Page Title
1962 BSA B40 SS90 Clubman Project
by Alex Sohn
Update 9/20/04
Progress to date: not a whole lot.
Handlebars
Got some Goldie clip-ons from classicbikeshop in England. What sets the Goldie clip-ons apart from others is that the lever bases are welded on. This is a big advantage if you have a lot of stuff to mount on the bars, like the throttle and choke on the right side and the dip/horn switch and decompression lever on the left. These following pics show a mock-up of the bars on the bike.
Rearsets
I think I've mostly figured this out: Turn around the shifter and bend out to clear the kickstart. Custom brackets for pegs attached to the swingarm pivot. Folding pegs, especially on the right to clear the kickstart. Use stock brake pedal and mount at rear peg point.
Update 8/11/04
After some serious consideration, I am now leaning toward making a Clubman version of the SS90. Here's a concept:
The plan is to make the bike somewhat akin to a goldstar clubman without pretending to be one. Clipons, rearsets, silencer, headlight and the silver/black cololor scheme are the somewhat goldstar-esque features. I think this will yield a unique combination that should look good and be a great ride. I'm still thinking about performance enhancements and possibly racing the bike in the AHRMA Sportsman 350 class. Enhancements will focus on carburetion, porting, exhaust, and bigger valves. Alloy rims and brake upgrades are also a possibility. This is a light machine (~300 lbs.)and will benefit greatly fron small enhancements.
7/24/04
At the 2004 mid-ohio vintage motorcycle days, I picked up a 1962 BSA B40 SS90 project bike. Most of the bike was there, though it had lost a few of its bits in the process of being turned into a dirtbike by the previous owner. This page will chronicle the restoration of the ol' thumper into full SS90 form.
This is what I'm starting with: a complete bike save front fender, lights, and a few other assorted little bits.
It is likely that this bike is an original SS90 model, rare in the US since it never became popular here. The original motor is gone, so there's no way to tell for sure if it really was an SS90 since they shared the same frame with the standard B40's. Various SS90 accessories such as the rear fender, the paint scheme, and the cylinder head are there, though, leading me to beleive it is authentic.
This original 1962 ad shows the US version of the SS90.
Fenders were much shallower than the UK version and were also seen on scrambles versions of the B40 and C15 (250cc). Likewise, the US version had higher "cruiser" type handlebars.
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This is a beautiful example of a UK model SS90 I spotted at mid-ohio. Note the much deeper set fenders (mudguards) and the lower handlebars.
Here is a list of stuff I still have to get:
- Front fender and stays - US model SS80, SS90 or Enduro Star are correct.
- Headlight assembly - Lamp, bucket, fork shroud, switch from any C15 or B40.
- Taillight assembly - SS80, SS90, or ES model only will fit the rear fender.
- Speedo - Small size from any 1959-1964 BSA unit single that has the headlight nacelle.
- Chainguard - any C15 or B40 unit will do.
- Wiring Harness - All of the wiring for this bike was gone.
- Toolbox inner cover - separates the battery compartment from the toolbox cover.
I guess hunting down these larger bits is where this restoration is going to start. I don't intend this to be a concours resto by any means, but I do want something that looks right at least to the casual observer.