charliechitlins

You guys are brutal. I'll post pics when I'm done. Then we'll see who has the trickest fork guards!! i need some sleep...

I'm making a pair out of PVC. They'll snap right on and cost under a buck apiece. Yeah...I'm a cheapskate. Scots blood y'know.

Back in the bad old days when I was racing MX, if my bike started running real badly, I'd rip the wire out of the kill switch. I bet it solved the problem half the time.

I worked on a Cota 200 for a guy, but there was so much snow on the ground, I never got to ride it. It's a 175, right? Will it haul my 200lb butt around? Even Lane Leavitt (can I mention him on this list? ) admitted the 200 is a good bike, and he doesn't give many compliments to Montesas of that era. Maybe I could paint one red and put some aluminum fenders on Thanks.

What's the deal on '70's Montesas? Some have big, ugly seats... I hear some are long and turn like a bus. Which are the good ones? Call me shallow, but I grew up lusting after red ones...the white ones just don't do it for me.

Suddenly I feel very old.

I once bought some pretty expensive Honda trans oil that not only worked well, but came in a very cool graduated bottle with a pointy tip that I've been using for years

It's been a long time, but I think the model 14 means it's a 350 (my model 18 was a 500), CS stands for 'competition scrambler' and the following letter might have designated whether it is battery or magneto ignition. But, as I said....it's been a while!

Starter jet sizes aren't as critical as the others, so you can drill it a little larger rather than buying a new one. For starting, open the enrichener and use NO THROTTLE. If you reflexively turn up the wick, put your right hand on the crossbar, or better yet....get over it. The bike cutting out on hills or steps, I think, would point to float height. Sounds dangerous.

On the old wet clutches (Nortons, etc), bead blasting the steels works great.

I told my 4-year-old that someone on the computer was "chuffed to bits", and he said, "Can he still talk?" We Yanks have never heard of being chuffed to bits. I like it, though!

Slightly off subject: The "replica" thing is interesting. As far as I know, it started with the Manx TT. The winner never really gets the actual 'Tourist Trophy', because there is only one. He would get a replica, and his name gets put on the big trophy. So some company (Scott, I think...don't quote me), won the TT around 1929, and called one of their models the "TT Replica", but it wasn't because the bike was supposed to be a replica of the bike that won. My guess is that the American public, unfamiliar with the TT, probably assumed that the 'replica' referred to the bike, and eventually the motorcycle companies went with the new definition.

I have to disagree with this. My relationship with trials borders on obsession (the same with my regular riding buddy), and I virtually never compete. I have a blast working on a particular obstacle or a little section and competing with myself. I'm sure that most trials riders have a good time practicing and competing with friends, but I think that one can do either one without the other. I've heard this view expressed before, so it's not something exclusive to Rineholio, so I wonder if it's just that idea that puts people off the sport. I think he's on to something regarding the social aspect of the sport. Trials definitely has to be the most social of motorsports, and it is unique in that beginners and experts can play together in the same area.

I think the GG80 is a really incredible bike. I couldn't be more pleased with almost every aspect of ours. What I see, though, with a lot of kids (mine included), is that they mostly drive the big bikes rather than ride them. Kids are also more comfortable on something small that they really feel they have control over, and they can throw around. It's a lot to ask, to expect a 70 lb kid to work with the same chassis as an adult. I'd say that any bike that a kid takes more than a couple seconds to pick up off the ground is too big...unless the kid is just so good that anything but a full-sized bike would hold him back. I know my kid is a pretty tentative rider, but I think that skipping the mid-size bike after the mini did him more harm than good.

The inner tube works, but, like you said, it can rip. Some soapy water works well, but if it's too slippery, the tube pops out before it does the job. Anyway...Ryan's tire beader works very well. It too can rip, so keep it lubed. Keep a bicycle tube around in case you need to seal the other side too...as with a new tire. For new tires, keep an 18" tube around so you can put it in the tire and inflate it and let it sit for a couple days before installing the tire. This will spread the bead and help it to seat more easily.

What if we think about golf?!?!? Some folks say trials isn't exciting enough to watch! Jeeze.....

I just knock them out. The spacer can take it. I use the old bearing to drive in the new.

My '01 Sherco came with a half-link in the chain even when the chain would have fit without it. Presumably, somebody thought the extra wheelbase was desireable. I'm quite sure I'll never be able to appreciate the difference.

I assume that trials bikes are seldom stolen by trials riders. Which is, of course, good. The down side of that is that I also assume that stolen trials bikes get dumped in a river when the thief realizes what a strange animal he's stolen.

Yep! I can imagine getting that seat off ASAP!!!

Come to Papa!! Looks like my old AJS/Matchless 18CS

The '52 (I think) RE is still being made in India, virtually the same as they were back in the day. Does anybody know if any of these are finding their way into vintage trials?

Easy way to shorten the chain: Drape it over the rear sprocket, grid or file the pins flush with the plate and knock 'em out with a punch. Make sure both ends of the chain end with 'inners' or 'male' ends, and when the chain is on the sprockets, there is only one tooth between the ends where the master link goes. If your chain isn't too whipped, then you'll know how many links it should be for next time you buy one. When I had a full-time shop, my answer to all the different chain lengths was to buy bulk length and cut every chain to fit. I never counted links.

Find out for sure before you torque. It's always less than I expect. Of course, I work on Harleys and Indians, and 50-65 ft/lb is not uncommon. I bet most trials bikes are 12-15.