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Potholes and breakdowns. Wednesday afternoon 24th  April 2013.

25/4/2013

3 Comments

 
Picture
Matt adopting the default classic motorcyclist pose.
At club night the possibility of a ride out on Wednesday was briefly raised but put off due to lack of enthusiasm, we did at least agree that some unspecified person would ring around if the weather was half decent.
Well Wednesday morning did dawn with weather somewhat better than half decent, in fact it was quite pleasant. I therefore waited for the unspecified person to get in touch. As the morning drew on and it looked like no one else was going to ring I thought I had better do it. Well after breakfast anyway.
I had just sat down to breakfast when the phone rang and Trevor wanted to know if we were going out as no one had rung him. We decided that Trev would start the ball rolling by ringing some people whilst I had breakfast and we would go for an afternoon run.
Trevor, Derrick, Matt and Rod plus me met at Pure Triumph at 1:15pm.
I led four other bikes from our Wellingborough starting point west towards Salcey Forest and Bozenham Mill. I deliberately chose some of the narrowest country roads that I hadnt been on since the great freeze started several months previously. What a shocking state some of these roads are in. Gravel down the middle that presumably was once the road surface and huge wide long and deep potholes that presumably were once filled with that gravel. So bad were some of these surfaces that it was necessary to keep an eye on the road immediately in front so you could thread your way through the devastation though inevitably we occasionally dropped into these bloody dangerous chasms.
Still we enjoy this kind of thing, riding and complaining that is.
The mood changed however when we noticed tail end Charlie or Matt as he is usually known had gone missing. Retracing our route we soon came across Trevor and Matt stationary. Apparently the old (classic) Norton twin that Matt was riding stalled as he tried to skirt a giant pothole at the same time as avoiding an oncoming Transit van.
When I walked up he was cursing Amal carbs and perhaps unfairly the rest of us for kicking up dust and stones as he followed.
Just as Matt was taking the plugs out for probably the second time a car came up he lane and stopped next to us. What an amazing coincidence, more than twenty miles from home down a little used remote track/road the driver was a friend of both Derrick and Matt being one of their cycling chums. Assured that we could cope the car went on its way.
A few plug changes and a carb fiddle later we were on our way again but only briefly. Another stoppage and another fiddle was called for, Matt was by now beginning to fail to see the joy in our motorcycling adventure and decided he was heading directly home. Thus the run ended with us following Matt and then peeling off as we neared our respective homes.
Trevor later told me by telephone that he and Rod had followed Matt most of the way home seeing Derrick turn off but the Norton was going so quickly they lost him near Wellingborough.
It appears that whilst the Norton may have been having trouble at low speeds it seems there is not much wrong with its top speed and overall  performance.
I think we shall see it again soon.
John.

PS: All those participating in that run should check their wheels arent buckled and if they are we should sue the bloody council..

Pictures on the website gallery 2.

3 Comments
Matt
25/4/2013 07:57:12 pm

Sorry if I was getting a bit agitated and or if I spoilt the ride.

I managed to get home but knew at the time that if I got it started it wouldn’t idle and hence I said at the roadside that I would really needed to strip the Amal Type 76 - the worst designed Amal ever with open bottom feed slow running air feed ports and remote bottom feed fuel chamber......the price of originality!

The design is such that gravity will continue to allow the fuel to flow so if you stall it is very simple to find petrol leaking from the aforrementioned open air feed ports directly into the magneto HT pick up (see earlier report regarding Matt's Flaming Norton - Yes it's the same bike) - although hopefully I have covered that particular design problem by making up a fuel catchment tray!

Anyway back to this rides mishap....Had I known that John's "gentle meander" would have resulted in me being stuck at the behind everyone riding a 63 year old classic (the only real classic on the ride) in dust conditions which would have equalled that experienced on an arid grass racing track I would have chosen to ride a bike that at least had an air filter!

The slow running / idle jet was clearly completely blocked as were some of the bottom air feedholes and as tail end Charlie the last straw came going along Bozenham Mill track when I sucked so much of everyone else’s dust and dirt that a missed gear whilst avoiding the van and 12 " pothole caused me to stall - hence no possibility of an immediate restart - nice to see that you all eventually noticed I was no longer behind you.

As for the second forced stop further up the road I clearly lay this at John's feet, as rather than follow me he stopped at the top of the lane, with everyone else behind him flapping around wanting to turn the other way hence making me do a U turn remember without any ability to obtain low revs and in the middle of my U turn a car came round the bend and I had to stop.....and yes I did get rather agitated at that point - sorry!. After getting the bike going again some minutes later John and I only had the same breakdown in communications [we must remeber you cant hear over engine noise especially a high reving Norton Model 7 when you talk to each other whilsrt wearing full face masks] requiring me to perform a further two ballet pirrouets before deciding enough was enough and speeding off towards home,

I eventually got home safely, although possibly I would have to concede if anyone mentions speed limits, clutch was rather hot as there were a few occassions when I was unable to maintain my idling speed of 40 + mph and had to slip clutch. Bike went on bench yesterday (Thursday) morning Carb stripped grit blocking idle jet and also somewhat mysteriously water in the float chamber - none in the fuel lines so maybe sucked water in through the bottom of the carb going through some of the water filled pot holes? AND YES MY REAR WHEEL IS NO LONGER RUNNING TRUE - again it has to be my bike as it has the thinnest wheels - but at least I can attempt to true the wheel up with a spoke spanner.

Finally...................Don't get the wrong idea reading this it was a very good ride and despite getting slightly heated at one point ...............(there are times to hold back on **** taking - a clue is look for the steam coming out of the poor so and so who has broken down ear's..............), The ride was great and I look forward to the next one although preferably not another "Sand and Gravel Pit Special"

Matt

Reply
John
25/4/2013 09:51:13 pm

Matt: Not wanting to stir but:
1: You like riding at the back.
2: Surely your bike wasnt he only real classic on the run,
"Shortlegs" Honda is a classic bike by the usual definitions.
I believe its around thirty years old, or does being a small capacity
Jap bike disqualify it.
3: Where you being grumpy? how can we tell?
4: The run wasnt in anyway spoiled, it simply ended early because
of the technical difficulties encountered so dont be concerned
about that.
John

Reply
mattb31daytona
26/4/2013 08:04:17 am

Like I said it was a good ride!

I am never grumpy so surely you noticed I wasn't my normal jovial self - there again maybe I stayed extra cool after all.

Fully aware of the age of shortlegs machine after all it did come from me.....I was alsovery careful in my choice of words and if you look you will see I said "REAL CLASSIC" which of course immediately excluded the CB250N

Glad ride wasn't spoilt for anyone and I forgot to apologise for going to fast on the way home - didn't really expect to lose those behind me - just shows that my old Norton even if it won't idle still motor's - worth anybody splashing out and making me an offer I can't refuse.

Went to Cheffins viewing with Sue today and returning tomorrow so maybe next ride out will be on a different and even older Norton although Sue didn't particularly like it and suggested another Triumph or a 1949 Vincent Rapide C

matt

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