❤I love the care you gave that little bike over the 2 videos. Mechanics like yourself are hard to find. I hope the owner treasures and rides the result of your work.
Loved the two-blade hacksaw trick! I've been fixing loose splines on old British bikes with just the one blade for years, and it's quite difficult to get it pretty. Your solution is elegant, and so blindingly obvious that now I feel like a bloody drongo. Thanks, Dave, from NZ. 😂
Left Liverpool early in June 71 on a Bantam D7, and enjoyed a wonderful summer working down south in Hampshire. Wonderful lightweight 175, never let me down. Thanks for the video, brought back great memories!...
Excellent suggestion on the double hacksaw blades, I can finally fix my gear change lever since the gap is not wide enough. It's tips like these I really appreciate that one can use on any bike!
Nice to see and hear it running. Yes the trouble with old brakes is the rock hard linings dont really work that well. I get my brakes relined by Villiers services. The use modern non asbestos compounds and also softer compounds that bite really well. It doesn't matter that they don't last for decades, as classics are relatively low milage bikes, and best to have proper functioning brakes in modern traffic.
Nice job well done 👍, I wouldn’t be ashamed to be seen running about on this, it looks really good 😌. My first bike was an NSU Quickly , 3 speed twist grip gear change, freaking loved it.
They joys of breathing fresh life into old British Cars and Motorcycles. I never tire of that. Impressed with your thoroughness. Keep up the good work. I'm old enough to remember when the GPO used BSA Bantams for old technology Telegram deliveries ... I lived and worked in Central in London at the time and they were flying about everywhere. Along with the familiar blue smoke when the oil-fuel mix was a tad richer than need be.
I was lucky enough to acquire a Yamaha MF-1 50 cc step through. Aparently the DKW RT125 that this bike and the first Yamaha 125 bikes were based on used the same German Schnerle porting which is why for a piston port they can pull so great at low revs. At any rate my 1964 MF-1 had an engine that actually revved some, so Yamaha did learn to improve upon the old RT125's anemic power. It would just touch 38 mph in still air on the flat. Electric start and 12 volts with turn signals and bright lights. And the magic button for starting, like it needed an electric starter,. the engine was so easy to kickstart, it was running immediately. I used to call the start button the 'instant on' button. Lovely seeing this old bike come back to life.
Just fixed my kickstart on my D7 thanks to you been annoying me for years. Your channel is fantastic for someone like me with limited knowledge your delivery is the best.
I could listen to this guy all day. Great series. I'm restoring a Mexican version of a Bantam called a Carabela - less cc (100) but very similar in a lot of ways (I'm turning it into a trials bike). I'm a rookie so it's great to see a pro do it. Excellent channel and presenter.
Really enjoyed watching that.Daves very knowledgeable and explains things clearly.Im in the process of re commissioning my 1966 D10 right now.Its been stood up for 33 years.I was 18 when I last rode it.Shes up and running now just a bit of fine tuning and she will be good to go.Im falling in love with the old girl again.Lovely little bikes the Bantys.
Hi John.... I was never a fan of the two stroke sound of the Bantam to be honest. Nor of any 2-strokes of that era. Even as a young man....way back then... I thought.... "We should be doing better than this, surely....This is so ANCIENT!" And along came Kawasaki with their 2 strokes..... (Plug foulers, we know.)...but I overcame my dislike enough in '75 to get a used Yamaha 200 2T...... It was light years ahead .....Power. Handling. Stopping....yes...I know...15 years after this Bantam. (I mean, what was the last generation of Bantams? D14? 1970?) But why were we so stuck in the doldrums in the progress & development areas? We lost the plot after WW2 IMHO. Totally agree with the "enjoyment over speed"........comment. True.... But enjoy the scenery with that sound? Mmmm......?
What a great video of a fun little flivver for popping around town (not big cities). There's a lot to say for the small bore motorcycles of yesteryear. 1000 years ago when I was a Yank teenager, I traded a set of used tires and $40 for a small, stripped down motorcycle. I was told it was a "BSA 175," no other information given. Not fast but very reliable. It had a muffler that resembled the rudder of an airplane. I was especially fascinated by its ultra-simple "choke," as you have demonstrated herein. I repainted its tank and fenders in yellow and installed a giant rear sprocket that had come with the package -- after which I swear that bike would practically climb trees. I have since learned what I had was an early 1960's "BSA 175 Trail Bronc." How I would've preferred it was a Bantam with the lighting package. I grew up in small town with relatively low speed limits and lots of winding paved roads. A Bantam would've been terrific, if only for attracting attention from my bewildered friends who were astride the latest thing then, the Honda SL100 "Motosport."
Yes my first motorcycle was a Bantam and as I am nearly seventy another one could be perfect for escaping from a nursing home, hit the Aussie highways and do some serious miles, meet up with a Commando rider and show him how its done, going straight to ebay .....
Enjoyed the vid and as always it's good to see your thorough and caring attention to the little things that really brought this Bantam back to life. I'd like to have one after seeing this.
If you like this Recommission & Ride series of the Bantam D7 you might also like our Low Budget Classic Motorcycle Project series on our TH-cam channel where we take a 1967 BSA A65 Thunderbolt rolling chassis and box of engine parts and transform it into what we call The Everyday Bike (which is basically a bike you can ride all year 'round). Here's the link to the series in a playlist th-cam.com/play/PLLaaC3JrqSLAHvKe2Z5jSDY4Dp5EZqFOs.html
Very enjoyable and informative, Dave, as always. Thank you. At one point in the garage I thought you were going to disappear from view in the exhaust smoke 😄
Thanks, Dave, great work, miss my old 71 BSA 650 traded in my 75 HD (AMF Junk) for the BSA only to find out after a while oil tank in the frame leaked and it looked like they welded it and make it weaker., But road all winter even in snow and ice in Maryland.. Been riding since 1965, now on 2004 HD Road King (Leman Trike Kit) ,only been to the dealer one time
I'm 62. When I was a 'yoof', me and my mates had access to the luxury of some spare land, on which to ride various and diverse bikes. I remember having a D7 Bantam, which was donated to me by an old neighbour. I remember it as being a pitifully slow and underpowered thing. I certainly wouldn't get one to restore for nostalgia's sake.
A little bit of fine strand copper wire is ideal to take out the slack in worn splines. It molds to the shape nicely. This brings back a lot of memories of a 175 4 speed I had in the 70's. I went from that to a Honda CB160 with racing cams.. which was mind blowing and able to do well over an indicated 90 mph however "enthusiastic" the speedo was it was still really fast for such a small bike. Has a twin leading shoe racing brake also. So could stop as well as go.
Friendliness of machine and design. However, a coil with a more violent primary and secondary is missing, slightly increasing the compression ratio and increasing the transfer of both the cylinder and piston windows by adjusting the angles so as not to return. The fibers can be improved by making transverse cuts at a 45 ° angle. They facilitate the escape of dirt and increase the brake pressure of the brake linings. Always learning from the master of the classics in his wonderful classes. Grateful!
Another great video guys, thanks so much for putting all this stuff together, it gives us newbies the confidence to do a bit of spannering, love the double hacksaw trick. Just had a quick look at prices (along with everyone else watching I'd assume), starting at £800 on Ebay for a runner, but of course it's got to get to the end of the auction (it's on the watch list). Don't know about everyone else but little bits of advice like after the D10 they got 4 speed gearboxes are priceless; it's like having your own expert mate on hand. XT still in the garage, decided to tidy my very small workshop (can't get the bike in) and build an outside workshop so I can start doing my own bit of fettling whilst channelling Dave (and Andy); stay calm and don't shout at the bike.
Awesome Den, how exciting. We've got a video coming out with all of Dave's affordable and underrated classic British motorcycles. Working on it now, you might find it an interesting watch and will give you a few more ideas (from Alex). Thanks for your nice comments as always!
Enjoyed the video. I'm just waiting to be allowed out so I can see how good a job I made of recommisioning my Bantam Bushman. Yes I did start riding on a Bantam (51 D1) passed my test on a then new D14 (1968) & have now gone back to Bantams. As you say they are a lot lighter. Don't intend to push it far though, I have a mobile 'phone & an AA card if it comes to that.
When I was a teenager in the 1960s, in the Southern Hemisphere, we didn't have "mopeds" with strangled speed limited engines a la UK. Our 50cc motorcylces developed over 5 hp and could make 50 mph on a level road, admittedly while lying flat. The relatively heavy 150 cc BSA Bantam was regarded us a gutless joke which we gleefully overtook.
Thanks..❤️ Really well made Love these down to earth videos with everyday bikes.. No bull or posturing.. I really like the little Bantam.. The mudguards are neat any idea where they came from I'm building a trials Cub and they'd suit..
Hey Kieran, thanks for your nice words, no idea where the mudguards came from, they looked pretty old and were on it when the owner took possession of the bike (from Alex)
i had a bantam back in 68 it was my first bike and had exactly the same problem with the kickstart and a few other issues absolute nightmare it was i soon got rid of it and bought a new honda cd 175 fantastic little bike that was
@@TheClassicMotorcycleChannel interesting point about smaller bikes, up til recently I only had my 1200 bandit, just before lockdown in March last year,I finished restoring my 76 kettle,got it back on the road & then realised why I was doing less & less miles on my bandit,last mot showed I did 400 miles & that included a 260 mile ride in a day,after that I felt like I did 10 rounds with a grizzly bear,I put 120 miles on the gt in a day, & still felt like I could do another 120 miles,so the bandit was sold, I still got the kettle,but bought a new gsxs 750 Suzuki & again it felt really good, so I get the point,
@@bluehazeboy Hey Pat, that's a really interesting observation thanks for sharing, I think a lot of people will like reading that and probably feel the same way. The philosophical side of motorcycling :)
My first bike was a D7 Bantam, cost me £50 in 1975... learned a lot maintaining it (till the electrics died and lack of cash to solve the problem led to me passing the bike on.) Did a lot of miles on it! My current project is an Ariel Huntmaster. Meanwhile... feel free to do a video on making up cables. Would appreciate seeing how you do it.
Although the Bantam engine was actually a German design by DKW and was part of war reparations I am not quite sure why they adopted it though as there was already British designed two strokes such as Villiers that could have been used as Francis Barnet and James did.
I also cut the slot on my kick start....but rather than rely just on the bolt....I drilled out the thread on the kick start so I could get a nice tough 13mm Stainless nut and bolt through to clamp up the kick start....sorted.
Personally, I would have used an Imperial nut and bolt, so that I could use just the one set of spanners on the bike - messing about with Metric and Imperial is a nuisance.
I had great results with degrading brake shoes in the dishwasher. Just do not put anything else in it and use a standard soap pod. It really works great!
Great video. I don't want to be the H&S Police but personally I would be a bit more wary around brake dust although if you put things into perspective back in the 80s and before, the asbestos coming off brakes and clutches from road vehicles was rather considerable.
Hard to saw something when you've got it clamped in a vice, tends to crush the hacksaw blade or come loose in the vice. I've done this before but also got a three sided file and cleaned out the splines a bit to make a better gripping surface. If it doesn't tighten up properly after this you can use a bit of light copper shim which will fill in the gap between the spline on the kick start and the shaft.
Many thanks for another great video Dave ! - I see you have a Commando in the shop, how about a few servicing videos on that ? - i.e.. correctly adjusting the isolastics or converting to the MK3 vernier type, servicing/setting the brakes (Drum TLS or discs) and forks etc.. AMC gearbox rebuild, refurbishing the head etc..
Thanks for the suggestions JJ Rider 67 and watching the videos! We do take all the comments on board. The videos at the moment are sort of led by what work needs to be done in Dave's business. But, when we wheel the Commando out we'll definitely film it :)
enjoyed parts 1 & 2 about the Bantam. Well done Dave , you do the best videos on youtube.If your customer wants to sell the Bantam, ask him to mail me. Paul Lucas
Hey Paul, thanks for your message. I think the owner of the Bantam wants to keep it to ride around his farm. Thanks for your nice comments, that's very humbling! (from Alex)
Thanks for another great video. Years ago I read you could improve a lever on a worn shaft by clamping down on some pins / needles and then snapping / cutting off the excess. Can't say I've ever done it myself however. Have you ever had to deal with a petrol tank that is rusty inside?
Had a d14 back in the day wish ide still got it part chopped it for a suzuki gt125 brill bike but i love the sound of the bantam. brill video by the way
I've been riding since 1968 and I love the British Classics having previously owned a 68 Triumph Trophy 500 and a 68 Matchless G15 MK2. I have to say your channel is the very best in this genre , so much so that I've been inspired to find and fix a Classic myself. Your resurrection of the A65 and Little Bantam rooster was phenomenal getting to the heart of the matter. Looking forward to more while I search for a Classic.
Hi Nelson, thank you for your humbling comments. We were really happy with this Bantam series, even through it was short. Had us asking ourselves a lot of philosophical questions about motorbikes!
In the early eighties I had a Ducati 350 single while rebuilding my T150V engine with a Norman Hyde 1000cc kit. Wish I kept the little Ducati, as a matter of fact wish I had kept them both...
You need to rev that engine higher before shifting. 2-strokes are not meant for low rpm use. You have to wind it out more before changing gears and keep the rpms up.
Hi, Just acquired a BSA Bantam D7 and been advised to run the mixture at 33:1 and I don't know if it is linked but it doesn't like starting when I have run it for say 1/2 hour stopped it for a break then it won't start. Should I be using 1:25 mixture as you suggest?
Little bikes are great fun. Rather have a Tiger Cub, but hey. Excellent, inspirational build. Thanks. p.s. 'a little bit smoky'... That's why they call it a choke...
Always appreciate your videos, they're an excellent source for information. But wearing gloves while using a bench grinder? That's a major safety no-no in the organization Having mentioned that, . I'll get back to minding my own business. Keep up the good work.
![SAFEPLANET - ดาวเคราะห์ [ THE PLANET ]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/4X1XL3I_k3c/mqdefault.jpg)
❤I love the care you gave that little bike over the 2 videos. Mechanics like yourself are hard to find. I hope the owner treasures and rides the result of your work.
Loved the two-blade hacksaw trick! I've been fixing loose splines on old British bikes with just the one blade for years, and it's quite difficult to get it pretty. Your solution is elegant, and so blindingly obvious that now I feel like a bloody drongo. Thanks, Dave, from NZ. 😂
Northland Rider: DITTO! ......Greetings from Chile.
Very enjoyable video. Took me back about 50 years.
Left Liverpool early in June 71 on a Bantam D7, and enjoyed a wonderful summer working down south in Hampshire. Wonderful lightweight 175, never let me down. Thanks for the video, brought back great memories!...
Excellent suggestion on the double hacksaw blades, I can finally fix my gear change lever since the gap is not wide enough. It's tips like these I really appreciate that one can use on any bike!
I agree Mahi...been out of the bike scene for a long while and had totally forgot that neat little trick.
Loved seeing this bantam getting road worthy. Brought back so many memories. Great channel.
Thanks George :)
Nice to see and hear it running. Yes the trouble with old brakes is the rock hard linings dont really work that well. I get my brakes relined by Villiers services. The use modern non asbestos compounds and also softer compounds that bite really well. It doesn't matter that they don't last for decades, as classics are relatively low milage bikes, and best to have proper functioning brakes in modern traffic.
Do they turn the drums also?
Breath deep the gathering gloom. Some people are made to fix things. That's Dave! Love Dave's philosophical attitude.
Instablaster.
Nice job well done 👍, I wouldn’t be ashamed to be seen running about on this, it looks really good 😌. My first bike was an NSU Quickly , 3 speed twist grip gear change, freaking loved it.
Enjoyable video, thank you Dave! I'm looking for a classic like that. I'll let my grandchildren ride it when they come to visit. Cheers.
It would be perfect for that eh! Thanks for watching (from Alex)
Learnt to ride on one of those around my friend's farm age 12 in '78... What a great treat to hear that familar sound again. Thanks.
Similar to me M8 but I was doing it in '68😀then on the road with a Triumph 650 mid '70 @ 16 years old ( in the UK)
They joys of breathing fresh life into old British Cars and Motorcycles.
I never tire of that. Impressed with your thoroughness. Keep up the good work.
I'm old enough to remember when the GPO used BSA Bantams for old technology Telegram deliveries ... I lived and worked in Central in London at the time and they were flying about everywhere. Along with the familiar blue smoke when the oil-fuel mix was a tad richer than need be.
Wonderful sound. And no bloody MUSIC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
A two stroke sounds like fingernails on a chalk board to me. Four strokes forever!
I was lucky enough to acquire a Yamaha MF-1 50 cc step through. Aparently the DKW RT125 that this bike and the first Yamaha 125 bikes were based on used the same German Schnerle porting which is why for a piston port they can pull so great at low revs. At any rate my 1964 MF-1 had an engine that actually revved some, so Yamaha did learn to improve upon the old RT125's anemic power. It would just touch 38 mph in still air on the flat.
Electric start and 12 volts with turn signals and bright lights. And the magic button for starting, like it needed an electric starter,. the engine was so easy to kickstart, it was running immediately. I used to call the start button the 'instant on' button. Lovely seeing this old bike come back to life.
Just fixed my kickstart on my D7 thanks to you been annoying me for years. Your channel is fantastic for someone like me with limited knowledge your delivery is the best.
That's great news, thanks for sharing, glad it helped!
@@TheClassicMotorcycleChannel
That’s a Picasso t hat is
I just love the 2 blade solution. Never even dawned on me to do that. Great stuff.
I could listen to this guy all day. Great series. I'm restoring a Mexican version of a Bantam called a Carabela - less cc (100) but very similar in a lot of ways (I'm turning it into a trials bike). I'm a rookie so it's great to see a pro do it. Excellent channel and presenter.
Seen all your comments, thank you so much for your support!
Excellent.Who doesn't love a bantam.
Another great video! Thank you for letting us enjoy seeing your work.
Thanks Mulliedog1!
Really enjoyed watching that.Daves very knowledgeable and explains things clearly.Im in the process of re commissioning my 1966 D10 right now.Its been stood up for 33 years.I was 18 when I last rode it.Shes up and running now just a bit of fine tuning and she will be good to go.Im falling in love with the old girl again.Lovely little bikes the Bantys.
Great second video on the Bantam. Love the ring a ding ding of a two stroke. Wise words on enjoyment over speed👍
Cheers John!
Hi John.... I was never a fan of the two stroke sound of the Bantam to be honest. Nor of any 2-strokes of that era.
Even as a young man....way back then... I thought.... "We should be doing better than this, surely....This is so ANCIENT!"
And along came Kawasaki with their 2 strokes..... (Plug foulers, we know.)...but I overcame my dislike enough in '75 to get a used Yamaha 200 2T...... It was light years ahead .....Power. Handling. Stopping....yes...I know...15 years after this Bantam.
(I mean, what was the last generation of Bantams? D14? 1970?)
But why were we so stuck in the doldrums in the progress & development areas? We lost the plot after WW2 IMHO.
Totally agree with the "enjoyment over speed"........comment. True.... But enjoy the scenery with that sound? Mmmm......?
While my wife watches the crown I watch David Mitchell. Really enjoyable. Makes me want to get a Bantam.
Great channel, really enjoy your videos. The double hack saw blade trick is awesome.
Glad you like them G Starr, thanks for saying!
Fantastic job Dave, a true Professional.
Thanks for an enjoyable video again, Dave and behind the scene helpers. Look forward to the next one.
Thanks Ludwig (from Alex the behind the scenes helper :)
What a great video of a fun little flivver for popping around town (not big cities). There's a lot to say for the small bore motorcycles of yesteryear.
1000 years ago when I was a Yank teenager, I traded a set of used tires and $40 for a small, stripped down motorcycle. I was told it was a "BSA 175," no other information given. Not fast but very reliable. It had a muffler that resembled the rudder of an airplane. I was especially fascinated by its ultra-simple "choke," as you have demonstrated herein.
I repainted its tank and fenders in yellow and installed a giant rear sprocket that had come with the package -- after which I swear that bike would practically climb trees. I have since learned what I had was an early 1960's "BSA 175 Trail Bronc." How I would've preferred it was a Bantam with the lighting package. I grew up in small town with relatively low speed limits and lots of winding paved roads. A Bantam would've been terrific, if only for attracting attention from my bewildered friends who were astride the latest thing then, the Honda SL100 "Motosport."
Yes my first motorcycle was a Bantam and as I am nearly seventy another one could be perfect for escaping from a nursing home, hit the Aussie highways and do some serious miles, meet up with a Commando rider and show him how its done, going straight to ebay .....
Enjoyed the vid and as always it's good to see your thorough and caring attention to the little things that really brought this Bantam back to life. I'd like to have one after seeing this.
Thanks for reminding me I have one of them somewhere. I am going to look it out now and have a bit of slower fun this summer.
Be nice to have one of them hiding away somewhere :)
Great show again thanks very much
Cheers Mickey!
If you like this Recommission & Ride series of the Bantam D7 you might also like our Low Budget Classic Motorcycle Project series on our TH-cam channel where we take a 1967 BSA A65 Thunderbolt rolling chassis and box of engine parts and transform it into what we call The Everyday Bike (which is basically a bike you can ride all year 'round). Here's the link to the series in a playlist th-cam.com/play/PLLaaC3JrqSLAHvKe2Z5jSDY4Dp5EZqFOs.html
Very enjoyable and informative, Dave, as always. Thank you. At one point in the garage I thought you were going to disappear from view in the exhaust smoke 😄
Hey Malc, um, yes, it did get quite smokey in there at one stage! Thanks for your nice comments, Alex
Fantastic videos!
Really enjoy watching you fix old bikes. 👍
Glad you like them Pat, thanks for saying (from Alex)
Greetings from across the pond. Been watching your vids for a long time. All are wonderful. Thanks for the knowledge and keep it up. 🙂
Great vid lovely little bikes they are go forever!
Great video I enjoy that sort of tinkering about in my Spare time
Allen Millyard would be proud of your hacksaw skills 😎
Thanks, Dave, great work, miss my old 71 BSA 650 traded in my 75 HD (AMF Junk) for the BSA only to find out after a while oil tank in the frame leaked and it looked like they welded it and make it weaker., But road all winter even in snow and ice in Maryland.. Been riding since 1965, now on 2004 HD Road King (Leman Trike Kit) ,only been to the dealer one time
Nice little bike Dave, very popular back in the 70's for us riding around in a field ......😁
very practical advise . thanks again for the video .. going to build d7 soon
Thanks for the video, I learned a lot 👍 you are a good mechanic
I'm 62.
When I was a 'yoof', me and my mates had access to
the luxury of some spare land, on which to ride various and diverse bikes.
I remember having a D7 Bantam, which was donated to me by an old neighbour.
I remember it as being a pitifully slow and underpowered thing.
I certainly wouldn't get one to restore for nostalgia's sake.
Brilliant video. Lovely bike. Cheers
This channel is heaven!!!!!!!!
nice bike dave, love 2 stroke💕🇲🇾
Great job Dave ,
Really enjoying these types of videos.
Thanks for saying Jimspeed! Glad you like them!
A little bit of fine strand copper wire is ideal to take out the slack in worn splines. It molds to the shape nicely. This brings back a lot of memories of a 175 4 speed I had in the 70's. I went from that to a Honda CB160 with racing cams.. which was mind blowing and able to do well over an indicated 90 mph however "enthusiastic" the speedo was it was still really fast for such a small bike. Has a twin leading shoe racing brake also. So could stop as well as go.
Very nice and not overly restored and too good to use.
Friendliness of machine and design. However, a coil with a more violent primary and secondary is missing, slightly increasing the compression ratio and increasing the transfer of both the cylinder and piston windows by adjusting the angles so as not to return. The fibers can be improved by making transverse cuts at a 45 ° angle. They facilitate the escape of dirt and increase the brake pressure of the brake linings. Always learning from the master of the classics in his wonderful classes. Grateful!
If you fit the brake arm, then you can apply the brake before you tighten the nut so it centralises the plate within the drum.
Another great video guys, thanks so much for putting all this stuff together, it gives us newbies the confidence to do a bit of spannering, love the double hacksaw trick. Just had a quick look at prices (along with everyone else watching I'd assume), starting at £800 on Ebay for a runner, but of course it's got to get to the end of the auction (it's on the watch list). Don't know about everyone else but little bits of advice like after the D10 they got 4 speed gearboxes are priceless; it's like having your own expert mate on hand. XT still in the garage, decided to tidy my very small workshop (can't get the bike in) and build an outside workshop so I can start doing my own bit of fettling whilst channelling Dave (and Andy); stay calm and don't shout at the bike.
Awesome Den, how exciting. We've got a video coming out with all of Dave's affordable and underrated classic British motorcycles. Working on it now, you might find it an interesting watch and will give you a few more ideas (from Alex). Thanks for your nice comments as always!
How the old Bantam takes me back, another great video very well presented. What's next, can't wait.
Hey John, Dave and I are currently working on a Triumph T160 project, you've probably seen it in the background of a few of of the videos...
Enjoyed the video. I'm just waiting to be allowed out so I can see how good a job I made of recommisioning my Bantam Bushman. Yes I did start riding on a Bantam (51 D1) passed my test on a then new D14 (1968) & have now gone back to Bantams. As you say they are a lot lighter. Don't intend to push it far though, I have a mobile 'phone & an AA card if it comes to that.
Hope you do more really interesting and informative many many thanks
When I was a teenager in the 1960s, in the Southern Hemisphere, we didn't have "mopeds" with strangled speed limited engines a la UK. Our 50cc motorcylces developed over 5 hp and could make 50 mph on a level road, admittedly while lying flat. The relatively heavy 150 cc BSA Bantam was regarded us a gutless joke which we gleefully overtook.
Thanks..❤️ Really well made
Love these down to earth videos with everyday bikes.. No bull or posturing..
I really like the little Bantam.. The mudguards are neat any idea where they came from I'm building a trials Cub and they'd suit..
Hey Kieran, thanks for your nice words, no idea where the mudguards came from, they looked pretty old and were on it when the owner took possession of the bike (from Alex)
i had a bantam back in 68 it was my first bike and had exactly the same problem with the kickstart and a few other issues absolute nightmare it was i soon got rid of it and bought a new honda cd 175 fantastic little bike that was
Another thoroughly interesting video gang👍
Thanks a lot Coobye!
What a great little bike
a very informative and enjoyable video.
Thank you Stefan, glad you enjoyed it!
Really nice job,& I always seem to find something to learn,
Cheers Pat, that's the idea eh!
@@TheClassicMotorcycleChannel interesting point about smaller bikes, up til recently I only had my 1200 bandit, just before lockdown in March last year,I finished restoring my 76 kettle,got it back on the road & then realised why I was doing less & less miles on my bandit,last mot showed I did 400 miles & that included a 260 mile ride in a day,after that I felt like I did 10 rounds with a grizzly bear,I put 120 miles on the gt in a day, & still felt like I could do another 120 miles,so the bandit was sold, I still got the kettle,but bought a new gsxs 750 Suzuki & again it felt really good, so I get the point,
@@bluehazeboy Hey Pat, that's a really interesting observation thanks for sharing, I think a lot of people will like reading that and probably feel the same way. The philosophical side of motorcycling :)
My first bike was a D7 Bantam, cost me £50 in 1975... learned a lot maintaining it (till the electrics died and lack of cash to solve the problem led to me passing the bike on.) Did a lot of miles on it! My current project is an Ariel Huntmaster. Meanwhile... feel free to do a video on making up cables. Would appreciate seeing how you do it.
Great video. Hope my D7 comes back to like as well as that one.
Ha, good luck Dean!
Curious-why are the forks red? Is that normal for the Bantams
Just bought my first bantam, lovely to see british common sense engineering in motion.
Although the Bantam engine was actually a German design by DKW and was part of war reparations I am not quite sure why they adopted it though as there was already British designed two strokes such as Villiers that could have been used as Francis Barnet and James did.
I also cut the slot on my kick start....but rather than rely just on the bolt....I drilled out the thread on the kick start so I could get a nice tough 13mm Stainless nut and bolt through to clamp up the kick start....sorted.
Personally, I would have used an Imperial nut and bolt, so that I could use just the one set of spanners on the bike - messing about with Metric and Imperial is a nuisance.
Great hacksaw tip!
I had great results with degrading brake shoes in the dishwasher. Just do not put anything else in it and use a standard soap pod. It really works great!
Bet thats quick for a Bantam.
Brilliant work
Cheers Tristan!
Lovely little bike. You’re quite right, ten miles on a Bantam is much more enjoyable than 600 miles in one day on a GS.
Right on BR!
Great bike .Had 1968 bantam brañdnew cannot remember the model no loved it .sold it and bought 160 Honda.
Great video. I don't want to be the H&S Police but personally I would be a bit more wary around brake dust although if you put things into perspective back in the 80s and before, the asbestos coming off brakes and clutches from road vehicles was rather considerable.
The cable adjuster slots at the bars should be facing down or back to keep the rain out.
Hard to saw something when you've got it clamped in a vice, tends to crush the hacksaw blade or come loose in the vice. I've done this before but also got a three sided file and cleaned out the splines a bit to make a better gripping surface. If it doesn't tighten up properly after this you can use a bit of light copper shim which will fill in the gap between the spline on the kick start and the shaft.
Many thanks for another great video Dave ! - I see you have a Commando in the shop, how about a few servicing videos on that ? - i.e.. correctly adjusting the isolastics or converting to the MK3 vernier type, servicing/setting the brakes (Drum TLS or discs) and forks etc.. AMC gearbox rebuild, refurbishing the head etc..
Thanks for the suggestions JJ Rider 67 and watching the videos! We do take all the comments on board. The videos at the moment are sort of led by what work needs to be done in Dave's business. But, when we wheel the Commando out we'll definitely film it :)
enjoyed parts 1 & 2 about the Bantam. Well done Dave , you do the best videos on youtube.If your customer wants to sell the Bantam, ask him to mail me. Paul Lucas
Hey Paul, thanks for your message. I think the owner of the Bantam wants to keep it to ride around his farm. Thanks for your nice comments, that's very humbling! (from Alex)
Thanks for another great video. Years ago I read you could improve a lever on a worn shaft by clamping down on some pins / needles and then snapping / cutting off the excess. Can't say I've ever done it myself however.
Have you ever had to deal with a petrol tank that is rusty inside?
Had a d14 back in the day wish ide still got it part chopped it for a suzuki gt125 brill bike but i love the sound of the bantam. brill video by the way
Nice one Stan, thanks for your feedback too, much appreciated!
Great info, emery cloth is a bit more durable, hey?
Very enjoyable
I've been riding since 1968 and I love the British Classics having previously owned a 68 Triumph Trophy 500 and a 68 Matchless G15 MK2. I have to say your channel is the very best in this genre , so much so that I've been inspired to find and fix a Classic myself. Your resurrection of the A65 and Little Bantam rooster was phenomenal getting to the heart of the matter. Looking forward to more while I search for a Classic.
Hi Nelson, thank you for your humbling comments. We were really happy with this Bantam series, even through it was short. Had us asking ourselves a lot of philosophical questions about motorbikes!
In the early eighties I had a Ducati 350 single while rebuilding my T150V engine with a Norman Hyde 1000cc kit. Wish I kept the little Ducati, as a matter of fact wish I had kept them both...
Would love to see you bring a Tiger Cub back from the dead! Most of the people here in the US have never heard of a Tiger cub
Hey Gerry, thanks for your comments, good to hear feedback on what people want to see, they help us build the channel :)
You need to rev that engine higher before shifting. 2-strokes are not meant for low rpm use. You have to wind it out more before changing gears and keep the rpms up.
Hi, Just acquired a BSA Bantam D7 and been advised to run the mixture at 33:1 and I don't know if it is linked but it doesn't like starting when I have run it for say 1/2 hour stopped it for a break then it won't start. Should I be using 1:25 mixture as you suggest?
Txs.Nice video !
Lovely vids. Brilliantly filmed. And Daves RST jacket is magnificent 👍 How old is it? Thanks for the vids.
Hey John, yeah, I think Dave's jacket is from 2012 when he took the Honda up to do a lap of the TT. Thanks for your nice comments :) Alex
Little bikes are great fun. Rather have a Tiger Cub, but hey. Excellent, inspirational build. Thanks. p.s. 'a little bit smoky'... That's why they call it a choke...
Was so smoky in that garage Bill!
Good one Dave --- What's next ?
Hey John, Triumph T160 project being filmed at the moment (from Alex) stay tuned!
My dad would have burnt the linings dry he never had a no brakes or any sense
I already got the shaller bike , it is a 500 single.
My first bike was a 1970 Bantam D14
I have a d14 4 love it
so cool!
Plz plz restore a rear plunger set of a BSA B31 ..and educate us ...
Always appreciate your videos, they're an excellent source for information. But wearing gloves while using a bench grinder? That's a major safety no-no in the organization Having mentioned that, . I'll get back to minding my own business. Keep up the good work.
looks like fun.
Where would we be without brake cleaner 😆 it's such a useful thing nowadays for lots of uses. Enjoyable viewing as usual than you 😉
Thanks a lot Stephen!