The position of the backplate is important in setting the timing. Do you know the timing figure for the bike, ie the point at which the points should just start to open? From distant memory it was 1.8 mm before tdc for the TY175. You can check it using a depth gauge and multimeter. Failing that bolt the backplate in the central position on its slots and set the correct points gap when fully open. If the bike starts and runs at that you can try adjusting the backplate one way or the other to advance or retard the timing until it feels/sounds about right.
No need to go to the expense of an electronic system if it's just a case of setting the timing, though I'm dubious about using the lighting coil in place of the ignition coil.
There isn't a level plug or sight glass, so it's not possible to determine how much oil is left in without draining the whole lot and measuring how much comes out. If it's no more than a weep you should be OK to ride for a session without running out of sufficient oil. Could always pour a few cc in while you're out with the bike to be safe, without overdoing it.
I'm guessing you may not have been to a trial yet? If that's the case, it might be good to go and spectate at one before your October event. Either way, you'll come away from your first trial understanding a lot more about the sport and, I'm sure, looking forward to the next one.
On the day of the trial, carefully watch a few riders through each section before you make your attempt. Get a feel for where it's most grippy, what speed to use, what gear to be in by learning from others' efforts. Don't go for a clean on every section - use a well planned dab to get you round a tight turn to start with.
Use the queues at sections to have a chat with fellow riders, many will be glad to give you the benefit of their experience.
Try to keep up with the general flow of riders as you progress round the course - don't drift to the back of the entry as you'll feel extra stress if you get isolated.
If you've got an A2 licence then any trials bike will fall within the maximum power output you're allowed to ride, ie A2 means you can legally ride any trials bike on the road. Competing in a trial makes no difference to the licence you're required to have.
If this isn't a new problem for you with this bike, I'd say it's just a combination of the kickstart lever position and angle, and the engine compression, making a strong stab on the lever necessary which you are finding difficult. My bike is similar, in that others find it awkward to start, but I can jump on it and start it straight away due to practice and learning the best angle to use with my leg to impart the necessary quick jab. If you're short in the leg, it might help to put your left foot on a suitable rock or lump in the ground to give you more leverage as you get used to the technique.
Had a look at Companies House details and Greeves Motorcycles is still registered as an active company, with Richard Deal as director. Think they must be trading on a small scale, rather than as the new-found saviour of British offroad motorcycle manufacturing as was originally touted.
Personally I've no time for any firm that hangs its reputation on a website which last received any input from its owner seven or eight years ago.
Others may be along to give a definitive answer but I wouldn't have thought so. The modern (company's description, not mine) 280 trials bike died a seemingly inevitable death before it got going. There were replica old school Greeves being produced, but haven't heard of them for a long time. Certainly if the company is still going, it's surely suffering a lack of sales to be expected for any concern which doesn't update it's website for years.
There isn't a Haynes manual, but Clymer did publish one which is still available secondhand on eBay. This is just as detailed as a Haynes manual would be, so possibly worth having if you anticipate a rebuild for example, but covers Bultacos over several years, and is not specific to the Alpina but would include specifications, torque settings etc for it.
Before starting the bike, put it in 5th gear, pull clutch sit on bike and push/pull bike. It will free. Than you can start it and ride.
And if that doesn't work, start the bike, put into gear (it'll lurch forward), hold the clutch lever in and accelerate through the gears until the clutch frees off. If you reach fifth with no change, try some sharp accelerations or uphill runs to put a bit more load through the clutch. I once had to do a good five minutes of this with a Sherco after a lay-off of several weeks but it freed eventually.
Fork damper valving in standard TY175 forks is basic and was designed with using something like 10w30 motor oil so if you want some dampening effect then it is better to stick with something heavier in viscosity...even 10w will be too watery.There are posts on here from the past that have more information if you trawl through them in the Yamaha Forum.
I'd have thought a watery oil would be excellent for a dampening effect. For a damping effect though, a heavier grade oil would indeed be preferable.
Ossas had a shortish wheelbase to start with, reducing it further would probably be too much of a good thing. In fact, some folk lengthened the swinging arm back in the day, though perhaps more commonly on the Mark 1 MAR, which was notably shorter than its rivals.
If it was me I'd move the plug to the central hole, simply because the motor was designed to run that way with respect to flame travel and thermal efficiency. I'd definitely retain the decompressor though, because:
1) with Ossa brakes, any supplementary retardation is useful
2) if the bike is dropped and starts revving its head off, a decompressor is a foolproof way of stopping it, unlike a kill button.
Something these Ossas were known for was bending rear spindles, you could be in for some fun if you haven't tried removing it yet. Hard to tell from the photo but looks like your bike may still be running a dished rear sprocket, as originally fitted (aftermarket kit to convert to flat sprocket was a popular fitment). Perhaps a sign the bike hasn't seen a lot of use?
Mine seems fine, but I know people went on about Montesa gearboxes back in the day. At least you won't be unloading at 140mph like Guy Martin, though it may feel like it if it drops into neutral on a steep downhill. Those brakes won't save you.
Looks like the bike is running the spark plug in the angled hole to the side of the head, where I think the original had a blanking plug which was often removed to fit a decompressor. Probably advisable to swap the plug to the central hole.
The fork sliders, exhaust pipe shape and rear shock position define it as a Mark 2 Mick Andrews Replica, ie 1974/5 model. Dad of 2 is correct about the 310 model having green and red stripes, and the tank on your bike looks to have its original stripes (many have aftermarket or homemade stripes which are obviously unoriginal) suggesting it's a 250, but I think you're right about only the 310 having the fin cutouts.
250 bore and stroke is 60 x 72 mm = 244cc
350 is 65 x 77 mm = 310cc
Easy to whip off the cylinder head and measure the bore to confirm which motor you've got.
The 350 was never that popular, the 250 certainly was, seemed to run better and smoother than the 350 and had enough power for the sections at the time
Looks like someone has welded on alternative top mounts for the rear shocks to increase suspension movement.
Don't know about future prices but your figures prompted me to do a quick comparison of historical prices.
In 1979 I bought a new 250 trials bike (Montesa Cota 247). I ride that very bike now, but that's another story.
Applying the UK inflation rate between 1979 and the present day to the price I paid, that bike would cost £3479 today. Another way of looking at this is that the price of trials bikes has increased by a heck of a lot more than inflation. Or, modern bikes are so technically advanced that it's foolish to compare them with the stone age technology of the Cota 247 and as such are genuinely worth a price which represents inflation plus £2k.
...Another disappointment was the disappearance of the 'new' Greeves trials bike...
I don't think that was seen as a disappointment. Rather, perhaps. as an inevitable consequence of the company's pricing policy and it's reported attitude towards potential customers.
As totalshell infers the sky's the limit when it comes to buying parts (some of them major, like wheels) to convert to trials trim. Really depends on what type of trials bike you're looking to create. If it's a reasonably competitive one, you'll be in for quite a lot of work and expense. If you just want a bike to ride for fun (though it might not provide much) you could just do a light conversion but end up with a bit of a lump and, sadly, spoil what might be a reasonably nice road bike by trying to turn it into something it's not.
I think there is another factor which plays into whether colour schemes are a factor in purchasing decisions. It seems to me that a high proportion of committed riders in my area, the type who compete every week and are in the top half of the results, tend to renew their bikes every year, or two at the most, and many of these people tend to be brand-loyal. As such the committed Beta rider, for example, will replace his steed with next year's model and whether the 2018 Beta is red, white or even turquoise is something of an irrelevance to him (or her). I can believe that the rider who is new to trials could be more influenced by colour scheme, especially if they have a background in, say, mountain biking where such things seem to be of crucial importance.
Thanks for that, very interesting, particularly your comments on Jotagas. Everyone who's reported on riding one seems to love them as a clubman friendly, well made bike but nobody seems to be buying them new.
Could I ask where you got your test rides? (Dealer?).
Sorry this has drifted a bit from the original question.
TY250 A points setting
in Yamaha
Posted
The position of the backplate is important in setting the timing. Do you know the timing figure for the bike, ie the point at which the points should just start to open? From distant memory it was 1.8 mm before tdc for the TY175. You can check it using a depth gauge and multimeter. Failing that bolt the backplate in the central position on its slots and set the correct points gap when fully open. If the bike starts and runs at that you can try adjusting the backplate one way or the other to advance or retard the timing until it feels/sounds about right.
No need to go to the expense of an electronic system if it's just a case of setting the timing, though I'm dubious about using the lighting coil in place of the ignition coil.