Seeing as I've now put plenty of time and alas money in to my Gold Star I thought I might as well make it comfortable to ride too. The standard clip on position just doesn't suit me: could be something to do with being tall or I could just be getting older. I get on well with rear sets and flat bars but the Taylor Dow top yoke has no provision for regular handlebar clamps. A further bind with the Dow top yoke is that it comes with a different headlight bracket that pushes the clip ons further down the stanchions.

Swan neck clip ons seemed like a decent answer. I had a pair kicking around that I had bought at an autojumble some time back. I tried those on but the angle of them was cast down and though the position was raised from regular clip ons they still put a lot of weight on the wrists and at a bad angle. So, back to the drawing board. Fortune had it that I walked by the Barleycorn Engineering stand at the VMCC Shepton Mallett autojumble.

Barleycorn proprietor Simon was decent in taking the time to go through the options, even down to the possibility of a bespoke set of bars. In the end I opted for his regular swan neck clip ons. Made to order they arrived in a very swift five working days. They're a beautifully made piece of kit, stainless steel and the fabrication is spot on; they might seem expensive at first glance but when you hold and see a pair in the flesh they are good value.

The Barleycorn swan neck bars give a far more comfortable position. The lines of the bike are changed more than I expected by just swapping the bars but not necessarily for the worse, just different. The bars are very generous in width but I would rather have this to be able to accommodate all the handlebar furniture and then cut down to taste than have something too narrow to start with.

The long and the short of it is that the real value in these bars is the extra enjoyment that I can get from riding the Gold Star. The position is now one that I can live with all day rather than one which gives neck, wrist and back ache after half an hour.

Head on view of the Gold Star with Barleycorn swan necks fitted. A tad wide for my taste but I'll cut them down later when I am sure.

Rider's view. The bars sit about five inches higher than the standard clip ons did and the angle is a lot flatter.

Very nicely made.

The Amal alloy levers are a period accessory. They take up a lot more space than regular levers. Good job the bars are wide. Still some scope to narrow them down though.

Four postcards from the stateside BSA advertising department. Get the bike, get the girl, have the lifestyle. The '69 BSA range did indeed look pretty awesome but the looks belied designs stretched to the limit, iffy reliability and heavy vibrations. To me the '69 Lightning was a massively iconic bike, I mean Hunter S Thompson has one and it also starred in the public school counter culture revolution film, 'If'. I too had one for a while, it wasn't a great example and maybe had it been fully sorted I would have loved it more. In the end I sold it on to a friend (and almost lost a friendship over it!), he sorted it out with much time, effort and money and then also didn't particularly bond with it and in turn passed it on. Stunning looking bike though....

Fuel line happiness in the workshop. BAP taps, Dowty washers, Loctite 565 and a bottle of IPA.

Snap connector from Feked. Very handy.

The final set up. Cranked joint was in a drawer in the workshop and makes it a neat job.

 Next up was quieting down the beast. Last it was run complaints from neighbours were elicited. Times change and excessively noisy vehicles are no longer so widely tolerated. Shame to lose the twitter on a Goldie but a baffle in the silencer makes for happier neighbours and more opportunity for trial runs and fettling. Again Feked came up trumps with the part, easy to fit and it does take the bite off the exhaust quite nicely. A Goldie track silencer is more of an amplifier. I did notice as well that the baffle has largely cured the megaphonitis the bike was suffering from and limited the blow back through the carb.

Feked baffle!

And the baffle bolted in place. Fairly inconspicuous but quite effective.

 Final small job was to try and introduce some comfort to the whole plot. I picked up a set of riser clip ons at an autojumble a while back so decided to give them a go. Overall a small improvement but not as great as hoped for. The big win is that they have increased the steering lock considerably. It is easier to balance and start the bike. Downside though is that they are not much more comfortable....

Stainless riser clip ons. Better but not quite there yet...

1914 Wall Autowheel for sale. Wheel now solidly attached!

1904 Quadrant Forecar engine
Not many of these out there. Needs a little work and there are a few missing parts. I bought a similar engine for my '04 Quadrant motorcycle for �750 so that seems like a fair price for the forecar motor.

Meddings Pillar Drill - SOLD
I've recently replaced the Meddings with a Kerry, not so sure why, I just liked the Kerry a little bit more.

BSA B31 / B33 / A7 / A10 / Gold Star swinging arm gearbox
Came out of a running bike, worked fine but is not inspected. Very clean. Standard ratios. �250

Sturmey Archer CS gearbox - no longer available
Currently in pieces for inspection but complete and in sound condition. Cases matching. Earlier fine gear type a la Triumph H.

Elswick Hopper Lincoln Imp bicycle
Original paint, frame 23 inch size. Fitted with Sturmey Archer Steelite hub brakes and three speed. Ready to ride. Nice. �375

Elswick Hopper Lincoln Imp for sale.

Norton Dominator 99SS 1961 - no longer available. Decided to keep it!
I've owned this bike six or seven years and it's had plenty of use. A first kick starter and so far faultlessly reliable. Quite honestly the best British bike I've ever had. A very good example of a fine motorycle. The 600 Norton represents British motorcycle engineering at its peak. Plenty of power, not overstretched and vibratory, really sweet and well mannered with superb handling. Very original condition and rather rare. The 99SS was a one year model built when Norton realised that they needed a sports model but before they had developed the 650ss. Differs from the standard Dommie in having twin carbs (currently running on single but I have the twin set up to go with the bike), a siamese exhaust, sports cam and rev counter. This example has featured in The Classic Motorcycle Magazine 'Authentic and Unrestored' series.
I've taken it on many long runs with no bother at all, most memorably to the Vintage Revival at Montlhery, a day return trip to Founders Day (nearly 400 miles in one day) and on the Moto Piston Picos tour in Spain a couple of years ago. It can potter along on a Sunday run or cruise 75 to 80 in comfort.
The bike is fitted with a high output alternator, halogen bulbs, a stainless exhaust down pipe, a Bob Newby belt drive and clutch, Doherty alloy racing levers and throttle.
Now I write it all down, not too sure why I am selling it or even if I want to! The money I am asking is high end for a Dominator but it is less than for a 650SS for a rarer bike and it really is good. You could spend a grand less and get something not half as good. You pays your money you takes your choice....

Norton Dominator 99SS.

Royal Enfield J2 1940
I originally imported this J2 from India a bit over 10 years ago. It went to a friend shortly after coming in to the country and then around five years ago I bought it back. It was originally sold via a dealer in Liverpool and as far as I know went straight to India. It must have been one of the last civilian bikes sold during the war. It is a bit of a scruff but solid and on the road. I've been slowly improving it in my ownership and it is now fairly sorted. Could probably do with new valve guides as folks following have reported a slight haze. It had a new piston quite recently. A set of new rims would tart it up considerably. I've fitted the J2 with an Esway prop stand which is a boon as this is a very heavy beast. In fact it is a large bike overall, the experience isn't disimilar from riding a v-twin of the era. The handle bars are original but it could do with pulled back ones to make it a little bit less of a stretch. I've just recently put sealant in the petrol tank and new ethanol proof petrol taps in. It is ready to use though can be treated as a rolling project. I suspect the upswept exhausts are not right as they interfere with the toolboxes, look great though! Not absolutely sure of what it is worth, in a dealers in better condition it would be an �8,000 bike but I am not a dealer and this J2 is no show machine. �Offers.

1940 Royal Enfield J2.

A few snaps from last Sunday's Dorset Section VMCC 'Winter Run' from Sherborne. Great run, the name seems a bit pessimistic to me though, mid-October, Winter? Either way the sun was shining and it was a beautiful day for a trundle around the Dorset / Somerset borders with a break at the Haynes Museum.

BSA v-twins have featured heavily on the blog of late. This one is especially tasty, a 750cc ohv Y13 model.

Close up on the BSA Y13 engine.

And the other side of the Y13.

1931 Norton looking well used as it should be, sounded right too.

Really taken by this sporting handlebar fairing on a Royal Enfield Bullet 350.

Has anyone got a fairing like this going spare for my Norton?

Laverda 750SF.

I've never seen a Honda CT90 on the road before. This one attracted a lot of attention.

There's a lot to like about a CT90. Would love to give one a go myself sometime. The greatest motorcycle engine ever made housed in off road running gear. Light, reliable and reasonably sprightly.

Here's what makes the CT90 extra special. The low ratio gearbox.

A proper cult bike. There are several websites devoted to the CT90. Here are a couple: http://ct90-ct110.com/ http://www.ct90.net/