cleanorbust

Yes, it could "plug into" the "current" unmet need of new bike buyers, but what would the company "charge"? Could "spark" a whole revolution in trials. Sorry...

How did you get on with removing the gear from the crankshaft to do the seals? Just about to do mine.

Good point about the TL125s in the UK. As for the trials bike which has survived best of all, I'd be inclined to rate the TY175 top. Still loads of them about and competing. Sorry way off original topic with this, won't mention it again!

"So which of the top 10 in the world were in scotland (dibs excepted)?" Fair enough. I was referring to our domestic top-liners as related to my previous post. Still, let's not fall out over it. As for the world superstars, I dare say they'd turn up wherever they're paid to whether they like the trial or not.

Well done. I see you fortunately have an alloy tank - non standard on that model of 247?

"nigel dabster" posted: "would many superstars turn up to lose 1 or 2?" They do every day in Scotland.

"nigel dabster" post= "Brown cant walk so im sure he'd drop a few." Exactly why I said "in 2015" rather than "now". I wish him well and bet he'll be back before the end of the year as good as ever.

A combined trials/golf event sounds interesting, but round my way the members frown on using trials tyres on the greens.

"So you are saying a plunger is a twinshock then ?" No.

Depends where you ride, but plungers have own class separate from rigid.

Well, that's him told! I suppose the relevant question may be, if the trial was run in 2015 with exactly the same sections, what score would Dabill/Brown manage? Half the 1970s winning total? Surely. Less than 10? Clean?

If you fancy a challenge and a (relatively) cheap route into the sport without being too bothered about your score, then a lightweight plunger would do it for you. Remember, a decent rider on a poor bike can still put up a reasonable performance - it just needs riding. I'd be wary of altering a standard bike's suspension to ride in a different class though, that sort of thing is known to raise eyebrows, if not hackles, which is all rather unpleasant.

Sounds like the problems you may face in turning it into a decent runner could be moderate rather than severe. But...turning it into a sellable proposition without making a loss could be a different matter. Chances are it may need chain, sprockets, rear units, tyres, brakes, cables etc to make it into a desirable and competitive ride. All of these are available but the cost would soon mount up and the 200 Cotas are not that popular in the first place.

Quote: "Do you think ford or merc or vw worry about 4 year old cars too much, cost of spares etc, I doubt it." And therein lies the rub.

What an absolutely stunningly brilliant picture. Says it all, no caption required.

"Being run over by any bike is not good however some are less bad than others. The low heavy 4 strokes of the 50s, 60s and early 70s used to inflict some pretty horrific injuries an anyone they ran over. The lighter 2 stokes of the 80s and 90s with bulbous expansion chambers often ran over fallen riders without inflicting injury. Your mates RMZ may have a smooth sump shield but without the expansion chamber to hold the rider down his body or part thereof is more likely to hit higher up at the front of the engine where it is narrow and the impact force will be concentrated on a small area. The front engine / frame area on most recent MX bikes is pretty aggressively shaped. All other things being equal, being hit by a heavier bike is going to be worse than a light bike. However when it comes to trials the greater capability of a lighter trials bike means more hazardous obstacles are needed to take marks and hence when the rider fails the subsequent fall is likely to more severe. #10. Whenever I have set out a trial or had a hand in it riders are generally very complementary of the sections. I do appreciate that CoCs have a difficult job these days because of the range of ability, 3 route sections being the norm rather than the single route that sections used too be. The example of the sheep trod I quoted is just one of the instances of this I have seen. I have seen similar situations occur at trials ranging from nationals right down to easy club trials. When I started trials nearly all sections were in gullies, so even if you failed a big step you just jumped off the back or toppled to one side. A far higher % of the sections in some trials today are inclined to "perch" riders on top of obstacles with a big fall off the side if things go wrong. I have no qualms about riding a 4 ft step in a gulley, but if the section required me to go over slippery a 4 ft boulder with nowhere to foot I would not attempt it. Quite a few riders I know including trial winners take the same view." Well said sir.

Quite good coverage I thought, though I've usually seen enough of world rounds after a few minutes of stopping and hopping. I didn't feel like watching more after seeing Michael Brown's crash and switched off at that point, bad as they are his injuries could easily have been even worse.

Remove flywheel. Bolt backplate in original position, or centre of slots if not sure. Replace flywheel. Slacken points screw and set points to correct gap through slot in flywheel ( yes it's a bit fiddly but when you've adjusted it a few times you get the hang of it), then retighten screw. Check timing using a dial gauge in the plug hole. If it's fairly close to correct adjust points to retard or advance. If it's a long way out move backplate one way or t'other to advance or retard and reset points. When you've got it right check again when backplate screws, points screw and flywheel nut are all fully tight.

I recommend Rockshocks - reasonable price, good service, supplied to suit your weight and bike, rebuildable. Well regarded in the trialscentral community.

My experience of watching in recent years is that the entry is divided into those who can have a realistic chance of riding each section for a competitive score, say a 1 or 2, and those who struggle on almost every section collecting a bucket load of 5s. A lot of the sections are large rocks which are fine if you can skip across the points of them but sheer hell if you get stuck in the holes between them. Unlike when I rode in the 70s I wouldn't say there are many sections where a lesser rider can foot his or her way through for a controlled 3, it's more do or die than that now. In addition the daily time limits are a serious issue for those who struggle in the sections, compounded by miles of wet and boggy moors which also sort the competent from the less so in merciless fashion.

Succeeded then.

That's quite a piece of history there, in pretty much unmolested condition, but the 175cc claim seems odd. The motor looks like the normal 118cc unit, and I don't recall Suzuki doing a 175cc version of that motor. Altas did well in the UK with top line works riders (Mart and Alan Lampkin, John Hemingway) around 1969/70 Would be well worth a punt I'd think, if you were at all interested. For sure you'll never see another one, let alone in this sort of condition.

Well said: I'm sure that given your own priorities an Ossa MAR will be absolutely ideal, as are Fantics and brand new for others. In fact I feel those who've only known a brand new trials weapon are sometimes missing out on the satisfaction of riding something more "historic". Everyone makes their own choices based on being competitive or having fun and thank goodness for that.

Yes, the power delivery does suit some riders, and I would probably put myself in that camp. But the fact remains it is "outdated" in the minds of many riders. The old adage is true: a good rider can do well on anything, and that applies in the twinshock class. It's what he chooses to ride that's most telling, and the facts show that these days it ain't an Ossa MAR.

One of the MAR's disadvantages, which holds true today (and perhaps more so than in the 70s) is its relatively wide motor and lack of ground clearance. Also, that soft and gentle power delivery simply doesn't suit the preferences of many of today's riders who work best with something lighter and more responsive. A Fantic is a whole generation ahead of the MAR in so many respects, hence it's popularity among those who ride to win.