The Knowledge - Velocette Owners Club

L #879 Here's a question for the group... where can I get tapered tube for heavyweight Webb's to
replace my damaged ones. And how were they made originally, was it in one complete tube from the
top lug down or two? (i.e. four tubes per set or eight tubes per set).
#882 I believe that Percival and Webb of Dudley West Midlands are still going strong. I think they still
make girder forks and do overhauls and repairs. I think they are a offshoot of autocycle which is run
by Chris Williams.
#889 Try Ray Daniels 144 Station Road Stechford Birmingham B33 8BT Phone 0121 789 8900
L #1033 my 500 velo has a set of ajs or matchless front forks, which I think are the same, I just
wondered why? can any body tell me if there is any benefit to them.
#1034 You don't give a description of them, but later model Matchless forks were both compression
and rebound damped with a rebound spring that kept them from "topping out". The Thruxton and
Scrambler Velos had rebound damping, but for off road the Matchless forks were a better bet. Norton
(I'm in trouble now) put the Matchless forks on their P-11 desert racer instead of their Roadholders.
L #1076 One of my VM's gives a very slight 'fluttering' sensation from the front end on fast
sweeping bends. It is worse with flat bars, with clip-ons and weight further forward it is not so bad, but
still there. What could be causing it? Frame and forks are straight, s/arm is fine, r/shocks are new, tires
are good TT100's. S/head + wheel bearings are fine. Yokes are straight and forks straight in them. I
thought of these possibles: 1. Tyre pressures wrong 2. Im not going fast enough (quite possible) 3.
unequal damping from front forks - i.e. no oil in one (I’ve not checked this properly, but one is leaking)
4. front wheel unbalanced (full width hub using TLS) (not checked yet) 5. front wheel out of true (not
checked yet, but using alloy rims so not impossible) Screwing the steering damper down a bit further/or
backing it off has little or no effect (on the flutter). Any advice welcome.
#1077 had the same problem on a high mileage bike a few years ago. Eventually I found I could make
the problem go away by putting a slight drag on the front brake while heeled over in a corner.
Disassembly of the forks revealed nothing "wrong" but I finally discovered that the bottom fork tube
bushing had worn the slider out to where holding the slider in a vise the top of the fork tube could move
back and forth over a quarter inch. New sliders fixed it. Hope this helps.
#1085 For what it's worth, here's my experience with Velo handling issues; Regarding the head waggle
at lower speeds; I'd definitely check the fork bushings. Slack or shagged head bearings can give a
similar feeling, but usually only at slow speeds. Unequal fork oil levels give more of a rocking motion up
front; setting your shocks to slightly different places on the 'arc' does the same at the rear, as will slack
or shagged swingarm bushes and completely worn out shocks. Combining all of the above makes the
whole plot feel seaborne, but the bike won't throw you even when completely worn out in the chassis, it
just takes more bottle to ride quickly - at least this is my experience. (This applies to swingarm models;
if you ask me, the rigid MSS/KSS mk2 shouldn't be trusted at the limit, the geometry doesn't 'sing' as do
earlier KTT/KSS models) All Velos will weave a little at over 100 mph; not dangerous or scary, just one
of those Velo traits we come to love. Except the mkVIII for some reason; it feels very true at high
speeds, which is odd given the geometry of the swingarm models is basically the same. Could girders
be more stable at high speeds? My rigid KTT mkIV weaves just like a Thruxton at over the 'ton', but at
that point it's the least of your worries! Brakes please! In light of all this, check your forks! Velos feel so
much more secure when all is shipshape. And I can't recommend Work Performance rear shocks
highly enough; I've had them on my VMT for 5 years and now I only notice the front fork's
inadequacies.
L #1096 Simple perhaps, but so that I don't waste time & money ,what is the modern equivalent
please ,of the oils recommended for the front forks in the Service Manual.
#1097 I like Silkolene SAE 20 fork oil. It's sold at most motorcycle shops.
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