Strada Camshaft Oil Ways

[Ventodue]

Thanks for the link to http://www.bushes2u.com. Never know, could be useful ...

As for the rest ... "She'll be right" I reckon, Colin. Blimey, it's not as if you're setting off on an overland trip to Australia on the bike. Or at least I hope you're not ...

[Duccout]

Well Craig, seeing as my annual motorcycling mileage in my old age has dropped to about 2000 miles and I've got three bikes, you are probably right! Even if the bushes only last 1000 miles, that would probably equate to about ten years of back lane rides to the cafe.

Very impressed with www.bushes2u.com (I have no connection...blah, blah) but I told them what I wanted and they were delivered in a few days. If I had to have the bushes made again, I would just have the i/d slightly larger to allow for closing up when fitting.

[Duccout]

All back together and test ridden, the bike certainly steers better when it has steering only at the front!

That is everything more or less done now (as much as an old bike like this is ever done). I still need to sort out the bottom end carburretion, have a look at the selector box, which is a bit hit-or miss, and find a gear lever, plus the front brake is heavy and probably needs a new cable.

BTW, since fitting the Electrex World ignition, the engine has started first kick every time, and does not need any sort of a heave on the kickstarter at all, just a gentle nudge, just what I need at my age!

[themoudie]

Aye Colin, sounds good, rear wheel steering like a combine harvester can get a bit twitchy! Enjoy the autumn warmth.

Good health, Bill

[Ventodue]

Well Craig, seeing as my annual motorcycling mileage in my old age has dropped to about 2000 miles and I've got three bikes, you are probably right! Even if the bushes only last 1000 miles, that would probably equate to about ten years of back lane rides to the cafe.

I will freely admit that I am of the same mind ...

Have fun!

[Duccout]

Did some work today - had another look in the selector box to see if I could find a reason for the hit and miss detent action, but couldn't see anything wrong, so reassembled it and will see how it performs next time out. The pedal returns perfectly when I'm selecting gears on the stand, but on the road it often takes two attempts to get it to click back into place. If it still is dodgy I'll try a new return spring.

Had a look at the fuel level in the carb - very confusing data on line! Amal say that the float should be between 4.3 and 6.3 mm below the float bowl, but Triumph say that due to their carbs being at a downdraught the float level should be 40 thou. As I had nothing to lose, and as my carb takes an age to tickle, I thought that I would try the Triumph level. So started up the engine and adjusted the tick over mixture and the bike seems to run great, so hopefully tomorrow a road test will tell me if things are better or worse. If there is still no improvement I will try the Mikuni route, assuming that I can find a suitable manifold to angle the carb inward away from the Strada frame.

[George]

I had same trouble with my selector box. Tangs on return spring are angled to one side. Turned spring 180 degrees so that tangs pointed towards gear lever. Now working properly. Perhaps tangs catching on mechanism.

[Duccout]

Yes thanks George, I remembered that when you posted it before, so I did take your advice and turned the spring over. Fingers crossed it cures the problem.

Colin

[Duccout]

Carb problem solved! Well almost. Went for a run today and the carburettion problem is fixed, so obviously float level is a factor in setting things up. I still Have a problem with a fast tick-over though, which the wisdom on the 'net equates to a worn slide, which can be proved opening the throttle slightly - if the revs drop then the slide is worn, only mine doesn't! The slide feels quite tight in the bore too.

Still have problems with the gear selector box. There is too much free play in the splined shaft, which is stopping the detent clicking back into place. Maybe the spring holder coffin is worn or the eccentric; a heavier gear lever would help because then the weight would allow it to return on downward changes and then I could adjust the eccentric to give a better return on upchanges.

It is funny how much improved the bike is, it almost feels like a new bike.

[George]

Things improving then Colin. Good to know. I also had to fit new selector shaft bushes as gear lever was moving up and down to much. Might be worth checking.