The mighty BSA (BSA-Suzuki-Allsorts) thread

[Moto63]

👍👍...good result Ian

[iansoady]

Hopefully it's now sorted out and I can get on with riding it and fettling the B-Zuki. Although I did note the (km) speedo wasn't working yesterday. The PO has kindly provided me with a mph version but getting at it looks like a bit of a hassle.

[Itsme]

Hopefully it's now sorted out and I can get on with riding it and fettling the B-Zuki. Although I did note the (km) speedo wasn't working yesterday. The PO has kindly provided me with a mph version but getting at it looks like a bit of a hassle.

But isn't that the point? We do tend to like a bit of a hassle, the mind games trying to work out a solution and then fettling in the garage to make that solution work. Otherwise we'd all be riding Hondas!

Ian

[iansoady]

Yes indeed. On another forum someone was extolling the virtues of PCP for new bikes. I did a quick check. Something like a RE Interceptor wanted about £1500 down payment, £90 or so a month for 3 years and then you either hand the bike back or pay another £4000+ to keep it. So that's costing near enough £5,000 just for having the thing!

Plus of course not having the delights(?) of tracking down these elusive faults and working out how to fix them. Sometimes preferable to riding......

[xbally]

Yes indeed. On another forum someone was extolling the virtues of PCP for new bikes. I did a quick check. Something like a RE Interceptor wanted about £1500 down payment, £90 or so a month for 3 years and then you either hand the bike back or pay another £4000+ to keep it. So that's costing near enough £5,000 just for having the thing!

Plus of course not having the delights(?) of tracking down these elusive faults and working out how to fix them. Sometimes preferable to riding......

That's progress for you. In 1976 when I was 18 and still in the 6th Form I entered into a hire purchase agreement for my first "big bike" (a Kawasaki Z750 twin from Cradley Kawasaki)  , knowing I would shortly be getting a job : 36 monthly instalments of £36 + my 1974 Suzuki GT250L as a deposit and at the end of the agreement the bike was mine. My mother had to be guarantor but I ended up being able to buy a new GS1000 on 1st August 1978 when I had a "proper" job , paid off the balance on the Z750 and took out a bank loan of £1200 from Barclays to buy the GS which IIRC cost £1800 or thereabouts.

By then I was able to run 2 bikes and was beginning to learn the art of fixing up old bikes. At the time of the Z750 I had a 1970 Honda SS125 and by the time of the GS a 1967 C15 as second bikes.

[Ian]

Plus of course not having the delights(?) of tracking down these elusive faults and working out how to fix them. Sometimes preferable to riding......

By then I was able to run 2 bikes and was beginning to learn the art of fixing up old bikes. At the time of the Z750 I had a 1970 Honda SS125 and by the time of the GS a 1967 C15 as second bikes.

I passed my test on a Honda SS125, bought from Eddie Grimstead via Exchange and Mart in 1970 for £159/19/11d....wonderful memories of a fabulous little bike....thanks for reminding me ??

(Apologies to iansoady for ambushing his thread).

[kevberlin]

I’m continuing the thread hijack (sorry). Just to add to the historical perspective, I passed my test in 1971 and my first bike was a Lambretta 150, bought as a frame with bits in boxes, for £2.
Sorry if this is a case of one downmanship!
It was a great little machine and never gave me any trouble whatsoever, despite my pathetic efforts to make it go faster.

[iansoady]

Having finally sorted out the gear lever position so I can both get my foot over and under I had a run today and the bike is definitely growing on me. It's amazing how long some apparently trivial jobs take. I eventually realised that there was too much leverage giving too much motion on the lever compared to the actual gear actuating bit, so had to make a little extender for the lever.

 I even managed to overtake something - if only a skip lorry - and surprisingly quite like the forward footrests which give a nice relaxed riding position.

[Moto63]

Sounds like you’re making real progress with it Ian.
Glad you enjoyed your outing on it 👍