In a moment of Madness ? I decide to heavily modify one of my BSA's to enable me to explore the byways around my home...
Whilst out riding one day many summers ago I started the think about owning close to a dozen motorcycles, but not having one that I could use to ride the many byeways that surround my Norfolk property.
I started to think about turning one of my Bantams into something more than a road going machine of yesteryear. I started a facebook group page specifically for Trial Bikes that started off as BSA Bantams.
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I had over a couple of summers taken my standard road going D1 plunger along a local BOAT ( byeway open to all traffic ) however its front forks, and the associated rare or expensive parts started to make me nervous as a platform to deliver myself, and my camera equipment it proved to be very capable.
the photo below is me dry assembing my ideas of a machine able to carry me and my camera equipment along the country tracks local to my home. My Green lane machine today looks nothing like my early concept model below.
On the days I rode her I had imense pleasure and a true sensation of being out in the wilds of Cambridgeshire and throughly enjoyed myself. However the thought of my bikes front forks or wheels giving way led me to be concerned. I started to research and look into changes that could easily be undone and for non of my planned changes to not be undone. I hope this makes sense. I was certiainly not interested in cutting the frame, or changing the telemtry of the bikes heritage.
I started two years ago by removing all of the expensive tin work. Essentially this was the very expensive coal scuttle mudguards and the speedo assembly. I then fitted off road tyres ( knobblies )
In order to fit new alloy mudguards ( Speedwell ) I made new mudguard stays. This was relatively straightforward. My rear mudguard on the early prototype was an upcycled spare from one of my larger BSA's. Its radius was ideal for the size of the Bantam wheel and the width projected by the larger rear tyre.
I then decided that the standard Bantam footpegs where simply too wide and clumbersome. I came across a manufacturer called progressive classics and rebuilt the lower front and fitted trail footpegs. My special was starting to take shape.
I then modified a BSA Bantam replica rear rack, and fitted a new rear light system along with a flexible rear number plate.
My logic being that if I fell off the plate would not snap. Its original pressed plate was very expensive.
I then, in a moment of expensive madness realised I had a far more powerful engine that could be fitted in the existing frame.
I was to later give up fitting this and revert back to the 66 D7 engine I had built specifically for this machine. ( see pic below )
Exhausts play an important part with a two stroke engine, and whilst I dont own a Dyno I have some experience in getting gas out without it effecting the compression. So I set about learning to weld and reading up on efficient exhaust gas profiling. So I took a number of exhausts and on my third attempt balanced performance with noise and made a suitable bracket to hold the high level exhaust.