tony283

The normal course of action would be as Sirsherco suggested. 1.over on the bars pump out water through plughole using kickstart. 2. try and start 3. will usually run and die as water flicks of sidewalls into plug gap 4.blow out,keep trying until it runs and dries out. However, now that you have left it and taken engine out... Tip out water if any left. Blow out carb jets and reed block. Remove flywheel and clean inside and coil faces and points. May as well check piston, rings and bore at this stage Rebuild and go! Most unlikely to damage rod or anything else If it sucked in mud you may score the piston and barrel. Been there many times in Scotland! Tony

Spud, Here I am in Airizona USA promoting a web site for the guys in Canada and I get a reply from someone in Kent, the county of my birth! Most of my early riding was done in the SE Center and my home club was Barham. Barham was part of the EKTC (East Kent Trials Combine) others being Sittingbourne, Ashford, Tenterden, Birchington, Rochester and Folkestone. For my money Tenterden was always the best with mud, mud and more mud! Tony

Thanks Spud, what part of Kent are you in? Tony

Hi all, Sorry to have missed you out, some of your countrymen are reading furiously so please read the sagas of Vintage trials south of the border..... and when Vintage bikes, and their riders, were not vintage either! http://www.blackcatvintagetrials.com Tony

Gizza5, Thanks for the "memories" .... I think you should get the "25". I was right behind you on your journalistic ride round the Highlands, and echo your sentiments ref the flavour of the event. I had my 8 rides during the 70's, also in the military (different colour uniform) and could never wait for the first week of May! Enjoyed your recollection of number plates! ..... some bikes were a nightmare to get anything on down the back. I just opened a web site and have 3 SSDT stories on it and some teararsing trips round the Falklands that you may enjoy. Also 3 Beemer recants. http://www.blackcatvintagetrials.com Tony Down

Yes, this one was delivered to me in Mar 1974 for the 74 SSDT Fullstory and pics www.blackcatvintagetrials.com See the 74 SSDT with "Dirt Digger"

Destry, Cental Arizona Trials runs about 10 events a year the next one being on 2 Dec 20 miles north of Phoenix on I17 You can get all the details om; www.centralarizonatrials.org and don't forget my web site either; www.blackcatvintagetrials.com or give me a call 602 376 5414 Tony

For the AHRMA trials rider and Vintage enthusiast we have a new web site with lots of reports and photos from the last few years.Check through the Nov entries and don't forget Oct too! If you rode one of these events you will most likely be on candid camera as well. www.blackcatvintagetrials.com www.trialsphoto.com Tony

I thought so! I was only a boy when you first came on the scene! Best wishes, Big John - Scotland Big John, We tried! Had to get some serious pre event bar training in back then..... 1/2 a pint a section was the rule! Then it all got too professional as the sections moved from "traditional" to national and world level..... and then "the sporting holiday in the highlands" had become "the nightmare in the granite" However, I loved it and wish there were something over here to rival it, especially for the old bikes.... maybe one day come back for the pre 65 ifsomeone lends me a bike. Don't forget to go to my new blog spot or www.blackcatvintagetrials.com where I have a couple of stories of the SSDT back in the 70's Tony

I'm hoping to do a few AHRMA rounds next year to at least justify geting their license. It seems to be about the best place to ride and see pre-65 bikes in North America these days. Some of them are pretty far for me but I've got a better bike transporter rig now so it should at least make the hours go by easier! Doug Doug, Best of the bunch are Casper WY (end of Aug) Dickson, (end of Sep) and Donner (mid Jul) all 2 day events and worth the journey. Tony

Big John, Yes that was me! Of course I was only a Flying Officer on my first SSDT which was 1970, but I did ride and finish 8 x SSDT until the fun went out of it in 1978 when I retired from trials until coming back to it in 2000. A sample of a GAS GAS was enough to convince me that my earlier skills were better used on NO Clutch, superb throttle control and drunken balance...... so it was back to building and selling Ty's and then getting a Cub and now finally a Bullet. So at a youthful 61 2008 has the challenge of 2 AHRMA Championships on the Cub in Lightweight and the Bullet in Heaveyweight. Best Regards Tony Down

Is that the one in New Hampshire? I rode that one a few years ago. Were there many other pre-65 bikes out? Doug No, this is my recent creation from an original 1960 Don Morley factory Trials 350 Bullet. It was last used in the UK in the 2005 pre 65 SSDT. I imported it in Nov 2006 and then spent some time working out how to make it more competitve. The frame was hacked and the swinging arm moved inside the primary case and gearbox, shortening the wheelbase from 55+ to 51. Head angle changed and engine raised to give 12 ground clearance. Yam back wheel fitted and now rear brake, gears, and kickstart all on the right. Will be in action during 2008 as this year it was the Tiger Cub as the main weapon. On an event note there were several Cub's, C15's and some Bantams. Are you Flt. Lt. Tony Downs by any chance? Big John

Is that the one in New Hampshire? I rode that one a few years ago. Were there many other pre-65 bikes out? Doug No, this is my recent creation from an original 1960 Don Morley factory Trials 350 Bullet. It was last used in the UK in the 2005 pre 65 SSDT. I imported it in Nov 2006 and then spent some time working out how to make it more competitve. The frame was hacked and the swinging arm moved inside the primary case and gearbox, shortening the wheelbase from 55+ to 51. Head angle changed and engine raised to give 12 ground clearance. Yam back wheel fitted and now rear brake, gears, and kickstart all on the right. Will be in action during 2008 as this year it was the Tiger Cub as the main weapon. On an event note there were several Cub's, C15's and some Bantams. Are you Flt. Lt. Tony Downs by any chance? Big John

Is that the one in New Hampshire? I rode that one a few years ago. Were there many other pre-65 bikes out? Doug No, this is my recent creation from an original 1960 Don Morley factory Trials 350 Bullet. It was last used in the UK in the 2005 pre 65 SSDT. I imported it in Nov 2006 and then spent some time working out how to make it more competitve. The frame was hacked and the swinging arm moved inside the primary case and gearbox, shortening the wheelbase from 55+ to 51. Head angle changed and engine raised to give 12 ground clearance. Yam back wheel fitted and now rear brake, gears, and kickstart all on the right. Will be in action during 2008 as this year it was the Tiger Cub as the main weapon. On an event note there were several Cub's, C15's and some Bantams.