Finally, after a day of troubleshooting, the Victor is running! This is the condensed version of the struggle to get it started, but we did it! Even took it down the road before it got dark!
Gas on,then tickler down until gas gushes out. Key off, stroke it over twice. Key on,throttle closed,stroke it and she will start. If too cold to stay going tickle it while running with a touch or two as needed. Nothing if warm. Ease the kick lever till just past compression then a swift stroke to spin it over. Kicking it just any old way can wreak a gear tooth on the kick ears inside. Thats why I say stroke. You can start it with your hand this way.Vibration? Pour lead down into the handlebar ends. Keep the motor mounting bolts tight Gentle with the old girl. I had a 70 scrambler like this. And running the valve lash 2 thou tighter helps top end power. And no matter what, Keep it.
At least one of these guys is smart. He's not sitting on the bike and trying to kick start it with his heel. He is standing to the side and letting his toes slide off if it doesn't turn over. I say this because the BSA Victor had a compression release lever on the handlebar. You had to jockey this lever and position the starter just so in order not to get your leg jammed up into your chest or your whole body tossed over the handlebars if the kick starter kicked back. I had a Victor and on quite a few occasions I got the full mule kick from the kick starter straight up through my leg. Painful indeed, but I still loved that bike.
They take some practice. I had one. One day I bought a new pair of shoes at Nordstrom. I got home, pulled the 441 out to go for a blast and ripped my shoe right in half! The Kickstart lever was missing the rubber...when I kicked it over it kicked back and ripped the sole into two pieces. I took them back to the store and got a new pair.
My second bike was a 1970 Victor Special, bought new with 7 miles on it. Enjoyed it until the exhaust valve broke off a stuck through the piston. Had it repaired but it was never the same! Many great hours spent on that seat. Several bikes later, nothing ever compared. Would love to have it back.
Well done for getting it going! When I start my Victor Special I find the decompressor really useful. Get it on compression, pull in the decompressor lever & ease slighly over TDC...let lever out & a hefty swing & away she goes. Also, I'd be really careful about leaping up & down on the kickstart with it on the side stand. You could bend & break the stand or the lug from the frame! Nice Bike!
Having lived with a 250, 441, and 500; Tickle until it overflows, Just over TDC, 1/8 turn on the throttle, and one kick. If it doesn't start, something is wrong. Still love these things.
I bought mine for 200 bucks basket case in New Hampshire us guys in British iron if NH cobbled it together and rode that 67 Victor special 6 new England states in 1996 Maine New Hampshire vermouth Conn Massachusetts Rhode island in 1 day my pal with me had a 1971 triumph 250 we got to campsite my kickstand was gone I looked down at it and found a diamond ring some lady lost I turned it in no lie what I day
I've had 441 since 1973 they are bulletproof over 50 miles a gallon on the highway no problem to start an easy to maintain and one of my bsa's isn't Victor and I run the crap out of it and it just keeps on ticking
Dad owned two he boondocked with. He also modified them by adding a stronger ignition by using the ignition coil, points housing and condenser from the Ford Furgason tractors.
I've had three of these over the years back in the '70s. These guys, as mentioned, are not knowledgeable. None of mine were in the least bit hard to start, usually one kick. Also if in proper tune they would idle at ridiculously low RPM, not 2000 like these guys. You can't set the timing at a 2000 RPM "idle". I could go on but what's the point. To start I always just rolled it back in gear until it stopped, select neutral and kick it over. Never had a problem ever in all the years. Timing is set with a stick down the spark hole with the correct measurement marked. Good luck on that roller bearing big-end. I had Dick Mann replace my first one before I even started riding it.
That's exactly the way I remember them starting....Rode with a friend for a couple of years, Bike never started in less then 15 kicks..., maybe 10 if it was already warmed up.....Bastard Stalled Again.............
Don't see them using the compression release lever mine had. It was used to allow the piston to easily rise to nearly TDC so a soft kick would get it started...
Mine didn’t have the decompressor linkage but starting was easy: Ignition off, put it in 2nd gear, pull it backwards until it stops (which is just past TDC on the firing stroke), select neutral, ignition on and jump on the kickstarter. First time, every time, although it did have electronic ignition. And the day I found that the kickstart had fallen off was tricky 😀
Had a friend with one of these back when we were in the service. Starts much as I remember. He would run with the points cover off many times with the stator pate just lose enough so he could retard it for starting, then advance when he got roIIing good. Beautiful cycles.
Loves these bikes. Very painful to watch the kick start. I had a friend who owned one and broke his ankle trying to get it going. Typically British love/hate. I still want one.
Got one. Honestly it sounds / looks like the clutch is slipping. On these unit singles the kick start is through the clutch and by the time the B441 was hatched the clutches were undersized. The B50 had an extra set of plates. To kick it a sorted B44 with a good clutch over without the deco level, you need muscles in yer spit, compression is just too high.
Had a 67 round barrel too. Put a square barrel on mine but it had that week ET ignition that made it harder to start than the one in the video. Still I loved it and kept it for a long time.
I had a chance to have one of these bikes for free I just needed to take it down from the ceiling it was hanging from... I'm pissed at myself for passing on it
I've owned dozens of bikes over the years and the Victor 441 was my least favorite, leaked oil, hard to start, parts almost nonexistent. Belongs in the dustbin of motorcycle history.
The old man put a lot of faith in the side stand !
Gas on,then tickler down until gas gushes out. Key off, stroke it over twice. Key on,throttle closed,stroke it and she will start. If too cold to stay going tickle it while running with a touch or two as needed. Nothing if warm. Ease the kick lever till just past compression then a swift stroke to spin it over. Kicking it just any old way can wreak a gear tooth on the kick ears inside. Thats why I say stroke. You can start it with your hand this way.Vibration? Pour lead down into the handlebar ends. Keep the motor mounting bolts tight Gentle with the old girl. I had a 70 scrambler like this. And running the valve lash 2 thou tighter helps top end power. And no matter what, Keep it.
At least one of these guys is smart. He's not sitting on the bike and trying to kick start it with his heel. He is standing to the side and letting his toes slide off if it doesn't turn over. I say this because the BSA Victor had a compression release lever on the handlebar. You had to jockey this lever and position the starter just so in order not to get your leg jammed up into your chest or your whole body tossed over the handlebars if the kick starter kicked back. I had a Victor and on quite a few occasions I got the full mule kick from the kick starter straight up through my leg. Painful indeed, but I still loved that bike.
They take some practice. I had one. One day I bought a new pair of shoes at Nordstrom. I got home, pulled the 441 out to go for a blast and ripped my shoe right in half! The Kickstart lever was missing the rubber...when I kicked it over it kicked back and ripped the sole into two pieces. I took them back to the store and got a new pair.
My second bike was a 1970 Victor Special, bought new with 7 miles on it. Enjoyed it until the exhaust valve broke off a stuck through the piston. Had it repaired but it was never the same! Many great hours spent on that seat. Several bikes later, nothing ever compared. Would love to have it back.
Well done for getting it going! When I start my Victor Special I find the decompressor really useful. Get it on compression, pull in the decompressor lever & ease slighly over TDC...let lever out & a hefty swing & away she goes. Also, I'd be really careful about leaping up & down on the kickstart with it on the side stand. You could bend & break the stand or the lug from the frame! Nice Bike!
Having lived with a 250, 441, and 500; Tickle until it overflows, Just over TDC, 1/8 turn on the throttle, and one kick. If it doesn't start, something is wrong. Still love these things.
Brains didn't run very deep in this family but in their favour braun did. God help that poor Victor!
I bought mine for 200 bucks basket case in New Hampshire us guys in British iron if NH cobbled it together and rode that 67 Victor special 6 new England states in 1996 Maine New Hampshire vermouth Conn Massachusetts Rhode island in 1 day my pal with me had a 1971 triumph 250 we got to campsite my kickstand was gone I looked down at it and found a diamond ring some lady lost I turned it in no lie what I day
I broke a Kickstarter right off my 67 until I learned the methods of bsa then 1 2 kick always
I once test-rode one of those, with an eye to buying it. At 60 mph, it vibrated so hard I could not see! Ah the old days lol
I've had 441 since 1973 they are bulletproof over 50 miles a gallon on the highway no problem to start an easy to maintain and one of my bsa's isn't Victor and I run the crap out of it and it just keeps on ticking
Dad owned two he boondocked with. He also modified them by adding a stronger ignition by using the ignition coil, points housing and condenser from the Ford Furgason tractors.
Great sounding bike
I had the same issues with my 441. Finally sold the darn thing to somebody that was willing to work on it. I gave up.
like tom petty said, like waves crashing on the beach that old 441. miss it hell of a thumper.
I've had three of these over the years back in the '70s. These guys, as mentioned, are not knowledgeable. None of mine were in the least bit hard to start, usually one kick. Also if in proper tune they would idle at ridiculously low RPM, not 2000 like these guys. You can't set the timing at a 2000 RPM "idle". I could go on but what's the point. To start I always just rolled it back in gear until it stopped, select neutral and kick it over. Never had a problem ever in all the years. Timing is set with a stick down the spark hole with the correct measurement marked. Good luck on that roller bearing big-end. I had Dick Mann replace my first one before I even started riding it.
A thing of beauty!
What a great sound on a B single... finally. Learn the drill.
That's exactly the way I remember them starting....Rode with a friend for a couple of years, Bike never started in less then 15 kicks..., maybe 10 if it was already warmed up.....Bastard Stalled Again.............
Don't see them using the compression release lever mine had. It was used to allow the piston to easily rise to nearly TDC so a soft kick would get it started...
It was an awesome British classic
Mine didn’t have the decompressor linkage but starting was easy:
Ignition off, put it in 2nd gear, pull it backwards until it stops (which is just past TDC on the firing stroke), select neutral, ignition on and jump on the kickstarter. First time, every time, although it did have electronic ignition. And the day I found that the kickstart had fallen off was tricky 😀
I always wanted one of those.
Never seen a 441 start so easy
Had a friend with one of these back when we were in the service. Starts much as I remember. He would run with the points cover off many times with the stator pate just lose enough so he could retard it for starting, then advance when he got roIIing good. Beautiful cycles.
I owned one back in '69. Great fun, torque like a tractor. But would vibrate the light bulb out on occasion.
Loves these bikes. Very painful to watch the kick start. I had a friend who owned one and broke his ankle trying to get it going. Typically British love/hate. I still want one.
decompressor !!! I/we called it a valve lifter in the day 1968
two of my mates had one of them the rest of us had yamaha yds 7 250 s and suzuki 250 huselers we had to wait for the bsa s to catch up
Got one. Honestly it sounds / looks like the clutch is slipping. On these unit singles the kick start is through the clutch and by the time the B441 was hatched the clutches were undersized. The B50 had an extra set of plates. To kick it a sorted B44 with a good clutch over without the deco level, you need muscles in yer spit, compression is just too high.
Most folk would oush start down hill by now 😮
441 victim I had a 67 round barrel
Had a 67 round barrel too. Put a square barrel on mine but it had that week ET ignition that made it harder to start than the one in the video. Still I loved it and kept it for a long time.
Never try to kick a bike on the stand.
how to break side stand lug lol.
I had a chance to have one of these bikes for free I just needed to take it down from the ceiling it was hanging from... I'm pissed at myself for passing on it
I've owned dozens of bikes over the years and the Victor 441 was my least favorite, leaked oil, hard to start, parts almost nonexistent. Belongs in the dustbin of motorcycle history.
Any idea where to get a chain guard and a batter side cover for a 70 441 VS? HELP