BSA BANTAM 175 D14/4 ARRIVES AT TWEED TOWERS

CARRYING OUT AN INITIAL INSPECTION OF THE LATEST ARRIVAL AT TWEED'S GARAGE, FOLLOWED BY A WASH AND POLISH TO SEE WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE UNDER YEARS OF DUST AND CORROSION.

[@dingnextstop]

Hi, I have fond memories of the Bantam as I left school aged 15 and joined the GPO as a Telegram Delivery Messenger.. trained and passed on plunger framed D1/3 125cc then went on to the D14/4’s which arrived a little later. In 1971 I started Motorcycle Racing believe it or not a race prepared Bantam 125… I did this for 2 years and progressed into the 250cc class on a Greeves Silverstone/Ducacti 250cc Mach 1/ finishing up on a Suzuki T20 Super Six race prepared… great days!

[@984francis]

Two of my favorite shows in one evening, Shed racing with Ivan Dutton and Mr. Tweed😊

[@TweedsGarage]

hope you're on mend Francis.

[@martinbrookes1372]

Ivan Dutton .

[@984francis]

@@martinbrookes1372 Thank you. corrected.

[@brianr1443]

Hello Mr Tweed I think you have a B175 Bantam the last model they made the spark plug was put in the centre of the cylinder head stronger forks and should say B175 on the top of the engine case .Regards Brian. I like all your videos.

[@TweedsGarage]

Thanks for that Brian, I´ll go and have a look later. Glad you enjoy the videos.

[@TweedsGarage]

I checked Brian, the engine is stamped b157.....someone at the factory not paying attention perhaps?

[@user-ce6tx9cz9i]

My first machine, 1959 ,d7 model top machine ,alway remember to drain the sump ,quick fix i put a tap in mine

[@TweedsGarage]

A handy hint, thanks for that David

[@adriangreen1211]

Wow Cheers Mr Tweed nice scrub up and looks good.. The bike also.. I will see if the handle bar clamp is in the shed. I thought both were present when we moved it. But had to undo to fit through the door. Tank with a little elbow grease just shows what can be done.

[@TweedsGarage]

it did come up really well Adrian, hopefully have it running soon.

[@124SpecialT]

That is a great find! I think a trail bike in the Bushman style would be ideal, as even these 4 speeders struggle a bit in modern traffic but perfect on back roads and green lanes. Subscribed and waiting for part 2👍

[@TweedsGarage]

thanks for dropping in and there's a part 2,3,4 and more when all the bits turn up!!

[@colinsmith4699]

A good video

[@TweedsGarage]

Thanks!

[@gbentley8176]

Lovely project Mr T, instant memories of the old RED Royal Mail bikes with leg guards.

[@TweedsGarage]

they did look smart in the old GPO colours Mr B

[@Fintoman]

I'm glad I'm not the only one to keep important reading material in the privy. I think this is going to be a great project, good luck, I'm very interested to see it progress.

[@TweedsGarage]

it's the only place you can go for an undisturbed read, thanks for dropping in.

[@petermckee1061]

A wonderful new project. Looking forward to following the progress on this lovely little bike. Love your Staffy😀 Cheers, Peter.

[@TweedsGarage]

he is a loveable idiot Peter

[@benspeedschannel888]

Trail/Trials for sure!!

[@billdyke9745]

That cleaned up remarkably well. Already looks like a runner. 👍

[@TweedsGarage]

lets hope so Bill

[@johnmckay5711]

I had one of these in 1968 bring back memories

[@TweedsGarage]

What was it like John, was it reliable?

[@johnmckay5711]

Was a great little bike, blue one, and reliable@@TweedsGarage

[@colinwellman9480]

Nice acquisition Mr Tweed. Definitely green lane/ light trials. I'll be happier than in modern traffic. The news item on doughnut crime is very odd. We've had similar here. Not the jam but a man (could be a woman) is stealing the holes from ring doughnuts. The police are looking high and low for the holes but haven't found them. Thanks for the entertaining video.

[@TweedsGarage]

Hi Colin, I've heard of this crime wave of the missing hole and the local police are looking into it 😉

[@glenmiller3783]

Cool old bike in remarkably good condition

[@TweedsGarage]

Yes it wasn't too shabby under the dirt

[@chrissills962]

First time l have seen you polish a motorbike in twenty years Mr Tweed , good tip with the foil ,it works well .

[@TweedsGarage]

I know......I wasn't keen

[@kevinbutler3636]

looking forward🙂 to it all

[@TweedsGarage]

more to come Kevin......well it's British so there will always be more

[@AdeSwash]

That scrubbed up nicely, look forward to seeing the resto, definitely go with the bushman style green laner :)

[@TweedsGarage]

Mrs Tweed was totally against it..... but is now rather quite taken by the Bushman........motorcycle, not some random hermit living down the garden

[@coplandjason]

That cleaned up quite nicely and looks to be in reasonable condition. ref the downpipes, I know not all Stainless is non-magnetic but a lot of varieties are, it might be worth doing a magnet test to see if that gets you any closer.

[@TweedsGarage]

I'll go and wave a magnet at it later 👍

[@nicholasgerrish6022]

I’m not a motor cycle fan, but this bike looks in reasonably good shape. There are a few Auctioneers who would have sold this probably quite well, and released your time to finish off the Riley…… Sorry to remind you, but some of us are on the older side, and wondering whether we will live or see the Riley out and running!

[@TweedsGarage]

fear not Nicholas.....not long now......as long as I don't get offered another project

[@jorobinson2729]

Don't worry Nicholas Mrs tweed will keep nagging him x

[@retromechanicalengineer]

Looks like a good 'un Mr. Tweed. You can't beat a spot of Bantics. It will be Bantemonium in the shed from now on. Best wishes, Dean.

[@TweedsGarage]

we`ll be having to research a decent Cafe in Pangbourne in the not too distant future ;-)

[@retromechanicalengineer]

@@TweedsGarage there's a great tea room near Bucklebury. It's on!

[@russellnixon9981]

Scrubbed up well. look pretty good oh and so do you ,is that your wedding funeral and court appearance suet, . Will the next production be Mr Tweed builds another shed to house the bike collection. or are you allowed to bring them in the house.

[@TweedsGarage]

and bar mitzvahs Russell, I do have the Chapaterium as an extra storage option ( what the Bantam is leaning against ).....and the rented garage........and my Dad's garage that has a bit of space......

[@ClarkieBoy]

Nice one Mr. Tweed. I shall follow with interest as that was my first motorcycle ........

[@TweedsGarage]

Was it good memories ?

[@ClarkieBoy]

@@TweedsGarage Absolutely! Mainly....having it seize at 70mph (downhill) while racing a CB125 wasn't pleasant 🤣 It taught me a lot about bike maintenance, which was good. I hope yours turns out well 👌

[@TweedsGarage]

@@ClarkieBoy Blimey!!...bit of a new underwear moment I should imagine

[@ClarkieBoy]

@TweedsGarage Nah. I just whipped in the clutch and coasted to the kerb. There wasn't any traffic around. By the time I'd come to a standstill the engine had freed Itself and we carried on to see the speedway at Newport 😎

[@markalton2809]

I'm sure that's a BSA B175. Large bore pipe, heavyweight forks, centre-spark-plug. The ultimate Bantam.

[@TweedsGarage]

You are indeed correct Mark and it was confirmed in later videos after checking the engine numbers ( apart from somebody must have been very bored at BSA and stamped it B157 !! 🙄)

[@markalton2809]

@@TweedsGarage My brothers and I have a selection of 1960s BSAs, including a D14 / 4 and a B175. The B175 is in the queue for restoration, but when that's done it will be interesting to test the difference in performance (if any) that the later model possesses.

[@johncartwright8154]

Like many of my 'G-g-g-generation', this was my first venture into the world of biking in the late 1960's. Affordable, easy to work on for a novice and cheap to run. I 'upgraded' mine after seeing 'Easy Rider' on release, which inspired me to add Ape-hangers' bought from Pride and Sharpe, Wandsworth. Unfortunately, I omitted to install a longer throttle cable, and first time I turned bars to left, engine racing and I fell off.

[@TweedsGarage]

😂😂😂😂...........hang on...........i think a bit of wee come out...............well you weren't to know fella, they never went round corners in 'Easy Rider' 😉

[@johncartwright8154]

@@TweedsGarage "i think a bit of wee come out"....need to get that prostate felt mayhap😁

[@nickaxe771]

I would say its the same as mine a B175 rather than a D14....quite a few differences.

[@TweedsGarage]

You are correct, a viewer pointed me in the direction of the engine number and I found the B175 stamp......well B157 actually, must of been an off day.

[@teamjdb]

Looks mint. I wonder if the forks are the same ones it left the factory with or whether it's had a bit of a front end prang and had those ones to replace the damage. Bushman conversion would be interesting. Cheers.

[@TweedsGarage]

it may just have been an upgrade as I think its had a light restoration at some time, the frames are quite prone to bending in an impact but the headstock plates look straight.

[@chrislee7817]

My mate back in the day had an ex post office bantam cub. Looked quite nice with the little triumph motor in it. Don't know how many of them were made. The bantam engine was a war reparation thing from the Germans hence its incredible similarity to the MZ 125 motor and a shed load of Russian 175 two stroke motors. Think the design is one of the most copied around.

[@TweedsGarage]

Never heard of a Bantam cub Chris, with the cub motor being quite fragile I should imagine most wouldn't of survived the rigours of Post Office service life and yes the Bantam was a copy of the DKW RT 125 along with the Harley Davidson Hummer and many Russian/Eastern block variants .

[@asciimation]

I wish I knew people who thought things like that were 'too far gone' and gave them away! I'd like an early Velocette LE. With the hand gear change. And I am with you there about not being a polisher. Clean, yes, but nicely used and real is good! It came up great. You have to replace the hex head bolts though.

[@TweedsGarage]

Funnily enough Simon I keep looking at Velocette LE´s, I would like to try one just to see ( like the Bantam ) if they really are as bad as people of my Dads generation say they were ( I suspect it was more that they picked them up cheap third or forth hand as learner/work hacks and rode them into the ground .

[@retromechanicalengineer]

@@TweedsGarage let me know if you find a Velocette Valiant in similar condition, I call first dibs!

[@asciimation]

@@TweedsGarage The Police used them didn't they? Ah, just looked it up, yes. They called them noddy bikes apparently! There is a 1953 one for sale somewhat locally to me. Looks a bit messed about with and I don't know enough about them to know how much 'fixing' it would need. Missing coil, ignition parts and a few other bits but comes with spares like a front end and other bits and pieces. I think it was $2000 initially but is down to $1650 now (800 quid approx). No idea if that is a good price even. No papers but I don't ride on the road so that isn't a problem for me at least.

[@TweedsGarage]

it's about what they go for over here for a project bike, prices are going up a bit as with all classic lightweights ( the effect of an older biker generation finding kicking over a Gold Star/ Velocette getting hard work so switching to the tiddlers )

[@asciimation]

@@TweedsGarage I have made contact with the seller. This could go badly. Unfortunately it's not somewhere I can easily go and see.

[@jillfriendship1054]

Is that a B175 cylinder head ? note the central plug.

[@TweedsGarage]

It is, just been looking at the engine markings which is stamped b157......yes definitely b157, i double checked 🙂

[@shedbythetracks]

If you don't have that running by the weekend, I will lose my faith in mankind. Cheers

[@TweedsGarage]

fear not, I´ll have it running by the weekend...........not telling you what weekend....but it'll be the weekend

[@shedbythetracks]

My faith is restored..@@TweedsGarage

[@steveandthedogs]

I think it's actually a D175, a later model then the 14/4.

[@TweedsGarage]

I think you are correct, switch over year of 1969 , oddly the engine is stamped b157.......someone at BSA may of had a liquid lunch before picking up the stamps.....

[@steveandthedogs]

There should be a couple of letters before giving the month and year and some numbers after. By the way, I ought to make you come and clean the tea off my screen...

[@frankgibirdi2636]

Dear Mr Tweed ,I can't abide v.g garage , this man and other American KZbin mechanics keep calling car parts stupid names like sparkolater fuel make it happener etc ,it gets on my wick so I don't watch him anymore . Catching up on your videos tha doin a grand job lad all the best from Lancashire

[@TweedsGarage]

Thank you Frank..........I'll never mimic VGC again............well i might do for a reet laugh 😉

[@davebarrowcliffe1289]

Loosen up! Derek off VGG is hilarious! Genuine eccentric, wordsmith, poet, and master of mechanisms! Bring the THUNDER!! 😂 👍

[@nazdagg1945]

green laner or road racer? is there still any interest in Bantams, racing? Harley had a similar bike called the "Hummer". all NSU influenced.

[@TweedsGarage]

Bantam racing is still thriving in the UK, they race in VMCC meetings. The Hummer and the Bantam where a direct copy of the DKW RT125

[@kenphillips5221]

Greenlaning 🤣Autosol 🤣

[@TweedsGarage]

Fear not Ken, Mrs Tweed watched the video and said " you are NOT green laning ".......