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Everyone Has Their Troubles
A long, cold and moist ride today for Bogger and Pete. Turns out their host isn't having the best of days either. Fear not there's still beer and smiles.
Prologue, Rain, Lost, And Hot
Another short winter break in Shropshire. This time Much Wenlock provides the location and the weather does what winter weather does. It'll be fine, hopefully.
Much A-Wenlock About Nothing
Title page for a short winter break in Shropshire.
Better Weather, Getting High, Warm And Cold
Andy is still heading homewards while doing some serious looking around. Mountains, a castle, miradors, and architecture today.
A Rough Last Day
In keeping with the theme of this trip - the return home for the Dynamic Muppets is "wet" to say the least.
Much More Something That Is Nothing
Another lazy day for Bogger before some big miles tomorrow. Ice cream this time with no mention of beer but I'm sure some was involved.
Gerrin' Owd
It's a bit late for Ren to be having a mid life crisis - but that's not going to stop him from having one anyway. To ride or not to ride - that is a stupid question.
Heading North In The Rain
It's wet, it's cold and Andy is just getting on with the business of travelling. There's not a lot to see, just a few notes from the day - and a beer.
Lincolnshire - And Dryness
There's something new in Lincolnshire today - DRY! Contain your excitement folks, Ren has found a cheap cafe and there's an awful lot of flat.
The Art Of Doing Something That Is Nothing
Bogger has many plans for the day, alas the temptation of food and beer is more alluring. It's a chill day but that's fine, I'm sure there's more chaos to come.
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Everyone Has Their Troubles
Ian Soady¹ said :-
Good sounding trip. Most of the small French petrol stations have closed but there's almost always one attached to a supermarket and these are generally signed on entry to a town / village. But they often become self service at lunchtime. This is fine as long as you have an acceptable credit card. I remember once having to ask a friendly local to use his, repaying him in cash.
Back to Malestroit eh? We went there a couple of years ago in the caravan partly prompted by your description, and a lovely little place it is too. While we were there it was the nationwide music festival, and there were bands and singers on every street corner. Brilliant!
Speaking of Nantes, it's a brilliant place especially the Machines de l'Isle. This is where the Sultan's Elephant was made and they artisans continue to make wonderful imaginative devices. Well worth a detour or three.
10/04/2026 13:57:02 UTC
Prologue, Rain, Lost, And Hot
ROD¹ said :-
Yes, that's Clun. I think that is the cafe and bridge that CrazyFrog references.
The roads in any direction from Club are not too shabby.
08/04/2026 08:34:30 UTC
Prologue, Rain, Lost, And Hot
Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
You've sussed me out ROD, gosh darn it!
Now for a moment I thought to myself "I dunno where Clun is" then I Google Mapped it and streetviewed it - oh yeah! Had a brew stop there with friends recently. I'm guessing as there's a bridge and a car park for the castle we're all talking about the same place. If so then yes it's blummin' lovely.
https://maps.app.goo.gl/HNscSLtGa1GLeipBA...
08/04/2026 08:08:44 UTC
Prologue, Rain, Lost, And Hot
CrazyFrog said :-
There's a really nice little cafe by Clun bridge too, and the road up Clun valley is a bikers delight!
07/04/2026 18:03:39 UTC
Prologue, Rain, Lost, And Hot
ROD¹ said :-
I have been through Much Wenlock many times as it's on the way to my favourite stopping place en route to Wales.
I understand all this "can't work the heating, oh it's getting too hot" so Sharon does not wear any clothing to bed!!
The favourite stopping place Clun castle car park. With toilets, a picnic bench, and a walk around the castle ruins it's a great stop.
07/04/2026 16:43:19 UTC
Prologue, Rain, Lost, And Hot
Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
Put ya big jumper on Upt' - you'll be fine.
07/04/2026 15:55:35 UTC
Prologue, Rain, Lost, And Hot
Upt'North ¹ said :-
Brrrrrrrr, just Brrrrrrrr.
Upt.
07/04/2026 12:33:49 UTC
Better Weather, Getting High, Warm And Cold
Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
I suspect you got distracted while writing it Andy...or you fell asleep.
02/04/2026 10:44:18 UTC
Better Weather, Getting High, Warm And Cold
Andy G said :-
I’m sure there should be more words on the end of that but neither Facebook or my phone diary has them!
Ian, I was surprised how many mountain ranges that I found to piece together my routes. I had expected central Spain to be all flat plains.
01/04/2026 22:51:24 UTC
Better Weather, Getting High, Warm And Cold
Upt'North ¹ said :-
Very nice Andy, enjoyed that.
Upt.
31/03/2026 16:20:24 UTC
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Ian Soady¹ said :-
Here you are:
10/04/2026 14:49:50 UTC
Ian Soady¹ said :-
Interestingly, looking at the workshop manual the front pressure is 16 psi! Of course tyres used to be much stiffer then. I think I'll probably go for the Mitas although am feeling a little more confident now. Maybe a slightly longer test run at 24 psi is in the offing? I'm also still considering adapting the BSA steering damper.
Given the amount the outfit veers on acceleration / braking with 42 bhp I wonder how those with Gold Wings etc manage?
I have found a graph / spreadsheet showing weight / pressure relationships courtesy of Claude that I'll try to post.
10/04/2026 14:50:40 UTC
nab301 said :-
Ian that's interesting re the tyre pressures , is the 21psi recommendation related directly to the unladen weight or just as you say the minimum pressure to keep the tyre on the rim ? I have a road rider front on my solo Enfield and the bars can flap about a bit when slowing down.. I better get out the weighing scales. Roadriders have fairly stiff side walls compared to some "classic" type tyres which could also be part of the problem , either way if you don't hear from me again you'll know lower front tyre pressure isn't a good idea! (currently 30psi approx)
Nigel
10/04/2026 14:38:22 UTC
Ian Soady¹ said :-
I can't see any availability on the Avon. However, I've used Mitas tyres successfully on other bikes and in fact have one on the sidecar wheel. The H-03 looks like a possibility and at £50 good value:
10/04/2026 12:39:17 UTC
Ian Soady¹ said :-
Well spotted. A bit pricy though! And showing as out of stock.......
10/04/2026 12:21:28 UTC
ROD¹ said :-
Then this popped up!
https://www.aceclassics.co.uk/products/avon-sm-mkii-400-18-rear-tyre/...
10/04/2026 12:18:36 UTC
Ian Soady¹ said :-
I think the rear was called the Safety Master (popularly known as the skidmaster)? As I remember the front (ribbed) was the Speedmaster. I have one on my Norton Electra with a TT100 on the back....
I've been having a chat with an ex aircraft engineer on a BSA forum and he tells me that nose wheel shimmy is a problem on aircraft. They had a special tyre to counteract it:
10/04/2026 12:24:51 UTC
ROD¹ said :-
I have just checked the web but the speed master does not seem to be available.
The best I can find in an 18" is the Heidenau K28.
10/04/2026 12:15:35 UTC
ROD¹ said :-
Ian, Did you ask Avon if they still make the speed master rear tyre? These were the preferred front tyre for an outfit back in the day.
I believe some tyre manufacturers make small batches of retro tyres, like the TT100 from Dunlop ect.
The square section of the speed master rear would give the same properties as lowering the tyre pressure, giving a greater contact area.
10/04/2026 12:07:50 UTC
Ian Soady¹ said :-
I've just had another very short run and a great improvement. 25 psi in the front: much much better especially on smooth road surfaces. A biggish bump still knocks the bars but at least they don't start oscillating. I got up to about 20mph and felt relatively safe.... I may try even lower pressure but won't go below 23. Another long conversation with a passing couple who used to have bikes in their youth, and the postman who said he could do with something like the outfit to do his round. I did offer to sell it to him but he said he preferred to remain married.......
I have started to wonder about the back and sidecar tyre pressures - currently 30 and 25 respectively.
10/04/2026 11:54:11 UTC
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nab301 said :-
All this reminiscing about timing chains and old Brit classic cars (Maestros and Stags )reminds me of the 10 yrs I spent in a motor factors way back , customers would come in looking for a service kit ( points , plugs , condenser, rocker cover gasket )" oh and better give me a timing chain , it's a bit noisy" ! I used to cut them from a large roll (standard 3/8 simplex or duplex)and supply a split link , (mercs I think had a different pitch) I only ever fitted one ( to a friends car) A Dolomite 1500 , so relatively easy.
More recently I realised that The Enfield primary duplex chain is just a std 3/8th and that purchasing a 5metre roll locally is cheaper than ordering a chain from a bike specialist ...
Nigel
10/04/2026 14:58:24 UTC
Ian Soady¹ said :-
Re the Merc: I'm quite often tempted by cars but then I remember (a) I have nowhere to put one and (b) as Ren says, car parts are heavy and awkward and also require lying down underneath them. I was cured when I had a Triumph Stag as a daily driver in the late 1990s. Mid life crisis me? I did 70,000 miles in 5 years and had to replace, amongst other things, the engine (twice due to a foolish error I made), gearbox and differential. Not to mention multiple other parts. As I was using it as my only car, much of it for work, I had to pay people to do the heavy lifting so I wasn't without wheels, although I did borrow Electra's MG Maestro (which I'd donated to her) as backup. That was actually a very capable car despite the knockers.
The Stag was a lovely car but in the end it was only financially viable with the mileage allowance from work. I decided to move it on before it ruined me.
Stag and Maestro......
10/04/2026 13:01:07 UTC
Ian Soady¹ said :-
Yes, he started on Gold Stars when but a youth and went on to be world class on the unit singles especially the B50 motocross bike. I actually met him a couple of times as he used to come over to the UK and visit his old mechanic from those days, the late Fred Barlow. Fred ran a small bike shop in Tamworth specialising in Norton Commandos (which is how I knew him) and the BSAs which he could make go very well.
Jeff seemed like a very nice bloke and very approachable.
10/04/2026 12:41:56 UTC
Upt'North ¹ said :-
Just read that Lancashire lad Jeff Smith has died aged 91. Great motocross rider in his day. Ian will know but I think he was on the BSA and British teams.
Upt.
10/04/2026 12:34:26 UTC
Upt'North ¹ said :-
Oh yes....that was about 45 years ago. But you never lose it?
10/04/2026 11:26:58 UTC
Upt'North ¹ said :-
Timing up a V8 Merc with new components, oooo a real head scratcher, it might already have the better chain on of course. I would imagine it's a fit it once and check it 20 times sort of job. I think the last chain cam engine I timed was a Gardner 240. That was on an engine stand too.
We want pictures!
10/04/2026 11:25:01 UTC
Glyn said :-
Good points Nigel. Considering its capacity it only has 150 hp so nowhere near a rocket ship making 0-60 in just under 10 seconds. It is in exceptional shape. However, it has an Achilles heel that is well known and documented. From 81-84 they used a simplex timing chain that was very fragile and the results were catastrophic in the event of failure that happened more often than Merc would like to admit. In late 83 they upgraded the chain to a duplex. Some cars were modified but most of the early ones were scrapped as a result of the chain breaking. What has this one got? I don’t know but the current owner is allowing me to remove a cam cover to find out. The early chains expired at anytime after 40,000 miles. So I’m estimating the cost of replacing the chain, 5 guides and tensioner if I buy it. This job is not for the faint hearted I’ve been assured, but I’m riding high at the moment , what could go wrong?
09/04/2026 18:11:13 UTC
nab301 said :-
Glyn , It's a V8 petrol of course you want it , on second thoughts though while not really familiar with them , I'd imagine they're a bit of an oil tanker in the handling dept, presumably automatic and google suggests it's an all alloy engine , not sure how all that would fare after decades of lying idle ?
Nigel
09/04/2026 13:29:50 UTC
Upt'North ¹ said :-
I prefer the E class but the early S class are very nice.....it'll be a keeper.
Just sayin.
Upt.
09/04/2026 09:26:11 UTC
Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
Regarding the S Class. Firstly do you have the space? Secondly it's worth remembering car parts tend to be heavier than bike parts - is the knee up to it? Otherwise GO FOR IT! If it keeps you entertained and you're having fun where's the problem?
09/04/2026 07:53:49 UTC
Random Link - North Wales 2011 Short Break - Going To Criccieth