look at how long he hangs onto the bars - damn sure i'd have dumped the bike straight away - perhaps he thought he could get away with it and only loose a few seconds !! either that or he was thinking about how much Ducati would want if he ditched one of their museum exhibits!
the irony is that he never won a TT but while leading the 250 class in 1957 dropped his bike at Governor's Bridge on the last lap . He remounted to finish fifth.
great respect to the guy - he is a true all round sporting biker. ( i still wouldn't buy his spares though )
V-Mar has snail cams specifically for Montesas - they are machined so they allow full axle nut engagement. Have some - they are very nice (and always instal so they are pointing up).
Andrew
I got a pair of Jitsies - apart from being too thick they do not even offer as much adjustment at the top end as the originals - I had to turn them out in a lathe to let the nut/axle recess into them - they dont tell you that you need a lathe with a 4 jaw chuck to fit them to a montesa when they sell them !!!
stick with the originals and spend your money on a good chain
June is usually the time when we get a rest from SSDT organising which makes the job bearable but this time no such luck. remember we all have day jobs, families and other non-ssdt commitments - its also nice to get out on our bikes now and again - my mont has not turned a wheel since the sunday of the scottish !!
Mark I know it is early days yet but have we got any ideas yet? over to you OTH.................
We have set up a sub-committee to look at the various options - they are currently speaking to the enforcing authorities and suppliers of kit and services. The current aim is to provide a fuel service that means that we do not have to change the nature of the event. The SSDT is unique and we want to maintain the distance and reliability aspects of it even though the modern bikes do not make that easy.
Apart from anything else shorter multi lap days would not work as this would concentrate the event on one or two landowners, multiplying the environmental damage and causing many more issues that could not be resolved - in short the land access we have at the moment works with the current format. it would not work with short laps or multi use.
Another aspect is the number of riders we cater for - consider how busy a national trial is, even with a 10 mile lap, and that is with only 100 or so riders - it would not be possible to have short laps and maintain the current 275 entries.
We want to exhaust all of the options to provide a refueling service before we considering changing the format.
how far is it from between the fuel check before Meal Damh A to the lunch control after creag lundie ? I think that stretch is where i have seen most people running out of juice as it has five groups of sections and a lot of rough going. I had a look at the route and it says 8 miles from Meal Damh to Creag Lundie but its a long way from the fuel check to Meal Damh and then you need to come up and down the fell to actually ride Creag Lundie followed by a couple of miles down the road to the lunch check. However far that stretch is that is the absolute maximum between checks if we dont go for bigger tanks. Taking into account that its nearly all rough going then about a mile less should be ok elsewhere.
its about 13 miles - and your right its one of the most heavy fuel use stops all week - the final check on tuesday is the most used - we supply about 700 ltrs at that check
its interesting to note that the 4 strokes (montesas) use a lot less on the rough compared to the two strokes but more on the road - this means that we cannot give a standard ratio of 4T/2T to each check - it depends whether it includes road work or not !! - nothing is simple
Just to confirm that we are considering every suggestion - we have spoken to HSE, are going to speak to the local petroleum licencing officer and also various other bodies.
the more we think about it the more problems come up - most of which can be overcome but at a cost.
for example the trouble with making bikes have bigger tanks means that the checks we do have will need double the amount of fuel - there is no win !
keep the ideas coming - if this topic dies so will the SSDT !!
all these are great ideas and very relevant - the legal side is a minefield - petrol (unlike diesel) is classified under the dangerous goods regulations and requires very stringent transport and storage, trained drivers and all manner of other licenses and controls.
We are looking at doing it ourselves however please remember that we are just a bunch of enthusiasts who all have full time jobs and do this for fun. a number of us are also Directors of the E&DMC Ltd. which puts legal responsibilities on us - ie if it goes wrong we could be in the dock.
The most realistic proposal yet is to put a detailed requirement down on paper and put it out to tender - quite how it is funded is another matter.
For those of you who haven't read regulation 6.1 it states that 'Fuel tanks should be capable of holding sufficient fuel for at least 35 miles.
we have never put this to the test but this is one area that we will have to look at seriously along with the importers and manufacturers.
Just to complete the Sandy Mack story that Gizza5 started - while Sandy was doing all of the above he was also managing the Army SSDT team - organising bikes, gear, riders, accommodation, transport, etc etc. He got everyone up to Fort William and got the team fired up and started the event. On Tuesday in the last group of sections Sandy was standing beside some bikes when an unidentified rider knocked over several bikes which landed on Sandy trapping him and putting a footrest through his leg. the injury was so bad he had to be rushed to hospital where his leg was stitched up. His Scottish was over - after all of the effort and hard work he put in, he didn't even get to finish the event. - I'm sure you'll agree that if anyone ever deserved an endeavor award it is Sandy - well done mate.
On the subject of refueling - please realise that we have a real problem here - many people i spoke to about it finished up by saying "you'll find a way - we'll see you again next year" - however at this moment in time we cannot see a way - there is a real possibility that the 2008 SSDT was the LAST. - it is that serious.
The problem could be eased if bikes were fitted with bigger tanks but the transporting and storage of petrol is a legislation nightmare, and even with fewer checks the problem is massive.
I do not know how other motor sport eg. Rally support, is managed but we will have to start asking around very quickly.
for the first time this year we had arranged to get local supplies without the need for our own tanker. All we can do is hope that the mad panic that is sweeping Scotland subsides. There is enough fuel if everyone stops hoarding it.
The problem is Diesel in most places, and although trials bikes don't run on diesel (which one of our committee members knows as a fact) our observers vehicles and army land-rovers do.
we are in constant communication with the people who know, but nothing is certain. The local companies and organisations have been very supportive and will do everything possible to help us out.
we will keep you all informed as soon as we know anything more - but in the meantime 'DON'T PANIC'
These guys are just another problem for the club and officials (of whom I am regularly one now that I'm too decrepid to manage a whole six days) ...........................................
Chewy makes some good points here - It is worth remembering that we all are immensely privileged to be able to experience the SSDT over some of the most remote, beautiful, and environmentally sensitive areas in the UK. Treat it with respect, but its not just the land we have to treat with respect - please appreciate the hard work that the officials put in - remember they are there an hour before the first bike and wait until the backmarkers come round - regardless of the weather - they then have to clear up the cards and as Chewy points out tidy up after you.
If everyone used a bit of common sense and respect for each other and the environment it will go a long way to ensure that this event survives.
We don't want to scare people off or give the impression that we are anti trail bikers - please come up and witness this historic motorcycle event which will be celebrating its centenary in a few years time - bring your walking boots with you; you will enjoy it.
It's all getting a bit exciting not knowing where we're going to be off to on Monday morning. Rappers said in his column we're not off round Blackwater. Could we be off up Trotters first thing on Monday? What about a trip up Witches to settle the early nerves?
its the afternoon thats different - one of the sections makes witches look tame, and don't worry - you will still finish with the usual Monday afternoon challenge
Does anyone know how the new dinner stop arrangement works. It says in the entry paper work that lunch is included. Is it still the burger van? Or are we all off to the local hostelry for a pub lunch
there is a reason that we dont go to hotels anymore -
for those of you who remember the infamous lunch stop of '83 - the establishment was the Inveroran hotel, the weather was diabolical, and the conduct of the competitors matched the weather. The hotel was trashed, curtains used as towels muddy boots cleaned on the carpets. I remember it was my first day of my first scottish - i wondered what i had let myself in for and couldnt wait to collect my card and get out of there.
After that lunch stops fizzled out.
So its a burger, a cuppa and a bit of fruit from the van. - you will be given a token when you hand your card in and it will get you a fine selection of grub.
there will be plenty left as Gizza5 isn't riding this year
sorry Gizza - couldnt resist - do you remember Inveroran?
The Ryedale Rally is not an enduro - but it's a great opportunity to drag out the twinshock, classic or vintage old nail that you've had in the garage for ages and give it a gentle ride round the country lanes and forest paths and tracks of north yorkshire.
.................................
when you say vintage bike do you mean it in the true sense of the word - what i'm really asking is would i be able to ride it on a 1932 Rudge?
I have for some time been thinking that we need a real 'Vintage' reliability trial in this country - something like the ssdt used to be when it first started.
Wouldn't it be good to organise for the Centenary year of the ssdt (2011) a vintage reliability trial around tracks and unmetalled roads in the Scottish highlands.
you could handicap the bikes with the older the bike the less handicap and a free entry to anyone entering on a bike pre 1920.
Excellent quality considering their age - I assume they were slides or have been scanned from the negatives. all my colour prints from the 80's are washed out.
BJ - Do you think we could put Edramucky back in for the centenary? - it will break up the long haul from Gorgie cattle market
i also took a good photo of vesty in 1980 but will keep that one for this years programme but here's another shot of JR from the same year while you still keep guessing..........
the mystery rider was consistently a top 20 finisher of the era
sorry guys just realised that i might have thrown you a wobbly
the second photo is of course Mart with JR watching him but it was not the same year as the other two - it was 81 when mart first rode SWM.
so its now down to the other photos as the bonus one has been guessed correctly as a very young Johnboy. (some stickers for you slapshot - see me in the fort)
Do you ever wish you didnt start something !!!
the above is rubbish - Mart must have first ridden the SWM in 1980? although he is down as Bultaco in the programme - HELP BJ
)
not doing any of the sections to put any stress on the chain 
Sammy Miller....
in General Trials Talk
Posted · Edited by overthehill
like the Avatar Scorpa3 - the 30mph signs always make for a good photo
here's one of Yer Maun at the Man (not sammy but Joey D)
for those of you who haven't been to the IOM they paint white stripes on the kerbs - just so that you know not to touch them at 180mph !!!!!!!!