Mike Tizard takes us through an adventurous and complex restoration of a Raleigh Model 26 SS (350cc overhead-valve). This wonderful old bike has been transformed from a proper crusty shell of a bike, to a stunning example that is well used in events all across the UK.
This story starts back in May 2022, when out of the blue Keith, a fellow motorcyclist, rang me and posed a question “Do you want a bike?” He told a story of a bike which had been found in the garden of a cottage in a village just to the south of Salisbury.
The previous owner of the cottage had passed away in 2021 and the new owner had spent some time clearing out the motoring memorabilia that was left in the house. There was quite a bit by all accounts and as the cottage was largely done, he had turned his attention to sorting out the garden, which had not been touched in years. He employed professional gardeners who found a bike when they were strimming back the undergrowth at the bottom of the garden.
It had been on its side and was completely buried in the dense undergrowth. The owner of the property offered the bike to Keith with the ultimatum, if you don’t want it, I’ll just throw it in the skip! Keith viewed the bike and identified it as a Raleigh, but he felt it was in such a bad state that it was beyond his ability. He kindly offered it to me. Lucky me.
I collected the Raleigh on the 9th June 2022 and set about trying to identify the model, its importance (if any) and to scope the amount of work, in terms of time and cost, required to put it back on the road. At this point I was unsure if it was worth saving and was considering just breaking it for parts. I contacted the Raleigh club and they were very helpful in identifying the model as a Model 26SS. As this model was only produced in 1928, the year was also confirmed.
The attached pictures show its condition back then. I deduced that when the spokes rusted through the bike must have fallen over onto its right-hand side. Like a rotten tree falling in the forest, no one heard it fall! The left-hand side of the bike was uppermost and as it was exposed to the weather, the corrosion was far worse on that side.
The spark plug had been removed and the exhaust, footrests and chain case were missing. The handlebar top clamps were also missing and there was a large dent in the right-hand fuel tank which looked to be more recent, most likely caused when the bike fell over. There was a rusty number plate on the bike, but no sign of a registration number, and while the engine and gearbox numbers were very clear, the chassis number was difficult to see.
I spoke to various Raleigh club members who advised me that I would most likely spend a fortune trying to restore it, and I would also have to spend countless hours working on it. Furthermore, I would find myself traipsing through numerous auto jumbles in the search for unobtainable parts in an attempt of finding that elusive needle in a haystack. Even if I did complete the work, it would likely be worth far less that I paid out on it. I decided there and then, and against all logic, to save it!
In early July 2022 I began the process of stripping the bike, assessing each component part and putting an estimated cost to it. I also carried out a strip report carefully documenting what I found, its condition, and what needed to be done to repair it. The strip of the bike went well, but I guess it still took well over a week before it was down to component parts. I’m an experienced engineer and used all the tricks of the trade to free off the seized and badly corroded nut and bolts. By late July the bike was disassembled and in a series of boxes in my tiny, but perfectly formed shed. I estimated the rebuild cost to be around £5,000, perhaps more if I came across problems.
I could go on for pages and pages on what I found and what I did about it; suffice to say every single component needed some work or other. I replaced all of the rear sub frame tubes, and carried out strengthening work to the frame. The fuel tanks (two saddle tanks) were in a bad state and needed a lot of attention.
The engine had a complete rebuild – new big end, little end, piston, valve springs etc, and I fitted new engine plates (laser cut locally), the gearbox was stripped and unseized, and the hubs were fitted with new bearings, new brake shoes and new rims and spokes.
The carburettor was stripped and ultrasonically cleaned and a new ignition system installed, a new loom was manufactured and I also made the footrests, primary chain case, push rods, clutch plates and various other missing or rotted out components. New (made to pattern) handlebars and an exhaust were made for me by Armours in Bournemouth. The list of jobs was endless.
After a year of work, the bike was back on its wheels, and on a sunny afternoon in late June 2023 I invited Keith and Andy (my long suffering auto jumble partner) over to my place for the initial engine start. The day before I had checked the carburettor and ignition timing and as I had compression, I was fairly confident it would start… but never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined it would start on the first kick… but it did. It was smiles all round and we even had a glass of bubbly to mark the occasion. After well over 1000 (estimated) hours of labour and £4228.81 (yes, I have recorded every penny spent) I had the makings of a working motorcycle.
The DVLA took some time, and after a vehicle inspection and a bit of chasing, a V5 was issued. Tax and Insurance was arranged, and within a day of receiving the V5, WC1149 was ready for its first outing.
Now I do confess to being a little nervous, as although I’ve been riding bikes since I was 14, I’d never ridden one with a lever throttle, hand change, a manual advance and retard, and a total loss oil system! To make it worse the brakes seemed to be poor at best! I plucked up some courage and one evening in late August, when the traffic was quiet and the weather was good, I look it on its first outing! For added comfort my long suffering wife Shirley, followed me in the car.
For me, the most difficult thing to master was the lever throttle which is not intuitive and takes some getting used to. It’s like having cruise control in any gear at any speed, it does not return, and there is no throttle stop on the carburettor, so no idle. Pull back to go faster, push forward to slow down. The gearbox is a three speed Sturmey Archer unit, with a hand change on the right-hand side of the tank. First is back, second is forward, and third is forward again, but through a left-hand gate. The ignition advance and retard is the easiest to master, as the revs raise, pull the lever back to advance the ignition, if you forget, the revs don’t really increase and the exhaust pipe gets very hot and blues! Front brake and clutch are in the normal position (but there is also a foot clutch!) and the rear brake is of course on the left!
I’m pleased to report, that after a short while I got used to it and to be fair, it rides quite well. The procedure for gear changes is a bit hectic for the right hand, with throttle lever back to accelerate, then forward, then hand off the handlebar… change gear… hand back on the handlebar and pull the lever back… accelerate up the road, and repeat. It’s far from a slick process and takes thought and cannot be rushed. The brakes are also bedding in and are getting better. It will do 40 mph with ease, will cruise all day at 45 mph, and I’ve had over 50 mph out of it thus far.
Postscript… its now 2024, and riding the bike is becoming much easier. The more I ride it, the more I’m getting used to it. I had the valves guides remanufactured in the winter of 2023 and this resulted in two breakdowns, both as a result of the valves seizing in the guides… the engineering company had used modern day tolerances! I have to confess that the bike is starting to ‘bloom’ in places as the rust starts to show in parts… I think they call that patina! It is however very reliable, it starts well, and its easy to live with. This year I’ve done around 300 miles thus far, attended the Sunbeam 100 at Brooklands, the Dorset VMCC Giants run, and I’m riding the Banbury and Graham Walker run later this year. Should be a bit of fun. Looking to the future … June 2026… will mark 100 years since Majorie Cottle rode a 175cc Raleigh on a circuitous route from London to Edinburgh… I fancy doing the same on my Raleigh!
Mike has been ‘spotted’ at a number of events this year, and is a great ambassador of the game and an incredible engineer who is more than happy to impart his wisdom. The bike looks the part in person, and here are a few photos of the bike in all its glory, resting up at the 2024 Banbury Run.
an article by Mike Tizzard for The Girder Club
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