cleanorbust

For a quick and regular 20/30 minute exercise in the comfort of your garage, with radio or cd if you wish to relieve the boredom : just try balancing stationary on right lock then left. Most people have a "favourite" side, keep practicing the opposite one to improve. Try to build up the duration of each successful attempt. As a development of this, try balancing off full lock, ie with steering nearer the middle point (more difficult). Also have a go with a wooden block under the front or rear wheel to alter the weight rearwards or frontwards, to simulate the kind of position you might be in a real section. If all this gets too easy, pump up your tyres to a higher pressure, this really demands finer control.

I recall that when I started (early 1970s) the ACU handbook defined trials as a "competiton in which competitors endeavour to fulfil prescribed conditions". I guess that really clarified it for anyone who needed to know.

I have the car version (ie with windows in back). One bike fits diagnonally with rear seat folded up, or two go in with rear seat removed (I have modified it to make it qd). Excellent car, 55mpg regularly (1.9 diesel) and very comfortable/relaxed drive.

Any views out there on the Wulfsport Airflo or Torx Doug? Both are budget options with some degree of venting. I currently use an Xpeed in which I get drenched with sweat (and doesn't have a removable lining) but probably optimistic to think that any helmet would make all that much difference?

When he jumps on the bike at the start of the scene and stamps it into gear looks like it has a right side gear change. Was this the case with early Cotas?

The plastic tubes were an innovation on a production bike when the 348 appeared. They formed a neat set-up which acted as tensioner as well as protection for (and from) the chain and worked pretty well although the popular mod was to cut the bottom tube ahead of the rear sprocket to avoid fouling. The bushes between the tube brackets and the alloy holder at the rear wheel could wear so the whole set-up became a bit sloppy. Also the tubes make chain replacement a more fiddly job, threading the chain through each one. I used to tie a piece of string to the end of the chain before removing it so it could be pulled back through the tube fairly easily. I know the tubes are still available from In-Motion but not sure about brackets or bushes. A conventional tensioner is an option some have used but you'd need to weld a mounting bracket on the swinging arm and preferably rig up a chain guard on the top run if you're doing away with the tubes altogether.The majority of 348s I have seen which are still running seem to have had the tubes ditched but no tensioner fitted, which obviously leads to a rather snatchy power delivery and more stress on the chain.

Yes, 4 (rear) and 6 (front) psi is a good starting point but in my (long) experience you can probably surprise yourself with how much lower you can get away with in the back without problems if you need more grip, and rider weight doen't seem to make much odds to this within reasonable limits. Well worth investing in a dial type low pressure guage if you're at all serious about getting the best results.

I'm sure the Ossa wpould be a great bike for you but, as a former Edinburgh resident, I was wondering where you might be able to ride it legally in local single track/forested areas? I'm still in touch with the Scottish trials scene and my impression is that there's virtually nowhere to ride with appropriate permission except in trials events themselves.

I'm not at all sure that cheaper new bikes would make much diffrence. People who have difficulty in meeting the price of a new bike now have quite a choice of decent competitive 3/4 year old bikes on the secondhand market which cost less than any new bike would, but there's not much evidence of them going down that route. Perhaps it's time to accept that as part of the evolution of the sport participation is down in some areas, for all sorts of reasons, not just the price of bikes.

I now realise what I need to improve my riding... a 19 year old bike.

I think Birkett did a number of mods for the SY which altered the performance towards what you are wanting. Could be worth a phone call.

Thanks everyone for the replies. I fitted a tubeless IRC to my SWM (Akront rims) with tube inside and ran it at 4 psi through the Highland Classic trial last weekend without any problems.

Not sure what you mean by a fairing on the bike. Time limits could be tight at the Scottish but it would be going some to have a fairing fitted.

I believe 2008 was the last year of Yamaha engined Scorpas, after that they changed to the Sherco engine if I am correct and the bike was substantially different. Reviews of the Sherco engined bikes were typically very positive but they never seemed to capture the desires of the buying public, so not many around in my experience.

Looking at the Dunlop website they still do a large range of protective/reinforced wellies, not quite in the 70s trials style but they do have a nice blue which would go with your Bulto very well.

Probably a question that's been done to death at some point in the past but has anyone experiences good or bad of using a rear tubeless IRC or Michelin tyre with a tube on a twinshock (mine's an SWM). I've read that grinding some rubber off the bead helps the tyre to seat properly in the rim.

too good for trialing?? the better the job you make of doing it the better trials bike it ll be. ... if you can bear to scratch it after all that work.

Looking forward to seeing the finished article. Will you be trialling it, or is it too good for that?

Big John will undoubtedly have the info to hand about riding numbers in the 1960s, perhaps when he is back home after this year's event. That's quite a collection to be sorted out, there's loads of history in that shed!

There was something to be said for the old days of tapping the cylinder head and fitting a decompressor - instant, 100% reliable method of killing a revving engine and also useful for descending snotty bankings in full control, even if some thought it to be "cheating" when we really should be using the brakes with the required level of skill.

Probably best to steer clear of a Honda TLM (their two stroke twinshocker), from what I remember they were a bit of a challenge, finding a lack of grip where no lack existed. Of course, Peter Gaunt does OK on his 65cc version but then he would wouldn't he. Funny you don't see many around...

No, 'fraid not. Spelling correct?

To improve forearm strength: try fixing some rope to a broom handle, tie the other end to a half brick or similar. Stand holding broom handle horizontally in front of you and wind the weight up to the point where it touches the broomstick using a twistgrip action with both hands, then slowly lower to the floor. Repeat for 15 minutes daily and you'll soon find a difference in your wrist/arm staying power.

I believe the 348 was made from 1976 to 1978, being replaced by the 349 in 1979. If the price is right it could be worth a punt, but there don't seem to be many good ones left these days, other than over-priced restoration specials. It was a good bike in its day, on the sections of the time, but could be a bit of a "lump" these days. Time, and twinshocks, moved on quite a bit after the 348.

Of course!