charlie prescott

Hi Guy's. Hi Fish. Thanks for that mate, really helpful. I will take a look at your bike. If you want to follow the build of my Bantam , I now have a page on my web site. www.bsaotter.com Regards Charlie.

Hi Guy's. After getting back from the Manx Classic trial, I find that the Bantam that one of my guys rode was really not up to the job? But he did only have it over in the IOM as a stop gap, while another bike got built. And with a last minute entry into the Classic, and struggling for three parts of the first day, and doing really well on a bike that was not up to the job, he fell in love with the little Bantam. Now I need to build a bike that is better than the one he rode. and update the forks ,frame and engine, so I have made a start. a D14 frame is now in my hands for conversion ,to something more into todays trends. I will build a new subframe and swinging arm and fit better Mz forks and 14" rear shocks that work. I honestly feel that a Yamaha TY front brake is a must for the IOM? have you ridden there downhill drops. Engine is late, and I will fit a RGR piston to get maximum cc's. Is there anything else that you guy's suggest??? I must say that I am being pointed in the right direction from one of TC's Bantam experts. Regards Charlie.

Hi Guys Hi S. You need to speak to Pat Slinn if you think the bike is any thing to do with the Competition Department At BSA. He would know and probably be able to help you! Is it still a scrambles bike? Regards Charlie.

Hi Guys. Just reading this , I remember meeting Bill at Mallory, one day, along with old mate Dennis ( Wacker) Westwood, who sadly passed away there. I admired Bills skills has a metal smith , and always had him in mind when bronze welding my frames. Do you guys realise the heritage that the sidecar racing guys left us in the sixties to eighties? Most of them built there own machines ,from a heap of tubes, respect is all I can say. RIP Bill your memory lives on. Regards Charlie.

Hi Guys. You will probably know by now ? That my I Pad has taken over posting for me?????? These Bloo!! Machines are so clever now adays.That they think they can take over the World??. And enoy OTF all in one. The post was for Pre 65 !!! And was about Barry Browns C15 T , and what I say stands for that. The connection is that , I was looking up Progressive Classics! Steve Jones? Well I am told that he now has The Hubbo frame jig ( Mick Mills) frame jig and is considering building a batch of these frames??? If there is interest??? Let me or Steve know!!! Regards Charlie. PS probably post this in Classic Steam Engines. I Pad ? I Mac world???

Hi Guys. Hi Barry, Don't get side tracked ,there are parts that fit the original Bill if you look hard enough. OTF I am ashamed of you with your comments. this bike is original, and should be kept to this. Barry wants to restore the bike to the original, and not Pre65 it. If you see a picture of his road bike ,you will see the standard to what he wants to replicate every part of the restoration. I might add that Barry is not a teenager and wants to restore this machine ,in memory of his dad that was very elderly when he past away.Good luck with what you are doing Barry, and if you need advise ,you know where I am. Regards Charlie.

Hi Guy's Honda Copy," Super Cub Trial's" or CT 140! watch this space. or catch up on www.bsaotter.com, A trials-bike for everyone? could be??? We have to give it a go. Regards Charlie.

Hi Guys Hi Gwilym. John Bartram is at , engtec@aol.com or phone 07989424590 , I did not no that John made frames for a BSA unit engine although he makes a superb one for an HT Ariel. Let us know how you get on. Faber now make a Bariel frame that is based on the Ariel design perhaps a cross between this and a BSA Otter frame. I am also making a frame similar to these for a very special project i am working on at the moment. you can find details at www.bsaotter.com Regards Charlie PS hope to bring this project bike to the IOM at the end of August.

Hi Guys Too many scare tack ticks nowadays. Look if you want to modify your cub your way, go ahead and do it! If you get it right ,you will be amazed with the people that copy it. We are a nation of people' that like to do things our way, and sometime we get it right. Ask Duncan MacDonald? I do as well. Regards Charlie, www.bsaotter.com

Hi Guys. So what happened ,Section One??????. Regards Charlie.

Hi Guys. Hi Baz! Look ,just keep that bike clean ,and don't even think about converting it to electronic ignition? You have a Jem of a bike there, and has been said a piece of history. Don't change anything on it There at just not any of these bikes left like this. Mail me on www.bsaotter.com I would love to do a page on this bike and its history. Regards Charlie.

Hi Guys. Totally agree Steve. Regards Charlie.

Hi Guys. Well if any competitor even tried in those conditions they deserve a Gold medal. Guys thank you so much for your determination in keeping the So called Pre 65 Scottish trial going in this weather. I must say that the result is extra special to me , in that I had mailed Andrew Paxton , the day he left for Scotland wishing him the best of luck again this year. This is the son of a old friend that I got into trials in the sixties, and I know he must be over the moon to know Andy is has good or better than his dad hey Dave? I must also thank my old friend Ted Freeman for his input into this project. He to must be chuffed . This stems back to the BSA factory bike of the late Brian Martin. A truly memorable achievement . The story will be on bsaotter.com if I have my way! Thanks Guys. Regards Charlie.

Hi Guys Yes second day cancelled, just heard on Nevis Radio ,from Big John. Result and presentation at four o'clock OK. Regards Charlie.

Hi Guys, Hi Jrs. Gov 132, became famous because, Sam was given a free hand to modifie this bike while it was in his charge. He had a part of the BSA comp shop, which by this time was the last of the Ariel competition machines. Sam was on a mission to reduce the weight of the machine to has light as possible. This meant building a lightweight frame of Reynolds tube that carried the oil in the frame down tube. Alloy and Titainiam was used where possible , along with special alloy castings. Modified forks with Norton sliders were used valanced alloy rims laced to Ariel Leader alloy hubs, And self tappers for tyre security. 19 inch rear 21 inch front. Wheels. Glass fibre tank seat and mudguards were made by Chris Butler.and even front number plate. Engine was liberally drilled were possible to reduce weight, along with gearbox shafts ETc these were then plugged with Nylon, the bars were firstly Reynolds 531 tube but later alloy. Levers were sourced from a Velocett LE with rubber ball ends added. Alloy air box ,BSA moped speedo, and even smaller 428 chain. Sam's work on this bike is what started the Classic Trials Bike modifieing revolution , make no mistake. Regards Charlie.

Hi Guys. Hi Penn. Has I say from the clutch side. The old Tiger Cub type push rod mech? I think you have to check that there is a suitable ball bearing in the cup for the lever unit. I will check for you and let you know. Regards Charlie.

Hi Guys. Hi Penn? The clutch push rod will only fit from the clutch side??? You need to tell us a bit more about what year the engine is ETC. This little rod needs to be right on al years of C15 or you will get problems. Regards Charlie.

Hi Guys. Hi Jc2. Yamaha RD 350 ,picture red and white. OK. Regards Charlie.

Hi Guys, Has I have said, a 4 inch tyre is 4 inches wide, a 350 tyre is 3 1/2 inches wide. So if you run a modern 4 inch tyre in a standard wide sports Cub swinging arm you are going to get clearance issues .you can lengthen the arm by 1 inch. I do it by extending the spindle plates, Rather than cutting and extending the tubes, this helps with clearance at the front of the arm. And makes for a better wheelbase. But has I have said using a Triumph Cub frame is has it always has been a compromise , has the bike was not designed has a trials bike. If you want to get over this problem you have to spend a little more money and buy either a Faber Otter frame or one from Armac. There are a few more who make fames for a Cub engine but I have not had dealings with these. One is in the IOM and one in Devon has I know of. I have built the Top Cat Cub frame using the dimensions from Pat Slinns BSA trials bike and using the same WD BSA B 40 swinging arm., has he did. And I still recon this is one of the best little bikes that I have built. Take a look at www.bsaotter.com for the full build. Regards Charlie.

Hi Guys . Hi Alan. Listen, would youths, if they pinched the two bikes , be bothered to take the other stuff?? Doubt it. More like someone knowing someone that has talked about getting a Honda Or more likely a BSA trials bike, that is going up in value, and would give a good price if he could find one . And Jack the Lad and his mate have spotted the bike ,or a mate knows where it lives, and have already quoted a price for the said machine. Just me surmizing ???? But more like the sunario , or is the Classic Trials scean growing in other offshore destinations???? Let's try and find Bobs bike!!!! Regards Charlie PS. don't forget ta take a look at the bike on www.bsaotter.com OK

Hi Guy's. Look I have just Published a Page with a picture of Bob riding his Faber Mk3 "Otter". at the Captains trial. at www.bsaotter.com Please take a look,and lets try to find who has these bikes or where they have gone???? Bob Forrest Faber Mk3 B40. Regards Charlie.

Hi, Guys. Hi Bob . I Repete, contact me and send me a description and photo of the Otter bike. My site is well known world wide, and it must help you if I put this on www.bsaotter.com Regards Charlie.

Hi Guys, Hi Bob, OK for a start can you give us a description of your Otter.??? Was it a Mk 2 or 3 frame??? Send me a picture to bsaotter.com.and I will put that on to my site. You could also ring me on my two phone numbers or e mail me at char7748@ tiscali.co.uk. I want to help!! I know how much work goes into one of these bikes and how much you get attached to them. Being an Otter I am more than displeased that someone could even consider taking your pride and joy away from you, and what for??? They must know that these bikes are individualy built and all have a carecter all of there own And therefore can be easily spotted. We know the engine is worth a grand but these are also identifiable. Please get in touch with me ,I have contacts that will help in the Classic trials world. .www.bsaotter.com Regards Charlie.

Hi Guy, Yes you can run a narrow rim ,but the tyre,tire, is still 4" wide so the problem still exists. Look the Triumph Cub was never designed has a trials bike, all the works did was convert a road commuting bike , after several privateers had done the homework for them. All they wanted was publicity to sell more bikes, so any work, and very little was done on these bikes All parts had to come from the Triumph spares bins, and very little modification was done. Some Bsa parts were used as these were by now available, but even this was hushed up. The only reason the Cub has become what it has today, is because it is a light weight little Pre 65 , trials bike . This is why so much time and money has been spent by small back yard engineers, developing this machine beyond recognition ,to what a Cub once was, a cheap ride to work commuter bike. So any of you taking a road Cub frame or compleat bike, are going to have the same problems and struggle to build one of these little bikes into a trials machine, has we always have done. Unless you purchase the available expencive parts , that are not Realy Cub anyway. So in the end you decide, money pit or compromise . Regards Charlie.

Hi Guys. You can ponder to much on what other people do to there bikes, and freak out, for what other people. Say. A works trials Cub, trust me was a compromise, mine was a Works ,replica from the factory. And the nearest you could get to a works bike, and they kept replacing the parts that went wrong on a permanent basis! Even when we I turned the bike in to a Sprinter. Charlie Rynolds told me one day that a Cub with a 350 back tyre was well superior at finding grip with the power the bike supplied ,than over powering it with a 400 tyre. And all you did by fitting a full sized tyre was loose power from the blocked up tyre. Regards. Charlie.