I have been looking at adverts for exhausts for Bantams. The adverts talk about small bore ? I have a 1963 D7, what size would it have if it was standard. Thanks.

I collect my D7 tomorrow and will insure it straight away. If I take the new style V5 and complete Section 6 New Keeper, will the DVLA Post Office be able to deal with immediate road tax ( free ) and MOT Exempt and send the V5 off to register it in my name ? OR will I have to register the bike by post first. Thanks.

 This morning I completed the wiring on the Boyer and Dual Spark Coil. Grounded both plugs and got a really good spark. Filled up the fuel tank, tickled the new Amal and kicked it over. Had a strange noise from the head area, it sounded like a dogs squeaky toy expelling. This would seem to be the rocker cover gasket not sealing, this acted like a reed and caused the squeak as the back pressure built up inside the rocker cover. Anyway the old girl fired up and sounded really strong, very good oil return. Just needs fine tuning I hope. No smoke or rattles. Not bad as it has not run in around ten years. Just need to sort out the mysterious rocker cover stud problems which is subject of another ongoing thread. Thanks for all the wise advice of late. Colin.

Hopefully I will be a bigger pest on the Bantam D7 section in a few weeks

Stuck an old Bandit battery on the OIF 1972. So far  New Lucas Loom. New handlebar switches left and right, New flasher unit. New Lucas Ignition Switch.

Ignition on,
 I have an oil warning light, I also have a front and back parking light. Fitted a new Lucas flasher unit and I also have indicators working fine, when they flash the front parking pilot light also flashes.
Brake lights OK. I have power to Boyer.

Ignition and lights on.
Rear light OK, pilot OK, no headlights, brake lights both ok. Power to Boyer.

I am working from the BSA A65 ( 1971-1972 ) wiring diagram. G21

I found this too small to concentrate on with my old eyes, fortunately my daughter has blown up the diagram on a good copier. Which makes life easier.

Questions. Should parking lights be on all the time with ignition on ? What does switch listed as 11 actually do please, it is shown as being connected to a blue wire which goes to switch 15.

Electrics obviously not me strongest point. Thanks.

During my restoration of my box of bits A65 Thunderbolt, I was on ebay every day buying anything that fitted. I purchased a NOS sump guard because it was the right price and it is shown on Draganfly's parts list. It did not fit as the lower engine mount was about 2" out from the two rear lugs.

I have just seen an identical second hand sump guard on ebay listed for the OIF A65 for £79.99 by Vale Onslow Motorcycles. I sent them a message just to clear up the issue. They did not reply but have removed the listing.

I started looking at Firebird pictures on advert and some look like the lower engine mounting lug is further back. It could be the angle that the pictures were taken but the frame is possibly different on the scrambler ?

I revisited Dragonfly's parts list and the guard 83-3136 is no longer available but is listed as being only for the Firebird OIF.

I did a google search and British Bike Bits Parts list a sump guard 83-3136G that will fit a standard OIF A65. It is nothing like the ebay one I saw and nothing like mine.

If the Firebird frame is different someone could come unstuck if they buy a second hand frame for a rebuild of a standard OIF. If it is the same frame, Vale Onslow and myself have sump guards that don't fit. Can anyone clear this up please.

My Thunderbolt is rewired, new cables all round. I have looked at many pretty photos of this model and wonder where all these cables are hiding. Behind the head-stock are many wires from the two handlebar switches, headlamp loom and main loom. Squeezed in there is a hooter, a choke and throttle cable, clutch cable and a breather pipe. Is there a definitive plan or has anyone got some decent photos of the section with the tank off. I have seen many variations of the front brake cable routing, the right way can only be the right way. Likewise speedo and rev-counter correct routing please. Appreciate the help.

It is getting close to that time that I hope to fire up my A65 total restoration, bought the engine oil today and will fit all the new oil pipes tomorrow. I will put half a pint of oil down the push rod tubes and hand crank it over to get it circulating. It crossed my mind that I have not considered what fuel or lead supplements I should use. Although my engine is low mileage I don't want to spoil all the hard work and money I have thrown at it. I ran my A10 on basic green fuel till I sold it and never had any short term problems. Any advice would be useful, thanks.