1962 Super Rocket ride

worntorn · Dec 15, 2023

Paul Henshaw was very impressed by this Super Rocket. The 62 is almost identical to my 63 and very similar to Jerry's 61. The earlier Super Rockets had a bit less cam and carb plus a weaker clutch.
The late West Coast version has a bit higher CR (9/1) than east coast N.A. and UK (8.3/1)
That probably doesn't make a noticeable difference in power, but that 61 to 63 West Coast SR is the highest tune for any of the A10 models. The RGS had the same engine but a less useful transmission, the rrt2.

worntorn · Dec 15, 2023

Was driving my wife in for cancer treatment this am and had a flashback to having posted this before.
On checking, yes I posted it 2 1/2 years ago.
Getting old and dim.

I guess a repost won't hurt anything!

Glen

baz · Dec 15, 2023

worntorn said:
Was driving my wife in for cancer treatment this am and had a flashback to having posted this before.
On checking, yes I posted it 2 1/2 years ago.
Getting old and dim.

I guess a repost won't hurt anything!

Glen

Don't worry about it
We all do stuff like this
Another thing I've done lately is come across posts that I've made and don't remember them!
I'll start arguing with them soon!!

worntorn · Dec 16, 2023

Watching it again made me ask why he is so enchanted with the A10 SR and I find it so ho hum.
I suspect it might be because he rides a lot of low power bikes, Tiger Cubs, B33, RE 500 etc. The Super Rocket would be a Rocket in comparison to those.
The 350 Goldstar he rode recently would only manage about 70 mph after a full rebuild. He figured it might do 75 if really flogged.
I flogged the Super Rocket once and it managed 92 mph on GPS speedo.
I didn't think that was very good at the time, but in perspective it's maybe not bad at all, large rider and all.

The other difference is the type of road that we have a lot of vs the UK roads. The Super Rocket with standard gearing would be well suited to the A & B roads Paul rides on.
Most of our roads here are bigger and faster, even the twisty ones. You need quite a bit of speed. To deal with that and to keep the buzziness at bay I changed the engine sprocket from standard 21 teeth up to 23 teeth. The engine can cope, but it definitely feels less lively thru the gears than it was with the standard gearing.
I might change it back and look for some lower speed roads.

Glen

baz · Dec 16, 2023

worntorn said:
Watching it again made me ask why he is so enchanted with the A10 SR and I find it so ho hum.
I suspect it might be because he rides a lot of low power bikes, Tiger Cubs, B33, RE 500 etc. The Super Rocket would be a Rocket in comparison to those.
The 350 Goldstar he rode recently would only manage about 70 mph after a full rebuild. He figured it might do 75 if really flogged.
I flogged the Super Rocket once and it managed 92 mph on GPS speedo.
I didn't think that was very good at the time, but in perspective it's maybe not bad at all, large rider and all.

The other difference is the type of road that we have a lot of vs the UK roads. The Super Rocket with standard gearing would be well suited to the A & B roads Paul rides on.
Most of our roads here are bigger and faster, even the twisty ones. You need quite a bit of speed. To deal with that and to keep the buzziness at bay I changed the engine sprocket from standard 21 teeth up to 23 teeth. The engine can cope, but it definitely feels less lively thru the gears than it was with the standard gearing.
I might change it back and look for some lower speed roads.

Glen

I've no idea what Paul has ridden in his time but he owns and rides a big bore triumph t150
Also I seem to remember an episode with a trident race bike

Fast Eddie · Dec 17, 2023

A friend of mine built up a kinda RGS replica. He fitted the spitfire cam and increased the CR somehow and made his own twin carb set up (very competent engineer). I think the twin carbs were probably a folly, but they looked cool. The motor was clearly very well built and balanced.

I rode the bike a couple of times and absolutely loved it, it had a fabulous character without intrusive vibes etc and whilst not being the fastest bike ever, really went quite well. At the time I was a dyed in the wool Triumph man, so was quite surprised at the old Beezers performance and overall appeal.

He decided to sell it and I couldn’t afford it at the time (even at mates rates) and I still look back at it as one I shudda had.

Onder · Dec 17, 2023

He has mentioned in one of his episodes that up-gearing old bikes isn't a good idea for him. I can sometimes agree with him. Gearing up improves MPG and lessens the vibes but it loads the engine more. Not to mention top speed is not something that matters now. Domestic bikes usually came one tooth
higher than USA bikes at least toward the end of the era.

daveforty · Dec 17, 2023

I was over that way a few weeks ago, albeit in the car. The road he is riding is now monitored by (40mph) average speed cameras. No fun. But it is spectacular up there.

baz · Dec 17, 2023

Fast Eddie said:
A friend of mine built up a kinda RGS replica. He fitted the spitfire cam and increased the CR somehow and made his own twin carb set up (very competent engineer). I think the twin carbs were probably a folly, but they looked cool. The motor was clearly very well built and balanced.

I rode the bike a couple of times and absolutely loved it, it had a fabulous character without intrusive vibes etc and whilst not being the fastest bike ever, really went quite well. At the time I was a dyed in the wool Triumph man, so was quite surprised at the old Beezers performance and overall appeal.

He decided to sell it and I couldn’t afford it at the time (even at mates rates) and I still look back at it as one I shudda had.

Mine should be an iron head gold flash
I fitted a road rocket alloy head a road rocket cam and a rev counter drive timing cover and a goldstar tank etc not quite an rgs replica but it could be with a bit more work
It vibrates pretty bad so I raised the gearing with a 24 tooth crankshaft sprocket
It's a lot more pleasant to ride but doesn't have the snarl of say a 650 triumph etc
I'm not sure what it's top speed is I've never really tried but recently I found out it's actually going a bit faster than I'd thought
I was using my phone as a satnav and noticed the speedo is reading at least 10mph slow at 60ish mph
The handling is pretty amazing for its age I have alloy rims and a 4ls up front (I can't leave anything alone)

worntorn · Dec 17, 2023

Sounds very similar to my experience Baz. This bike is all original with the 357 cam, slightly bigger valves and 9 to 1 cr that the late West Coast SRs came with. This is exactly the same spec engine as used in the RGS.
I used a 23 tooth to reduce the buzz. I have thought about pulling the engine apart for dynamic crank balancing. That might help or it might make zero difference. I hate to pull apart a nice running oil tight engine.

Glen

worntorn · Dec 17, 2023

baz said:
I've no idea what Paul has ridden in his time but he owns and rides a big bore triumph t150
Also I seem to remember an episode with a trident race bike

I think the Trident is the top of the performance tree for him, although he did test an 850 Commando on one video.
It seems most of the bikes he works on and road tests appear to fairly low powered models, several 350 and 500 singles and some 500 -650 twins as well.
The overgeared 350 Goldstar was painful to watch on take off. It reminded me of a push lawnmower being forced into tall grass and almost choking.

Prior to the 40 mph speed limit he would give them a good thrash on that road.

Glen

baz · Dec 17, 2023

worntorn said:
I think the Trident is the top of the performance tree for him, although he did test an 850 Commando on one video.
It seems most of the bikes he works on and road tests appear to fairly low powered models, several 350 and 500 singles and some 500 -650 twins as well.
The overgeared 350 Goldstar was painful to watch on take off. It reminded me of a push lawnmower being forced into tall grass and almost choking.

Prior to the 40 mph speed limit he would give them a good thrash on that road.

Glen

I think he really liked the 850 commando aswel
As said I've no idea what other bikes he's ridden
I don't know how long he's lived in Wales as he has a strong south west country accent so he may have ridden roads that were more than 4ft wide
The recent speed reduction in Wales of all urban areas to 20 mph is plainly ridiculous
I won't be going there anytime soon
Delivery drivers can not make the same amount of drops during the day
People are driving closer to each other because they are driving slower
Some are ignoring the limit and overtaking in frustration
Unmanned fire stations now have a problem when there's a shout getting to the station at 20mph
Same with all lifeboat crew etc etc
Paul is now probably better off with something low in power

Onder · Dec 17, 2023

<he has a strong south west country accent >

Still laughing on that one, I didn't notice that at all. Any chance it is because of where I live?

Note my avatar....
No I won't visit up there either. I know Fearless Leader is standing down but we will have to see how the nonsense works out.

Triton Thrasher · Dec 17, 2023

None of their “Rocket” variants were as fast as the proud makers liked to claim.

Triton Thrasher · Dec 17, 2023

worntorn said:
I changed the engine sprocket from standard 21 teeth up to 23 teeth.

Maximum speed requires maximum rpm.

worntorn · Dec 17, 2023

I should have mentioned that the speed tests were done when the bike first arrived. It had stock gearing then.
92 mph with that bike is fast enough for me anyway. I don't believe the oft quoted max speed of 112 mph.

Glen

baz · Dec 17, 2023

Onder said:
<he has a strong south west country accent >

Still laughing on that one, I didn't notice that at all. Any chance it is because of where I live? Note my avatar....
No I won't visit up there either. I know Fearless Leader is standing down but we will have to see how the nonsense works out.

Ok maybe just west country?
Likely Dorset rather than zummerset
He doesn't sound Welsh to me but what do I know
I'm from Essex and when I'm down that way they think I'm a cockerny grockle from 'that London '

With Mr drakeford standing down they could get someone worse!!!
Hopefully Mr khan will be out of work next May
He'd fit right in down there
He's got a south west country accent too

baz · Dec 17, 2023

worntorn said:
I should have mentioned that the speed tests were done when the bike first arrived. It had stock gearing then.
92 mph with that bike is fast enough for me anyway. I don't believe the oft quoted max speed of 112 mph.

Glen

There's no way I could see my A10 doing 112 mph
Maybe mid 90s mph
But I wouldn't want to do it on that bike
It's comfortable up to around 75 mph when the vibes come in
One funny story comes to mind
A new neighbour moved in a few doors down from me
He had a custom painted Yamaha fzx750
It had an Indian head and buffalo grazing etc painted on the tank and panels he wanted to go up to' high beech ' with me
This is a biker tea hut in Epping forest less than 10 miles from me and he wanted to show his paintwork off I think
He couldn't keep up with my A10 around the lanes!!!
Admittedly he was a new rider having just moved up from a 400 but I couldn't believe it
And when I parked up there were people milling around my bike and nobody looking at his!!

A few weeks later he was adjusting the chain and set it too tight destroying the gearbox output bearing
I took pity on him and stripped it down and replaced the bearing
What a jewel of a motor those 5 valvers are!

Onder · Dec 17, 2023

...and whose bike will sell faster and for more if we put them on the block tomorrow?
Yes, our old wheelbarrows are wonderful but fewer think so every day. Go look at the
sad reality of sales world. :-(

baz · Dec 18, 2023

Onder said:
...and whose bike will sell faster and for more if we put them on the block tomorrow?
Yes, our old wheelbarrows are wonderful but fewer think so every day. Go look at the
sad reality of sales world. :-(

Yep we are moving on a generation as the 70s and 80s Japanese stuff goes up in price
The old Brits are coming down!
To me it's a good thing
It'll keep investors and collectors and people that don't ride these bikes out of the market
I'd personally like to see prices tumble
And young kids getting into old British bikes
That's how it was when I got into British bikes in the late 70s

1962 Super Rocket ride

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