A10 Fork Springs on S7 Deluxe

The recent subject matter of discussion in the Sunbeam Owners Fellowship got me thinking about how to cure the bouncing front end of my S7D.  The suggestion was to swap out the stock fork springs for slightly longer ones used on the S8, or from a BSA model A10 Rocket Goldstar.  It seemed an easy enough task after reading the Bedside Book.  I easily obtained NOS springs from the UK and went to work.

The top cap nuts and steering head bearing tensioner came out easily.

I then backed off the pinch bolts on the top triple tree.  It easily came off with a few bumps from a rubber hammer underneath.  I laid it carefully back against the tank with a towel.  (A good man always knows where his towel is.  I like to think of myself as a really hoopy frood.)

After jacking up the front end, the screws from the spring shrouds came off and I protected the mudguard with some towels as well.

This was too easy.  The next part involved some clever improvisation.  I didn't have the right spanner to remove the nuts from the top of the triple tree.  So I had to make something.  I took the next largest size socket that I had, which happened to be 1-5/8"... then taped two 10-32 screws to the inside of it.  This way the screws would grasp the notches in the nuts, and turn them off easily.

The nuts easily came off and I had access to remove the headlamp and brackets.  I left them as one piece and set them atop the handlebars and top triple tree.

The ease of dismantling was interrupted by a trip to Harbor Freight to get a bigger adjustable wrench, since I didn't have one quite big enough to take the bottom nuts off the forks.

Reversing the order of disassembly, puts it all back together.  The forks are rather stiff now.  I hope this improves the handling as much as everyone says.  Tomorrow I shall find out.  No sense in going out to try out the handling in the dark... especially when there's a new Doctor Who episode on.

XS650 Registry

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White Rose MC Club, Springfield Indian Club Antique rally

I set out proudly on my S7D having a great deal of confidence that my noble steed would deliver me safely to Jefferson, PA and back.  I was not disappointed.  I met up with a friend who has a meticulously restored '48 Harley-Davidson.  Our bikes were a great match for riding together.  The Sunbeam accelerates slightly faster, probably because it weighs less... or it could be that the hand shift on the Harley makes it a little more cumbersome.

We took a leisurely 40 to 50mph pace.  There are a few clatterings from the valve rockers, but nothing to really be concerned about.  Oil flows freely and with enough pressure at speed to keep my mind at ease.  Even at +90'F temperatures on the return trip, the oil light only flickered when idling in traffic.

We met with some interesting characters at the White Rose MC Club facility.  I finally met Bob and Mrs. Bob from Bob's Indian, just a few miles from my home.  They've been running the rally for years.  There was a fellow from Virginia who had been coming for 40 years.  He recently had a barn fire which destroyed his collection.  He managed to find a beautiful Roadmaster to bring to the show.  His grandson was with him carrying on the legacy.  That's great to see.  We were lucky to see some non Indian classics as well.  There was a Matchless that drove in, along with a very original Henderson 4.

Attention soon turned to the Sunbeam.  I met a SOF member Bob from Maryland.  I gave him this website and I hope he'll write in.  He's got a Polychromatic Grey S8 that he's got roadworthy and I'm interested to see photos.  I'll surely see him again in October for the Antique swap meet since he's apparently quite the eclectic collector.

All in all it was a great morning.  I covered over 70 incident-free miles on KYL95 and I'm proud that its able to go out under its own power for exhibition.

Deluxe on the first big trip

Here you go, photographic evidence that KYL95 runs well enough to actually transport me somewhere.  I took it into work, where a curious crowd soon surrounded it.

I discovered that the oil leak from the head isn't really that bad.  The brakes work great.  And there are no insurmountable issues with a hot restart.

The concerns that this trip generated are only a few.

• First, at about 45mph on gradual deceleration downhill, the front suspension goes into an oscillation.  The symptom is very repeatable.  I'm not sure if this is a damping problem with the forks, or if my front wheel is slightly out of balance.  Re-balancing the front wheel will be the first treatment.
• Secondly, the clutch needs adjusted slightly when warm to insure proper disengagement.  The gearbox got slightly "clunky" when it was hot, which tells me that there was a little bit of drag and the shifts weren't happening cleanly.

Overall the trip was a complete success.  Everyone was intrigued by KYL95 and it performed like the engineering marvel it was built to be.

Next stop... White Rose Motorcycle Club, Antique Rally

Bonnet Hinges

I've had new bonnet hinges in a box for about a year.  I've just been procrastinating the installation.  Last night I decided at 8pm to start ripping the bonnet off and replace the tatty old hinges.  They're slightly corroded and the chrome is gone down to the nickel.

Starting the Deluxe cold

This video says it all.  After sitting for a week since I tuned the ignition timing, it starts on the second kick.

Almost ready for a decently long trip.

• The dynamo is working well


• The oil leaks are slowly being cured


• The breather hose to the back has been installed


• It seems to start alright when warm

Sunbeam S7 Deluxe tuned and adjusted

The engine has been hard to start, and hasn't seem to had the right amount of torque at low revs.  I figured that it was too far advanced, and I should back it off some.  I'm not halfway between the original mark on the distributor and where the book said to set it.  It runs much better.

Also, the clutch travel wasn't right, so I took the blob of tape off the handlebar to find that someone had adjusted the clutch cable with a washer holding the sheath out away from the handle.  That explained a lot.  I removed the bodge, and then remembered that the clutch slave arm wasn't symmetrical.  Its actually made so that its bent a little and can be put on either direction.  This meant pulling the rear fender out of the way, and undoing the jam-nut and screw that holds the arm in.  With that done, I flipped it around and then readjusted the clutch adjuster so that I got better travel and engagement at about where I wanted it.  The clutch is much better now and the bike even shifts better since its disengaging better.  Previously it would clunk pretty loud when changing from 1st to 2nd.  Now its smooth.  Probably smoother than my Guzzi.

I still haven't taken it very far.  The engine runs hot even though its running a little on the rich side.  The rings are likely still rather tight.