wanted - moto giro bike

My mothers sister married a Pommy bloke, he and his brother were both Triumph and Norton mad.

They had the knack of kick starting, the hard to start bikes, into life first kick.
 
chrisk said:
My mothers sister married a Pommy bloke, he and his brother were both Triumph and Norton mad.

They had the knack of kick starting, the hard to start bikes, into life first kick.
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yep, have been left standing in the air on the kick starter of my Norton a few times, and I'm on the wrong side of 100 kilos.
Certainly a technique and proper timing.
 
Ian D said:
yep, have been left standing in the air on the kick starter of my Norton a few times, and I'm on the wrong side of 100 kilos.
Certainly a technique and proper timing.
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The Commandos accompanying us started first kick.
Apparently, the technique is to find compression, stand on the kickstart to allow it to go down a bit and then wham.
For once this year, we didn't have a Norton in the backup van.
We had one Triumph twin with a worn cam lobe, one BSA A65 with a seized crank and a Venom with an exploded clutch.

Paul
 
It's not just the old stuff either. I did a Yamaha SRX600 for a guy here. Headwork and a cam - it was a road bike. He could leave it with the keys in it knowing no - one would start it. Won bets on his ability to start it first kick too.

He's about 6 ft 5in and 250kg. Looks like he could play lock for the All Blacks. But it was still mainly technique. Compared to something like a Velo the moderns have very light flywheels. Makes it harder starting if anything.
 
Handy to have a valve lifter as well. My first 4-stroke Husky 1992 TE 350 had a cable from the kick starter to the valve lifter at the head that did it automatically when kicking it. It also had a lifter on the left bar under the clutch lever. I bought it off a mate after he swore on a stack of bibles it was a great easy starter and it was brilliant, a 2-year-old could easily kick it over. 1000% better than the XT 500. And I know the technic after owning bevels bonnies and Nortons. That bloody Yamaha was a nightmare especially if you crashed it on a big hill. How I avoided having a heart attack trying to start it at those times I don't know. Even clearing it out by holding full throttle while kicking didn't help. Thankfully it caught fire on a ride once and burned to the ground. Best thing for it.
 
Hello Chaps, I've just joined your forum, not because I have Laverda (unfortunately) but because Pauls thread appeared on a Google search for Gilera Sport 150, that I DO have. Its a recent acquisition apparently restored for show some years ago, I'm going through it and getting it ready for road registration.

Paul.... after reading these 40 pages, I noted that you replaced the fork seals, but I didn't find HOW you did it! I ground a tool from a 27mm socket to engage the three depressions in the spring cover/seal holder, but no joy there, the rings appear to be silver soldered into the end of the can. The old seals don't have a metal body and could be extracted, Replacements all seem to have a metal outer and won't therefore compress to refit. I ended up by boring out the end and fitting new seals with an extra nylon covering 'washer'....how did you do it!
 

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I have just put a 1969 Ducati 250 Desmo, needing a full resto, for sale here...just in time for a Giro this weekend. The tyranny of distance comes into play. There should be plenty in the US however. Cheers, Ian
 

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jetstuff said:
Hello Chaps, I've just joined your forum, not because I have Laverda (unfortunately) but because Pauls thread appeared on a Google search for Gilera Sport 150, that I DO have. Its a recent acquisition apparently restored for show some years ago, I'm going through it and getting it ready for road registration.

Paul.... after reading these 40 pages, I noted that you replaced the fork seals, but I didn't find HOW you did it! I ground a tool from a 27mm socket to engage the three depressions in the spring cover/seal holder, but no joy there, the rings appear to be silver soldered into the end of the can. The old seals don't have a metal body and could be extracted, Replacements all seem to have a metal outer and won't therefore compress to refit. I ended up by boring out the end and fitting new seals with an extra nylon covering 'washer'....how did you do it!
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the fork comes apart by unscrewing the chrome seal housing. I used penetrating oil, then considerable heat. When that did not work, then as I was re-chroming the housing anyway, put the fork leg in a vice and used a large chain wrench. I got a fork seal kit from a seller on eBay USA. I just saw your post. I probably shot photos of the process, I will see what I can find and then further respond. Happy to chat directly regarding any aspect of the Gilera rebuild. I replaced all engine bearings, used a VAPE 12 volt ignition and charging system with a home made wiring dirgram drawn by a forum member here, went with a modern Mikunio carb, adapted a piston, made my own push rods, and on and on........,
 
I've just got mine started after rewiring, new fork springs ,wheel bearings and tyres..... seems to run well, but when I took it for a road test, there's a horrendous racket coming from the engine, probably transmission, so now it's a full stripdown.
 
jetstuff said:
I've just got mine started after rewiring, new fork springs ,wheel bearings and tyres..... seems to run well, but when I took it for a road test, there's a horrendous racket coming from the engine, probably transmission, so now it's a full stripdown.
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Drive chain looks really tight, maybe that’s where your grunch is coming from
 
Thanks Chris, but no, there's plenty of slack in the chain, but the drive sprocket is quite worn. I've opened the cases and cannot find much wrong inside yet, a couple of bearings a bit rough.
 
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