I had an interesting weekend...I went off on my travels and came back with less money and a new acquisition...It's a 1918, 557cc Model K BSA...First registered in Kent, it came with the original 'buff' logbook, a V5C and its original registration number...

It's an unfinished project that has sat for 10 years and will require some more work...so I'll probably just start again...

My computer is playing silly buggers and I can't post a picture but I've sent one to Ron, so hopefully he will put in on...

Four years to get it ready for the 100th. anniversary of the end of WW1...and to learn how to ride the bloody thing ....Ian

email (option): ian@wright52.plus.com

Hi Ian,

Nice, I wouldn't mind finding such a project myself. If I had the choice I would like it to be a little earlier but 1918 would also do nicely.

Can't wait to see some photos.

Henk

email (option): ahum@quicknet.nl

Here is Ian's new learning experience. Ron

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

Thanks Ron!....Ian

email (option): ian@wright52.plus.com

Nice one Ian, I really nice project, keep us up to speed with the restoration. If I ever get my 1916 Douglas 2 3/4 finished, we'll have to meet up and get in everyones way!

Hi Ian, are you going for top end or standing 1/4 ? Probably not a shed load slower than a M20. I read an article about converting those mag drives to toothed belts. Good luck.

Cheers Pat

A proper motorcycle with a chain-driven magneto !

Will you bring it to Belgium, Ian...We'll make sure that you're looked after !

A 100th. anniversary Battlefield tour on a 100 year old motorcycle...mmm......sounds good to me...

1 for 100?... ..or maybe there are more?....Ian

email (option): ian@wright52.plus.com

A very nice bike Ian!

You have 4 years to prepare?
Looks like it only needs the mag link and off you go..
It is nicer than my WM20 !

Noam..

email (option): noam10@gmail.com

Time machine...



Great project Ian! I envy you!

Cheers,
Jan

email (option): wd.register@gmail.com

There's plenty to do Noam...I think photos generally 'lie' in favour of the bike...I'm going to have to look for/ make a few missing parts and that in itself will take some time...

Also I only have part of the acetylene lighting set which I want to fit...

And I'll want it to be as good as it can be mechanically...I do intend to use this thing as much as is practical...

There's also the small detail that I know virtually nothing about these bikes from a 'hands on' point of view having never had anything anywhere near as old before...

What could possibly go wrong?... ...

Nice picture Jan...about 1916-17 I think...It has the black 'utility' finish introduced in 1916 but not some of the detail features of the later 1918 model....Ian

email (option): ian@wright52.plus.com

The caption on the back of the picture says "Jean Dwroite, 1918"


Cheers,
Jan

email (option): wd.register@gmail.com

Really?...Jean Dwroite...Ian Wright...spooky...

I think the bike is a little earlier though....Ian

email (option): ian@wright52.plus.com

That's a really nice bike Ian I love it.
Does that mean the M20 is being left on the shelf now..?

email (option): horror@blueyonder.co.uk

Needs more levers !
Great looking machine Ian
Stu

Hi Ian,

Join the club!!!



Cheers,

Lex

email (option): welbike@xxxbike.net

Hi Lex...Nice picture...Were the fasteners on the P&M originally dull nickel plated?...Ian

email (option): ian@wright52.plus.com

Ian,

Before 1925 or so, all nickel plated parts came out dull (later they added some kind of Salts to the bath, and that made it glossy, so I've been told by the platers) so in the beginning, there was dull plated nickel to start with, and that was polished to a high gloss for civvy production.

But all nickel loses it's shine after some years, when not regularly polished.

If P&M deliberatly did not polish the Nickel plated parts I do not know, would have to look in the parts lists, maybe that will tell.... (if you really want to know)

Cheers,

Lex

email (option): welbike@xxxbike.net

Thanks Lex...Useful information.

Yesterday through my 'old boys network' I picked up a NOS P&H gas generator of the right type and one of the generator/lamp mounting brackets...With that I can look at replicating the other one, or a pair, if I can't find another...

I got a NOS rear lamp with the bike, so now I have to find a good headlamp to complete the lighting set...Ian

email (option): ian@wright52.plus.com

I wonder, Ian,

This bike has no dynamo, as it has acetylene lighting?
So can it pass MOT without a breaking light,
Or does someone has to run behind you and light up
An acetylene light with red lens prior to stopping?

I know that usually you are not committed to have on the vehicle
Any accessory which was not originally fitted such as safety belts,
Turn indicators and so on,
But will they give you a break with the brake?..(Lights)
Noam.

email (option): noam10@gmail.com

Hi Ian

There are some headlamps around with "WD" pressed into the top.

Rob

email (option): robmiller11(a)yahoo.co.uk

Hi Noam..No MOT test required on a 1918 bike (or any bike manufactured before the 1st.of January 1960) and no brake light is possible anyway as you noted...

Another interesting detail...It is not legally required to have a speedometer fitted. So, entirely legally you have no way of knowing what speed you are doing....

If, in that case you then recklessly smash the 30mph speed limit and get 'caught' in the act by a speed camera would you be, or could you be, held liable and fined?...Ian

email (option): ian@wright52.plus.com

Nice Ian.
So you can really do burnouts with it and no one can hold you responsible..

In Israel you can register a vehicle as a "Collection vehicle"
(I wonder why not "classic") when it is over 30 years old,
From year of manufacture.

Till few year ago you had to MOT it twice a year,
And bring to every second test a certificate from a shop,
Approving that your steering and brake systems are checked
And are in a good order.

From few years back, it changed to once a year,
But still with the certificate..

Some young MOT tester almost fail the 41 WM20 because it had
No turn indicators , and then he was looking for the electric starter,
And then tried to start it with the clutch pressed,
And then tried to put it into gear at the brake side,
And then started in second gear...


Noam.

Very nice Ian,well spotted and so complete, I nearly bought a 1917 ,Douglas few years back , but fear just out of my reach now, unless anyone knows of one for sale,but no bitsas please , Keep the pics coming, Andrew.h.

email (option): warbikesatgeemail.cum

I have one of those WD headlamps! Been hanging on a nail in my shed for years. I often wondered if it could be put to good use. Ron

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

Maybe Ron!...What does it measure across the glass and outside of the rim?....

I'd certainly buy it off you if it will do the job OK....Does it have a makers name anywhere?.....Ian

email (option): ian@wright52.plus.com

The 1954 legislation requiring fitment of a brake light was only retrospective to 1936 so won't apply to this bike, regardless of whether it was to be MOT tested or not (WW2 bikes are required to have a stop light in the UK...and an illuminated speedo !)

Acetylene lamps are considered purely 'decorative' so don't have to conform to Construction and use regs, nor be working. It's debatable whether a vehicle lit solely by them would be legal on the road at night...probably best to have some LED bicycle lamps as well.

I find it quite amusing that having built a faster M20, Ian is now regressing....How long before he markets big-bore conversions and a twin burner carbide conversion. ?

Ian You might find this interesting. I have a 1915 Model K as a stable mate for the WM20. They are good fun but different!!!! G

http://www.bsa.org.nz/index.php/stories/b-s-a-in-german-east-africa?showall=&limitstart=

Ian, so far I haven't found a makers name. Maybe under the paint somewhere?
The overall diam of the rim is 5 1/2" The magnifying lens is about 4 1/4". The mirror reflector is cracked as can be seen in the pictures and some small dents in top of the WD chimney, which can be mostly knocked out from the inside before filling. The rim swivels open nicely. Can bring to Netley if required. Ron

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

Thanks Ron...I'll ring you shortly...Give some thought to price....Ian

email (option): ian@wright52.plus.com

Perhaps this would do the job Ian? 111388198525 It's stamped with the broad arrow. Ron, if you've got another one of those WD stamped carbide lights, I'd be very interested.

'Starlight' probably refers to the light output...when you're pedalling flatout down a hill with a following wind.. ...Ian

email (option): ian@wright52.plus.com

its a dream Ian. well done.

Hi Guys,
I've just joined the stone agers club too.
Purchased this 1916 2 3/4 Douglas today.


I've wanted one for years and when I saw this the missus said well you had better get it then. Say no more!
Just got to work out how to ride it now.
Cheers, Mick.

email (option): mick@motorbikemike.org.uk

Hi Mick...Very nice and 'ready to roll' by the look of it..I see you have the even less efficient stirrup brake at the front!...

The information I have is that from sometime in 1916 the Government stopped the supply of vehicles to the 'civvy' market and from that time on all production was for the military...

Do you know if this bike was for the military?....

Also in 1916 BSA introduced an all black 'Austerity finish' on all their bikes which continued for the remainder of the conflict...

I have wondered whether other manufacturers did that as well, though I haven't heard about it yet if they did.....

I haven't thought too much about the challenge of riding mine yet...I'm still trying to figure out how some of it works and concentrating on finding any missing parts...

What C.C. is the Douglas?....Ian

email (option): ian@wright52.plus.com

Hi Ian,
Now I have it I've started doing some digging. In fact its the engine that is 1916, the rest is 1917. All Douglas production was for the government by then.
It was 1918 before Douglas went over to the khaki finish and so far all the period pictures I have found of these all have the silver tank finish.
Its certainly going to be a new riding experience, two speed, no clutch, lever throttle, no brakes etc. Which is safer, the Somme in 1917 or todays' roads?
Cheers, Mick

Very nice, welcome to the unridable old codgers club! My Douglas has a 1913 engine, a 1916 frame and forks that came in sometime in 1918, so it's not only a WW1 vintage, it dates from the whole of WW1! I've got a few issues with it at the moment. I've only ridden it about 100 yards so far, but it was a joy. It started well, ran OK (for a while!) and was surprising comfortable. My tank was green underneath the silver, so I've returned it back to military trim. I'm sure there are a couple of photos of a late war green one in one of the Douglas books? As has already been said, Douglas were selling everything to the military by the middle of the war and at the end of the war, they bought them all back again, sorted them out, painted them silver and sold them on to the civvy market.

Mick/Bill...Are your lever throttles on the left or the right?...In fact what is the layout of the various levers on your Douglas bars?....Ian

email (option): ian@wright52.plus.com

From left to right, valve lifter/engine stop instead of clutch, single lever for mag, then on the right hand side of the bars twin lever for air/throttle then the jokingly named front brake lever, which as far as I can see does nothing and is actually just there to add symmetry to the bars?

You've also got the tram handle in the middle and don't forget to give the oil an occasional pump from time to time. Have you looked into the starting procedure yet? Put the fuel on, set the levers, put it in low gear, push it along until it starts and then jump on! remember, there's no kick start or clutch. I was warned that if you mess it up and let go, it will go merrily off down the road without you. You have to do this every time you come to a stop, even at the lights as you can't go from neutral into gear.

I read somewhere that the then MOD decided that the clutch and kickstart wasn't robust enough for active service and had them deleted from WW1 bikes.

Cheers Pat

At least mine has a three speed box and a kickstart... ....Ian

email (option): ian@wright52.plus.com

Douglas didn't need to resort to cheap gimmicky ideas like clutches and kick starts, that sort of thing will never catch on!

Hi Bill,
Thanks for the heads up on what lever does what.
I was told to knock it into neutral when stopping and push or scoot away with the engine running, when seated knock it into low and hopefully the belt will slip a bit and act as a sort of clutch! I am not confident about this.
At the minute I'm happy just to look at it and fiddle. Those Great War motorcyclists were definately a breed apart.
Anyone got details of that leather mudshield contraption they fitted?
Like Ian, I will be on the lookout for a suitable lighting set.
Chers, Mick

email (option): mick@motorbikemike.org.uk

I now have the complete lighting set...I bought a virtually perfect P&H gas generator, with its mounting bracket, through the 'old boys network', got a NOS P&H rear light thrown in as an extra with the bike and Ron provided the WD headlamp from the nail in his shed...

It turned out that needed a lot of work to repair previous bodges/damage and it's currently stripped down to the component parts for extensive remedial work...However, I'm well pleased to have picked up this particular item..

A couple of other missing parts are in the pipeline as well...It's amazing that there is still anything about for such an old machine...Ian

email (option): ian@wright52.plus.com

Ian, Your levers on the Model K are on the left- inverted/ Decompressor & on the bar the Advance/Retard. On the right- inverted/ Front Brake & on the bar the lower is Fuel & the upper is Air.
Because the clutch comes after the gearbox,(believe it or not) to start you have to engage 1st gear & disengage the clutch. As I said they are different. I can send pictures if required Greg.

email (option): grcajol@bigpond.com

The London Douglas Club are very good for certain spares for your old 2 3/4 if you need anything. I don't know if the BSA Owners Club do anything this old? I think the best catered for of the WW1 period bikes is probably the Triumph, isn't there a company somewhere out there making all sorts of brand new bits for them?

Hi Greg...Thanks for the info...I'm currently on the lookout for the twin lever as mine is a l.hand one....Shame as it's in nice condition..

There's no rush with finding this stuff though as I'm not really working on the bike yet...I may find some parts at the 'Founders Day' jumble in two weeks time if I'm lucky...

A photo of the handlebar layout would certainly be useful if you have standard parts fitted...Ian

email (option): ian@wright52.plus.com