Honda-SOHC

I'm seeing enough young lads getting interested in old classic bikes. We've got a few in the local bike forum including one who has renovated a good few Suzukis and Yamahas. He had one in Classic Bike of the Year recently. He also runs around on an old Matchless.

I went to the Haggis Gathering Autojumble in Lanark the other weekend and there were a lot of young guys under 40. (that's young to me!)

Bike shed and the like have made old bikes cool and long may it continue. 

The Hurricane was typical of the Triumph/BSA problems at the time. Old time managers making the wrong decisions and not investing enough in the future. Relying too much on old designs.

The BSA triple engine had a forward angled top end which looked good in the bike - the Triumph engine had a straight cylinder head/barrel which didn't look so good. If they had used the BSA style engine in all the bikes they would have saved so much money on tooling and commonality of spare parts. Usual story, BSA managers wanted their way, Triumph wanted to be different.

The American dealers were complaining a lot about old-fashioned designs not selling so someone with sense brought in Craig Vetter to design a bike that would sell in the American market.

The result was the Hurricane. He chose the twin leading shoe front brake for looks and style, same for the better looking BSA-style engine and the expensive but pretty exhaust.

The bike did go into production but most were sent to the States and production didn't last long before US rule changes and Triumph's problems meant the end. I think there were about 1200 made - and a few copies made since!

I've never heard of Dehydration plugs but I'll ask the aircraft engineers at the airport I work at.

If you're that worried about condensation and corrosion why not get one of those fully enclosed bike bags which are designed to prevent that for the whole bike, not just the engine internals?

www.vac-bag.co.uk is one type available.

Great result Roy. I bet that was a relief.

Lots of time saved there. 

The original type 400/4 kickstart lever. I'm using one from a different model, cb250 I think.

Happy retirement Ian. My dad's now been retired for longer than he worked. I've never seen him smile at something so much!

Have a long and happy retirement. 

There's a torque figure in the manual, can't remember what it is but it's a low figure - 4 or5 lb ft I think.

I dealt with Dennis at noxandrattles who supplies Stainless Parts for 400/4 He told me he had stripped lots of 400/4 engines and never came across a washer on the camshaft, Today he contacted meto let me know he was doing the Topend of a 400/4 and lo and behold there was a a washer on the camshaft.

Could it be a spacer shim, so only there if needed?