Keighley Gate Trial 08 05 11

Back out on the bike after my ‘holiday in the Highlands’ and up onto the edge of Ilkley Moor within sight of the radio masts and the ’Keighley Gate’ for the latest round of Yorkshire Classics championship for pre unit and rigid bikes.
Thankfully they welcome other pre 65 classes to run ‘non competitively’ giving other bikes a decent ride out. These trials are now established with sections been deliberately eased in recent months; the result is that a great many big old bikes are now been pulled from the backs of barns, out from under dust sheets and creatively restored making for a days sport and  a  good craic.

The camera has been out and I’ve uploaded two sections to start with ( it’s a lengthy process..) but more will follow so check back.

Sections 1 and 2  section 6

on youtube  section 8  section 10 

the video is shot in 1080hd so on you tube you can ramp up the picture quality and there is a visible difference, however if your PC/ laptop is not up to it your video will be jerky in which case sacrifice quality for smooooothness
one of the learnings from this weekends video is to line the camera up in the back of the van before setting off. in the last installment from the Poachers bag it clearly showed much of the bfront of the bike during the sections this weeek though the camera is a little high but normal service will be restored next week

Bike work this week consisted trying to rid the bike of the ‘pogo’ effect at the front end which I suspect was down to too much  or too thick an oil, certainly full movement was not available and there was a degree of ‘stiction ‘ before the legs started moving. In comparison to the Beta they were along way off so using Italys finest as my benchmark .. Again I started off by dropping the oil from the forks via the bleed screws at the bottom of each leg and refilling with clean 10w oil.

I suspect having now examined it, that the previous oil was a fair bit thicker and certainly dirtier but the new  went in easily enough  ( 250 ml in each leg although I suspect that 300ml might be nearer the mark) with the handlebars and controls off to gain access to the top of the fork legs, I swapped the Renthal bars for another set but with approx 1 inch lower rise. This would bring the thing more to the set up of my Beta rev3.

 With the job completed riding up and down the drive, the forks seemed much better with a ’full’ travel and  smooth easy action. The riding position was good and the new bars are a little narrower ( about 40mm all in.) They came originally from a Tiger Cub which reputably was kept in the cellar of a pub and the bars were cut so the bike could get through the door and down the narrow stairs..

This weekend also saw the first outing for the tank post its lining with Wyldes tank sealer. I’d used this product some time ago on other bikes and at that time it was a rubber y, white substance now after a week of curing it is transparent and very hard.
Hopefully this will serve two purposes, keep the tank clean inside and keep the fine rust particles that were repaetedly blocking the carb at bay.
A deep clean clean of the carb everything stripped off and on the desk top,  check the plastic float for leaks and  cleaned out all air and fuel ways with directed compressed air before re assembly, add new pipe and another new filter and it ran perfectly straight away and all day.. Has the problem been solved , fingers crossed only time will tell.

Next weekend sees two trials and yet the FB will be languishing at the back of the shed for at least one and probably both as alternative mounts are scheduled.   Having been to Kinlochleven for the pre65 trial my fancy was tickled to build/ restore ( euphanism for spend more money) a rigid Francis Barnett. They were reputed in the mid fifties to be the finest rigid ‘tiddler’ having the benefit of light weight the four speed box and importantly enough room for a 4.00 tyre as standard. Following the well documented efforts of Steve Rayner and his Tandon I’ve started accumulating bits and pieces already.. Only got a year to complete it so I should hust about make it!