Recommissioning a '48 Rapide

[Dave61]

I took this photo on arrival. Previous owner was a collector who owned it for 40 years and only added 600 miles. Probably dry stored for several years so now I know I didn't buy a mechanical dud at the auction I will spend my time doing a proper recommission following your advice and other threads. I also have the Riders Handbook and Maintenance Series. Many thanks for your invaluable help getting off the starting block.
Cheers Paul

Paul,
Very nice looking bike.
Worth getting Know thy beast, Richardsons, Forty years on, Another ten years on & Into the Millennium, think they are all available from the Spares Co.
A bewildering mine of information to be found in all the above & together with the wealth of advice & experience on the Forum you'll always get a solution, sometimes ten !
Hope it all goes well.
Cheers
Dave

 

[PaulC]

Hi Bill. Me again! My exhaust lifter isn't behaving and I'm sure that is my starting problem. After a few goes at kick starting the handle goes solid and won't lift. After leaving the bike for an hour the lifter starts working again, as if the collars or rollers have jammed and slowly released again. Any ideas or should I take the thing apart? I appear to have a non-standard cable with no adjustment possible, is that normal?

 

[Bill Thomas]

Hello Paul, Sounds a tricky one, Just watching Moto gp, So I will have a think.
Not sure what collars or rollers you are talking about ?.
You must have an adjuster !! On the cable, And It's important to have a lot of slack /Free play on the cable.
Have you a spare Clutch cable ?, They are the same on twins as Valve lifter Cable.
Can you roll the bike back in gear and it frees off ??.
As I said Mine does it a bit, Some times it feels strange when the Cams are in a certain place.
It's always done it.
If you take the cable off at the bottom end, Just make sure nothing is jamming in the small tube.
To take the cable off release the top cable , handle bar end ,Then there is a small top hat fitting with a slot in it,
Release it from the tube, Slip it off the cable, Push it away from the outer cable and away sideways,
Pull the tube away from the engine and slide it up the outer cable, then you can see the nipple slides out side ways.

 

[PaulC]

Thank you Bill. I've seen it does have an adjuster and at the lower end it has a knurled round disc on top of a two inch spacer tube and under that a nut on the top of the casing. It looks Heath Robinson to me but you may say it is standard (hopefully). I'll take the cable off, give it a good oil and the adjust until there is free play. Hopefully that is all it needs. Thank you for your advice and with luck I will have her on the road for a first test run.

 

[Bill Thomas]

Don't touch the nut !!!!.

 

[Bill Thomas]

The disc is the top hat,, Yes it sounds standard, Maybe not the best ,
But we have been using them for 70 years !!.
To stop oil leaks we put 2 Rubber O Rings between the " NUT " and the sliding metal rod that the cable slides into, As long as there is enough room to have a bit of free play.
Maybe a bit of grease to help the rubbers slide into the tube ?.
If you don't have enough free play, It's like you are holding the valves open,
Which can cause all sorts of problems !!.
Good luck , Talk again if you want. Bill.

Free play depends on where the cam lobes are resting, So check by turning the engine over slowly.

 

[Bill Thomas]

But to get to the bits , You have to take the Cam shafts out, Not a nice job , Avoid if possible !!!!.

 

[PaulC]

All good advice Bill and another project for tomorrow. I just want to take her out for a drive but I am enjoying all the complexities just to get to know it. I have a BSc, an MSc and but this project is by far the hardest. All worth it when you own such a beautiful motorbike. Thanks. Paul

 

[Bill Thomas]

Thanks Paul and Have Fun, But it pays to ask before getting too involved,
These can be tricky Bikes to mend, I have been doing it since the 60s, I even worked at the old "Conways "
For a short time as a Lad.
We used to call inside the Timing Case, "The Horror Chamber " , Not the best bit of the Bike,
I avoid going in there if I can help it, Loose spindles etc, The spindles are an interference fit ,
But not much !, And for me not enough !.
And the Cam spindles don't have much alloy above, Just below where the barrels sit,
You can buy oversize spindles but the cases should be heated up to put them in,
A job that should be done with the Crank Cases on the bench, So it's a bit of a bodge to heat up local and bash them in, As I said, Best stay out of there .

 

[Gary Gittleson]

Isn't the exhaust lifter behavior just the normal experience we all have? When the valves are fully closed, the lifter mechanism doesn't have enough leverage to open them easily. Most of us have learned to apply some pressure on the handlebar lever and slowly put pressure on the kick starter. After a little movement of the crank, the handlebar lever eases back to the bar and we are ready kick. It's probably not a good idea to apply a gorilla grip on the lever to force the valves open, since the mechanism isn't all that strong.