350 If you ignore light weights Otherwise it’ll be the Bantam For big bikes it’s either a BSA or a triumph They were by some margin the largest company
They need far less maintenance than people think It’s a myth put around by Those who have no clue what that are talking about Maintenance schedules are hardly taxing and it’s simplicity to maintain them Unless your grossly incompetent of course