jon v8

Not everyone seems to like them,but Sealskin socks do the trick if you want dry feet.... None of my trials boots have been waterproof.

http://www.trialscentral.com/forums/topic/46524-the-magicals/ I guess he is still busy,or having a holiday...

After alot of thought I've decided to cut down my collection of bikes to concentrate on my 2 main Pre unit bikes.(My HT5 is getting a full rebuild)So this being the case I will be selling my two early 247's. One is a complete bike with matching numbers - 21m 1241, needing full restoration,but has all the early features,big hubs and steel triple trees etc. The second bike runs and is pretty much complete,but slightly later with the small hubs etc.There is also a complete bottom end of a motor to go along with it. I thought it better to mention it on here amongst other Cota owners before I put it on Wobbly Wills etc or Ebay. I dont really want to split them,if you are interested please PM me for more details.

Looks like fun to me,if there are no other projects in the way get on and do it ! Its a part of history,one which most or all on here are interested in,so keep money out of it and enjoy....

Couldnt help saying it - but opening up the points gap advances the ignition on every other engine too,same as closing it up retards it.

BSA owners club ?

I know several people who have them on Bantams,but only seem to use them to stop the engine.Is it really needed ?

Yes, he did,sorry - forgot to respond.I have been a little busy of late with my father in the local cardiac unit,my father in law in the intensive care unit for the last 7 weeks and running trials for Bath Classic.Besides trying to run a garage,build a firewood stack for next winter,repair various bikes for customers and mates and keep my family life going too.Not that that is any excuse,but Craig when I asked him said he was flat out busy with his main day to day business and simply didnt have enough time to do both to the level he would like.He also has a family - who I guess would like to see him now and again.... If you want to buy anything from him he suggested you e-mail him for the quickest response.I dont think he is going anywhere - he is in it for more than just money,ask John Shirt if you dont beleive me.

Dont worry too much,you just have to keep it all in perspective - I plan to ride my TY250 on sunday,and I already feel guilty that I'm not riding my HT5 or rigid AJS. But why ? I guess its cos other riders see me promoting old Brit cr-p and like to have a go at me when I turn up at another clubs trial with a twinshock.Be interesting to see if I bite and tell them to pi-- off, or gently explain that a day out riding a bike that just needs some fuel and oil the chain to ride is a pleasant weekend off from marking out,phone calls,AMCA duties etc....

http://www.aspenfuel.co.uk/clean-facts/alkylate-petrol/ I had no idea either...

George is indeed 81, I wished him a happy birthday and shook hands with him at Golden Valley's Eurocup on his 81st.Since then he has ridden my Bath trial and as mentioned gone off to Europe on a 5 week tour with a two day trial each weekend.One of the nicest and certainly most interesting person you could wish to meet - the stories are wonderful.He and Mick Andrews are two people who need to write books.... On the subject of Pre65 and later twinshocks,both will eventually fade,I'm 48 and I only know one other rider younger than me who still competes on a rigid.Its not to do with the bikes,modified or not - its down to the people marking out trials for the very average clubman riders most of us are,not just pandering to the top 2%.Keep the trials straightforward and not scary and the entries will stay good.

Suprising how much you know when you've sank a bottle of red... An there is no way I could ever learn to spell nostrils dameis.

That will be a really useful bit of kit when its done,whether you want to compete in twinshock trials,herd cattle or simply play on it.Very well made and reliable,building it back bog standard is all you need to do,it doesnt even need electronic ignition to make it run well.You can junk the autolube and run it on premix at 50-1 for simplicity. Once its up together it will last for many years with very little effort/cost.I hope you enjoy it as much as I have enjoyed mine.

Restore it,the day of the air cooled mono will come as twinshocks will fade - just as proper pre65 bikes have.Time marches on,converting it to a twinshock will turn it into a nothing bike.

Maybe we are related ! My head is decidedly odd - inside and out.... But the Hebo helmet I have now is the most comfy I've ever had.Having a removable liner is a big help too,chuck it in the washing machine and its sorted,no smelly,mouldy lid anymore.

No he hasnt gone bust,he is busy doing other things.If he comes to our trial on sunday I'll ask him when the website will be back up etc.

Back in the day only people like John Shirt would get Yams to sound really crisp - and they were.Trouble was although the Fannys sounded great and were crisp out of the crate,(Apart from the first one Mark Kemp of BVM fired up for me back in 1987 - he gave me a different one straightaway...) most people were better off with the flat,soft power of the Yam. I can remember Triss Ball turning up with a Yam in about 1986 that Shirty had sorted - and he really had.... The suspension was so plush and the motor so crisp but smooth too,I can remember thinking what a dream bike it was.In the right hands I think it would still show up well now.

Good to hear,it just shows that there are companies that still give excellent service.BVM moto have always got stuff out really quickly for me too - for the last 28 years....

Do the electronic ignition,but as Davetom and Maxbikes say - please don't restore it,just ride and enjoy it....

Tell me about it ! I'd better start saving then,otherwise Ted Breffit might beat me on the cut n shut 500T....

Well done ! Does that mean I can borrow your HT ? I do have an idea about a BSA frame for you - but I need to speak to someone at the Eurocup this weekend to find out more about them.

OK,maybe I'm totally wrong,but I firmly believe that the bikes are so good that most riders cant do them credit - hence the popularity of twinshock / P65,the sections cant be too hard cos the bikes just wont go over them. Asking an observer for a 5 is no problem for a novice now and again,but the average clubman rider is soon going to lose interest with a constant stream of 3's or 5's. Taking it a stage further,with the right development the bikes could be better off without riders at all.If you don't agree you only have to look at jet fighter design,their performance is more limited by the pilot - even with G suits etc than the capabilities of the actual plane itself.Trials bikes don't get that kind of investment,but they would get a lot more if more Joe Wobblers could get around modern sections,rather than being intimidated by huge steps etc. I'm only stating what I see,the last modern trial I went to had 22 riders,my club generally gets 60-100 entries,as do the two other main clubs I ride in.Wonder what the bikes would be like if modern trials all had entries like that ?

Its quite simple what has happened to modern trials - its killing itself because of mans natural aim for competition and progress.Much as I liked them as a bike,(And I rode one for a long time) the Yam mono era was when it all started to fall over.The bikes have become so good that they flatter even mediocre riders,getting them over terrain that previously they had no chance on. So then whoever is marking out the trial has to put in more and more stupidly difficult sections to take marks off riders.Very few are good enough to have a chance of doing well,plus they don't want to end up in hospital with a bent bike back in the garage.Its not about money either,even in recession you see every weekend people out doing their chosen pastime,fishing ,shooting, mountain biking etc - all can cost plenty of money if you want it to.I have absolutely NO intention of buying a modern bike,it leaves me stone cold - but I wouldn't let the cost of a bike get in the way if I did. So along comes "Classic trials",or whatever you want to call it - guess what its growing.... Wonder why ? Maybe because its friendly,non damaging and has sections that the average rider from 8 to over 80 can ride without killing themselves.As for the money side of it,well you can easily spend more than a modern bike would cost,but just as much fun can be had on a TY175 for less than a grand - so its not about money either. Sections that riders have a chance on is the answer,not restricting bike design.

Had a look this morning,neither of my 247's have the decal on them,both have had fairly hard lives.... Cant find any pics in any of my books showing it either.But Sparks2 on here has a very smart early 247 with pictures on here.On one of them you can see the edge of the decal,I reckon about 50mm back as you suggest.Is that a complete set of decals,I could do with a couple of sets for when I get around to doing mine.(Probably in about 20yrs time when I'm an old cripple and oil has run out...)

Wont be riding it this year,as its not road based - might go and observe though,if I'm not busy cutting firewood.....