jon v8

Sounds like an ideal candidate for some Aspen 2T fuel - no ethanol to wreck the tank and sweet running fuel. Much less harmful emissions,just expensive if you use a lot.

North QLD Yea nice,I was there last week, 3pm and the mossies move in and eat you alive - last thing I would worry about is a muddy trials bike...

My Sidi boots were uncomfortable from purchase,leaked badly and the soles wore quickly... By comparison the Gaerne ones I now have were comfy from the start,remained waterproof for at least a year and the soles show little wear...

Stinkwheel !

Can I suggest a slightly different route ? How about using an Ariel motor, with a barrel from Mick Dickenson,with a 350 crank you can get 505cc with an 87mm XT500 piston so 2mm oversquare.People also use 86mm XT350 pistons. Or you could go all out and use the 87mm XT piston and keep the standard 95mm bore for about 565cc. Brand new heads are available too,any old Ariel crankcases will do,a Morgo oil pump and a few other bits and pieces.... I think an HS cam may need a bit of finding,but it would be a good motor. I'm gradually amassing parts to build a 500 short stroke,its not a cheap process ! The only problem might be short big end life if you use the crowded roller 350 crank as some say they are a bit of a weak link, I suppose its possible to upgrade it, just depends how far you want to go with it. Apologies for rambling on.

Ethanol in the petrol will melt that SM fuel tank unless you do something to protect it or use ethanol free fuel. It wrecked mine,a real shame as it was signed by Mick Andrews...

No joke,and Bens father Martin was out today on his Cotswold BSA with drilled rear hub, couldn't see if the front was as well,just noticed the rear.

Always a difficult one,date clashes were the worst thing about running Bath Classic for me.It seemed no matter how hard I tried I would miss something. Mike Fear of the local Kingswood club does a combined club dates list for most of the clubs in the SW,and its a great help in planning the year.(Available from the Somerton Classic website) Speaking of clashes, today Both Golden Valley and Somerton Classic have a club trial - and I'd also like to go and watch the hillclimb at Prescott. Spoilt for choice...

I knew someone would notice ! I cropped the pic of one of Jon Bliss's Cubs. Ben Wilmore told me how good they are when drilled like that,he reckons to drag the brake for a few yards after a stream section and they are back to normal.

The other thing you could do is to drill the hub like this.

Cheers Andy, had a quick look - wouldn't have been so bad if the chain hadn't come off in section 22...

Any chance of them being posted on here as a PDF or similar,be nice to know how many Andy Roberton beat me by !

I did wonder what was going on at the start,we had a couple of twinshock bikes in amongst us with 70+ numbers... Mossy does seem to have his own set of rules,riding a rigid meant I got away in the first group,but it did seem like a bit of a free for all behind us.Be interesting to see the results, I reckon a lot of riders must have missed 20 and 21 at "Spoils" judging by the tyre marks leading the wrong way away from 19. From a purely selfish point of view, it was nice turning up and having a ride without having to organise it or mark out.

Well that was a bloody brilliant day out,many thanks to all those who made the trial happen - especially the observers. Lovely selection of bikes,top banter,spot on sections,lovely scenery. Best day out I've had in a long time,I don't care what my score was,or that it pee'd down most of the time, just enjoyed the ride around.My AJS is on top form apart from the chain getting flicked off in Steve Allen's section. All in all a proper road based Pre65 trial - long may they continue... Rounded off with bacon sarnies and tea back at Mr O'Connors.( Seasick Steve )

Looks like I was a bit hasty in my criticism of the ACU,just lifted this from their website; PLEASE NOTE: FOR 2016 IT IS INTENDED THAT A COMPLETE REVIEW OF ALL THE CLASSES WILL BE UNDERTAKEN AS THE TRIALS AND ENDURO COMMITTEE REMAIN OF THE VIEW THAT THE ORIGINAL PHILOSOPHY OF THIS SERIES IS BEING LOST AND NEEDS EXAMINATION Be interesting to see what they come up with. I'll just take my in the queue....

So much has already been said which I both agree and disagree with I think, I thought I'd just as well join in ! The main problem I see is in the classes - esp in the Miller rounds,class 2 for instance is a complete nonsense,why are riders in the clubman class on Pre unit springers lumped in with Cubs,bantams and James's ? Not much to entice owners of pre unit stuff to join in when they are against bikes half their size and weight. And because the class is dominated by lightweights the section setters are forced to make the sections harder to test them out. Which can also makes it very tight for us in class 1 rigid. I have nothing against the Cub thing that Jon rides,I have no interest in it at all,but its light and trick enough to have more in common with modern mono's than anything "Classic" by anybody's standards. Again,put in a class to test them in the Miller rounds and the sections end up getting harder - again going further away from being rideable for pre unit / concrete mixer bikes.Saying its a cheaper way into twinshock trials is stretching it a bit too, Ty's and the like can still be picked up for less than a grand.They might need work,so teach yourself basic bike mechanics and fix it up yourself - which is what I've been doing since the age of 8 with a Honda steppy,a D3 Bantam at 9 and a C15 when I was ten. None cost more than £30 back then,there was nobody to help me so I had to do it myself. If you want something bad enough you just have to get on and do it. Trials is still cheaper than any other bike sport and can be done on a real shoestring,the bikes hold their money and don't have to cost a fortune. So I think the answer is for the ACU to stop just taking money,get off their backsides and sort the classes out.When that is done and the picture is clear the section setters will have a better idea of section severity needed and all the old bikes will come out again ? Or are people happy to let the current mess that allows all these arguments to fester on and on ? At least if there was some kind of statement / action / dialogue then we could thrash something out. I think the ACU hold the answer. BTW, I think Dursley Dabber has found the sloe gin again...

I don't know Deryk, I thought the Caddy was the one in fancy dress... I'd rather have an 80" series one Land Rover by choice, but they are a bit more than the £500 I paid for Cloda the Skoda !

That's a useful reference photo David,I've never taken much notice of the Godden frames. All I know about them is from a conversation with John Shirt when he told me about how he used to collect them in a tired VW Transporter van and eating kebabs on the way home ! Looking at your swinging arm,is it longer than the original Yam one ? Just that the rear shock mounts are further forward than on the original Yam framed Majesty ones.

Sorry, couldn't resist it ! I think the joke always was a petrol cap for a Skoda... Which is where the problem is because my current work truck is a Skoda pickup.

Spark plug for a Cub - Sounds like a fair swop to me...

After all this time I have finally fully built a Majesty using a frame and swinging arm I have converted.From the photo its obvious its not finished,the choice of colour scheme will be down to its new owner.I'm swopping it for another bike. But its fully functional,I've had a good ride around my practice sections at home,it rides VERY well, the steering and overall feel are excellent.The motor still feels crisp and willing, running on Aspen fuel it starts first kick,does all you could ask for... A shame its going,but I still have a couple more Ty's to convert if I need to.

Looking forward to it Ken,just got hope Ted Breffitt has put my entry in. Just need to adjust the clutch on my Ajay and I'm good to go.New 2 1/2 slide in the carb has sharpened the pickup off idle,need some big climbs to try it out on...

Making sure the chainguard goes below the lower chain run and there are no gaps between the mud and chain guards is about all you can do.The guards made and fitted by the previous owner of my AJS look a bit overkill,but I have to do a stupidly muddy trial before the chain picks any up,which is good for gearbox,clutch and chain life on an old banger...

That may have been the case Deryk,but its more complicated than that.There are now 2 clubs, GV MCC and GV Classic MCC, totally separate now. And to make matters worse GV MCC which is Adrian Moss's club, run the Cotswold Cups under the ACU, and later in the year the Guy Fawkes under the AMCA, headed as Western Classic MCC, or at least that was how it was done last year... Think I've got that right - but am happy and prepared to be corrected.

Bit confusing really,its actually a different club running the Cotswold Cups. The March Hare is run under the AMCA by Golden Valley Classic MCC, the Cotswold Cups is run by Adrian Moss's club - Golden Valley MCC, which is run under the ACU... Its a very good trial on different land to the MH,usually starts in the Minchinhampton / Bisley area. Probably is a bit longer lap than the MH,excellent classic sections,many of which have been used for donkey's years.Lots of nice bikes too.Looking forward to it.