02-apr

Not named after Alf Tupper's sister is she?

Sorry, can't help then.

I take it that is not the Pro model?

True but there is Honda UK and I'm sure enough Honda dealers would take one each under instructiion from them (no big servicing liability at that ratio) to use up a UK allocation if things went that way. Dumping of a sort was done before with the original Montesa Hondas but I can't remember what channels they went through.

[quote name='Rosey' date='Dec 13 2009, 05:14 PM' post='2207 Actually you've got me wondering about the TY Mono... I remember a price of about

Forget valve timing, bore/stroke ratios or fancy electronics, it seems to me that the way Montesa get round the problem is simply to run the tickover at 1700rpm, ie above the point where spitback would occur. I'm sure it would work on a Cub but would not be very pleasant to ride.

Once the puller is tensioned you could try a hammer tap on the bolthead of the puller (the blow goes along the line of the puller bolt). Don't have your leg in the way when the flywheel pops off.

With what I would call old fashioned riding styles, which presumably is what you will be using on such a machine, there is an opinion that the front tyre is perhaps more important than the rear in that grip at the rear is no use if you can't steer the bike in the right direction.

Sammy Miller used to do 'em, have I got a collector's item on my hands then?

[quote Think it was one of the first stickies, couldnt let it fall into the hands of anyone. Who would have wanted a tyre with half the tread blocks missing? I recall the first stickies did not like the road going and shed tread. I must remember to ask you about Joanna's shoes at Glentress.

But I know a man who can get a pair for you nudge nudge - unused.

My Hebos offer the feet about as much protection as a pair of slippers but that may be common to all modern boots as the leather is so thin. My 30 year old Gaernes (which have had about 25 years use) are far better in that respect but do not have such a good fastening system. The soles are coming away a bit but no more so than the 4 year old Hebos.

Basically, yes.

The one I saw competing was a few years ago now. It was good to see someone putting a bit of effort in to produce something different that was well within the spirit (whatever that may be) of the event and obviously not done in order to win anything other than appreciative nods.

After 30-odd years it's nice to know just what Vesty's sponsors actually produced, even if I was never in the market for their stuff, but it raises a point about sponsorship that has often passed through my mind. I see a lot of sponsor names on the bikes "on the telly" but haven't a clue who most, if any, of them are or what they do and no doubt I'm not alone in that. It does rather make you wonder about the point of sponsorship from the publicity angle. Preaching to the converted?

I remember Peter Gaunt riding one at the SSDT.

James with an Arrow motor in it? Certainly sounded nice. I believe there is another two stroke twin lurking in the background somewhere, let's hope we see it in 2010.

Agreed that finding TDC is dead easy but without an advance figure it is impossible to check other timing marks and experience tells me that they are not necessarily correct. If the "works" mechanics haven't a clue on this then what hope does the average owner have. Establishing the advance currently set would just be a case of trial and error with strobe markings but of limited use without a reference figure. Let's face it, somebody designed the system for the bike so why can't we be told what the design figure is - if I could set things absolutely accurately thirty years ago why should I not be allowed to do so now?

Thanks Copemech but you miss my point. I know that modern systems do not move once set, in theory at least, but, and this is where my reference came in, it is possible to tell the difference between fairly small differences in setting in how cleanly the bike runs and I always found the recommended setting best (given a standard carb carefully set up). If there's one thing I hate it's a two stroke that does not run cleanly all through the rev range but particularly at the bottom. Before experimenting it really should be ascertained that the bike is set to the manufacturer's recommended figure and this could easily be done with a dial gauge in the old days. Without a figure in mm btdc or degrees this can not be checked by marking the casings for strobe use on modern systems. We are completely reliant on the production tolerances of the ignition system and its mountings. There are few Beta owners, or former Beta owners especially, on here who would praise the Beta ignition as the finest example of high quality manufacturing. In the 21st century we should not have to mess about going back and forth from a vaguely defined point in order to find an optimum setting. I'm all for anyone tweaking to suit their preference, to me it's part of what trials is about, but the manufacturers should be treating us as being a bit more intelligent and capable and providing basic information.

Assuming "safely" refers to passing traffic it rather assumes we never stop in a middle or outer lane at the lights? Is there any reason to suppose that one would place one's foot in the path of passing traffic regardless of which side?

Knowing from the old points days that getting the timing absolutely correct (adjusted every two events on my 348) makes an appreciable difference I wanted to check my Beta by strobe as I wasn't happy with its running. This of course requires timing marks and knowledge of the mm BTDC figure to make those marks using a gauge in order to check the system (would you trust a Beta system to be well enough made as to be firing at the correct advance?). The best I could get out of the guys in the workshop at Beta UK was that the standard setting of screws in the middle of the slot "seemed to be about right" but that nobody knew the actual timing setting, even the works guys. Does anyone have access to information on what the correct figure should be?

Choice was only available on later Bultos, the "both sides" only came in with the legislative requirement as that was the easiest way for them to modify production.

[and Continental manufacturers made their bikes opposite to ours ................. Actually they didn't, Bultaco and Montesa had right foot gearchange until legislation required that all motorcyles had right foot brake ("uniformity" was enforced by a legislature worried that people could not cope with using different feet on different vehicles). I remember someone firing his Cota up at the starter's desk in Gorgie cattle market and simultaneously putting it in gear on a wide throttle due to the hefty swing on the right hand kickstart. All the furniture and the official clock survived, just, but it certainly woke the starter up. The argument against the legislation at the time was that right hand front brake and left foot rear allowed opposite sides of the body to work and that this was more natural. I remember one of the columnists in the Motor Cycle saying that the Japanese went with the right foot brake as they were aiming sales at motorists used to this but that their biggest market was the US where almost everyone drove automatics thus leaving the left foot for braking. Not being a driver of automatics I don't know how sound his reckoning was at the time.

This seems a suitable point to expound a theory I have had for a while. Couldn't new twinshocks be the answer to a lot of the problems we are seeking to solve in World rounds? Make the Worlds for twinshocks only (suitably defined to prevent someone coming up with a monoshock type set up with two suspension units). Perhaps less "spectacular" sections but I'm sure the factories could come up with some superb modern machines that would still allow the best riders to be the winners but allow a lot more to participate. The trickle down effect to lower levels might also be beneficial. Because we have not seen the current top riders on twinshocks we don't know if it would make much difference but you never know.

Better still go for a car without a trailer, this allows use of the 60 mph limit everywhere - the likes of a Berlingo will take two bikes no bother. I've seen three in a Kangoo though admittedly one of them was an 80. The insurance angle is interesting. Eons ago I looked at getting a van but my insurance people were immediately suspicious, and that is the only word for it. Why did I want a van? What was it to be used for? I didn't mention the housebreaking but carrying trials bikes was even worse than that in their eyes. The argument was that I might be carrying a professional rider and incur liability for loss of earnings in the event of a crash. My counter argument that such professionals as there were at the time all lived hundreds of miles away and would not even know me carried no weight. They didn't have an answer though when I pointed out they had been perfectly happy for a couple of decades to cover me towing a three bike trailer and, by inference, possibly have two professional riders with me.