British Biker summer'18

the president's nuts and bolts Christmas breakup thoughts about british bikes dual sports port arthur cradle mountain our panther story wet sumping... get over it!

S U M M E R E DI T IO N JA N UA RY 2 0 1 8

official magazine of

THE BRITISH motorcycle club of tasmania CONTACT Please address all correspondence including membership inquiries to: The BMCT Secretary postal- c/o South Hobart Post Office, Tasmania, 7004 e-mail- secretary@bmctas.com monthly meetings Last Tuesday of each month, 8pm. in the Social Club Rooms, upstairs at the Tas Fire Service building, Argyle Street, Hobart.

All welcome, please come along.

President

Gary Smith

M:0407870493

Vice President

Chris Owens

M: 0448 900 082 E: chris@designforpower.com.au

Northern VP

Mick Lemon

M: 0400 660 926 E: mick.pam59@bigpond.com

Secretary

Matthew Shepperd

M: 0417 001 426 E: bmctsecretary@hotmail.com

Treasurer/Public Officer

Nigel Reid

M: 0417 585 954 H: 03 6265 1237

Magazine Editor

Kent Moore

M: 0408 483 883 E: kentdmoore@gmail.com

Webpage

John Menezies

M: 0418 297 234 E: mezzabolicsteroids@gmail.com

Clubman Records

Rob Walch

M: 0417 514 450 E: robert@walchoptics.com.au

Librarian

Dan Murphy

Technical Officers

John Rettig Jim McCulloch Ken Hall Mick Lemon Martin Heatley

Club Auditors

Casey Overeem Francis Hall

Committee Members

Rob Walch Richard Bullough Jegs Nuttall

H: 03 5267 2510 H: 03 6249 8731 H: 03 6265 9017 M: 0400 660 926 M:0499 845 280 H:6326 5331

www.bmctas.com

Nuts&bolts With the arrival of warmer weather the members have been enjoying some excellent rides, there has been fantastic turn out’s of members and friends.

Our slow bike run to Tahune air walk attracted more than 20 riders with at least 5 of the bikes being prior 1940.

The overnighter at the Ross show/rally was attended by around 30 members and friends and it proved to a great opportunity for member from all parts of the state to catch up and talk bikes and swap bits around.

It was disappointing that the weather turned on the Rally on Sunday and this keep a lot of attendees away, the crowd was down to approximately one third of normal.

A big thank you goes to Bill Overeem for arranging the food and being head chef; I have been informed that Bill was assisted by John Rettig and Howard Burrows.

There is also a big thank you to Peter and Francis Bender for suppling salmon for both the Ross overnighter and our end of year/Christmas function.

The combined Christmas function was held at the Longley with approximately 70 members and partners from both the Vintage club and British club attending. It did rain and it rained all day but with the new roofed area and the fire pots going everyone have a fantastic time and kept warm and dry.

The band provided at the end of the day by the Hotel was good entertainment Our slow bike ride to national park was the last ride for 2017 and had the biggest turn out of riders for the year with over 40 people attending a top day was had by all and to the best of my knowledge no one need to use the backup ute although a sticking exhaust valve almost put the Blue Star there.

Safe riding during 2018 Gary Smith See and be seen !

A few words about the club magazine...

The content of the magazine is generated by its members and put together by the editor for publication. Club rides need reports and photos taken for every ride...., so at muster on the day of the ride can this be organised by the ride leader/organiser.

Other articles must be a combination of text and photos/images seperate not combined in one word doc or similar. Text as images does not work so any scanned images of text will need to be typed up by the contributor.

When submitting to kentdmoore@gmail. com please indicate in the subject line of your email BMCT article. Thanks!

BMCT...VMCT

CHRISTMAS '17 BREAKUP

BY KERRY DICKSON

We woke to RAIN, RAIN and more RAIN. And when it stopped doing that it RAINED some more. So just to make it clear, the day of our Christmas breakup was extremely WET. But did that deter the punters to head off to the Longley International for our annual combined Christmas lunch – not on your life.

An estimated 50 people turned up and, despite the weather, thoroughly enjoyed the bbq lunch which included the generous supply of Huon Salmon from Peter. That is always a highlight of the meal.

Luckily for us Jack, the Proprietor of the Hotel, had not long finished building an elongated roof between the outdoor bar and the band area. That made the venue dry and perfect for such inclement weather conditions. We all had a great time. We all ate and chatted and then by mid-afternoon the Reggae band ‘Boil Up’ came on stage and punched out some great numbers for us to enjoy. Could the day have been any better considering how miserable the weather was – I don’t think so.

Roll on 2018.

christmas breakup 2017

all the best from the BMCT for 2018.... enjoy all your motorcycling pursuits and remember....

A bike on the road is worth two in the shed. stay on...stay upright see and be seen!

THOUGHTS!

Panther 500 1928

ON BRITISH BIKES

by BOB FINLAY

RE Meteor 700; lovely bike designed by an engineer who had never had a Meccano set and had never either stripped or rebuilt any machinery whatsoever.

RE 500 Bullet (Indian); well, it was a good, rugged and simple design when it was first built in the UK.........

Velocette 500 and 350 singles; designed by a fully qualified mechanic and excellent engineer but who both went off to the pub on Friday lunch leaving the tea-boy who left it to his dog to design primary chaincase and lighting system.

Velocette LE: whilst saving the British police a fortune in worn-out boots whilst walking the beat, all the crooks had to do was use a 1951 Morris Oxford side-valve as a getaway car.

Velocette Valiant; horizontally opposed 250 for what should have been a 650 shaft drive twin.............

Velocette MO; vertical shaft drive 500 twin of 1950; what could have been.........?

Vincent Black Shadow; I was once offered one for 60GBP, back when wages were not quite what they are today; but it looked a bit rusty compared with my Triumph T6 Thunderbird...........

Vincent Comet; I remember when a tidy runner cost 15GBP second hand (1 week’s wages before tax)............

AJS 500 single; designed by a famer for ploughing fields.

AJS 650 Twin; designed by someone who had sympathy with geologists.

Triumph 650 6T Thunderbird; designed by somebody who had considerable sympathy with budding motorcyclists who know damn-all about what they are doing.

BSA Bantam; copied from a German design; who said that the Germans lack a sense of humour?

BSA Sunbeam S7 and S8; designed by a highly competent mechanic and a

1935 Panther - Bob Finlay

1959 Panther 650, on Mt Wellington

brilliant engineer who were both scared of accountants and when told to cut costs put in a bronze worm-drive for the shaft drive and as a result a pathetic excuse for what could have been a great engine.

BSA Gold Flash 650 (plunger); what idiot designs what is a great motor and then gives it an inner and outer timing chest?

Panther M100 and M120; designed by a mechanic very familiar with steam engines and in 1926 inspected by an engineer who told the mechanic that if it were entered in the Isle of Man TT, it might possibly finish.

The mechanic then went to the pub, the Panther M100 finished the TT and that was good enough for the next 41 years.

DUAL SPORT RIDE

LED BY MIKE AND MOIRA WELLMAN

BY KENT MOORE OCTOBER 8 2017... As the sole participant from the South I set off with a mate (Roger Hawkins).. Me on my Tiger 800XC and Roger on his BMW F700. We where kitted out for a few nights camping as we had planned to keep on going out towards the North East before returning home to Hobart. Left early from the fire station, early enough to get to Miena to meet the rest of the crew from the North. They had picked up participants along the way from Carrick and the far North West. We all assembled at the Great Lake Hotel Miena and fueled up for a long day of riding. I met Mike Wellman and his wife Moira and we set off down the Marlborough Highway to Bronte with a particular focus on the geographical centre of Tasmania. There is some debate as to where the actual centre of Tassie is as it differs from the celebrated location.

After stopping at the surveyors monument, Bronte Lagoon/Canal Mike and Moira undertook a well practiced tradition of polishing the brass plaque in an effort to maintain the efforts made by others, we continued with a short stint along the Lyell highway then onto Victoria Valley road passing London Lakes and the very interesting canal systems which interconnect the many hydro lakes up on the plateau. A well enjoyed Lunch break at Ouse then onto Waddamana. Visiting the old Hydro technology was very interesting and a great insight to the wonderful forethought our engineers before us had.

After waddamana back to the bitumen and down the east side of the Great lake. Exiting the highlands past Poatina and down the wonderful zig zag road to Cressy. A quiet debrief and cleansing ale at the Cressy Pub before tracking our way onto home and other sites.

A challenging ride in many ways there is nothing like riding a dual sport bike on a variety of mixed surfaces throughout a long days ride, keeps you sharp, focussed and at times on your toes.

Mike and Moira Wellman

port arthur overnighter BY nigel fox I woke up early hours of Saturday morning to the sound of rain on the roof, and thought get it over with early that’s the shot.

Checked the rain gauge eight o’clock and we had 7ml this morning and had received 15ml couple nights before, really good for the farm but not so good for freshly cleaned bike as I have 2km of gravel before sealed road.

I had arranged with Mick to meet the troop at pub corner Evandale but received a text that he would be late due to a bicycle accident on West Tamar, so decided to get a newspaper and take home to Pam while waiting, (more mud on bike) Troop arrived shortly after this and we left Evandale via Leilands Rd, Midlands Highway to Campbell town. Stopped for coffee here then off to the East coast via Lake Leake Highway.

when I sat down, (may be we were there a long time) We all had some very interesting conversations, well i know I did with I think Brad from Hobart, telling me about his own scientific agriculture developments. (great one Brad, he also owns a Norton) The march back to camp was great also, no moon with a star lit sky.

Sunday morning was clear and sunny, but I was feeling mighty hungry and had no intention of a muesli bar for breakfast so on with the gear and down to yonder cafe for full breakfast, now feeling much better.

Assembled at the Fox & Hounds then off, as Stephen and Adele left for Huonville and Mike and Moira in a similar direction

The riders and bikes consisted of Major Mick on the V Strom, Mike and Moira on BMWs, Stephen and Adele on one very large BMW, Tim also BMW and myself on the W800.

When we reached the East coast the weather could not have been better, warm and sunny, we rode down to Orford and stopped for a snack and drink it was quite hot there, then on to Port Arthur and our lodgings at the Caravan park.

We sat out on the Veranda overlooking a nice sheltered bay and had light refreshments and discussed the pros and cons of our respective local councils, which was not nearly as interesting as bike stories even if I had heard one or two before.

Next it was time for tea so we trooped off, someone said 1.7 mile (we stick to miles in the BMCT) I am sure I heard the Major call ‘By the left Quick March’ as we assembled out side of out Digs.

The Fox & Hounds was pretty full and we met up with several southern riders and all sat at a very long table.

I can only comment on my meal and all I can say is I left the table more hungry than

and the rest including Southern riders for Dunalley.

We stopped at Dunalley for petrol and the others had a late breakfast which I declined as I had had sufficient at Port Arthur.

Instead I walked around the little harbor and took some pictures.

Then we all split with Mick, Tim and myself heading across to Melton Mowbray and on to Bothwell through the steeps to Poatina, Cressy. By the time we got to Melton Mowbray the wind had got up which made things interesting, oh for a wee faring on the W800.

We stopped for drinks at Bothwell then continued on with temperatures now dropping and looking like rain or snow, down the mountain where Mick disappeared ahead and we were told later he wanted to practice his down hill braking, don’t think his brakes got too hot !

We then parted company at Cressy, Mick for West Tamar, Tim for Moriarty, and I for Evandale.

Great ride and good weather.

CRADLE MOUNTAIN

RIDE OR BUST

BY MARTIN HEATLEY Let me first state that no mobile devices were damaged on this ride, but we sure had a fun.

I arrived at the museum car park with Wayne and Shane making up the feet forward brigade. Shane had a spare helmet just in case, nudge nudge etc. Paul was on the “pull over driver machine” and Mike and Moira were BMW mounted; Mike on the lazy cylinder boomer and Moira on the eminently sensible upright Rotax engine twin. I was on the recently refurbished Harris Matchless (after its disaster at the Jampot Rally, thanks Jim for the work.)

It was a beautiful day, the mountains are clear, so Cradle here we come! No! Apparently everybody wanted to go to Railton show instead. Grant had stated that the road is boring to Cradle Mountain at our “Cock and Bull” meeting earlier in the week.

A winding road and view of mountains boring? Typical city folk, not happy unless they can only see an endless stream of stationary tail lights and all manner of road behaviour systems installed by controlling central governments. Little rant done!

We were not going to Cradle Mountain but we were going to go on all the trick roads towards Cradle then turn off at Moina, down to Wilmot and beyond, then going via sealed back roads to Railton.

Included in this ever so cunning plan was a stop at Deloraine Diner to meet up with a few extras. Off they go via the old highway to Deloraine, gradually building a gap as I was still bedding in the new pot keeping it at 4000 rpm or less, therefore acting as tail end Charlie. I refuel at Deloraine and while doing so the blap of Grants T140 pulls up, the second time that has occurred to me.

With a bit more Pommie power it’s off to the Diner to catch up to the others and meet up with Jim on his 850 Commando and Mick on his Vstrom.

With restocked tummies, our directions involving a route via Mole Creek, and past the caves, we head off. Some how I ended up in the front. Nothing like having a leader who not super confident on the leading bit. Once out of town I took off at a nice ‘bedding in the pot speed’ again only this time the road got more demanding as one progressed into the vales and hills, that is as long as you can survive caravan towers

turning right into wildlife parks etc. We passed Mole Creek and once around the tourists pottering along it was a clear road.

Clear and beautiful and wonderful and gorgeous and fun and fun and scary and fun and hope you get the idea. At all times keeping to the 4000 rpm bedding in thing, well actually on some corners the revs may have crept up the odd 1000 pm or so above my self imposed limit. Even road works failed to diminish ones joy at being out and about, though it did bring about the realisation that if I kept at this spirit I may join the ancestor spirits as I had the odd scary moment, not an ultra going to throw up scary but you only need to stuff up once and that could be the one moment.

I needed to back off a bit as I hadn’t seen the other riders in the group for quite some time. Pulled off at the look out at the saddle at Mt. Claude and it didn’t take long for the

BMW’s to pull up like a U boat wolf pack searching for stray boats in the Atlantic.

That was close. One phone call via those don’t take for granted mobile devices and the others were back playing “why wont the Commando go” stuff.

The view is great but head off back we must to render what assistance is possible. In my case very limited to check the fuse type stuff. At a gentler pace and soon we were a united gang again. The Commando was looking very electrics are not functioning correctly as the seat was off, the headlight lens loose and dangling down. Guess what, it was the fuse! Always! New fuse and bits put together and we are away with me tail

end Charlie again. On to the main road and tourists pottering along at an even slower pace than before. The poor bedding in new pot couldn’t handle it so around we go and again open road blast in controlled manner then stop as we regroup. The tourist turned down the boring road to Cradle while we headed to Wilmot. Taking it easier for self preservation reasons I then had to wonder what that odd colour is in the shade on a perfect line in the corner? The bikes slides then corrects itself “oh gravel, that’s what that stuff is. Maybe ease up a bit more hey?

Self preservation kicks in.

At Wilmot we stop to regroup and to delve further into the electric labyrinth that is the Norton’s electrics. I seemed to be a theme for the year, as my Norton’s first ride with the group involved a bit of electric soul searching which came to a head when it didn’t go (or dina go mate) to the All British, resulting in rapid Harris Matchless antics to catch the ferry. Back to the Commando, yet another fuse and some wire taping and it was all systems go. Naturally! It’s a Norton so go, go and go.

Mike had us turning at Paloona crossing the Don river to head east while Jim continued west to home. Jim made it back without further bike hassles. We followed a thankfully sedate Mike and Moira as we took many a turn to keep to the lesser travelled roads, going through Melrose pass the arboretum at Eugenana and Spreyton cider. Near the lovely old house of Frogmore we turned towards Railton with plenty of bikes on the road, especially happy bike waving harley types, well lots of American Iron but not much waving acknowledgement of the superior bikes that made up our sortie.

So on to Railton and our quest was complete, except for the Cradle Mountain bit. Noel was racing around organising bike show stuff a plenty and passing on news that Maureen was just over there or there or somewhere. Somewhere was correct as we were told weeks later while having Beauty Point fish and chips, but that is a tale for another day folks. She had been and gone to Railton and thought she would catch us on the road only it didn’t transpire to be. The show was a rather Harley type affair with the odd British and Italian machine plus the ever-present oriental array of cylinder configuration. I was disappointed that there was no award for the best transverse four bike present, seems they have all gone in line, very strange affair.

The group now full to the brim from the over enthusiastic sausage sizzle folk (western world is so decedent) it was time to depart and we split up into smaller clumps as we made our own way home. Grant, disgusted at not getting his desire at the bike show and declaring the roads had been far too straight, went in search for more corners following Mick to the Frankford highway.

Mike and Moira went somewhere where they could go at a much faster pace and the feet forward duo followed the bedding in piston Matchless to Deloraine via Weetah and Red Hills. Deloraine stop was in partial vain as the shop with the bikes was “Sunday closed�.

Oh well never mind, on to the old highway and home, us three enjoying the rest from the corners. Shane never did get his spare helmet filled, oh well. Over 300 kilometres travelled on a beautiful day in some stunning scenery/ roads with good company, sometimes life can be good. It was good that day.

MERCHANDISE CAPS & beanies

$15

POLO SHIRT

$25

POLAR FLEECE

$37

$20

MEDALION cloth badge

see gary smith for purchasing any of the club merchandise.. some items are available for purchase at the bar at meetings.

our panther story

by Paul and kerry dickson Thirty-seven years ago we were newbies to the vintage motorcycle scene and were searching for a bike that we could use on the monthly Vintage & Veteran bike rallies in Victoria.

We never know what’s around the corner or what will come our way but before too long we saw an advert in The AGE advertising a 1948 Panther 600 Sloper in running order and complete for $1,495. The advertisement jumped out at us and we knew we must follow it up. So off to Melbourne we went where the bike was for sale in a car yard.

We were confronted with a patina’d, nonrunning Panther 600 and for whatever unknown reason we fell in love with the bike (probably because it was the first to come our way). We negotiated the price ‘down’ to reflect the condition of the bike and then it was OURS.

the suggestion and write to him and make the suggestion but nothing seemed to sway his decision to keep the bike. After many years we learnt that the Panther sat unused in his shed which gave us the incentive to keep at him. But still, it took another several years before we got a surprise phone call saying, “the Panther is yours if you want to collect”. We had a reservation on the boat already booked so we said we could be there in four days. To say he was surprised was an understatement but we weren’t taking any chances of him changing his mind and so a trip to the middle of NSW to collect the Panther had to happen sooner rather than later.

Once the Panther was home, the restoration began. This was Paul’s first restoration and a lot was learnt from the exercise. Going back through our notes it is fascinating to compare prices to today. For example, to re-sleeve the barrel, get piston machined, valve guides made and new rings cost $133. $11 to get crank-cases bead blasted. A new crank pin and roller came in at $16. Crank pin and bearing lapped was $37. To chrome the tank was $40. And to paint the tank was $20.

The Panther was prepared for its first rally (4th Warrnambool Rally) and was ridden the 186kms to the rally with no mechanical issues. Many rallies followed (Maryborough, Warrnambool, Otway, All British and a few other one-offs) with Paul taking out a prize for ‘Best Classic Motorcycle’ in 1985. He was chuffed.

We’d owned the Panther for 8 years and rode the bike regularly during that time.

However, another motorcycle wanted to come and live in our shed and to pay for it, the Panther had to be sold. We were sad to see her go but the man who bought it was nice which lessened our distress a little.

We kept in touch with the new owner and caught up with him several times at either Phillip Island or Eastern Creek races. It soon became evident to us that we’d made a mistake selling the Panther and so began the arduous task of pleading with him to sell it back to us. We would phone him and make

We had tried for 28 years to get our Panther back and when we finally set eyes on her for the first time that moment took us straight back to our youth and the time spent on the restoration. She was in reasonable condition with a few bits missing here and there but we were sooooooo happy to have her back.

We proudly drove her to Melbourne, onto the boat, and to home.

It wasn’t long before Paul had her fired up and riding up and down the road. It was as if no time has passed and we are thrilled to be finally reunited with our first love (of the old motorcycle kind).

wet sumping... get over it

with permission from the Norton Owners Club UK from their newsletter Roadholder.

The gear pump in a Commando would be the simplest form of pump ever. Just around and around, even the plunger pumps in Matchy Singles are more complex, combining rotary motion with reciprocating motion.

An efficient gear pump must have very fine tolerances. Very fine tolerances between the gear side faces and the pump case end plates. As well there must be a very fine tolerance between the gear teeth and the case past which the teeth pass.

Shaft sealing must be spot on. In bigger pumps the shaft can have lip seals and the endplates can also have seals, sealing up against the gear side faces.

The tolerance between the radial end tips of the gear teeth and the case must be as fine as possible. The next best pump after a gear pump is a vane pump whereby, instead of teeth, the rotor has vanes that actually contact the housing as they rotate. They even get forced out by oil pressure and centrifugal force.

No such luck with gears. You got wot you got, that’s it. You can get a brand newy, but, being so small, it’s only as good as whoever made it. The bottom line here is: the hot thin oil after a good ride will slip easily past most Norton gear oil pump gear sets and dribble off into the sump. The oil will go the way it should, and that is through the pump to the crank and out through the big ends.

There are gaps big enough so that over the period of a week or two you will lose the contents of the oil tank into the sump. Both my Commandos would do it over a period longer than two weeks, the Model 18 does it

almost over night.

There are taps and ball valves and all sorts of goodies to help the inept. I’ve got one on the Model 18, wouldn’t dream of it on the Commando. The Commando needs oil pressure because it has plain bearing big ends, the Model 18 has rollers all the way and needs bugger-all oil pressure. I’ve forgotten to turn the tap on, on the Model 18, nipped it up and got away with it. Just nipped the piston to bore. Oil starvation on the Commando would mean instant disaster and a major engine rebuild, as the plain bearing big ends would sh*t themselves in a big way. They definitely need oil, it’s their nature. Balls and rollers can get away with it.

What happens if all the oil drains into the sump and, so what if it does?

With a sump chocker with oil it’s hard to imagine the engine will seize. So you wouldn’t worry too much there. Sumps need to be a specific size.

In a wet sump engine like most cars, the sumps are huge and the crank doesn’t spin in the oil, it spins above the oil. In a dry sump engine such as on most Brit bikes, there normally is no oil in the sump except half a cup ful of transient stuff on it’s way back to the tank. So, in a dry sump engine there is really only room for the crank and not much of anything else, including oil and including air. If you imagine your pistons going up and down, from the underside, they will be displacing quite a bit of air.

Almost as much as the nominated capacity of the engine. It’s like an air pump in there, pushing and sucking as the pistons go up and down. As the pistons approach BDC all the air is shoved out of the way, as the pistons return up to TDC, the air is sucked back in. This is why we have crankcase breathers on our engines, sucking and blowing, in and out. If the sump is big enough, should I say, if the volume of air contained by the sump is big enough, it will compress to a certain extent and absorb the space occupied by the pistons on their upward and downward journeys. The air will be getting compressed. The bigger the sump, or the better and bigger the crankcase

breathing, the less adverse affect this suck and blow will have on the engine.

If you have a smaller sump, or reduce the air space, then there is less space for the suck and blow to happen. Think about allowing the contents of your oil tank to drain into the normally dry sump. Oil will not compress very easily. The sump, now partially full of oil, has lost probably half it’s capacity to absorb the suck and blow from the pistons as they go up and down.

The blow side of things as the pistons come downwards will compress the limited airspace and will want somewhere to push the air and oil out of it’s way! It will look for the weakest point, especially if the oil in the sump is also covering the breather outlet / inlet. Like the breather in the very bottom of the crankcases on a Combat engine! Why did they move it back up to a higher point in the back of the timing chest á la 850’s I wonder?!

In most cases the weakest point will be the crankcase seal behind the drive sprocket.

The crankcase compression will easily push that out of the way, dumping the oil from the sump into the primary chaincase. First thing you will notice is a slipping clutch as everything in there gets over-lubricated.

Next you’ll probably wonder why your bike suddenly needs oil, so naturally, you top it up, only to have it drain into the primary again. The bike will also probably blow smoke and try to run like a dog as well.

Major dramas eventuate. Another weak spot is to blow the camshaft oil seal out, then try for the sealing surfaces such as through the vertical split in the cases or blow out a cylinder base gasket.

What to do? - accept the fact that you ride an old pommy bike that not only has a stuffed oil pump, but also was probably like that from new and either go buy a new one and experience the same thing again or get on with your life and adapt.

Hints and Tips Before going for a ride, amongst all the other things you check ... check the oil level.

If the oil level is above half, you’re pretty

well OK. If the oil level is half way down the dip stick, start the bike carefully and don’t rev it, just set on a slightly fast idle to warm up and gently pump all the oil back from the sump to the tank. Be gentle with it and don’t give it heaps of revs, you don’t want to blow that seal!. If the oil level was further down than 1/2 or off the dipstick all together, get your clean oil drain pan and drain the oil from the sump. Ignore the fact that there was three litres in the sump. Just go make yourself a coffee and sit and chat to the trouble and strife for a while. Go back to the bike, tip the drained oil back into the oil tank, screw the sump plug in and go for a ride.

Come to terms with the fact you are riding a bike with an oil pump and lubrication system that was designed circa 1930, get over it and don’t expect to be riding around on something with the oil pump performance of a Japanese bike from 1962, it’s just not like that. Develop a little system for yourself.

If checking and draining the oil was the very first thing you did when the idea for going for a ride entered your brain, then by the time you scratched around and donned the relevant bike clobber it would only take

a moment to tip the oil from the bottom, back in the top, screw in the screw and take off.

You only need to drain most of it out, not every last livin’ drop!!! This will only take five minutes.

Resume the Lotus position, close eyes, hold fingers in a funny circle thingy and repeat ........... hhhhuuuuuuuuummmmmm ..........As far as I know, the Mk.III 850s are the only Twins to have a check valve.

Interestingly I have a single (ES2) timing cover from 1961 which has the same design check valve in it as the 1976 Mk.III 850. All the rest rely on close tolerances to ‘hinder’ bypass leakage.

The aftermarket in-line check valves are fitted to the pump suction hose between the oil tank and the pump. They have a ball and a spring inside then, the spring holding the ball on a seat against the flow of oil from the tank. This idea relies on the spring being very weak, as vrtually all it resists is the head pressure of the oil from the tank to the valve. This is the pressure created by gravity acting on the weight of oil between the difference in vertical height between the check valve and the highest level of oil in the tank. As soon as the pump starts to

work a partial vacuum is created in the hose between pump and check valve. The weight of oil in the line above the check (head) is then supplemented by atmospheric pressure that balances the partial vacuum in the line below the valve and forces the spring ball off it’s seat back against the spring and allows oil flow. It really doesn’t take much in the way of crud etc. to stall the opening of this ball valve and either not allow oil past or restrict the flow enough, especially at high revs, to damage the motor.

As someone else said, they do seemingly have a good record, although when one fails, kiss your engine goodbye!

The Mk.III Commando valve and the valve in the timing cover of the 1961 ES2 I have, are positioned in the timing cover on the pressure side of the pump, in the gallery that leads from the pump pressure outlet to the pressure relief valve and banjo bolt to the top end, and of course to the crank.

When the motor is stationary, the head of oil leans on this ball, which can have a much stronger spring. The oil dribbles down it’s usual path through the hose to the pump around the gears and out into the gallery in the timing case. Now, instead of continuing on to the big ends where it leaks into the sump, it is stopped in it’s tracks by the ball valve in the gallery.

Being on the pressure side, and as everyone knows, a Commando can achieve big oil pressures on start-up, the full pressure force of the pump pushes the ball valve out of the way. Even if there was some crud behind the ball, the average oil pressure of, say, 40 psi, is much much greater than the pressure exerted on the inline ball valve by the head weight of the oil alone.

The gremlin in the woodpile here is the condition of the shaft sealing in the pump, because the Mk.III style valve is after the pump and this leaves the integrity of the pump itself in question.

Some people use little shut off valves in the suction line, as I have on my Model 18, and rig up all sorts of inventions to remind them to turn the damn thing on before they start the engine.

In the end ... choose your own poison.

A blast from the past

EGGS & BACON BAY SLOW BIKE - LUNCH

4

WHEELS IN THE PARK

TAROONA - TINDERBOX SLOW BIKE RUN

3

ST HELENS OVERNIGHTER NORTHERN MEMBERS

6

GATE, WOODBRIDGE

SLOW BIKE RUN

14

9

12

8

QUEENS BIRTHDAY

10

MOTHERS DAY

13

8

LONG WEEKEND

10-11-12

REGATTA LONGWEEKEND

10-11-12

14

- AIRWALK

DEC

D 2 TOY RUN

NOV

3

COMBO CHRISTMAS BBQ - TBA

11 N 4 GEEVESTON SLOW BIKE RUN

OCT

O 7 SWANSEA

SEP

S 2 RICHMOND

AUG

A 5 FERNTREE LONGLEY, MAR-

JUL

1 J ORFORD

JUN

J

MAY

M

APR

A 1 EASTER SUNDAY

MAR

M

FEB

F 4 GEEVESTON

JAN

J 7 RIDERS CHOICE

28

NATIONAL PARK - SLOW BIKE RUN

17

18

DUNALLEY

21

23

WOOLMERS DISPLAY OVERNIGHTER TBC

19

MOLESWORTH, NN, BRIDGEWATER

15

PORT ARTHUR OVERNIGHTER

RIDERS CHOICE

17

HAMILTON BOTHWELL BRING A FRIEND

20

22

BRUNY ISLAND

RICHMOND SHOW

18

24-25

ROSS RALLY OVERNIGHTER

SHOW DAY

28

30

26

22

24

27

29

25

18 KEMPTON DISTILLERY 25 LUNCH

21

SOUTHARM

BRASS MONKEY RUN

29

14

WEDNESDAY

17

WEDNESDAY

14

WEDNESDAY

14

WEDNESDAY

WEDNESDAY

17

MIDWEEK

27

30

25

28

31

26

29

24

27

AGM

27

TUESDAY

30

MEETING

BMCT SOUTH CALENDAR 2018

Combined VMCCT / BMCT Northern Section 2018 Ride Calender

Sun 2nd – Scottsdale Loop 8th/9th – Wed 12th Twilight Sun 16th – Low Head Fog 22nd/23rd & Bridport Lunch Ride. Meet at Westbury Horn Ride. 10am Hotel for Dinner 6.30pm Departure

Sun 30th – Old Bike Run. West Tamar & Beauty Point Fish n Chips

29th/30th

Sun 29th – The Great Brass Monkey Ride

30th/31st/1st/2nd – Easter Long Weekend. Sunday Riders Choice

9th -15th BSA International Rally, Victoria

21st/22nd – All British Rally, Victoria

Big Island Rallies

for a 10.30am Departure unless indicated otherwise. Midweek Rides, Riders Discretion - Every Wednesday 6pm 1 st Oct - 30th Apr. 11am rest of the year. Ride routes and length may vary at discretion of riders on the day taking into account the age of bikes that turn up and the weather conditions. See also our Northern Riders Group here : https://www.facebook.com/groups/NorthernTasmaniaVintageClassicMotorcycleRiders/

For more information contact - Glenn Osborne 0427740411 glennosborne74@gmail.com or Mick Lemon 0400660926 mick.pam59@bigpond.com . Meeting point for all rides is the Automobile Museum in Launceston

Tues 11th

Sun 25th – Ross Motorcycle Rally. 8am departure. Alternatively camp Saturday night Ross

December

Tues 13th

Sun 11th – Mt Roland/Cradle Mountain Run. 9am departure

17th/18th

Tues 9th

October

27th/28th – Overnighter to NW Possibly Corinna, Waratah or Smithton TBD

Sun 23rd – Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride

Sun 4th – Old Bike Run/Display. Westbury Steam Spectacular. 9am departure

Sun 16th – Convicts to Classics at Woolmers.

TBC

25th/26th – Launceston Museum Open Weekend.

Bike Display Days/Ride.

TBC

21st/22nd

23rd/24th

November

8th/9th

18th/19th

Sun 15th – Riders Choice

Sun 17th – Riders Choice

Sun 20th – Old Bike Run. 26th/27th West Tamar & Surrounds.

Burt Munro's Cafe

Sun 21st – Old Bike Run. Lilydale & Surrounds

Sun 3rd – Old Bike Run. White Hills & Evandale

Sun 12th – Riders Choice

7th/8th

Sun 1st – Riders Choice

4th/5th

9th/10th/11th – Queens Birthday Long Weekend.

Sun 3rd – Riders Choice

12th/13th

28th/29th

Sun 25th – Old Bike Run. Blessington, White Hills, Evandale

Sun 7th – Gunns Plains & Sun 14th – Dual Sport Surrounds. 9am departure Ride. NE Explorer. 9am departure

Tues 11th

September

Tues 14th

August

Tues 10th

July

Tues 12th

June

Tues 8th

May

Tues 10th

Sun 6th – St Helens / Bicheno Run. 9am departure

Sun 22nd – Old Bike Run. Longford & Westbury Surrounds

14th/15th

Sun 8th – Deloraine 50's Diner. Mt Roland/Gog Range Loop

April

Tues 13th

Sat 17th – Dual Sport Ride. Devils Gullet/Lake Mckenzie. 9am departure

Sun 4th – VMCCT Annual 10th/11th/12th – 8hr Day Lunch Westbury Long weekend. Sunday Riders Choice

Wed 21st – Twilight Ride. Sun 25th – Holwell Meet at Riverview Hotel Gorge/Beauty Point for Beauty Point for Dinner Fish n Chips 6.30pm

10th/11th – NW Motorcycle Show Ulverstone. Sun 9am departure for day trippers

3rd/4th – Overnighter to Strathgordon. 9am departure

Sun 18th – Deloraine Street Car & Bike Show.

9am departure

Sat 13th – Run to Bridport Sun 21st – Old Bike Run. 26th/27th/28th – Australia Show & Shine. 9am Lilydale & Surrounds.

Day Bike Display at departure Somerset Surf Club 9am departure

6th/7th

TBC – To be confirmed TBD – To be decided

March

Tues 13th

February

Tues 9th

January

Feed & Yarn Night at 'Cock n Bull' 6.30pm

BRITISH MOTORCYCLE CLUB OF TASMANIA INC.

The Secretary, C/o South Hobart Post Office, South Hobart 7004 Tasmania Email: secretary@bmctas.com The British Motorcycle Club of Tasmania encourages the restoration and safe riding of British and other manufactured Motorcycles.

Meetings are held on the last Tuesday of each month at the Tasmanian Fire Station - Social Club Rooms - Argyle Street Hobart.

MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION I wish to become a member of the British Motorcycle Club of Tasmania (Inc.) and agree, if accepted, to be bound by the Rules, Constitution, By-Laws or Directions designed to further the interests of Club Members.

This includes attending the next scheduled club meeting to introduce myself and be welcomed as a club member.

Name: Address:

Phone: Mobile: Email:

British Motorcycles owned:

Other Motorcycles owned: Date: Signature: EFT transaction details: Annual Membership Fee: $40-00 Use surname only for identification

BSB: 807-009 Account No: 51101523

Office use only: The above named person is known to us and we believe him/her to be a suitable person to be elected as a member of the British Motorcycle Club of Tasmania (Inc.) Proposer: Seconder: Approved:

Ride safely, see and be seen Gary Smith