jon v8

I'll put in a vote for the Ty250 motor, for overall ease of use,maintenance,etc,etc, they are hard to beat. Especially if you want to learn to all your own spannering.In standard form they will cope with just about any situation and a massive amount of abuse, farmers and kids,(Mine included) have tried and failed in most cases to wreck them. The current one I'm riding tomorrow night at a local trial is an old Ebay purchase from a breaker,covered in cow poo when I bought it... The engine was a bit of a mess,but has gone back together as a cheapy, I just used bits out of boxes to nail it together,s/h piston from one engine,barrel from another etc. Its all well worn and rattles well.But apart from the noise its a real treat,pulls like a train,screams like a banshee as well,more poke than any one of these I've ridden before.Perfect spread of gears and easy to tune, you have to remember Mick Andrews knew a thing or two when he went to Japan all those years ago. Ok, its not a modern Gas Gas, but ridden it trials it was designed for there isn't much to beat it.

He knew what he was doing,I still can't believe he did it.He even took several hundreds off Golden Valley Classic in the last week for that years prize vouchers. Very low thing to do. Time is going on,but maybe there is some hope for people to get their money back. I bought and sold several bikes off him over the years since about 1983, never particularly liked him himself,but he always had very knowledgeable staff and provided a postal spares second to none. As Andy says the "New" BVM is nothing to do with Mark Kemp. Richard and Laurence have however carried on the excellent service and stock levels, I wish them every success.

I still think your problem is the mag getting weak,especially the way it was behaving yesterday. The plug being sooty could be as much that its burning oil as a rich mixture,either way a contaminated plug will need a stronger spark to fire.It was blue smoking quite a bit when I saw it. Stevo who was riding with me rarely changes the plug in his 500T,(Can't remember what plug it was -NGK B5es or BP5es ? ) but the motor and mag are in good shape,never misses a beat and is a treat to use.

I use both Aspen types, blue in my Ajay and the orange mixed stuff in my chainsaws and strimmer - its saved them all from death by temper when the diaphram carbs die from ordinary unleaded !

If your fuel tanks are clean,you can throw away your fuel filters too. Aspen cans are completely clean when you empty them.The carb on my AJS no longer needs ANY maintenance. Its not cheap, but I think its worth it,just wish I'd known about it earlier...

Ah, can't help much with classic trials in Spain ! Although having driven back through Barcelona's morning rush hour to the airport a couple of weeks ago, I think the Trumpy may not be ideal for city use.You would almost certainly need to raise the gearing,and the riding position with the footrests set back for trials soon becomes uncomfortable on the road. Maybe others on here have better local knowledge of the trials situation there,the terrain certainly lends itself to trials,I couldn't help noticing whilst driving back from the Pyrenees.

If you are,as you say new to classic trials - then it would help us to know what you intend to do with that bike,where you are based and how far you would drive to use it. The bike has clearly been set up to use in Classic trials,its not going to win any awards at shows,its a working bike - and it needs to be ridden and enjoyed.At the right event it will be great fun and very satisfying to ride,any spectators will love the sight and sound of it.Please use it, despite what some people would have you believe there are still trials around where that bike will put on a good show.

Also remember that 90% of carb problems are the magneto, 90% of magneto problems are the carb...

http://www.aspenfuel.co.uk/

I run tubed IRC tyres, they stay on my AJS until the knobs start to actually come away from the carcass, its not then that grip becomes a problem,its just the thought of explaining a 66 yr old trials bike with no lights etc,to a policeman. If it was only used in club trials I think I'd let them start falling off before changing. As it is I recycle them onto my ratty old TY250 which does the odd evening or fun trial. Neither bike has problems with grip,especially the AJS which I run at about 8psi, just because my concern is for compression punctures.

There are plenty of old Villers engined bikes running well every weekend on mods as Deryk describes. For honest and practical help,you could give Paul Powell a call at Cotton - Villers spares,he kindly lent me his Cotton last weekend to get more fuel when my AJS ran out at the Gerry Holdstock trial. Started first kick,which I thought was a good advert for what he does. Cheers Paul ! http://www.cottonvilliersspares.co.uk/

Exactly what I have and bought from BVM,yes they do go down into the top of your boot,so full protection from the front of your boot to the top of your knee. Blooming good bit of kit,give me a great deal of confidence as I'm nervous of my dodgy right knee taking a clout. They really are good,won't be riding without them,may even get a second pair.

JB Weld works well on Rickman hubs that need new bearings...

Didn't Rupert tell you ? My 86mm piston is being checked for rod clearance.(As part of normal checks,before I asked)

I can't see that tyre gripping as well as an IRC, but grip isn't as much of an issue with British four strokes,compared to many modern bikes, so you should be fine.

Recently bought a pair of Jitsie knee/shin guards from BVM, blooming good bit of kit,I'm very nervous about hitting my right knee as its not in the best of health. These guards fit well and will obviously protect from most trials knocks. Comfy too, will be wearing them at every trial,and as I found out last weekend they keep your knees warm and dry when its peeing with rain on the Mendips...

Looking forward to the morning,all loaded and ready to go.

Funny thing is, it just isn't like that. Without exception ALL the Pre65 or Classic trials I have ever ridden have been friendly and a bloody good laugh. This thread does not represent the fun that is had every weekend of the year on old bangers.

You - fall off Ken, not sure I can believe that ! BTW you missed a cracking trial last night,Fred really did us proud.

TT Spud, I wasn't going to post in this thread,but two trials conversations with mates this week have prompted me to change my mind.The first was from a mate who has recently bought a works rep Enfield from an elderly mate who has ridden it for the last 30 years. His decision to sell was made because he is no longer strong enough to ride it. The money will be spent on a lightweight,probably a Bantam. Just 2 hours ago at this evenings Golden Valley trial I was talking about the Somerton Classic 2 day British bike trial to a committee member of GVC. On asking him if he was going to ride his rigid Ajay, his answer was that he didn't know if he could manage 2 days on it,so he would bring a lightweight Cotton along too. So you see the pattern here,the bikes are still there,its just the people who they mean something to are thinning out fast,even if they are still alive and interested - they just don't have the stamina to cope. So they buy a Bantam or James to keep riding,the lighter the better - who can blame them. You also keep talking about money,unless you have little to start with it shouldn't be a problem,ANY of the bikes we are talking about are either holding their value or slowly increasing.Which when explaining a purchase to your wife has to help, in that you are not throwing money away. Another point is that to build a pre unit bike from scratch I think would cost a similar amount if you went for an original build or a "Modern" style. Some original parts are now incredibly expensive,an air filter for an HT5 - if you can find one,how much ? For a modern type build, £3 off E bay for a perfectly adequate pit bike foam filter like I have on my AJS. Modern BTH electronic mag £580, Lucas racing mag,probably £450-500 by the time you have found one and had it rebuilt. A big end bearing, £180 for either. I had to pay £120 for a modern JP piston for my AJS, because I simply could not find an original one - for any price. I guess an original HT5 petrol tank is more money than a brand new Holtworks tank. The problem is that ALL of this stuff,either new or original is not 50p any more, the C15 I bought for £15 when I was 12 would now probably make £1000 in similar condition. When Deryk started his Pre65 trials he had a winning combination - in its day,now everything has changed,mostly the people,the bikes are still there,few have been thrown away,if any. I know alot of people in the trials world in the South West,only 1 rider aged less than 50 is a regular rigid rider on an over 300cc bike.There are a few,(Not many) of us in our 50's and alot of twinshock and lightweight British riders. Most people love to see old bangers being ridden,but few have either the skills/kit to maintain them or the will to ride them. I wish it were different,I really do,and for the 5 years I ran Bath Classic MCC's trials I did everything I could to welcome ANY rider on ANY British bike. So, in conclusion all I am doing is to ask you to reconsider/rethink the situation of non modern trials in the UK in 2016. And to remind you that all of the clubs I ride in around the South West manage to set out trials where you get entries between 60 and 100 all the time.At these trials you generally find 3 routes where anything from a 1929 rigid girder 250 Ariel will be seen,(Paul Balmain)up to some riders in their late 70's,or well over 80 in George Greenlands case - all enjoying themselves. So it can be,and is done.It may not be perfect,but there are many,many riders out there enjoying themselves - which is what we are supposed to do.

What is wrong with the Honda ? It depends on what you want to do with it as to whether its worth persevering with it. There are plenty of people who ride very well on them,especially with a 150 or 180 conversion. many riders also think they need more power, when actually they don't,they just need to learn how to use what they have got.As already said, a 200 Fantic in good shape is not a cheap or sometimes even easy thing to find... Can you put up some pictures of your Honda and give us more detail of needs fixing ?

Could be worse than that Deryk, one of the drawings we used where I did my apprenticeship had been modified many times over the years... There were imperial,metric,letter and number sizes to drill - all on a single casting.

Quite, it would be far cheaper route than building an Ariel. The other big thing that is missing is the workshop skills to build and modify bikes. Without a decent workshop,lathe,welding kit and skills you are reliant on favours or paying someone who is already too busy to help... Even youngsters who work in the garage trade can be at a disadvantage, my son is doing an apprenticeship at a JLR main dealership.He complains bitterly that there is no "proper" kit there to repair or make anything.A single bench vise and one angle grinder, (For emergency use only) is all they have. So he couldn't do any "homers" there if he wanted to.

I have a full set of tank decals for a 1986 RTL if they are any help. They are still in their original packing,along with a set of steering head bearings and seals. They were expensive back in 1988...

Will probably need a carb kit before it will run properly.My Mums strimmer wouldn't even fire on last years fuel. My strimmer,(Which never starts well) fired up after 4 pulls and my old Briggs and Wreckem 3.5hp mower fired up first pull when dragged out of the workshop last week after being left all winter with last years fuel. The difference is I run them on Aspen - all of them,no problems - at all...