RIP Ralph Gatenby

[Motu]

Of course they can carry a pillion,but it was a different world,and peoples expectations less.

The Bantam was 3 speed and had a top speed of 51mph - and that was it,no way could it go any faster...tail wind,downhill,it made no difference.The 3 speed required some skill to use - hills had to be pre planned,and it was a dedicated attack...it was a big drop to 2nd,and you had to get it right.

Ah,the memories - you brought up the subject,so you'll have to listen to some stories.The Bantam had a savage kickback,they damaged me far more than bigger bikes - ripped hunks of skin off my foot.So you got your foot out of the way - and that's when they ran backwards...off the kickback.No ign,no kill switch,the Bantam was ready to go anytime.A tickle on the carb to flood it,close the ''strangler'' on the air filter and give it a boot...a good Bantam would start on the first kick.But depending on moon phases and the transit of Mars,particualy with a quincunx to Venus - then you could have a bad Bantam...a bad Bantam wouldn't start until you broke down sobbing over the tank,exhausted,with no more sparkplugs to try....even your ''special'' plug that always got you home.Then your Bantam would start,and run like nothing had happened.No kill switch - you either stalled it with the strangler or set it up with no idle,so it would die on a closed throttle.So I would sit at the lights - brrrriiing...bang,bang,bang....brriiing....bang,ba ng,bang.I would count the bangs,like,you wouldn't want to stall in traffic.People in cars would look at me,and there was nowhere to hide apart from the clouds of smoke...no full face with visor,my nakid head covered in pimples confirming what an utter dork I was...

Filling with gas required mental calculations on the forecourt,you premixed your ''petroil'' at the pump - BP Zoom at the pumps was for wankers on Vespas.The filler cap had a metal graduated tube and you had to figure out how much SAE 30 you needed for the fuel you bought - gas in first,then the oil...and shake the bike to mix.Ritual,it was all about rituals...and if you didn't appease the Gods then the Bantam would break down,Bantam owners lived in fear of breaking some unknown code - you never knew what God was going to smote you down some lonely night....

[nudemetalz]

Got one just the same stashed in the shed, its a D1 bantam.
Got manuals, BSA factory hot-up docos ( yes they raced the wee sods)
plus got a few other bits n pieces as well.

Sheez, you got a completely assembled motorcycle at all ?

[nudemetalz]

Of course they can carry a pillion,but it was a different world,and peoples expectations less.

The Bantam was 3 speed and had a top speed of 51mph - and that was it,no way could it go any faster...tail wind,downhill,it made no difference.The 3 speed required some skill to use - hills had to be pre planned,and it was a dedicated attack...it was a big drop to 2nd,and you had to get it right.

Ah,the memories - you brought up the subject,so you'll have to listen to some stories.The Bantam had a savage kickback,they damaged me far more than bigger bikes - ripped hunks of skin off my foot.So you got your foot out of the way - and that's when they ran backwards...off the kickback.No ign,no kill switch,the Bantam was ready to go anytime.A tickle on the carb to flood it,close the ''strangler'' on the air filter and give it a boot...a good Bantam would start on the first kick.But depending on moon phases and the transit of Mars,particualy with a quincunx to Venus - then you could have a bad Bantam...a bad Bantam wouldn't start until you broke down sobbing over the tank,exhausted,with no more sparkplugs to try....even your ''special'' plug that always got you home.Then your Bantam would start,and run like nothing had happened.No kill switch - you either stalled it with the strangler or set it up with no idle,so it would die on a closed throttle.So I would sit at the lights - brrrriiing...bang,bang,bang....brriiing....bang,ba ng,bang.I would count the bangs,like,you wouldn't want to stall in traffic.People in cars would look at me,and there was nowhere to hide apart from the clouds of smoke...no full face with visor,my nakid head covered in pimples confirming what an utter dork I was...

Filling with gas required mental calculations on the forecourt,you premixed your ''petroil'' at the pump - BP Zoom at the pumps was for wankers on Vespas.The filler cap had a metal graduated tube and you had to figure out how much SAE 30 you needed for the fuel you bought - gas in first,then the oil...and shake the bike to mix.Ritual,it was all about rituals...and if you didn't appease the Gods then the Bantam would break down,Bantam owners lived in fear of breaking some unknown code - you never knew what God was going to smote you down some lonely night....

That is such a neat story, Motu, thanks for sharing !!!

[limbimtimwim]

with no more sparkplugs to try....even your ''special'' plug that always got you home.Then your Bantam would start,and run like nothing had happened.

That sounds like fun!!

Gotta get me one. Seriously, I'm not being sarcastic. Be fun for riding to friends houses. Turn it into an adventure.

[T.W.R]

Sheez, you got a completely assembled motorcycle at all ?

haha cheeky bugger ! yeah its complete & it gets a blast around the property couple of times a year, and don't worry the other one is geting closer too and the two wheeled beasties that get into that shed come out alot better than when they went in

[nudemetalz]

haha cheeky bugger ! yeah its complete & it gets a blast around the property couple of times a year, and don't worry the other one is geting closer too and the two wheeled beasties that get into that shed come out alot better than when they went in

Pleased to hear it. I'll have to take the Bantam for a blast when I come through at Easter. I've always wanted to ride one of those...

[HDTboy]

Hope you find one Six, would be cool to come and have a maz over

[Ixion]

Of course they can carry a pillion,but it was a different world,and peoples expectations less.

The Bantam was 3 speed and had a top speed of 51mph - and that was it,no way could it go any faster...tail wind,downhill,it made no difference...No kill switch - you either stalled it with the strangler or set it up with no idle,so it would die on a closed throttle....Ritual,it was all about rituals...and if you didn't appease the Gods then the Bantam would break down,Bantam owners lived in fear of breaking some unknown code - you never knew what God was going to smote you down some lonely night....

Pillion was OK - oddly, didn't seem to make that much difference to performance.

*MY* Bantam did 65mph + ! 70mph downhill, with a smaller rear sprocket. After I butchered it.

Anyone wants to hot one up, it's pretty simple. First, when you look at the cylinder head , the actual combustion chamber stands proud of the bottom fin. So, machine that off until it's level with the bottom fin. You can be wanky and use a milling cutter in the electric drill, or do as I did, hacksaw, file and sheet of sandpaper stretched across a E93A Prefect sidewindow. Then file (or Dremel if you're a rich plonker) the combustion chamber , bevel it so its about half way between what it ended up , and the bore. That gives a bit of squish. No idea what compression ratio that is , but it kicked back good.

Then take the silencer apart (they dismantled for cleaning - illegal now I think) and pull out a couple of baffle plates and hammer a few holes in the remainder - 'tis a matter of artistic interpretation how many and where.

Then drill the main jet out a bit , what size depends on what drill you can find. Drop the needle a bit or it won't start, you'll need to file a new groove in the needle.

Then get you liddle file and attack the ports! Make 'em bigger. Up to you and the Biker Gods how much and in what direction. Uh - record the changes ? hmm , we never thought of that.

It helps to have a few spare barrels, heads, carbs etc when you do this. Especially heads. 'Tis easy to go a bit far and have the bottom fin fall off.

Then you can start on stuffing the crankcases. Um, make sure whatever you use can't come loose. Don't ask me why I say this, okay.

Um, bear in mind, you still ain't got any brakes worth mentioning.

[T.W.R]

haha you'd only carry a pillion if you wanted to torture them ! especially on a D1 the parcel rack isn't the most friendly item.

here's a pic of one racing & a letter from the factory about tuning mods.

great fun little bikes. the D1 is a classic. my old man brought a D7 for me as a kid to learn on & we also had a D14 Bushman 175 for a while but it was an irritable pig of a thing

[Ixion]

Note particularly the bit in the letter about ensuring the crankcase packing screws do not come loose. Do not ask why I mention this.

[Motu]

You forgot cutting the piston inlet skirt too.I never got around to modifying a Bantam...I got a B31 to play around with instead.The Bantam goes very well as a trials engine,and at the Classic Festival I saw a racing Bantam,it sounded real crisp.

I lost my fishtail! Oh woe is me...and you couldn't get them either.I soon got tired of an open 2 stroke exhaust - like in about 30 seconds! I found a stainless cartridge oil filter,it was the right dia and length,and had nice perforations.I gutted the media and drilled some holes in the end plate,and it bolted up quite nicely....and looked like a filter tip smoking away back there.

I wonder how they would go these days on modern 2 stroke oils,a good 2 stroke carb that can be jetted,and a nice electronic ign system?

[Brian d marge]

I also had a D3 . D7 And one or 2 D14 . Despatch rode one for a while , Red D14 in the early 90 s

Great bike , in fact the one I last rode a red D14 is still going

They are great bike , Andy from T and G banam spare in South london , was a great place to pick up spares , cheap to .Mune ended up with a 185cc big bore kit , expoxied transfer ports and compression. dont ask me how much cos I was using a sheet of glass to.

But I did see 80mph on the speedo down Finsbury park rd The hird lane between the 2 lines of cars ) and that was 2 up so can be verified !!! on the high accurate smiths speedo
Yamaha are doing now what smith speedos have been doing since the dawn of time.

Once I broke down when the clutch centre nut came loose , so off plates tighten nut , find big Irish Navvie to stand on makeshift spring compressor ( a brick I think?) and then spend ages trying to get circlip in
round 2 remove a plain plate repeat the above , continue riding till either I remembered to put plate back in or got pissed at slipping clutch

I have an Enfield now , same philosophy !

Stephen

Who will have the Enfield Next year as well ....

[nudemetalz]

Have you seen this ?
http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Mo...n-48585769.htm

[Skyryder]

Died June 4th 1957

My Grandfathers untimely death under the wheels of a double decker bus stopped me from riding until 27 years old, at which point I ignored my mother and bought a SR500.
Fast forward 49 years and for whatever ghoulish reason I feel a need to obtain the same model bike he rode.
BSA owners, anyone? I am now looking for a 125 BSA Bantam circa 1950?
Anyone that can shed any light on this model would also help.

Good luck in finding one. I know one other biker who is also interested in a Bantam. Odd we were just talking about that yesterday.

Skyryder

[nudemetalz]

One day I would like to purchase or restore a 1970 Mach-111 just like my Dad had (see my profile picture). Unfortunately (for me), their prices are escalating like mad.