Fast,skinny and semi-show 67 lightning

[factoryReset]

Finally starting something awesome! Won this on eBay and my plans include Mullins skinny trees, 21in. front wheel, fully built engine and quite possibly 5 speed conversion and top it off with super-duper killer paint job. I will definitely be asking questions and open for suggestions

[DoomBuggy]

Nice starting place. Love those old Beezers. I wish ANY of my kids had shown an interest in my bikes. Enjoy the hell out of both!

[Dougtheinternetannoyance123]

Cool,,, cant quite make it out, but is it a Asian TLS front brake?? A brake in the front is good and the Asian TLS ones work well. For a show bike a spool is fine, but for a rider I prefer brakes in the front.
(70% of braking is off the front wheel) So with a good motor build, that will be a quick little bobber so brakes are a good thing.
If not, thats cool, just my opinion.
Whats the idea/plan on the 5 speed?? Its possible on a Triumph but not so easy on a BSA,, Although some people have used Yamaha XS650 parts but its pretty challenging to do.
What year engine is it??
The BSA Power egg was a good motor and does not need much to make it a fast bike. In 1966 the BSA A65 Lightning was the fastest production bike for sale, so pretty good out of the box.

If you would like suggestions or ideas, Happy to help, Ive built a few, no need to reinvent the wheel, However if you want to go extreme, I have the formula to build a stroker monster motor. (Uses a modified Norton crank and 900cc)

First thing you need is a factory workshop manual and a factory IPB parts book, Do you have that yet? A few places you can download them for free, But if you cant find it, PM me and I can email them as files. Put it on a memory stick and print them off. (I like to put them in plastic page protectors in a 3 ring binder, handy for the workshop, if you are a millenial and like squinting at your Ifruit I guess you can do that too)

Is that a single carb?? Thats best for the street, Single carb with a Mikuni is a great setup, But if you want a dual carb head I can help you out.

Good upgraded EI, dialed in carb and optimized charging system,
Do some optimizing on the oil system, and the cam and thats basically all you need. Stock cam is very good, But the 357 cam is even better.

[factoryReset]

Cool,,, cant quite make it out, but is it a Asian TLS front brake?? A brake in the front is good and the Asian TLS ones work well. For a show bike a spool is fine, but for a rider I prefer brakes in the front.
(70% of braking is off the front wheel) So with a good motor build, that will be a quick little bobber so brakes are a good thing.
If not, thats cool, just my opinion.
Whats the idea/plan on the 5 speed?? Its possible on a Triumph but not so easy on a BSA,, Although some people have used Yamaha XS650 parts but its pretty challenging to do.
What year engine is it??
The BSA Power egg was a good motor and does not need much to make it a fast bike. In 1966 the BSA A65 Lightning was the fastest production bike for sale, so pretty good out of the box.

If you would like suggestions or ideas, Happy to help, Ive built a few, no need to reinvent the wheel, However if you want to go extreme, I have the formula to build a stroker monster motor. (Uses a modified Norton crank and 900cc)

First thing you need is a factory workshop manual and a factory IPB parts book, Do you have that yet? A few places you can download them for free, But if you cant find it, PM me and I can email them as files. Put it on a memory stick and print them off. (I like to put them in plastic page protectors in a 3 ring binder, handy for the workshop, if you are a millenial and like squinting at your Ifruit I guess you can do that too)

Is that a single carb?? Thats best for the street, Single carb with a Mikuni is a great setup, But if you want a dual carb head I can help you out.

Good upgraded EI, dialed in carb and optimized charging system,
Do some optimizing on the oil system, and the cam and thats basically all you need. Stock cam is very good, But the 357 cam is even better.

The 5 speed conversion I will be ordering from across the pond, it's pricey but I'm down for it. Roller bearing conversion will be in works too. I would be very interested in your 900 set-up ? Not sure on cam though....Full electronics .I plan on a big chunk of money on engine alone

[factoryReset]

Spool front wheel, if need be might would run a front break but would like to have a nice clean front end

[TriNortchopz]

I like your ideas - wanted to build a big one before but too cost prohibitive - bought more toys instead.

Seen this?:
1. A50 500cc unit construction
2. A65 650cc unit construction
3. A70 750cc unit construction
4. 742cc; A65 stroked with A10 crankshaft
5. 786cc; A65 stroked with Norton crankshaft, uses Norton rod
6. 786cc; A65 stroked with Norton crankshaft, uses special MAP Triumph/Norton rod and special piston
(may not be possible without barrel spacer)
7. A65 SRM big bore (advertised as 750)
8. A65 SRM big bore stroked with A10 crankshaft (advertised as 840)
9. A65 SRM big bore stroked with billet crankshaft (advertised as 850)
10. A65 SRM big bore stroked with billet crankshaft (advertised as 900)
11. 500 racer: A65 bore, de-stroked
11. 500 racer: SRM big bore, de-stroked

See more specs here:

http://victorylibrary.com/brit/BSA-c.htm

Good stuff here:

BSA A65 stroker

https://www.accessnorton.com/NortonCommando/bsa-a65-stroker.20192/

[factoryReset]

Thanks trinortchopz... my background is fabrication,so I will send my engine to be built. Cost will not be a factor.. I need to find a great engine builder to take on this challenge

[TriNortchopz]

Not sure, but Mark at BCS may be able to help ya with the crank part:

"BSA crank conversions...British Cycle Supply...signed an agreement to distribute the range of high quality SRM components"

http://www.britcycle.com/Products/BSACrankConversion.htm

[factoryReset]

Not sure, but Mark at BCS may be able to help ya with the crank part:

"BSA crank conversions...British Cycle Supply...signed an agreement to distribute the range of high quality SRM components"
http://www.britcycle.com/Products/BS...Conversion.htm

I will check that out! I've been checking SRM and britcycle out. I will be ordering Nova racing 5speed conversion after Christmas but before that I will get my front end all done and clean up of frame.

And YES the yellow color has to go!!!!

[TriNortchopz]

A couple recommendation from the guys on AccessNorton site:

BSA machine work
July 2018
"Anyone know of a machine shop in the USA experienced in A65 engine work? Looking for someone with the skills and experience to install a new main bushing and machine it correctly."

https://www.accessnorton.com/NortonCommando/bsa-machine-work.25705/

Found this place; may be worth a call:
Classic Cycles Ltd.

https://www.classiccyclesltd.com/

bit more reading here:

BSA A65 stroker

https://www.accessnorton.com/NortonCommando/bsa-a65-stroker.20192/

[cisco]

Sure it's not a Thunderbolt? I thought the only diff was the Lightening was dual carb and the Thunderbolt was single carb. Not much more HP difference between the two.

[shovel625]

very cool project

[franktd]

Front brakes don't have to be big/ugly. Tiger Cub brake.

[factoryReset]

Frankie,,love the bike... I had thought about a brake like that and the pipes!!.....Kinda thinking about doing 0 drop and possibly 0 stretch..... factory metal works frame is probably going to happen also

[factoryReset]

update

Last night,got a little bit done and in the process,stripped 1 of the 6mm bolt on lwr leg...