Not everyone dreams of a WD M20!..:laughing: ...Ian
email (option): ian@wright52.plus.com
Spiderman's bike:flushed: Ron
email (option): ronpier@talk21.com
I saw that one on Facebook.
email (option): ccandgc@yahoo.com
Do gold leaf cobwebs come under the heading of fake patina?...:stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye: ....Ian
email (option): ian@wright52.plus.com
email (option): matrot.sandra@neuf.fr
I'm not sure about those net curtains either.
email (option): sacombsashtrees@hotmail.com
Not a good camouflage color, but potentially useful for enemy forces to sight-in on a target distance!!
Though painful to look at directly, this delicate shade of OMG! would certainly increase rider visibility. I would guess some road users may decide not to share the same road as this bike in order to prevent damage to their retinas.
But, to each their own.
email (option): cas.vanderwoude@gmail.com
Anything that prevents another BSA being sent off to China as scrap & returning as low quality land fill parts is a good thing.
Not my cup of tea but then I am not the motorcycle dictator.
email (option): bsansw1@tpg.com.au
:cry: :disappointed_relieved: :sleepy: :sweat: :sob:
That’s one ugly ass bike. In my opinion.
/simon
email (option): SimonofSweden
Where is it , Belgium ? France ? There is a green WD16H frame and pannier rack in the corner. The M20 does rather make me think of lipstick on a pig :grinning:
['The M20 does rather make me think of lipstick on a pig..']
I was thinking more of a tarts handbag...However, the whole point of rebuilding a bike is that you do what you want, so as long as the owner is enjoying it...
After all, there are plenty of 'standard' M20s out there to record what they were like originally...Ian
email (option): ian@wright52.plus.com
Possibly ex GPO messenger bike!
Ian has a point here.
In the past there was a lot of messing with m20's and it was hard to find any original.
I remember very well the club meetings in the seventies.
Nowadays we have all become rivet counters, well most of us, and we dont't see much creativity anymore.
When you go to a meeting and pull your bike on the rear stand, people come to you to point out the "not original" parts...
In the past there was a lot of messing with m20\\\'s and it was hard to find any original.
I remember very well the club meetings in the seventies.
Nowadays we have all become rivet counters, well most of us, and we dont\\\'t see much creativity anymore.
When you go to a meeting and pull your bike on the rear stand, people come to you to point out the \\\"not original\\\" parts...
As for this very red bike I think it is rather ugly, not my taste at all in any aspect or way. But I guess we are all different and unique jelly fishes or something.
Best regards,
Simon
You mean like this horrible thing on display at Beaulieu? Ron
email (option): ronpier@talk21.com
Why do the front forks on choppers not bend?
They look really fragile.
email (option): sacombsashtrees@hotmail.com
They do and they are.
Original choppers ran girders with a leading link sprung axel.
However they are very expensive where as 10' of hydraulic ram tube is dirt cheap.
Apart from that it is very hard for a bike to get their forks bent when sitting on a display stand.
Forks that long can not be ridden on a road, the wheelbase is just too long.
And if you can laugh really quietly, go to a custom bike show and watch all the participants wresteling with their bikes to get them into the display area
email (option): bsansw1@tpg.com.au
Trevor, i did indeed wonder how a bike like that would handle.
But nevertheless, in the seventies there where quite a few around, especially in America.
Peter Fonda and Dennis Hopper seem to managed theirs ok. Ron
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1cDECkN2xg
email (option): ronpier@talk21.com
Not really.
A well built chopper with the correct trail (i.e. steering head angle vs rake) is no more difficult to ride than any other bike.
This has been proven many times.
But you do of course need keep attention to where your front wheel is since it is not right down your nose.
Front forks on choppers hardly ever break. Well if you make them from whatever scrap material you find down at the plumber they might, but I have never ever in all my years being around choppers heard of breaking fork legs being a problem. Not even bending.
To understand this you have to think of where the forces are coming from. A chopper may look fragile but when you are driving the forces mainly come from ahead of you since you drive into bumps not slam onto the them from above. Think of how a regular fork bends when you run into something and you see that a long fork my actually even be better at taking up forces in a collision, however sometimes at the expense of a bent frame instead.
As for girder forks they are better on a chopper for proving suspension than telescopic forks, springer forks also works better on choppers than telescopic forks.
But if you are riding a chopper I would perhaps argue that comfort is not a top priority anyway. An argument I think would apply for riders of WD-bikes as well.
I am sorry to go into a debate on this, I am not really keen to, and I realize that this is not a forum for fans of custom builds. It’s just that when obviously incorrect facts are posted and I happen to know the area (not usually the case in any way :D ) i thought I’d share some of the things I’ve picked up and experienced over the years.
In the best of spirits, humbly,
Simon
email (option): SimonofSweden
P.s. Another incorrect info posted above is “Original choppers ran girders“, well they didn’t.
Assuming you mean Harley choppers as they were first built in California in the 60s, they usually had the original Harley springer front end or telescopic front end made longer. It was the original forks that was altered. Sometimes a triumph is BSA telescopic fork was used to get a slimmer narrower look, sometimes a sportster front end.
In my experience a long girder fork is not more expensive than a telescopic. But that depends of course on where and when you buy it.
/simon
email (option): SimonofSweden
P.s. Another incorrect info posted above is “Original choppers ran girders“, well they didn’t.
Assuming you mean Harley choppers as they were first built in California in the 60s, they usually had the original Harley springer front end or telescopic front end made longer. It was the original forks that was altered. Sometimes a triumph or BSA telescopic fork was used to get a slimmer narrower look, sometimes a sportster front end for the same effect.
In my experience a long girder fork is not more expensive than a telescopic. But that depends of course on where and when you buy it.
/simon
email (option): SimonofSweden
Also not a rivet counter but in the interest of decency I thought I'd post what they should look like (after 3 years of finding elusive bits and building a complicated jigsaw puzzle!) Although I wouldn't object to a swinging arm mod as per the Healy...!
Cheers,
Bernie
email (option): bernie.a.jones@gmail.com
Very well done, Bernie. Another bike saved.
Looks as if it came off the production line yesterday.
I'm also not a rivet counter, but don't forget your rear light :upside_down_face:
Good spot! I think the speedo was not fitted either when I took that picture. Also you will note the complete lack of oil spots beneath the bike which can mean only one thing.... ;-)
email (option): bernie.a.jones@gmail.com
Assuming you mean Harley choppers as they were first built in California in the 60s, they usually had the original Harley springer front end or telescopic front end made longer. It was the original forks that was altered. Sometimes a triumph is BSA telescopic fork was used to get a slimmer narrower look, sometimes a sportster front end.
In my experience a long girder fork is not more expensive than a telescopic. But that depends of course on where and when you buy it.
/simon
AS for ease , if of riding, if you are riding down an interstate highway with wide lanes and sweeping bends they are both easy to ride and quite comfortable, and if you can parallel park in a normal car space, again, no problems.
Now considering they started off life in California where crap Harleys were sold at scrap metal prices that almost makes sense.
And considering the " LOOK AT ME I AM SO COOL " factor they make even more sense.
However fo normal day to day riding in traffic, going around tight roundabouts and angle parking , not fun.
WE have done dozens of show days where there were a lot of choppers and watching them trying to get the bikes into stands was really funny.
While they look a lot longer than they really are, most are no longer than a std sedan car, some of the turning circles were horrific.
email (option): bsansw1@tpg.com.au
Yup, I said before that “if you are riding a chopper I would perhaps argue that comfort is not a top priority anyway.” And I guess You could ad practicality to that. A long forked bike is rather hopeless for driving around town.
For that I find that my -66 Vespa Supersport is by far the best vehicle! It’s got a glove compartment and everything. And you even run through puddles with dry legs. But most of all it picks up speed right away and turns real quickly.
A friend of mine once rode his long legged Harley from Sweden to Brussels. Rigid rear, low profile tyre and no seat springs just an inch thin upholstery. With most of the road being cement the trip ended up being Chinese water torture with every joint in the cement shooting a bumb up his spine...
Vanity will cost you... :D
/simon
(Sorry about the double posting before by they way, don’t know what happened.)
email (option): SimonofSweden
Hats of Bernie, beautiful job!
What’s it like to ride? Always wondered but never even seen one, much less ridden one.
/simon
email (option): SimonofSweden
Just about rigid choppers, Peter Fonda's supposed to've said his Captain America bike was the most uncomfortable motorcycle he'd ever ridden.
Having made a few biker movies he'd know something about that. Apparently Jack Nicholson was grabbing Fonda so hard during shooting of a pillion scene that he broke a couple of his ribs.
Hi Simon,
At 200kg and a relatively high COG it's a bit of a beast when slow cornering compared say to my M21 which I can just chuck around.
I also risk a hernia every time I haul it up onto the rear stand!!
Instead of that slow 'chuff' there's a very un-BritBike quiet smoothness to it as well. Low end torque is impressive and overall it should make a good cruising bike.
At the moment I'm still running it in and getting used to all the different noises coming from the 8 rockers, crankshaft coupling gears and the primary drive - which is exactly the same as the M21! I think it's going to be a fun bike though.
Cheers,
Bernie
email (option): bernie.a.jones@gmail.com
Sounds lovely Bernie! Cool that you have got it all put together and up and running.
/simon
email (option): SimonofSweden
My recollection of Squariels before they became 'historic' is that it was quite unusual to see one without a chair. Magnificent things though.
Funnily enough I'm building another M21 rigid specifically to pull a small sidecar in order to transport wife and pooch (who refuses to sit in a top box) (pooch not wife) and considered using the SQ4 but I think I'll keep it solo and see how the M21 copes.
email (option): bernie.a.jones@gmail.com
Had an M21 and chair many years ago (I was 17) and it pulled quite nicely with a passenger and pillion, not fast, but who needs a ton when you have a sidecar.......:fearful:
email (option): stinkypete80@hotmail.com
That looks very similar to what I hope to have up and running soon - my sidecar is a Briggs who were apparently a spin-off from Watsonian.
Am fitting a braked hub in the hope that it will help me keep safe as I've never ridden with a chair but heard many cautionary tales from them that has!
email (option): bernie.a.jones@gmail.com
I could ride this outfit with one hand, it is just a matter of getting used to the pull. On an unbraked sidecar wheel the chair tries to continue at the same speed even though the bike is braking and slowing. This has the effect of turning the bike out away from the kerb. If you know this, then it is not a problem as you counter steer against the push. Cornering is an art, though you are likely to find it hard to tip an M21 outfit, speed is the key here. On a left hand corner (UK) the chair will try to go straight on and climb over the bike, lifting the sidecar wheel and on right hand bends it will be the bike wheel that lifts. Slowing down and leaning into bends will stop this, though as I said the M21 doesn't go too fast to start with, just take it easy, screw the steering damper down (stops tank slapping when you over-correct at first). Also when moving off the sidecar will try to stay at rest, turning the bike in the opposite way to braking. Never had a braked sidecar wheel on any of my 6 outfits that I ran. Good luck and try your test run when the roads are quiet, gives you room for mistakes and swerves etc.
email (option): stinkypete80@hotmail.com
Of the very many British bikes I've owned the MK2 Squariel was, and still is, one of my favourites...
I did a lot of miles on mine and have to say one big plus was the gentle power delivery at slow speeds...One of the best bikes I have ever ridden in the snow and ice for that reason...
Don't believe all the stories about over heating...The Mk 2 ran hot but it didn't really cause any problems. I fitted a Trident oil cooler to mine and that improved things somewhat at low engine revs.. (I had already fitted an oil pressure gauge before I fitted the cooler)...
Water ingress into the distributor could also be an issue in bad weather so a distributor cover was 'de rigeur' if the bike was used in all weathers...Coupling gears tended to be noisiest on the 'over run' and tended to whine a bit under load at high speed but you soon get used to it...
'10 to a 100 in top gear' wasn't a rash claim made by Ariel in their advertising...The motor has a brilliant useable power range...Ian
email (option): ian@wright52.plus.com