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Bsa Bantam Conversion


bultoboy
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Hi guys,

I was helping my dad clear out one of his garages and in the corner lurking behind an enfield was a old BSA bantam rolling chasis, under a cloth there was an engine and other odds and sods looks like maybe 90% of the bike present.

It is obviously a road bike and it is of the twinshock era rather then ridgid.

My question is what work and cost would it take to make this basket case into a decent trials machine? Is it even worth the effort of should i do it back up into a road bike and flog it? If i could.convert it i would keep it but i dont have a road license.

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How much to make it into a "decent trials machine" ? well somewhere between £1000 and £4000 depending on how competitive you want it and how much needs doing to the motor. Basically all you will keep is the frame and motor and possibly the hubs all the rest goes either in the skip or onto e bay. Most of the more competitive Bantams have "replica" frames too but you dont "need" to go that far unless you are mega competitive.

Well you did ask :popcorn:

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I have the same dilemma (well sort of), I just don't know whether it is worth the hassle/work building a trials bantam, seems to me competing in pre65 trials is very expensive (to build a competitive bantam) and so much hassle with the myriad of eligibility rules and regs, could see it being more of a money pit than the majesty build that I have nearly completed (are they ever finished ?)

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only 4 grand?.. you could build a bike from used bits off ebay for about 1500 quid.. 4spd motor,exhaust alloy rims/tyres new. controls, tankmight be douable for a grand. for your grand plus you ll be wanting a new ignition, sprockets, chain, , brake shoes. that 1500 quid soon gets eaten up.

4/5k MIGHT get you a running v5'd donor bike a full drayton kit ignition wheels and with used wheels /forks.

all motorcycle trials is expensive.. pre 65 is potentially the most expensive and ironically sometimes the cheapest.

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Cheers guys,

After what andy mentioned i poked about and found it has 4 gears and is a d7.

I am usually seen on a bultaco is it frowned upon to use later parts to build up a bike as i have a few bultaco bits knocking around.

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if it is a D7 it cannot be four speed without major internal mods to crankcases etc to fit four speed box, is it three gears and a neutral ?

ps don't start the subject of later parts on pre65 or twinshock bikes, you are better breaking open a hornets nest with your bare hands !!

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Sounds like the rule on using later parts on pre65 bikes is no cheap parts from twinshocks, has to be off brand new bikes :rolleyes:

Glad we don't run the class much over here & those sort of bikes wouldn't have any class to run in

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My son and I built a trials Bantam from a B175 model some 15 years ago. The bike, which was a runner cost £200 and we had to add another £700 to get it competitive, ie capable of completing a trial, but certainly not winning one. Then almost every thing had to be made as there were very few suppliers selling trials bits. Was it worth the trouble? No really. If we had bought a twin shock it would have been a real trials bike ready to go. And would have kept its value more than a home build Bantam with no competition record.

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Dont get too hung up about what is correct or eliglible,just build a bike you feel happy with riding - then get on and ride the bloody thing.Enter it in the specials class or ride for no award,most people just need the experience of competition - not hassle about having the wrong carb or hubs etc.Build your ability,enjoy the trial and be happy about using something you have built up rather than just handing over a credit card for a modern Gas Gas.

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Dont get too hung up about what is correct or eliglible,just build a bike you feel happy with riding - then get on and ride the bloody thing.Enter it in the specials class or ride for no award,most people just need the experience of competition - not hassle about having the wrong carb or hubs etc.Build your ability,enjoy the trial and be happy about using something you have built up rather than just handing over a credit card for a modern Gas Gas.

Dont dissagree with anything youve said Jon however thats why i said £1000 upwards. An engine rebuild can easily cost £300 +, tyres £150, 2nd hand wheels from breakers £100, forks and yokes £100, bars chains and sprockets £100, odds and sods £100 and youve still got a bike thats worth bugger all second hand whereas a decent twinshock can be bought and fettled for less and hold it's value. Thats what i meant. the question was "is it worth the money and effort to convert?" NO "would i be better off selling it?" YES sell it and put the money towards buying a twinshock IMHO
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OTF, I wasnt having a go,just trying to encourage people to build bikes and enjoy them,from scratch or an old nail - whatever.(And trying to keep money out of it)The point I was trying to make is that the satisfaction from making a trials bike up from bits or converting an old road bike is immense.I dont know about you but a big part of P65/Twinshock trials is seeing the creations of the riders and chatting to them about what they have done,how its going etc.To me thats the whole spirit of what we do,not just cleaning section after section,or collecting pots.

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