My new to me 1963 Golden Flash

[Mikey82]

I attach pics as promised of my recently purchased 1963 BSA Golden Flash
Rebuilt totally in 1985 and covered in shed until now.
I need to register via the owners club ( I am a member )as there is no V5 but there is a reg plate so sadly probably will be have to have an age related plate, as there is no more info on the bike.
My first bike with a steering damper so need to know how this works?
Ordered battery, need to replace oil clean carb and check bike through before trying to start.
Will keep you informed of progress and Thankyou all in advance for the help I will need.
Mike

[neil1964]

Looks quite tidy.
Only thing I would add is don't forget your tyres.  If truly standing 40years I would only trust wheeling them in and out of garage!
I like Avon Roadriders (Speedmasters look right on these too) but you can get budget tyres at half their price if you only do occasional potter around.

[DAVE BRADY]

Hi,

Ditto the tyres but maybe not cheap ones.

The steering damper is there to add a little bit of friction to the steering so that it is not too light.
Usually for solo use just enough for the friction disc to be held is enough but it may be needed to be tightened a bit more when a passenger and/or luggage is carried.  If a sidecar is fitted then quite a bit more resistance is needed.
If you put the bike on the main stand and with the front wheel off the ground slacken the damper off completely.  Check that the head bearings do not need adjusting.  If they do then do that first.
Turn the bars from lock to lock and they should feel completely free. Now gradually turn the damper knob clockwise until some resistance is felt.  The bars should still go from lock to lock smoothly with no tendency to stay in one place. Now ease the knob back a bit until no resistance is felt but the friction disc is held in place.
The final adjustment can be quite personal and as you get to know your bike you may feel that the damper needs adjusting accordingly.

Dave.

[Mikey82]

Brilliant Thankyou for your advise....

I have drained old oil and when removing the bottom plate with filter I can't feel a ball bearing in the pipe the protrudes from the underneath....
I've poked a small thin wire up through the pipe but no ball bearing any ideas?

[DAVE BRADY]

Hi,

The ball does not have a spring but just relies on gravity so it will offer no resistance when poked with a wire and if I remember correctly it is possible for a wire to pass the ball as it goes up the pipe.
Perhaps try and have a look with a mirror.

Dave.

[Mikey82]

Brill Thanks Dave mirror worked there is a ball in the pipe 👍

[Mikey82]

The bike has a mag/dynamo combination so I should get a spark without a battery with the spark plug touching the cylinder head when kicking over but I don't.
The points are new and I will double check opening and closing and I'm going to replace ht leads
I will check timing too
Is there any other test I can do before sending mag off for refurb ?

[V500]

It's shame you've been kicking the bike over, as ideally before kicking the oil pump needs removing and checking as they tend to seize after a while, especially if left sitting in old oil.

[rhyatt]

Unscrew the plug cap and wedge the end of the ht lead in between 2 fins , get a 3/16" gap or so , then good kick to check spark.
If points are new , did you clean the 2 contact faces before installing.
Points gap .012"

[JulianS]

If the points assembly is the later steel backplate type make sure that the spring is not touching the cam ring, which would prevent sparking.

[DAVE BRADY]

Hi,

It is also worth checking that the carbon brushes in the are not stuck and that the contact area of the rotor is clean.

Dave.

[Mikey82]

Thankyou again
Will I need to remove the magneto to check these points?
I've ordered a mag pinion puller just in case

[JulianS]

Just remove the points cover and have a look. You don't need a mag puller to check the points.

[JulianS]

This is what the points look like if the steel type fitted from around 1959. The fixing bolt has a 4BA head and 3BA thread.