The more the better. The racing Amal GP carburettors with open-intakes (bellmouths) were replaced by Amal Concentrics[7] with individual chome filters which enabled better low-range engine response.
BSA MK2 SPITFIRE 1966. The BSA Spitfire was a high-performance BSA motorcycle made from 1966 to 1968 with model designations of MkII, MkIII and MkIV.
The 1967 Spitfire had a 56-inch (1422 mm) wheelbase, and a dry weight of 383 lb. It maintained the 360-degree crankshaft, a single camshaft, and single Amal Monobloc carburetor of the non-unit A10, though it had an enlarged bore of 75mm and shortened stroke of 74mm for a total of 654cc. Item location: kidderminster, Worcestershire, UK Sale type: Fixed price listing Then Sturgeon said something to the effect of “Screw it! The suspension was compliant enough for around-town riding, while suitably firm for fast roadwork. The Spitfire was felt by many to be more planted at speed and a better handler than the Bonneville, given comparably high-performance tires.
bsa - rocket 3, lightning, spitfire, gold star, scrambler.
Top recorded speeds were, 123, 125 & 128 mph, I ran it at a car drag meeting, timed at 12.36 or 12.39 seconds, 103 mph terminal speed.
you did not read that wrong, you do not need glasses. Then sometime later I recieved a service bulletin from BSA West telling Dealers to remove the Points Cam Assembly and send it back to them in California. As well as 12-volt electrics, with an alternator and two coils. I ported and polished the head,bored it 20 over and 10.5-1 compression pistons.Installed better,stronger push rods,a pair of GP 2 carbs and a set of tuned larger straight pipes.When I tore it down,I knocked the crank apart and put the center ring in a lathe and lightened up to the point you could not use the timing -plug to set timing,taking off metal from the sides in an equal amount and turning the center down 3/16 “. The A65 engine had a forged, one-piece crankshaft with a central flywheel. Fuel economy also improved, allowing decent long-distance range on a tank of gas, unless the bike had the smaller, U.S. market peanut tank, in which case fuel stops would be much more frequent. Our main feature for our Sept/Oct issue
When purchased, the bike was disassembled and the frame was powder coated in a low-gloss black.
Guys, 28psi front 30psi back. [citation needed] A total of 1291 true 1968 model year Spitfires were produced, not counting the 478 'hybrid' 1968 Spitfires that have 1967 style numbers. The cylinder barrel was a one-piece, iron unit mated to a single, twin-port aluminum head. You have entered an incorrect email address! Both centre and side stands came standard.
1966 BSA A65S Spitfire Mark II Special Back in the early 1960s, many British bike companies were cheerfully warring with each other, paying …
Also, if the engine was run at those speeds for any sizable amount of time, the crankshaft bearings might fail, as there was a bronze thrust pad on the timing side to deal with end float that was prone to wearing excessively and inhibiting lubrication. The Spitfire demanded, and got, respect. Starting the bike, which had a central float bowl between the GP carbs with a hard-to-get-at tickler, could initiate some strong language from the rider. The A65 has that lovely crackling exhaust similar to the A10.
Sadly, BSA never applied these race-proven changes to their production machines.
The bike is in American spec livery apart from the bars. The first rendition, in ’66, was labeled the Mark II, as BSA had previously used the name in the Spitfire Scrambler of 1957. Bought an A65 Lightning for a Christmas present to myself last year. Engine power output was increased to 53 bhp (40 kW). For the U.S. market, a 1.9-gallon (8.5 litre) peanut-type tank was made standard; this tank style became popular after its introduction on the 1957 Harley-Davidson Sportster. I would give the proverbial “left nut” to have that machine back today. I bought my Mk ll in September 1966, it was one of 3 new bikes in the showroom, they’d only just become available in Australia, I’d been racing my Honda CB72 for about 15 months, as well as a 1965 Triumph Trophy Special, the Triumph was pretty quick for a single carburettor bike but the Mk ll was infinitely quicker, I rode the bike to work through the week & went touring on the weekends, I entered in a 50 mile production race, held on a newly built track that no races had been held on, by the time the race came up, I’d been pushing it around on the road for 5 months & had become to feel ‘as one with it’.
Who cared? The bodywork was refinished in Peony Red, and the fuel tank was accented with Ivory and a …