1955 BSA C11G

Best place I've found for odd size metric taps and die's is Victor Machinery Exchange in New York
Various Honda's and Suzuki's use metric fine threads but 10x1.25 is more common.

I vote bobber style also

Ok, here's the deal. When I bought this bike, I had no idea what to do with it. I thought I'd just fix it up to be a bike I could ride around town, to work and back, etc. I knew nothing about BSA or this model at all. I started looking at some British bikes and fell in love with cafe racers. Naturally, I thought I'd turn this one into a cafe. But the more I look at the bike, and especially the underpowered motor, the more I think it would be better off as a bobber. I'm at a point in the rebuilding process where nothing is set in stone yet, so it would be easy to switch from cafe racer to bobber. The problem is that I had my heart set on building a cafe racer. So even though I know this particular bike would make a better bobber than a cafe racer, I think for now, I'll continue with the cafe plan. It should be simple enough later on to convert it to a bobber, and find a different bike that's better suited to be a cafe racer. I guess it's sort of like that girl you want to date, even though you know you shouldn't because she's totally wrong for you, and she's just going to hurt you, and all your friends are warning you about her, but you date her anyway. Yeah, I'm that guy. But I've said too much.

Oh, sorry, don't get me wrong, I appreciate the bobber ideas, and would love to hear more. Some day, this bike will be a bobber, it's just going to be a cafe racer first, if for no other reason than I'm a stubborn SOB.

good decision ;-)

Too cool! My first bike in 1959 was a C11G! Good luck with the build. Definitely be following this.

Thanks! I've got most of the motor put back together, but I'm having some trouble finding an auto-advance or advance/retard mechanism or whatever other names that thing has. The one I've got may work, but I think one side moves too freely and the other side not freely enough. I'll try to get some pics of the movement. If the main parts are ok, I think I can replace the rivets and springs, but if anyone knows where to find a new one, please let me know. The gaskets on the gearbox were in pretty bad shape, so I've got the casing taken apart. I haven't touched the innards, because I'm afraid I could never get it all back in place. Hopefully, I can clean it out a little without removing anything else.

I know this is on the other side of the planet to you, but here in the UK we have loads of small outfits who specialise in this kind of vintage stuff. This is one in my area.

http://www.llandowclassics.co.uk/index1.htm

Maybe worth an email?

Cafe all the way!

Neat! You may not end up with a barn burner but you WILL have a bike that you rebuilt with your own hands and that's cool. You're also not likely to pass one going the other way without making a real effort to do so.

Bobber or cafe - It doesn't really matter. It will be yours, and as mentioned, you're not likely to see another one very often.

It's a cool bike and you seem to be doing good work. It's definitely got my interest.

You might want to have a look at this thread over on the JJ. Somehow I think you will wind up with the better bike.

http://www.jockeyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=77435

Wow, I'm loving all the positive comments. Thanks guys! This will definitely be a unique bike. I just hope I can get it running!

Erskine, definitely worth an e-mail. I added the link to my list of at least 20 other Brit-bike parts stores.

Hoofhearted, some of the parts on that thread look pretty familiar. I'm relieved to say that most of mine are in as good or better condition. Those springer forks reminded me of this awesome little bike:

got the motor on the frame, with only a small amount of touch up painting needed.







also replaced the stock bars with some clubmans (thanks treitz), so now it looks more like a lop-eared rabbit than a yak.

Cool man. Lookin good.

Don't know much about BSA's, what size engine is that?

Looks great.
Lovely lines with the tank, what are you plans for seatage?

congrats for undertaking such a challenging project.
i think you are best letting the bike tell you what it would like to be as you work on it. dont force it into any one style, or you will risk coming up short on either.

try diff fenders, bars, tanks seats, whatever. just mock up diff stuff untill it hits right.

all that said, why did you cut off the side stand lug?

it's just a little 250. should be lots of fun on these twisty mountain roads i've got around here.

all i've really got as far as seatage is ideas. i've seen some pretty creative seats made out of skateboard decks, so i may look into that. not planning on having a rear fender, and i'd like to integrate the rear lights into it somehow. like everything else i've done on this bike, i'm open to ideas, opinions, etc.

i cut the side stand lug off for a couple reasons, but mainly for looks. the frame is prettier and more streamlined without it, for one. i know it's only a few ounces, so i really didn't shave any real weight off the bike, but i know for sure i don't want to weigh it down any more with both a center stand and the side stand. the center stand was already with it, whereas i'd have to buy a side stand. i also think the center stand just looks better on this bike than a side stand would.

Damn Grady! This build is getting close to home. When I got my C11G I was 15 and clueless. Now I'm considerably older and still pretty much clueless. I got a brainwave to make a cool seat so I stole a neighbors mailbox and used the bottom of it. Some sponge and genuine naugahide and I had a cool seat. The first real bump I hit I had a cool V. Go with the skateboard deck I think it will prove stronger.

Note to self: put the neighbor's mailbox back. Actually, I have a question. Someone suggested swapping out the front brakes for something a little bigger, but that would require replacing the hub. I'm definitely going to have to relace the wheels, as some of the spokes are missing and others are pretty rusted through. Replacing spokes is one thing, but replacing the whole hub and the spokes is getting expensive. So, my question is how did you feel about the front brakes on your C11G? Were they strong enough for a reasonable driver?