90vanman

Hi, I can't be sure which model, it's oldish though. The thread that I am identifying is 25mm x 1.25 pitch. I am hoping to fit these forks, or at least the yokes to my new Bantam frame. Wasn't desperately impressed by what I got from Progressive so have decided to make my own. Have made the headstock to suit the yoke, rather than the other way round. Dave

Hi folks, does anyone know what thread is used on the top of the yoke stem, the one that holds the top yoke to the steering stem? Further to that, does anyone have such a nut, and better yet lend or sell me a die to cut this thread? Thanks in advance for any help. Dave

pm sent

Hi, have found the shaft and arm, but can't find the stop, cable or h/bar lever. Let me know whether you are interested and make an offer. The stop, if I remember correctly was integrated into my engine steady bracket. Dave

Hi Jonv8, I may be able to help with some or all the parts you require, I removed the valve lifter from my B40 when I lowered the comp ratio to 6.5 to 1(with a really spiteful cam), I will have a look tomorrow and see what I have left.

Hi, I am seeing lots of names of frame builders in this thread, I was looking for a Bantam rigid frame, but Drayton, I am told are not in production at the moment, so where else can I try? Many thanks for any info. Incidentally, I tried twinshockshop with no luck. Dave

Hi, at the risk of being wrong, when I spoke to him at Horsmonden in Kent it was a 65cc based on a TLM50, very much modified and very nice albeit a bit revvy. Horsmonden is the late Mick Holloway's ground, much used by his sister Joan Westbrook, for those who haven't had the pleasure of meeting them. Joan is famous for her appearances at the Scottish, and is not currently as well as she should be.

Hi, I am resurrecting a rigid Bantam, now 185cc with a modified frame at the rear end and loop under the engine. Two problems have come to light, where the rear of the frame was widened for the tyre it seems to be lop-sided, i.e. tyre clears on chain side, but is very close on the other. Main prob though, is the steering head angle, having fitted honda forks with parallel steering stem, it looks like a chopper! Can anyone tell me what the steering head angle should be, as other people I have heard from say that other forks have been fitted yet the bike looks normal. I am judging this against tlr 200 honda and my 4rt, the 4rt isn't really comparable of course, just using it for rake and trail angles. Dave

Hi, have had one on my tlr for several years, excellent fitment, if only to get rid of chunky original and original levers at the same time. I made my own throttle cable, but if I remember correctly the original cable can be used if the outer sheath is shortened a bit, if you do it this way cut the outer Carefully!!

Hi, just seen this posting, I used to see Renee Bennett and her husband Howard Powell in the late 1960s, around Plaistow (east London), where they had there motorcycle shop. I'm not sure whether it is still going, but Howard moved the shop to East Ham. Renee was a fair rider,and was usually seen on a Greeves at that time, Howard rode either a Greeves Anglian, or a Bultaco. She was the daughter of a famous local car spares dealer, and gym owner, Wag Bennett. She was very much into keeping fit, and was very shapely.

I wasn't comparing the two directly, the two strokes of the day were spiteful peaky engines, but having ridden several Kwaka triples and more 4pot 4strokes, I know which are more controllable, so imagine both being tweaked for racing. I had a lovely Ducati a few years ago, and tried 'knee-down' and felt a complete ****, on the road. I did manage to get my knee down a couple of times, but really couldn't see the benefit, so carried on in a 'tucked-in' stylee. Some of the two strokes, if I remember correctly had a device a bit like a rev limiter, to cut cylinders and slow the bike a bit more than just being on the over-run. The comparison of the tyres relates to evil power delivery of the old two strokes and the managed engines of today, they may be more powerful now, but their delivery is much nicer, no going on the pipe and doubling the torque in seconds. The greatest respect is due to the riders of todays GP bikes, but I will retain my opinion about untidy riders. As a side issue, when will something be done about the ridiculous speeds that are being expected of riders on the Island? The 100 mph lap was a hell of an achievement when it was done, and on the bikes it was done on, but it seems to me that it is just dangerous to be marching on at 200 mph plus on roads not much improved since the Seventies or so. Rant over, I'd take my Valium and lie down for an hour. Dave

Hi Richt, that may be one theory, but fourstrokes have much more engine braking than two strokes, which is , I believe, where this ridiculous style originated. Years ago, when twostrokes were the thing, engine braking was limited, and brakes not too good either, a lot of riders would sit up, putting their body in the slipstream to slow themselves down a bit, not these dozy antics. While I'm on the subject of riding styles, is there any reason why a rider has to use the run-off area, as though the track is not wide enough. The run-off area is just that, for a chance to recover from too fast an entry into a bend, not a track extension. When I raced karts we were warned for use of it as being unsportsmanlike. If you don't like the confines of a track, try desert racing.

Hi, my tlr 200 Honda is fitted with them as standard, they are for pre-loading the fork for lardarse riders or very rough ground.the norm is no air pressure in them but they can be pumped up to about 3psi or so to adjust sag with a heavy rider aboard. Pump them up with a push bike pump, gently, till you get the sag you want, or to stop bottoming out. Dave

Hi, having watched a lot of road/track racing through the years, I am becoming more incredulous at the recent riding styles of late. Back in the fifties and sixties TOP riders such as M Hailwood etc used to ride very tidily and tucked in. The tyres of the day were by no means as good as those in use today, even for the lower power outputs available then, bearing in mind that the rider used the THROTTLE to control the rear wheel, not traction control and ABS systems. Why is it that 'knee-down' became the fashion, I thought at the time it became popular that it was 'posing', especially when ordinary road riders started doing it, claiming it was essential. to keep this missive short, I will cut to the point now, why oh why do a particular few riders hang their WHOLE leg out? This puts me in mind of moped riders who drag a foot for a hundred yards when pulling away from the lights. If you do not know how far you are leaning going into a bend, it's time to stop riding, if your leg is stuck out when the bike lowsides you deserve to break it. For Christ's sake, learn to ride neatly.Hailwood is said to have achieved lean angles of 45 degrees, on tyres of less than modern standards of grip without all the antics performed these days.

Hi Bashplate, that is what I was thinking of doing, I thought that the collar or whatever it is , might have been pressed in in which case it should press out. If it does press out it can be replaced with a brass or bronze bush. I will have a go at drilling it out when I get round to lowering the footrests, the last job to achieve perfection. Dave

Hi, try Essex Wheels and engineering, no connection with them, but do a brilliant job, and not too expensive either.

Hi again, further to my comments about bike construction etc, I have thrown enough money at the TLR to buy a reasonable used Beta, but as far as I'm concerned the money and effort expended on it make comparable with anything from any factory, in MY hands at least. Can the average club rider honestly say that he can perform to the limit of say a GasGas or Sherco? When I started riding over 40 years ago it was on a Greeves Scottish 250, when trials bikes were all much of a muchness, it was the rider who could handle the bike who progressed, as soon as I could afford it I bought an early Bultaco, a much nicer bike but the sections still scared the crap out of me, there was no such thing as an easy route as we have today. These are points that could be considered. Incidentally, I joined the Eastern FOURstroke Association, but the majority of the bikes are Bantams, and Villiers powered bikes, so the few riders clinging to their big BSAs, Enfields Matchlesses etc getting the rough end of the setters-out efforts are struggling against unfavourable odds so many of them have gone the Bantam/ Cub Villiers powered route to stay competitive, and so the club is struggling to find a middle ground for all, without having to set out four routes to give everyone a fair crack at it. Sorry if this has gone on a bit but that is my personal view. Dave

Hi, on the subject of bikes becoming specialised, make it part of construction that they must be usable on the road ie decent seat height, like my TLR, not enjoyable on the road, but at least I don't get pulled every 5 minutes like I did with my Montesa 315r. The feds can see you have some control of the bike. Also I am getting on in age, and don't want to be breaking my neck at every section that has been set up to tax modern pogo sticks, true I'm looking for a Beta 250 4t, but that doesn't mean I suddenly turn into D. Lampkin or Toni Bou as soon as I throw my leg over it. Some years ago I was one of a group who advocated that Experts should ride on less aggressive tyres than trials tyres, perhaps an aggressive road type tyre, or something like the Trailwing, then sections don't have to endanger ordinary club riders just out for a days sport. Dave

Hi, I had a similar thing with my B40 a few years ago, running Boyer Bransden the engine ran quite well, fitted PVL system and it was transformed. Weakened the mixture a little and it got better. I don't know much about Electrex world, but I can recommend PVL, proper hot spark from kicking speed upwards. Dave

Hi Andy, thanks for that bit of information, it may be that the recess for the seal makes it look like a bush in the housing, I might try and gently pull it out though, cos I'd like to get this sorted. I've now got a billet yoke set to put on when time allows, is nothing cheap on these bikes!! I'll put up some pictures and outline what has been done and roughly how much it all cost. That'll scare you, it certainly did me. Dave

Hi each, another little puzzle for you all, the brake pedal on my tlr200 is sloppy, it seems to have a bushing in the hole that the shaft goes through, which is worn. does anyone know whether the bushing is removable, if it is I can turn up a new bush to fit more closely to the shaft. This job is one of the last to be done to finish a rolling restoration. I shall post some pictures of my and my mates bike soon, if anyone is interested. Dave

Hi all, am looking at buying a Scorpa 125 4t, and have been offered two different versions of what I assume to be much the same thing. One is shown as a SY125, the other as a TYS125, anybody know whether there is much difference between them, possibly year of manufacture? Thanks for any help given. Dave

Hi, I remember seeing some fitted with a sort of loop bolted or welded to the bottom loop of the frame/ engine plates, sticking out under the engine cases. How successfull they are I don't know. I think Mr Greeves may have something to suit, probably be expensive from him though. Back when I were a lad, one of my Greeves had a prop stand that disappeared between the engine plates, has anyone else seen or got one. The particular bike was ex Don Smith/factory issue, so did that have anything to do with it? Dave

Hi, further to my remark to johnnyboxer, if these posts were time limited why are they not removed from the forum after say a couple of months, or a year?As has been established, I have a tlr200, and find many of the posts on here of any age usefull to maintaining and improving the bike. A great deal of the information I have sought while looking for a bike has come from here or has led me to places to study Hondas. OOPS, sorry for the gap since the last posting on this subject! Dave

Hi, I note the comment on disturbing the "balance" of the bike, speaking from personal experience with a B40 in an Otter frame, I have never seen an engine look so badly designed. There is no attempt at making the thing look balanced, I'm not knocking the performance of the lump, but was no thought given to making it appear concentric about it's centreline? Compared to my Honda tlr it looks ugly and lopsided. I knew there was a reason for choosing the Honda, it LOOKS like it was designed, not put together from spare parts. Could this go towards explaining the demise of an otherwise good industry? Sorry if this sounds like an attack on pre 65 bikes, but precious few appeal to me on design and construction grounds.