big john

That's about it! I think it has been bored, (but not stroked) to around 305cc. One day I will get down to having it measured! Big John

By heck, that Hillary bloke is a very knowledgable guy! Big John

Because of certain "comments" that have come to my attention... Here is a message from "Big John" to Trials Central "Lurkers"! i.e. those that are not members of this site and who obviously browse this website... Please read carefully my "disclaimer" below! My expressions of interest and comments on motorcycle sport on this or any other website are my personal observations and thoughts and are not necessarily those of the SACU or any other organisation I am a member of (or not as the case may be) or a director of (or not as the case may be).... You have got to be soooooo careful nowadays, I bet John Collins gets this all the time, don't you John? Kind regards, Big John Oh yes, one final point..If the cap fits, wear it!

Message from "Big John" to Trials Central "Lurkers"! i.e. those that are not members of this site and who obviously browse this website... Please read carefully my "disclaimer" on this thread! My expressions of interest and comments on motorcycle sport on this or any other website are my personal observations and thoughts and are not necessarily those of the SACU or any other organisation I am a member of or a director of.... Kind regards, Big John

Tony, Change it over from Mikuni to an Amal MK1 that is new and well set up and Bob's your Uncle! Fair pedigree, you're over 60 now, former SSDT rider, how can they refuse? Only problem is... your running a Yank licence! That's OK for SSDT as it is an International event, Pre65 is not it's run under an SACU permit. Return to England or Europe as that is EEU country!!! Edited to add: It's all to do with the repatriation insurance of the FIM. Big John

I'm gonna try that! He He! Big John

Fancy buying something then 2/4? Big John

There are guys that like women that size, they are called "feeders", they actually get the food together so that they maintain their obesity, in some cases the feeder fattens them up! Not for me thanks, each to their own. Big John

That's a closely guarded secret, if I told you I would have to kill you immediately after! I'm not sure about "bikes in my possession", I own quite a few bikes, but my kids own bikes too, they do not belong to me, one must protect oneself in this country from the dreaded Inheritance Tax you know! Big John

I must have missed the bit that gave the age of the rider! Big John

Yes, I did hear but I am sworn to secrecy! I believe... the rider has a Scottish ACU licence, born Scot, Scottish mother, but exported to Lancashire at one time in his life. Currently a Scottish resident.. That's all I'm saying. Big John (It's not me, I was No. 1 in 1998)

Yes I have been watching it on e-bay, I wasn't sure of the motor, more modern than my WR see below. Big John

Thanks Greeves. Big John

BOC You have to make sure you obtain an FIM Gold Cover Start permission with repatriation insurance cover built in. I know that my licence is SACU and I have to get the cover from the ACU in Rugby, I'm not sure if AMCA can arrange this, you must check it out, sooner rather than later. Remember in any country, no release and repatriation insurance = NO RIDE! Big John

My pleasure Tony. WITHOUT PREJUDICE... Yes it is strange how sightings of Nessie increase when the local Tourist Trade takes a bit of a knock! Call me suspicious! With regard to the Tiger Cub question, it would appear that everyone and their Uncle over the years have discovered the delights of the little 199cc Triumph Tiger Cub as being most useful to ride in the Pre65 trials arena. However, these little 199cc bikes are now being force fed steroids, taking their capacity ever higher to say 280cc! (a staggering 40% increase in displacement!) Also to ride Scotland there is a mistaken belief that you must have as modern a bike as possible to make a good job of it. Sure there is some merit in that, however, the crowds at the Pre65 now seriously outnumber those watching the SSDT..fact! People take the weekend off to see the Pre65 and maybe take in Monday at the SSDT as it is still a bank holiday (May-Day, what have you) No-one really wants to see a procession of Cubs and B40's, they like a good mixture: AJS/Matchless; Royal Enfield; Ariel; BSA; Norton etc etc and the bigger the bike the better. Sure, Cubs were ridden in the SSDT from 1954 on with Jimmy Alves campaigning a modified Terrier at 150cc for the factory. I also admit to owning a Cub, not any more, my eldest now owns that bike and loves the thing to bits, he does however want to ride a "big bike" in Scotland (and is constantly nagging me mercilessly to let him), it's the cost that precludes me from lending him an AJS or Matchless at the moment (cost being insurance for the public highway!) Tony, bring that bonnie Royal Enfield over (the one you imported from Scotland!) and ride it next year or we can maybe arrange something over here for you, not a Cub mate. Besides you personally are part of SSDT history, how many times did you win the Services Award??? Big John (Please note the standard disclaimer: These are my personal thoughts which are in no way connected to or representative of those of the organising committee of the Edinburgh & District Motor Club Ltd., it's Directors, employees, officials or servants!)

My local dealer has a trade catalogue and guess what there is a folding tip gear lever for the XL185 Honda, quite short, should be useful. I have ordered two but they haven't arrived yet. I'll let you know what the fit is like. Also tlrs... Yes, I know the tap in question now, I had one fitted to my ex-Ernie Page Dalesman Puch 125, International Six Days bike (1969 Garmisch Partenkirchen) First bike I ever owned when I was a wee boy! Big John

You want to see the books I've got a home...they are full of motorbikes! Maybe I'll get more intelligent, my waistline has expanded too... Big John (getting Bigger!)

Wow Slapshot! that is some post, I didn't know you had that much info in the brain of yours, you have me impressed.... my liege! Big John (studying "Cemoto and the Enjoyment of Dynamic Balance at the University of Bultaco, San Adrian De Besos, Spain) Bultaco - Motorcycles spoken here! Bultaco - Built to Go Bultaco Cemoto Fabricados en Espana

No idea, I'm not an engineer, just call it a B40 and then you can have 343cc as standard! ....besides Cubs are on the way out as far as Scotlands' concerned, just toooooooo many entering! Big John

Oh no! You'll be starting to talk about politics next! I have always tried to avoid both politics and religion in conversations whenever possible. Having been brought up in an area of Scotland that was just bristling with religous biggotry (Orange Lodges versus the Knights of St. Columba etc) I always thought trials was devoid of such matters and that's why I became a motorcycling biggot instead. I can't be bothered with football and yet it's Scotland's national game! I thought this thread was about UFO's???? Edited to include: I thought God was Senior Bulto! Big John

You guys have lost me Big John

Well for starters, move your mouse on to the image, right click the mouse and click on "save picture as" This will bring up your files and merely save them in "my pictures" You should really bring them up to full size to do this. I think this is how you do it, works for me when I see something interesting that I would look at later. Big John

Ladies and Gentlemen... welcome to Celebrity Fight Night, where a couple of trials fanatics fight to the death. In my left corner, Nigel Dabster; in my right corner, Atom Ant. Of course these are not their real names. It's a heated debate about whether or not unidentified flying objects exist or not! You don't get this kind of entertainment in Trials and Motocross News, do you Ladies and Gentlemen? Let the bating begin.......

See...I knew Black Cat would have seen something during a long RAF career, most have! Normally its' usually easily explained, but there are some instances where it is not. Don't get me wrong, I am not saying there are such things as UFOs, but then again...do we know everything? Big John

I suppose you are right there Tim, when I was a boy he was indeed entered in the SSDT as a Flt. Lt. Sorry Andy T, we digressed a bit on this thread and no, my old man was never abducted by aliens, I think he was too big to abduct, he would have argued with them though! Big John Come on Tony spill the beans, well known fact that RAF boys have done their fair share of UFO spotting over the years! Here's a photo of Arnott with his favourite trilby hat, he is having a chat with Walther Luft in 1973 at Blackford Hill at the end of the Scottish. That's his 2.4 Jag, I learned to drive in that! quite quick, but as I remember the brakes were not too brilliant! Edited to add note: Blimey I calculated it out, for those that know me and perhaps Arnott, when that photo was taken, he was 6 years younger than I am now...that's scary!