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Re: Control Levers Amal Bowden Doherty

Great post Rob / Ron

It clarifies many previous questions & helped me identify some odd non bsa levers I have in my trays of levers & parts

Br
Job

email (option): jonnyob1@googlemail.com

Re: Control Levers Amal Bowden Doherty

The last Norton contract, S5161 would appear from photos to have the ball-ended Amal type top controls..I believe they had 7/8" bars.

There are two types of Norton Doherty controls which have interchangeable internals, the pre-war squared-off style with a large hex screw and a later more rounded type with a small-hex. Both types are of all brass construction except for the top cover which was plated steel, they were originally dull chrome plated and later cadmium. They are quite a clever design as there is an internal tension nut and 'D' washer. Unlike with Amal and the crude Bowden set-up, the top cover is purely a dust cover and its loss does not result in a loss of tension on the lever..not that they come undone, as there is no rotating motion.

I have seen the later type cadmium-plated in 7/8" too, which suggests that some 7/8" bars WD16H may have had them (or were they simply supplied as a spare part ?)

In this photo, above are the early pattern and underneath the later-war type.

Doherty-Levers

This is the late Doherty with the cover off. Lock washer etc. are identical to Pre- / early-war.

Late-Doherty-open

Re: Control Levers Amal Bowden Doherty

Those tall pivots certainly appear on Matchlesses but every Bowden-marked lever that I've seen has used a conical leather washer as a friction device. I can't see from your photo, Ron but Amal seem to use a spring washer so should be identifiable.

Re: Control Levers Amal Bowden Doherty

That is correct Rik. Bowden had that conical leather washer, backed up with a smaller version of the spring washer. The screw thread is 1/4"
Amal had a more solid aproach with the larger spring friction washer. The screw thread is 5/16"

Bowden
DSCF5166-2
Amal
DSCF5167-2
The top levers here are the pre/early war Amal blades. The bottom ones are the smaller standardized Amal lever blades. Ron
DSCF5168-2

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

Re: Control Levers Amal Bowden Doherty

As for Royal Enfield The WD/D and first contract WD/C had quite a unique set up with mounts welded to the bar and an internal pull twist grip.

After this all other models C-CO-G-L Etc had what I'd describe as the standard Amal controls and they all had the longer slender valve lift lever. There might have been some slight variations but nothing I can tell from pictures.

Royal Enfield were the only WD make (To my knowledge) to use a more sensible slack wire advance. Ron

WDD-036

DSCF1553

DSCF1554

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

Re: Control Levers Amal Bowden Doherty

I assume these are plated steel?

a2

a3

a4

a1

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

Re: Control Levers Amal Bowden Doherty

Yes Rob, apart from the Bowden parts which are mostly brass.

The WD levers were never handed as can clearly be seen in the pictures. The front brake lever is effectively an upside down clutch lever. Ron

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

Re: Control Levers Amal Bowden Doherty

"Never" is long, long time ! :-)

Pre-war Nortons with the combination clamps had handed levers with the brake being more expensive than the clutch as it was 1/2" longer...a Norton tradition adopted from the race bikes.

The change to non-handed pivots and levers was made in September 1939, but when found my 16H definitely had a dull-chromed steel front brake lever still attached to the broken brass post. It may of course have been a replacement between January and May 1940.

Re: Control Levers Amal Bowden Doherty

Hmmm! Another oversight then. Both my Norton's have the long brake lever and one of them must be an early "non upside down" type. I think I still need a Doherty perch for the 16H brake lever? Ron
DSCF2763
16H-344

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

Re: Control Levers Amal Bowden Doherty

Some contemporary information on twistgrips. I must admit that it surprised me as I thought that the type with 'ears' around the screw holes were Bowden as commonly found in 1" and fitted to Matchless.

Period-16-H-Big-4-period-publications-928



Period-16-H-Big-4-period-publications-929

Re: Control Levers Amal Bowden Doherty

Rik they've definitely got the captions arse about face there! The Bowden twistgrip has a sort of keyhole for the nipple, which you can just about make out on the right one.
twistgrips




Up to now I've fitted six of those bloody awkward internal pull twist grips. On the last one I did a 6 step picture tutorial if anyone wants to see them all.

God help anyone on a cold dark rainy night, trying to change one at the roadside. Ron
DSCF2616
DSCF2621


email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

Re: Control Levers Amal Bowden Doherty

Gents,

Norton contract S5161 machines were definitly delivered with the standardized 7/8th inch handlebars and the fittings as defined in the universal parts exploded view. Spareparts lists names the same part numbers and I have seen some fairly original/unmolested machines from this contract which confirmed the parts.

cheers

Rob

email (option): wd16h@telfort.nl

Re: Control Levers Amal Bowden Doherty

Ron, Apparently 'Fake News' isn't new then ? What a relief, as it turned my understanding on its head.

Cables puzzle me. WD Norton cables were supplied less one nipple. This is really not a problem for me in my heated workshop with electric soldering iron but what the hell did they do if one broke in use ? I carry spare cables on any bike, and I've had a few let-go over the years but I've never needed to shorten and fit alternative links to chains...and yet most WD bikes carried chain spare parts for both primary and final drives. I reckon that a spare tube would have been handy in action too. "Don't shoot, Fritz, the rubber adhesive isn't tacky yet !"

Rob, Do you know if any 7/8" contracts had Doherty controls ? I've definitely seen the levers.


Re: Control Levers Amal Bowden Doherty

Rik,

Handlebar controls for S5161 are designated with LV7/BC/xx-xxx numbers indicating BSA source.
They are Doherty but look like AMAL with the nobly end on the air and ignition levers.
Central domed round head screw with slot and Dohert marking.

cheers,

Rob

email (option): wd16h@telfort.nl

Re: Control Levers Amal Bowden Doherty

Rob, they continued to use the Doherty pressed steel pivots too, didn't they ? The odd thing is that I'm sure I've handled 7/8" top levers styled like second pattern Doherty.

C5485091-b


Re: Control Levers Amal Bowden Doherty

Rik,

The bike did indeed still have the folded lever to handlebar bracket as well as the folded handles.
I did however also have the "normal" shape Norton exhaust valve lifter handle and the standard Norton applied twist grip.
Spare parts are replacement parts so the machines may have left the factory slightly different but apparently Doherty was also making parts fitting as LV7 items??

email (option): wd16h@telfort.nl

Re: Control Levers Amal Bowden Doherty

Rob, that sounds logical. Did the Amal style Dohertys have Doherty friction internals ? I'm just sure that I've picked up 2nd patern Dohertys and done the test that Les at Russells taught me of sticking my thumb in and finding that they had 7/8" clamps.

Re: Control Levers Amal Bowden Doherty

This one on ebay if its all original seems to be Doherty, Mazak, 7/8", non hex slotted centre nut and Amal style ball ended, is it correct for the last 16H contract?

Rob

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/265965919357

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

Re: Control Levers Amal Bowden Doherty

Good call, Rob. I wonder if the seller could be persuaded to remove the top cap and photograph the friction mechanism ? If not, should we have a whip round ?

Re: Control Levers Amal Bowden Doherty

Here is a chromed alloy/Mazak? top.

"AMAL" on top, under side the correct part number 12-031 and BS Kitemark, MC LD would be the foundry.

So is this late war or post war, how long did they carry on with this style of choke lever?

Rob

Image49

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

Re: Control Levers Amal Bowden Doherty

Heres a BSA lever (LV7-BC) I hadn't seen before in post war chrome, made by Amal but without "AMAL" on the clamp.

Rob

Picture-147

Picture-148

Picture-149

Picture-150

Picture-151

Picture-152

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

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