ES2 progress

**iansoady** · 09-08-18, 12:48

It's starting to look much better:

Starting and running well thanks to fitting a 3.5 cutaway rather then the specified 4. I suspect the original was for economy rather than performance.

Still a few jobs to get it on the road so I can assess what needs to be done over the winter apart from cosmetics. But so far I'm pleased with progress.

**icarus1859** · 09-08-18, 13:02

Nice.
It'll be well sorted by the time you sell it to me next year

It does look a lot better and you can see it's been restored, but there is a bit of me that also really liked the rough 'lived-in' look that it originally came with.
Now it looks like a lovingly cared for weekend ride, whereas before it looked like something a bloke had ridden to work on every day since it left the factory.

When I was in the UK recently I saw an old Matchless, held together with bits of wire and tape, it was all there and original but it looked rough and it was absolutely fantastic, you could tell the owner knew every inch of it and had probably stopped on the way there to tie something up that was falling off.

I've decided I'm not polishing the Rudge, I'll keep it clean(ish) and well maintained but I want it to look like a riders bike, not a show piece.

**Tomcat** · 09-08-18, 13:22

That's a lovely bike with a bit of patina. I must say if it was mine I'd be tempted to do a restoration and keep it for sunny days, IMO when they get to that sort of age they deserve their retirement and to be kept nice, they're not a working bike or project to make them into something they're not. But it's still lovely

**icarus1859** · 09-08-18, 13:38

Originally Posted by Tomcat

... IMO when they get to that sort of age they deserve their retirement and to be kept nice, they're not a working bike...

We're all different types of people but I disagree 100% with this type of sentiment with any vehicle.
If the bikes could talk I'm sure they'd ask to be taken out every day.

**iansoady** · 09-08-18, 13:38

Thanks both. I don't want a trailer queen (and wouldn't spend the money that would cost!) but neither would I be happy running around on something that looks as if it will fall to bits at any moment.....

Tricky.

**icarus1859** · 09-08-18, 13:43

Originally Posted by iansoady

Thanks both. I don't want a trailer queen (and wouldn't spend the money that would cost!) but neither would I be happy running around on something that looks as if it will fall to bits at any moment.....

Tricky.

I'm the same I suppose.
I just love the thought of some old geezer that bought one new in the 50's and is still riding it around in it's original state, nursing it along, rather than us johnny-come-latelys who think we're doing them justice.

**Monstyr** · 09-08-18, 13:45

That looks great, I also prefer old machines to have the evidence of age about them, I do like the shiny ones too but there’s just something honest about the tarnish and grime that I like.

**Tomcat** · 09-08-18, 14:33

Originally Posted by iansoady

I don't want a trailer queen

Nor me, which is why my Commando and my LC have both been used, however they don't get used as daily bikes and they are both in as original condition as possible. I've got something else modern for riding about on when I don't have a reason to take one of the classics out. They're too good for that, horses for courses, if you've got a vintage wine you don't glug it back like cheap cider.

**icarus1859** · 09-08-18, 14:45

Originally Posted by Tomcat

Nor me, which is why my Commando and my LC have both been used, however they don't get used as daily bikes and they are both in as original condition as possible. I've got something else modern for riding about on when I don't have a reason to take one of the classics out. They're too good for that, horses for courses, if you've got a vintage wine you don't glug it back like cheap cider.

I don't really have a daily bike, I don't use motorcycles as transport, sadly I only get to use them as fun things when I get chance.
I'm not being confrontational (I'll save that for the politics threads

) but I don't "glug cheap cider" to use your metaphor, I don't have cheap bikes that I alternate with the expensive bikes, I ride motorcycles that I want to ride, I don't save the expensive stuff for best, or drown myself in it either. It's just stuff that I like and I use it when I want to, so I treat my 1936 Rudge the same way I treat my 2018 MV Agusta, I just ride them whenever I want to and keep them maintained.

Tbf I suppose that might change if I needed to use a motorcycle on a daily basis, I might use the newer stuff a bit more often than the older stuff, but more because it's just easier to ride in modern traffic than the older stuff.
I avoid town if I'm on the Rudge, the clutch isn't great and it overheats if I'm sat stationary for long periods.

**Lutin** · 09-08-18, 19:16

Originally Posted by iansoady

Starting and running well thanks to fitting a 3.5 cutaway rather then the specified 4. I suspect the original was for economy rather than performance.

'Scuse me asking, but is that the throttle slide cutaway?

**ink ink** · 09-08-18, 19:29

You can’t depend on any specified carb settings for an old bike.

It’s quite likely a bigger cutaway would be suitable for an air filter.

**iansoady** · 10-08-18, 08:44

Originally Posted by Lutin

'Scuse me asking, but is that the throttle slide cutaway?

Yes indeed. It's slightly complicated for this bike as the original carb is a 276 pre-monobloc whereas I have a monobloc fitted, at least till I get it running properly. I have an original one but it's in poor condition.

There would be no air filter as original but there would be a gauze strainer which would probably affect the airflow to some extent. I do like them as they prevent the bike going up in flames if there's a serious backfire.....

**Noggin** · 10-08-18, 09:23

That's bloody gorgeous x

**Lutin** · 10-08-18, 14:50

Originally Posted by iansoady

Yes indeed. It's slightly complicated for this bike as the original carb is a 276 pre-monobloc whereas I have a monobloc fitted, at least till I get it running properly. I have an original one but it's in poor condition.

There would be no air filter as original but there would be a gauze strainer which would probably affect the airflow to some extent. I do like them as they prevent the bike going up in flames if there's a serious backfire.....

Backfires, eh? Now there's a blast from the past.

Sorry, just couldn't resist.

**iansoady** · 21-08-18, 10:36

Just taken the Norton out for its first road test - about 4 miles on local roads. I was very pleasantly surprised. Loads of power, no coughing or spluttering, slick gear change, rock-steady handling. Brakes pretty poor, clutch dragging a bit but otherwise very happy.

I only took it to 50 (suburban roads) but there was loads left......