Belstaff care

Do you own an old waxed cotton jacket?

A big thanks to my friend Harry I know both through the FaceBook Vinduro Group, and as a fellow vintage Hercules Motorcycle owner, for sharing this very helpful tip for owners of new or vintage Belstaff wax cotton jackets stating it's how he does it. I once had three wax cotton Belstaffs in my posession, my own and ones that my friends donated when they likely progressed to more modern jackets at the time, probably the Malcolm Smith Gore Tex style which were very popular and had the advantage of being both waterproof while also breathable and replicating the Belstaff overall style with more colors. Although nothing is more waterproof than a well cared for Belstaff waxed jacket! My only regret is that the original (and to this day) Belstaff did not come in "Tall" sizes and that meant the sleeve length was a little shorter than I would have prefered, although you were always wearing gloves and that would negate that problem by choosing the right gloves, perhaps with a small gauntlet..

I currently own a brown Aerostich Falstaff waxed cotton jacket that was my cool weather touring jacket probably purchased when they were first introduced years ago. I see a review from 2009 and I think it was probably purchased even earlier. A quality jacket with many armor options but with that armor (removable) included it is quite heavy and I would not suggest it for trail riding but rather adventure or touring riding. I would not hesitate using the waterproofing tip here if ever needed to have it's waterproofing restored!

I've borrowed this from Helmut Clasen's Facebook page. Just a simple gear ratio calculator when changing sprockets on the motorcycle. Serves as a reminder what changes causes what result.

One practical example of it's use as described by Helmut:

"On my Zuendapp the standard GS ratio is 14-46 = 3.29 Ratio. But the chain was cutting through my front swingarm. In order to get more clearance I chose a 16 tooth front sprocket. To go back to the proper ratio of 3.29 ( or close to it) I had to increase the back sprocket to 53 = 3.31 which is almost identical."

Helmut is the most knowlegeable Hercules rider/owner/mechanic.

Nice tip for easily assembling the carburetor spring into the carburetor body without the excess tension that can make it hard to do.

Generally, I remove the carburetor cable from the throttle housing which also makes the task of rebuilding easier, but this tip has an advantage by eliminating that step.

My other concern with losing parts during a carburetor rebuild in the field, is that the float bowl pin has the habit of falling out. I don't have an answer for that problem except to carry a spare. Hopefully, one will never need to take the carburetor apart during a ride...

In general, in my opinion, this is probably the best advice just because it is so simple to understand. Adding or modifying the parts on motorcycles is not the answer to better performance. It is the rider's experience and "fitness" that matters more, at least until you reach the expert level. For the everyday rider, getting the most out of your motorcycle in it's stock condition will probably teach you more than making expensive changes before you need them.

Of course it is fun changing parts on our motorcycles, but I would bet 50% of those changes aren't actual improvements and can sometimes lead to disappointment.

While I agree with the video, it is targeted at modern bikes. The one exception to that advice I would make for vintage bikes would be new or better shocks. Much as new tires will be the one purchase that will make the most difference for any motorcycle, when a bike is 25 years old, 30 years old, or more, the best shock you can afford will make the biggest difference, it's rare that an old motorcycle will perform it's best with the original shocks.