You got the camera just right, well done. You've inspired me to dig out one of my Lightnings and take it for a good long, fast run. I usually just pootle along the Perth ,(West Australia) Coastal strip but these bikes are built to be run fast, not just posing
I’ve just inherited one of these from my grandfather after he passed away just before Christmas. Was immaculate condition when he parked it up after his last ride out on it in 2010. It’s been in the garage ever since untouched so I will get round to pulling it out soon and recommissioning it in the summer I hope!
I guess you know what needs to be done.Good luck. It's a privilege to own such a legacy bike. They feel quite agricultural compared to modern bikes but give it a while and you'll learn to love the sound and feel of it. Thanks for sharing your story.
I can’t wait. Watching your ride out on yours really gets me excited to get out on mine! I’ve just checked it out today and it’s still in good condition. New tyres brakes and a good service and I think it will be up and running and ready for the sun!
I had a 1967 Lightning. I started on a Honda 90 that topped out at 55 mph then moved on to the Lightning, which was one of the fastest bikes on the road in 1967. I bought mine in 1978 and by then the big Japanese bikes had eclipsed it. But it was still plenty fast. Too much of a jump for me, I should have fit a Honda CB360 in between the 90 and the Lightning. I came over a crest to a blind corner with gravel all over the pavement. I grabbed the brakes hard but that drum up front was no disk and I was still going 30 when I hit the gravel. Glad I was wearing a helmet, gloves and a leather jacket. Still spent the night in a hospital to fix my right thumb. I sold the scratched up Lightning to a buddy for $500 and he restored her.
Sweet sounding engine, a good example. I have rebuilt a couple of Lightning’s in the day. Both had the sump plugs housing boss smashed by their owners I guess they were made for scrambling. But loverly machines and this is a great example.
Love the set up with the bars, mirrors and levers. Really good to hear that exhaust note. I had an 82 Triumph Tiger Trail with a smooth engine you could hear and feel working under you. You didn't have to thrash it to enjoy it.
Now I know where you live. I had a 69 lightning with spitfire internals was the best bike I’ve ever had out of all British and American bikes I’ve owned and have to say was thee dumbest thing I’ve ever done in my life to sell it I’m falling into depression as I watch this. Am now sell our house to buy another yay I feel better now
I had a 650 Rocket Gold Star copy actually before the RGS made. A mechanic with vision made from A10 bottom with ? I think a export aluminium head with optional twin carbs. Rear set rests, Gold star cutaway brakes, rear sets, gaiters , twin clocks and clip ons bars. He even drilled engine mounts to reduce weight. Great fun but Police always pulled me up ( to get ideas) as it had a red frame with a white tank with unicorns !! on it. Me with my Helmet with Viking wings at age 17.
The speedo on mine used to do that too; it's the rotating magnet inside the clock skimming against the disc. There is an adjustment but you have to take the speedo apart. What I did on mine is to drill a small hole in the casing immediately beneath the adjustment screw so now all I have to do is to peel off a strip of tape and I can adjust away to my hearts content. Mine's a 67 too but looks more like a 68 and I love it.
I had a 69 Lightning. Great to hear that sound again. I did have to laugh at the bouncing speedo. Mine worked for a minute once. It just added character. My brother had a Thunderbolt which gave me quite a run for the money but I took him on the top end.
fue muy satisfactorio manejar virtual mente y recordatorio de la decada de los 70 un recorrido fascinante en esta moto muchas grass. lo felicito en muy buen estado de concervacion
Absolute fun, Birmingham Small Arms. just this Sunday took my wife for a ride on a 70 Tiger, I have a 72 Commando as well, it is fast. these English bikes have soul, the way they corner on twisty roads is amazing, the low down grunt yet let them rev they get a second wind, lastly the sound is music..
You know your stuff Brian. I find Triumph and Norton twins a little over represented at rallies in the UK. The A65 is exotic enough to get attention and yet still has an excellent spares supply. I got a 68 and 70 Lightnings. They are needle roller converted. At 117 MPH Cycle World magazine pronounced the BSA A65 Spitfire the fastest 650 they had ever tested.
The A65 BSA is a great motorcycle, I have ridden many but for some reason have never actually owned one, this I plan to rectify while still able to enjoy riding, same as the triples, great fun also.. These England built bikes were a big part of my youth, I still love them.. thanks Alan for your reply.
They are OK but not as smooth as any modern bike though....they give you a visceral feel whilst still holding the road very well. I hope you enjoy your Lightning as much as I do mine!
@@jammaster7614 yea I'm so looking forward to that I would like to get a garage situation I can work out first and I'd probably track progress on my channel. Thanks for the encouragement!
Always liked the A10 more myself but I liked the A65 except for the crankshaft oil feed system. Really nice video and enjoyable watch, the bike seemed to perform beautifully.
Love the bike ! Question for all the BSA riders out there, is there any line up / model charts to show the different models ( showing the differences) say from 65 to 69 ???
I have a 1960 something BSA Thunderbolt that the previous owners took the whole engine apart and I thought maybe there was something wrong with it I took the crankshaft to my Ducati buddy who races and has a race shop and he said Frank there is no where on the crankshaft at all. The 6000 original miles on the speedometer was correct. How could somebody take apart a perfectly running motorcycle and then let it sit in a box for 20 years. I ended up buying another Thunderbolt BSA motor to put in it. I like the single carburetor versions like the Thunderbolt and the tiger because it is much easier to deal with the one carburetor. I got the whole bike rolling chassis with the motor and a couple of milk crates plus the cost of the complete motor so I got the whole bike for $1,000 in nice shape for the Body Works those days are long gone.
This looks like somewhere near where I live in the Shire of Yarra Ranges, based on the bins you are passing. But the signage tells me you are in the western district somewhere.
I've never heard the tappets run so quietly! Most will have that high pitched aluminum sounding "ting". I've always thought it was the tappet gap, but now I look at the rocker and shaft for excessive play as a source for top end noise. Any tips on setting the gap? Do you use the specs from the manual?
You used to be able to get gadgets which would measure the *actual* gap, rather than a feeler gauge reading. Just don’t set em *too* tight, else you’ll burn your valves out!
Sounds Sweet! I can't quite get mine to idle when warm. Think i need to play about with the slide position. Still part of the fun is tinkering with them!
Hi yes carbs are standard and are set up to original set up with new pilot jet. I do wonder if the float levels are wrong as i only have to touch the tickler and petrol squirts out. The plugs do soot up quickly and i wonder if that has something to do with the problems at idle? Thing is there is no adjustment on the float height so not sure how to cure that?
Twin 1964 A65, Like yours but not running quite as well! I will have a go this weekend. Seen a few tips on adjusting the float level. As always finding time! Here she is ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-1RHDh6cMeAA.html
All these riding vids should have a little box in the corner showing the speedo and rev counter, i'd love to know what you were doing on that fast bit? Camera angles destroy the sense of speed, like watching racing on tv. Beautiful looking and sounding bike I am sooooo jealous.
notwocdivad Unfortunately if I did that I could lose my license! A few other Australian riders on RU-vid have discovered that! Speed ranged from 70 to 95 mph on this run.
Craig's Classics You know that never entered what little is left of my brain! And here's me thinking no Australians would ever break the speed limit just like I don't (yer right?) Ride safe mate love to see more of your Beeza runs. Cheers Dave
Your bike is gorgeous and looks brand new. Wouldn't it be great if you could buy one of those brand new? And I don't mean a Royal Enfield interceptor while it may be a perfectly good motorcycle it doesn't have the soul of a real British motorcycle.
I use hand signals out of habit from riding my British bikes which do not have turn signals I had a sheriff's officer pull me over because he did not know what I was doing. It's true I swear
@@farric1 Sorry. It's nice see someone who actually rides instead of ooogles their machine. In the last 20 years or so there has been this trend in the states where they restore to the maximum and let them sit.
@@MyWillypillysorry! I'm a Brit who lives in Australia myself. In Australia, until quite recently, we did not favour 'trailer queens' over good running bikes and Sunday morning used to consist of about 15 - 20 classics out for a run. We rode them hard like in the video above! What I've noticed is that post the Covid lockdown era, most of the guys are turning up on modern bikes, myself included. I'm going to take the Norton down on Sunday now I think about it. Nice to talk😢.
