Parts are pretty decent, except sheet metal and OS pistons. Most was shared with the B25 and TR25W. They are fun little paint-shakers.
Mechanical parts aren't too bad and certainly cheaper than old airhead parts. I've pretty much sworn off old Brit stuff but still want a 441 Victor
Sixth Street Cycles in NYC should have what you need as far as parts otherwise shoot me a PM. I know a guy who has over 20 BSA's sitting in his basement I am sure he has the part you need.
There are 2 or 3 three places to buy just about and brit part on-line... I had a victem for a while...
It'll be my first classic bike. I've been wanting an old Brit to keep me busy. Its in pretty good shape. Original. Only problem is it pops out of third under heavy load. So I'll be short shifting 3rd until I tear it apart. Ah. The internet. Such a wealth of information. And porn. Lots and lots of porn. And things I really didn't need to see. Things that have scarred me for life.
Check this out. It's my buddy Kent's BSA 441. He and his dad rode the crap out of it off road. The big end finally started to knock so we tore it down. Hopefully he'll get motivated to put it back together. Yes that's my blood. I think you can access the gearbox without tearing down the engine. http://www.evcl.com/kent/additions/honda_bsa/04.html
I had a 441 in about 1968. I was about 17. What impressed me was the beautiful aluminum gas tank. Yellow paint. The bike had serious power, for the day. It was good for escaping the cops on bikes who tried to keep us out of the canyons here in San Diego back then. We all know that they have their hands full with more important issues today. Suspension was primitive. Kickstarter would send a small fellow over the bars if he didn't do it right.
You can rebuild the gearbox with the engine in the frame. It is esssentially the same as the later B50 (500cc) model. However, the B50 had an extra bearing on the primary side of the crank to minimize flex and a far better head design which allows it to breath better. The 441 was an oil tank design, whereas the B50 had oil in frame. Great bikes, easy to work on, and relatively reliable, once you get away from the stock electrics, and provided you don't try to make 'em do things they were never intended to do, i.e., operate like a modern bike. Very capable as a dirt bike . . . there is a reason Jeff Smith won world championships on the predecessor of the 441 (even if it was a factor bike with Ti frame etc). I have a shop full of B50's, and hence, a lot of time with my hands inside them. Let me know if you need help on the tranny. Ex-factory mechanic Ted Hubbard also is available to talk you thru such an experience . . . humility I believe it is called . . . . Good luck and have fun.
Excellent. All the stuff I like to hear about it. I especially like the offroad capability. Also good to hear that I won't have to tear it down completely. Thanks for all the advice and offers for future advice. And why is it that machines always crave human blood? :huh
Actually, I think it might have been a ball peen hammer, not the BSA. We had beer and cigarettes to medicate though. I think Kent has been riding that bike since before he was tall enough to hold it up. Its probably got 40k miles of throttle pinned valve floating riding on it. It speaks well for the Victor's durability.
That's the same bike I've been considering lately. Have you seen the ones shown at MidAmerica Auctions coming up in a few weeks? http://midamericaauctions.com/showauction.asp?ID=82 Do a search for BSA and you'll see a few sweet bikes, I like the 66 with solo seat and round cylinder.
I've been infected with Britbikitis myself, and now these have come up in the Anchorage CL- package deal, both for $2K. Yes, I am tempted, mostly thinking about keeping one and selling the other but wouldn't know which would stay and which would go until after I would buy them. The seller says that they both need coils, one need to have the clutch reassembled.
Oh man. Classic rigs. http://midamericaauctions.com/showvehicle.asp?VehicleID=12287 Lots of cool machines at that one.
In '68 I bought a new 441 shooting star, the road version of the 441. Loved the bike and I drove rode it 5000 miles on a trip around the southern U.S. that summer. I nick named it the "bone shaker" after that ride. Also, you had to get the compression release just right or it was a bear to kick over. Fun bike.
I used to have a BSA 441 back in the mid-70s. It was fun while it ran. I had a lot of old British bikes back in the day. This 500cc twin/single carb was about the most fun BSA I owned: