Timex and friends

Tell us about life with your BX, or indeed life in general!
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Tinkley
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Re: Timex and friends

Post by Tinkley »

Is that a needle roller in that Swinging arm? Or is it a p/bronze bush?. My Gilera NordWest had grease nipples to all the bushes in the monoshock linkages, of course you could not get a grease gun on one 'til you changed the nipple to have a 45° angled head...but in 80k I never had any trouble. That has bronze bushes. The Morini had sintered metal bushes (grey in colour) and they would only last about 22k. I converted it to needle rollers which last a long time but you have to change the swinging arm pin to a hardened one - an after market one done by one Benjy Straw. Changed head races to taper needles too.

Might be worth drilling and tapping a couple of holes and putting a 6mm grease nipple each side or one if it will feed the grease OK. One of the worst things on bikes is front wheel bearings - the designers think the sealed for life bearings do resist salt spray in the winter. I have had sets fail completely in 4k. Speedo side is fine because the speedo housing acts as a labyrinth to the spray. All for the sake of a 5p plastic moulding grrrrrrrrr
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mat_fenwick
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Re: Timex and friends

Post by mat_fenwick »

You want a nice old BMW...taper roller wheel bearings with separate seals, the same bearings on the swing arm which were designed to be greased with a grease gun, shaft drive sitting in a bath of oil, etc. Even the gear lever runs on needle rollers!
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citsncycles
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Re: Timex and friends

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Not sure about the arm itself (that seems to be fine), but the bearing in question was a needle roller and it's in the bottom of the shock. It seems to be a known problem with them because I managed to get a bearing and seal kit over the net easily. I'm not surprised though, as it's right in front of the rear wheel so collects all the spray and muck that ets thrown up, unlike the top mount that seems perfectly alright and is nice and sheltered between the engine and the plastic box onder the saddle.

Not sure if I want to drill the bottom of the shock casing to fit a grease nipple - I do give the thing a hammering (managed to bottom it out a couple of time on the trip to Ireland) and the last thing I want to have is the thing break in 2. At £260 for a new rear shock I don't want to kill it trying either! This one has lasted nearly 21k miles, and the replacement cost around £35, so if I keep an eye on it I should be able to make it last a while.

I'd love an old Beemer bike, but really should get a few details (like a full bike licence) sorted first. I also have several bike projects already - a '79 CZ 250 twin, a '74 Cossack 650 and a '69 Ural M63 (these last 2 basically the same except the Cossack is UK market while the Ural is currently on Ukranian plates!) and my Mums Lambretta LD150. The 2 Russki bikes are old Beemer disigns anyway, although I suspect not quite built to the same standards! I also really should get round to digging out and selling the Putch Maxi and the Mobylette SP93.
Mike Sims
BX 19RD Estate Mk1 - Timex!
BX 4X4 Estate - Oh god, I've done it again!
BX 17RD MK1 - it called to me!
BX14 TGE, - SOLD
XM Turbo SD,GS Club Estate,Visa 17D Leader,HY Pickup,Dyane Nomad,Dyane 6,2CV AZL,Falcon S,Trabant P50,3x Land Rovers (88" series 1,109" series 2a FFR,series 2a Marshall ambulance),DKW F7, Lambretta LD150 x 1.5,Mobylette SP93,Ural Cossack,Ural M63,CZ 250 Sport,Honda Varadero 125,lots of bicycles & tricycles including (but not only) Sunbeams,Higgins & Bates!
Tinkley
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Re: Timex and friends

Post by Tinkley »

Looks like a different arrangement to that on my Nordy, where the rear mudguard had a protective flap to keep rear wheel crud off the linkages. Also the main 'hinge' was not the shock itself. Looks like the only 'permanent' option would be a hardened shaft with grease nipple at the end and outlet into the roller area. It would need to be hardened too. Poxy m/c designers who don't ride in the wet or winter... Remember Kawasaki having to change all their carburettors because they were not designed to be used below 0°C... :lol: now that must have been expensive.

Dunno Mat, never changed rear whell bearings on a bike... :D even at 112k. Cush drives yup, front wheels yup but never rears, they are usually quite well protected. Mind you all but the Velo LE which WAS shaft drive have been Italian.
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citsncycles
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Re: Timex and friends

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The worst one I had was the Vulcan Custom I had before the Honda - supposedly a Leicester company but really Chinese built (currently under the name Pioneer). Newer ones are better, but the cush drive on mine was 4 10mm pins bolted to the sprocket, then slid into 4 silentblock type bushes in the wheel, the whole held in place by a circlip! The pins would generally last about 4000miles, which meant you changed them with every other chain, which had the strength of warm chocolate. The kickstart engaged itself one day at 30mph and smashed the gearbox, so I dropped a 2nd hand engine in and sold it quick before anything else went wrong!
Mike Sims
BX 19RD Estate Mk1 - Timex!
BX 4X4 Estate - Oh god, I've done it again!
BX 17RD MK1 - it called to me!
BX14 TGE, - SOLD
XM Turbo SD,GS Club Estate,Visa 17D Leader,HY Pickup,Dyane Nomad,Dyane 6,2CV AZL,Falcon S,Trabant P50,3x Land Rovers (88" series 1,109" series 2a FFR,series 2a Marshall ambulance),DKW F7, Lambretta LD150 x 1.5,Mobylette SP93,Ural Cossack,Ural M63,CZ 250 Sport,Honda Varadero 125,lots of bicycles & tricycles including (but not only) Sunbeams,Higgins & Bates!
Tinkley
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Re: Timex and friends

Post by Tinkley »

That sounds like a total 'mare. I was not too impressed when the Nordy dropped a wing mirror in the middle of Weybridge (just fractured through), split the chain twice (once at 90), smashed its cush drive (after about 70k) and the wear on the side of the barrel by the water pump?. Had it re-plated (NiSil) to new spec and it was fine again. Just vibration from a 50hp 558cc single. After a 125mile run it was at least 20-25 minutes befrore your right hand was normal.
However as a short range commuter into London (26 miles one way) it was great apart from the 130 mile tank range (55-57mpg) hold on, it would easily go quicker than a true 110mph.

V twins like the Morini are just so smooth, did 940 miles in one go one time...got home, then got back on to go down the shops....

Can you rig up a mudguard extension/shield on the little Varadero? Otherewiae it looks like regreasing and maybe dismantling the linkage might become more regular than you would like. Funny thing is those small Varadero's look almost as big as the larger mid range model, quite big for such a small engine. Should be quite light though.
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citsncycles
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Re: Timex and friends

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Yep, that V twin is soooo smooth! The vulcan was a single, and you certainly got some vibration from it. I did a few longer trips on the Vulcan (up to Kidderminster and back in a day for example, but I never trusted it enough for a trip like the Irish one I did last month.

I'm going to try to rig up a cover for the bottom of the shock assembly - I don't mind having to strip and clean the bearing occasionally, but anything that helps protect it has to be good.

The baby Vara is quite a parts bin special when you look at it - the mechanical side is lifted straight from the 125 Shadow cruiser, while several other parts are lifted from the 650 Transalp. Compared to your more normal 'commuter' 125's it's probably a heavy machine, but it's on the legal power limit for a learner, and certainly out performs most other 125's other than the sports machines. I'm also 6'2" so it's a good fit for me size wise.

I do want to get my full licence, but will probably hang onto the Vara for commuting as for me it only feels outclassed on dual carriageways, and returns nearly 70mpg even fully laden with camping gear or the weekly shop.
Mike Sims
BX 19RD Estate Mk1 - Timex!
BX 4X4 Estate - Oh god, I've done it again!
BX 17RD MK1 - it called to me!
BX14 TGE, - SOLD
XM Turbo SD,GS Club Estate,Visa 17D Leader,HY Pickup,Dyane Nomad,Dyane 6,2CV AZL,Falcon S,Trabant P50,3x Land Rovers (88" series 1,109" series 2a FFR,series 2a Marshall ambulance),DKW F7, Lambretta LD150 x 1.5,Mobylette SP93,Ural Cossack,Ural M63,CZ 250 Sport,Honda Varadero 125,lots of bicycles & tricycles including (but not only) Sunbeams,Higgins & Bates!
Tinkley
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Re: Timex and friends

Post by Tinkley »

If I ever buy another m/cycle I will go for a mid range V twin. My old Morini did 70+mpg two up with two full frame rucksacks on the carrier down to Sicily.... and my old Ducati 250 Mk3 did 90-95mpg.
Best ever from the Morini was 98mpg running in after rebuild, despatching round London.

I reckon you need 50 metric brake at the crank to keep up with/stay with modern traffic. I also will not buy a bike without a centrestand. Still all good fun, I'm 5'11" and some bikes are too big physically only a few too small. Like the look of the Aprilia 450 and 550 V engines but need to be in a road chassis and a 200 mile + range. Oh also like light bikes something not much more than 150Kg is plenty.

Reckon it will be worth trying to figure out some way of protecting that shock bearing. Maybe a simple piece of thick polythene/polyropylene sheet riveted on somewhere. If you have an old smooth shape suitable for a mould perhaps a bit of fibreglass (use rovings not chopped strand) might do the job. Perhaps a rubber 'boot' could be put over the bottom like a gaiter?.
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citsncycles
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Re: Timex and friends

Post by citsncycles »

MOT sorted on the Vara!

I also stopped at my brothers bike shop (pedal, not motor) and picked up a shock / frame protector I think I can adapt to protect the shock mount. It's a waterproof stretch fabric strip with velcro down the sides so that it wraps round the tube or shock and attaches to itself. The lower bearing kit arrived today so I'll sort it tomorrow before doing a few jobs on Timex.

Speaking of Timex - I'm sure I've seen the paint code for the bumpers somewhere, but can't find where - can anyone help?
Mike Sims
BX 19RD Estate Mk1 - Timex!
BX 4X4 Estate - Oh god, I've done it again!
BX 17RD MK1 - it called to me!
BX14 TGE, - SOLD
XM Turbo SD,GS Club Estate,Visa 17D Leader,HY Pickup,Dyane Nomad,Dyane 6,2CV AZL,Falcon S,Trabant P50,3x Land Rovers (88" series 1,109" series 2a FFR,series 2a Marshall ambulance),DKW F7, Lambretta LD150 x 1.5,Mobylette SP93,Ural Cossack,Ural M63,CZ 250 Sport,Honda Varadero 125,lots of bicycles & tricycles including (but not only) Sunbeams,Higgins & Bates!
Tinkley
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Re: Timex and friends

Post by Tinkley »

Well done on the MOT, you will like the Scorpions! Very predictable tyres with plenty of feedback. I had MT80s' on the Pegaso but when Pirelli uprated the tyres to MT90s' they were better in the wet and rode very very slightly better. Can't really tell about hard braking 'cause the Pegs' brake is useless compared to 2 X 4 pot Brembos on the Nordy - inadvertent Bunny Hops were easy... Newer Pegs have a much better front brake and it needed it.

Sounds like that fabric option will make a nice protective 'boot', good luck with it.
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mat_fenwick
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Re: Timex and friends

Post by mat_fenwick »

citsncycles wrote:I'm sure I've seen the paint code for the bumpers somewhere, but can't find where - can anyone help?
It's on the CD which we got at the Conservatoire last year...not certain where mine is though!
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citsncycles
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Re: Timex and friends

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Yep, it certainly handles a lot better - it had a set of (admittedly worn) Bridgestone Trailwings on before, which were the factory spec, but I never felt too confident on wet bends, and they would tramline horribly. If I any complaints, it would be greater rolling resistance, which is a big deal on a 125.

Mat- thanks for the response - I lent mine to the Westons, so I'll try to get it back. I'm sure Tim posted the details prior to that as he had the bumpers on the DTR painted.
Mike Sims
BX 19RD Estate Mk1 - Timex!
BX 4X4 Estate - Oh god, I've done it again!
BX 17RD MK1 - it called to me!
BX14 TGE, - SOLD
XM Turbo SD,GS Club Estate,Visa 17D Leader,HY Pickup,Dyane Nomad,Dyane 6,2CV AZL,Falcon S,Trabant P50,3x Land Rovers (88" series 1,109" series 2a FFR,series 2a Marshall ambulance),DKW F7, Lambretta LD150 x 1.5,Mobylette SP93,Ural Cossack,Ural M63,CZ 250 Sport,Honda Varadero 125,lots of bicycles & tricycles including (but not only) Sunbeams,Higgins & Bates!
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Tim Leech
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Re: Timex and friends

Post by Tim Leech »

There you are.

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Lots of Motors, mostly semi broken....
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citsncycles
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Re: Timex and friends

Post by citsncycles »

Thanks Tim
Mike Sims
BX 19RD Estate Mk1 - Timex!
BX 4X4 Estate - Oh god, I've done it again!
BX 17RD MK1 - it called to me!
BX14 TGE, - SOLD
XM Turbo SD,GS Club Estate,Visa 17D Leader,HY Pickup,Dyane Nomad,Dyane 6,2CV AZL,Falcon S,Trabant P50,3x Land Rovers (88" series 1,109" series 2a FFR,series 2a Marshall ambulance),DKW F7, Lambretta LD150 x 1.5,Mobylette SP93,Ural Cossack,Ural M63,CZ 250 Sport,Honda Varadero 125,lots of bicycles & tricycles including (but not only) Sunbeams,Higgins & Bates!
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Tim Leech
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Re: Timex and friends

Post by Tim Leech »

I may still have some paint in the garage....
Lots of Motors, mostly semi broken....
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