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Re: bike

To: Dick J <lsr_man@yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: bike
From: john robinson <john@engr.wisc.edu>
Date: Fri, 27 Jul 2001 10:31:48 -0500
Howdy
          I had this bike running for about 15 seconds 2 weeks ago, (no oil 
pressure, shut it down quick) and the vibration caused about five different 
bits to fall off. now, they were NOT tightened down,or anything like that, 
just hand tight, but it was surprising how much this thing vibrated. It's 
got lightened flywheels, so hopefully the vib range is not too bad at road 
speed, or top end.....about the kick, yeah, I wore a knee brace for three 
months, got the kick lever all the way down, and it fired, pushed my knee 
backwards! I hobbled around and a friend who weighs 240 shows up and says 
he can start it, it almost threw HIM off the bike.......I learned that the 
compression release is your friend! just ease it to TDC with the kick 
lever,pull the release, ease it with the kick lever till just after TDC, 
release the compression release, lift the kick lever to top again, and 
shove down, there will be a exhaust cycle, then a fire cycle, and the fire 
cycle will be before you get to the bottom of the kick, so the bike will go 
in the correct direction.....otherwise if you start the kick before TDC, 
the kick lever has stopped, and the piston then has the option to go either 
way, and you KNOW it goes the wrong way 99% of the time....
         kicking it 75 times, yeah, I had a 650 BSA chopper a LONG time 
ago,  I took it to the liquor store and got some REALCHEAP beer, strapped 
it to the bike and it wouldn't start! Summer of course, no shade, hotter n 
hell, sweat running in my boots, kick kick kick, damn I'm hot, cool beer 
yeah, pop one and it evaporates in seconds, I dont think it hit the back of 
my throat! just gone! kick some more, more sweat, more beer, the 6 pack is 
done, and the bike starts, it just didn't like the CHEAP BEER!!!! what a 
wobbly ride home.........when we were kids huh?

--- john robinson <john@engr.wisc.edu> wrote:
  The bike is a 1967 BSA Victor Roadster, with a
B44 441 cc  single....

WOW!  Did that bring back some instant old
memories.  I built a 441 road racer many years
ago.  Prior to that bike, my bike racing had been
exclusively drag bikes.  Soooo, using some drag
bike "technology", I made my racing seat using
the 1/2 thick piece of rubber that had been under
my office typewriter.  That bike was
beautiful...but.  The first race was at Sebring
in Florida. After about four laps, the vibration
up through the seat(?) to the two parts of my
anatomy that were resting on the seat most, got
so bad that it started to feel like an electric
shock.  It got so bad that I was unable to finish
a fifteen lap heat.  Next race out, I had much
more padding on that seat  - - - and switched to
sponge handle bar grips too!


>Also beware that the 441 is probably the hardest
>kicking motorcycle ever made!  It beats a Norton
>single and an early stroked Harley with a magneto
>stuck on full advance all to heck.
>
>One other interesting thing about that bike.
>Right after I built it and was test riding it
>around the neighbor hood, I parked it in the
>driveway and went in to eat lunch.  When I came
>back out, I flipped the ignition switch on, and
>the bike fired off and started running all by
>itself.  That's the only time I've ever heard of
>that happening.  I guess it was right at the top
>of the ignition cam, and when I moved the bike,
>the points clicked one time, and fired.  It's
>also the only time that bike ever fired with less
>than seventy five kicks or being pushed by at
>least two guys for a distance of not less than
>100 feet!
>
>Have fun
>
>Dick J
>Make international calls for as low as $.04/minute with Yahoo! Messenger
>http://phonecard.yahoo.com/


              John Robinson, Mechanician
   Mechanical Engineering University of Wisconsin
                 1513 University Ave.
                  Madison, Wi. 53706
                     608-262-3606
                   FAX 608-265-2316
        Current World Land Speed Record Holder
                 Bonneville Salt Flats
            H/GCC 92 cu.in. 1980 Dodge Colt
                   131.333 MPH set 1995
                   136.666 MPH set 1996
                   140.292 MPH set 2000
                   144.396 MPH set 2000

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