HIGH BEAMS

A tip for Frank to set the ignition timing on a Sunbeam, or any other distributor ignition bike. Set the engine at the point where the points should open. Try TDC if no other setting available, you can always advance it a bit if it feels flat. Place a transistor radio (remember them?) on the seat turned on but off any station, preferably on medium AM range. Turn on bike’s ignition and rotate the distributor towards retard, then forward. At the point the points open you will hear a click on the radio. Job done!

Anyone know if MBX 692 is still around? DVLA says it’s on SORN. Once much loved but sold over 50 years ago.

Peter J Greig, member 9313

I enjoyed Frank’s article on his Sunbeam S8. I felt I should encourage him to persevere. I have been an S8 owner for five years now and, although we have had our ups and downs, once sorted they are truly lovely motorcycles. What is more, they are probably one of the cheapest 1950s 500s you can buy. I can’t help thinking that the myth, once again propagated by Frank, that the rear drive is the Achilles heel is at fault.

This is a myth that probably stems from the 1960s and 1970s when people would put any old Hypoy gear oil in the rear drive. These old gear oils often contained additives that ate bronze components.

Both the rear drive and the gearbox on the Sunbeam have bronze components which happily dissolve in the wrong oil. Stick to the recommended oil and the drive will not fail. Or, as I do, use a modern synthetic heavy gear multigrade that does not have the troublesome additives.

Get your Sunbeam working properly and it will be oil-tight, turbine smooth, stunning to look at and comfortable. They do have their weaknesses. The front brake is weaker than normally encountered on

a bike of this vintage. The bike rides and handles beautifully on a good road, but the plunger rear end does not deal with ruts and potholes well. They are nice and easy to start either alongside or astride the bike. The gearbox is sweet and a lesson to BMW.

There is very little day-to-day maintenance required beyond an engine oil check and tyre check. The riding position is ideal, with the rider slightly canted forward and perfectly balanced between seat, hands and feet. The clutch is a little heavy, but there is a mod to make it lighter if you feel you need it. A true gentleman’s conveyance.

The Sunbeam Owners Fellowship are a really friendly crowd and you will get all the help you need on their online forum. Spares, generally, are easy to obtain either from Stewart Engineering or Martin Bratby.

So Frank, get it going and tell us what you think of it when you do!

Geoff Stovold I can reveal that the bike is once again a runner, although it does have enough woes to last me a winter sorting out, I reckon. I joined the SOF and have been picking the brains of Rob at Stewart’s, too. Not ridden it yet, however, mainly because of the 30 year-old tyres. More to come – hopefully! Frank W

I enjoyed Alan Thirsk’s article in RCL209 about fitting an electric start to his BSA Rocket 3 Mk2. I performed the same operation about five years ago, using the same kit from Les Whiston, and had exactly the same issue with removing the primary chaincase cover. I had performed this operation a few times before fitting the starter and had already come up with a modification which greatly eased this previously tedious process.

As Alan suggested, the nearside footrest and hanger is close to the outer cover and unless the entire footrest is removed, it’s impossible to get the cover off. The problem is that the actual hanger is secured to the lower rear engine plate by a bolt, inserted from the inside in a gap of about 1cm between the engine plate and the gusset on the main frame. It’s nigh-on impossible to remove this bolt due to the space available and the clutter around it. The only way to remove the assembly is to remove the three bolts. This is not too difficult but be ready to catch the three spacers which usually drop onto the floor. The left-hand exhaust downpipe and rear brake rod have to be swung out of the way, the silencer must also be removed.

The real fun starts when you attempt to put the footrest back, on completion of your endeavours. Those three spacers are essential but are a real pig to install. I achieved the task by threading very thin fuse-wire through the centre of the spacers and lowering them into position. Pass the bolt through when all are lined up and, as the nuts are tightened, the fuse wire shears off. Sounds easy but it ain’t – on a good day it would take me about an hour including some colourful language!

I mentioned this to an EX-BSA fitter and he stated that after-sales maintenance was not really of interest to BSA and the original set-up enabled fast fitting on the assembly line. The fact that later removal of the said part is a real pain was not their problem.

I modified the assembly to enable much easier removal and refitment by boring through the footrest hanger and inserting a bolt. This in turn screws into the nut which is welded to the inside of the engine plate. This enables the footrest to be removed by simply undoing the nut. The exhaust, etc, still needs to be removed but that is a fairly quick job.

The Trident MCS starter kit is great and it’s nice to know that the starter motor assembly is actually made in England (Dudley in fact!). I contacted Les at MCS when I received the kit as I was a bit concerned about the polarity of the starter, but it is not ‘polarity-conscious’ so will work both positive and negative earth.

The only additional parts I needed were an elbow for the breather outlet which moves from the rear of the top of the crankcase to nearer the barrel assembly. I utilised a plastic elbow bought from a garden aquatics shop which worked a treat. The other item was an outer cover for the same breather chamber – the official spare for the cover is c£50! I made one from a piece of 3mm aluminium, worth about 10p. Mark Woodward, member Alan’s adventure in electric starting land is fascinating for me, too. I find myself endlessly considering an electric-start T150, and… Frank W