BEN
Charity Run 2017
While
waiting for a brew I thought that I might give an update on the
Greenford Police LE. It takes time to get things together and so does
getting around to writing about it. The engine had seized standing so
I had to remove the barrels and get the valves and guides replaced
along with the water pipe stubs. I have cleaned the carb and repaired
the exhaust box that had become holed on the top. It now gleams with
a new coat of paint. One of the rear suspension unit bolts had seized
in its sleeve and was a real naughty to extract requiring heating up
the bolt head with my oxy-acetylene torch to free it off. It all
takes time.
I
have been preparing the Valiant for this charity run through Windsor
Great Park that I have done on previous years. This year it decides
that it will not rev much above 4,000rpm and has decided to become
incontinent and pee oil from around the back of the engine adding to
the weeps and seeps from the rocker oil return pipe that refuses to
stay soldered. It looks as though most of the oil is coming from the
clutch housing. A two oil seal area at the back of the engine and
requires an engine out job. Not too difficult as I had to do one on
the car while in Portugal earlier this year. I’ll do the seals when
I get a spare day or two sometime. In between I’ll just have to
keep an eye on the engine oil level. As for the revving, I’ve
changed the condenser which has made it a bit better but not a
complete cure. More investigations to take place.
I
went on the ride and with deteriorating performance I arrived at the
start point. I received the welcome pack with the route on a two
sided map that you would have difficult reading going along and a
tulip route book. I have used them before and require an accurate
speedo that reads down to 0.1 of a mile. Neither of which I have.
This compounded by the fact I need to use reading glasses it was
great that the group of bikes were lead around by a vintage car that
kept us all together, most of the time. Very much appreciated. Only a
few bikes but among them was an ex-dispatch riders 1916 Douglas. Two
speed gearbox and no clutch! It has an after market exhaust system that is supposed to give more power. No different that today!
Interesting riding but as the bike had
such a low compression engine it was easy to start and only needed to
be moving slowly to engage gear and be away. I am told, with a little
practice, it is easy to do even up hill! Rain forecast during the day
black clouds came and went leaving a few spits of rain to dodge. Dry
this year but my minicams’ battery only recorded about ten minutes
of the run so nothing for Youtube. I did take some pictures though
and as the LMM is the home of Triumph there was an interesting
Triumph Dolomite that was one of the last produced before car
production stopped.
Even with the poor running I completed the run
and even got home again 84 miles later and about three and a half
hours of riding. As you might expect the 1916 Douglas won concours. I
am surprised that so many dispatch riders survived. Perhaps it was
the fact that the German soldiers couldn’t aim straight because
they were laughing so much seeing the guys antics struggling through
the mud. This leads me on to James who has now embarked upon an epic
journey around the country of 2500 miles on his Tiger Cub. We expect
him back sometime this year. He plans to return in two weeks.
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