sell as is.. you may even get more than a complete bike..
i recently bought a b175 with v5 and mot just restored and paid strong money as the engine was 'brand new' .i immediately stripped it for engine and v5 and sold the rest for just 100 quid less than i paid for a full bike.
beta / sherco rear wheel spindles are more than adequate and with some nice alloy spacers save a ton of weight and are easier to maintain.. however i cant see that hollowing one out would add anything.. they are only 17mm diameter. i trust that todays manufacturers would holllow them out if a weight saving could realistically save weight and not make any sacrifices..
i can see why if you like fettling you'd build such a thing.. because you can. where to ride it is another easy answer.. any 'modern ' trial of which there are a dozen each weekend. where to ride it competetively though.. im not aware of a club that caters specifically for twinshocks and allows disc braked mono conversions to compete in the same class as twinshocks..
although these pages are as good as any of finding one..
stand back.. fifteen quid for a tyre is good value. sure its far from new but it has somelife left especially if used as the seller advises.. dont poo poo your rubbish it might be another mans treasure.
if its grip your after, and dont feel good enough to win trophies then a tlr is the natural choice.. grips and grips again, power is nice and soft so breaking grip is less easily done than say on a fantic.. fantic 200 though are the bargain of twinshock trials.. you can get two for your honda money..
the most likely scenario remains that a couple of likely lads just stole a van. or a white van was sourced. its location is high end with lots of footballers etc locally and would be somewhere car thieves might target.
the stuff in the back would be a bonus.. itll be most likely in a scrap yard by now. ( the new system of cash less systems is a joke if they then cash your cheques on the same site as they do at my local yard)
a stolen connect is worth a grand cash..
no one can pass off cub heads hubs etc as a job lot as anyone building such a bike would know only too well what they are and where they most likely came from
so the parts 'cash value' might be a lot less than a couple of hundred quid.. scrap they might be worth 100 quid.. so by and far the van is the most easily 'moved' and the most 'profitable'.
the van then is the key.. the police will make absolutely no attempt to locate it. they will rely on neighbours reporting it if dumped or it appearing on the radar of one thier anpr vehicles. a rip to all the local tescos with carparks and pfs (with anpr) might prove sucessful ( i found two stolen vehicles this way for customers whilst working for tesco..)
or advertise for a connect in the free paper and put loads of searches out on ebay etc.for the van and contents.
grim news..
first off get it home get it properly cleaned up.
if the drain had swarf etc in it. get it in bits. if you do this yourself take lots of clear photos on your phone as you go..
if you dont feel comfortable taking a box/engine to bits get it to someone who is. the bits/ labour will cost you a few quid though so undersatnd what the hourly labour charge is. no one can tell you what bits it needs until its in bits.
as its a recent bike Gas Gas or your nearest dealer are your best source.. websites for stuff like this are largely useless and out of date... speak togasgas or your dealer..
then a couple of learnings..
if somethings not working properly dont use it repair it..
if you break something off dont use it until its repaired
both a bit of a bind but much easier and cheaper to solve small problems than big ones..
good luck
granted the fantic 200 is half the money of a tlr and it is a better trials bike. HOWEVER the question is which to grow old with as age takes it toll.
so honda reliability.. simple rideability.. they run nice and slow and smooth they have some go to pull the larger gentleman around and they grip like something smelly on a stick. the fantic is a better bike to be competitive on no doubt but thats a different question..
the bantam frame kit was so reasonable i took the tank,seat and exhaust too.. too good to miss and am so glad i splashed the cash.. all in a nice guy as well.
i note the regs now available for the first couple of Sammy miller rounds. very clear statements regarding no set route no time limits roadwork playing no part in the competition..
trafics are an ace m way van cruise happy as larry in sixth turning in just shy of 40mpg over the years i ve had em. stuff like caddys and connects dont do any better mpg wise so the space is the deciding factor.. the new pegeout partner has a longer body 3 front seats option and would be ideals ..BUT its the same money as the car to buy so not justifiable.. but bikes go in it straight.. i rode my tlr to the dealer to check!
nice pick of Jim and his drayton stuff..I took one of his framesets from him in june last year and for a zillion good reasons only actually started on it this week. i ve got to say from the off. IMPRESSED. all the mountings line up no need to 'spread' fittings etc .. bolted up and its ready. hopefully will have the head bearings and rear wheel sorted before the end of the week.. the more it snows the more likely!
oh i ve never gone that route.. there was a thread some years ago ( no more than 5 id say) that had all the detail.. its all in the wiggle as i remember it once you youve sussed it they go in and out like pistons..
these considerations show again that these 'rules' are designed for competetive events on the road.
why on earth would every home within 500m of a section run on private land need notification? when applied to a control for a road rally then it becomes sensible but for a trial on private land..
back in the day (late 70's /80's) every home on a road rally was visited and even then there was objection by a good few which meant many blackspots and quiet zones been used on the route.. ( we are talking of 2 litre escorts with spot lights.. after midnight..)
the acu seems to be taking a measured approach and pete scorpas work seems to cover all the basics... but to what end.. the msa pockets 302 quid for little or nothing and petes spent 20 hours tracing maps and writing letters ( one police force hasnt even acknowledged him) amusing that the other insisted he apply to the local council for an alcohol licence!
on the positive side this does bring fresh awareness to the need for valid insurance.. and a legit sized number plate. although one year on a claasic lDT i rode the local coppers were stopping bikes and cars with very small number plates they waved other more sensible although technically inappropriate plates through. on all the MSA events i ve been done insurance has had to be purchased or a specific form signed declaring that insurance covers the vehicle. for road rallies i ve had to prove it as well.
a little cautionary note regarding the stance of some groups to msa authorisation .. a watch and wait approach and the totally ignore of others.. i have heard of quotes of ' its not a problem its a civil thing and the worst you can get is a small fine..
how timely then in this months MSA news that two motor car clubs should find them selves in front of the msa for failing to comply with the authorisation they were given.
both clubs were heard seperately both clubs it was agreed held well organised events HOWEVER both clubs had submitted routes that though in one clubs case were exactly the same as that run both clubs had repositioned controls ..slightly.. these infringements came to light when msa officials re checked all paperwork post event and noted the slight differences..
both clubs were found guilty and banned from organising any motorsport for between two and three yearssuspended for two years and given financial penalties of 250 pounds..
so it seems that the MSA is hard on its own member clubs..
