Author Topic: RE 350 wins Pre '62 BHR racing championship!  (Read 3082 times)

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Bullet Whisperer

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on: October 01, 2018, 08:31:58 pm
Well, we did it!
A Royal Enfield 350 Clipper is the 2018 BHR pre '62 Championship winning machine and new holder of the lap record for this class of machinery at Anglesey!
It was already 'in the bag' when these pictures were taken, just before the last race it took part in. We had to content ourselves with 2nd places all weekend this time around, but a tweak of the valve timing should get the engine revving harder, and the bike going faster, as it did prior to a couple of recent blow ups and subsequent hasty rebuilds!
 As for the 500, well, once again there were 'issues'. A misfire which cut practise and the first race for this machine short turned out to be down to one of the new spark plugs' gaps being shut by the piston when temparatures and rpm's increased. Once this was sorted, things looked much better the next time it went out, but it was to retire after three laps, as Ian thought it sounded a bit clattery and wondered if the valve gear had settled and needed adjustment. Checking this revealed it was ok, but when I started the engine it sounded terrible, so that was that for this machine and it looks like more spanner time will be in order to see what has gone wrong this time. On the bright side, it meant we could leave the venue early and we had a good run home in just under six hours, rather than the nine it took us to get there!
 B.W.


Bullet Whisperer

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Reply #1 on: October 01, 2018, 08:36:02 pm
Update. After unloading all the racing bikes and bits and pieces, I decided to check a few basics on the 500 and it turned out the timing pinion had lost a tooth, which had been mashed between the cams and their gear teeth and causing the terrible noises. I replaced the timing pinion with a spare, removed what must have amounted to the entire missing tooth from the bottom of the timing chest and from between two of the teeth on the exhaust cam, put it all back together and started it up, to find all is well again.
 However, we have suffered broken teeth on cams and timing pinions on this machine in the last couple of years and I think we will be looking at the valve train in some detail over the winter lay up.
 B.W.


ace.cafe

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Reply #2 on: October 01, 2018, 10:48:54 pm
Congratulations!

Very happy to hear.
My best regards to the whole team.

Probably just down to bad luck on that gear tooth. :(
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Warwick

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Reply #3 on: October 02, 2018, 12:54:58 am
Congrats!! Its great to see a bullet beating more expensive machinery! its gives my mate real hope with his bike.
cheers and beers
Warwick
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heloego

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Reply #4 on: October 02, 2018, 02:26:22 am
+1  8)
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mattsz

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Reply #5 on: October 02, 2018, 10:19:50 am


cyrusb

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Reply #6 on: October 02, 2018, 04:29:49 pm
Great stuff,BW. But, whats up with the rearset shifter? 
2005E Fixed and or Replaced: ignition, fenders,chainguard,wires,carb,headlight,seat,tailight,sprockets,chain,shock springs,fork springs, exhaust system, horn,shifter,clutch arm, trafficators,crankcase vent.


Bullet Whisperer

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Reply #7 on: October 02, 2018, 08:59:53 pm
Great stuff,BW. But, whats up with the rearset shifter?
Thanks everyone, it has been a long time coming!
 I don't quite get what you mean, cyrusb, but here is a picture of the whole rearset setup  ;)
 B.W.


cyrusb

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Reply #8 on: October 02, 2018, 09:51:55 pm
AH!, my bad. I was looking at the k start spline thinking it was the shifter shaft. Single malt will do that!
2005E Fixed and or Replaced: ignition, fenders,chainguard,wires,carb,headlight,seat,tailight,sprockets,chain,shock springs,fork springs, exhaust system, horn,shifter,clutch arm, trafficators,crankcase vent.


High On Octane

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Reply #9 on: October 14, 2018, 01:57:42 am
Congrats on the Championship win BW!

Also, good on Ian to pull in the pits on the 500 before it turned catastrophic.  Sounds like it turned out to be a fairly easy fix.
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GlennF

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Reply #10 on: October 16, 2018, 04:30:30 am
Congrats on the Championship win BW!

Also, good on Ian to pull in the pits on the 500 before it turned catastrophic.  Sounds like it turned out to be a fairly easy fix.

The interesting thing is pre-1950s track side repairs by the riders where actually a thing.

Check out the comments in this video about riders carrying spare valve springs:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hU9uS2d9Gp0