bisby

As a lad of 12/13 years old for me my heros were Mick Andrews but also Rob Shepard when he was on the honda. One strong memory was watching and listening to him ride a big hill climb in the Sheffield & Hallamshire peak national with a good covering of snow. Steve. Tony Scarlett returned to trials a few years ago around here, and he still rides VERY well.

Hi Ian, To sell a boot as waterPROOF could be taken as misleading marketing, and could fall foul of the fit for purpose trading standards rules. A wrist watch guarantee is water resistance not proof. I have used seal skinz in the past, very good but after a lenght of time they started to let water through, i then got a pair of ex army socks and they are still water tight after a number of years use. I bought them from an army and navy shop in Sheffield, on London Road, called Jay Jays, phone 0114 2555819. Stephen.

Hi, On sidecars he rode an Ariel not sure if it was a 350 or a 500, but i also have a photo of him assembling a chair on a Dot. he was a member of the Sheffield & Hallamshire Mc and east mids Bssa. he rode in quite a few nationals and was friends with Merle & Alan Morewood. He also rode solo on a Greeves and a Dot. I am finding your photos very interesting, Thanks for what your doing. Stephen.

Hi Laird387, Sorry i dont know anything about Sammy riding an Ariel Arrow (before my time) but when i rode my Ossa gripper in the Sammy Miller series 2005 to 2009, there was a guy who rode a modified Arrow. His bike had the pressed sheet steel frame, 2 stroke twin engine and the fuel tank was the same as your photo. I dont know his name but he rode it well and best of all it sounded FAB. Stephen Bisby Ps I dont suppose you would have any photos of my father, Tony Bisby he rode in the late 50s and then went to sidecars with my uncle David and also Mike Chambers in the chair up to 1965?

Hi there, I was there on my orange ossa. for your first trial you will have found it very slippy, at this time of year eadens is always like that (mud on the top surface and a bit more grip below) later on in the year it is different again. keep at it and ask the other riders questions, ie which line are they riding and why also which gear they are using etc. I had a choice of events on the day because there was a classic trial in Derbyshire, I went for the S&H trial because I new it would be muddy and I live near by. Ps great photos!!! Steve.

I can remember Tony on a red JCM which I always thought it was a vega And I also had an early 323, not the best bike I owned. After about 8 months I part ext it for a Yamaha ty250s mono . Steve

Trialsrfun, thanks for the link on the manual (now saved to my comp, my clyimer manual is now very well used) and ossa grippers are very almost the same inside the cases. Bulto58, the only thing that i can add to Woody and Trialsrfun is i find it easier to loosen or take off the flywheel and cush drive with the engine still in the frame. if its your first time inside the engine a camera is handy for a photo record. good luck Steve.

Alan gave me some good tips on bog avoidance years ago when i first started doing the SSDT, its a good photo most bogs are in the middle of no where and moments like this never captured on camera. He may be smiling but i bet inside he cursing. Steve.

Hi Rob ive just sent you an email, my carb has the adjuster screws on the kickstart side so i didnt have this problem (more luck than judgement!) I would go with the tube idea. Steve

Hi Ian Ive just sent you an email, hope it has worked ok. Steve.

I use a bit of small bore drain pipe that has an angle of about 60 degrees and it just fits over the carb, then a short ram air filter in the stock air box and i have rivited a bit of plastic sheet inside and outside the front of the air box to reduce the hole diameter. Its a bit of a bodge job but it works. Also i have opened the top of the air box to let it breath better. Steve.

Ive had my gripper for years now its very reliable, yes its top heavy but that can sometimes be an advantage. Mine is a 250cc ive never ridden a 350, i find it has enough power for most sections and grip finding i think it is one of the best bikes around, i put it down to the shocks and the cush drive on the crank. It is one of those bikes you either like or hate. If you get to try one dont make a decision on a quick spin around a car park you need to be on the rough. Steve.

Borus, These are 3 lap trials, the rider should only have 3 goes at each section, if he / she fails that is there loss or mistake they should not get another attempt even if they are good enough to hold there balance. Having said that i am in ore of there skill. Steve.

Hi, Just looked at my ossa and i have got the flat side of the sprocket on the outside (nearest to the flywheel cover) my sprocket nut has an amount of the thickness machined away for the chain clearance. As for a tab washer i ve never had one just had nut tight as poss it cannot come off because of the flywheel case. Steve

I had a ty r years back, first i tried a brake cable with a longer outer that went right down to the brake plate - was a bit better then i ended up with a yz 125 brake plate with an external arm ( as above ) that was better then i put a disc on that was rubbish. so yz plate with good shoes. Steve.

I was told that there is 3 different versions of the standard hub, i have in the past put the new sprocket on the hub and reposioned it and re drilled the sprocket. Hope this helps. Stephen.

One of the best things about riding national trials is experincing the differant types of terrain, I personally hate sand. Chalk, ice and limestone are next on my list. I have always found the Miller series very good so have another go next year, shame it had to be one of the events furtherest away from you, thats the reason i have only travelled down part of England once or twice.

Higgo, I have an alloy cylinder head gasket i made out of sheet about 1mm thick and softened it. Also i drilled out the clutch basket to lighten the flywheel effect too and the gripper 250 has a flywheel over the cushdrive spring which i have had turned down so it is about the same as your MAR. All this has made my gripper more revy but if i go any more i will loose its bottom end softness which i feel is its advantage when its slippy. As Woody states you would have a problem with the front exhaust from either bike. If i was you i would get hold of a second flywheel and mod that. Also make sure the timing is spot on and crank seal on flywheel side is good- easy to replace when flywheel is off. Steve.

What a long talk arm? and the rear silencer is pos on the other side, does not look to connect. I bet the top of the shocks would be wide just where you stand on the pegs. My shocks almost rub on the tyre so you could not angle them in. Tank seat combo looks good though. Steve

Hi Dave, just been admiring the bult and the ossa and noticed the ossa`s rear wheel has the sprocket/ brake on the wrong side! Steve.

I bought a pair of forma boulder boots last year from Splatshop just north of Chesterfield, i am very happy with the boots. i would give them a ring first to see if they have them in stock in your size first.

yes i use this make in my ossa and i am happy with the way they work. I dont know if they will be any good or bad in a yamaha hub but i would be suprised if they were no good.

I make jewellery for a living, so i have a couple of ultrasonic cleaners mine were about £500.00. I have occasionaly used them to clean the carb but its a pain you then have to drive out any remining liquid (WD40 and then an air line) i had to hold half of the carb in the solution then turn it around to do the rest, must not rest on the bottom of the tank and DONT PUT YOUR HANDS IN WHEN ON! not good for your bones. I find the best and quickest way is to spray brake cleaner in and around the jets and body then an air line and the cleaner evaporates. If you do want to buy one the £30 to £40 ones work very well though and you can keep the wifes jewellery clean too. Steve.

In T&Mx it says start time is 10.30 am. I havent ridden an S&H trial for some time so i dont know how hard/easy it will be but they usually have a choice of routes so there should be something for everyone.

i have one as above great for wheel and carb removal, no more bending over. makes maintanence a pleasure. money well spent in my view