Finally I was going to put a new rear tyre on. I bought the standard size 2 inch wide.
After quite a long test ride I saw a crack in the front tyre as well. The 40 year old
"Made in Spain" Pirelli had given up. I went over to my tyre buddy Kjell and told him
to give me the widest tyre that would fit. So the skinny 2" tyre was moved to the front
and the new 2.75 fit at the rear. The look is impressive (Well....)
The 2" tyre is Moped quality which equals bicycle quality. A sharp stone will cut through
but the sturdier 2.75 motorcycle tyre is a better choice and will last for ever.
20071006
Bad luck today! Exploding rear tire on the way to Sigtuna.
20070822
The front light has been fixed. There was something that looked like a
mouse nest inside the light switch. I cleaned it out and it works perfecly.
The front fork centernut has not been found but I have solved the problem by
using a long bolt through the fork center tube and nuts and washers and a spacer
to tighten it up. Works good enough.
I was planning to take the Ossita to the Mellsta meet in Borlänge but a few days
before the meet she let me down and started misfiring again after some 5 kilometres.
I took the old Puch to Borlänge instead.
Today she runs fine again. I have no idea why she behaves like this.
The head light chrome ring was a bit rusty and dented. I put it in "lemon acid" and it came out
like new. The head light had some dents that I straightened and sprayed on some Biltema rim color.
Looks really good!
20070803
The front fork was stuck, very uncomfortable on bumpy dirt roads.
I opened the drain plugs-no oil. I pulled the lower legs off-lots of
old dried grease. I dried off most of the grease and put the fork
together, filled it up whith degreaser and took it for a spin on
a bumpy parking lot. Back home I took the fork apart again, cleaned
it as good as possible, put it together and filled her up with ATF fluid.
Now the fork is moving quite smothly.
The fork center top nut that I bought did not really fit. After a while
it came of. It is 1mm to large.
20070727
I took her for a long ride, about an hour and now she runs perfect.
I hope the repaired carb float will last. Front light does not work
any longer I guess due to quite heavy vibrations at high rews.
The front fork has to be tightend up, the front fork cover which
is also the mount for the head light is loose and vibrations made
the light bulb say good night.
when I came home the top center nut was missing but lucky enough
I found a new one today at the MHS swapmeet at Tullinge.
20070723 The tank has been welded, no leak. I suspected the Ingnition coil
so I fitted a 6V coil from an old Volkswagen. She started fine but when
I took her for a longer run she started to misfire and stop again. It must
be the capacitor. What do I do? These motoplat moped ignition systems does
not exist on this side of the Alps. And I can't wait for parts from Spain.
I took an old capacitor from an Opel Kadett engine I have on my garage
floor and I did not fit it behind the flywheel but directly on the frame
together with the coil. I thought it would be easier for later service.
Also the point were badly worn, I just grinded them up and put them back.
I will get new ones from Spain.
Today I would find out it I had solved the problem cause I just started
up the engine but it was to late for a long tour. She started up fine but
after 500m the carb is flooding and engine stops. By turning the fule on
and off manually I manage to run a few kilometers. Ignition seem O.K. When
I took the carb apart I notice the plastic float is leaking. Full of gas!
I drilled a small hole to empty it and have now sealed it with epoxy. I
will make a new try tomorrow. I also took the leaking transcover off. The
gasket was not in place that's why it was leaking. I removed the gasket
and sealed with silicone. Filled up the trans with some ATF. When I put
motoroil in the clutch started slipping.
****
20070719
On tuesday I thought I would take Ossita to the local Geriatric biker
hangout at Eggeby Gard. It is just 4-5 km from home so it is possible to
walk home if necessary.
The rain was hanging in the air but what the heck. After 1 km she starts
misfiring and stops. She starts after a minute or so and I ran for another
km. Same thing again and rain starts falling. I finally arrived at the
cafe and there was a lot of intrest for this rare bird.
This is a vintage bike meet and all bikes are non Japanese. Monark, Javas,
prewar Husqvarnas, Ariel Square four and similar.
Since most guys are in their 60's or 70's, they actually know what an Ossa is.
On the way homne rain got heavier. I past a gas station and put in 5 litres.
When I got home I was dripping wet and later in the evening the garage floor
was wet, smelling gasoline.
When I filled the tank up a leak showed up. The tank has been laying directly
on the frame and I think there is a leak in the weld just under the front
of the seat.
****
20070715
I fitted a clutch lever and cable, fitted the front brake cable and did a
few miles yesterday. I was painfully slow, slower than a Swedish 1hp moped.
In 3rd gear it would not pull, only downhill.
Today I rode i around town for 8-10 km. Lots of fun, rear shocks haves
no damping so it jumps at every bump. The more I run it the better she
runs, but still very slow. Since carb looked fine and was cleaned and compession
good I suspected a common problem on old mopeds. The exhaust port closes
up with carbon deposit. I took the cylinder head off and I was right. The
exhaust port was almost closed. I took the cylinder off. I had to tilt
the engine forward to get the cylinder out, free from the frame. The exhaust
port was cleaned, a new cylinder base gasket had to be cut out and everything
put together all with in 1 hour. New there was a different song in the
cow bell! Which means, it sounds like a 2hp motorbike. Just a short trip
around the block, it is 11 a clock at night, just to make sure she is running
good. Runs like a dream. 3rd gear is quite high good for touring. She should
be able to criuse at about 50kph. Just some misfiring sometimes. Haven't
checked the points yet. I thought I would change the gearbox oil. Opened
the drain plug. Empty! Oops! Should have checked before running. I filled
up with oil, had to tighten the side cover screws but still it does not
seem to be oil tight. I will probably have to take the transcover off to
clean and maybe fit a gasket or silicone. **** 20070708 After cleaning
out the carburettor on friday it fired up when I filled the carb with gas.
First success! Today I took the wheels off. All the chrome is gone on the
rims but under the tyres the inside of the rims and spoke nuts are fresh
and free from rust. This bike has never seen snow or salty roads. The tyres
are good enough to reuse, Pirelli 2.25-18 made in Spain front and Michelin
also made in Spain at the rear. Front inner tube was air tight but the
rear I changed because it was leaking. Front brake shoes looks like new,
rear very little worn.
Wheel bearings front feels not perfect, rear O.K I think. I will not change
them now, just put some oil in them. They will last many years anyway,
I will maybe put 2-300 km a year on this little cutie. The centerstand
has a crack that I will weld up. The cluthlever is missing. I had a Magura
lever that I fitted temporarly. The 3-speed hand shifter needs a special
lever that block the shifting when the clutch is not released. The front
fender is made of a plastic that has disintegrated. Will see how I attack
that problem. Will probably find a another similar one.
The gas tank is absolutely free of rust inside. In Sweden old bikes always
have lots of rust inside. This one was just oily. I will clean it out and
put back. When I started it up even the head light was working. Rear has
no bulb so I don't know if it is working. The Ossita has a weird arrangement
of pedals and foot pegs. The rear break is actuated by using your heel,
not your toe. Swedish pedal mopeds always had the rear brake connected
to the pedals.
The seat looked quite good but the cover seemed not to fit perfectly. When
O took it off I could see the seat was recovered with a universal cover,
not to bad actually but has a crack in it so I will try to redo the seat
during the winter. The seat suspension has spring like cars from the 60's.
The first motorbike I have seen with this kind of seat.
