OzVMX Forum
Marque Remarks => British (BSA, Greeves, Triumph etc) => Topic started by: mx250 on May 06, 2011, 03:39:33 pm
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......woof woof (http://i323.photobucket.com/albums/nn458/mx250syd/icons/oilleak.gif)
;D
(http://i323.photobucket.com/albums/nn458/mx250syd/BSA/MotorcyclePictures060.jpg)(http://i323.photobucket.com/albums/nn458/mx250syd/BSA/MotorcyclePictures061.jpg)
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woof woof
Meaning? ???
Graeme..If you're inferring that they were a dog of a bike, you're entitled to your opinion if you've ridden one. If you haven't, believe me when I tell you that in it's day the BSA B50SS or T was a good bloody traily when compared to much of the other bikes on the market. There was a shitload of worse bikes on the market than the B50.
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woof woof
Meaning? ???
Graeme..If you're inferring that they were a dog of a bike, you're entitled to your opinion if you've ridden one. If you haven't, believe me when I tell you that in it's day the BSA B50SS or T was a good bloody traily when compared to much of the other bikes on the market. There was a shitload of worse bikes on the market than the B50.
Ah, the scream of the reel - I love the scream of the reel (http://i323.photobucket.com/albums/nn458/mx250syd/icons/smiley79.gif).
But it was the way the market treated poor old BSA.
Before I posted the pixie I was thinking how good and purposeful the BSA looked. It looked right; it looks 'light' (the silver chassis I guess), small conical hubs, eccentric chain adjusters, stylish tank and it looks slim 8). But back in the day it was treated as a dog right from its release. Why? Its a BSA - they where coming from behind the 8 ball ::). BSA (and British in general) had a well deserved bad reputation - bikes and dealers. Well, to me and my mates anyway (and I think the general market at the time).
But I remember what caused instant dismissal in my mind at the time, and I think every one else, was the 20 inch front wheel. To marginalize and already marginalized bike must rate has THE most stupid marketing mistake of all time (http://i323.photobucket.com/albums/nn458/mx250syd/icons/bangin.gif). (Typical of the Poms at the time - they were going to tell the market what was 'good for them' ::). Yeah, right. I'll vote with my feet and my money thanks(http://i323.photobucket.com/albums/nn458/mx250syd/icons/roost.gif).)
Where was I going to get 20in knobbies from? What was the range of choice for 3.00x20? ::)
Then I saw steel rims ::), 315lb and Amal in the specs and I was rolling on the ground with tear in my eyes. Then I realised the price was a third more than a 'reliable as a stone axe' Yamaha or Honda and it made the laughter uncontrollable.
And they did the same for the MX'er ::).
(http://i323.photobucket.com/albums/nn458/mx250syd/BSA/MotorcyclePictures063.jpg)
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But when you ride one all of that biased nonsense disappears in a sea of enlightenment. ;)
I used to feel the same until I actually rode my mates traily B50T back in 1971 and revived the love after riding Jonesys B50, '74CCM, Black Betty and my Maico on the same day at CD2. I had more honest to goodness fun on the B50 than any of the others. Heavy? Built by idiots? underpowered? weird front wheel.....You betcha yet it's still a better bike than 60% OF trailbike opposition in the day.
If you want bad, really bad, go for a tootle on a Montesa King Scorpion to see how a factory can get it so wrong on so many different levels :o. And yes....I've owned one and despite the bike being a lump, I actually enjoyed the ownership.
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in 73 spotted add for a new Rocket 3 sports at my local shop,hmmm i'll buy that,fronts the shop.walks in past the beezer up to the counter,says to the guy ," i wanna buy the beezer",the triple he says,no say i ,the one next to it!, the purple B50SS,loved it,turfed the poxy muffler,clipons, put a jawa 88mm piston in,big valves ,reangled the inlet,1000 series amal 38mm,overgeared,went looking for jap fours to outrun to the border pubs,shouda bought the triple,i'd still have it ::), :P
ps actually had a good party trick before i modded it,snap the throttle wide open,it would cough,then instant peak revs,just had to make sure there was nothing in the way,went through some rear tyres doing that,oh yeah Firko,i also binned the front brake too,slotted norton commando drum straight in,fugging comicals!!
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I had a young club mate buy the 250 version (Goldstart I think). Pleased as Punch as he turned up to the first club meeting. Of course it shit it self before the next club meeting ::). And of course he got the absolute run around and bullshit from the dealer and the distributor.
I don't know the exact details but apparently he seized the bottom end. Apparently they had a slipper bearing and a minute drop in oil pressure was 'good bye bearing and shaft'. I don't the truth of any of that but to rub insult into injury he was known as 'slipper flipper', or simply flipper, henceforth. Cruel but true ::) :P :-\.
And BSA wondered why they went from the biggest in the World to bankrupt in ten years. We were dumb; we weren't stupid ;) ;D.
(http://i323.photobucket.com/albums/nn458/mx250syd/BSA/MotorcyclePictures064.jpg)(http://i323.photobucket.com/albums/nn458/mx250syd/BSA/MotorcyclePictures065.jpg)
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You're really, really really anti Beeza, aren't you Graeme.
It's called marketing, nothing to do with truth, they all did it & still do it.
Anyway I'll always love em.
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Yep and today I can't even pick up a second hand racing vmxer with all kinds of bits added and taken away for under 10k maybe 8k ;D
cheers A
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You're really, really really anti Beeza, aren't you Graeme.
Nope, not me :). Just telling the experience of the time and reflecting the market of the time. If there was nothing else to choose from I probably wouldn't know any better and I would have loved them - worts and all ;) ;D
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'Then I realised the price was a third more than a 'reliable as a stone axe' Yamaha or Honda and it made the laughter uncontrollable."
With respect Graeme, you just have to look at the prices those "reliable as a stone axe" Yamaha and Honda's are bringing today in comparison to a B50SS, T or MX. Who's laughing now :D
Stan.
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'Then I realised the price was a third more than a 'reliable as a stone axe' Yamaha or Honda and it made the laughter uncontrollable."
With respect Graeme, you just have to look at the prices those "reliable as a stone axe" Yamaha and Honda's are bringing today in comparison to a B50SS, T or MX. Who's laughing now :D
Stan.
As a 20 year old did you buy the bike to;
a/ enjoy, race and 'ride the wheels off it'. or
b/ to collect and to enjoy in your retirement. ;) ;D
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As a 20 year old did you buy the bike to;
a/ enjoy, race and 'ride the wheels off it'. or
b/ to collect and to enjoy in your retirement. ;) ;D
[/quote]
Yeah, you are right Graeme but in hindsight I wish I had of taken your choice b/ way back then.
Stan.
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I agree with Stan, the bikes that we owned in the sixties and 70`s they should have been parked in dry storage,, for etc F21m,69 Montesa cappra 360, Mag Husky 74 model, my 3 Honda elsinore, Norton TQ 850, Jap speedway bikes, my fathers 6 scotts, and the list go`s on, and in the same time, running around every bike shop in Melborne asking and buying up old bikes. But in saying all that, back in the those days we didn`t have a lot money to buy bikes,plus it wasn`t top on our list, we didn`t think to do it, just looking forward to the next race meeting, it was a big effort to save, and price money wasn`t the big, it all went into fuel and food on the way home. The B50`s are a great bike Greame, you need to ask someone at a meeting and go and ride one. You will love it.
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The B44 motor is all conquering in UK pre 65 +/- , I like it , much more compact and lighter power plant than the TT500 ..... and if built right will make pretty decent power. I am doing build at the moment with PES clutch, Carillo rod, B50 piston and liner, B50MX cam, electronic ignition, which i have high hopes for
(http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg71/marcFX_photo/MexicoandNewZealand727.jpg)
(http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg71/marcFX_photo/IMGP0849.jpg)
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Yes B50 has great little engine and is wonderful bike!
(http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn61/luupaa_kuvat/pikku.jpg)
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Yes...and all that talk about how stupid the 20" front wheel was....how clever were the Japs...they went and put a 23" front wheel in those Hondas..laugh..???..well we all nearly pooed our pants..
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Royal Enfield must have liked a bit each way as theirs had a 19'' at both ends. Very handy as you only need to carry one spare tube.
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Was out riding the powerlines in Vic, when Ron Sisley turned up on his b50. Pulled it off the ute and had a couple of trailies on 400 suzukis having a bit of a laugh at the oil leaker. Laughed a bit more when it kicked back and just about threw Ron over the bars. (Was jockey size not a John Banks) Last laugh may have been with the drag race up the dirt road... saw Ron just fill them in and left them in his wake as he threw it ino a lovely slide around the bend. Aaah the love affair with big 4s had started. Still luv them, the sounds of my triumph, ccm, jawa or wessie are just hypnotic.
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I'm with ya Rosco & all the others.
Gunna raise the white flag yet Graeme?
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Japs...they went and put a 23" front wheel in those Hondas..laugh....well we all nearly pooed our pants..
And let's not forget those 17" balloon rear tyres that Yamaha thought to be a great idea.....hmmm, come to think of it, so did Husqvarna. ;D
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Geez MarC.....you've made that pommy jalopy look shit already.....how'd ya do it?.....gotta love the flatslide on the motor ???......as you can see it's boring...much like this forum has become. :(
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It's only boring because you guys are sitting around waiting to be entertained.
Contribute. ;)
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Just to continue a little off topic.. Those 17" rear wheels were a mystery....theory was that the "tall" sidewall would "add" or contribute to the rear travel.....similar left field thinking on the Honda 23"...wheel was bigger than the 21" / 18" / 17" / 20"... 19".. which created the holes..so it wouldn't fall into the holes either...supposedly to create a better ride / handling... Some guys must have been paid an awful lot to come up with those great ideas.. :)
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A few years back now I rode Barry Pattersons B50MX and it shocked me how fast it was and how hard it revved. 10 minutes later I was on Craig Eckert's CCM and totally different power delivery, massive grunt and no revs, could ride the whole track in 1 gear.
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Mark get youre bike dirty!
First test ride was good after second rebuild, little pinging on low rpm, but I think octane booster will cure it.
Fun machine
(http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn61/luupaa_kuvat/R0011435Large.jpg)
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Geez MarC.....you've made that pommy jalopy look shit already.....how'd ya do it?.....gotta love the flatslide on the motor ???......as you can see it's boring...much like this forum has become. :(
Mate you hvn't seen the Cheney at its best yet, anyway if thats boring give me an idea of what isn't.
I think the BSA motor is a real shit kicker and tiny and light compared to the TT500 motor. If BSA had fitted a post war clutch set up and steel rod we would still all be riding them. Plus look what is getting the iconic megabucks in the VMX world, yep BSA engined bikes, CCM, Cheney etc.
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You either love em or hate em.
My love affair started in about 77 or 78 when I had a chance to ride the JWS BSA B50. Blew them all off until the first corner.
These day's just about all the bugs can be ironed out with them. Biggest let down was the weight. Either live with it (many do) or go for a CCM / Cheney etc. Prince of darknest ignition was an issue, but Interspan sorts that. Gearbox woes are a thing of the past as well as poor clutches.
My old thing will rev past 8000 without a problem. It's only my ears that tell me to change up one !
Oppet ..... that looks fantastic. Do the internals match that 1"3/4 primary pipe ?
It looks just like my old B50 from a few years back. I did stick with the Amal carb though.
The only issue I have never quite got to grips with is the forks. I can not seem to get the springing and damping just to my liking. Was the same on the B50 as it is on the CCM. Or is it just me getting older and more anal in my wants.
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I drooled over those Beezers when they came out. But I was only 11 at the time. I always wanted one when I was young, but they were always out of my price range. I always thought they were a cool bike. But I did buy the TT500 alternative when they came out, and yes they were a pig, but I loved that pig and still do. I think if a bike 'does it for you' you will live with it's shortcomings.
When I wanted to re enter modern dirtbikes in the '90's everyone told me to buy a XR600. Dirt Bike mag did a 600 shootout the ATK got a bad rap and the XR won the shootout as best bang for buck. So on that info I went out and bought a new ATK anyway, DB was right and I lived with the idiosyncrasies because I loved it. In hindsight I'm glad I never bought the XR although the 620 KTM may of been the better bike. Still, I prefer the ATK.
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Grouty, this is 41mm outside dia pipe. I run still original sleeve, but next time may take bigger bore.
Has allready bigger valves.
Regards mr.Who ;)
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1970 "Monark/Triumph 500 Scrambler" as purchased off Ebay ;D Currently in restoration back to it's original form.
(http://i957.photobucket.com/albums/ae59/CheneySachs/CEbUTUgBWkKGrHqMOKjcE0w3y3rrDBNR1Gsbg3w_12.jpg)
Owner/builder John Leibl shown with the bike in 1972.
(http://i957.photobucket.com/albums/ae59/CheneySachs/72_Liebl_.jpg)
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Sunday Morning Threatre for my starry eyed Rose Tinted Glasses friends ;D.
http://www.visordown.com/rose-tinted-spectacle/a-short-film-about-zen/17904.html
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Mark get youre bike dirty!
First test ride was good after second rebuild, little pinging on low rpm, but I think octane booster will cure it.
Fun machine
(http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn61/luupaa_kuvat/R0011435Large.jpg)
Nice bike. What's the kick starter off?
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Thanks. Its Yamaha TT500 kickstarter, if I remember correctly
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I never did like the look of those later beezas, I drooled over the older 'goldies,' they were and still are a beaut looking engine. Pitty about that pissy crankpin with the stupid tapers into the flywheels responsible for the destruction of so many crankcases!
I used to crack test the Goldie crank pin in my old B33 after every second meeting, most times it was cracked . Old stan Ogden fixed it with a parrallel pin.
cheers pancho.