Editor’s note: If you’re having trouble with that old Suzuki, BSA or BMW, Keith Fellenstein is your guy. From motorcycle tuning tips to detailed motorcycle engine repair, he can draw from a wealth of experience to help guide you to success. Send questions to: Keith’s Garage, Motorcycle Classics, 1503 SW 42nd St., Topeka, KS 66609, or send an e-mail with “Keith’s Garage” as the subject.
Stuck on a Whitworth
Q: My 1968 BSA 441 Victor has a nut that I can’t manage to remove. It’s the one down inside the fuel tank that secures the tank to the frame. The nut is rounded off. This seems like an impossible place to reach with my limited collection of tools. Any suggestions? – John Grenier/via email
A: I’ve run into this problem before, and at the time I had to carefully force a socket over the nut and then carefully unscrew it. An easier way would be to get a set of bolt extractors. These are specially machined sockets made to fit over a rounded bolt head and bite into it so it can be unscrewed. Individually they can be expensive, but you can buy an inexpensive set from BikeMaster.
