On reflection, the Yanks drive on the right, so wouldn't the US spec forks have the fork spindle inclined so as to have a tendency to turn left to counteract the camber? My bike has the fork spindle inclined to have a tendency to turn right!

The plot thickens, but the forks might well be the issue on my bike.

Here's my machine, now fitted with Spitfire alloy tank as the original Hornet tank was sadly destroyed by modern ethanol fuel, despite having an epoxy liner.

Reckon you could be on to something there JulianS.

Although I could find no sign of an 'A' on the fork leg bracket, I have just placed a digital box level on the flat part underneath the top yoke and adjusted the forks so that the level reads zero degrees, then moved the level to the fork spindle and it shows about 0.8 degrees, effectively leaning the front wheel so that it would have a natural tendency to turn right! Hopefully that is the issue rather than the frame itself.

Hard to comprehend that this is what the factory did, but it would account for the symptoms I have experienced.

I also have an A10 based Tribsa (which handles impeccably) and I think the A10 forks are probably interchangeable with the A65. They certainly look the same. If I do a fork swop I'll know for sure if the problem lies with the US-spec A65 forks or with the frame.

Just checked the details of my A65 Spitfire Hornet. The frame is actually a Lightning (despatched to US West Coast October 1965),  paired with Hornet running gear and Hornet engine (despatched to US West Coast January 1966). It's something of a BSA soup. That said, the Hornet and Lightning frames were identical for the 1966 model year as far as I can tell.

As for getting the wheels in line, I've checked and that's not a problem. Also, the rear wheel seems to be dead in line with the spine of the frame. I would send pics showing the string lines but can't seem to upload them.

With the rear wheel dead upright, the front wheel is at a slight angle, so effectively leaning to the right. That would explain the tendency to turn right.

I have also found that the front wheel is laced slightly to the left of centre (about 4.5mm), so there is a 9mm difference in the gap between the rim and each fork leg. I can't see this making much difference to the way the bike handles, but the front wheel's inclination to the right is concerning. This would point to a misaligned frame at the steering head. 

The bike is a US spec 1965 Spitfire Hornet with a single-sided front brake.

Thanks for the replies. I've looked at Seastar but that's still a 6 hour drive each way, and Saddleworth don't do frame straightening any more. However, I've been told about a dealer in North Yorkshire (John Warrington Motorcycles) that has a Motoliner jig, and that's only 100 miles south, so I'll give them a call to find out if they can help.

I might well end up going to Maidstone Motoliner but it's a 730 mile round trip to deliver the bike then another 730 mile round trip to collect it. That's a big spend on fuel and on trailer hire. Abba in Essex is a bit closer, but still a heck of a long way.

That's why I would really like to find someone further north with a Motoliner frame jig and the expertise to use it.

Unfortunately, you can't just post off the frame because they would need the engine, swinging arm and rear wheel installed.

I agree that fitting a replacement frame of unknown heritage is not the way to go.

I have an A65 which appears to be slightly twisted at the steering head. With the rear wheel vertical, the front wheel heels slightly to the right. The variance top to bottom is about 14mm at the rim.

Forks, swinging arm, and the main part of the frame check out okay with my crude assessment using spirit levels and string lines, but suspicion lies with the steering head, which does have evidence of having had a knock just below the steering head at some point in its life. There's just a small mark on the frame, but it's there.

At very low speed the bike feels as if it wants to turn right. At higher speed, riding hands off the bars, the rider has to shift his weight well over to the right in order to keep the bike going straight.

Obviously, I need to get the frame geometry checked and corrected.

Any recommendations as to where I could get this done? I've heard good reports of Maidstone Motoliner and Abba, but they are both in the south east. That's a long way from the Northumberland border where I live! There must surely be somewhere in the northeast where I can get my frame jigged and corrected, but I've drawn a blank so far.

I guess the alternative is to try to source a good replacement A65 frame. Anyone got one going spare?

I know this is an old post, but still relevent for people who search for A65 kick back issues.

I had the same problem and the cause is the Electrex self-generating ignition. It's quite dangerous as the system is set at  full advance unless the rotor is spinning at a certain rotational speed. Problem is, that rotational speed is not achieved when kicking over a high compression Spitfire engine, so you are effectively kicking the engine over at full ignition advance, hence the ankle-breaking kickback.

Like the OP, I checked everything ignition and fuel related until I discovered the problem. It's the same with big Norton twins, probably Triumphs too.

The only answer is to junk the Electrex World system as it is not fit for purpose on these bikes.

With my Hornet I switched to a small and light 6.5ah12v positive earth gel battery in conjunction with a Wassell VAPE electronic ignition and it starts easily every time with no risk of a kickback. The 6.5ah battery is probably okay for a long day out as a total loss system but I also fitted an alternator as I wanted to add a lighting system.

Decided to give up on the Electrex World batteryless system. Checked everything and still no improvement.  Fitted VAPE (distributed by Wassell) ignition with a battery and it works a treat. First or second kick starting and it never kicks back. Result!

Now that I know that it all works properly, the next step is to fit a Lucas type alternator and a reg/rec to provide a charging current for the battery.

Thanks for the replies.

I'll do a few more checks before making any major changes. Some research on various forums indicates that some electronic ignition systems produce kick back symptoms depending on whether resistor type plugs and/or plug caps are employed. Seems strange, but worth investigating further. Just ordered some resistor type spark plugs to see if that helps.

My recently acquired 1966 A65 Hornet has Electrex World STK 012D self-generating ignition and I've come to the conclusion that this ignition system is not fit for purpose.

The issue is starting. It takes many kicks to start it, during which time it will either do nothing, or will kick back with such ferocity that a broken ankle will soon be a reality. Either that or a smashed up kneecap from my knee hitting the handlebar when it violently kicks back.

However, once started, it runs fine and ticks over nicely. The ignition timing has been checked and is spot on, and the carbs seem to be fine too.

The issue appears to be that the Electrex World STK 012D will only produce a spark from 300rpm. Anything less results in a very weak spark or none at all. Kicking it over hard with the plugs removed shows nothing more than a very weak yellow spark. Is it even possible to kick a 10.5:1 Hornet engine over at 300rpm?

So, with no desire for serious personal injury, I'm looking to fit an alternative system that actually works.

I'm thinking about converting to a battery 12V system, either with a Lucas alternator or total loss, and using VAPE, Pazon or Boyer electronic ignition. The bike doesn't have lights but will be used on the road.

Any recommendations?

If it's a plastic decal rather than a water-slide transfer, you should be okay leaving it without lacquer, although the colours  may eventually fade from exposure to sunlight. However, you should apply some sort of clear coating over a water-slide, varnish-fix or spirit-fix transfer or it will not last very long as it is easily damaged and will certainly be attacked by modern fuels.

The problem with a lacquer coat is that the solvents in many acrylic or cellulose lacquers may attack the transfer and destroy it. So before applying anything, contact the maker of the transfer to see what they recommend.

Regular spirit based or water-based varnish is almost always safe with any type of transfers, but this protective coating itself can still be damaged if in contact with modern fuel with its evil ethanol constituent. Even acrylics and the like can be ruined by fuel, so whatever you use, make sure any petrol spillages are immediately wiped off.

When applying varnish or lacquer over a transfer, I have found it a good idea to warm up the area to be coated and, if using an aerosol, to warm that up too. This means that the solvents evaporate quickly so are less likely to lift or attack the paint or dye in the transfer itself. If it is a water-slide type transfer, leave it overnight in a warm place before applying any coating to ensure that all moisture has evaporated. Failure to do this may result in the lacquer/varnish coat drying with a milky coloured film, instead of clear.

Hope this helps.