steve

I don't have a side points engine, neither do I have the money to buy one so I will try to make the best out of what I have. If in good condition the mains bush is well up to the job. A trials engine will not be reved hard for any long period of time like a road bike or scrambles bike may. Plus it will only get occasional use so a good bush will last many years. Anyway a roller conversion kit is available from Alpha if the bush ever fails. As for the gearbox a WDB40 box will not fit in an early engine. I have seen people asking silly money for these anyway. I can get a gear made way cheaper than I can buy a WD wide ratio box. I have made a spreadsheet which helps work out all the gear ratio's. Simply input the sprocket and gear sizes and it'll tell you the final drive ratio. I am happy to send it to anyone who wants it. If I had the money I would love to build a ultra trick bike with PVL and all the other off the shelf goodies based on a sidepoint engine. Unfortunately I don't have any money - this is why I have fitted my own ignition which runs directly from the crank and didn't cost a penny. One other point - all the talk on here of rules, and what is and isn't allowed. Sidepoints were not fitted until 1965.

Why would you want a SS motor? Ok so more power is good but it has to be in the right areas. My engine is the SS but it has a std cylinder head fitted. It also has a close ratio gearbox in it which is no good for Trials unless you want a top speed of aboout 25mph!! The SS has a higher compression, bigger valves in the head with larger Dia inlet. plus a hotter cam. It ran a larger carb to match the increased inlet dia. Much of those mods can easily be done to a std engine. Trials bikes always seem to run better on smaller carbs I remember my dad's old CCM 350T used to spit back and stall until we fitted a smaller dia carb, so why open up the inlet and then restrict it with a smaller carb?

I have tried Gagg and son's thanks. Someone must have a box of gears sitting in the shed just waiting for me !!!

Hi, I am looking for 2 x C15 gears to put in my Distributer type engine. Well actually I would like a complete wide ratio box for the bike but hens teeth are easier (and cheaper) to find!! I am looking for a 20T part No 40-3101 & 30T Part No 40-3100 These were fitted as 2nd gear in the wide ratio box. I have tried all the shops who advertise in Classic bike and Old bike mart hoping to find some NOS but no luck. Can anyone help? stephen.bird1@ntlworld.com

There is a guy who advertises in T&MX I think, whoever you use need to weld the lug carefully and then the leg may require reaming as it will usually distort. I have just repaired a sticking fork leg on the Cota 330 due to weld distrotion. As I didn't have a reamer I turned a piece of wood in the lathe to the same dia as the fork slider, I then put a little smooth grinding paste and oil on the wood and spun it in the lathe concentrating only on the tight spot, I kept trying the fork until it ran up and down smoothly.

I like Jack, he has learnt a lot from his early days. There have been some classic's though - like calling Colleys minder Paul "an unemployed car thief from Leeds!!!" He once called me "burly" so I had a word with him and he said he wouldn't say that again. He didn't next time he called me "beefy" !!!!! You had to be really carefull what you said around him as it would always be repeated on air. For months he called James Lampkin "Dosser" as that's what Doug used to call him sometimes.

Yes please. I have read somewhere about using a Triumph piston but can't remember where now.

Well, with only 2 unfinished bikes sat in the garage I though it about time I started work on another project !! In an attempt to piece together some 'spare parts' I am fitting a 250cc C15 Bsa engine into a Greeves frame. I have stripped the engine and the piston is already at +040 and need a rebore. I have heard of some C15's which have been overbored, what piston can be used and what CC does it take it out to? Any other tips / advice regarding the C15 would be appreciated. The engine is a SS model, I presume it has a racey cam which may need to be replaced.

I agree, that does look like the one you have posted. The Sprite's I have seen had extra tubing between the top tube by the seat down to the swinging arm pivot area. I don't think it would qualify for pre 65 then would it? i.e Scottish pre 65.

Hi all, Can anyone tell me what frame this is? I know the forks are Greeves and the back wheel looks Greeves aswell. The frame is advertised as Sprite but looks nothing like any Sprite pictures I have found. I need to make a decision tonight if I want to buy it ! 20_1_b.jpe

To be fair to Dabster the topic is next British World Champion. He doesn't deny that Steve wasn't an awesome rider just pointed out that he was never World Champion. As for the best riders not always being the best teachers, I think with Dougie you could learn a whole lot more that just riding technique. Riding at the top level for so long he knows every trick in the book. It's all the little details that make that extra 1% the difference between 1st and 5th sometimes. A lot of which he has learned from his Dad, most of which learned from competing at the very top for so long. If it was pure riding technique then I think Raga or Cabastany may have won last year. Many riders over the years have been so close but didn't quite make the very top step. Bosis, Miglio, Bird, Saunders. Now more than ever you need the whole package and I think the best person to learn from is the best in the game - Dougie Lampkin.

What's clear here is that we all agree a set up like Team Tarres would greatly benefit a rider. What we need to do is plan for the future, we need to be setting up a team GB and looking for funding. It may be from sponsors, acu or perhaps Dabsters got some spare change! With the greatest respect to Steve Saunders I don't think he is the best man for the job, the best man for the job is Dougie Lampkin. Yes I know he's a bit busy at the moment but there's gonna come a time not too far away when he'll be looking for a new job and who better to train the next British World champion than the last British world champion? Surely Dougie's name can pull in the required sponsorship as it did for Team Tarres. Perhaps the acu need to employ someone that can set this up - someone like Niel Crosswaite perhaps? Look at the great job Niel did bringing major sponsors from outside the sport to Sheffield. How about it Martin, would Dad be interested? Now is the time to start putting the wheels into motion, or perhaps they already are? Dougie must have considered his future after he wins title 8 or 9!!

Surely you're not implying that Steve Saunders didn't make it are you? Ok so he wasn't officially world champion (I seem to remember he was for 15 mins! until someone put in a protest and Honda/Fantic wouldn't let Steve counter protest) But that's another story. I have trained with the Spanish, french and English federations and it's quite obvious why the Spanish are so far ahead. Like Nige said it's the way these youngsters are bought on. Alexz is now approaching a crucial stage of his career, if Alexz was Spanish he would be training with the federation at least one day during the week (more in holidays) under the guidance of a former world contender. As he became old enough to enter World events everything would be paid for and organised inc. travel, mechanics and catering. If that's not enough you may be signed to ride in the Tarres team where you would live and train with the worlds greatest ever rider (in some peoples opinion!) Practicing on some of the best terrain in the world. Having said all that none of the above has managed to produce a rider to beat our own Doug Lampkin!!! - Perhaps all you need is sheer bloody dertermination and Lampkin jenes!!!

Only one that I have seen ride myself is Alexz Wigg. I have seen many young riders before they were WTC standard and Alexz is as good if not better than any I have seen.

Just found this aswell http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...7948966265&rd=1

I live about 4 miles from Rushden at Irthlingborough. If you want to know anything about Nene Valley MCC which runs Trials at several locations within 20 mins of you, then pop into John Lee MC's in Higham Ferrers (the next town to Rushden). John and his wife are heavily involved with the club and can tell you anything you need to know. I doubt you'll leave the shop without him selling you something though!!!!

Lovely little bike and what a bargain. I saw this on ebay today thought you may be interested. http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...7948354384&rd=1 "THIS IS A GREAT READ ON THE LITTLE MONTESA OF THE EARLY 70'S AND PORTRAYS THE MONTESA COTA 25 AUTOMATIC MODELS TO THE FULL. IT IS A PHOTO COPY FROM MOTER CYCLE MAGAZINE MARCH 1967, IT HAS 3 PAGES OF INFORMATION AND SPECIFICATIONS ON THIS FANTASTIC LITTLE MODEL. A MUST FOR ANY COLLECTOR OF THESE LITTLE MONTESA'S" And no it's not me that's selling it (this time!)

Nigel just abouts sums it up there. The local club for Northants area is Nene Valley MCC. Look in T&MX for the next trial and come and have a go. Talk to fellow compettitors and you may get an invite to practice, some even have permission!!

Well said Ish. Would the trial be better entertainment if it were not a championship round?

Good to see some news of Joa, he is a nice lad who did very well considering the small amount of help and support he had. Joa once let me stay in his caravan with him near Barcalona for a few days when I was minding. He showed us all the local practice places (and clubs!) Also introduced us to Jordie Tarres and got us a tour round his garage and trophy room. He used to pull some awesome stoppies in the Formula 1 car park when we had finished preping the bikes.

How suspicious you lot are whoever the mystery person is that's selling the videos will be well pleased I put a link to them as they were sold very soon after. The page counter jumped from 14 after 2 days listing to nearly 40 in a few hours. I imagine the guy who bought them was pleased I posted the link aswell having got himself a fantastic bargain. I have a funny feeling that the mystery seller may have some more videos to sell after christmas. If I happen to see those I will let you know (unless Andy ask's me not to)

Hi all, I have seen some Sheffield videos on Ebay, 2 vids are only at

Very clever. The montesa exhaust doesn't do it any favours. How long before an aftermarket version is released?

I thought it was Jordi Tarres, and when you were that good you could wear what you like. If he had worn bin bags others would follow.

96 techno's have a black box for ignition adv - retard ect..... where the box connects to the loom (under fuel tank cover if I remember right) there is a large connecting plug. Disconnect and spray with electrical contact cleaner if you have some, reconnect pushing togeter tight and spray liberally with wd40. Might not be the problem but was a weak point on that year. Mine once ran backwards because some moisture got in there, now that was scary! Good luck and keep us posted, Steve.