Is that rubber bit around the rear mudguard for show, or does it flex and allow for movement.......no snapping ?
I think it's there to give a bit of grip for your butt when perched on the mudguard while racing round the Moidart peninsula in the Scottish (or any other roadwork you may find yourself doing).
I have a Doblo and can fit my Sherco in diagonally with just the smaller rear seat folded, leaving room for driver plus three passengers. I've also had a Beta in the same way, so guess you will be OK with any modern bike. Probably couldn't quite do it with a longer bike such as an old Bulto but there you go.
I'd thoroughly recommend the Doblo if it's a diesel one - I drive a 1.3 and a 1.9, the bigger motor is especially economical (56mpg on a steady run), and the driving position is very comfortable. Also insurance costs pocket money.
Something you can do in the comfort of your garage is some static balancing exercises:
- balance bike stationary on right lock for as long as you can (time this to gauge improvement)
- try on the other lock (you'll probably find one easier than the other - focus on the more difficult side). Concentrate on rfining technique such as keeping your shoulders in line with the bars
- deliberately move the front wheel from right to left and back again while remaining balanced
- deliberately tilt the bike to and from vertical while balanced
- try balancing with the front wheel pointing straight forward - you'll find you go onto one lock or the other but try to get back to the dead-ahead position as soon as possible
- practice balancing without holding the brakes on
- practice balancing with the tyres inflated hard to make it more tricky
Keep this up for half an hour a day and you'll find you don't lose so many marks in your next few trials. Probably.
If I'm not mistaken the bike Martin Lampkin is pictured on is actually a Gaunt Suzuki. He joined Alta when they came on the scene in 1969, and I think they started off with rather neat red fibreglass tank/seat units before moving to the alloy monocoque type shown in the eBay advert.
Up to the mid/late sixties Villiers engines were the universal power plants for various British trials irons, eg Greeves, James, DMW, DOT, Butler, Cotton, Norman, Sprite and several others. Most of these were really tiny concerns, each with their own individual characteristics, competing in a traditional market place in the UK only; once the Villiers supplies dried up most of them went to the wall.
I wonder if, to some degree, we are seeing the start of a parallel situation with Sherco engines being used in Scorpas as well as by the factory itself?
Nice touch by the Bassenthwaite club in the Stanley Tallontire results from last weekend, for Mr Rapley's benefit in view of his dislike of using riders' initials.
At 41 I'd have thought you were still a mere stripling. Might be interesting to see if we can establish the age of the oldest regular trials rider in the country via the Trialscentral membership. Obviously we're talking people in their seventies at least. Any suggestions to kick it off?
Speaking as a relative old-timer and nostalgia buff a couple of points struck me on reading the 2009 SSDT entry list:
- Chris Clarke is back, presumably the same one who had some great rides in the 70s and 80s and scooped some best-on-day awards in his time.
- the absence of Rob Griffiths after some 40 years of continuous participation. I believe he may even have been at it longer than Nigel Birkett; it would be a shame if this feat went unheralded.
In my experience most observers have been turning a blind eye to stops - and I mean deliberate stationary pauses of about 10 to 15 seconds - for many years so I can't see the new rules making much difference except that the cleans recorded will now be genuine and within the rules.
I had a '77 model in the day and from memory the exhaust guard was a brilliant white, to match the white of the tank. Mudguards and the plastic side cover were also pure white, I suspect those on your bike have yellowed with the effects of 32 years worth of sunlight. You could try a scrub with Jif using a fairly stiff brush, this will lift the dirt out of the scratches but probably won't restore things to a pristine white. Still, nothing wrong with an old warior showing the patina of age, is there?
I know it's a natural reaction to state that the sport needs to attract new young riders to survive, but that's always been the case and from the evidence I see it's already happening, without chunks of money being thrown at it. There are regularly 100+ riders at trials in my Centre, and that's probably about right for the land available. If anything entries are up on a few years ago so new riders are actually already being drawn in. Certainly there's no sign of the sport slipping into the doldrums for want of riders. OK, the current financial state we're in might have a negative effect over the next year, but I'd wager it'll be less than people think.
I agree that trials at British and World Championship level (I hesitate to say "top" level because that could imply that other trials are inferior) have moved far away from what they were even a few years ago. There seems to have been a quantum leap in ability of the top riders which has had the effect of, in my mind, actually creating a different sport. This isn't a criticism, just a statement of natural evolution which is irreversible, but thank goodness there are still events using sensible, natural obstacles which take marks off the whole entry and remain enjoyable to ride.
What I do question is just how enjoyable it is for expert riders to spend the day coaxing, heaving, stop-starting their way up and down the bankings of streams which the rest of us revel in riding straight up, even if they have a few cleans along the way? Does the action of urging the bike over the most contrived obstacles, spending ages atop a boulder the height of a Transit van with one foot down ready to try launching onto the next one which is ten feet away, for a few hours on a Sunday any longer constitute "a good ride round"? I guess in all honesty it must, or those who ride the hard routes wouldn't come back for more week after week, but pose the question as a genuine one.
Like Rappers, I was around for British Championshio events where anyone could turn up with a standard bike, which probably wasn't that far off what Rathmell and the Lampkins were riding, have a good go at exactly the same sections as they were riding and have the kind of day out which you'd savour for months. I'm glad to be able to say this, 'cos those days are gone for good.
I seem to recall Dave Thorpe coming up with a petrol-in-the-frame arrangement to supplement the standard tank to get him round the Scottish on an early version of the monoshock Yam.
There's a good trials-only shop near Scarborough: FeetUp Trialsport at Cornerways, Ratten Row, Seamer, near Scarbough, YO12 4QB. The owner, Alan Bird, knows his bikes and doesn't mind giving free advice!
I've ridden a 200 sherco for 3-4 years and find it to be well up to the job. It's particularly good when you're tired towards the end of a trial as it won't fly out of your hands if your throttle control is waning, or if you're feeling aggressive you can fire it at rock steps without ensuing disaster as with bigger bikes. Also it seems pretty good at finding grip, and has the "light" feel of a 125 as opposed to a 250.
One thing the 200s seem to be noted for is more of a rattle from the engine (sounds like piston slap) than the other Shercos, so probably nothing to worry about if yours sounds this way.
Basically the 200 is just a good trials bike: don't think about the size of the engine, just get on with riding it and it'll do what you need it to.
Uk Importer
in OSSA
Posted
Correct, and I realise we're talking SSDT here. Just pointing out that the move to Suzuki wasn't directly from Ossa.
Cheers.