40 replies to this topic

[Old trials fanatic]

jon v8, on 15 December 2011 - 08:26 PM, said:

I may be a bit hazy on this,but I thought the Chapmans were built on a DT175MX Yam motor,same as the BSA Tracker ?

Err wouldnt that make it a Chapman Yamaha then ?

[Pete_Scorpa3]

Old trials fanatic, on 15 December 2011 - 09:36 PM, said:

Err wouldnt that make it a Chapman Yamaha then ?

Does the frame make the name or the engine?

Scorpa's are (were) Yamaha's in Japan. Montesa's are Honda's.

[Nigel Dabster]

My link

[2/4]

Indeed you are right, my old brain was confusing it with the Walwin BSA - these Midlanders all seem the same to me

[mick_99]

Hi, Nice to see a picture of one again,and in good original condition with stickers still intact! Yes it was a Yamaha DT 175 engine with a big flywheel and a 'boost bottle' to improve bottom engine torque,and the exhaust was developed by W.E.S.The frame was a BSA Tracker modified,and was the first production mono shock trials bike.Ossa had played around with one with John Reynolds but as a prototype.I developed it with Burty Goodman of BSA,[formally Velocette]hence Chapman BSA.My Dad and i had a British bike shop in Evesham [Evesham Motorcycles] The rear end of the bike was fantastic,but the fork angle was a little to steep and could tuck under,but to sell it for under £1000 we could not spend any more developing it,but it was not bad to ride at all.Hope this clears up a few things up.I would like to buy one to restore and ride again if anyone wants to part with one. Mick Chapman

[cmitchell]

The picture in the link is my bike. Frame and engine number 2k4-00400.K (according to v5) registered 05-01-82 on plate HWP151X. I got the bike in 1984 and I think its completly orignal. Like the other post its been in the garage for most of its life having done only 2 trials with me.

It was owned by Philip Basford near Evesham for a while.

It still starts up on 2,3 kick

I am not interested in selling it, but happy to post some more photos if there is any interest.

[cmitchell]

mick_99, on 12 December 2011 - 06:36 PM, said:

Hi, Yes i built the Chapman BSA,and we made 20 production bikes and there were 3 prototype made.Yours frame no.will be0018.Let me know if i can help any more.Regards Mick Chapman.

Hi Mick

I just posted some info about my Chapman (the one in the photo on trials central) any info gratefully recieved, engine and frame number 2K4-00400.k reg HWP 151X

regards Colin

[mick_99]

cmitchell, on 03 January 2012 - 08:18 PM, said:

Hi Mick

I just posted some info about my Chapman (the one in the photo on trials central) any info gratefully recieved, engine and frame number 2K4-00400.k reg HWP 151X

regards Colin

Hi Colin, Sadly i have no records of who purchased them originally,but yours is number 4 of 20.Alot were road registered like yours in 1981/82.I new Phil Basford well, but he has now sadly passed away,but i don't think he was the first owner of your bike.I started converting a BSA Tracker 175 Trail bike to trials in the late 70's as we were dealers for BSA.There was a few people developing Mono's in the late 70's,but iam pretty sure we were the first to do a proper Factory production run of Mono Shock trial bikes.If i can help more let me know. Regards Mick.

[shazsdad]

I have been reading this topic and would like to know what alterations were made to the standard road going BSA Tracker to make a Chapman BSA?

Thanks

[Andy M]

I know a bloke in Worcester who has one and saw one at an auto jumble a few years ago at Ross on Wye.

[hewson]

One on ebay now ....... http://www.ebay.co.u...=item53ec17b3d0

Edited by hewson, 18 March 2012 - 09:16 AM.

[Andy M]

Im intrigued to know where does the BSA part come into it, it's a modified Yamaha built by a bloke called Chapman ??

[Nigel Dabster]

Andy M, on 19 March 2012 - 08:55 PM, said:

Im intrigued to know where does the BSA part come into it, it's a modified Yamaha built by a bloke called Chapman ??

Try reading the thread above?
I am sure the use of the name was to get some interest just the same as the current greeves. However as a potential purchaser of one it put me off.

[shazsdad]

As it has gone from ebay, who was the lucky bidder?

[Andy M]

Nigel Dabster, on 20 March 2012 - 06:07 AM, said:

Try reading the thread above?
I am sure the use of the name was to get some interest just the same as the current greeves. However as a potential purchaser of one it put me off.

It never really worked back then . Triumph seemed to work, they have been taking on the big 4 for a while now even though they had to change the logo slightly. As for the Greeves, less said about that etc etc etc ......