What is DRIP FEED?

Apart from being the name of the VMCC's monthly journal, the term ‘drip feed’ refers to the basic total-loss lubrication system typically found on veteran motorcycle engines.  Oil drips into the engine via a simple spring loaded hand pump and adjustable needle valve.  The oil splashes around inside the crankcase lubricating the workings until it is either burned or expelled. Unlike later systems, oil is not re-circulated back to the oil tank.

 Many veteran machines have a little sight glass on the side of the petrol / oil tank so the rider can see, and count the oil drops.  Thus, the rider can adjust the oil supply. The rider  must remember to regularly re-charge the hand pump!  Too much oil results in a smokey exhaust, too little oil and ...   Fortunately, veteran engines are lowly stressed and modern oils are far superior to those available almost a century ago.  

Manually pumping oil into your engine is a skill lost to riders of more modern bikes with automatic pumps, and is another quaint idiosyncrasy that endears people to riding veteran motorcycles.