Backward going Bantam

The Daily Mail has a reader's questions section. A recent query was 'Have any production motorcycles had a reverse gear?

Keith Brown of Desborough, Northants replied 'Further to earlier answers, years ago I had a two-stroke BSA Bantam motorcycle. Having read that by advancing the ignition you could make a motorcycle go faster, I tried to see.
After several attempts, the engine backfired, but started. I revved it up and everything seemed fine. I put it in gear, revved the engine, let the clutch out - and shot backwards into a wall.
What I didn't know was two-stroke engines will run backwards if you advance the ignition too far. That cost me a new back light. It was a while before I messed with the bike again.'

Reminds me of the time I put Castrol R into an Enfield Bullet and ended up with a wrecked engine. While it ran the smell was quite nice!

Jim

A follow on of that, in the Mail**, Jimmie was some one saying the pre-war Scott, with sidecar,  had a reverse gear***  and added that there was a two-stroke Motorcycle that if you blipped the throttle would have it select reverse which was just a bit too much for me.

** I only get it twice a week and *** I assume the writer meant "in the box"...

A lot of 4-stroke Marine diesels had engines that would reverse their rotation for when navigating a harbour. One way was having a dual cam camshaft such that for reverse, the camshaft was pushed laterally from one set of cams to the other. This scheme was also used to improve torque at higher engine speed. I think the racing Jaguar XJ 6 used this to get a double humped torque curve for their racer.

I saw a Bantam do the reverse-act in the Pits at Cadwell -- must have been 1989 or '90....

Cheers!

JayBee.

Actualy JB .. hi there ...I did that at Cadwell in 1973/4 and fell off! How was I too know the bloody thing was going backwards 'till I let the clutch ou! My 'mates' didn't stop laughing for weeks ... even the wife joined in!!!

Hi Keith!
Nice to hear from you.

Every time I think of you it is Lydden that comes to mind. A race where you went off like a robber's dog and in trying to catch you I fell at the first left-hander -- bloody stupid -- not even a lap completed!  I should have just done my own thing for a lap to see if I matched your speed or was slighly quicker somewhere but in my mind was, "That upstart! How dare ´he..."  
 . It must be one of the biggest mitaskes to make. That is, to underestimate an unknown opponent and let that be the major thinking concern when a pukkha racer  should be concentrating on what he is doing himself relative his ability and what he learned in prcatice....
...  .... and then when we were at the 2005 anniversary I was nicking your chips whilst you were engrossed in the Bantam racing so much you said -- in awe -- "Did we really go that fast m'boy?"

Nice fat potato chips, they were...

Any news on any of the lads down your way? I thought Colin Neil went westward althoiugh not as far as Coirnwall.

Go well and keep well,

Cheers!

John-Boy (88 last week)...

Hi JB so good to hear your still going strong, MOTO GP is on so I'll keep this short ... will extend sunday ... went to Germany a month or so ago ..thought of you ... anyway Sunday!!!!! Byeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

I remember falling off at that first left hander at Lydden. It must have been the last meeting of 1973 and i hadn't sorted the air leaks on my new motor. It had a propensity to seize...

Well, it was the last bantam race of the day and my clutch cable pulled its nipple as I was going up to the line. I should have pulled out there and then, but wasn't going to waste a ride.....So when the flag dropped I pushed off and got it fired up eventually. Clutch-less gear changes seemed OK and I blatted round to try and catch the bunch - flat out across the finish line and the dreaded seizure shortly afterwards. Helmet went through the screen and it was all sky/ground/sky/ground after I went over the top. Came to a halt at the far edge of the track and thankfully hobbled up the bank. Just a sore ankle to show for it. Stupid boy.

How care you call yourself that ...

It means we all are ---

-- or rather, WERE!

Take care, go well and keep well,

JayBee.... Amen!