Reliable for daily use?

[hammersteffi]

Hi,
I´m new in the Scott World and willing to buy a bike.

I love to drive pre war bikes and cars. Actually i drive a 1930 Ford Model A and a 1939 Danish 750cc Nimbus.
I use this stuff for more or less daily use and will expand my collection to a Scott.
But which model?

Maybe someone in the Forum has experiance and give me a hint which Scott model is the most reliable one?

Thanks for your assistance
Thomas

[eyeguy]

Hi Thomas
I know nothing about cars but recently sold my Nimbus Type c, so I know a bit about those. There’s very little comparison between a Nimbus and a Scott. The Danish machine is designed to provide basic, reliable transport. The Scott is a purer, sporting machine and follows a different path entirely. You would need to spend some time getting the Scott to a state of grace whereby you might only need routine maintenance thereafter, but it could take a while!
You may well need to repair the radiator.
The clutch is a bit of an acquired taste.
The chains need to be regularly lubricated and adjusted, far more often than on an inferior bike.
For it to idle in traffic is a bonus rather than a expectation.
I’ve owned several and currently run a pre-war, girder forked, rigid model, three speed and hand change. I would suggest that the 500cc motor is less stressed and therefore more reliable than the 600, although others may well differ with that opinion. The post war bikes had Dowty forks which I found to be tedious and leaky. Three speed is good. Modern oils reduce smoking, aid starting and performance and help reliability. Later bikes had distributor ignitions ( like the Nimbus), I’m unconvinced they’re better than the magneto on my preferred choice, but they do eliminate the magneto chain, of course. The Birmngham Scotts are undoubtedly the most refined versions, with swinging arm suspension, but the dullest to ride.
As a sporting machine there’s little to compare with a Scott. It’s quicker and faster than my cammy Velocette and my Norton International and is a brilliant experience to ride. But expect much more shed time than with the Nimbus. Scotts are the only bike I’ve ever owned that approach the fabled 1:1 ratio of riding and workshop time!
I don’t know where you are, but you’d be welcome to come and ride my TT Replica. I’m in West London.
I would go for a pre-war girder forked three speeder, it’s a lighter machine more in keeping with the original ethos than the post war bikes. This is just my opinion, of course.

Best
Paul

[hammersteffi]

Hi Paul,
thanks a lot for the share of your experiance.
And also for your offer to try your TT replica. It´s tempting but I live in southern Germany and it´s not an afternoon excursion to London. 😥 But thank´s again.
I´m aware that to own and ride a scott is totaly different from having a Nimbus and I´m of course ready to spend more time in repair and maintenance.
But as you wrote: “As a sporting machine there’s little to compare with a Scott”… I like to make my own experiance with this wondefull bikes 🙂

So I´m looking closer for a pre-war girder forked three speeder.

Regards
Thomas

[eyeguy]

You’re welcome!
Yesterdays.nl often have a couple and deliver to Germany. I’ve always found them to be excellent.
Best
Paul

[Tman]

Coincidence or what? I have a ’46 Scott and a ’52 Nimbus (among others)
How many times could those two quirky bikes be owned together?
If bikes were cars the Nimbus would be a utility pick-up and the Scott an OHC MGA…!

[BRIAN MARSHALL]

I think that the Scott is best likened to the Bugatti! Honeycomb radiator, fast, and rather fickle, individually made, all different, and a unique exhaust note.
Brian

[chris wastell]

i would say look for a post war model. No mag. It quite straightforward to convert the Dowty forks to conventional springs thus eliminating the leaking air threat. Fixed lugs on the frame for the gearbox, a more stable frame set up. superior front brake, the myths about setting up this brake are just that, in my opinion. The radiator has a car type core as opposed to the pre war honeycomb which may be easier to repair / replace if necessary. Yes the post war bikes are heavier but in my practical experience of them both, it makes a better bike for regular use. Of course, this is just my opinion. good luck. 🙂

[Tman]

Seems a shame to loose the air suspension of the Dowty’s though. I reckon it gives the smoothest ride ever on any old bike, so are worth repairing for that alone. I like the front brake too, although I also like a mag over the later coil and points set-up.

[chris wastell]

Tman wrote:

Seems a shame to loose the air suspension of the Dowty’s though. I reckon it gives the smoothest ride ever on any old bike, so are worth repairing for that alone. I like the front brake too, although I also like a mag over the later coil and points set-up.

But like the man says, one less chain! That’s got to be a good thing. I’ve read somewhere that Dowty forks can be made quite reliable now with the modern seal kits available but that could just be propaganda put about by the manufacturers of said kits 🙂

[Tman]

In the last couple of years Frank Westworth did a write-up on a Flyer and he too mentioned the mag chain as if it is somehow problematic. Don’t see it myself. Mine’s worked OK (as have the Dowty forks and the Pilgrim pump) for almost seventy years, so I think I can forgive such design foibles!

[Roger Moss]

I have just finished a high spec engine for what I was told was a 1947 bike with Webb forks, but then found it had the big special equipment Lucas dynamo on one side and a distributor and pilgrim on the other side. The owner wanted a sporty bike, so I suggested we dispense with the side mounted equipment and reverted to a mag platform with a BTH style electronic magneto with a decent 12V dynamo on top. Personally I do not like alternators as the drive is very notchy and gives the drive train a hard time. Then put the pilgrim on the end as on TT Replica models so it is all tidy. To get round the mag chain problem you use a 3/16 wide chain made for Honda 125 racers and this is far stronger and more reliable. The extra side movement does not have any adverse effect. It is an IWIS product and I have used Iwis chains for several years on my racer and found them superior to anything else I have used. The UK distributor is Andy Forsdick trading as “The Chain Man” tel tel 01299 403688
Mob 07860 577919
andy@the-chain-man.co.uk
Kind Regards Roger

[Tman]

Is it a direct replacement for the existing chain Roger?

[Roger Moss]

Yes
R

[Roger Moss]

HD mag chain is
Magneto chain (1/2″ x 3/16″)
1 off IWIS type P83Y x 68 links
1 off spare connecting link to suit type P83Y chain

This was recommended to me by Andy Forsdick who had advised and supplied chains for racing use over the years
I have not used this chain myself, but apart from those I suggested use it, the only comment was that it is a bit “Chunky”, but then if you need something stronger, then this is understandable.
I do not use it only because my racer drives like a Sprint Special. I.E. it drives the mag from the clutch drum and way back in the 1970’s, I converted it to a belt drive and never have to touch it. Eddie does these conversions if anyone is interested
Kind Regards
Roger

[Author]

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