stickinthemud

No one particularly worries how old he is - provided he isn't likely to win it! Wonder if Carl Batty tried to get a ride.

As it says on the Scottish Pre65 Regulations:- "The Organisers reserve the right to allocate a number of entries at their discretion. Should the event be over-subscribed all other entries will be selected by ballot." The events are sponsored by the tourist board so they want an entry to attract spectators. That's why well known riders and unusual machines get in. I understand that there were more entries on Cubs than ever. Visitors don't want to see a procession of these lightweights. The rest of us have to cross our fingers. 'Twas ever thus! I'm well down the reserve list so fingers crossed.

Hate to say this OTF but it was the final round of the Northern British Bike Championship run by the Red Rose AMCA Classic Trials Club. Yes - it was a badly thought out section but it doesn't excuse this sort of behavior. I trust we won't see them back in any classic event. However, what Totalshell did not say is how the second rider behaved. If he kept his head down and dissapeared in embarrassment, then he has no case to answer. I was early at the section and managed not to get Stuckinthemud! It was obvious it would get worse.

Thanks for the reassuring words Hammertight. I feel better for that.

In case anyone out there still has any doubts, 'Old Bike Mart' has an article titled 'Are modern fuels bad for older engines?' on pages 18/19. The good news is that there seems to be one or two more ethanol resistant products coming onto the market for example Sureseal from Tank Care Products in Norwich. If you don't seal it then only way it to prevent problems is to empty fibre glass tanks after every event and steel and alloy tanks when they are not used for long periods eg over winter. Things are only going to get worse with fuel lines, o rings, plastic floats all beginning to suffer. And that's with only 5% ethanol (E5). Beware of E10 and E15 to follow. Heard about 'Phase separation'? No, nor had I; and that's the fuel it refers to! Be aware - believe!

I have a 6E 197cc Villiers engine and I'm looking to increase usable power. One way is to use a 1H piston and bore the barrel out to 225cc. I managed to get hold of a standard 1H piston, not an easy item to find. My dilema is the piston weight and increased imbalance of the crank. The old standard 197cc Villiers piston weighs 250g. I rebored it to +20th for a Hepolite dykes ring piston when I got the bike and this piston weighs 275g. The 1H Villiers piston I have weighs 300g! The thought of an extra 2oz/50g flying round at 4000rpm is a bit worrying. Even with the Hepolite piston, which I now assume to be a racing piston for Karting, there is quite a bit of vibration. What will it be like with the 1H piston in it? Anyone any experience of engine balance or Villiers 6E/8E bobweight flywheels under this level of stress? Any thoughts?

When Cub engine/frame numbers approached 99999, Triumph changed the series to 101 in late 1964 and stamped it on the left side of the crankcase instead of on the engine mount. I had TR20 123 in 1967 and it's still around in the north west. The square barrel didn't arrive until until early '65 at around the T20 1800 mark. Thanks to Mike Estall's excellent book - 'Triumph Tiger Cub Bible' for the data.

Here's a very good article from 2008 on the Jawa/CZ owners club web site. Clink this link. The article quotes from the 'Federation of British Historic Vehicles Clubs' newsletters and a CONCAWE report - (CONCAWE is 'The Oil Companies European association for health, safety and environment in refining and distribution'). I've lined fibre glass tanks with 'Flowliner' epoxy resin but it peeled off due to the lack of adhesion. Wyldes do say that it is not designed for GRP so I guess I had it coming! I've also used it on steel tanks where it can stick to the rust and it seems fine so far. If ethanol affects steel and aluminium, where do we go next? Caswell seem to have the answer with their 'Gas Tank Sealer' - unless of course someone out there knows better! Caswell link

Hi Brucey The ball race cranks were introduced for '62 starting at engine number 84269. The first years production still had the distributor including the first TR20s. Side points appeared at the beginning of '63 at engine number 88347. However, the distributor drive also drives the oil pump so that remained to the end. Big ends (the plain bush type) did increase in size with time but a roller big end is an absolute must. Good luck Stick

Like you John B, I've had no reply and the phone number given on the AMCA site doesn't accept incoming calls! Can someone forward/PM me a set please. Hope it's not too late Cheers

A certain well known trials engineer from Outlane nr Huddersfield turns down the modern units then threads them to screw into the threads at the top of the old forks. No one has mentioned 'heavyweight' AMC alloy sliders. They have a clamp at the bottom meaning you don't have to have a knock out spindle. Easier to come by and just as good as Norton. Good luck

The way PJ the Outlane guru widens the swinging arm is by cutting vertically from the rh side along the centre piece. The cut runs from behind the mounting lug thereby not affecting the mounts or the width of the sub frame. The rh arm is the slid across by the required amount and welded back together. The resulting gaps are filled with suitable infill pieces. A new wheel spindle may be needed unless you bend it back to match your wheel. This also gets over the shockers alignment problem. Front and rear wheels still won't align though unless you move the engine across to the left! It only needs to be widened to stop the tyre rubbing the inside of the arm and also allow the wheel to be built across giving more chain clearance past the tyre. I reckon 20mm is fine. The only plus for lengthening the arm is to prevent the build up of mud against the swinging arm in heavy conditions. Might be important in the south. Longer swing arms reduce wheel grip on climbs and don't help on corners. Just my thoughts on the subject.

Hi Paul - The best way to find the reg number is to contact Mike Estall who looks after the Cub register and has published the 'Cub Bible'. For a small fee he will let you have a dating certificate to say when and to where it was dispatched. Lots of other info available. In 1967 I bought TR20 123 reg number BRB 495B. It was bought new in late 1964 by Arthur Hemsworth from a Derbyshire dealer. Mike's book says that this was a 1965 model with the then new to the Cub outside spring forks and splined kickstart (much sought after). I sold it for

And if you miss that one, it's repeated on Sat 16th Jan at 10-45pm for 1.5 hrs on British Eurosport/Eurosport after the 3/4hr Dakar report (another one worth watching)!

Bulb horns are legal if the m'bike was 'first used before' 1st Aug 1973. The MOTUK site details all the requirements for cars and bikes and how to get a replacement MoT if you lose it. Click for Horn Regs Click for Reflector regs And for those with a really old machine!!! Vehicles certified by the London Science Museum as being designed before 1 January 1905 and constructed before 31 December 1905 can have a gong, bell or siren audible warning. Its all on there!!! Black and white number plates? Motor bicycles manufactured before 1 January 1973 may have registration plates displaying white, grey or silver characters on a black background. Can't find any requirement for chain guards other than - if they are fitted they will fail for - c. a drive chain/belt guard, insecure or fouling another component

Congratulations to John Maxfield on winning the 2009 Manx 2 Day Classic again. Must be his specialist subject! Results can be found here. Can someone please put a good word to help him get an entry for the Pre65 Scottish two Day! He's not getting any younger and his bike is not too trick.

Mick Ash alias prideandclarke formerly trickmicky should be able to help. Failing that, contact Saftek at Cleckheaton, West Yorks 01274 862666. They will reline your shoes to any thickness you want. Trick then is to find someone with a lathe and turn the shoes to the diameter of your old drum. Straighten the brake plate to get the shoes in line with no twist first. Then lock the shoes open on the brake plate until they are just over the right diameter and mount it on a loose wheel spindle in the lathe. Turn off the friction material slowly until it fits the hub perfectly. You will need to sharpen the tool several times as it blunts very quickly. The new shoe castings that are being sold are very poor and out of alignment in height and diameter so this exercise is well worth doing with any new shoes. Spacing the cam is ok for the rear but the front needs to be spot onto be effective. Hope this helps.

Hi Jerryhatrick It's not that there are too many quality trials in the calendar, it's just that they are not well spread out. I too have heard good reports about your event and would love to do it. The pre-65 riders are out there but it's not a good idea clashing with Scarborough, the Bonanza, Kendal Nostalgia, any Sammy or Northern British round. Plus as a single route event, you would not get the 20 to 30% of pre65 riders who normally ride the easy route. Add to this that I for one never saw your event's regs advertised but maybe I wasn't looking in the right place. As for inviting twinshocks, in every trial I have ridden where they were a major part of the entry, C of Cs feel the need the set the sections to take marks from these '80s twinshocks who generally have riders in their 40's or so. This of course puts off the big bike riders and even the Cubs and James etc in lesser riders hands (often in their 50's and 60's) struggle on the tight turns and bigger steps needed to take marks from their younger counterparts. Yes the TShocks are coming back in greater numbers. But mixing them will only discourage pre65s especially on a single route course. So please give it another go. How about trying the 3rd weekend in July. No big pre65 events today I think. Good luck.

Hi You might find this previous topic of interest - Clicky da link

And don't under estimate Norman Shepherd on his James. He won today's Yorkshire Classic trial on Wilkie's land at Litton. Beat John Maxfield and Robin Luscombe on some very Scottish style sections!

No-one has mentioned Robin Luscombe. Won the Manx 2 day in 2005 with no practise on a borrowed Cub. He could make the chair sing so maybe his Tiger will growl this year. Didn't know John Maxfield had an entry. Will he get to grips with the 2 stroke James? Carlos 'Houses' (as Todo Trial's English calls him) is too much a gent. He will no doubt five the last section again if he is in 'danger' of winning - lol. Will Thorpy's legs hold out - can Martyn Wilmore get it together for two days? Plus all those listed by the rest. Take your pick - for those who'ld like another look - the initial entry list can be accessed here Can't wait for it to start. Roll on May!

Not an uncommon problem this. Firstly if the threads are clean and undamaged and all the correct washers are in place there should not be a problem. Sometimes the copper washers are not thick enough to leave spare tightening room (domed nut runs to its limit) on the spindle so the use of an extra copper washer cures the problem. If it still won't tighten, cut a groove in the opposite end of the spindle to allow it to be held with a screwdriver. Need to use a 1mm cutting disc in a grinder for this as the rocker is hardened. If you've had the spindle out, have you put the correct 3/8" hardened washer on the spindle inside the head at the nut end? If not the spindle will cut into the alloy. The 2 plain and one sprung (Thackeray) 7/16" washers go at the other end. Stopping oil leaks at the plain end has always been my biggest problem. The 'O' rings are a pain so I use high temp silicon now. Good luck

Cub clutches are not the strongest of units at the best of times. To avoid shearing woodruff keys you need to lock the clutch centre nut with the tab washer or just plain locktight. Do not over tighten the nut or the clutch centre will crack on the key slot rendering it useless and shearing keys will be the norm. If you have the non standard 16t engine sprocket then clutch slip when kicking up will be a problem. Some riders have resorted to valve lifters! I use a small amount of ATF in the casing, just enough to keep the chain damp. Modern synthetic oils will only cause more clutch slip. The holes shown in your photobucket are the drain and level plugs. If you are getting clutch drag then it may be that the pressure plate is not running evenly when the clutch is opened. Adjust the 3 springs to run without wobbling when spun with the kickstart (clutch open). Not something you have to worry about with your TLR of course. The alloy pressure plate is worth the investment as it gives more even pressure and looks good! Once you get it right, a clutch lightener is also recommended. Good luck - you'll need it.

Just been reading an excellent article on the Mid Atlantic Vintage Trials club web site concerning an AJS project using one of Sammy's fibreglass fuel tanks. The addition of 10% ethanol into petrol in Maryland USA has caused his tank to dissolve, leak and clog the fuel line and carb. Anyone else had this problem? Apparently some fuels here in the UK (Tesco for one) have had 5% ethanol for some time. Several other projects of interest on the web site too.