TALES FROM THE SHED
Clutches are simple things. In fact… motorcycles, especially elderly bikes built in Brum, are simple things. I know this; you know this; everybody and his pet armadillo knows this. Except it is only half of the story. Although motorcycles – here exemplified by a BSA of doubtful parentage – are completely simple and understandable by anyone with an IQ in double figures, it requires something special to fix them. Because although they are simple enough (and they really are) they can achieve hideous levels of imaginative complex wossname when they need fixing.
Take this A65. Its clutch is plainly some kind of catastrophe. At some time in the bike’s past, some previously possibly proud owner did things to the clutch that I have never seen before. And I have seen very many clutches. Many. Some of them have been very hideous indeed. But I have never seen one which was locked up so tight that it was impossible to free it using the handlebar lever and cable. In fact, if asked I would have said it was impossible to do that. However … I have been proved wrong again. Which is supposed to be spiritually uplifting. Huh.
There should be lots of pictures nearby. Take a look. Gaze in wonder. The entire primary drive is a well-developed marvel of simple, basic engineering. Nothing complicated at all. And at first glance I
