any BSA guys on here?

[CDNTX650]

asking on a few forums, figured here too.

Looking at a 71 Lightning. Not 100% original mind you. Paint is a shade darker than original, and frame is black not grey. But it was rebuilt and sludge trap douched about 14 years ago, has upgraded Voltage reg, and a boyer. it does leak oil on the bottom of engine like i knew it would. mileage since rebuild is 5000miles, no idea of original miles. Center stand mounts are worn a bit and wobbly, kickstand lug has had new weld applied by him, kickstand is new (i was told by him to never start on sidestand) It was plated last summer and ridden. Mufflers arent original, but head pipes and other chrome look to be in nice shape. all the lights etc work. The amals on it have been resleeved. All the rubber bits seem nice shape, sans tires are a bit cracked. Seat is nice. says neutral is hard to find stopped, heard the pressure plate is good to replace. Has new wheel bearings too.

he had a pretty nice 68 bonneville, and daytona and restoring a 53 thunderbird. (hence the selling of the bsa to fund the resto and was very helpful and knowledgeable)

it was cold in his storage and no battery in it, so i havent heard it run yet. but it was tarped with silica bags all around it. Going back next weekend to hear it and see it run as i helped him wheel it to his garage.


we have agreed on a price of 3500cdn. Keep in mind, these brit bikes in this part of the country are rare as hens teeth. to buy a far a nicer one here it will cost you north of 6000.

Besides crank oiling problems, what else should i be looking at? I will more than likely be going through the motor myself in the next year or two if i do buy it for my own piece of mind. Im no stranger to cases apart rebuilds on 3 xs650 motors, and one top end on a sohc honda, so the job doesnt scare me with a good manual and these here IntArNEt forums. I know, im a stickler for punishment. But, i have always wanted a trump or beezer. I want to do it now before kids come along. then i have to grow up and be sensible for a while.

 

[fredintoon]

Hi CDN,
BTDT from a Bantam to a Gold Flash, go for it!
My best advice is to sign up with the CVMG and join the South Saskatchewan Section.
There has to be a CVMG BSA owner or two just down the street from you.

 

[jefft]

Wish I had one.
TC

 

[tonyc]

Yes I have a 1963 single carb. It will sporrt a Yamaha xs 35 mm front end.

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[CDNTX650]

My one and only concern is if that bush on the timing side ofbthe crank ever needs to be done. Finding a shop in this province....time to ask cvmg

 

[CDNTX650]

Welp, im really on the fence. He said he wasnt impressed with the engine rebuild. That doesnt sit well with me. Almost 4 grand for a bike that may end up being torn down. He has only put about 1000 miles on it since rebuild...so i dunno...i really feel like a triumph bonneville, tiger or later daytona that doesnt have the bush is a better buy. Hmm. More insight?

 

[MrYeats]

changing out the main bearing to needle bearings would help and making sure the main bushing gets replaced and the oiling holes line up. Doing the sludge trap is tricky. Read up on it.
I was doing a project with a 66 Lightning motor. It fit so nicely into a xs400 frame. Even the oil tank fit with no mods. It got complicated and spendy so I sold it off and opted to stay with Yamahas. The tank is 81 xs400.

 

[CDNTX650]

Well its had the trap cleaned. That damn bushing on the timing side and the lack of machinists to do it here is really turning me off. 1000 miles since cases apart.

 

[panther49]

Hi CDNTX650:
As you may know, the 1971 BSA and Triumphs share the same frame and most bicycle parts. I owned a 1971 Triumph Tiger for many years and the most irksome thing about the bike was the front conical brake.
As a background suffice to say that I have owned over 21 motorcycles in my life and have restored many.
That notorious front brake is a piece of crap. very difficult to adjust properly and at it's best mediocre and even dangerous in performance. I tried everything, consulted others about it, in sum, forget it.
In addition, the 1971-72 models are the least desirable model years for these bikes. So spending a fortune on them is not worth it at all. Specially taking care of that crankshaft modification.
I also ran a 1970 BSA A65 Lightning for years, with a stock motor and never ever had an issue with it. Many years later I decided to do a complete restoration (Not that it needed it) and sent the crankshaft to England (SRM Engineering) for the modification.
A couple of years later, I sold the bike to buy something else.
The bike that never got sold was my 1968 Triumph Bonneville which I have owned for 38 years now.
This one has a Twin leading shoe front brake that works as good as the later disk brakes on Triumphs.
Other things that are a problem with the 71-72 bikes are, as you already know, the breakage and bending of the center stand brackets. Also some frames crack at the bottom of the oil in frame member (serious matter) and leak oil. The front fender stays crack and detach from the fender and doing anything with the carburetors is a nightmare because of the overly complicated air filter arrangement.
You do whatever you like of course, but as far as I am concerned, never again.
I would save my pennies patiently and buy something else.

 

[MrYeats]

I hear you. My preference now is to find something in running condition and go from there.

 

[CDNTX650]

Thats kinda the feeling im getting. The guy who did the engine rebuild i found out doesnt really do brit stuff.

 

[CalsXS2]

My Son has some kind of a chopper. It has an A65 motor in it. I think he may part it out. I don't know for sure though.

 

[member3480]

BSA and Triumphs are the easiest bikes I ever built. I started on Triumphs in 1968 and owned many of both. TRIUMPH NORTON BSA are very similar in build. If the price is right and it was close to me I would pick it up. The last Triumph chopper hard tail I sold went for $8500.00. British Only here in the states has everything you want for rebuilds and they even DO REBUILDS. Here on the east coast a BSA or Triumph in JUNK form go over $1000.00 and running $3000.00 to $4000. I bough a 67 Bonney two years ago and broke it up for parts and made three times the money that I bought it for. Great bike to learn on. New pistons Boyer Ignition New set of carbs and ride.
Good Luck

 

[CDNTX650]

i gathered they do seem overly hard to work with. It has all of the parts you mention DADDYG. It still leaks after cases being apart and rebuilt which doesnt sit well with me, in terms of a shop doing it ya know?

 

[member3480]

Well it depends on who rebuilt it. Most shop have this DREAM that you don't need sealent on rebuilds.... Anything OLD that comes apart has to be check good before putting it back together. I have had so many guys work for me that think because a gasket is new don't need a little help to seal. I had more than one guy build a motor and leak and have to tear it down again on his time to fix correctly. Bike motors expand and contract with heat all the time. Metal is very poor . If you do rebuild it take the time and put the cases together with nothing in them to see if cases are a perfect match. Older bike builders would mismatch cases if one was damaged and if done right NO PROBLEM if done wrong they LEAK. To me sounds like a rush job in the rebuild and just needs a go over to be 100%. Hard to find these bikes many were just junked in the 70's and 80's.
Have a great holiday
Rich

 

[CDNTX650]

yeh, definetly gonna pass it up, almost 4000 dollars for a bike. Seller says hes unhappy with the work, and a good friend of mine says the shop wasnt that great and it leaks like a sieve. pfft. ill spend an extra 1500 or so and find a nicer triumph for that. I keep asking for details on the engine tear down. "cant remember".