Welcome to new forum website member, lee_812d

[Vincent H.R.D. Owners Club]

@lee_812d - welcome to the online forum website of the Vincent H.R.D. Owners Club.

We love to know a bit more about our new members, so please take a couple of minutes to introduce yourself to the other members.

www.vincentownersclub.co.uk is more than just a forum, we're a worldwide community of Vincent Motorcycle enthusiasts, and we're keen to help anyone with an interest.

Do you have a bike?
Are you looking for a bike?
What's your interest in the marque?

 

[lee_812d]

Hi, I've been riding modern bikes for about 20 years (Honda Bros, Suzuki SV650, Triumph 955i Speed Triple, Harley Davidson Sportster) and mostly doing my own servicing. I used to ride to work all year round and didn't do much other riding, with the current working from home situation I try to get out just for fun.

My dad has had a Vincent Comet in the garage for over 50 years which he has now "given to me to get going". The good news is that it is complete, how it was when last ridden around 1966; the not so good news is that it has barely been touched since then. It looks a bit tatty, but the engine/gearbox turns and most of the control mechanisms are free. So I'll be looking for a good deal of help/advice to sort it out (I'll be doing a fair amount of reading on the forum for a bit).

Regards,
Lee

 

[Marcus Bowden]

Lee my handsome, welcome to the world of Vincent fanatics father has given you one of the most practical bikes you will ever own, saving you more than any of the bikes you've owned before, wheels that come off easily brakes that are more than adequate , give every thing a good squirt of WD40 and take off the timing cover and examine the large idler if it is steel you have a good one if it is aluminium your filter will need changing as well as the idler but get a local member round to give a little advice unless you can read sufficiently the right books and comprehend (I can't). Come back on here and ask questions as there is always someone here ready & willing to part with knowledge as we can't take it with us as we are all old farts with years & years of experience. Have fun.
I'm not French but a Cornishman visiting his daughter, tis the wrong flag anyway should be black with white cross.
bananaman.

 

[lee_812d]

Thanks. WD40 (or similar) has been the bike's friend for 50 years, a mixture of oil and dust has accumulated all over it, some of it protecting what's underneath.
From the numbers, I think it's from 1952. The wheels are black, the kickstart lever is non-folding (don't know if that's original). The fuel tank has no transfers, it looks a bit hand painted to me but it used to have a tank cover but that disintegrated many years ago. The tank inside is a bit rusty, like dust rather than flakes. The same oil has been in the bike for all this time so might have caused some gunge and blockages (a risk at least). The throttle slide is stuck closed in the carb but the air valve still operates, as does the exhaust lifter, and clutch. The engine has good compression by the feel of it, you can feel the difference the exhaust lifter makes to being able to turn it over. Other than that the electrics are an unknown, and I'll need to do something with the ATD for modern fuel (from what I've read so far).
So there is good and bad, I could go on but the list of things would be long!

My dad bought it off his brother who had it for a couple of years and in that time had the engine overhauled; he sold it to my dad to by a Rapide - all standard bikes for 20 year olds back then!

 

[Tracey Tilley]

Hello Lee, I have a 1952 Comet and I would be happy to help answering questions and giving advice. We are in South Wales but get around UK and Europe in normal years.
We fit non standard parts if they improve the bike, but chuck them if they are not working. I fitted a Mikuni carb which is great, but removed the Boyer ignition and went back to magneto. Modern tyres and raised handlebars for handling and comfort. Our Rapide is altered for touring but all the original parts are on the shelf in case we need them.
Good luck!
Tracey & Chris Tilley.

 

[erik]

Congratulations! I bought my Comet from a Swedish member and as Marcus recomends I opened only the Timing cover and replaced the large idler and the small one between camshaft and atd unit. both were Aluminium.new sprockets and chains and alton Generator combined with a new elktric loom ,homemade.The Comet is now 4 years on the road and I did more than 10000 miles with it , the engine still unopened.This bike is built like a brick shithouse!!!!!Erik

 

[lee_812d]

Looks like the idlers are something to take a look at with a couple of mentions above already. As for other components, I'd like to attempt to use the original type items first (magneto, dynamo, etc) but am not adverse to using modern components if these others are more trouble than they are worth.

I'm planning on getting it to a reasonable condition for riding rather than to original condition - so it looks good from a few feet (yards) away.
Nice looking bikes in the pictures above. I'll add some pictures in a bit, once the bike is out in daylight.

 

[lee_812d]

Managed to get the bike out into the open today (it's probably not been moved for over ten years and that was only from one shed to another). Amazing that the tyres could still be pumped up. Attached is a picture of how it is at the moment. The weather was bad otherwise I would have cleaned off some gunge.

(Edit: Maybe the picture was too big)

 

[Bill Thomas]

Looks all there !
A good clean, Maybe a saddle and an Exhaust and it will look Very good ?,
All The Best, Bill.

 

[b'knighted]

New tyres would probably be a good idea but try not to lose the patina. Over restored and over polished bikes are too common and often remain unridden as their owners don’t want to get them dirty.