Britbike forum Forums Thread Like Summary - Camp at TWOS this weekend

A bunch too late but……a small group of us will be at TWOS this weekend and if you happen to be out and about……please drop by and say hello.

There’s a charity event going on “True Grit 50cc Fun Run” that benefits a local fire department and elementary school.

Absolutely some of the finest roads the East Coast has to offer.

Not sure what others will be riding but my guess is some of us plan on vintage.

I’ll be on a BSA unit single……..I can already hear those MB5’s buzzing past me.

I might be slow but………..okay never mind…..I’m slow.

PS…..TWOS Two Wheels Only Suches, Suches Georgia “Go Dogs!!!!”

In memory of Robert Wilcox (aka OB1)

Finally made it……turned into a 7 hour ride. The leaf color is amazing.



I’m beat and will have to meet up with my friends in the morning.

First time this bike has been this far from home….250 miles.

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I've got the sidecar loaded behind the camper. Be there as soon as I can. The outfit is vintage, for sure. Just like the rider.

Great job getting out there and riding those old singles.

I have never forgotten (and never will forget) that day in 1999 when you pulled into the parking lot in Roanoke, VA after hammering your 441 up I-77 and I-81 from North Wilkesboro to meet Alan and I .... There was NO oil mist on any surface, NO oil drips on the pavement - it looked like a little jewel. I can't see how anyone can build those things with that kind of precision on the mating surfaces.

Hope you have a great time this weekend. I spent the first half of this week in the mountains (with my nurse in charge of me) and the leaves were just beautiful ....

Lannis

Made it back safe and sound. 3 bump starts sorta bummed me out. I have a few things to check ( Thanks for the help Greg).

When the ambient temperature is above 70? it's a first kick cold starter. Three bump starts, but I only had one "two kick" start. All the rest were a single kick. ( more on that later)

580 miles round trip. Gota take the seat, rack and shield off......but they all came in handy.

This was one of the reasons I wanted to go. Robert Wilcox (aka OB1) supported this event. I'm not sure how many he attended but that didn't matter. This time last year he had just weeks left.....he was fighting it like a solider but was loosing the battle.


I have some photos of those little bastards..........angry swarm of bees. I saw young guys......and met a fellow that had to be in his 80s and had been doing the event since 1999 (?) I swear I saw that guy on the T-shirt. It was all over the place. I ended up following my neighbors from the camp site. A nice couple from Florida, Harley riders but were on small Honda's (modern-ish 70cc?). Those angry bees I left with were serious about those things......The course started off up a short incline then it was downhill........those guys were laying flat and had em twisted wide open. Yep they left me in their dust ( the shame of it). I did pass folks until I dropped in with my neighbors and I followed them the rest of the way.

TRUE STORY...........at the second check point I pull up to them and ask if it's okay if I follow them. I tell them I think we're neighbors. Guys says heck yes, no problem. Your that guy that pushed his bike up that hill this morning so you wouldn't wake anybody when you started it.

NO.......I wasn't quick enough to pull off.... " Yea, I'm just that kinda guy". All I got out was "That wasn't why I was going up that hill"


to be continued

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First gas stop.....with 19/47 gearing I was getting 70 mpg. I came back the short way.....Hwy 441 and I-40 all the way to Morganton. But I took the scenic route to get there......mostly HWY 64. Lake Lure, Cashiers, Highlands.......a beautiful road trip.



When I lived/worked in the area.....(some of you might remember) my favorite BBQ place was in Cashiers. It has changed hands but they kept the same recipes for their type of BBQ. There are so many different varieties........we have several here in North Carolina.





DO NOT FOLLOW THESE DIRECTIONS. One year I had Don Roe and myself so lost. Marlin is the go to guy if you need directions from NC to that part of GA. Believe me.



The cabin had a small frig.......back box on rear are leftover ribs for the pups at home.






to be continued

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Stuart……stale fuel wouldn’t have been a problem. First bump was Saturday morning at the campground. 250 miles the day before with at least a couple of fill ups.

Spark looks good but of course I can’t see it when it’s under compression.

Seems to be temperature related. During the summer/early fall all was well and this bike is a 99.9% one kick starter.

Saturday I swapped plugs…..tickled the crap out of it but still no go without a bump.

The bike has no choke. All my other unit singles do. To be honest I don’t usually have to use one but this bike might need one.

The school of……Amals don’t need a choke…hard to argue differently because BSA left them off some of the singles,

I’m going to check timing and add a choke…and see if that solves the problem

Gordon, why not just try a carb swap... I'm sure you have one or two working well? At least you'll know if it is your culprit.

You got my sympathy. I had to bump start my Gold Star 2 or 3 times last desert ride, on mostly level ground! No fun.

For me, the problem is weak spark that a quick points clean and gap could improve.

For you, do you think variations in fuel blend or maybe a tank full of stale fuel could be a factor?

That's really odd Gordon. Reminds me of when my B50 wouldn't start even though "everything was right". Finally found a broken battery wire under the insulation. If it was jiggled just right while kicking it would fire. I also haven't seen the need for a choke on a BSA single. Don't know why that is.
This thread also reminds me of the great campout you sponsored a couple of years ago there where I had a fine time. At least before the "incident"

I’ll get it sorted……it’s on me and I’ll not lay the blame on Boyer, Amal or whatever.

Darn thing runs too good to be much of a problem.

I left the campground Sunday morning just before sunrise…35 degrees. If it wasn’t for my Hwy 21 battery gloves and the National Cycle Street Shield I would have been miserable. Bless companies that make stuff that actually works.

Here’s some shots of those angry bees……I have no
comments


They let anybody on any bike ride……it’s for charity. ( local fire station and elementary school). I think I heard 65 riders? They had added a Grom class so there were a few 125s. I’m a slow bike guy but there’s no way in hell you’d get me to ride that loop on a monkey bike like OB1 would.

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I think he's nuts too, in the nicest possible way of course.

And as you can see, the utter disregard for traffic makes them a statistic waiting to happen. When I was a kid we would take a bicycle and mount a 2 or 3 HP Briggs motor in the frame and run a chain or belt down to the pedal crank shaft and ride around the neighborhood. The cops took a pretty dim view of it and would chase us because we were riding on the streets on a motorized vehicle without a license. Can't believe that these guys get away with it now.
Signed:

Old Curmudgeon Mike

That's not too surprising. I just have to hold my tongue around my older son.

But then he and his brother get to teasing me about being old and fat, so, I have to tell them that not all young males get to be old and fat and to consider themselves lucky if they do.

Gordon heading out to get in line dressed for battle with GROMs.

and somebody's Firebird with a broken BSA tail rack.

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That’s the face I make when I know I’m about to get my arse handed to me by 50/125 cc motorcycles.

Honestly it was a VERY nice ride through some beautiful country. The lazy pace was perfect.

Never happens that I’m the “big” bike in the crowd.

Had plenty of time to think about OB1…….aka Robert. (RIP)

It would have been a hoot to have followed him.