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jon v8

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Everything posted by jon v8
 
 
  1. I am very aware of the situation of what happened with the old setup at BVM when Kempy was in charge, I have been a customer of BVM since about 1985, but I am referring to the current situation with BVM, we are very lucky to have such great service from them, and from John and Matt at SW trials. It is up to you to ask the question of them if there is a problem where the bike needs to be returned.
  2. SW trials are enthusiasts just like BVM who are more local to me. Trials is a very small world so there is no point in them selling rubbish or ripping people off, word would go around in no time. John who runs it is a nice bloke, always got time for a natter and a laugh.
  3. Yep, I wouldn't buy one without a visor now,especially for long distance trials with road work.
  4. Electric trials toys are irrelevant really in terms of the world, it really doesn't matter if they are petrol or electric. They are first world toys. The bigger concern is in places like India and Africa where motorcycles are basic transport and ridden / worked to death every day as basic transport. Is the world going to go over to electric instead of a petrol Honda Cub or CG125 ? Then you have a bigger set of questions to address... I've ridden a couple of electric trials bikes, they are not for me. I found them difficult to judge how much power to apply and getting grip on very slippery turns the last time I rode one was difficult for me. To the extent that I was dabbing on tight uphill turns where I could repeatedly clean on my C15. So to me the note and feel of a petrol engine and finding grip in slippery conditions is what trials is all about to me. Take my petrol bikes away and I'll stop riding trials. Probably be different if I had never been enjoying what I have known for the last 45 years. My youngest trials bike is 46 years old and the oldest is 73. None of them are even close to being worn out, so very unlikely I'll need an electric bike to replace them...
  5. I would say the exact opposite, I've yet to see one of those Mikuni carbs worn out. All of mine have been extremely reliable and easy to tune. People do swop them for Dellorto and OKO, but I can't really see the point. The TK carbs don't seem to be as good.
  6. Or you could try Terry Weedy - https://www.terryweedy.com/tanks.html
  7. The other thought is a Mitas. https://bvm-moto.co.uk/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=529
  8. The main thing after the bike being in good shape is to make sure you and the bike have plenty to drink. Running out of fuel is my main worry in LDT's. I rode the fantastic South Devon Woo Hoo on Saturday and got through nearly 3 tanks of fuel in my old banger TY250. Every opportunity to refuel myself and the bike are taken. Knowing that the bike is all up together so you can just ride it without worrying is a big thing too. My TY looks like an old garden shed, but mechanically it is spot on, this is important with a 45 year old bike. Even more important when I ride the Arbuthnot on a 73 year old bike this year.
  9. Several clubs around the West country, including my own Ashwicke Classic club - Offer a Gentlemans route, this is where you ride into the section then ride anyway you like to get out through the ends cards.(As long as you don't cross your own path) We encourage novice riders to use this class as it gives them complete freedom of choice as to how hard they make their ride. If they wish to follow the clubman route thats fine, or if they are finding it all too easy they can ride the expert route. They can do exactly as they please to work out where their skill level or nerves will take them to.
  10. I would get it working and enjoy how much easier they are to start,especially when they are very cold or not been used for a while. You can spin the engine over several times to free everything up, then draw some fuel in. My C15 starts from cold sitting down this way, it just makes it sooo easy - And nice for the kickstart gears.
  11. Getting rid of the decompressor is a backwards move. Used properly its a great help in saving wear on the kickstart gears. They were never very well made when new, so any help is good.
  12. Lucky you - They appear to have taken my money with a confirmation email, but I've since had two more emails saying my "Licence" has lapsed. I think me and the ACU are done, I can't be bothered.
  13. My dodgy advice - It is only an opinion afterall, is to find a TY175 Yamaha. Plenty around,easy to get parts for,easy to ride,reliable and plenty of trick bits available to make it whatever you want.Because there are plenty of them and plenty of parts makers/suppliers, the cost of them is often lower than some makes.And if you don't like it they will always sell well because of their reputation. They can be as good as any other twinshock with mods, but as always - Its more about the rider.
  14. Is it an early Majesty based on a modified Yamaha frame, or a later Don Godden one ? The Yam framed one is easy because you can get a dating certificate from the Yamaha RD Aircooled club very easily using the original Yamaha serial number on the headstock. But I wouldn't mention anything to HMRC or DVLA about it being a Majesty, just that it is a Yamaha TY. If its a Godden frame it may be more difficult, especially if there is no frame number. Then you may need help getting an HMRC / DVLA recognised agent to do a dating certificate. May be easier in that case to buy a standard TY frame and register that. Most larger car garages / showrooms have facility to check from the frame number if it has ever been registered - If you can find a friendly one its worth doing for a few quid,get lucky and it might just be a case of applying for a new log book if it was previously registered.
  15. I run a 428 chain on my TY250 twinshock with no problems - it is how it came out of the factory. Mick Andrews was very frank with Yamaha about the TY range,got his own way over most of the design. Looking at how little needs doing to a TY compared to other brands of the time I think he and Yamaha did a very good job. There was a time a while back when it was popular to fit mono forks onto the twinshock TY's, then most went back to the originals as they felt the leading axle of the mono ones spoilt the steering. The progressive springs are the way to go as you already have.
  16. The best long term solution is to get a 21" rim laced onto your hub. You then will have plenty of tyre choices, from road to full on knobbly.
  17. Give them a break ! Its a small operation, staffed by a friendly bunch of people. They do a good job.
  18. I had a pair of Falcons on my HT5 Ariel, they were very good, would thoroughly recommend them. The only bad experience I've had with rear shocks is with Betor's. On one of my Ty250 Yamaha's I had a pair which leaked within a few months from new. But they worked better when they had leaked, so I carried on using them till I sold the bike.
  19. It varies every year, but even the bits of main road we have used in the past are very quiet with little traffic. It really isn't a problem.
  20. The Arbuthnot varies in length, usually between 70 and 80 miles, although one year we did 90. There are no garages on the route, but there is a trailer which will take your fuel can to the lunch stop at the golf course. We always have lunch in the club house with a pint, then oil chains, refuel and a quick check over before setting off again. You need a good air filter if its dry, most of the distance is on old drovers roads which can be very dusty. Its a great day out,lots of nice bikes and a very friendly atmosphere.
  21. Have you seen the Talon Mickmar in Sammy Millers museum ? By chance I was there yesterday, but didnt take any pictures of it.
  22. I run a 9e clutch in my James J9 with an Albion 4speed box, the 9e clutch is a great improvement over the original, it was supplied by Paul Powell of Cotton Villiers services - very helpful.
  23. This stuff - https://www.elfcompetition.com/produits/cs23005_uk.pdf Mmm, I'm no chemist, but I guess its heading toward the same goal. The specs don't really give much away...
  24. For the same reason we don't have electric 44ton trucks, the batteries are nowhere near there yet. The electric chainsaws are small domestic use types.
  25. The only thing I would add to this thread is about Aspen fuel, I use it in my chainsaws because it does not wreck my at least 30 year old kit. But mostly because the fumes from it are much less toxic than from ordinary pump fuel. I used to get terrible headaches from chainsaw fumes after as little as 20 minutes sawing in still conditions. Since using Aspen I don't get them at all. I still have a couple of tree surgeon customers who use it because they have a duty of care to their employees. They are worried about asbestos type comebacks on their insurance, plus they don't want headaches either. I understand that the HSE have approved its use for petrol engined wacker plates in railway tunnels. Which helped Network rail and their contractors no end because previously they had banned them.
 
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