Thinking about a 1952 Black Shadow
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TouringGodet
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If your front tire is an Avon Speedster (not a Speedmaster), there are people that would consider it a collectors item. The same for the rear, although I do not know for sure what the markings would be, I think AVON Supreme???
I have an unrestored Shadow, and would love to have a set of original tires if I had the luxury of a second twin for riding. For that reason, I wouldn't pay a whole lot for original tires, but if offered for a reasonable price, I wouldn't mind having a set that I could offer with the bike for the time in the future I ever sell the Shadow.
I have an unrestored Shadow, and would love to have a set of original tires if I had the luxury of a second twin for riding. For that reason, I wouldn't pay a whole lot for original tires, but if offered for a reasonable price, I wouldn't mind having a set that I could offer with the bike for the time in the future I ever sell the Shadow.
Steve, I have a 1968 Bridgestone with 1968 Bridgestone tyres. When I hauled the brakes on it would just slide slowly to a stop with a black line behind. I have a feeling they have turned to something between
Bakelite & coal! These are only 42 years old so it would be anyone's guess what 55 year old tyres would be like. There is a good chance they will have to be cut off! I have had to do that on a couple of occasions to
save severe damage to the rim.
Bakelite & coal! These are only 42 years old so it would be anyone's guess what 55 year old tyres would be like. There is a good chance they will have to be cut off! I have had to do that on a couple of occasions to
save severe damage to the rim.
Heck most of the Rally locations are nearly in my back yard....Kinda puts the shadow restoration into overdrive though...Just over a year to get 40 years of neglect cleaned up??/ Its a tall order but I will have a go at it and see where we are in Sept 2011..
Thanks,
Duc
Howdy Eric,
I have an email out to John Healey at Coventry Spares already for quoting for the stuff I know I will need. Is email the best way or does Coventry prefer a call direct via Phone?
He may have an email address but rarely checks it. I’d call when you’ve got something firm to order and parse out your questions carefully…totally good chap, but with that North Eastern pragmatism mean he doesn’t suffer fools gladly. His son screens incoming calls.
About relining the brakes, who is the USA do you recommend for that job??
I have done both my Vins and all my Indians at an old timey blacksmith looking operation here in Memphis called Laycook, they’ve been around since 46 and specialize in clutches and brakes for the commercial/industrial trans industry. Don’t even mention the application, just plunk my box on the counter and a week and $8-10 a shoe later I have back the bonded linings to the length and width I specify for radiusing for very good fit. Softer than any you’ll source, they stop better and preserve your drums. Will get info if you like but think they can be Googled.
BTW the Tires/tubes seem to be original from the 50's and kinda still hold air. The bike only has 7k miles indicated on her so is there any reason to hold onto the old rubber after replacement? i.e. for collector value?
With an RFM change and 7K on the clock rear’s probably not and looks like you’ve got a 20 inch front for which the 3.0x20 Speedmaster was it. No DOT date on sidewall means made prior to 80ish. Even if essentially NOS like I installed 1/09 on my machine, wouldn’t run them, with so little contact patch and far better hysteresis on new rubber would fit that, I peeled mine off and threw them in the attic.
About Tires if I am interested in riding the bike EVENTUALLY is there any consensus as to the best tire for handling and performance that will fit the original wheels. I really do not care if it looks period or if they ware out quickly I want a tire I can have faith in when I lean the bike over..
If a stock 20 on the front, it’s essentially a 3.0X20 Avon Speedmaster now repop’d and very pleasant in context with how you’ll likely end up riding this machine. If the rear’s original, that’s a 3.50x19 and lots more offerings, just got to ensure a happy balance grip wise. Though the Avon SM is the tire generally paired in this combo, be advised, they have decided ledge as they roll off the face onto the sidewall. Search the forums here for more pontification on the matter.
What is the best way to check for frame straightness??
String it and rig up brackets for your wheels to check vertical alignment with an angle finder, remove your fuel tank and look for wrinkles/paint blistering around headstock mounts to UFM. Carefully release of both front springs, shock and check for free range of motion with no binding which may indicate bent upper and/or lower fork links (corrosion not withstanding), these appear to be yield point as blades and fork stem are quite resilient.
If I want to rebuild my generator/regulator what is the recommended shop for the work or can this been done in by me?
Don’t’ know if you have an original Miller or a later Lucas E3L but I’d send it to Doug as recommended and setup to fit an electronic regulator (PODtronics) regardless of your voltage selection. With an LED tailight conversion and a decent AGM battery, unless you plan to tour/ride extensively at night, this slightly modified stock setup can be very satisfactory. May want to save your money for other more perplexing challenges, like a clutch.
If I want to replace my generator/regulator is there an updated or improved version? If so are they sourced from the already mentioned suppliers?
Lots, from old Citreon car alternators on. Google Alton and the McDougulator.
If I want to rebuild my mag what is the recommended shop for the work?
Doug can do, but you’re really at the fork in the road with this one. The Lucas can be fine, but you’ll have fiddly points adjusting at some point and then there’s that ATD. Though we’ve heard of some BTH issues of late, they are a set and forget item with superior start up voltage and consistent spark on each pot as essentially you have a generator creating voltage for secondary amplification by the coils, a la capacitive discharge. Think I’d scratch my chin for a spell on this decision, have lots of other items to do first and a BTH can be installed and setup in less than an hour when you get to this point.
If replacing with a BTH what are the long term benefits / detriments? Are there any other options out there other then BTH for replacement?
Hey, this a Vincent, there’s always gonna be something else out there. But, by fitting a BTH, it's a set and forget item and you have a stand alone system that’ll get you home, no charging system necessary like other electronic ignitions. And, as a mag, it frees your charging system of that load as really, within the range of stock looking items, you're looking at 10amps to divvy out.
What are the advantages of the John H superb wiring harness?
Heavier gauge, newer with no concerns for bodges/insulation break down and (dim memory), Vin, like Indian and others only ground to the frame, not directly the battery. John runs a dedicated headlight ground back to the RFM post and then the battery.
I have an email out to John Healey at Coventry Spares already for quoting for the stuff I know I will need. Is email the best way or does Coventry prefer a call direct via Phone?
He may have an email address but rarely checks it. I’d call when you’ve got something firm to order and parse out your questions carefully…totally good chap, but with that North Eastern pragmatism mean he doesn’t suffer fools gladly. His son screens incoming calls.
About relining the brakes, who is the USA do you recommend for that job??
I have done both my Vins and all my Indians at an old timey blacksmith looking operation here in Memphis called Laycook, they’ve been around since 46 and specialize in clutches and brakes for the commercial/industrial trans industry. Don’t even mention the application, just plunk my box on the counter and a week and $8-10 a shoe later I have back the bonded linings to the length and width I specify for radiusing for very good fit. Softer than any you’ll source, they stop better and preserve your drums. Will get info if you like but think they can be Googled.
BTW the Tires/tubes seem to be original from the 50's and kinda still hold air. The bike only has 7k miles indicated on her so is there any reason to hold onto the old rubber after replacement? i.e. for collector value?
With an RFM change and 7K on the clock rear’s probably not and looks like you’ve got a 20 inch front for which the 3.0x20 Speedmaster was it. No DOT date on sidewall means made prior to 80ish. Even if essentially NOS like I installed 1/09 on my machine, wouldn’t run them, with so little contact patch and far better hysteresis on new rubber would fit that, I peeled mine off and threw them in the attic.
About Tires if I am interested in riding the bike EVENTUALLY is there any consensus as to the best tire for handling and performance that will fit the original wheels. I really do not care if it looks period or if they ware out quickly I want a tire I can have faith in when I lean the bike over..
If a stock 20 on the front, it’s essentially a 3.0X20 Avon Speedmaster now repop’d and very pleasant in context with how you’ll likely end up riding this machine. If the rear’s original, that’s a 3.50x19 and lots more offerings, just got to ensure a happy balance grip wise. Though the Avon SM is the tire generally paired in this combo, be advised, they have decided ledge as they roll off the face onto the sidewall. Search the forums here for more pontification on the matter.
What is the best way to check for frame straightness??
String it and rig up brackets for your wheels to check vertical alignment with an angle finder, remove your fuel tank and look for wrinkles/paint blistering around headstock mounts to UFM. Carefully release of both front springs, shock and check for free range of motion with no binding which may indicate bent upper and/or lower fork links (corrosion not withstanding), these appear to be yield point as blades and fork stem are quite resilient.
If I want to rebuild my generator/regulator what is the recommended shop for the work or can this been done in by me?
Don’t’ know if you have an original Miller or a later Lucas E3L but I’d send it to Doug as recommended and setup to fit an electronic regulator (PODtronics) regardless of your voltage selection. With an LED tailight conversion and a decent AGM battery, unless you plan to tour/ride extensively at night, this slightly modified stock setup can be very satisfactory. May want to save your money for other more perplexing challenges, like a clutch.
If I want to replace my generator/regulator is there an updated or improved version? If so are they sourced from the already mentioned suppliers?
Lots, from old Citreon car alternators on. Google Alton and the McDougulator.
If I want to rebuild my mag what is the recommended shop for the work?
Doug can do, but you’re really at the fork in the road with this one. The Lucas can be fine, but you’ll have fiddly points adjusting at some point and then there’s that ATD. Though we’ve heard of some BTH issues of late, they are a set and forget item with superior start up voltage and consistent spark on each pot as essentially you have a generator creating voltage for secondary amplification by the coils, a la capacitive discharge. Think I’d scratch my chin for a spell on this decision, have lots of other items to do first and a BTH can be installed and setup in less than an hour when you get to this point.
If replacing with a BTH what are the long term benefits / detriments? Are there any other options out there other then BTH for replacement?
Hey, this a Vincent, there’s always gonna be something else out there. But, by fitting a BTH, it's a set and forget item and you have a stand alone system that’ll get you home, no charging system necessary like other electronic ignitions. And, as a mag, it frees your charging system of that load as really, within the range of stock looking items, you're looking at 10amps to divvy out.
What are the advantages of the John H superb wiring harness?
Heavier gauge, newer with no concerns for bodges/insulation break down and (dim memory), Vin, like Indian and others only ground to the frame, not directly the battery. John runs a dedicated headlight ground back to the RFM post and then the battery.
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Very true. We used to call them "Blackstones" as well! The gave phenomenal milage but were a poor choice for wet weather.
That's a good one!
Having had my Prince laid up for 12 yrs I was surprised that the tyres had only lost 1.5 psi on the front and 2psi on the rear in pressure. i'm not into purist things and have got Metzlers front and rear but god knows what tubes are fitted. I now run nitrogen in the tyres as my piece for globul warming. All our company trucks and cars are run on Nitrogen because it keeps the tyre temps down and it also maintains their pressures longer. Its something to do with the Nitrogen molecules being larger than plain air and cannot escape through tyres and tubes that are all porruse.
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Hi John,
Thanks for your data. Interestingly the N2 you are filling your tyres with has nothing to do with global warming or the size of the N2 molecule..
GEEK ALERT!!
The production and distribution of N2 while easy to do probably uses 10-100% more energy to produce and deliver then the air at the local petrol station.
N2 is used for only one reason and that reason is that as delivered the N2 is 99.999% dry meaning it is free of the moisture that is naturally occurring in the air from the petrol station. The water in the air we breath can cause a good bit of pressure variation as the tyre heats up and that is why race teams use N2, no moisture.. Most of the air we breathe is N2 any way in fact 78.08% is nitrogen, the rest is 20.94% oxygen, .05% carbon dioxide, and .93% argon etc. So, it is the water that causes the issue not the gases..
So get a good dryer on your compressor and you can pass the N2..;-)
Cheers,
Duc
Hi Duc, 12v electrics using John McDougall modified Kubota generator, Screamin' Eagle ignition, standard Monobloc carbs. Nice modern updates.
Tony
Tony