red panther

[hodge1150]

We all know this site is the font of all wisdom so does anyone have any experience of owning a 1930s red panther 250, Ive just bought one, been out riding today and love it.
Q1 it has a later 4 speed box on it no. HBP 7071, any one know what make it is or have any info, its the worst part of the bike (changing gear is a bit hit and miss, mostly miss).

Q2 Anyone know anything about girder forks, loads of springing but no damping, how are these set up

Q3 Anyone know how to check a miller dynamo for faults ?

Cheers
Hodge
Gonna go for another go on it now while the roads are quiet, theres limited front brake.

 

[Decster]

 

[hodge1150]

good point well made

pics tomorrow

 

[hodge1150]

red panther pics

wot sort of gearbox is this ?, its 4 speed but 2nd and 3rd appear at random, how is damping set, it looks to be just friction damping but I dont want to tighten owt up until I have an idea what Im doing, does anyone convert the dynamo etc to 12 v, I would like reliable electrics, cheers in advance for help.
Hodge

 

[ovenpaa]

Never owned a Panther - that looks very nice.

The front forks do have friction material in the pivot points and the 'damping' is adjusted by taking up the slack, I always nipped mine so there was apparent resistance but no more with the wheel out. Does it have a steering damper - they are quite handy at speed.

You can take the Miller off and put 6 volts across it - if it spins it works, this is a very rudamentary test.

You can get them converted to 12v and even use an electronic regulator hidden in the case of the old mechanical one, check out Old Bike Mart for links.

 

[hodge1150]

At speed!!!!, I tried `at speed`, the roads in Yorkshire are dreadful and I spent much of the time semi airborne (and laughing like a drain).
Thanks for your help, I think a steering damper might help. Ive never ridden a rigid with springer forks, I think everyone should try it before getting their blackbirds & hayabuses. Its more fun.
Hodge

 

[ovenpaa]

At speed!!!!, I tried `at speed`, the roads in Yorkshire are dreadful and I spent much of the time semi airborne (and laughing like a drain).
Thanks for your help, I think a steering damper might help. Ive never ridden a rigid with springer forks, I think everyone should try it before getting their blackbirds & hayabuses. Its more fun.
Hodge

I spent a while riding on a 500 16H around the back roads of the Peak - airborne is good. Never look at the forks at speed, it will put you off for life, especially of like me you had rebuilt them from scratch.

My best moment was being followed by a 750 Kawasaki through a series of roundabouts, he passed me out of the third one and tapped his finger to his head several times I would like to think he could not keep up, truth be known he was prolly too shocked to pass.

You are quite right - everyone should ride a girder forked bike, and don't worry too much about the gearbox, it is going to be something like an old Albion/Burman/SA and as such they are quite vague, first is my problem gear so I mostly take off in second


Enjoy!

 

[Den]

probably a Burman gearbox.
Early ones did not use oil. You filled the gearbox with grease. Really !!

 

[hodge1150]

cheers chaps, I found some info on the burman gbox on tinternet, the gear lever flaps round like a flag, using info I have stripped and regreased the selector mechanism and theres some improvement but it seems a bit of remanufacture is in order.
hodge

 

[(RIP) Proff]

Good old plodders

IIRC my 1960 Panther 100 [600cc single] had a Burman box and Filling it with grease instead of EP 90 made a world of difference
Only prob was, until it was warm it felt sluggish
Grease is 'fick you know
Mine had luxuryf Tele Forks and Plunger arse end

 

[hodge1150]

grease?

I can feel a `wot grade of oil` type question coming on, I will fight it

 

[Phil Clarke]

Go to the classic bike magazine forum http://www.classicbikeforum.com for lots more info. Use straight 40 in the engine and a mix of EP90 and grease in the gearbox. Girder forks have minimal damping but then they have minimal movement so thats perfectly fine. The biggest problem is the spindles wearing - make sure you keep the pivots greased. 6v is fine for these bikes unless you do a lot of riding at night. Remember the dynamo only does the lights, the sparks will be courtesy of the magneto.

 

[hodge1150]

thanks

thanks for the info, all advice is gratefully recieved.
The Panther has coil ignition I would have thought that it should be magneto (1935), seems to work O.K. but the regulator on the dynamo looks like it came out of the ark (Noah must have had one)

 

[P.J.]

MEMORIES. .

. . memories; my very 1st bike was a Panther 250 . .