15 June 2022: Armstrong MT560 Ride Out and MOT
The previous MOT ran out in March and it took until today to take the MT560 in for another test – I had toyed with the idea of not running the bike this year but then decided I would regret not riding it. Not surprisingly, it sailed through the MOT without any advisories.
I then took the bike for the usual ride out in the Buckinghamshire Chiltern Hills. Despite not have ridden it for quire a few months, it started and performed flawlessly. Compared with the other more modern bike that I ride, the MT560 is incredibly comfortable with the handlebars and foot pegs in the perfect layout for me. As usual, the MT560 had more than enough power to overtake most of the cars I encountered and the road holding and handling was superb because of the Marzocchi front forks and Ohlin rear shocks. Really enjoyed the ride and will look forward to the next one.
18 August 2021: Armstrong MT560 Ride Out
I had not been out on the MT560 for a couple of months and decided to take it out for a ride last weekend. Unfortunately, when I tried to start it, nothing much happened. Since the battery was brand new only 2 years ago, I initially suspected the starter relay was the cause of the problem. However, after various tests, it became clear that the battery was to blame and, despite always being plugged into an intelligent charger, it had failed prematurely. In fact, this is the second battery that has failed on the MT560 since I fully restored it in 2017 with the original one being an expensive Motobatt GEL battery.
With the new battery fitted, the MT560 started first time although, for the first few miles, it seemed a bit sluggish which might have been due to old petrol in the fuel system. However, once the cobwebs had been blown off it, the bike was back to its normal performance and an absolute joy negotiating the winding and bumpy roads in the Buckinghamshire Chiltern Hills. Unlike my MT500 with its front drum brake, the brakes on the MT560 with front disk are very good and more than adequate for normal road use. The MT500 engine has reasonable power for road use but struggles sometimes when overtaking other traffic but there is no such problem with the power output of the MT560 producing adequate overtaking power even at 70 mph. Overall, my MT560 is a very good general purpose motorcycle and always brings a smile to my face when I take it out for a ride!
6 July 2021: Restoration of BSA B40 Star
The 350 cc BSA B40 was introduced in 1961 as a larger version of the 250 cc BSA C15 with 1967 being its final year before being replaced by the 441 cc B44. While the C15 sold in large numbers, especially to learner riders, the B40 was not so popular because people who passed their motorcycle test on the C15 wanted something much more powerful. Nevertheless, the B40 was a pleasant motorcycle to ride and the engine formed the basis of the BSA B40WD bought by the British Army in 1967.
My B40 was actually an ex-police motorcycle and was the second motorcycle I restored some 10 years or so ago retaining the black colour it would have had in police service. However, I never like this colour scheme and so this year I repainted all the tinware in BSA Devon Red (maroon) which produces a much more pleasant appearance for the motorcycle. Apart from the paintwork, the motorcycle was still in very good condition and required very little else doing to it.
1 June 2021: Armstrong MT560 Ride Out
I decided it was a good sunny day to take the MT560 for a spin into the Chiltern Hills again but had to fill the tank up first since the odometer was showing 140 km. However, I miscalculated the range and ended up only having to put 7L of petrol into the tank. As usual, the MT560 performed flawlessly, never missing a beat and providing more than enough power and braking for high speed travel along the winding and bumpy roads through the Chiltern Hills in Buckinghamshire.
The MT560 was the ultimate model produced by Armstrong and, apart from the original inadequate front drum brake that I changed to a disk brake, the only weak part of the overall design was the size of the starter motor. When bought in 1987 by Leeds Parks Department, it was found that the original starter motor was too small in practice and this had to be changed to a larger one. However, when I had the Rotax rebuilt in 2017, the original 9.6:1 piston was changed to a 10.5:1 which again rendered the starter motor size marginal. Although the starter motor struggles to spin the motor over with any real speed, fortunately, the motor always fires up readily and so this has never been a problem.
Apart from this minor issue, my Armstrong MT560 is a great bike for what I use it for and a real pleasure to ride.
4 April 2021: Chiltern Hills Ride Out
I had not ridden my Armstrong MT560 since last August when its MOT ran out – I’d hoped that it would have benefitted from the Government’s 6 month MOT extension last year but, unfortunately, it missed out by a few days!
Its new MOT was passed last week without any issues and yesterday was its first ride out since. It always takes a bit of getting used to after riding a modern multi-cylinder bike and negotiating slow traffic is always a bit of a challenge on the MT560 with its single cylinder and the fact that its gearing is relatively high. However, once you are on the open road in top gear, these issues fade away.
Unlike its smaller MT500 version which has marginal power available for overtaking other traffic, the MT560 is powerful enough for this never to be a problem. The real joy in yesterday’s ride out was cruising along the winding bumpy roads through the Chiltern Hills in Buckinghamshire accompanied by the delightful sound from the single cylinder engine.
Occasionally, the thought of retiring the Mt560 comes to mind but, after a good ride out like yesterday, it reminds you of how enjoyable a bike it is to ride.
16 March 2021: Bike Collection Inspection
The two bikes I normally ride, a Triumph Tiger 800 XCA and an Armstrong MT500, have both been in the workshop most of the winter due to lockdown restrictions. The Tiger required its 12k service which involved most of the bike being taken apart including removing all the trim and petrol tank to get at the valves, and removing both the front and back ends of the bike to inspect and re-lubricate all the bearings. The annual service of the MT500 was much easier in contrast requiring mainly an oil change.
Both bikes now need an MOT. To get them back to the road, I had to move half my collection of bikes out of the way which gave me a chance to give them a good inspection. The only problems found were with the BSA B40WD. The front tyre was punctured because I had left the inner tube exposed via the hole in the rim where the tyre clamp was removed. In addition, both front fork gaiters had split into two parts despite not having been exposed to any use whatsoever. They looked to be good quality when I bought them but, a few years later, both had failed.
Now looking forward to getting back on the road when the lockdown restrictions allow!
21 October 2020: Armstrong MT560 Annual Service
The Armstrong MT560 is now in the workshop for its winter lay up which gives me a chance to service it and to check it out fully. The only pressing job that needed doing was to replace the rubber spacers above and below the headlight brackets which tend to rot all too easily. One of the lower ones had completely disintegrated.
I bought the MT560 in May 2017 and, after a complete restoration and professional engine rebuild, it was in August 2017 that I first put it on the road. Unfortunately, it was then off the road until August 2018 to overcome the problems caused by the original very poor and slapdash engine rebuild. However, since I sorted out the engine problems, the MT560 has performed flawlessly and, some three and half years after the original restoration, is still in very good condition and always a total pleasure to ride.
12 July 2020: Chiltern Hills Ride Out
I had not been out on my Armstrong MT560 for some time due to the weather over the last month or so and the fact that, when I have been out, it has been on my Triumph Tiger 800 XCA. The MT560 started easily but a check visual check showed that the right rear indicator was not working. One hour later, the problem seemed to be with the main connector from the left-hand switch unit having a faulty contact. Unplugging it from the main harness and then replacing it seemed to cure the problem.
As always, the MT560 was a joy to ride and more than powerful enough to satisfy my need for speed on the winding country roads through the Chiltern Hills. The Triumph always seems very heavy as is the case with more modern machines but the MT560 is very nimble in comparison. In some ways, it is quite difficult switching between a super smooth 3-cylinder motorcycle and a large single – with the latter, the rev range is that much narrower and there is a much greater need to change down more often at the slower speeds. In contrast, you can stay in 6th gear most of the time on the Triumph with very little snatch from the motor at low revs.
The thought of retiring the MT560 crops up quite often but it only takes a ride out on it like yesterday to remind you how much fun a large single can be. It will definitely not be retiring any time soon!
24 June 2020: Restoration of 1968 BSA Bantam D14/4
I completed the restoration of my BSA Bantam D14/4 today with the fitting a new silencer. Although I bought this Bantam a few years ago, I only started the full nuts and bolts restoration in March of this year at the start of the corona virus lockdown. Fortunately, I had got the re-chroming done at least a year ago including the petrol tank otherwise this would have been difficult to have got done this year.
The first BSA Bantam (D1) was built in 1948 using a modified version German DKW 125 cc two-stroke engine it acquired as part of war reparations. Apart from a change from rigid to plunger to swinging arm frame and from 125 cc to 175 cc, the BSA Bantam remained in production until 1971 making it BSA’s longest running model. The D14/4 was similar to the previous D10 model but was the first to incorporate a four-speed gearbox across all of its models (hence D14/4). However, it only remained in production for one year before being superseded by the final D175 models.
Two-stroke motorbikes are not everyone’s cup of tea due to the sound they make as well as the oily smoke they emit from the exhaust. However, the two-stroke engine is mechanically very simple with no valve gear to worry about and little to go wrong. Therefore, in an age where cars were only just beginning to be affordable by a larger part of the population, the BSA Bantam was a popular, low cost means of transport for many people. The fact that it was still in production at an ailing BSA Group in 1971 bears testament to its continuing appeal.
15 May 2020: Post-Lockdown Rideout
Following the partial lifting of the corona-virus lockdown on Wednesday, I took both of my road legal bikes out for rides this week. Yesterday was the turn of my Armstrong MT560. Despite not having ridden it for some time, it started easily and performed superbly along the winding and bumpy roads I normally use in the Chiltern Hills in Buckinghamshire. Having ridden the Tiger 800 XCA the day before with its super smooth three-cylinder engine, the MT560 takes a bit of getting used to with the need to keep the revs up and the need to use the gears a lot more at the lower road speeds. However, once you get above 40 mph and open up the throttle, the MT560 is an absolute joy to ride with enough torque to accelerate past other road users. When I bought the Tiger 800, I thought it might then be difficult to enjoy riding the much smaller MT560 but they are so completely different that both are enjoyable in their own rights.
3 April 2020: Bike Collection Renovation
With the lock down in place, I decided to take each of my bikes in turn and give them a thorough checkout. The Suzuki GSX1400 was first because I noticed that the hydraulic clutch lever had stopped working due to the fluid level having dropped to a low level. Fortunately, after refilling the reservoir, I was able to expel out the trapped air using the handlebar lever on its own rather than bleeding at the calipers. Despite not having run for about a year and with the original 2007 battery in place, the bike fired up immediately and ran perfectly.
The next bikes on the list were my Harley MT350 and Armstrong MT500. The MT350 had been cannibalised to some extent when I restored my MT560 and I therefore had to reinstate some of the handlebar controls. I also noticed that the exhaust header pipes were going slightly rusty and so decided to take them off, de-rust and then repaint them. Unfortunately, re-fitting the pipes proved to be difficult and in the end I had to remove the complete exhaust system to get everything to fit again! Overall, the MT350 was found to be still in very good condition.
I had also cannibalised the exhaust system on the MT500 which required the header pipes to be re-fitted. Fortunately, these went back on a lot more easily than on the MT350. After cleaning up the MT500, I decided to fire it up having not run it for a couple of years. I drained out the old fuel from the carb first but had no difficulty in firing it up afterwards despite having been spoilt by my electric start MT560. My MT500 always amazes me because the engine always runs very sweetly and is very quiet mechanically.
16 March 2020: Chiltern Ride Out on Armstrong MT560
Having been riding a Triumph Tiger 800 XCa for the last few weeks, I decided to see how my Armstrong MT560 compared today expecting it to feel very small and underpowered in comparison. Surprisingly, I found the MT560 more than powerful enough and an absolute joy to ride along the twisting roads in the Chiltern Hills. In fact, I had almost forgotten how enjoyable it is to ride a big single and the noise the MT560 makes when pushed hard definitely cannot be beaten!
The great thing about the MT560 is that it is relatively light, very nimble and the riding position and handlebar geometry are superb. Again, the only real limitation of the MT560 when used on roads is the limited range on a tank of petrol. I normal carry a 4L Gerry Can of fuel in a pannier bag but yesterday I set off with the can empty because I had poured the petrol into the Tiger after I had bought it. I knew I had enough petrol in the tank to complete my journey but the lack of spare fuel in the Gerry Can makes it difficult to be fully confident on the MT560 especially since the reserve on the tank is minimal! Fortunately, I filled up the tank and Gerry Can afterwards and so the next trip out should be without any fuel concerns!
25 February 2020: Triumph Adventure Bike
Although I restore both BSA and Triumph motorcycles from the 1960’s, I predominantly rode Triumph motorcycles in my youth which is where my heart really lies. Over that period, I owned only a single BSA motorcycle but I owned four Triumphs including a 650 cc TR7 twin made in 1977 by the infamous Meriden Cooperative which ranks as the worst motorcycle I ever owned! Recently, I decided that the BMW F650GS was too small for me and so I have now exchanged it for a modern Triumph triple which I am looking forward to trying out in the Chiltern Hills in the near future. I will continue to ride my Armstrong MT560 but it’s likely to feel a little underpowered compared with the Triumph and its small single front disk brake is going to feel a little weak compared with the Triumph’s large twin disks!
18 December 2019: National Motorcycle Museum
I decided to make a trip up the M40 today to check out the classic bikes at the National Motorcycle Museum. I was particularly interested to look at the range of Triumph motorcycles on display in order to try to decide which models would be best to add to my collection. In contrast with the 1960’s models that BSA produced which included quite a few different single cylinder models, the Triumph range in this period consisted mainly of unit construction twins ranging from 350 to 650 cc, the exception being the single cylinder 200 cc T20 Tiger Cub. Despite the huge range of classic British bikes on display, the one that I liked the look of most was the sand coloured Armstrong MT500 in the military section. Interestingly, this is also fitted with both a left-hand and a right-hand prop stand like my MT560 which meant I was not the only owner who thought this was a good idea!
29 October 1019: Chiltern Hills Ride Out
I was spoilt on Sunday riding a more modern motorbike fitted with hand protectors and equipped with heated grips. Today I took the Armstrong MT560 out for its customary ride into the Chiltern Hills which is equipped with none of these mod cons to aid rider comfort. However, despite it being a cold day, years of riding motorbikes all the year round and climbing mountains in the middle of winter makes me very tolerant to cold conditions. As always, the MT560 performed faultlessly and the low down growl from the engine always makes riding this bike a real pleasure. I now slightly regret not taking the MT560 on the Ride of Respect last Sunday as I think I would have enjoyed riding it more and it would have been better able to cope with the slower speeds at which the procession moved.
27 October 2019: Ride of Respect – PC Harper
Took part in the above ride from RAF Benson to RAF Abingdon, a distance of about 15 miles. Got there just after 9 am and was then joined by about 6,000 bikers from across the country. The ride did not start until noon and I was therefore able to spend most of the morning watching the Wales rugby game inside a tent. Was torn between taking the Armstrong MT560 or the BMW F650GS but, in the end, I took the latter as this was not a military event – I’ll save the MT560 for the next regular Ride of Respect to Brize Norton. Overall, I enjoyed the experience in taking part in this worthy event along with so many other bikers which was brilliantly organised especially by the people at RAF Benson.
28 September 2019: Restoration of 1961 Triumph T20 Tiger Cub
I completed the restoration of my Tiger Cub today. In fact, I actually restored it for the first time quite a few years ago but the original paintwork had deteriorated in the meantime due to a fault with the primer used. I therefore decided to re-spray it again in original black and silver sheen. The bike has been restored to factory condition except that I decided to leave off the so-called bikini cover that enclosed the space under the front of the saddle. I had a very bad experience with the ‘bath tub’ covers used in the early 1960’s on the Triumph motorcycles which were basically mud and rust traps. The Tiger Cub looks much more elegant without the cover which basically served no useful purpose.
24 September: Restoration of BSA C15
I finished the restoration of a 1967 BSA C15 today by fitting a complete exhaust system bought new from Armours Ltd which was of excellent quality. I bought this C15 a very long time and had to carry out a lot of remedial work to restore it to factory condition including the replacement of the frame. The tank was re-chromed and the bike then re-sprayed in BSA Royal Red. It is now a fine addition to my collection of restord BSA motorbikes.
21 September 2019: Chiltern Hills Ride Out
With the Armstrong MT560 waiting on a new battery, I took the BMW F650GS out for a blast this morning. The bike performed very well but I still like the sound that the MT560 makes either at low or high speeds. The F650GS is a very good dual purpose bike but, unfortunately, BMW produced a machine that can make some pretty unattractive noises, especially on tickover when it sounds like a tractor!
However, the new battery was waiting when I got back and it was many thanks to Tanya Batteries for a very quick delivery time. I thought I had ordered an old fashioned lead acid battery but it turned out to be another GEL battery! Unlike the previous Motobatt GEL battery that was an extremely tight fit in what is essentially an MT350 battery carrier, the new one fitted in very easily. It will be interesting to see how long this one lasts but at least it didn’t cost the £80 I paid for the Motobatt battery which failed after exactly two years of being carefully looked after!
17 September 2019: Chiltern Hills Ride Out
Went out for a long ride today into the Chiltern Hills on a fine sunny day with the Armstrong MT560 performing superbly as usual. Only problem initially was that it wouldn’t start! However, I’ve had this problem before which is due to the carb float bowl needle sticking and preventing fuel getting to the bowl – it happens when the bike is left more than a week before being used again. However, the problem is easily sorted by tapping the float bowl to dislodge the needle. Unfortunately, there seemed to be a lot of traffic on the narrow country roads on the way to the hills but, even at 70 mph, the MT560 has more than enough power to accelerate past anything in the way.
After I got back I connected up the intelligent charger to the battery – as was the case today, the red warning light on the charger sometimes lights up and I have to switch on the headlight to slightly lower the voltage before it will start charging. However, when I tried the headlight it didn’t seem to work. To cut a long story short, the two year old Motobatt GEL battery had died, presumably over the course of the ride out. It was ok when I started the bike but at some point it lost its capacity for no obvious reason. This was certainly very disappointing as the battery had been carefully looked after over its two year lifetime. I have now ordered a traditional sealed, lead acid battery and will certainly be steering away from expensive GEL batteries in the future!
7 September 2019: Restoration of BSA B25T
I have two 250 cc 1971 BSA B25’s in my motorcycle collection and I decided today to photograph one of them and add a new web page describing it and its history. When I bought them I really wanted a B50T but these were very hard to find at the time and so I settled on its smaller brother instead. A few years later I acquired a 500 cc B50T but the B25T is still a very nice looking bike and more than powerful enough for trail riding. The B25T was only produced in 1971, the launch being delayed as a result of production difficulties resulting from the introduction of the new Oil-in-Frame motorcycle designs generated by BSA’s notorious Umberslade Hall design centre. The B25 was dropped in 1972 to leave just the three versions of the B50 in the single cylinder bike range. A year later BSA went out of business.
23 August 2019: Chiltern Hills Ride Out
I needed to go for a blast on the Armstrong MT560 today along the high speed bumpy route through the Chiltern Hills which did not disappoint. From the top of the escarpment, you can look out across the Oxfordshire landscape which changed slightly last weekend with the demolition of the last three cooling towers at Didcot A power station. Heard the bang at 7 am on Sunday followed by a power cut caused by debris hitting some of the power lines from Didcot B! Filled up the petrol tank at the start of the journey which showed the MT560 was still averaging 52-53 mpg which equates to a maximum range on a tank of fuel of 140 miles – about half that of my BMW F650GS!!
20 August 2019: MOT Test For Armstrong MT560
Unfortunately, I’ve still got another eight years to go before my 1987 MT560 becomes MOT exempt and I therefore had to take it in to be tested today. This actually marked the second anniversary since I had to take it back to the ‘expert’ who carried out the original engine rebuilt because of the clattering noise it was making – I can still remember him standing there and wrongly diagnosing the problem as a failing big-end bearing despite having just rebuilt the engine! However, that’s now all in the past. Today, the MT560 sailed through the MOT test although the brake testing was a little odd seeming to show that the rear drum brake was more powerful than the front disk brake. Apparently, the results depend on how hard you operate the brake levers!
4 August 2019: Chiltern Hills Ride Out
I took the Armstrong MT560 out for the usual Sunday blast along the winding, bumpy roads in the Chiltern Hills and it performed superbly as usual. I also took out the BMW F650GS for a similar ride for comparison. However, at the top of the Chiltern Hills, the petrol warning light came on with 198 miles on the odometer. This is supposed to happen with about 4L in the tank but I carried on with the ride fairly confident that I had more than enough fuel. Eventually when I filled up, there was 213 miles on the odometer and I still had 4L in the tank with the gauge probably having lit up with at least 5L left. Even though I ride the F650GS harder and faster than the MT560, the BMW achieved 74 mpg when I filled up giving a theoretical range on a full tank of fuel of 275 miles!! On a good day, the MT560 will do about half of that!
3 August 2019: Completion of Restoration of 1961 BSA A10 Golden Flash
I bought this BSA A10 Golden Flash a long time ago and, although I restored it a few years later, I never quite finished it. In particular, I didn’t paint the tank because my spray painting skills were not up to the job at the time although I did get it re-chromed. However, a few weeks ago, I decided to complete the job and re-sprayed the tank in BSA Nutley Blue and finished it with a 2K clear coat. The bike is now fully restored and makes a fine addition to my collection of BSA motorbikes.
20 July 2019: MT560 Exhaust Re-paint
The exhaust pipes on my Armstrong MT560 were purchased as ‘New Old Stock’ but, despite this, were pitted in many places, presumably having attracted a bit of rust while sitting on the shelf. This began to annoy me and so I decided to replace the down pipes with a set of stainless pipes I had available. The original exhaust system was painted in matt black high temperature paint but this time I made a change to a satin black colour to match the rest of the engine. I painted both the downpipes and the link pipe and re-fitted everything using exhaust paste to ensure no air leaks. After running the engine to bake on the paint, the finish achieved is now superb and should last a long time.
I then went for my customary ride out into the Chiltern Hills where the MT560 performed faultlessly as ever. The sound of the MT560 never fails to impress me at higher speeds with the engine almost vibration free showing that the degree of internal balancing is spot on. Although the MT560 is fitted with a 17T gearbox sprocket and 42T rear sprocket, it is still slightly under geared for use on the road and, at some point, I might try a 18T gearbox sprocket to see what difference that makes. Apart from that, the setup of my MT560 is almost perfect and certainly makes it a joy to ride on the open road!
23 June 2019: Sunday Ride Out
I now seem to be alternating between riding my Armstrong MT560 and my BMW F650GS which makes comparing their characteristics somewhat inevitable. Apart from the slight difference in performance, one of the main things that stands out with the two bikes is the difference in noise level that the bikes make. Compared with the F650GS, the MT560 engine is mechanically much quieter as well as making a more appealing exhaust sound. In comparison, the F650GS engine makes quite a harsh sound especially on tickover and also makes odd sounds especially when accelerating hard, some of which might be coming from the air intake side of the engine. I haven’t had the opportunity to check out the F650GS engine fully yet but, at the end of the season, I will have a close look at it and especially the cam chain tension and the valve clearances which have to be adjusted via shims.
Having spent half the time I have had the MT560 sorting out the engine issues following the botched professional engine rebuild, it is now a pleasure to jump on the bike and ride it relatively long distances without any concerns about its reliability. The weekend ride on the MT560 was, again, pure pleasure especially on the winding and bumpy roads found in the Chiltern Hills in Buckinghamshire. The main hazard on these roads definitely comes from pheasants flying across your path or the odd deer suddenly jumping out in front of you which was the case on Sunday. Apart from that, the MT560 performed flawlessly with impressive road holding and handling.
Normally, I ride the MT560 fairly hard but I doubt whether I’ve ever been above 1/2 throttle which is more than enough to cruise comfortably at over 70 mph in top gear. At some point, I’m going to find a nice quiet straight length of road and see how fast the MT560 will go although I may have to remove the pannier bags first to avoid the instability that these produce at high speeds. In principle, the MT560 should do 100 mph at 6932 rpm which compares with my MT500 that is geared to do only 90 mph at the same rpm. I’ll also try a speed test on the F650GS but this should be less of a problem because it is more streamlined especially without its pannier boxes fitted.
24May 2019: Chiltern Ride Out
Having spent the last two weeks in the US, I was desperate to get back on the Armstrong MT560 for a good blast into the Chiltern Hills. Unfortunately, when I tried to start it, nothing happened from the starter motor – for the first time, I tried to kickstart it but quickly decided that that was not practical given the 560 cc engine and 10.5:1 compression ratio. The problem sounded as though the starter relay was not working correctly because it made a bit of a buzzing sound.
Since I was fully kitted up by this time, I decided not to waste the moment and jumped on my BMW F650GS instead. I’ve now restored this to a standard that I’m happy with. When I bought it a month or so ago, the previous owner had replaced the instrument panel because the speedo had stopped working. Unfortunately, the replacement has a jittery rev counter which is not ideal. I therefore decided to repair the original panel and did this by replacing the small stepper motor which powers the speedo needle by a new one. With the original instrument panel now re-installed, both the speedo and rev counter now work perfectly.
The F650GS is a very good dual sport bike with excellent brakes and ABS. The thing that amazes me most is its fuel consumption. Riding it in the same way as my MT560, which does 53 mpg on a good day, the F650GS does 76 mpg and, with a fuel capacity of 17.3 L, gives it a range of 280 miles! The most I will risk on my MT560 is 100 miles which requires me to carry a 4 L Jerry Can in one of the panniers.
Anyway, this morning I decided to swap the starter relay from my MT350 with that on the MT560. However, I first gave it one test of the MT560 and, fortunately, it started without any problems. Exactly, what caused yesterdays problem is a bit of a mystery but everything appears ok now.
Later in the afternoon, I took the MT560 out on my favourite ride out up and on to the Chiltern Hills with their winding, bumpy road and their hordes of cyclists! The MT560 performed faultlessly and reminded me again of how good a bike it is although I had to fill up the small petrol tank first which is the only bugbear! It was hard not to compare the MT560 with the BMW F650GS and the main conclusion I have reached is that the MT560 is definitely the better green lane bike. Not only is its suspension system better but it feels a much lighter and more manoeuvrable bike with lighter steering. That said, the F650GS is a much better adventure bike with a superb long range on a tank of fuel, more power and torque, and much better brakes with ABS. Unfortunately, the downside to both is that they use Rotax engines which are perhaps not the most refined examples of motorcycle engineering ever developed!
15 April 2019: Armstrong MT560 Ride Out
I’ve spent the last couple of weeks messing about with a BMW F650GS I recently bought but decided to take out the Armstrong MT560 today to see how it compared. The MT560 actually compared very well with slightly less torque than the 650 as expected but with more than enough for a bike of this size. The most noticeable difference was the low down tractability of the MT560 compared with the fuel injected 650 engine (also built by Rotax) which does not like operating much below 3000 rpm. The other noticeable difference was that, although the MT560 has very good road holding and handling, the front end does feel a bit light compared with the 650. However, this probably makes it more manoeuvrable and therefore more suitable for green laning, for example. Overall, I really enjoyed the ride out on the MT560 which reinforced just how good the bike is.
1 April 2019: BSA A65L Restoration Completion
I started restoring my BSA A65 Lightning twin about 10 years ago but then put it on hold in favour of other restoration projects. However, I re-started the A65L restoration earlier this year and have really enjoyed working on it again. The biggest challenge was to spray paint the candy BSA Flamboyant Red on the tank and side panels which is the most demanding paint job I’ve done so far. I finished the project this week by fitting a brand new set of exhaust pipes and silencers purchased from Feked Classic Bike Parts which I was very pleased with.
24 March 2019: Ride Out to Chiltern Hills
Ran the OX5RUN at Blenheim Palace in the morning along with 1200 other runners in beautiful weather – this must be one of the toughest 8 km’s around with a series of long, steep inclines on the undulating landscape that makes up the palace grounds.
Afterwards felt the need to go for a long ride on the MT560 into the Chiltern Hills with its winding and bumpy stretches of road. I have just fitted a NOS original silencer to the bike which is even quieter than the one it came with. Problem with the old one is that any small leak in the exhaust resulted in popping on the overrun which becomes a little annoying after a while. This was most noticeable using engine braking when descending the steep escarpment from the top of the Chiltern hills.
Overall, bike performed superbly as usual. However, have just acquired a more modern 650 cc single and it will be interesting to see how it compares with the MT560. On paper the 650 will have similar power but slightly more torque and its braking system should be better with the benefit of ABS, although this might get switched off! I am particularly interested to see how the road holding and handling compares with the MT560 which is particularly good.
24 February 2019: Ride Out to Chiltern Hills
Gave the Dellorto PHF36 carb a quick tune today to improve the pick up from idling. Compared with the British AMAL carbs I am more used to, tuning the low speed response of the Dellorto carb is much more of a challenge especially in terms of the idle mixture setting.
After the tune-up, I took the bike for a long ride out into the Chiltern hills with some impressive bumpy and twisting roads to bring out the best in the MT560. Still amazed by the amount of power and torque the bike produces with more than adequate amounts of both to get past any four wheel traffic. Fortunately, unlike last week, I managed to complete the journey without the bike and my lower limbs being covered in a thick layer of road salt!
28 December 2018: Ride Out to Chiltern Hills
A very enjoyable ride through the Chiltern Hills in Buckinghamshire today with the MT560E performing superbly with no issues whatsoever. After the last rebuild, the engine now runs very quietly without any signs of the clattering noise it made following the two disastrous professional rebuilds. Took time to take a picture overlooking the M40 as it drops down the escarpment into Oxfordshire with Junction 6 being at the bottom. Fortunately, there was no sign of any elderly drivers towing caravans the wrong way along this section of the M40 today!
20 December 2018: Update of web site articles
I have a relatively large collection of restored BSA bikes and am now in the process of adding web pages to describe these restorations. Yesterday, I added new articles on my BSA B50T and B50MX. Today I will add an article covering my BSA B44 Victor Special.
10 December 2018: Ride Out to the Chiltern Hills
With everything now sorted on the MT560, it was out for a long ride today up and along the Chiltern Hills in Buckinghamshire. The bike performed magnificently and was a pure pleasure to ride with ample amounts of torque and power available. At some point, I may now get my MT500 back on the road to see how it compares with the MT560. Almost certainly, I would expect to find it to be relatively underpowered in comparison and with a front brake that is less than adequate. It might also be difficult to get used to the left-hand kickstart again!
The only thing I would now consider changing, in principle, with the MT560 is the standard silencer because it works so well. Except at low speeds, it’s almost impossible to hear the exhaust sound which means you only tend to notice the mechanical sounds made by the Rotax engine which is not the quietist in the world! Fortunately, with my visor down, even the engine noise is difficult to hear.
Recently, I’ve been looking at alternative modern bikes to ride, both BMW and Japanese models. However, I am finding it very hard to find one that I might like more than the MT560 which I will almost certainly stay with especially given how much I spent restoring it last year!
15 November 2018: Second Test of the Rebuilt Engine
With the starter gear cover gasket replaced, the bike is now oil tight again. At the first test ride since rebuilding the engine for the fourth time, I tried a different setting for the carb needle because I was convinced it felt as though it was running a bit rich. However, for this test ride, I returned the needle to its original position which confirmed this was the correct setting and was optimum.
The bike performed very well on the test ride and, unlike my MT500, the MT560 always has more than enough power to accelerate past other traffic. This is in spite of it having a 42T rear sprocket compared with the 47T sprocket on an MT500. According to the Rotax engine data, the 560 engine produces 55 HP compared with 28 HP for the 504 and this makes a huge difference on the road.
The other main difference with the MT500 is the brakes. The rear brake on my MT560 is the same as an MT500 but the front brake is a disk from an MT350. Most of the time I use two fingers to operate the front brake which is more than adequate for normal road use unlike that on an MT500.
Overall, a very enjoyable test ride which took me up the escarpment on the A40, over the M40, and then along the bumpy twisting road on the top of the Chiltern Hills to Christmas Common and then back down into Oxfordshire.
11 November 2018: First Test of the Rebuilt Engine
I gingerly took the bike out for a test ride this afternoon and the results were impressive. The clattering noise that has plagued the bike since the first poorly carried out professional rebuild has now completely disappeared. Since this was caused by the loose left-hand balance shaft bearing, the replacement of the left-hand crankcase and the fact that the bearing is now a solid interference fit in the casing means that it is not likely to reoccur.
I was enjoying the long test ride until I noticed oil on my left boot which appeared to be coming out of the starter gear cover. I decided that it was not worth looking into the problem at the side of the road and, since the oil leak was not that serious, I rode the bike home. Taking the starter gear cover off showed that its O-ring must have popped slightly out of its groove as the cover was being replaced and was then trapped between the engine and cover. Just need to replace it to cure the problem!
8 November 2018: Fourth Rebuild of Armstrong MT560 Engine
It’s been about 18 months since I rebuilt my Armstrong MT560 engine for the third time following two disastrous professional rebuild attempts. Unfortunately, after about 1500 km, the original clattering problem appeared to be returning and I therefore decided to take the engine out for the fourth time and give it a thorough examination.
This examination revealed that the balance shaft had now developed excessive end play. Taking the crankcase apart showed that the left-hand balance shaft bearing was loose again and that the use of Loctite 660 Quick Metal to fix it in position at the last rebuild had eventually failed. The loose bearing was resulting in excessive noise being generated through the bevel drive gears by the rotating balance weight leading to the clattering sound I could hear.
It is clear that the engine should never have been rebuilt with the current set of crankcases – they were too badly damaged internally. The so-called Rotax expert who carried out the original rebuild at great cost either did not notice the balance shaft bearings were loose despite this being blindingly obvious, or believed that having loose bearings in the crankcase was perfectly ok. For various reasons, I thought it was still worth trying the use of Loctite 660 during the third rebuild to fix the bearings in place but sadly this solution failed eventually.
Fortunately, the right-hand balance shaft bearing was still ok. To solve the loose left-hand balance shaft bearing, I decided to replace the left-hand crankcase with the one from my spare 504 engine. The changeover was relatively straightforward with the left-hand balance shaft bearing now a solid interference fit in the crankcase. The only real issue was to re-do the shimming of the various engine shafts since the original set up was no longer valid.
I’m very confident that the final problem with this engine has now been sorted but, as they say, the proof will be in the pudding!
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