so he was originally fined for not notifying a government agency that his motorcycle was off the road? Does that mean parked and not being used?
there must be something lost in the translation of words
Here in the UK to use a vehicle on the road you pay a Tax (Vehicle Excise Duty) Paid every 6 months or yearly. If you no longer plan to use the vehicle on the road you have to register it as off road (SORN) If you do not and despite the vehicle not being in use you are still liable for the tax. This was brought in to stop non payers of the tax. If the vehicle is registered off road and you are caught using it on road the fine is even greater than if you just did not pay the tax.
Next post I will try an actual joke but on the other hand, UK car tax system this is probably the correct section!
Agree with model 80. Your bike in the picture is defiantly a 199 so the red paint is correct.. The 199A came out in late 1978 was painted blue. Had an aluminium bash plate under the engine, reinforced swinging arm and a different magneto cover and kick start. The gear ratio's were also changed with most notable visible difference between 199 and 199A is the later has a smaller rear sprocket. Other minor changes including adjusting the height of the engine in the frame by a small amount.
You bike looks quite original. In the UK we would have had a different tank to that fitted for the rest of the world. The only thing basically not correct is that seat is wrong.
The gear change can be set either LH or RH. LH was standard and with this set up the rear brake is operated by a cable that loops across to a bracket on the frame down tube near the silencer. I can not be sure from your pictures but I think I can see a blob of weld but the bracket seems to have been cut off. This cable operated brake is a bit spongier than the direct operated rod and opinions will vary as to what is best.
I have a 199 myself and have been told by several people over the years that this model was better that any that followed, including a local (East Anglia/UK) ex champion who owns a 199B Obviously that is an opinion that many will disagree with but my 199 is my favourite bike to ride.
On 18/02/2017 at 6:55 PM, 2stroke4stroke said:
I seem to remember in the UK, pre VAT, my pal's new Bultaco motor came in a separate box, and was a different number from the frame.
You are right. But this was up to the early 70's then changed. But the frame and engine should be within 50 of each other as they were built or imported in batches This was unique to the UK market due to the reduced tax on kit supplied bikes and despite what many of us think on this island quite a lot of the rest of the world also bough these bikes at this time which would have had matching frame and engine numbers.
So a late bike should have matching engine and frame numbers even in the UK.
I have been through this process several times. Last time I said I would never do it myself again. Previously suggested on this forum the following company. I appreciate that this company will charge but sometimes it is best to pay an expert and stand back. I am not connected to this company in any way.
I have one bike with the polypropylene tank and this is faded and what ever I seem to used just looks drab, dirty, and awful. I have recently bought an alloy tank and am planning to dump the plastic one.
A couple of my bikes have white plastic mudguards. These get scratched and the scratches seem to attract the dirt. I have found the best cleaner for these is Mr Sheen spray polish. An ample amount applied to the mudguard and then buffed up with a soft cloth and these come up looking as clean as new.
I appreciate these comments put me in the poser category and a bit of a luddite but who cares.
As a Young lad I attended my first Trial in 1976. This was I think the East Anglian National fore runner of the Colchester clubs present day Phil King Trial. The most common bike being ridden were Bultaco and for me the look of the bike was love at first site. A love never lost. One of the things that attracted me was the strange shape exhaust with that unique club foot and the two round outlet stubs. I still regularly drive past the site where that Trial started and finished back in 76 and every time my mind takes me back as I can still see in my mind the riders on the final section, a steep climb near vertical at the top.
These after market exhausts may perform better and easier to repack but you will never see the original replaced on one of my bikes.
I have never cut anything of the tang and I have replaced many over the years with no bother.
I use a loop of strong twine as a tool.
I first position the spring roughly in place at this stage neither end is locate. Then with my loop of twine pulling against the end that goes into the kick starter shaft pull it out just enough with one hand pulling the twine loop and guide it into the hole in the shaft using long nose pliers in the other hand. Note most shafts have a chamfer lead in to the hole on one side only. I rotate the kick start shaft so the hole is near vertical or [pointing slightly backwards so I can get good pull access. This is relatively easy as the spring has no wind up at this time and has as much movement as available. I then re locate my twine loop to the other end of the spring and pull this around winding up the spring and getting the correct pre load. This end is then located behind the nut. You might not think it is possible to do this wind up operation as it appears not enough gap between the kick start shaft and the case forward of the shaft to pull the loop around. I pull it hard around using quite a bit of pull outwards at the same time using my twine loop quite brutal but it does work and I have never damaged a case doing this.
I can probable guess the content when I see the poster name but could you possibly add "ORRe Plug" in the thread title so in future I do not waste my time opening these Off road review adverts.
I have had experience of this. This will be caused by wear, nothing automatic. I used to be quite good at kicking the bike over, one hand on the throttle and the other on the choke.
The Bultaco's he mentioned weren't powder coated when new...unless I missed something which is possible of course:)
No nothing missed. The original frame paint was quite soft and easily chipped/damaged. I suspect just spray painted with little preparation and possible no primer coat.
The power washer we used was not a very powerful one so easily removed the original paint. Even after all these years I can still see the look on my mates face as he realised what the power washer had done. Probably not helped as another mate was also watching who had a brand new chrome frame Beamish Suzuki. I was never jealous of the Suzuki but was jealous of the chrome frame. It was quite rare back at that time to have a power washer.
Just to confirm my point, I was not impressed with the frame paint on my new 198 Bultaco when new so would certainly want something better today.
This bring back memories for me thinking about that bike and time. I bought the bike new with me paying half and my Dad the other half. £715.00 total from John Kershaw motorcycles when he was in Wickford, Essex before he moved to Devon. I was just 15 years old at the time.
Also makes me think, Three friends, two with Brand new Bultaco's and the other with a brand new Beamish Suzuki all in the same school and school year and riding Trials (Great Dunmow) . Reflection of the time. My club (Braintree and District MCC) is currently struggling to attract any youth riders. We have decided to try and change this and have just taken delivery of 3 brand new OSET electric trials bikes ( Currently parked in my study at home) these will be available at our events for youth riders to come along and give our sport a try (under supervision). So if you know of any potential young riders in the Essex and Suffolk area keen to try our sport please point them in our direction. Contact details on the Braintree MCC web site. This is a new effort on our behalf and we will be publicising this more once we get all the paper work sorted
(Sorry for the thread drift but it is in an effort to help our sport)
Agree they did not use powder coat when new but having owned a brand new model 198 one of the last red ones back in 1978 I would want something a bit better than the original finish on my newly restored bike.
If original finish is required can I suggest:-
Clean frame back to bare metal. Allow a couple of days in damp conditions to get a fine layer of rust. Not to much just enough to ensure the paint does not adhere. Do not use any undercoat. This may help the paint to stick so must be avoided at all costs.. Take an old tin of silver paint the older the better. That old tin you bought in Woolworths and been in the shed for the last 20 years will do just fine. Apply using method of choice but make sure thickness is the minimum you can get away with. Avoid cleaning bike with a power washer as this will remove the paint.
The last comment is a reference from hard experience. Both myself and a mate had brand new bikes and after a days practice in very muddy conditions we took both bikes to the lorry yard were my mates dad worked. He went first and one pass with the company power washer and on that side hardly any frame paint left. My bike still dirty put back on to the trailer to be cleaned at home with garden hose, sponge and bucket.
On my current M80 I could not get on with the rear triangle silencer as I kept touching this with my heel/boot bending it inward and causing this to foul the tyre. In fact it seems to restrict foot/leg movement and also far to easily clog with mud so soon got removed. Most period photos I have do not have this part fitted. Any body else had any experience of this?
My original model 80 that I had back in the late 70's had a Sammy Miller aluminum exhaust as shown in Ralph blog early photographs. Mine also had a small cylindrical unit fitted after the main silencer. I would prefer to have my bike with the Sammy Miller exhaust as that was what I had when I started riding all those years ago. I keep looking on ebay in hope.
I have had in the past been against powder coating for two reasons. The first is as in your model 80 experience chipping away and the other is colour match as despite being specific on colour required have ended up with grey not silver.
However I have located a firm in Essex ( I do not want to advertise on here but will happily pm details) who have powder coated a couple of frames for me and the colour is a good match for the original Bultaco silver (Apparently a BMW colour that they import the powder in from the states) and so far the finish has been more durable than I have experienced in the past. Bottom line is I am now a powder coat convert.
The firm have just done the 5 wheels of my 1935 BSA car and these are powder coated in chrome affect and look fantastic.
5 ft/lbs seems about right to me. Originally Bultaco used awful star locking washers that I hate. Others may have different opinions. I use plane washers, 5 ft/lbs and screw lock. Never had a issue with coming apart in use.
I work on Diesel engine design for a day job and we calculate every joint to determine correct torque for application. (Part of design team on new Transit 2.0L engine "ECOBLUE" just launched) Apart from the obvious joints like head bolts etc most joints use a lot lower torque than you would at first think or do by feel alone.
I have seen a lot of Bultaco cases with these threads stripped.Please not too tight.
When Guy was shown the bike to be used in the program for the record attempt, a row of dirt bikes were on display in the back ground. The one on the end was a Pursang.
I bought a couple of the Yellow number plates from Sammy Miller a few years ago. These were quite simple parts just cut from a yellow universal rear mudguard. I could have made them myself if I had known.
Or find a Fantic .... , just kidding , couldn't resist
And then we would have an even bigger list of all the mods required to turn it into something decent....................I mean a Bultaco. Also could not resist
Before everyone starts planning this mod. Only the 198A/199A cases are suitable. The position of the locating screw is positioned lower on these cases. In the earlier cover the screw is where the bearing is positioned.
Also check the hole in the brake plate. You have stated that you have lubricated this but it is steel to aluminium and I have seen some with a lot of wear that does not help with brake action and also gives a spongy feel. All my bikes have had this hole bored out and a thin bronze bush fitted.
As per ibhbul in post above. I do not get on with the new replacement shoes sold today. You will find there is as many opinions as Bultaco owners on brake shoes but I avoid the replacement shoes and send mine to Saftek in Cleckheaton, to be re-lined.
I also have a partly restored Alpina. (Other projects keep getting in the way!) Mine is a later model than yours being a model 166 from 1976. When purchased it came with a pair of motocross style knobblies not unlike the factory photo link already posted.
My bike is being restored to ride long distance trials and also a bit of green laneing.
I have a Frontera that is currently fitted with FIM legal Enduro tyres. These can cause damage to green lanes and also are best described as interesting on wet paved roads as I suspect the amount of rubber in actual contact is minimal. also wear rather rapid on the road.
I am not looking for ultimate Trials grip and also want the tyres to have a reasonable road use life so do not want any of the soft compounds and also want a tyre that is road legal. I have gone for a set of good old fashioned Pirelli MT43 Trials tyres. In my opinion also look better. They were also standard fit on the Sherpa's back in the day.
Not sure what model you have. If 4 bolts Bondy's advice is good. If earlier the exhaust is secured with a threaded ring. These are difficult to seal completely and black oil/residue seepage is normal. I worry more when it does not leak. Easily cleaned up.
The pegs are short because you didn't want solid pegs catching on the rocks.
Don't know about your rules but in the UK you would have to fit folding pegs in order to compete nowadays.
Are you sure about this? I have been told this on several occasions but when I studied the ACU handbook a couple of years back I could find no reference to having to have folding foot pegs. I have sold the bike now but used to ride my old M10 with the original solid pegs fitted.
I think the top fork yoke is a later part. This should be the earlier type where the handlebars were clamped by an aluminum clamp held down with upside down U bolts. These top yokes were a known week point and easily broken, so not surprised it has been changed.
The model 27 was the next Sherpa on from the model 10. The most significant difference is a completely redesigned engine with a 5 speed gearbox. Engine mounts to frame changed. Not too many were made before being replaced by the model 49 so are a fairly rare model today.
The bike looks remarkable original Ignoring the obvious additions to the frame. Nice find I am jealous.
I have a friend local to me who has one and it has really awful chrome plated engine covers which are peeling but I think are original.
they wasn't powder coated when New.
Kenny The Rooster - Contains Adult Humour
in Anything goes
Posted · Edited by twinnshock
Here in the UK to use a vehicle on the road you pay a Tax (Vehicle Excise Duty) Paid every 6 months or yearly. If you no longer plan to use the vehicle on the road you have to register it as off road (SORN) If you do not and despite the vehicle not being in use you are still liable for the tax. This was brought in to stop non payers of the tax. If the vehicle is registered off road and you are caught using it on road the fine is even greater than if you just did not pay the tax.
Next post I will try an actual joke but on the other hand, UK car tax system this is probably the correct section!
Stuart