Hitchcocks Forum

I have noticed this a few times with my bike now mainly when I give it too much throttle while starting. This evening I went for a lovely ride along the coast to Selsea Bill and then on the way back with a bit more confidence I started on some country roads I have not been to before and was just riding nowhere. Since my odometer is broken my ride was cut short by running out of petrol so I went to the nearest garage and realised I had left my wallet at home so rode back on reserve. But starting thr bike st the garage it didn’t start in first or second kick so I gave it a bit of throttle a bit too much and it started and raced a bit. But it made the god awful mettalic clatter that sounded really bad for a few seconds and then was ok. Its an awful noise in my mine I imagine the piston rings all out of their grooves and clattering like broken springs. Obviously its not that or there would be smoke but thats what it sounds like like rattling a jar of old piston rings, pennies and springs up and down in a jar for a few seconds while the engine is running too fast in neutral and slowing down.

I am still getting used to starting the bike but now my tappets are loosened up its so much easier. I just need to get used to the easier starting and not snapping the throttle.

Selsea Bill

I would be devastated if Old Whirligig’s engine was to blow up.

Loose exhaust valve seat?



A.

Something to check at some point I suppose, the Bullet service manual does say to take the head off every 3000 miles to decoke so at some point can do that and check the valves and rockers and the piston and rings. My bike is on its second piston and iron barrel as I have a reciept for those with the paperwork that came with the bike. It all runs really well and I am enjoying riding it so dont want to pull it apart too much at this stage really.

Hi guys--------can't help you with the latter but how's the solo seat behaving ???

Hi the solo seat is really good now I have stuck a cheap pillion pad under it. The pillion pad has 6 suction cups and just sticks to the mudguard it stops the seat pan bottoming out on the mudguard and means I can sit back comfortably. I might fix it with a couple of bolts instead of the suction cups eventually or get a better one depending on how it gets on with time.

Decoke every 3000 miles, well that`s progress; the manual for my 1949 Ariel Red Hunter says to do that every 1000miles.

With modern oils and petrol, I would have thought decoking was a thing of the past.

Dreadful metalic clatter on startup, that is why I put my earplugs in before starting the CX500 Custom. It's been like it for years.