cub200

I've also still got one of the Wakelin Ward one piece suits, the yellow and blue version, it would be the only one in Australia. Its shrunk over the years especially round the waist, I've a good mind to complain to Roger Wakelin to see if I can get my money back. Is Eric Bristow really Emma's dad ??

71 and still going strong on my TY175 and Pre 65 Tiger Cub here in Australia, planning to do the Manx Classic in 2018 and will be 72 then,,,,,, when you retire you have to have a hobby and its a hobby I've had for the last 55 years, how many can beat that ??

Hi To be honest I can't remember but if I had to do it again using those instructions I would be setting it at just before TDC on the compression stroke and then adjust it as required. Hope it goes well.

I've fitted that STK200 to a couple of Cubs now and they both started 1st or second kick after fitting. Just follow the fitting instructions and you can't go wrong. Very nice original bike you have there, was it a Mountain Cub ?

I've been watching UK results listings from afar ever since Vertigo started and its fairly obvious they aren't selling many compared to TRS and other manufacturers, so why not, is it purely down to pricing ?

Fair enough question, here goes, rider, organiser, official, rode in the Midland centre from 1962 - 1980 when I emigrated to Australia. Started the Sutton Town MCC with a few other guys and have been laying out hundreds of sections ever since in both UK and Aussie. Rode for the MTCQ and LRMTC over here from 1981 and then started an unaffilliated club, SQTA in 2007 with 4 other guys and now ride Classics and Twinshocks only. I've done every club officials job from scrutineer to President and have been a level 3 official for Motorcycling Queensland who are the governing body of affilliated sport over here, I'm still setting sections at 71 years of age. I rode in the Manx 2 day Classsic in 2013 & 2015 and planning to do it again in 2018 ( anyone got a Cub to loan to a careful rider ????) I didn't say sections are always too hard, they are very often, but it also needs to be judged against the going in between sections as well. We are on the same wavelength insofar as the organisers are getting older and don't have the time, money or energy to do what we used to do, the question is how to encourage the younger guys to step up.

I don't know you baldilocks but you have mentioned a couple of times in your posts that we need more sections and therefore more observers, more trainers to conduct beginners sessions. Are you a rider, club official or just a commentator, because you might advise us how to find and encourage all these new helpers, that you suggest, into the sport ! I honestly think from reading all the posts so far our sport will fade away in the next 10 years from lack of youngsters coming in, plus over exuberant section severity and we will be left with a bunch of old farts (like me) running twinshock, air cooled mono's, pre 2000 mono's, pre 2015 mono's and a few pre 65's, events. Am I being pessimistic or realistic ?

Previous posts have mentioned having harder sections to sort out the "men from the boys" and that is just the mentality thats killing entries,,,,, we have tie breakers in the supp regs guys, and we can make up whatever the organisers want to sort out tie's like; Oldest rider Oldest bike First to finish (on a closed circuit course) Plus all the other usual tie breakers. Who cares if the top three loose less than 5 marks, the average guys (75% of the entry) will not loose many as well and will go away with a smile on their faces with no broken bones, all their skin and a bike in one piece,,,,,,, and more importantly,,,,, come back and ride again.

I am a 71 year old and have been riding trials since I was 13 years old in the UK (Midland Centre) and continued when we emigrated to Australia in 1980. I have been involved with the running of trials clubs in both countries and have set thousands of sections for all grades over the years so I believe I have some knowledge of where the riders are disappearing to and why ! IMHO the main reason for declining numbers is section severity and we have the same issues in Australia. Many organisers seem obsessed with taking marks off the best riders and we all set three or four different lines for different grades through the section creating more work for the declining numbers of helpers setting it all out. When you analyse the riders in every event you will come up with the fact that approx 75% are average ability guys and if you cater for them rather than the top 3% who are capable of winning you will send them home happy and in one piece and they will return for the next event ( the other 22% not mentioned would be slightly better than average) Some will say they need to be challenged and like a tough event, well, let them get involved with a club of similar thinking and organise "tough" events, I don't think they will be overwhelmed with numbers tho'. I don't believe the cost factor is a major reason for declining numbers, wages have soared in comparison, but I do think work commitments and family time together also contributes. It will take years for clubs to get back those riders who gave it away due to section severity and when they do come back they will be riding twinshocks and/or classics. Cheers Roger Galpin

Sounds like you need to loosen up a bit Jon, or was it a cold day

Heading off in a few minutes to the SQTA 2nd championship round at the Overflow property, expecting 30C and high humidity,,,,,, but thats normal for here, will loose a couple of kilo's,,,,,, thats good

I'd be hanging it up in my lounge

I had one on one of my Cubs, they do the job of protecting the engine ok and sliding over obstacles and they fit nicely. The only problem I found was that the bike will not sit on a bike stand safely to work on without other means of holding it upright. Here's a big hello from Australia to some good old mates from the Midland centre and the BMCA, not many of the old guys still riding these days according to results. Galps

I have a Cub with heavyweight forks, internal springs which I've owned for 18 years in Australia. An old mate of mine, Chris Leighfield gave me a fork mod which he had on his own original works Cub before he emigrated. He asked me not to give details to anyone as it was a Triumph design for the works bikes only. It gave me more movement than MP forks and is still effective on the bike today,,,,,,, To honour Chris's request I cannot give more details,,, my lips are sealed

You used to be indecisive, but now you're just not sure. !

One of the worlds best known trials and no results, there must be some copyright dispute with a magazine I would guess !!!

Whats gone wrong with the results from Sheffield, they are usually up the next day

I am a 70 year old veteran whose first road trial was the B'ham Clubs James Trophy trial in 1964 where I won the novice award and have been riding in events ever since so I have seen a few changes. My interest these days and for the last 20 years has been Pre 65 or Classic bikes, whatever you want to call them, I rode in the IoM Classic International trial last year and plan to do it again in 2017, I have been living in Australia since 1980. There have been loads of dribble and nonsense written on this thread about the SM series but the one guy who hit it on the head was "on It" about 4 comments ago. I totally agree about the section severity dictating how much money and engineering has to go into the bikes for those with the desire to win trophies. When you work it out, around 70% of all trial entries are average riders and by making the sections more and more difficult to take marks off the best riders then its no wonder that entry levels are falling and guys drop out of the sport because they don't want to make the financial commitment to improving their bike, damage their bike or themselves knowing they are only there to make money for the organising club or the ACU. Who cares if 4/5 riders have an easy day and don't loose a mark, and if those riders do care and want the massive challenge all the time then let them go and organise their own events and take all the "Specials" with them. As "on it" said, the oldest rider wins the ties which would encourage old farts like me to keep giving it a go. Lastly, nothing gets sorted out on these forums, they're just outlets for the usual windbags to let off steam and there's been a few on this topic. The only way to bring about change is to do it through your club officials, get a few clubs together, get the centres agreeing after a meeting somewhere and then put it to the ACU committees. Now I wait to be shot down Galps

G'day chaps Loved the photos'. it looked like you had some nice weather on the day. I'm in Queensland Australia and we are just in our winter and the temperature today was a freezin' 25c. Reason for my post was the photo of the BSA Gold Star that one of the guys was riding. I would like to ask him a few questions as I am building a rigid Goldie with a BB32 motor. Can someone give him a nudge and ask him to give me a shout on my email, twinshock2@gmail.com. I'm riding my Cub in a trial here next Sunday so I hope its a bit warmer. Incidentally I'm an ex pat Pom and rode in the midland centre up till 1980 and came back and rode the Manx Classic in 2013 & 2015. Any close up pics of the Goldie ??? Cheers Rog Galpin

Hi There's a pair for sale on Australian ebay, have a look, http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/252304786021

Hi I'm an ex pom now living in Australia and we had an M10 Bultaco win our National Classic trials title in 2009 (I think) and it created an argument for the next three years till the rules were changed, wrongly, to exclude all "Spanish" bikes in Classic class. This has, rightly, now been ammended by clarifying the definition of a Pre 65 Classic bike, and to give some of the more "trick" bikes a ride we have added a Pre 68 Specials class which would allow the M10, Cub square barrels and 4 speed Bantams in. I have entered the Pre 65 Scottish on a couple of occasions and watched it also and have seen all the "trick" stuff entered as Pre 65,,,,,, what a joke. To save all the annual arguments that go on about the Pre 65 Scottish why the devil don't they simply change the name of the event to The Scottish Classic Trial and include everything Pre 80 or 75 or whatever, they have to bring their eligibility and rules up to date otherwise it will be the same old guys that get in, who have won it 15 times, or wore the same waistcoat and bow tie year after year or the same old manufacturers or father and daughter entries or magazine editors who get in year after year. Come on someone,,,, shoot me down !!!

It all depends on what you want to use it for surely, 3 speed Bantams are Ok for pre 65 but the 4 speed weren't available before 67. Of course, all the Bantams at the Pre 65 Scottish would have been the 3 speed versions !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! otherwise they are ineligible. !

Hi Johnnyboxer About the Hilux, I've owned one in Australia and after some time back in the UK I know you have the same bodied models over there, maybe different motors. A bike will go in diagonally with the tailgate up and you can get two bikes in with the tailgate down and if you reverse one in the middle of them you can get three in. If its a 4wd version then you need a ramp to get them up, either push them or ride up, its too difficult to lift them in you would need three guys. The 2wd version is lower and you only need a strong plank of wood. I didn't like the fuel consumption of the Hilux, it had the 4 litre petrol motor over here so I got rid of it and I now run a Mitsubishi Triton dual cab ute which takes the same load but only uses 8 litres per 100 kms with the 2.5 diesel motor. After riding in 30c+ over here and knowing the weather over there I think you would be better with a low roof van like the other guys suggest. Hope this helps Cheers Galps

Hi Charlie A bit off subject but I am happy to talk about Chris. Chris and I got to know each other when we were both introduced to the sport of trials riding by our parents and by joining the Castle Bromwich Motor Club, we were both 15. I don't want to spoil your story on Chris so I will skip the bits in between and say that we both ended up in Australia, Chris in 1972 and me in 1980, Chris lived in Melbourne and I live in Brisbane. We remained close friends over the years but only met in competition at the Australian championships and him beating me every time, although I did get within 8 marks of him one year. He gave me a modification to the clutch on my Cub which made it the lightest clutch on any Cub I have ever come across, including the Armac option, and swore me to secrecy :-) I bought Vibsa 1 from him, I have photo's if you need them, he built 3 altogether, we emailed two or three times a week and I spoke to him by phone on a regular basis also, he was a great guy. Contact me on my personal email if you need more, twinshock2@gmail.com Cheers Galps

Hi Graham Yes I did get your info via email and it was all very useful and very much appreciated, I did send an email back to you. The pics and responses have motivated me to get on with the job and the motor is now in the frame which will allow me to fit the clutch etc etc and get some oil lines fitted, plus a few other jobs. If anyone has other close up pics of either side, engine and g/box I would appreciate them to my email, twinshock2@gmail.com. Thanks again Galps