Crazy Englishman / Verrückte Engländer, 1000 miles on a 1958 SR2!

Hello to everyone!

I have recently agreed to ride a moped a from the top of Scotland to the bottom of England, covering a distance of over 1000 miles (1600km). This is part of a large group raising money for Brads Cancer Foundation, to help young sufferers of cancer.

I thought that a sensible Honda from the 1980s would be a perfect choice but then I saw the old Simsons and knew I had to have one... This is what I am hoping to complete the ride on, a 1958 SR2.

My first ever engine-powered bike!

Do you think it would be possible to make this journey? Can the old Simson make it up hills?

The first stage is make the bike safe and then take it for an MOT - The UK vehicle safety inspection. Then I will be able to register it and get a number plate and logbook (owner documents). If this goes ok, then I will be doing a full mechanical restoration.

I got the bike on Friday evening and tried it out on Saturday. First I found that the HT lead (wire from coil to spark plug) was faulty, so I made a new one. Unfortunately, the fuel tap was leaking and the carburetor was overflowing through the float button. The engine would only run for about 10 seconds at a time.

I have already ordered some new parts through the shop on here so hopefully I'll have a running Simson very soon.

And now my friend Google Translate will tell you what I just said:
"Hallo an alle! : D

Ich habe vor kurzem beschlossen, ein Moped fahren von der Spitze von Schottland auf den Grund zu England, über eine Distanz von über 1000 Meilen (1600 km). Dies ist Teil einer großen Gruppe Geld für Brads Cancer Foundation, die jungen Patienten von Krebs helfen.

Ich dachte, dass eine sinnvolle Honda aus den 1980er Jahren wäre eine perfekte Wahl sein, aber dann sah ich den alten Simsons und wusste, dass ich eine haben ... : blink: Das ist was ich bin der Hoffnung, die Fahrt auf, ein 1958 SR2 komplett.

Meine erste motorgetriebene Fahrräder!

Glaubst du, es wäre möglich, diese Reise zu machen? Kann die alte Simson es bergauf?

Die erste Stufe ist das Motorrad sicher und dann nehmen Sie es für einen MOT - Der britische Fahrzeug Sicherheitsprüfung unterzogen. Dann werde ich in der Lage sein sie zu registrieren und erhalten ein Nummernschild und Logbuch (Eigentümer-Dokumente). Wenn das so weitergeht ok, dann werde ich tun, eine volle mechanische Wiederherstellung.

Ich habe das Fahrrad am Freitagabend und probierte es am Samstag. Zuerst habe ich festgestellt, dass die Zündkabel (Draht von der Spule auf Zündkerzen) fehlerhaft war, so machte ich einen neuen. Leider war der Benzinhahn undicht und der Vergaser wurde durch den Schwimmer-Taste überfüllt. Der Motor würde nur für etwa 10 Sekunden laufen zu einer Zeit.

Ich habe schon ein paar neue Teile durch den Laden hier bestellt, hoffentlich werde ich ein laufendes Simson sehr bald. "

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Hi,
welcome on this website. It's a nice idea to start this long run with a simson bike.
I think if you check the SR2 very careful, you will have a cool ride...

Hallo Tomarse (is this your right name?),
of course this tour is possible. I´m driving sometimes to our meetings 800km a weekend. but you need a very accurate check of the technique and a longer checking drive before the big journey.
And get a pillow with you. You will need it.

Der Tim

Hello Tomarse and wellcome to the DDRMoped.de/Forum!!!

You´re wellcome here and you´ll see the user of this forum are very kind and helpful. This forum is international, we´ve got members from Poland, Hungary, Israel and so on, so don´t hesitate to ask about problems or spare-parts-infos.

Your planned trip is a nice idea and will work after checking the light-motorcycle called Simson! I often dreamed about a trip with my MZ through the western part of ireland, starting at the remarkable south of Connemara to the nothern districts of nothern ireland. I´ve cycled this skyroads several time before, but its even easyer to do this by motorcycle than by bike

Sometimes you´ll never now: maybee I´ll start some day, after I will read about your trip

Friedly regards,

Bernd (german short-form of Bernhard)

For the check of the light-motorcycle its sometimes helpful to have operation- and repair manuals. Below words you´ll see some examples from Simson in following order: frech - russian - polish

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Well mate,

it sounds like a plan .....

if you doing a carefull tune up and a safety check it will we possible .. of corse.

But please consider its a hell of a ride, but otherwiser "pain is temporary but pride is forever" .....

you are one of the bloody ones ....

Mathias

But you´ll need an english exemplar like this. Unfortunately its not the right exemplare for your light-motorcycle, but for the following and younger ones...

But don´t hesitate: if you´ve got any problems please take a photo of it, show it and let us know about it here - you´ll see, we will try our best to fix it in team-work.

Regards,

Bernd

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Thank you all for the kind welcome.

My real name is Tom, but my nickname is Tomarse (Thomas).

I think a pillow is definitly a good idea. Even from my short attempts to ride at the weekend, I am still a bit sore! I think the angle of the seat didn't help. I will also be making some long test rides to check that the bike is ok and also my clothing. It will be pretty cold and wet in the Scottish highlands in April!

I'm sure I will have MANY questions as things progress.

I figured that there's no point doing something easy for charity. Hopefully, by making it more of a challenge I will raise more sponsorship. Here are the details of the event for anyone that's interested: http://www.justgiving.com/JOGLE4BRADS.

My biggest worry is whether or not the Simson will go up hills. I think I may have to get used to pedalling!

A ride through Ireland sounds great. I've been there before and it's very nice, but I was on 4 wheels.

I have one question already. How do I stop stop fuel from coming out of the carburetor where there is the spring loaded button that pushes the float down? Should there be a seal in there?

Tom,

it sounds like your inlet valve is clogged or even broken ....
If you wann order a new one you will get it here in the shop to . It called
"Schwimmernadelventil" ..... This valve is controlling the the hight of gas in you carburator. Or you may check the adjustment of the swimmer.

Mathias

Thanks Doc. I've stripped down the carburetor and everything looked quite clean and in good condition. I think it must have been refurbished not long before I bought it. The fuel leaks when I hold this button down. Am I just holding it down for too long?

I have all new carburetor parts on order including the Schwimmernadelventil so I'll fit this and see what happens.

So the carb is just leaking when you push down the button ???

Thats what the button was made for. When you engine is cold, you push down the buttom (so long until the fuel is coming out ot the carb) . With this function you raise up the level of fuel for the cold start.

Mathias

Ahh ok, great. That's one less thing to fix then.

Tom...

... but I´ve never been in Scotland before... So I think I have to ...

Regards,

Bernd

Hello Tom,
I´m sure that you will go up hills...
I can say for me that I´ve got up hills with a gradient of 16% but only with pedalling.
How high are the hills in scottland?
Look it on this way: When you are pedalling you do something for your fitness during your journey

Regards,
Crsipin.

No, Crispin. The first question is: the living weight from Tom. And the package.

Tom, The Sr2 have a total weight (with driver, with package) of 148 Kg. If you can realis this (better you are underneath )its nothing of problem to go straitly a hill well up. Without pedals! And!!: The cold weather ist better on hills (long time on 1. gear, slowly, nothing of windcooling...)

Bahnhof