jon v8

Lovely ride round,my bike is still fithy - family duties when I got home. I'd like to thank the GV team for all their hard work,so many landowners and organisations to deal with,its a major task. I didnt see any bad manners from riders,but luckily I was out in front with the sidecars and then gradually went past them as some of the tracks were difficult for them.Did meet and chat to plenty of horse riders and walkers who were all friendly,sharing gate duties etc. Shame there are so many enduro bikes,the sections arent really suitable for them with poor steering lock and mostly peaky 2 stroke engines.My guess is they just enjoy the tracks in between...

Aussie spec one.

I had steel Falcons on my old HT5,they were very good and reasonably priced.As with the Rockshocks they are fully rebuildable with all parts available from stock.Both companies are very easy to deal with,and very helpful. You may have to flip a coin.... Compared to the Betors which in my experience are leaky and not rebuildable.

Steady on ken,dont go upsetting the tripods...

Thanks Deryk - makes sense,my problem is I'm a grumpy git who lives in the woods,perhaps I need to get out to civilisation a bit more.

I cant answer that Turbo - I honestly don't know the answer, I was just putting forward a personal point of view.I have no interest at all in trail bikes or modern mono bikes being included in classic trials.I have nothing against them,but I would be prepared to pay a higher entry fee to ride in a trial free of them. Cant remember exactly,but I think I'm right in saying that all the older stuff gets away first with the sidecars etc,so the classes should stay apart to some extent.Think my number is 9 this year in the rigid class.

It is oversubscribed,your pals entry would have been returned for the reason you said. As a classic club,riding classic sections on land that is in some cases as old as trials itself it only fair really. I'd delete the trailbike class if it were down to me,they are nothing to do with classic trials and would get the entries down to a manageable level.

I remember ! that rain was horrible,the Mendips certainly doesn't disappoint if you want to get wet and cold... Good luck with the Ariel,I'm in the process of starting the engine build of my short stroke,lots of workshop hours ahead. I think I'd get yours up and running and do a gradual improvement scheme,a fresh build is a bit daunting if you don't have lots of free time.(And a warm workshop) Good score you had yesterday,I flunked it a bit by scoring a 5 for going the wrong way - 30 years or competing in trials and I still do it,slow learner I guess...

Totally,the fuel injector in my 1950 AJS has its body made from Carbon Fibre,as is the ECU housing - just like Viney's works bike... See yer at the March Hare !

Certainly was - its my only running bike at the moment,which doesn't bother me in the slightest.its a lovely thing to ride,I cant understand why people say I must be mad to ride it...

I wouldn't expect anything less from Somerton Classic,they really know how to run a classic trial,I really enjoyed it. Terrible news though, about Bill Hartnell and now Mike Holloway. Both great characters,and so well known and respected,a very sad loss for us trials folk and their families and friends.Only fitting that we had a minute silence for them at the start of the trial.

Nah,but they did have titanium engine bolts....

I've been using Aspen fuel for a couple of months now,the 4t stuff in my AJS and the 2t in my chainsaws.The only downside I can see is the cost,but as I don't use that much I'm willing to pay for it. The AJS runs so sweetly on it,the idle and slow running is like never before,and because there is no Ethanol in it I don't keep finding water in the bottom of the carb.The plastic fuel pipe doesn't go rock hard either. The 2t stuff has transformed the elderly Stihl saws I have,my old 028AV used to need 5 or more pulls to fire up from cold,it now starts 1st or 2nd pull,the idle is stable so it doesn't keep stopping when you put it down to line up another log etc.There is no visible smoke from it and the fumes from it are much cleaner,I get headaches very easily from exhaust fumes,so the Aspen fumes make the whole job much better.(And cut down on starter cord wear too...) Just wish I had used it in my Yam so the signed tank wouldn't have been wrecked.

I too have a brilliant private dentist,(I really needed his skills..) I met him when he had a problem with his Range Rover - which I sorted out. He then made my mouth more comfortable and teeth better looking than they had been for 20 odd years. For a few years we had a good thing going,in terms of dental care/Range Rover care... He now drives a BMW,but I still go to him, I think he has had a lot more money off me than I had off him.But its worth it,nothing worse than toothache ! Good luck with the build,looking good so far.

It is just an experiment at the moment Deryk, but I have to say I don't have a problem with electronics in harsh enviroments as long as they are well made and well protected. The not kicking back bit is useful to me as I have damage in my right knee,which wasn't fixed properly in an operation several years ago.The AJS was quite fussy about its amount of retard to start,too little and it would kick back,too much retard and it wouldn't go - needing more kicks.( I once limped for a week after starting my MHR Ducati in cold weather...) I have nothing against conventional mags,the only problem now is the quality of some of the replacement parts being made,especially the points. Also finding someone you can trust to wind armatures is getting harder,the chap I trust,Paul Lydford is not taking on any work at the moment.He really wants to slow right down or retire - cant blame him for that,I wish I could afford to.I've even looked at learning how to do it myself,but realise its a skill that would take time to perfect. All this makes the electronic mag an attractive proposition,at low revs the advance curve cuts the timing right back for a rock steady idle and really docile plodding.As long as it proves reliable I think it may be the answer - Time will tell...

Bezaboy,the pile has shrunk ! Not much left now,but hopefully not that much more to spend... Deryk, if you look carefully you can see the cable still attached to the mag,its still a standard KNR1... The lever is in the box of assorted bits I didn't lay out on the sheet.Thing is with a nice soft IRC tyre and a well set up engine you don't need to use ignition advance to find grip.I'm experimenting with a modern fully electronic BTH mag on my rigid AJS at the moment,so it has its own advance curve built in.(Even with a well worn tyre it still finds grip like you wouldn't believe)There are a couple of advantages,firstly it cant kick back when starting,(Apparently its their biggest selling point for older riders who struggle to fire up their bikes and cant risk injury) plus the spark is so strong and accurate compared to the messy output from a conventional mag,I think you would struggle to get the engine to run as well at low revs with any points switched mag. Totalshell, yes there are a few original bits,crankcases,crank,gearbox,(Apart from the Mick Ash gears) mag, (But this may end up being replaced with a new BTH) and some internal engine bits.The rest is brand new,and frankly I wish the whole lot could be new.Couple of reasons for this,firstly the old bits all need work/time - which for me is limited.For instance the cylinder head is a lovely brand new casting,no stripped threads,burnt seats or loose/worn guides.So less time to build before I can ride it. Secondly I run a small business repairing Land Rovers which can be good,but equally can be frustrating and a thankless task at times.All the people who have supplied me with parts are in a similar situation,if nobody buys new parts off them they will wander off and do something perhaps more profitable but probably less interesting to them and me.They are very clever and highly skilled people who I like to support. Lastly,this will be a new build,another pre unit - "Proper" trials bike, OK it will be a lot lighter than an original HT5,but it is still a big bike,I could have wimped out and built/bought a Cub or a James,but I like pre unit bikes and as it will be in the same class as Cubs and James's in the Miller series it will give me a fighting chance...

I collected a pile of bits from John Bartram yesterday afternoon for me and a mate,(Well he says he is when he wants a favour...) I now have a new frame and all the other very smart bits that John makes,including the first of the new design of swinging arms we persuaded him to design and make. This afternoon I laid it and all the other parts I have so far,I thought it would enthuse me to start the dry build... Bit of a shock really,its a realisation of what is ahead. There are some very nicely made bits there,John Bartram,John Budgen,Alan Whitton and Mick Ash are great to deal with,and clearly are able to deliver the goods.I took a picture so I can keep track of what else I need.(To save up for...)

I would just use it normally,dont thrash it up long climbs or long periods of wide throttle openings.keep the oil mix the same,if you add more oil you run a weaker fuel mix and risk overheating. Starting and then stopping an engine after a short time will accelerate wear,better to run it for a good amount of time - ie,a trial. I built my TY250 motor back in 2006,its done a lot of work since then and still runs as well as it did back then - just don't cane it too hard...

Results came in the post today... A shame that they don't seem to reflect what happened on the day,and talking to other riders it seems I'm not alone.Were it not for the banter and excellent array of bikes there on the day, I'm not sure I'd bother again.Compared to trials like the March Hare and the West of England Vic Ashford its not really in the same league.

Anyone had their results emailed yet ? I hear there is a report in TMX with a pic of an ugly bloke on an Enfield....

So is it a round or square top ? Bet it takes you back to the ATW at the big green brain machine....

They are Ken,but you'll soon be in phase with it,keep an eye on yer tailstock and you'll turn up trumps.... Mine just kept on going round and round when I was a student.

The gun is loaded.... If you turn up at Climperwell with a bloody stinkwheel I'll pull the trigger.

Stick some of this in it,at least you wont be choking the riders queuing behind you - that's if you are feeling minted... http://www.aspenfuel.co.uk/products/environmental-fuels/aspen-alkylate-petrol/aspen-2-full-range-tech/

An excellent day out amongst proper trials bikes,and many familiar and well known faces. I just don't understand why these bikes are seen so infrequently...