Hitchcocks Forum

I know old bikes and old owners are supposed to complement each other but ,I need a reliable bike to re enforce my love of old time bike riding

Taper, keeping and riding old bikes requires good mechanical skills and the ability to problem solve, we can only advise you on problems here, we can't fix it for you. If you want trouble free motoring get a Japper but remember even old Jappers require a certain level of maintenance to keep them going. I see exactly the same problems with Chang Jiangs, people look at them and think how fantastic they look and then it all goes to pot as things go constantly wrong and it all ends in tears. People with mechanical skills can keep them going, people without can't

Norm is bang on with this... I have had my Bullet for 3 years now and it came to me with a virgin engine although it was sitting unused in Spain for 10 years. Several things have needed fixing but the only job I couldn't do was fitting new valve seats - the rest I have learned by doing them, with much appreciated advice from people here. The more that goes wrong, the more I learn. And it's my only bike so I need to keep it running reliably. If you truly want it, you'll have it. Don't give up! Yes we have all become frustrated at times but i've never enjoyed riding any other bike as much so the negatives soon disappear. Good luck!

Norm is bang on with this... I have had my Bullet for 3 years now and it came to me with a virgin engine although it was sitting unused in Spain for 10 years. Several things have needed fixing but the only job I couldn't do was fitting new valve seats - the rest I have learned by doing them, with much appreciated advice from people here. The more that goes wrong, the more I learn. And it's my only bike so I need to keep it running reliably. If you truly want it, you'll have it. Don't give up! Yes we have all become frustrated at times but i've never enjoyed riding any other bike as much so the negatives soon disappear. Good luck!

Hi guys-------- TAPER, A Hinckley Bonneville, Kawasaki W650 or a Moto Guzzi V7......These will fulfill your "old" AND reliable needs BUT, old time riding per se used to include}-- NO rescue card, NO anti-puncture compounds , NO hints and tips on a computer every night, NO Sat-Nav, REGULAR oil and filter changes, 6v electrics, a Magneto, a Dynamo, single rate shocks, pressed steel primary chaincases, "Proper" leather gauntlets(ie they leaked water), puddin basin crash hats, misty Mk9 goggles, an Ex-Army greatcoat, half-width single leading drum brakes, Champion spark plugs, cross-ply tyres, 2-star petrol, Shell 2T oil, NO MOBILE PHONES, only 2 channels on TV, a blue salt bag in your crisps, Boots took a week to develop your Kodak 127 photos of your TT holiday, somebody called "HONDA" was making a lot of those small 50cc thingy's....patches that didn't stick, you could overtake ANY car on the road, the only road-side camera was that of an admiring enthusiast, camp coffee was straight, BSA had a full order book for the foreseeable future, and Royal Enfield were still making Bullets........SO, for this weeks prize, which one of those HASN'T changed ?????? ----- Answer is }----- Patches that don't stick !!! Well, mine don't anyway !!!!!!

Alan-Although I'm not of a "certain age" I could relate to a lot of this when I started my riding on "Jappers" in the early 80's. Fast forward some three score years, and owning a Bullet is like stepping back in time, another world in fact?
I don't recall when "camp coffee was straight" though.....

Taper, an old reliable bike depends on what you consider to be old. A twenty year old jap can be pretty reliable but when they go wrong it will cost you. If its old technology you seek go for the last iron barrel enfields. A 2007/2008 without an electric start is a sound machine especially a 350. Find a well looked after example (and most of them are) and most importantly use the bloody thing and don't mess around with it. You will have a totally reliable and old bike.

Camp coffee was straight ! Just got that ....very funny..
Regards
Robert

Hi all SORRY IT HAS BEEN A WHILE SINCE MY LAST POST BUT SOME OTHER PART OF LIFE GOT IN THE WAY FOR A BIT ,THATS NOW SORTED AND I AM BACK ON MY BULLET ,HOWEVER if YOU REMEMBER MY KICK START AND GEARS WERE ACTING UP,(KICK START NOT RETURNING AND GEARS DIFICULT TO SELECT) I HAVE FOUND THE PROBLEM I THINK,THE KICK START STOP PLATE INSIDE THE GEARBOX HOUSING HAD BECOME DETACHED AND HAD FALLEN INTO THE GEARBOX,THUS ALOWING THE KICKSTART TO GO OVER CENTRE AND JAM AGAINST THE BEARING HOUSING BUT WORSE STILL THE STOP PLATE HAS BEEN FLOATING AROUND THE GEARBOX AND JAMMING THE GEARS LUCKILY NONE OF THE GEARS APEAR TO BE DAMAGED AND I HAVE ORDERED SOME NEW PARTS FROM OUR HOSTS,IF THIS FINALLY CURES MY PRESENT PROBLEMS WITH MY BELOVED BULLET THEN I WILL BE CONTINUING WITH MY PLANS TO RIDE THE BIKE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.

Welcome back taper. Keep us updated with your progress (but please don't shout!!) Ride safely.