SINGLE-MINDED

I’ve worked on and ridden an SS90 and a B40 WD side-points machine. The SS90 is the go-faster, sporty version of the cooking B40 and is a gnat’s lower geared than the standard version. The one I rode had the distributor-type engine and ran well enough, but felt very low geared indeed, to the point at which it could have managed a whole extra gear after top with no problem. I suspect there may have been some cross-breeding with a C15 involved and maybe it was running 250 gearing.

Whatever, it romped up hills like they weren’t there, but it became rather busy in the engine department before hitting 60mph on the flat. I can’t imagine it would see anywhere near that implied (but probably ambitious) 90mph without running out of puff or going bang!

The SS90’s handling and brakes were fine, though. This machine had the correct, larger front brake and 18-inch wheels, rather than the