Category: 1954 BSA A10 (Page 3 of 4)

The “new” side-stand isn’t absolutely correct, but is works and looks far better than the old one, which was from a B40. As a bonus, the bike isn’t in danger of tipping over when on it! Pictured with my prize for winning a BSA photo contest on the seat–a can of BSA engine oil.

I’m taking the BSA up to Vancouver on Friday for the All British Field Meet, drop by and say hello if you end up at Van Dusen.

You may recall this photo, taken last summer down the road from the house here. My friends at the BSA A7 & A10 Forum have chosen it as the best photo of 2009. I’m honored as all get out–and look forward to my prize: a can of BSA-brand engine oil!

I cannot tell you how big a difference replacing the spark plug leads has made to this machine…it is a first-kick starter now no matter how warm or cold the engine is. This is an unbelievable improvement and makes the old girl a pleasure to take out. She’s shown here next to the ball field at the beach just down the road.

Here’s a short video I shot aboard the BSA…bouncy, terrible audio, I should have switched out of auto-focus…but it’s literally the first time I’ve fooled with any sort of on-vehicle camera. I was trying to keep my leg out of the way (with mixed success) and so my riding isn’t going to win me any awards, either.

I got the newly cleaned-up magneto bolted back on and timed, and the bike fired even though one of the plug leads wasn’t connected. Wisdom point for today: Check if both spark plug leads are connected when you wonder “why is this reluctant to rev?”

I haven’t been able to do much riding yet, though,as it won’t idle. It won’t idle, because, as it turns out, the throttle stop (idle) screw has fallen out of the carb. Bonus wisdom point for today: Check that the throttle stop screw hasn’t fallen out when you wonder “why won’t this idle?”

My friend John has offered to lend me a spare stop screw until my Burlen Fuel Systems order gets here from England; I’ll pick the spare up tomorrow when I’m on the mainland. So, perhaps, finally, I’ll get some riding in on Tuesday to see how well the “hot start problem” has been neutralized by the mag work. Fingers crossed for “completely”!

Here is the BSA in a friend’s borrowed shop, with the timing side cover off and the magneto removed in preparation for another rebuild of the balky electrical device, this time hopefully for good. I would ride this bike a lot more than I do, but the poor starting from hot makes it a chore, not a pleasure. I’m dropping the mag in the mail tomorrow; hopefully by this time next week Bill will be able to tell me what is wrong and how much it will be to fix it.

I need to reseal the front forks, too, a job which is not much fun. Not going to worry much about it at the moment. The bike also needs a detail in the most desperate way, and that I will take care of!