Which just goes to show you don't need a bike you need a stepladder to mount or all the fancy electronics. Sixty or so years ago l rode pillion on a Norton Dommie 99 on a long weekend trip from Southend to Brands Hatch then on to the West Country with a tent, Primus stove and change of clothes...The Norton never missed a beat... It was quite an adventure when just 17 years old....
I had a 1955 gold flash BSA that i really loved. Its the bike i enjoyed riding the most and had to commute nearly 40 miles a day between southall not far from heathrow airport to Mitcham a few miles from wimbledon. The magneto ignition was great but i timed it by using a pencil in the spark plug hole and cigarette paper between the points to see when they were just starting to open. Great on petrol and the single carburetor and iron head was no problem and in fact it would start on just the magneto, no battery and was simple reliable and ran great especially in icy weather. The cable operated rear brake was dodgy as was the front brake but the frame is the best made ive ever seen as was the chrome on the exhaust silencers. It was great at low revs and i regret big time selling it but i moved to switzerland so i had no money or place to keep it. So sad😢
A nice selection there! Back in the day, my mate had a 10-yo sprung hub Thunderbird, which he tried to sell to me, but my Jawa 250 was a lot more reliable, so the sale didn't happen.
Another well done video, thanks for the effort making them. Some comments about Nortons. i had a 1960 slimline 99 in the sixties. Never toured more than 400 miles trips on it, so I'm not good at touring. I regard the wideline very comfortable as a racing bike, but the slimline is more comfortable as a road bike. The first 650 Norton was the Manxman in 1960, majority of them crossed the pond.
Those 1950s models are great to look at and listen to, when they belong to other people, but for ownership, I find the 1970s Triumphs are more practical. They still have a similar sound and feel, but are oil-tight (or can be if you do it right), have modern(-ish) features like disc brakes and indicators, better lighting and less maintenance to do, especially if you have electronic ignition, with virtually all the parts available off the shelf. I'm glad some people still love owning these, though, so we can carry on seeing and hearing them around.
The gold BSA is mine and it is pretty dam oil tight smooth and reliable Remember those earlier bikes tend to be less vibey Only real world downside would be braking I suppose Incidentally in over a decade I’ve had to touch the points once 🤷🏼
I had a 55 Norton Dominator 600 bought in 1970 for 60 quid. I put a Thunderbird engine in it for a while and then sold the bike with the Norton engine back in it in 1972.
In 1997/8 l built a Triton using a Thunderbird engine swopping to a Twin Carb splayed head... British bikes required more spanner work, plus maintenance than most modern bikes. It was just the nature of engines back then...(My bike developed a problem with the Mag that was remedied by having a specialist overhaul)... They were reliable if maintenance procedure was followed, plus of course pride of ownership..
Riding round on my tr5 yesterday, conscious of a few people noticing,and parked up with a pint looking at my bike and checking out other people looking at it as they walked by. That's not posing, because you know you're not the centre of attention. It's enjoying the ownership as you know the downside of it is greasing chains checking timing messing with carb tuning.
Really interesting video. I’m total new to classic bikes despite being in my mid 50’s and I’m wanting to buy my first ‘classic’ and have no idea what to buy.. I have considered a Golden Flash as I love the look of BSAs of the 60’s… thanks for all the info, it’s hard to k ow where to start!
Can’t get enough of your videos, keep them coming
Thanks much appreciated
Which just goes to show you don't need a bike you need a stepladder to mount or all the fancy electronics. Sixty or so years ago l rode pillion on a Norton Dommie 99 on a long weekend trip from Southend to Brands Hatch then on to the West Country with a tent, Primus stove and change of clothes...The Norton never missed a beat... It was quite an adventure when just 17 years old....
Very true
In the 60’s my Dad had a Matchless 1000 with Sidecar attached. I loved it.
I always wanted an AJS Porcupine ❤️
Porcupine was never meant for us mortals 😂
I had a 1955 gold flash BSA that i really loved. Its the bike i enjoyed riding the most and had to commute nearly 40 miles a day between southall not far from heathrow airport to Mitcham a few miles from wimbledon. The magneto ignition was great but i timed it by using a pencil in the spark plug hole and cigarette paper between the points to see when they were just starting to open. Great on petrol and the single carburetor and iron head was no problem and in fact it would start on just the magneto, no battery and was simple reliable and ran great especially in icy weather. The cable operated rear brake was dodgy as was the front brake but the frame is the best made ive ever seen as was the chrome on the exhaust silencers. It was great at low revs and i regret big time selling it but i moved to switzerland so i had no money or place to keep it. So sad😢
Indeed it’s the bike we enjoy the most
A nice selection there! Back in the day, my mate had a 10-yo sprung hub Thunderbird, which he tried to sell to me, but my Jawa 250 was a lot more reliable, so the sale didn't happen.
That’ll teach him
Should have got himself a BSA 😂
Another well done video, thanks for the effort making them. Some comments about Nortons.
i had a 1960 slimline 99 in the sixties. Never toured more than 400 miles trips on it, so I'm not good at touring. I regard the wideline very comfortable as a racing bike, but the slimline is more comfortable as a road bike. The first 650 Norton was the Manxman in 1960, majority of them crossed the pond.
Well comfort was clearly an issue for the road because the slim line was designed
Didn’t include it here because it fell outside of the 1950s however
Those 1950s models are great to look at and listen to, when they belong to other people, but for ownership, I find the 1970s Triumphs are more practical. They still have a similar sound and feel, but are oil-tight (or can be if you do it right), have modern(-ish) features like disc brakes and indicators, better lighting and less maintenance to do, especially if you have electronic ignition, with virtually all the parts available off the shelf. I'm glad some people still love owning these, though, so we can carry on seeing and hearing them around.
The gold BSA is mine and it is pretty dam oil tight smooth and reliable
Remember those earlier bikes tend to be less vibey
Only real world downside would be braking I suppose
Incidentally in over a decade I’ve had to touch the points once 🤷🏼
We had a 1973 750 Triumph for several years but we all agree that the GoldFlash is nicer to ride if a touch slower
Lol.In the end a carb and points and coil are less trouble than electronic ignition or EFI.5 years and your electronic crap has gone to shit.
@@deltabluesdavidraye Agreed about carbs Vs efi, but the Boyer ignition on my T140 has been going for 31 years, so far.
Thunderbird 2 has always been my favorite! 😝
Virgil is my puppet hero
Not Scott in Flashy FB 1
Big Jessie 😂
@@bikerdood1100 exactly!
Nice collection of bikes. They all sounded awesome too. I really love your BSA Goldstar. Ride safe guys. Take care and thanks for sharing. Cheers
Oh everyone loves a Gold Star, beautiful but not very practical
Oh everyone loves a Gold Star, beautiful but not very practical
I had a 55 Norton Dominator 600 bought in 1970 for 60 quid. I put a Thunderbird engine in it for a while and then sold the bike with the Norton engine back in it in 1972.
Nice 👍🏻
In 1997/8 l built a Triton using a Thunderbird engine swopping to a Twin Carb splayed head... British bikes required more spanner work, plus maintenance than most modern bikes. It was just the nature of engines back then...(My bike developed a problem with the Mag that was remedied by having a specialist overhaul)... They were reliable if maintenance procedure was followed, plus of course pride of ownership..
Very nice production. My brother had a BSA gold flash back in the early sixties.
My uncle had one, even had a massive sidecar on it for a while
Think that’s what inspired me to get one myself after he passed away
@@bikerdood1100 My brother was a window cleaner and so had a sidecar chassis attached with a box for his ladders.
Brilliant
More Ton Up Division🥰, please😂🙏…….
See what we can do
Keep them in a soft state of tune, and they'll waft along like an amiable bumblebee . ....
But without the buzzing of course
There's bumblebees that get into my workshop that thunder, never mind buzz.... @@bikerdood1100
Riding in Surrey in the 60s on a pea green shooting star...all l remember was the vibration 😂
Then you have either memory or soul problem 😂😂
Vibe on my A10 is very low I have to say
I got loads of attention while on my '54 T 110, and I joked around saying " You should own one !".......
Poser 😂😂
Riding round on my tr5 yesterday, conscious of a few people noticing,and parked up with a pint looking at my bike and checking out other people looking at it as they walked by. That's not posing, because you know you're not the centre of attention. It's enjoying the ownership as you know the downside of it is greasing chains checking timing messing with carb tuning.
Really interesting video. I’m total new to classic bikes despite being in my mid 50’s and I’m wanting to buy my first ‘classic’ and have no idea what to buy.. I have considered a Golden Flash as I love the look of BSAs of the 60’s… thanks for all the info, it’s hard to k ow where to start!
If you want a BSA the A7 is perhaps even better
Almost as fast with very little vibration.
Tested one on the channel recently, absolutely loved it
Thanks, that’s really appreciated.. getting good info is surprisingly difficult.
Excellent vids, i don`t recall seeing anything about Douglas motorcycles.
We’re quite well known in their day
Great video, thank you.
Glad you enjoyed it
How do you get so much access to these bikes, your a lucky chap
Well I don’t all
Museums, shows etc
Classic ride outs
The Thunderbird ran until 1966 not 1963.
Either way
Wow, that bike in the intro can go half past 6! 😉😁
Or all the way to 11 😎🎸
@@bikerdood1100 Ooooh, taps straight into my spine! 🤣
1950s riders were spoilt for choice.
Well the market was doing very well at the time
Things changed in the next decade
How about a vid on bikes with wankel engines.
Been thinking about that
Spine frame lightweights? Loads of Japanese and European tiddlers with a hanging engine.
Bostin video, aer kid.
Tar Duck 😂