INCOMING!
Summat to say? Send your comments, hints, tips, tales of woe and derring-don’t to: RCHQ@RealClassic.net
STAND & DELIVER!
RC regulars have already discovered that fitting the spring to the centrestand of a classic British bike is not always the most enjoyable part of ownership. In my case, the discovery came with refitting a new(ish) spring to the stand of a 1947 B31 (one year older than me!).
First, try attaching the spring to the frame then stretching it to the lug on the stand. No, that won’t work. Next, try attaching the spring to the stand and stretch it to the frame. No, that doesn’t work either. Received advice is to remove the stand again, attach the spring to both the stand and the frame, then manipulate the stand back into place and shove the bolt through before the stand flies out of control.
The spring is very springy; even if a 73 year-old has the strength left to stretch the spring sufficiently then the task needs three hands, one to haul on the stand, one to fiddle the stand into place, and another to insert the bolt.
An hour or so of shouting and obscenity achieves nothing other some minor contusions to the back of both hands; time to retire to the kitchen to consult the Great Oracle Laphroaig. Oracle Laphroaig is very wise, albeit that the quality of the wisdom sometimes diminishes in the event of extended consultation. Fortunately this time the answer comes before a transcendental state intervenes. Here is the advice:
1. Attach the stand to the bike
2. Measure the distance between the lugs on the frame and the stand
3. Grip one eye of the spring in the vice
4. Attach a ratchet tie-down to the other eye of the spring, and attach the other end of the tie-down to an immovable object at the other end of the bench
5. Now ratchet the tie-down until the spring is extended to the desired length. A word of caution here; it is a good thing to ensure that the vice grasps the spring very firmly because if the spring decides to leave the vice it will do so with considerable velocity, with undesirable consequences
6. Insert a coin between each coil of the spring. Now it is possible to slacken off the ratchet, and with good fortune the spring remains at the appropriate extended length. It will now pop onto the two lugs with no effort and no swearing
7. All that remains is to extract the coins with a small mole grip, and the job is done.
Do not forget to revisit the Laphroaig Oracle to give thanks.
Tony Bousfield, member
I don’t know what exactly the problem is with a sidestand for your Matchless G5. I have a problem with
