Pre-65 Bikes

Hello, i have a NEB clutch in my bsa trials bike and it is too sharp and agressive. i only use 4 of the 6 spring to make it softer but it is still very sharp and hard to control. I used to lubricate the plates with light gear oil before but after half a trial the clutch starts to stick and wont free complete. Now i run the clutch dry and it doest stick any more but it is very grabby. Did anyone find a trick to make this clutch work for trials ? Different plates or springs or an oil dat doesnt start to stick ? Kind regards Bob

The clutch was slipping really bad when I trid to start her up on the second day of the Dartmoor trial. Took it apart and the fibre had worn right down on all of the plates, which surprised me as I've only done about 10 trials on it. Are there different types of plate I should get with a more hard wearing compound? I see you can get alloy friction plates which cost nearly £40 each (I think, maybe this is for a set) what's the advantage of using these over the steel one? I have 11 plates in total 6 fibre and 5 steels, has anyone tried mixing them up, so using some alloy some steel? Final question, where's the best place to get these from? All help much appreciated. Th…

hi all been riding on my c15, i love it! dont know why i am building a bantam?? lol any way i have a set off old betor shocks on the with with the valves on, but one is leaking bad so they just bottom out, and am a big lad, so is there any other shocks that are good and cheapish,????? other than the betor ones,

Hi from Spain: I own this Pre-65 bike with a Villiers engine. Some days ago the piston blocked because it was overheated (a hot spanish day). When te engine cooled down a little it started again with no problems. Now sometimes the piston blocks for an instant. The piston looks ok, as well as the inside of the cylinder and the rings. Is there anibody that knows why and how can I stop this??? Thanks in advance.

Does anyone know if this bike is still around and if so who owns it? I'd like to ask them a few questions, I have a cunning plan..... Charlie, hope you don't mind, I took it from your excellent website, I owe you a beer :-)

After todays outing and after letting someone else try the B40, who at least knows what they are doing, it transpires that as i felt the rear shocks on the B40 need sorting. The ones fitted are "Mick Andrews Classic" ones with the black springs and either the spring rate is too heavy or the damping rate is. So do i put them on E bay and fit something else if so what? I was thinking either Betor, heard you can specify the spring rate, Rock Shocks, hear they are around again but dont know where to get them, NJB Trick Shocks , again allegedly you can specify length spring rate etc. Anybody used them on a Pre 65 B40 ? Alternatively should i try to get some lighter spri…

... I have just bought a Bantam. Should be able to pick it up in a week or so, been looking around for a while and I think I've made the right choice. Very good set of gears and revs well, watch this space :-)

Hello all, Been having a nosey round this awesome corner of the forum for some inspiration and advice. As a direct result of my mate Petorius' purchase of a Tiger Cub project i am now the proud owner of a Bantam project. I'm not new to the world of bikes (i'm on 6 and counting) and projects but i am somewhat new to the world of trials and in particular pre 65. The sorry looking pile of parts currently consists of a D3 1956 swingarm frame, a 1959 D7 engine, a chrome tank, and not a lot else. One thing i have found is a casting on the underside of the head "GT100B", i was led to believe that the engine had a Todd centre plug head, i was wondering if this casting corres…

hi all, after finish my c15 will get pics soon, i was sat in the shed today thinking what now?? i thought a bantam would be good i had about 7 when i was 14 but sold them so i got another tonight well parts lol, 3 frames tank engine in millions of bits half missing! but i do not want to rush this project, i have the c15 to play on so i am in no rush but i am in two frames off mind weather to build a bantam trials with a modded frame?? or put it in my rigid frame with girder forks?? its not a bantam one but it has been made to fit bantam engine, so people should i build the bantam into a swing arm or go and put it in the rigid with girders??? any help would be good if any…

Hi all, hope my questions haven`t been covered before but here goes...I fancy having a go at pre 65 Trials, I`m 39, and up til a few years ago used to do a bit of trail riding on a modern KTM,and often made the numbers up in Mid wales enduro`s. I`ve got a `65 C15 frame (road) and engine in the garage and hopefully this would form the basis of my bike. I`m ok with gas bottles,even better with angle grinders and brilliant at leaving chuck keys in lathes.... Q1.. Does pre 65 mean a `65 bike is too young or is it from when machine production run began? Q2 what sort of mods should I aim for that would leave me eligible to ride with majority of clubs( hope that isn`t too vagu…

Does anyone know where I can purchase (or anyone who makes) a brand new aluminium fuel tank for my BSA B25 I was after something like the ones fitted to the B50 MX bikes

Hey guys! I picked up a Tiger Cub Trials recently and looking to mod the suspension to more better/modern-ish. For the front end I'm looking at baby cerianis as an option. Has anybody went this route fro a front end? Or would a set of 35 Betors be a smarter option. Thanks in advance! Jeff

I managed to take some New pictures of the Ariel well the sun was out today, here they are, hope you like them. I will be getting new fork shrouds (the rusty bit) once I get my money for the Ariel being in Classic Bike guide this month. Will also get some chrome tank badge surrounds and a few other bits an bobs

Cheers:Mike

Put a new Reynolds Primary Chain on my B40 (first one in years, old one didn't seem stretched, but better safe than sorry) question is, do they stretch initially and need re-tensioned, or is this not generally a problem ? When fitting it there were dire warnings about using a conventional link rather than endless. The old chain had a link and was never a problem, any views ? Where can I get a tool to put chain links in, every cycle chain breaker has this facility,but I've never seen one for larger chains. Thanks Ross

Thanks to Jim Evans and John Robertson we found this Greeves TFS Scottish for a very reasonable price. It will be my next project for this summer. Will upload some pics with the progress and when finished. Any advice is wellcome. My idea is to paint frame and tank in a metallic blue (not the original) and make the seat in dark grey.

Need a barrel.

I am interested in building a B40 on a new frame and don't really fancy the Miller 'Hi-boy'. Does anyone know of another frame maker other than Cheney? I have a lovely Cub with a hand built frame that I believe was by Roy Burgess - is he still making frames does anyone know and how to get hold of him? Any help and advice appreciated!

Hi All, Hope you are all keeping well, I am struggling to attain a few bits for my DMW MK15 trials bike which i am currently restoring. Would someone be able to guide me where I could post on the forum. As I am in need of a set of steering head bearings. No originals were found as the bike was in bits when I received it and was not then able to get measurements or part number. And I am looking for a complete exhaust for the bike. The frame bore for the bearing is 46mm outer and then chamfered to a depth of 12mm, Then inner bore of the bearing needs to be 32mm. I have been struggling for a few months now but after a show i have been to have been advised to pop…

Hi guys, i'm new to this site and to rebuilding/ building engines, Consequently this may be the first of many posts! My cub is a '61 with an oval head. I've done quite a bit of work to it with more enthusiasm than skill! I've started to put it back together and will be fitting a pvl ignition - purchased from Sammy Miller. I also purchases a case that had pillars machined by serco (?). My query relates to the distributor and i perhaps should have posted this query before i fitted the inner case! I'm assuming that the distributor on my model (sat on top of engine) is now redundant? Thinking this is didn't fit the clamp between the inner cases? What advise can an…