old trials fanatic

I heard a rumor you were going to lend him my old B40

Re the forks if you want to stay fairly original i think , remember it WAS a long time ago, they used the heavyweight fork as fitted to Triumph 3TA. I'm sure Big John will be able to give a gategorical answer. Have you looked in Roy Bacons book as there are lots of piccys of C15T's and helpful advice on creating a C15 trials bike in there.

Nice one Andy. "Burger" Beswick indeed just you wait and Donna says she does all the cooking and i get all the credit LOL Seriously a very good write up mate waxing lyrical indeed. I bow down to your writing prowess well done mate

Agree with you on that one Javier Then again he is one of the few who hasnt forgotten his roots and his friends. Top bloke

Last i heard Mainly Spanish, well last time i spoke to Geoff Bungay, is no longer trading due to his eyesight problems getting much worse. Sad if thats the case as Geoff is a really nice bloke and really knew his stuff. Had some good stories about working for Miller too.

Will just have to keep me fingers crossed that the houses sell for a decent amount and then i can make the move. I really love the area in and around the South Hams and have many fond memories of riding Mortohampstead Club and Otter vale trials back in the early seventies. Beautiful countryside and so much more convivial than living here in "the Bronx" or Illsun as the locals call it, well the ones that can muster more than a grunt that is. Will also keep Bath in mind John. Can always put a bike rack on the back of the Camper van and make a weekend of it

FWIW when i had my old B40 i just turned two stubs up on the lathe c/w flanges and used a Bultaco inlet manifold rubber. Gave me the right length provided, heat insulation and isolated any vibration probloems reducing frothing in the carb. Simples Then again if you havent got access to a lathe

Theres a chance that i may be in the position to relocate down to the South Hams area around Totnes Devon, that should cheer up a LOT of people here in the East Midlands Centre and i was just wondering what the Trials scene is like down there. I only ride Pre65 and Twinshocks so am really only concerned about the amount and frequency of events and how far what sort of Trials type of terrain etc. Coming from Derbyshire i have been spoilt all my riding life as most events are within an hours drive approx 30 miles and i could ride every weekend if i wanted but choose just to ride twice a month. So if anybody lives down there in Devon, Cornwall and Somerset who could give me the lowdown it might just tip the scales, assuming a couple of projects sell, and make me hopefully take the plunge.

Round 4 of the Club Championship was held at Carsons Farm, Grange Barn near Matlock last Sunday 23/05/2010 and the beautiful sunny weather provided a dry dusty challenge to the 44 riders who competed riding 5 laps of 10 tight twisty sections in the woods. There were some very tight turns and some challenging tests set by the course plotter Darren Walker whose efforts were most appreciated. This time of year is a busy time for farmers and the landowner who most kindly allowed us to hold our event on his land was up most of the night with a cow having a problem calving having to call the vet out in the wee small hours whilst most of us were tucked up in bed. So well done Derek Carson for still making the effort to ride. Also well worth a mention was the superb ride by young Mark Elvidge to win the Clubman Twinshock class on his Honda 125. Mark has only just taken up trials following in the illustrious footsteps of his father Peter and this was only his fourth event his ride showing some of the stalwarts how it is done. Mark has a great future going by his performances this year. Rides of the day, apart from Marks , were the fantastic performance from Chris Garlick on his Fantic to win the Expert Twinshock class losing just 1 mark and Graham Lyons on his BSA Bantam also losing just the 1 mark to win the Clubman British Bike route. Thanks as usual to all the observers who help make it such an enjoyable event without them there wouldn't be any trials but we always need more so if you fancy taking part in this fascinating sport and receiving a complimentary bottle of wine in the process then please come along to our next event. Speaking of which our next event is round 5 of the Club Championship at Dudwood Farm on 20th June. Usual start time of 11.00. See you there. Results Expert British Bike 1st Darren Cooper James 26 marks lost Expert Twinshock 1st Chris Garlick Fantic 1 mark lost 2nd Mark Hallows Majesty 12 marks lost 3rd Robert Carson Yamaha 175 22 marks lost Expert Air Cooled Monoshock 1st Lawrence Wright Yamaha 8 marks lost 2nd Mark Weston Gas Gas 15 marks lost 3rd Gary Martin Yamaha 56 marks lost 50/50 British Bike 1st Stephen Cooper James 12 marks lost 2nd Derek Carson BSA Bantam 66 marks lost 50/50 Air Cooled Monoshock 1st Michael Dorricott Honda 28 marks lost 50/50 Twinshock 1st Michael Houghton Honda 4 marks lost 2nd Leslie Rowland OSSA 13 marks lost 3rd Ian Bend Bultaco 14 marks lost Clubman British Bike 1st Graham Lyons BSA Bantam 1 mark lost 2nd Peter Elvidge Greeves 16 marks lost 3rd Rob Goodwin Francis Barnett 20 marks lost Clubman Twinshock 1st Mark Elvidge Honda 125 5 marks lost 2nd Rob Blackburn Honda 7 marks lost 3rd Paul Beswick OSSA 9 marks lost Clubman Air Cooled Monoshock 1st Clifford Wall Yamaha 12 marks lost 2nd Robert Wright Yamaha 19 marks lost 3rd Peter Guslov Yamaha 45 marks lost

Wish you all the best with it Charlie. Heard all about if from both of them. Sounds like it should be a fantastic event especially if the band turns up It falls on she who must be obeyed birthday so not sure if i will be allowed to attend but just wanted to wish you all the best.

Nice one Totalshell. Nothing ever changes at the Scottish eh? Never mind i'm sure everybody enjoyed themselves, it will be oversubscribed next year again whatever. Think the only way to look at the Scottish Pre65 is 1. Dont take it seriously because most of what you have reported will never change plus a lot of things you havent mentioned. 2. Because of all the usuals then just treat it as a ride out on your bike in beautiful countryside, assuming you get through the "ballot" LOL. Shame it's all getting so expensive to go / ride. So thanks again for the report

Spring has finally sprung and the Peak district basked in glorious spring sunshine which made the popular Stathams farm venue a bit uncharacteristicly dry and dusty for the Peak Classic Trials Clubs round 3 of their Club championship last Sunday 25th April. Due to the conditions the course setters Martin Booth and Paul Beswick agreed that 4 laps of 12 sections would be more appropriate than the normal 5 laps of 10. The main worry being that in the prevailing dry conditions the sections would cut up quickly. So to reduce wear and tear to this picturesque venue we found a couple of "new" sections. All of the 50 entries seemed to enjoy the course and a great time was had by all. Even Donna in the burger van commented on the extra drinks and butties sold to some dry and dusty riders after the event. Only one rider stayed feet up all day and that was Steve Garlick on his Armstrong taking the win in the Expert Twinshock class for a loss of 0. A close fight in that class as the man in second place was Mark Hallows on his Majesty on just 1 mark lost with Stephen Bisby snapping at their heels losing just 2 marks. Superb effort Steve but a close one. Pete Carson on his James won the British Bike Expert class on 7 marks lost. The Experts classes concluded with a win for Andrew Land losing just the 1 on his Yamaha air cooled monoshock. Mention must be made at this point of the superb effort by another member of the Land family, young Sam Land, competing as a guest on his diminutive Beta. Sam only lost 59 marks in total on a small wheel bike riding the full clubman route. A great future in store for that young man who showed many a grown up the way round. Peters brother Derek Carson on his James took the honours on the 50/50 British Bike route losing 12 marks and a stunning ride from Michael Houghton on his Honda with a loss of just 2 marks to win the 50/50 Twinshock class. Gary Martin took the 50/50 air cooled monoshock class win losing just 4 marks on his Yamaha. Finally the Clubman classes. British Bikes being won by Graham Lyons on a BSA Bantam for a loss of 7 marks. Paul Beswick had just 3 single dabs to win the Twinshock class on his OSSA and Robert Wright on his Yamaha winning the air cooled monoshock class with a loss of 20 marks. A big thank you to all the observers and helpers and best wishes for a great ride go out to all our Club menbers who are riding in the Scottish pre 65 Trial. Our next event will be round 4 of the Club Championship at Carsons farm, Grange Mill near Matlock on 23rd May start 11.00. See you there! Expert British Bike 1st Peter Carson James 7 marks 2nd Keith Gardner Triumph Cub 28 marks 3rd Darren Walker BSA 33 marks Expert Twinshock 1st Stephen Garlick Armstrong 0 marks 2nd Mark Hallows Majesty 1 mark 3rd Stephen Bisby Ossa 2 marks Expert Air Cooled Monoshock 1st Andrew Land Yamaha 1 mark 2nd Mark Weston Gas Gas 2 marks 3rd Lawrence Wright Yamaha 4 marks 50/50 Route British Bikes 1st Derek Carson James 12 marks 2nd Neil Walker Francis Barnett 41 marks 50/50 Route Twinshock 1st Michael Houghton Honda 2 marks 2nd Ian Bend OSSA 8 marks 3rd Nigel Broome Honda 18 marks 50/50 Route Air Cooled Monoshock 1st Gary Martin Yamaha 4 marks Clubman British Bike 1st Graham Lyons BSA Bantam 7 marks 2nd Vincent Price Royal Enfield 9 marks 3rd Adam Shelton BSA Bantam 20 marks Clubman Twinshock 1st Paul Beswick OSSA 3 marks 2nd Martin Booth Yamaha 9 marks 3rd Paul Smedley Honda 11 marks Clubman Air Cooled Monoshock 1st Robert Wright Yamaha 20 marks Just in case any of you want to see some photos of yourselves then John Mccarthy has kindly given permission for me to add the following link which i hope is ok with Andy http://www.johnmccarthy.co.uk/PeakClassicT...2010/index.html --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dont know about the others but i know the PVL system, which i have used and was very very pleased with, doesnt have lighting coils or the option of them to be fitted. I do know of a couple of guys who have fitted the PVL and are extremely happy with it's performance who then fitted a sealed battery for the lights as they very rarely used them if thats any help. Trouble is the better competition oriented systems dont have the provision for lights as competition bikes generally dont have them. Do you really need lighting? if not why compromise on performance?

Firstly there isnt a rule book. Secondly who is going to enforce it if there was one? Thirdly we have had this discussion over and over ad infinitum. THERE ARE NO REAL PRE 65 BIKES OUT THERE !!! The tyres are not made any more neither are the shocks. Do you want to scrap your Renthals ? fit non teflon lined cables use "period oils". Could you actually afford a period Belstaff ???????????? Pointless though slightly interesting discussion. Makes me laugh that even some "strict" clubs, yeah right, allow Cubs to run with Delorto carbs but nothing else can. Just enjoy it for what it is. At least the entrants are developing their machines as we all did back then. Sadly a vocation lost to the modern brigade who just buy a new bike every six months and probably wouldnt know a drain plug from a spark plug. Sorry to have a rant but i really truthfully dont see the problem.

OK got to ask. Whats the difference between these and fork yokes for a trials bike not fitted with a sidecar ?

Was thinking about this very thread earlier today. What prompted me revisiting the issue was this. I was sawing some logs for the wood burner with my petrol powered chainsaw. Now this chainsaw has been in use for at least two years by me and it was second hand when i bought it. Whats the significance you may ask? Well i have never even had the spark plug out never mind replaced it. I run the chainsaw on whatever fuel is left over from the trials bikes, remember the ones that seem to eat a plug every 3rd or 4th trial, and some of it may be standing for months. So why does the trials bikes get through plugs like they have shares in NGK and the chain saw has never seen a new plug? Well back to my original premise. The chainsaw runs at full throttle ALL the time and the trials bike very rarely ever does. They both run on exactly the same fuel other than the bikes get new and the chainsaw the dregs. So my conclusion is we dont thrash the bikes enough. Thats why they keep fouling the plugs. Well it's logical. Whadda you think?

After reading his responses i think he has demonstrated his mindset quite conclusively. If he rides in Twinshock he will probably be on an air cooled mono fitted with twinshocks

What i dont get is after looking at it why the heck didnt someone say something, possibly along the lines of youre taking the pi55, about the bike in the first place ? err sorry or should it be

Just looked myself And i thought i had problems with people slagging me off Funny how some people spit their dummy when theyre found out.

Fair point Charlie. I suppose i've always been into " Motor sport is there to improve the breed" which as a tiny little wide eyed sprog i remember hearing somewhere and it's been indellably etched into my mind ever since I remember way back in 1967 fitting Honda 50 hubs and alloy rims into my Greeves Scottish because i couldnt live with the weight of the standard ones. I always wondered why the factory kept fitting such ridiculously heavy things when better stuff was available. Oh well nothing changes eh? Wasnt trying to poo poo the idea just personally couldnt see the point. Whatever. I'm at the moment doing a similar exercise strangely on the Ossa. I had to replace the swing arm as i wanted to improve the position of the lower shock pick up points to improve traction and steering. I'm using the std frame made of heavy weight gas pipe as a bit of a test bed then everything will be incorporated into the Gollner Ossa frame i have waiting. Anyway was astounded at the weight of the Ossa swing arm which i might sell the bloke next door as an anchour for his boat, not much use for owt else LOL. So the way forward i've decided is an aluminium swing arm which i'm in the process of making / modifying you know the score Only recounted all that to illustrate my philosophy on trials bikes to try to explain my post earlier. "One small step for a man. One giant leap for mankind"

Dont know about running a BPR plug. Why run a resistor plug ? I know the PVL system doesnt like resistor plugs. FWIW i never use em but then again mine still eats plugs every 3 or 4 trials. Perhaps i need to open the throttle more? Perhaps i'm just pottering around too much ? Did try gettings some 4's but everybody local is sold out and have been told by their suppliers that they dont have any either. Dont know if NGK are phasing them out ?

Must admit Dave i never seem to understand why so many people have a problem with understanding the term "pre65" ? 1965 began at the stroke of midnight on 31st December 1964 simple as that. Why do so many seem to think that because their bike was made in 1965 it should be eligable for pre 65 is beyond me. The arguement about stuff made this year and being used is another minefield. The only reason i can see and i know i'm cynical is the same mindset that makes people want to build a twinshock out of an air cooled mono. YOURE LOOKING FOR AN UNFAIR ADVANTAGE AND THATS CHEATING !!!!!!!!!!!!! There's always somebody trying to argue theirs is a "special case" but they can never substantiate it. You just know this will run on and on with people argueing their bike somehow fell through a hole in time and space and by coincidence reappeared at 11.59 pm on December 31st 1964. Had the same conversation with somebody the other week about Sprites No connection but if you look at the Dales Classic website home page dalesclassic.wordpress.com at the top are photos of a 1963 Sprite ??? and a 1962 BSA Bantam clearly showing a D14/4 motor. Obviously both hush hush pre production works development bikes !

My old one was the same in fact so is my James and the Ossa. Noe fit a new plug before every 3rd trial just to be safe. Well it's not as if they are that expensive. Still would be nice to know a reason they dont seem to last all that long nowadays.

Charlie why should we make ours look the same? Why assume the BSA comp shop knew best? surely they would only use what was available from the parts bin not necessarily the best item for the job. Far from it. Surely we can do better nowadays ?

Weather is such an unpredictable thing especially at this time of year and the bright warm spring sunshine that greeted the 54 riders who arrived at Cookes Wood near Youlgrave Derbyshire had transformed the very slippery conditions of Saturday into a much easier trial than was originally intended. Whatever trepidations that the course setter may have had that the trial would now be too easy were almost the case especially considering the fact that this was the first round of the East Midlands Classic ACU Championship, round 1 at Teversal being cancelled due to poor weather conditions, as well as Round 2 of the Clubs own Trials Championship. In the end nobody achieved a clean sheet but two riders came tantalisingly close. Peter Carson on his James taking the win in the Expert British Bike Class for a loss of 1 point and Stephen Garlick on the Armstrong winning the Expert Twinshock Class also on 1 point. Both having just the single dab on the same section number 10 which was a twisty one through the trees with a very tight turn over a log which soon dug out making the section the decider in most classes. Andrew Land who won the Expert Air Cooled Mono Class on his Yamaha also lost 3 of his total score of 4 on section 10. Stephen Holt on his Cub took the honours in the 50/50 British Bike Class with an excellent ride losing only 16 marks with just 2 of those on the infamous section 10 and Russell Walker rode his Honda to a win in the 50/50 Twinshock Class for a loss of just 9 with a single dab on section 10. The riders on the 50/50 route riding the expert line on section 10 made their scores even more special. Jonathan Tye on his Bantam headed a tie for the win in the Clubman British Bike Class with a loss of 12 matks from Adam Shelton BSA and Vincent Price who had an excellent ride on his Royal Enfield to also only loose 12 marks. Decided only by TSR 23 most cleans that was a tight one. Paul Beswick took the Clubman Twinshock Class out on his OSSA this year instead of his James for a loss of just 3 marks 2 of those on section 10 again and Michael Dorricott on his beautiful Honda secured a win in the Clubman Air Cooled Monoshock category for a loss of only 9 and he was the only person to have 5 cleans on section 10. Wow ! great ride Michael. All in all most seemed to have had an enjoyable day and the Peak classic Trials Club would like to thank Andrew Cooke for the use of his land and all the observers who manned the sections and finally a big thank you to Donna who manned Bes's Butties the burger van which will be attending all our events this coming season. Our next event is at Stathams Farm near Matlock on the 25th of April and is also an ACU round start 11.00. See you there. Results. Expert British Bike 1st Peter Carson James 1 mark 2nd Darren Cooper James 3 marks 3rd Mike Ransom Francis Barnett 37 marks Expert Twinshock 1st Stephen Garlick Armstrong 1 mark 2nd Stephen Bisby Ossa 7 marks 3rd Chris Garlick CCM 8 marks Expert Air Cooled Monoshock 1st Andrew Land Yamaha 4 marks 2nd Mark Weston Gas Gas 6 marks 50/50 British Bike 1st Stephen Holt Cub 16 marks 2nd Derek Carson Bantam 22 marks 3rd Stephen Cooper James 26 marks 50/50 Twinshock 1st Russell Walker Honda 1 mark 2nd Paul Edwards Montesa 15 marks 3rd Anthony Sprinks Bultaco 17 marks Clubman British Bike 1st Jonathan Tye Bantam 12 marks 2nd Adam Shelton BSA 12 marks 3rd Vincent Price Royal Enfield 12 marks Clubman Twinshock 1st Paul Beswick Ossa 3 marks 2nd Martin Booth Yamaha 13 marks 3rd Tony Shaw Bultaco 17 marks Clubman Air Cooled Monoshock 1st Michael Dorricott Honda 9 marks 2nd Robert Wright Yamaha 12 marks