Whilst most things on classic motorcycles are relatively simple and straightforward, there are a few components who’s operation is a little more difficult to get your head around. However once you have gained this understanding, fixing and maintaining these items becomes much easier.
The following series of ‘how it works’ articles hopes to explain and demystify some of these more complicated parts of our old bikes. They are based upon the research and reading I had to do in order to understand how my own Matchless G3LS motorcycle was working (or more to the point, often not working!) such that I could get it back on the road. Hopefully you will find the information similarly useful too!
Lucas charging system
An overview of how the Lucas charging system works with regards to the dynamo, battery and regulator, which covers:
- The basic setup.
- Charging the battery.
- Powering the lights.
- When the battery discharges.
Lucas voltage regulator
An in-depth look at the design and operation of the Lucas automatic voltage regulation device, which includes:
- Overview of operation.
- The cut-out circuit.
- The regulation circuit.
- Temperature compensation.
Coming soon…
This website is being constantly updated so please call back again soon for more great ‘how it works’ articles on topics such as:
- Magneto ignition system.
- Amal carburettors.
- Lucas lighting switch.
- Plus many others…
