I have owned and used a 250 Starfire since the early 1990's, one question for you, has the crankshaft sludge trap been cleaned out during the restoration? This is THE one big thing on a B25 not to ignore if you have just bought the bike. The sludge trap is a drilling in the left hand flywheel of the crankshaft designed to trap sludge and particles in the oil but if this trap fully fills up it will cut off the oil supply to the big end and the conrod will snap and wreck the motor. You can get to the sludge trap by taking off the engine sump plate, it is not the wire mesh filter in there. Next remove the petrol tank for safety and if a lead acid battery is fitted take that off too. You will need to lay the bike down on its left side so an old blanket or something on the floor to protect the bike. with a torch look inside the crank cases and slowly turn the motor over until you see a large round screw plug in the left hand flywheel, this has a slotted screw head. Pack some clean rag around the crank web to prevent the plug dropping into the crankcase once removed, you will need an impact screwdriver and hammer to remove the plug. Now you will need drill bits, but not a drill. Select something like a 10mm drill bit and with your thumb and forefinger place the bit where the plug came out and rotate the drill with your fingers. If the trap is clean then nothing comes out, if it has goo in there this will wind it's way up the flutes of the drill bit, the drilling is quite deep so make sure the drill bit bottoms. A quick flush out with some spray oil..WD40 or something like and then box it back up using the impact driver to re tighten the plug. You may need new gaskets for the wire filter and sump plate. I fitted a remote spin on canister filter on my Starfire and it has prevented that trap ever getting gummed up again.

My dream bike when I was a learner of 16. Couldnt afford one so I had a C11G that was the same age as me.

Well done. Handsome little bike, best fuel tank ever!

I once found one with the cylinder liner moving . Caused a very hard knock to find. Green locktite fixed it

Thanks for bringing this machine back to life.

Jerry and I built a road racer out of a BSA Starfire to run in the classic bike class. The oil pump cavitated at high(ish) revs. We kept trying to sort it but it was painfully slow even in that class.

Great video and thanks for sharing. I just loved it, never riden a B25 only a C15, but same ballpark, and you really captured it in all it's aspects and how much different these bikes were from even 250 K4's. Cheers for the ride.

Nice work Paul. Sounds a treat even with that silencer debacle. I wonder sometimes what people are thinking. You’ve saved another from the hands of the unaware. 🌞

@paulhenshaw4514

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks Mick 👍

Very atmospheric ride, the owners going to be chuffed with your work.

@paulhenshaw4514

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you!

I bought a nice just restored one in 81' for £300 as it didn't run right, turned out to be valve timing out & after a local brit bike genius sorted it ran really well & never let me down for the 4 years i owned it, mine was a 71' model in bright orange with the tls front brake.. Good little back road scratcher.

Great styling on these bikes and the Triumph version too . . .

Nice ride Paul. Great to see the Starfire running well even though with some minor issues. Super 👍

Music and so pretty ! I have a 67 Super Cub and a Sv650 - one just works (battery condition permitting) the other sings along with me and doesn't need an electric start

@junglie

2 жыл бұрын

if thats the sv you need a new reg/rec i'm guessing for it.

Been waiting for this and it didn't disappoint, sounded very happy, well done. Just enough fog for atmosphere without really impeding progress. Thank you.

@paulhenshaw4514

2 жыл бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it!

I have one of these starfires and they are a lovely bike with their own flaws and charm but with a few little changes they can run a lot better , love this one pal great bike

@paulhenshaw4514

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks!

Stumbled upon your channel a few weeks ago . Been riding on road for 50 years from 50 cc upwards ,never owned a Brit.bike but remember my uncle & friends brothers riding quite a few of them back in the day . I mainly owned Hondas & Suzukis & still run a couple of small cc bikes & always spannered my own . I enjoy your exploits & fettling of these fine old machines & the scenery & biking roads in that loverly part of the world you live & work in . I reckon as you say it’s the extra wattage of the non standard head light bulbs ,that is running the electrics on or just slightly over the limit of their full working capacity .,thats causing the odd misfire . It would be interesting to see how it ran with standard bulb ratings . But all in all a much better improvement on how the bike was ,before you got chance to sort it . I never been down your way but I feel like I am getting to know my way around . I have a bit of fun trying to guess which route you will take ,when you don’t mention it before your test rides . Nice one 👍

@paulhenshaw4514

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you!

I had a Starfire way back. It started well, it ran well, it rode well, but I always liked the older Barracuda better. That raised crown high compression piston always gave the Barracuda a bit more grunt.

Well done Paul. Good repairs of issues which should have been put right by the previous engineer e.g. the over-powered headlight, worn/slack primary chain and end-float - all seemingly minor but causing the inevitable problems. Having fixed her up she sounds good and has a get-up and go which it didn't have before. I assume you'll be fixing the non-functioning speedo!

Sounds great, it bats along a bit too! If that was my bike, I think I would get a new alternator, especially if this one is only just adequate, but a nice bike finally, I wouldn't kick it of of the garage!

Job done nice start to the year went out on my T 100 as well felt a bit sharp but worth it.

Nice bike sir. 😀👍🏿

@paulhenshaw4514

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks! 👍

Lovely! Its interesting that I have a B25 with an aluminum tank and a scrambles exhaust (complete with calf guard so I dont burn myself). I wonder how many B25s were spec'ed like that!!??

Neat little bike , had a mate who bought one New when they first come out , lovely looking bike , now I'm getting older ( 71 turned ) I'm still riding a big B M W K75c which is great , but it is a Lump of a bike , think I would like a smaller capacity machine just for tarting around on . The sound of that Beezer sounds a bit like a Tiger cub I had in the sixties.by the way do you know your speedo isn't working , don't want you getting pulled .

@madeinyorkshire52

7 ай бұрын

I couldn’t help noticing the speedo wasn’t working - illegal I think? Around very late 1968 ish, I used to have a BSA C15 (my first bike) which I changed to cafe racing style with clipons, rear sets, racing seat, racing tank, swept back exhaust, new silencer, etc. I fitted 10:1 high comp piston, Alf Hagon cam, Alpha bottom end, changed carb, worked ports a bit, etc. Went really well and looked very smart. HOWEVER it rather irked me that my friend’s bike, which was either a BSA Starfire or Barracuda (forget which - perhaps someone can remind me the difference in the engine spec?), was quicker accelerating and seemed to rev higher. Can’t remember how top speeds compared. His really seems to have a VERY distinctive power band when, almost like a turbo, the power really kicked in. Fond memories.

If l buy you a airplane ✈️ ticket in the winter will you work on mine? Or 3 of them?

Paulie, did these units ever come from the BSA-works with a Tachometer mounted ? I'd need to do so...as well as an oil pressure gauge. Cheers !

@paulhenshaw4514

2 жыл бұрын

Hi Amelie, yes they did - another B25 in my videos was fitted with one and these have oil pressure light switch ports, which could feed a gauge if required. kzread.info/dash/bejne/eoqJ1rFshcKpXZM.html

@nigeljohnson505

2 жыл бұрын

I fitted one on my 1970. There is a special adaptor that fits where you find a triangular plate next to the pressure relief valve on the inner timing case if my memory serves. Drives off the oil pump. Mine had the later cast iron pump with three mounting points. Only two were used of course.

@amelierenoncule

2 жыл бұрын

@@nigeljohnson505 A very handy tip...merci, mon ami ! i.imgur.com/TBRMnu2.png

These bikes do sound very clanky!

@paulhenshaw4514

7 ай бұрын

To be fair, my camera mic doesn't help!

bodged engine and a silencer shoved on back to front? how does that previous maniac con man sleep at night??

@paulhenshaw4514

2 жыл бұрын

I have to put my hand up, and I mention it in the first ride video, but I fitted that incorrect silencer back to front, so it would allow the kickstart to clear it, as a temporary fix until a correct type silencer is fitted, but any other issues were there already, until fixed!

I know this is a year ago, but isnt the silencer on the wrong way round🤔

@paulhenshaw4514

Жыл бұрын

Yes, it was just a temporary set up.

Looks a tidy bike , maybe its your microphone ? sounds like its misfiring occasionally , also how long would it have taken to drop off the silencer and see if it fitted the correct way round ? either way you would either have sorted it in a few minutes or been able to tell the owner what he needed/was required to sort out the exhaust ! . Was good to see the engine problems and the repairs in the previous video's , is a pity that some so called restorers do such shoddy work , let alone get away with it .

@paulhenshaw4514

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks - I reversed the incorrect silencer deliberately just so the kickstart pedal could clear it. The owner will be buying the correct one in the future, I understand.

Is it meant to rattle like that? Sounds like the primary chain is too slack.

@paulhenshaw4514

Жыл бұрын

Thank the very sensitive camera mic, the bike sounds fine in real life.

isn't that muffler on back to front

@paulhenshaw4514

2 жыл бұрын

Yes it is - I explain that in my first ride video on this machine. The pipe and / or silencer are incorrect and the silencer fouls the kickstart pedal when fitted correctly. the correct items are to be fitted by the owner soon.

I see the speedo still isn't working!

@paulhenshaw4514

2 жыл бұрын

In the UK a speedo has to be fitted, but doesn't have to work!

Is this really just a Triumph tiger cub?

@paulhenshaw4514

Жыл бұрын

Yes, an overgrown one basically. The design went from 150 to 200, 250, 350, 441, 500, 550, 580 and finally, 620 cc that I am aware of - not bad going, I reckon!

Great vids, apart from the sound track !! It's not consistent and sounds like a load of clutch slip and then lock up 😐

@paulhenshaw4514

2 жыл бұрын

Well, I am not channel 4 you know.

@tomlowe4585

2 жыл бұрын

@@paulhenshaw4514 Fair play 👍 Was only trying to gently hint that it's difficult to hear the exhaust note on your vids .... as I love to hear any bike ! I'm a fan of your mechanical knowledge and your ability to explain your plan of attack !! And your road craft come to that 👌. On another note..are you near Llandrindod Wells ? We've done the Welsh 2 day enduro a few times , and it looks a like your Manor 😉👍

@paulhenshaw4514

2 жыл бұрын

Hi Tom and thanks for that, I only just saw it. Llandridod Well is a little under an hour away by road from me, but we sometimes go there by train, seeing as they stop right outside our house!

that silencer it's the wrong way round and it's not right for what looks to be a 1970 model and they are hard to find a 71 pipe would be better off a twin.

@paulhenshaw4514

Жыл бұрын

Ah, I would give you top marks for observation, normally, except you obviously haven't read my remarks about this bike, or listened to what I say about the bike in the video. All is explained, but basically someone had cut the exhaust pipe too short for the silencer to fit without fouling the kickstart, so I end for ended it to get me by before the owner bought a new pipe and silencer to fix the issue.

Pretty bike, just sounds terrible. I cant stand the noise from a 4 stroke single. Just noise and backfires...no music. But she sure does look nice.

@paulhenshaw4514

2 жыл бұрын

I thought about removing your comment, but each to their own. It does indeed look nice, but you seem to be on your own with the rest of what you said. Backfires? - Where? - I didn't hear any. It doesn't bother me if you are just taking a 'pop', water off a duck's back at the end of the day.

@elmerfudd1086

2 жыл бұрын

@@paulhenshaw4514 I appoligize to you Paul if I offended you. That backfiring comment comes from another one of your videos where you have a racing bike on a dyno. It backfires quite a lot when the throttle is released after a high rpm run. It is a single as well. I'm not trying to be an a hole (just comes naturally I guess) . The twins and triples I see you make videos of sound terrific, I just have always hated the sound of a thumper. Like you say "to each his own" I will keep watching your vids and bitching about singles but don't take it personal, I have enormous respect for you as a mechanic/ presenter.

@paulhenshaw4514

2 жыл бұрын

@@elmerfudd1086 Fair enough, no harm done!