Firetracker. A good name. YSS shocks, flat seat, custom side panels (about 100 times easier to fit than standard), and a custom headlight area
Lucas ignition switches are designed to run multiple 6.3mm spade terminals – but with a modern loom design you can insulate all the spare ones and solder the wires directly to the others
Pazon ignition sits on the battery carrier via 3M Dual-Lock. The ignition switch in the side panel unplugs easily via the white 6.3mm connector block
This is how I like to do an OIF BSA or Trumpy with electronic ignition. There is just room to run two fuses between the coils, plus the flasher unit
OIF switchgear is very rebuildable and always feels better after a clean and lube. I replaced the wires in this one too
Barrie’s BSA A65 Firetracker
BSA made three A65 models in their final years – the single-carb Thunderbolt, the twin-carb Lightning and the high-exhaust Firebird.
In this they continued their long tradition of making up names which were considerably better than their motorcycles. But the bikes are very charming, which is why I’ve got a T-bolt. Barrie owns two Firebirds, and having noticed that they aren’t worth much any more he decided to muck about with one of them.
This is the result. He’s built it for short trips on sunny days, which I agree is the best way to enjoy an A65. That way the vibration doesn’t remove your teeth.
He’d got it running on points, but it needed a new loom. He also went for Pazon electronic ignition and a Daytona speedo/tacho.
Wiring an A65 is fairly simple, but the Daytona speedo uses a sensor to register what the wheels are doing. On a bike with disc brakes, fitting the sensor is quite an easy job. On a drum-braked Brit it needs a bit more thought.
The Daytona sensor needs to see a ferrous item (such as a bolt) whizzing past at a distance of 1-3mm. The only possible bolts on this bike are the ones holding the sprocket on. Fortunately the sensor can sit in the right position on the inside of the rear brake torque arm. To set the 1-3mm gap, I fitted a washer between the torque arm and the rear hub. It’s a bit random, but that’s what these bikes are like!
Daytona’s classic tacho with inset speedo suits older bikes and does everything you can reasonably want. Setting it up takes a while of course…
Barrie’s headlight box was a handy spot for all the dash gubbins, and the headlight driver unit
The speedo pickup found a home on the inside of the rear brake torque arm
Almost invisible from here and (with a small spacer on the hub mounting) it sits 1-3mm away from the six sprocket bolts which it uses to count a wheel revolution
Great colours. That headlight device is eye watering bright
