Forum

[MadMike]

Cafeman, errrrrrr I will happily get on my Nortons and BSA's after they have stood for weeks, and occasionally months, and ride them without any fear of them breaking down. The "assumtion" that all old British bikes are either unrelaiable or leaky is simply not true. My Model 50 has done over 83000 totally reliable miles without breaking down, being stripped/rebuilt and it does not leak oil. Hence the "competition" suggested by Paul to spot the oil under mt Norton. Rant over. Have a great day.

[Ginetta lad]

Thanks for the advice and I hadn't thought of using ATF in the forks and primary side? Is it all the same? I suspect not?
I'm just East of York location wise A166 Bridlington Road.
I'm 40 something but I joined the local Matchless and AJ club for ride outs and most members are double my age and still riding so at least I'm regarded as a youngster!!
I have had many old Ginettas and I have a good toolkit but am already struggling with what bloody threads the Indians have used? As you say some metric heads but none metric threads. One of the studs sticking out of the top of the frame (above toolboxes) from a tube has been stripped and the one on the other side has a completly different thread? I wonder if these studs will come out so I can replace them? My single trails solid seat fits on them but not sure what they were for originally?
I have Metric and UNC UNF taps and dies but no BSF or cycle thread stuff so thats going to be fun.
I'll change the oil soon and check the tappets and have ordered a few missing parts to get me going. Hopefully it will be on the road In March when I tax and insure it along with my other bikes.
Harvey

[grunda 12]

hi ginetta lad, welcome to this parish !!thoughts on metric bits on bullets ,i have 2 post 2000 bullets both have a mixture of every thread ever made almost ,the metricisation was supposed to take place post 1999 ,both mine have cycle threads etc also wierd bolt head sizes started in japan 8mm thread 12 mm spanner etc ,anyway i live in south yorkshire and we have a local reoc branch the west riding our glorious leader mr g scarth hales from york and has been known to appear at our meetings we hang out at THE REINDEER P.H OVERTON NR WAKEFIELD OPPOSITE THE NATIONAL MINING MUSEUM WE MEET ON THE 1ST THURSDAY OF EVERY MONTH FROM 8PM atb paul note on gear box i run mine on ep 90 although i have sealed bearings happy days also most of my time is spent riding as these indian bullets are not to be confused with inferior other makes!!

[Riggers]

Here's a good one....on my Bullet (2000 Classic) of the four nuts holding the two front wheel fork caps 3 nuts are 1/4 Whitworth, and one is 14mm!

[simon]

My 93 motored 350 is all cycle threads and Whitworth head sizes. When I say cycle most of the threads are 26 tpi at 60 degrees pitch right up to 1/2" diameter whereas traditionally BSC drops to 20 tpi at 9/16". The exception to the 26tpi is anything that screws into aluminium which Whitworth threads.

[Alan R]

Hi guys-----------RIGGERS, have you checked those caps for cracking ??... On my last Bullet 65 both had deep cracks-- replaced with our hosts steel ones---- I kept on trying to convince myself that the bike going forwards is what kept the front axle on-board !! ( Sphincter twitching, buttock-clenching--or what ??)

[Alan R]

---------C'mon GRUNDA, keep our new "youngster" on the straight and narrow !!----- It's just Post-Marital Blues--that's all...I'm sure a gang of your canny Yorkshire lads can soon have that bike of his bike up to standard and riding along over the N.York moors as if they were part of Holland !!!!!!!

[Cafeman]

Woah Madmike!! I think (I know) you've completely misunderstood what I was trying to say. Was'nt even thinking anything close to what you seem to have taken from my post. Any old bike once sorted can be reliable, whether a Norton, Triumph, or one of these Bullets. So hopefully that's the end of that.
"The" problem is people who know nothing about maintenance to begin with, jump in and buy a Bullet, or anything vintage, and then when their bike acts up they have no clue that it was their lack of input into keeping it in proper order. And then the bike gets the bad rap. This is from what I have seen. THAT makes me go "Errrrrr!!!" I owned a 79 Bonneville Special (among other vintage bikes, excluding a 74 HD Sportster that was just a vibration/breakage/leaking pos) that I dialed in, and could ride at will without always turning a wrench or wiping up oil and such as you mention. The same now goes for my 2001 Bullet. I'm not always having to do mainenance everytime. But I still check things. Hope that clarifies things for you. Cheers!

[PeteF]

The ATF you want is the one that says it meets Ford specs. What you mustn't use is a modern oil with anti fiction additives.
I'm near Beverley if you get stuck with anything.
The Humberside Branch meets last wednesday of the month at The King's Arms, Main Street, Newport - 8.00. http://www.reochumber.co.uk/

[Alan R]

Hello PETE F------------ would that be "Non-Fiction oil then" ??? (Have a re-read)LoL !!!