Build dates

I decided to have a couple of people check on when my two piles of scrap metal....errr.....fine machines....were built back in the country of origin.

One checked some BSA dispatch records and came up with 1 Feb 1968 for the Starfire and 23 April 1969 for the Victor Special.

Another came up with 1 Jan 1968 for the Starfire and 3 Dec 1969 for the Victor Special.

Not to sure which one to go with but the second set of dates go long with dating info from the BSA Owners Club website. So that's what I'll go by when the time comes to get these two registration paperwork and insurance and all the other legal niceties for actual road use. 

There's no such thing as "age related plates" here but there are plates that can be had for "classic" or antique" motorcycles and that's what I'm going to go for when the time comes. Cost a little extra than regular plates, but that's OK as it will show people that these ain't new bikes, they're classics.

More on this at a later date.

Some work done

As the title says.....the other day I received the side stand I bought on eBay to replace the one on Vicky.

The one that was on there was an incorrect one from what I saw, compared to what was on my B25 Starfire. So a replacement was in order.For the grand total of $22 I got the side stand along with pivot pin and a spring.

The stand had a wee bit of surgical welding done on it due to it either been broken or it's length altered slightly. It doesn't make much difference as it fit onto the frame lug as designed and freely moves like intended.

While attempting to attach the spring to the frame lug, the bit at the end where it curves got outta shape from the effort of being pulled into place by a trusty screwdriver. But that's of minor concern as I was thinking of replacing the spring anyway due to it's age and wee bit of rustiness. better to be safe than end up in a ditch, tree, car or whatever due to the spring failing and the side stand dropping done at a most inopportune moment.

The stand will be coming off shortly as that along with the frame and other sundry bits and pieces will be getting a new coat of paint when  the weather has warmed up.

So until the next posting.....tootle pip.

A few bits and bobs

In order to do a restoration of Vicky, parts are needed. So with that I got  a few over the past few weeks; seals, springs and gaiters for the forks and a proper sidestand to replace what looks to be from something else entirely.

Parts are still to be had, too many to list here but as long as Lightning Spares, C&D Autos, Draganfly, Kidderminster, Gagg and Son et al are in existance, then it shouldn't be too much of a problem except for some of the really hard to find items such as an unmolested aluminum gas tank and a good seat.

So as long as the mentioned Ye Olde Motorcycle Parts Shoppes as well as eBay exist, things will be just peachy.

Until then.......

It's official, snow has been sighted

Well here it is, official confirmation that even though it's not much, less than .06, it can snow in south Texas at times. 

This motley crew is all that made into work within the first hour for reporting in. The other 20 odd slowly showed up during the next few hours, by which time the snow and ice had slowly melted off.

And now for a contest....see if you can spot the Bodger. All answers on a piece of plain paper, entries due no later than sometime this year, or next, or whenever I decide to stop the contest.

And Kawa is automatically eliminated as he knows what the Bodger looks like. Good luck!

PS And  yes the temp was around 28F and those two were wearing shorts. Silly boys!

Brass Monkey Weather!

Yesterday was a nice balmy 80F in the afternoon.

This morning around 3am high winds and rains hit the place and then around 7-8am the temps started dropping. By 10am it was 32F and windy, with gusts up to 35-40mph at times.

It's stayed like this all day for the most part. Up on the northern reaches of Texas there was snow I'm guessing as I saw a pickup truck with icicles hanging from the bottom of the back bumper and a wee bit of snow on top of it. Then I was more ice and slush in the wheelarches along with some snow on the hood/bonnet.

Tomorrow and into Thursday it's supposed to get low as the teens to 20s and somewhere around 40F as a high. Luckily, Bodger has doctors appointments tomorrow all day long so won't be freezing the cajones off thank you very much.

For those Blog readers in the UK and Europe who are thinking "What's he rabbitting on about, that's not too bad!". For here it's like being in Siberia. The locals aren't used to this type of weather for the most part though The Bodger for one loves it, as long as there's a Thermos full of tea to keep him warm while outside having to earn a crust so he can get the things needed for his projects.

So if you're in a warm place right now reading this, have some pity on those who have to be out in this cold, windy weather.