Luigi's bike

As usual, click any image to zoom in.

Mark (Luigi), crazy eBayer that he is, has managed to procure some chrome trims for his 1959 BSA C15 from seller brad27110. Great communication and even better packaging - his wife is a star!

The tank is away at the moment with Tim Miller in Altrincham being relined but as soon as it's back we'll fit the trims up.

In the meantime, I Mario, have had a go at repairing his speedo. One of the "wings" inside the casing had come loose from its weld point so I've bodged it up (technical term) with a resistor leg. What are Dads for?!

Unlike his other, newer speedo there is no brass adjustment screw so it looks like we will have to calibrate this one by bending the "wings" until the needle reads accurately.

Running rich?

As usual, click any image to zoom in. 

Took the bike for a run last night and the bulbs lasted fine and no misfire - bonzer!

It feels like it is running rich though: a combination of a lack of grunt and a poor tickover that needs "tickling" of the throttle to keep it going at times.

I removed the air-filter to inspect thinking that if it was blocked it would be like having the choke "on" with all the obvious consequences. 

The active filtering area is outwards from the central rivet to about 2" diameter (up to the 2nd raised ring, from the centre). There is a circular piece of black cloth fitted between the black mesh and rear metal plate.  The filtered air is sucked through a circular rubber tube, of the same diameter, which then feeds the carburettor input.  The area outside of the 2nd ring is non-effective as it butts up against the inside of the battery compartment.

 

The reverse metal side of the filter shows a darkened area showing where the air has passed through in the past.  Holding the filter up to the light seems to suggest things are not that well with the airflow.  I am not suggesting this is the entire problem but it should help in weakening the mixture.

I'll try cleaning the filter in fuel and see what happens.