BSA A65 oil in frame Lightning 750 scenic ride over Black Mountain to the other side and back. Paul Henshaws classic motorcycle channel. 2026-09-24 | BSA A65 oil in frame Lightning 750 scenic ride over Black Mountain to the other side and back.
Triumph Tiger 100 5 Time for another, longer test ride to see if were all done! Paul Henshaw 2024-05-23 | After all the attention and adjustments made etc since my 'before' test ride, here is a longer - twice as long, in fact - 15 mile test ride to see if all was well.It turns out that this machine is a bit of a mix of 5TA and T100, but I wouldn't hold that against it, as it is obviously a pretty good machine overall, especially since a few minor issues have been put right, as can be seen here.
Triumph Tiger 100 4 Time to adjust the steering head bearings! Paul Henshaw 2024-05-22 | Just a bit of play! Best get that sorted then, that will be the cause of the judder from the front brake, I would think. It may help the steering damper knob to stay still, too!
Triumph Tiger 100 3 Some progress already Paul Henshaw 2024-05-22 | It is surprising the number of restored machines which arrive looking great, but have numerous badly adjusted basics, such as valve clearances, ignition timing, carburettor issues - all of which and more are why this machine has been brought here, but it is so often the case that stunning looking machines need such attention, although it keeps me in a job, I guess!Here we see some of the progress already made, but there is still more to be done.
Triumph Tiger 100 2 making a start on the work to be done, carb, timing, tappets etc. Paul Henshaw 2024-05-22 | After taking a short ride on this machine yesterday, as well as talking to the owner, who rode it about 40 miles to get it here, it was time to attend to a few basics in need of attention. It often amazes me how poorly set up some very good looking machines can be and this lovely looking Triumph was no exception!
Triumph Tiger 100 1 A short before test ride to assess before work carried out. Paul Henshaw 2024-05-21 | This machine only arrived a couple of hours before I took this test ride, but I knew it had already covered 40 miles or so to get here, the sun was shining, it needed to be done, so I set about finding out what I might need to look at. My own impressions didn't really differ to what the owner had told me, but I like to get an idea of what a machine is like to begin with, before any work is done, where possible, that way I can usually tell if I have been able to make any worthwhile improvements during the course of my efforts.
BSA A65 Oil tap engine strip & rebuild 10 All done! Paul Henshaw 2024-05-20 | After being brought here following an episode with a closed tap which someone had fitted to the oil tank to stop wet sumping, this engine was totally stripped - and probably just stopped in time, before more serious damage would have been done! this rounds off the story of this engine's time at my workshop, it is now ready to go back in the owner's bike and start a new lease of life, but I hope he gets rid of that oil tap now!
BSA A65 Oil tap engine strip & rebuild 9 An unexpected hold up with oil pump timing cover fouling Paul Henshaw 2024-05-20 | With the oil pump fitted, it was time to fit the timing cover, except there was an unexpected problem ...
BSA A65 Oil tap engine strip & rebuild 8 The new oil pump has been fitted! Paul Henshaw 2024-05-20 | Fair play to the owner of this machine, when I suggested a new oil pump might be an idea, he just said 'go ahead, get one'. now fitted to the engine, I think any wet sumping issues he may have had with his machine will be in the past now, and the best thing he can do next is remove that dreaded tap from the bottom of the oil tank!
Norton Navigator 350 gearbox examined and discussed. Paul Henshaw 2024-05-17 | As might have been predicted, I ended up having to strip the gearbox on this machine in order to see what might be wrong with second gear. Here is where I am at to date.
BSA Bantam Major 1956 - a ride on the first bike I ever owned, bought in 1976! Paul Henshaw 2024-05-17 | This machine spent it's first 20 years as a 150 cc D3 road bike, which was written off in a crash in 1975/6 by a friend's older brother. Briefly passing through another older lad's hands before I bought it from him for £20, it was soon modified a little to become my first powered 2 wheeler, which I rode around some local fields, as well as our garden. a botched conversion to 175 cc resulted in it being a non runner but some other lads at school were convinced they could get it going and bought it from me, while I went off and bought my first Tiger Cub - also still with me.Some years later, I bumped into one of the lads who bought the Bantam and he told me to go and take it if I wanted it back, otherwise it would be headed for the dump. The rest is history, as they say!
This BSA Bantam from 1956 was my introduction to motorbikes back in 1976. Paul Henshaw 2024-05-17 | My very first motorbike, the one which started everything, is still with us today, as discussed here.
Norton Navigator 350 missing second gear investigations raise hopes of a fix. Paul Henshaw 2024-05-16 | Having made a start on stripping the gearbox due to second gear not working, I made a discovery which made back tracking appear to be a feasable option ...
BSA A65 Oil tap engine strip & rebuild 7 Checking the oil pump. Paul Henshaw 2024-05-16 | It would be foolish to do all of the work carried out so far and with having replaced the conrods and big ends, not to check the oil pump over.Here, I take a look at the components that make up the oil pump, having stripped it just prior to filming this clip.
Norton Navigator 350 back on the bike lift! Paul Henshaw 2024-05-16 | To say things didn't go as expected would be an understatement here, as I had thought we might have successfully completed a road test and had the owner on his way to collect this machine by now. But - yes, but, things didn't work out like that because the gearbox threw me a curved ball and the machine is on the bike lift once again ...
Norton Navigator 350 road testing abandoned due to gearbox problem - no second gear! Paul Henshaw 2024-05-15 | Normally, this would be where we would try to cover a few miles at least. However, i only had to travel a few yards prior to making this clip to know that wouldn't be on the cards, but having chatted to the owner it was decided I would do what can be seen here to demonstrate an unexpected problem which only came to light once I tried the machine under it's own power. Back onto the bike lift it goes, then ...
Norton Navigator 350 twin, first attempt to start - will it run? Lets give it a try! Paul Henshaw 2024-05-14 | No clues here, but it is all in the video!
Valve and valve seat checking using clutch and brake cleaning solvent. Paul Henshaw 2024-05-14 | Clutch and brake cleaning solvent will penetrate almost anything, probably more so than petrol. Because of this property, it lends itself very well to checking if valves and their corresponding seats are sealing, and if the valve springs are removed and the valve can seal under it's own weight alone, you know you are good to go!
BSA A65 Oil tap engine strip & rebuild 6 Pistons - front or rear, left or right dilema! Paul Henshaw 2024-05-13 | I had to puzzle over this for a little while, thanks to the manner in which I removed the pistons, causing me to doubt my own markings initially. Then I saw someone else's markings from a previous top end strip inside the piston skirts and they made me even more doubtful, until I was able to look at some of my photos of this job to help confirm my sanity [almost!].
Royal Enfield Bullet 500 1955 Greenlaner discussed. Paul Henshaw 2024-05-12 | It's probably not the first time I will have waffled on about this machine, but I thought after it put up such a good show a couple of days ago while out on the roads and on the rough with friends on more modern machines, it was worthy of another mention and a short talk about some of it's good and other maybe not so good characteristics for on / off road work.
BSA A65 ride from Ffairfach to Llanwrda via Bethlehem and Llangadog. Paul Henshaw 2024-05-12 | The last leg of my latest round trip to Ammanford and back again. I am beginning to trust the Thunderbolt a little more at last!
BSA A65 ride from Ammanford to Ffairfach via Trap. Paul Henshaw 2024-05-12 | This is the very next video filmed after the camera had a funny turn, which I now know how to prevent. Normal service is resumed, that misfire and plug oiling appears to be a thing of the past for the BSA and the sun was shining too, for an extra bonus!
BSA A65 ride from Llanwrda to Ffairfach. Paul Henshaw 2024-05-11 | This is the part of todays ride filmed before the blurry clip seen already. One of my viewers makes a cameo appearance in this one - I wonder if you will spot yourself! Also featuring dogs, buses, tractors, cyclists etc.
BSA A65 & camera malfunction simulate very drunken ride. Warning! Terrible to watch! Paul Henshaw 2024-05-11 | Filmed in Henshaw's Doublevision TM.Just a bit of fun and an effort to make something of an otherwise scrap video, so no need for any meltdowns or lynch mobs! I wouldn't do it these days and it is a very long time since I did, but this camera malfunction made the ride in this video look remarkably like some I took many years ago after a few drinks too many - and I must stress, no-one was hurt in any way when I did, thankfully!
Royal Enfield 1955 Bullet 500 out on the rough with friends 12 Final few miles including Roman Road. Paul Henshaw 2024-05-11 | The last leg of the trip home takes in our local 'Roman Road', for one last bumpy track to take us into our village, after a great day out. As far as I am aware, no one was seriously injured in that accident, the aftermath of which we saw close to home, if my sources are correct.
Royal Enfield 1955 Bullet 500 out on the rough with friends 11 Main road & tarmac lanes towards home Paul Henshaw 2024-05-11 | 5 minutes or so on the Llandeilo - Talley road, then back onto single track tarmac lanes until we stop a couple of miles short of home for another short break.
Royal Enfield 1955 Bullet 500 out on the rough with friends 10 Heading homeward on narrow lanes. Paul Henshaw 2024-05-11 | With all of the day's off roading done, it was time to head towards home on som slightly less challenging, but still very scenic lanes.
Royal Enfield 1955 Bullet 500 out on the rough with friends 9 A rough descent & two river crossings! Paul Henshaw 2024-05-11 | The last of the rough stuff for today's adventure, the next videos will feature our heading for home along narrow, twisty tarmac lanes.
Royal Enfield 1955 Bullet 500 out on the rough with friends 8 long bumpy descent, tarmac & scenery. Paul Henshaw 2024-05-11 | We take a long, bumpy downhill track through some woods from near Paxtons tower down to Dryslwyn, whose castle can be seen briefly along the way to our next break before we do some more rough stuff, as seen in the next video.
Royal Enfield 1955 Bullet 500 out on the rough with friends 7 Rough tracks tarmac lanes & scenery. Paul Henshaw 2024-05-11 | Staright into a short, rough track after our lunch stop, then it is onto tarmac lanes and minor roads most of the time, until we go onto a rough, steep climb through some woods for the last few minutes, coming out on the top, near Paxtons Tower, between llandeilo and Carmarthen.
Royal Enfield 1955 Bullet 500 out on the rough with friends 6 Time to find some lunch! Paul Henshaw 2024-05-11 | Getting a bit peckish, it was time to come back into civilization briefly to take a lunch break, before heading back off road again, as seen in the next video. We took our lunch break in Llandybie, which is between Llandeilo and Ammanford.
Royal Enfield 1955 Bullet 500 out on the rough with friends 5 Out of the rough, tarmac, more rough! Paul Henshaw 2024-05-10 | All of the above, plus a tricky bridge to cross!
Royal Enfield 1955 Bullet 500 out on the rough with friends 4 Out of the woods, tarmac & more rough! Paul Henshaw 2024-05-10 | A bit of a battle getting out of the woods and crossing a busy farmyard before brifly riding on tarmac again, before picking up another rough trak where we see my first use of the decompressor for slowing things right down when travelling along rough, down hill sections. What a difference it made with this rather high geared machine! The first water crossing of the day can be seen in this clip.
Royal Enfield 1955 Bullet 500 out on the rough with friends 3 A rough track, tarmac & into wild wood Paul Henshaw 2024-05-10 | A short, slightly rough track to begin with takes us back onto a few miles of tarmac before we fight our way along an overgrown track into some woods. More of which in the next video!
Royal Enfield 1955 Bullet 500 out on the rough with friends 2 mostly lanes with some rough at end. Paul Henshaw 2024-05-10 | This clip contains most of it's mileage on tarmac lanes, but there are a couple of minutes on the rough again near the end.
Royal Enfield 1955 Bullet 500 out on the rough with friends 1 Near Bethlehem. Paul Henshaw 2024-05-10 | I didn't film the 8 miles or so of road riding before this, but here is the first bit of off road footage, as seen from my 1955 Bullet Greenlaner, which was on just it's second 'Muddy Friday' with friends, as the Triumph Trials Cub replica has been on most of them to date.
BSA A65 Oil tap engine strip & rebuild 5 - going back together again. Paul Henshaw 2024-05-09 | This machine's crank is the one I collected on my Trident the other day, and it was time to start some reassembly work at last. Please disregard my comments about the crankcase breathing through the needle roller conversion, though, as there are big holes through the wall of the crankcase right next to the bearing in any case!
Pauls rants - Scooter gloom - why such machines can make me feel drained. Paul Henshaw 2024-05-08 | One of the reasons - or the main reason for my generally having a cut off date of 1980 for machines I work on - Indian made RE Bullets being an exception - is to avoid some of the characteristics found on this fairly recent scooter, where all sorts of bodywork makes access difficult and components are crammed together in tight, confined spaces. Here, I try to explain why just the sight of something like this can create an atmosphere of gloom, whereas many British classics with work to be done are usually seen as a welcome challenge.
Triumph Trident T150V first time out in 2024 4 Lampeter to Llanwrda and a good, virtually clear run! Paul Henshaw 2024-05-07 | Probably the best part of the trip, although the outward bound run on this stretch [Part 1] was also pretty good. The A482 is a great road when the weather and traffic conditions are like they were today and the Trident seemed happy, too!
Triumph Trident T150V first time out in 2024 3 Temple Bar back to Lampeter. Paul Henshaw 2024-05-07 | The return leg of this part of the ride was more fun than in the opposite direction a little earlier!
Triumph Trident T150V first time out in 2024 2 Lampeter to Temple Bar. Paul Henshaw 2024-05-07 | This second leg of the trip is a bit tame, with more traffic around, but the outward bound trip is completed here, the engine stopping on arrival being due to a wire coming out of it's end in the fuse holder, it transpired.
Triumph Trident T150V first time out in 2024 1 Llanwrda to Lampeter. Paul Henshaw 2024-05-07 | I needed some thing with carrying capabilities today, so the Trident moved for the first time this year. just a matter of fitting a battery, reconnecting the fuel pipes and putting some air in the tyres - oh, and replacing the stop / tail lamp bulb. with three sets of points and the original concentric carbs and old petrol, it started on the first kick when I tried it, just as it did here.This is the first part of a 50 mile round trip i took to Aeron Engineering, to get the valve seats cut in a Triumph head and collect a BSA A65 crank with freshly polished big end.
Royal Enfield 500 Bullet 1955 loss of throttle control a few days ago discussed. Paul Henshaw 2024-05-06 | Just as I was about to arrive in Ammanford on a ride there a few days back, I lost all control of the throttle and initially suspected a broken throttle cable, when in fact all that had happened was the nipple on the throttle slide end of it had managed to escape from the slide itself. Although I managed to sort it out and get home again, I wondered if and when it might happen again, but more recently, something dawned on me and all is explained here.The throttle fail can be seen in the final few minutes of this video:youtu.be/fZ6hgx0k1TQ
Pauls Rants - beware, possible scammers at work on my Super Thanks! Paul Henshaw 2024-05-05 | Just a heads up, this one and I really hope I am wrong, also thanks to the person who alerted me to this possible scam, please be careful and vigilant folks and I will update by editing this description and adding a comment, should I be proved wrong.
Royal Enfield Bullet 500 1955 ride from Ffairfach to Llanwrda with short pause to show scenery. Paul Henshaw 2024-05-05 | The last leg of this round trip taken on my old Redditch built 500 greenlaner from Llanwrda to Ammanford and back again, with a short pause to look back at Llandeilo in the distance and part of the Towy Valley between Llandeilo and Llangadog.
Royal Enfield Bullet 500 1955 ride from Ammanford to Ffairfach with lots of thumping up hills! Paul Henshaw 2024-05-05 | With the detached throttle cable end back in the throttle slide, we were able to head for home and make mincemeat out of more hills - and the day was getting brighter, too!
Royal Enfield Bullet 500 1955 ride from Ffairfach to Ammanford, eats hills and plenty of Thumping! Paul Henshaw 2024-05-05 | Hills? - What are hills? This royal Enfield has no idea what hills are!The throttle cable end came away from the carb slide just before we arrived, it turned out.
Royal Enfield Bullet 500 1955 ride from Llanwrda to Ffairfach. Paul Henshaw 2024-05-05 | Yet another trip to visit family in Ammanford taken on my Bullet Greenlaner, this being the first part of the round trip. There were blue skies and sunshine, which have rarely been seen this year, so far.
Triumph Tiger Cub from 1958 first outing in 2024, a short spin around local roads & lanes. Paul Henshaw 2024-05-04 | I recorded the first start of this machine this year and in around 8 months, in the workshop a month or so ago when it started on the second kick. Here, it starts first kick after freeing off the clutch. all on 6 volts, points, Zenith carb and fuel of around 1 year old, which is labelled as E10 at my local filling station. I was very pleased with how things went considering I only pumped the tyres up a little and checked the oil and checked the battery merely by beeping the horn, prior to this start up and ride. tiger Cubs are - or can be great little machines without modifications, if they are set up and maintained as they should be!
Norton Jubilee, Navigator and Electra - easy ways to tell them apart. Paul Henshaw 2024-05-03 | I am no expert or rivet counter, especially where these machines are concerned, but here are some easy ways to spot whether a 'Lightweight' Norton twin is a 250 Jubilee, a 350 Navigator, or a 400 electra model, with some basic tell tale differences discussed.
Norton Navigator 350 now has functioning clutch operating mechanism. Paul Henshaw 2024-05-03 | Happily, it turned out the clutch didn't need too much work to make it's pressure plate lift easily and fully, but finding things like I have come across already, do not inspire the greatest of confidence in what else might be in need of putting right further down the line!
