Pre-65 Bikes

As most of you know this winters "project" was an upgrade for the bike i am using in Pre 65 and Classic Trials to replace the old B40. Well it's "finished" in as much as a competition bike is ever finished. Anyway now the real work starts. Fine tuning carburation, playing about with flywheel weights, ignition timing, port timing, suspension rates etc etc etc. And yes i know the frames the wrong colour but i couldnt find any maroon and i had loads of black plus i like black frames

Hi all, I'm just starting to make the fuel tank for my Bantam and was wondering about fuel capacity, how much fuel do you think a trials Bantam needs? I'll only be doing club events and won't be doing any road trials, is a gallon enough capacity? Thanks.

So, where do I start. We built an Ariel a few years ago and I just cannot get it to run when hot without making hideous noises. My initial thoughts were that the top end was getting starved of oil, I have a frame with the oil filler under the seat and the return pipe has a hole in it before it pushes the oil up to the rocker. The hole is about 5mm diameter so the oil does not bother to carry on past it. I put an additional pipe in before it entered the return pipe, issue was the same, I then removed this and restricted the return hole by putting an inner clutch cable down the pipe along with a nipple that closed up the hole whilst oil returned, issue was the same. So I…

I’m looking for a nice exhaust silencer for my Villiers project, I’ve had a look around and all I can find are 4 stroke silencers?

Hi, can anybody point me in the direction of a supplier for the parts to make up a rear brake cable for my B40. (Trialsbits cant help) Dont want to use a rod as the brake comes on as the suspension compresses. Thanks in advance Ross

For anyone with a pre 60 registered or manufactured bike/vehicle. I tried to tax my AJS today and the computer said no - Mot not on record,it runs out on the 20th of Feb.(One side of the form says Mot required,the other side says from the 20th of Nov 2012 its not needed) The new tax disc is from the 1st of march.Tried local post office and online,the helpful lady gave me a number to call.Some time and many options later I got hold of the chap that actually knows - you need a form V112 available here; http://www.direct.gov.uk/prod_consum_dg/groups/dg_digitalassets/@dg/@en/@motor/documents/digitalasset/dg_065277.pdf This will allow the post office to let you get your free…

Does anyone know where I can get a 19T 520 (5/8, 1/4) for a Burman GP gearbox, or will I have to get the grinder out? Thank

As many of you know i an still persevering with the sows ear project. Mainly because i have no choice and no money now What i want to know is we are now in the 21st century so why is it that when i buy an item sometimes costing hundreds of pounds manufactured from billet on a CNC machine that cost more than my house NOTHING EVER FITS !!!!!! why do i always have to work on the item to make bearings fit or to make it fit the other parts supplied sometimes from the same supplier ????? Everything i have bought lately NOTHING fits ! i have to spend ages with wet and dry or machining the component on my lathe etc Surely it's not too much to expect when paying so …

Hi, I'm really keen on getting a Rigid (I like a challenge!) and while top choice would be something like a nice big Matchless, funds just aren't going to stretch that far at the moment. I've been looking at little Bantam's and the most available option at the right price is by far a plunger framed version. Are plunger frames going to be any use or will I be fighting a losing battle? I will be buying it as a bit of a project but will be trying to keep it reasonably standard so would rather not start replacing the rear loops to get rid of the plungers. Any opinions would be appreciated! Thanks!

who won the inter centre team trial today?

HI. I'm currently in the process of rebuilding a '58 Triumph 3TA and am wondering what to do about front forks. I have a pair of old bog standard Triumph forks, old meaning springs on the outside! I also have a pair of Bultaco forks, Betor I think. (correct me if I'm wrong) Now looking on various club website that run Pre 65 trials i.e. Poachers Pre 65, Yorkshire classic, Red Rose etc. They all say a similar thing in that the fork is to appear original externally but can have modern parts internally. They all state that Ceriani, R.E.H. and M.P, what ever they are, can not be used. I know I would be within the rules using the old Triumph ones but what about the Bultaco on…

I have an Ariel that since the engine was rebuilt many moons ago run on castrol R. It has to come out for a last minute trial on Sunday and I have no Castrol, will it harm it to just mix whats left in the oil tank with a normal 10/40, or do I need to drain it all out, or does it need to flushed / cleaned throughout before I add another type of OIL. I am sure I read somewhere that it could damage the engine if care wasn t taken when changing from Castrol R. Thanks.

Hi Guy's, This is the frame I have just finished to take our Tiger Cub engine. It is based on the design of Pat Slinn's BSA frame that he built in the competition department in 1964. Here are the pics at last, sorry for the wait. Regards Charlie.

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.

Chain / tyre clearance on my B40 is minimal, I dont think the rear whel can be dished enought to give adequate clearance. Has anybody put a spacer between the sprocket and hub, then made new axel spacers to effectivly move the wheel away from the chain by a corresponding amount ? There is plenty of clearance to the right of he tyre. While I'me picking your brains, I've noticed that if I leave the bike with piston at TDC that it doesn't wet sump as quickly, is this something to do with where the oil pump positon in its stroke ?Thanks in advance for any thoughs / observations. Ross

Just completed a bantam new build. Started with a 4 speed engine and heavyweight forks bought cheap off a lad at work. Frame kit from progressive classics, bantam hubs with new akront rims, everything else new or newly manufactured. Was it cheap ? Probably about £2500 without all of my dads labour or many "guvvys" from work but I think worth it and looks good. First try out tomorrow . Any opinions ? Cheers John

Anybody know of availability of spline kickstart shaft for Triumph Cub, cotter pin type in bike already Vinnie

Bought a T20 cub, want to optimise it, but it should still be a pre 65, not a Twin shock with old engine.... What are youre experiences with the fork, oil, springs, modified interials ? Rear shocks in which lenght ?

Can someone help please how do you remove the gearbox sprocket on a tiger cub. Sounds simple. Have removed clutch casing, duplex chain and sprockets and now cannot see a method apart from removing the gearbox from kickstart side. I believe that there is a mod to the clutch side crancase casing to make this easier, has anyone got this ?. bike is later engine with distributor. thanks in advance.

does anybody know who produces alloy barrels for the 4 speed bantam engine please.