BSA B40 SS90 road test with 19t gearbox sprocket instead of 17t but electrical issues evident.

This machine has been seen here before, not very long ago when I did some work on it and commented on how low geared it seemed. This time, it came back for me to check the gearing and raise it a little, if possible. It turned out to have a 17t gearbox sprocket, so I decided it ought to cope very well with a 19t item, so that is what I fitted and this road test was taken to see how it turned out. Well, I think it turned out very well on the gearing front, but the ride highlighted a problem I wasn't aware of last time - some random snatching under load, as if the rear brake was being jabbed randomly. I know this is caused by electrical / ignition issues causing a rogue spark and the banging and popping was when I briefly switched to 'emergency' ignition, but that didn't help, so I switched back. It later turned out that the battery was not feeding the ignition circuit, only the brake light and horn and the ignition was being fed direct by the alternator alone. There must be a broken connection in the electrics somewhere, I would think.
Here is a link to a ride when a 17t gearbox sprocket was fitted:
• BSA B40 slightly sceni...

Пікірлер: 26

  • @iivaridark6850
    @iivaridark68502 жыл бұрын

    It is a good looking bike. And now also properly geared too.

  • @markalton2809
    @markalton28092 жыл бұрын

    The old "Beefo" seems to handle the taller gearing with no troubles at all, still thunders up hills. I had a B40 once, felt like completely different animal to a C15, amazing what a difference 100cc makes at that size. I think 350cc is a "sweet spot" for motorcycle engine capacity, enough power and torque and minimal weight.

  • @geraldfitzgibbon7428
    @geraldfitzgibbon74282 жыл бұрын

    Half way trough.there was strange noise.maby just mike.but it sounded like if the chain was rubin over sheet metal.bike sounded real good an deep tone in first part video

  • @MegaTubescreamer
    @MegaTubescreamer2 жыл бұрын

    A great upgrade paul good stuff, with the price of watered down E10 these days, that extra stride length will be welcome 👍👍👍

  • @alanlake5220
    @alanlake52202 жыл бұрын

    I quite fancy one of those myself.

  • @topcappy100
    @topcappy1002 жыл бұрын

    I had a "rouge " spark on my Enfield many years ago, turned out to be a poor connection at the battery fuse connection. This going "OC" intermittently caused the coil to fire. I'm surprised the engine didn't break as it fired way before TDC and almost stopped the engine dead at around 50MPH!

  • @shug831
    @shug8312 жыл бұрын

    Yes, you can hear the miss on the video. Hate intermittent faults, they can be a pain.

  • @dog8nut
    @dog8nut2 жыл бұрын

    That is about the only unit single BSA I never owned. Had C-15,a load of B-25 and 441's and 4-5 B50's ,even a lone C-11 plunger frame. I'm pushing 200lbs and the B-25's were suprising powerful if kept wound up.

  • @hermangibbs8163
    @hermangibbs81632 жыл бұрын

    Beautiful bike and ride. Thanks!

  • @BilgemasterBill
    @BilgemasterBill2 жыл бұрын

    Once the very "Apex of Dowdy" in her heyday, even with that fancy (optional?) chromed tank, isn’t it something just how sexily lithe and desirable that little Beeza single seems now? She's like a remarkably fit little "cougar" in fishnets, that one. It seems you've done her the power of good upping her to that 19 tooth sprocket. She seems to course along quite happily now with a bit more gumption for modern roadways. I once had a fairly similar Victor 441 Special that was all but useless over 50 due to its low gearing--perhaps even lower than that one's for off-road tractibility--which might have benefitted mightily from a similar sprocket swap. Yet during your ride I also sensed just a bit of intermittent "halting" at load...similar to what one might get with a fouling plug or something loose or a poor connection in the the ignition system, like a ratty low tension lead to the coil or something. And like the earlier commenter Gerald, my "spidey sense" also hears a bit of buzzy-rattling that would have me looking for a loose or missing fastener somewhere: head steady? something bolted to the frame? A loose mudguard stay? Something's fussing.

  • @noeldoran8884
    @noeldoran88842 жыл бұрын

    That's going to be a nice bike shortly..

  • @Jean-de-lune
    @Jean-de-lune2 жыл бұрын

    Engine sounds less laboured than under your 17t gearbox sprocket link and coping easily heavy load. Best way to check I suppose is to measure rpm (does it have a tacho?) and plot the road speed for difeerent types of road conditions of mph/rpm which would give a fair comparison. The electrical issues are a bit more obscure but obver to you maestro!

  • @phil291254
    @phil291254 Жыл бұрын

    I think you hit it spot on with sprocket change Paul - are points shorting or something bit odf a intermittent misfire?

  • @niallsommerville9941
    @niallsommerville99412 жыл бұрын

    Pity about the electrical gremlin spoiling things as your gearing selection works well. Thank you.

  • @frankmarkovcijr5459
    @frankmarkovcijr54592 жыл бұрын

    The BSA singles were great motorcycles I love the 250 single because they are so easy to start with like half a k i c k. My 250 C15 will run at 60 miles an hour all day with two up in August in Florida, with plenty of throttle left over. It's supposed to have a top speed around 90 miles an hour but I have bigger motorcycles if I want to go that fast. My 250 Enduro bike can keep up with Japanese water cooled wonders because you can't go 100 miles an hour on a dirt Trail unless you want to wrap yourself around a tree, and I have seen that too. Today's bikers are so lame they cannot do what would be considered regular everyday maintenance on an old bike they are barely capable of fueling up their own motorcycles without setting themselves on fire what that makes for great videos to laugh at

  • @peter7624
    @peter76242 жыл бұрын

    Sounds good Paul, looks like you've cracked it. My old Dad, God rest his soul, wouldn't have a single unless it had a roller bearing big end, and by the time these bikes came out they were all plain bearings if I'm not mistaken. He maintained plain bearings were no good on a single, his comments were born out (at the time) by lots of big end failures on C15s, Tiger Cubs etc.Of course it could have been poor maintenance, etc. What's your view Paul?

  • @paulhenshaw4514

    @paulhenshaw4514

    2 жыл бұрын

    Hi Peter, I have known lots of plain bearings to work very well in 4 stroke singles, especially RE singles, where at 80,000 miles the owner of a 500 Bullet thought she had better have a new big end fitted, but when stripped there was only 0.0005" [half a thou] wear found. We had four seasons racing from an already second hand plain big end in our RE 350 racer, which only failed thanks to someone putting some sort of gritty stuff in our oil tank while at Cadwell Park, some years ago. A plain big end will fail more quickly than a roller type if oil changes etc are not done frequently enough, though.

  • @stevekwall925
    @stevekwall925 Жыл бұрын

    Greetings Paul Love your vids question for you My B 40 Clutch is dragging how would I correct this ?

  • @stevekwall925
    @stevekwall925 Жыл бұрын

    Iam going to be installing a 19 tooth on my B 40 never liked the gearing , I went up 1 tooth on my A65 love the difference . How many ling chain did you use if know off hand ? Thanks Paul

  • @paulhenshaw4514

    @paulhenshaw4514

    Жыл бұрын

    Hi Steve, sorry but I don't know off hand how many links were in that chain, but I ordered the chain and sprockets from Burton Bike Bits and asked for the chain to be long enough for the larger gearbox sprocket.

  • @stevekwall925

    @stevekwall925

    Жыл бұрын

    @@paulhenshaw4514 Thanks Paul

  • @peterowen851
    @peterowen8512 жыл бұрын

    Lovely balanced look to the bike. It’s a shame you can’t buy a modern equivalent. I have a 2022 RE classic 350 but it’s probably no faster and I’m sure much heavier and encumbered with ABS, Cats, electric start ……. All unnecessary for a 20hp 350 single 😊. b40 with a balance shaft in the engine would prob be a better much lighter bike.

  • @edwardwest5035

    @edwardwest5035

    2 жыл бұрын

    Hi Peter, a SS90 in good order would be quite a bit faster than your Classic. The 90 refers to its alleged top speed. A nice little bike but I would prefer yours.

  • @jimmarshall807
    @jimmarshall8072 жыл бұрын

    Out of interest, how would you rate the B40 against the B44?

  • @paulhenshaw4514

    @paulhenshaw4514

    2 жыл бұрын

    Hi Jim, the B44 probably has as much 'more' as the B40 has over the C15, if that makes sense. I think the B44 is one of the most impressive 'All rounder' classic singles I have ridden. That said, the B40 seems quite well made and can get along quite well if suitably geared.

  • @jimmarshall807

    @jimmarshall807

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@paulhenshaw4514 Thanks Paul