Cub Mag and Blog

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Today's favourite tune!

 Just love this:

Engineering made simple

Need an excuse to go for a ride?

Check out the Bridge Club:

http://thebridgeclub2011.blogspot.com/

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Batavus HS50 - seat renovation part 1

I posted some pictures of the Batavus project a while ago and it was clear that the seat needed some attention, the cover being held together by lots of conspicuous re-stitching in now-rotting thread and bits of black sticky tape.

I've never restored anything before, just bits and pieces of things so I'm still unsure how far I'll go with this one.  I think I'd like to do a reasonable job over time but I'm not aiming for an over shiny and perfect finished article.  I really prefer things to look their age ('cept me!). What I have decided is that I want to do it at no cost at all.  Now this clearly isn't realistic unless I go out robbing things so I've decided that if need to buy anything for it (which I certainly will need to do) I have to fund it by selling things, mainly on ebay I expect.  Wherever possible, I'll use things I already have.

So far, I've paid £80 for the moped and £26 for some engine spares.  I'm allowing myself the original cost and I already had a balance in my PayPal account from selling some biking gear to pay for the engine spares.  Today, an item I was selling on ebay went for £68 (I'd been expecting about £40 so this was a good result).  I placed an advert on the local Freecycle about a week ago to see if anyone had any vinyl offcuts to cover the seat with.  I didn't get any vinyl but I did get a helpful email pointing me in the direction of Dunelm, so today I splashed out and ordered a sheet of black leatherette/vinyl with which to re-cover the seat.  That's £10 spent, including delivery.  I could have paid £2 extra for next day delivery but, tempting though that was to an impatient sort of person such as I, I opted for the economy 5-7 days delivery in the interests of being frugal.

This afternoon, I started to carefully take the seat apart, in readiness for the arrival of nice, new vinyl.  I haven't seen a seat constructed quite like this before.  There is a metal framework for the base, with seat springs.  Over that is a rubber covering, made from four pieces of rubber stitched together.  The rubber is fairly thick and holds it's shape when not fitted to the metal base but a lot of the stitching is rotten and most of it will need re-stitching.  A thin layer of foam is glued to the top and back of the rubber layer and then the vinyl seat cover is fitted over the top.  This is made from three pieces of vinyl stitched together.  There are three holes drilled in each side of the metal frame and once the vinyl cover is in place, with the edges folded up inside the base, three tiny bolts each side go through the vinyl cover, then the rubber layer, then the metal seat base and then through the vinyl cover again before being secured with a washer and nut.  Some of the original bolt heads sheared off when I tried to unfasten them, then the nuts had to be hacksawed off the inside of the seat - lots of rust!

Once the vinyl cover was removed, I was able to pull the rubber cover away from the frame and then start very gently prising the foam away from the rubber cover.  It was glued in place but I wanted to keep it in one piece so I can use it as a pattern for the new foam (I will probably use an old camping mat for that).  The pictures below show what I am left with.

The metal base will need a lot of work with a wire brush, then some rust treatment and some black paint.

The rubber cover needs restitching.  Because it is quite thick and some of the old thread is stuck in the holes I will probably need to go round it all with a needle making sure all the original holes are clear before I do the actual stitching.   I plan to use clear, plastic thread for this so that it won't rot.

I will then stick foam to the rubber cover.  Because I'll be using camping mat it will probably need more trimming and shaping at the edges than the original foam, which is a lot softer.

When I make the vinyl cover I will probably try and save the middle panel from the original as this has the ribbed pattern and the Batavus logo on the seat hump.  It's had a hard life and there are several splits in it so I'm thinking I'll glue it to a piece of the new vinyl before stitching it all together - this should give it more strength and some degree of waterproofness! Using part of the original should also mean it doesn't end up looking too Brand New - I don't want to have to make the rest of the bike too perfect just so it matches the seat!

The original seat foam.  I didn't do too bad a job of removing it - it will serve it's purpose as a template for the new foam.

The inside of the vinyl cover, showing the numerous repairs it has undergone.

The "Batavus" name on the seat hump and a bit of the ribbed effect I want to keep on the finished seat cover.

Rough looking vinyl seat cover

The rubber seat cover, showing just one of the places where the stitching has completely rotted.

Inside the rubber seat cover.

..and this is the metal base and springs.  It must have been a fairly plush seat for a moped.  Lots of work needed with the wire brush though.

More Batavuses / Batavi (?)

Batavus Bilonet 1959 - does anyone else think it looks a little like a BSA Beagle? Does anyone else care what a BSA Beagle looks like?

Batavus Whippet 1963

Batavus Whippet 1963

Thanks to Bodger for posting this piccie via Facebook.

More piccies on this link

Chinese Norton Skywing Honda Camino Amalgamation

Earlier this year, some brave/foolhardy souls from the Real Classic message board decided that it would be a good idea to take part in a John O'Groats to Lands End moped challenge to raise money for the Help for Heroes charity.  They chose to attempt this on a Chinese Skywing moped, that became a Norton thanks to the addition of some genuine Norton footpegs and some badges. Sadly, the brave little mopeddy died a death after little more than 300 miles and ended up in my Home for Distressed Mopeds.  The original plan was that I should just store it until MadMike collected it and took it for scrap but that seemed like a waste so I ended up with the log book and moped in the hope that some way of fixing it could be found.

We did some research and found that it was some sort of copy of a Honda Camino so I've been keeping my eye out for a bargain Camino ever since.  It had to be very cheap just in case it didn't fit! Last weekend we collected a low mileage complete Honda Camino won for just £56 on ebay - I think the low price was helped by the fact that the auction ended at 8.00. bright and early on a Sunday morning. I was in two minds whether or not to get out of bed to bid but I'm glad I did!

This weekend, while I was tatting around with Bertie, The Boss was playing with the Honda Camino and soon had it running so it was time to try and fit the working bits into the Skywing.  First attempt was to fit the complete engine and back wheel in but the main problem there was that the wiring didn't match up.  The next plan was to just fit the Honda head, barrel and piston to the Skywing - this meant that we still had the newer wheel from the Skywing.  I'm making it sound quite easy but that's because The Boss did most of the work.  I was on engine cleaning duties. After connecting electrics, fuel pipe and cables the Skywing Norton Chamino hybrid was soon running and even got taken for a bit of a run up the road.

The Camino had pedals whereas the Skywing was a kick start.  The "finished" Chamino retains the kickpart but there are no footpegs - apparently it didn't come with them, there is just a sort of plastic footplate but that doesn't really feel as if it is in the right place (you feel a bit of a twat riding it like that). Also the splines on the kickstart look pretty shoddy so I'm not sure how long they'll last.  Longer term, we (as in The Boss) may transfer over the pedals and pedal starting gubbins instead of the kick start.

The donor Camino

 I've noticed that you can get Honda Camino big-bore kits on ebay so, longer term, the donor bike may get fixed up, registered and sold on.  Seems a shame to waste it!

Pete Sykes Mad Moped piccies

Batavus Update

Yesterday, I put the cleaned carb back together and then re-fitted it to Bertie.  The fuel tap had been soaking in petrol so I refitted that as well, filled the petrol tank with a 50:1 ish mix of petrol and two stroke oil, then refitted the petrol tank.  A bit of pedalling later and he was running.  He stays running for longer than he did before but still isn't quite right.  To be fair, the exhaust system is missing so I just cobbled on a knackered Ariel 3 one.  I can't take him for a test ride because the Ariel 3 downpipe stops the front wheel from turning and the tyres (which look as if they are the original ones) almost certainly won't hold any air!  I'm going to be funding his "restoration" entirely from funds raised by selling stuff on ebay so my next step is to raise enough money to buy some nice new tyres and tubes.



It seems to be a good way of shifting rust from an Ariel 3 exhaust!

RIP Amy

Kitten vs Apples

Batavus Bits

Batavus Caveman - you can even buy hatpins with him on!

Magazine review of the HS50 - this is the model I've got.

Batavus Whippet - build your own.

Are flares practical moped-wear?

The former Laura Anker factory where they made the engines both for Batavus mopeds and for Ariel 3s.

Another view of the Laura Anker factory in Eygelshoven.

Batavus HS50 on the right (they were all red, apparently).  I'd guess the yellow one is a Batavus Go-Go but I'll have to do more research.

Batavus Conforte - build your own.

Batavus Clutch

Batavus Reading

Thanks to Kawa for the following links:

Batavus HS50 manual

Batavus Service and Repair Manual

I like this bit:

Bertie Batavus

I've already mentioned the Batavus moped I bought while at Uttoxeter so here are a couple of pictures of him.

Ariel 3 engine removal

While at Uttoxeter, I acquired a Batavus HS50 moped, having somehow justified the purchase on the basis that the Batavus was running and had the same Laura Anker engine as the Ariel 3s.

Now, Bertie Batavus has missing engine covers and he's having to live out in the rain at the moment so I thought I'd borrow covers from one of the Ariel 3s.  The Ariel 3 engine I bought on ebay came without covers so that was no help.  Next possibility was the snot green Ariel 3 that apparently used to live in a hedge.

To access the engine bolts, the yellow chain case cover needed to be removed.

Note the BSA rubber bung proudly advertising the name of the manufacturer.  Bear in mind it would have been completely hidden by the engine enclosure almost all of the time!

 It looks fairly clean inside the chain case, quite unlike everything else.  Engine bolt is accessed just behind the top run of the chain but there is enough slack to not have to remove the chain:

With the two engine bolts removed, the engine lifted out easily, leaving the layshaft, drive chain and inner chain cover in place.  They drop down without the engine bolts to hold them in place:

The engine

 

Engine bolts were replaced to keep the chain case and layshaft in position.  The tall nut on the left hand side is apparently the belt drive adjuster but I haven't really worked out yet how it works - not helped by the distinct lack of belt, I suppose.

Behind the plastic flywheel cover.

Dead bodies

Plastic cover just needs a clean and it is ready to fit to Bertie Batavus.

The flywheel cover fits directly on to the Batavus engine.  There are supposed to be some sort of spring clips to hold them on but those were missing, of course.  That probably explains why the covers are missing on a lot of the other Batavus images I've found on 'tinternet. I'd been hoping there would be a cover for the clutch as well but I'd forgotten that the Ariel 3 has a fan fitted on that side that means there is nowhere for a clutch cover.  However, the flywheel cover also fits where the clutch cover should be so I need to check if there is one in with the original blue Ariel 3 so it can be loaned to Bertie and help keep him protected from the rain.

The idea is to get the Batavus all sorted and running properly and reliably (and road legal so I can use it on NACC runs), then use the running engine as a reference for when I try and put an Ariel 3 together.

Festival of 1000 Bikes

Piccies to follow

Uttoxeter Show 1st-3rd July 2011

A week before the show, I was surprised to receive a phone call telling me that my TriBSA was being allowed on the BSAOC stand.  I'll admit I've regularly been nagging for it to be allowed on the stand but I didn't really expect a result!

I was working all day Friday so Gus drove over to Uttoxeter with the TriBSA in the trailer, got the bike in it's rightful place as a Show Bike Trailer Queen (ha ha!!), got the tent put up and then drove home to fetch me (I hadn't just been wasting my time working, I'd managed to fit in getting Horatio, no 2 XL185, MOT'd!).  In spite of both being Very Tired (Gus has been working nights so had been awake for more than 24 hours and I'm nearly always tired), we managed to stay up enjoying ourselves until a reasonable hour.

Saturday was bright, sunny and hot; there were more showers available than in previous years and the water was hot; the racecourse cafe were able to provide delicious bacon butties; there were lots and lots of shiny and not so shiny bikes to look at and lots of people to meet and chat too.  It didn't seem as busy as in previous years but, as a "punter", that felt like a good thing - more room to move around and look at things and most people on the stands had time for a bit of chat and banter.  Everything you need for an enjoyable day, really.  The organisers provided a band in the bar each evening and lovely Uncle Jim Reynolds was an entertaining Compere during the day. What more could you want?  Oh yes, free weekend tickets for sticking my bike in the show for a couple of days!!

Gus pointed out the Batavus moped for sale - it has the same engine as in the Ariel 3.  But this one was running! I resisted the temptation. Until Sunday afternoon anyway.  The Batavus moped came home with us but, unusually, I had haggled - so successfully that I felt I could have got away with being less generous. Still, it was a good result by my standards!

Here are the pictures:

http://www.flickr.com//photos/bsanorthstaffs/sets/72157627114033460/show/

You'd think I'd have learned by now but I got horribly sunburned again on Sunday (I used the factor 50 on Saturday but sort of forgot until too late on Sunday), to the extent that I had to come home early from work today because I felt so ill.  I feel I need a nice lacy parasol to protect my delicate skin in future!

Eddie Kidd's Marathon Success

Well done Eddie!

BBC news

Thinking of Pooh!

It's a year since Cliff's funeral (Pooh on the Classic Bike Forum).

This is for you, Pooh.  It's a pleasure to have known you.

Kittens on motorcycles

Eddie Kidd's Marathon

This is heroic, what a man!

Eddie Kidd's biggest leap of faith

You can support his fund raising efforts here:

Eddie Kidd website

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

While at the Thundersprint the other weekend, I started reading Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's "The White Company" over breakfast in the hotel.  Afterwards I sort of wished I'd nicked it so I could finish reading it but that would have been a bit naughty really.  Today I'm very happy to have found the following website, which has all sorts of classic books available to read on-line, including The White Company.

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Plenty there to keep me quiet :-)

Pink Kittens

Pink kitten story - click here

1960 B33

Is yours like this, Larry?

BSA 6 spring clutch

I'll soon be re-assembling the clutch on the B31 so I'm looking for any useful information to help me with it.  All I have at the moment is the exploded diagram in the parts book so I don't have any info about tolerances or how tightly things need to fit together etc.

I've found some useful advice here:

Clutch assembly

Clutch set up

Clutch plate adjustment

BSA Service Sheet 308

Tips for oil tightness

More Googling needed!

If anyone has any more info/diagrams/instructions I would be most grateful!

Magenta!

I've pinched this piccie from Bob on the Real Classic message board - must be one of the best bike colours ever.  And I thought it would look just right on my Pink Blog!

Another Ariel 3 (not mine!)

I'm most disappointed to discover that someone has beaten me to it - I'd been thinking of building a trailer out of the back end of an Ariel 3 and now I find it has already been done!  This one is for sale on ebay at the moment:

How cool and groovy is that?!?

I was also delighted to see this press cutting that the seller has included with the ebay listing:

Thundersprint

The Thundersprint in Northwich is an event I've wanted to get to for years but never quite got round to it.  We headed up there on the morning of Saturday 7th May and were glad to be in the car as there was torrential rain most of the way and very poor visibility on the motorway (although plenty of people still too stupid to use their headlights).  We started off in town to have a look around the static display before heading to the hotel where we were spending Saturday night.  After checking in, we went back into town for another look around.  The weather had improved now and we were enjoying a mixture of sunshine and showers.  We'd planned to hit the town on Saturday evening but were both too tired (poor old things!) and stayed at the hotel to watch Dr Who instead!  There was more going on the next day, with more trade and club stands and lots more bikes.  Parts of the town centre are closed off for the Cavalcade and a variety of bikes do three laps of the circuit, watched by hundreds of people.  Later on, the Thundersprint takes place on a racetrack put together on what is usually a car park.

A fantastic weekend and I'll definitely be going again.

Thundersprint Slideshow

I'll try and upload my film of the Cavalcade later on.

Thundersprint Website

Red Marley

'Twas another sunny day for Red Marley Hill Climb.  We arrived fairly early, so there was no queuing up to get in and we spent quite some time wandering around the pits, as you can tell from the photos.  As always, a fantastic day out.  Arthur Browning regained his King of the Hill title, which was a popular result with the crowds (and me!)

Slideshow - static piccies  look out for the Cub, GBC!

Slideshow - on the hill Can you spot Editor Britton?

Slideshow - mishaps  No serious injuries, thankfully.

Stafford Show

I don't think there is very much I can say about the Stafford Show that hasn't been said before so I won't try.  Except to say how lovely the bike in the picture above is - beautifully done, built by the same bloke who built a twin-engined Triton that was featured in Classic Bike.  I would like to own this bike!

Anyway, just enjoy the piccies:

Stafford Show Easter weekend 2011