twinnshock

Paul, I have to admit I have not been riding much in recent times. I made the silly mistake of buying a crashed homebuilt plane and spent all my time putting this back together. Now done and flying. I have just finished refreshing my M80 so I am also have a "Kit Campeon" I am planning to ride a few events soon. I was trying to remember last time I rode the M80 and I think it was backmarking at the pre 65 Scottish about 8 years ago. My son has twisted my arm and is borrowing this M80 for the Southend trial this weekend. Stuart

I agree with the posters that the best colour scheme is Red/silver but I did something different for my M198. British Racing Green. The decals are stock. When I first starting riding this bike I spread a rumour that this was a special edition built for the SSDT and quite a few people who should have known better believed it. The bike is a 1978 M198. I have owned this bike since 1983 and modified the frame to the aluminium plate when I was a hard up apprentice. Stuart

Whilst I appreciate the skill and knowledge going into these bikes, am I the only one reading about these bikes with what can be best described as dread. I hate what has happened in the pre 65 scene with exotic specials costing thousands. Are we starting to see twinshock infected with this same cancer? I so hope not. Stuart

tbone What are you hoping to achieve? Stainless steel is a lot of work so I would not even try. Copying these bodged up exhausts will not transform the bike it will still be a 70's Bultaco twinshock. Is it worth the effort? My advice keep standard but do make sure the exhaust is cleaned out and packed correctly. Stuart

Hole in alloy plate that aligns with the drain plug. My converted frame/bike (m198) has the lowest part of the bolt approximately 2-3mm above the lower surface. Never has a problem with damage but I do live in East Anglia! Stuart

Lee, Looking at the new pictures just confirms my first guess. Standard frame modified. As Sparks2 has said, looks well done. That looks to be the original cross tube at the back with a plate to support the Alloy plate welded in quite neat and better than my own converted bike. Quite a lot of riders did this. Interesting rear hub, two part design. I suspect correct part but only fitted for a short production period. Tank is also interesting. Correct fit for non UK bikes but I would have expected to see Alloy Homerlite tank fitted in UK. If this was my bike I would be keen to keep this much as it is but I would loose the plastic mudguards. Does look like you have a small bit of polishing to do! But do not be put off I think my M10 was worse when I got it. Stuart

it is difficult to see from the photographs but it looks like your bike is fitted with an aluminium bash plate. The rest of the frame looks to me standard. If I am correct your frame hs been modified. Quite a common mod in the day. Sammy Miller supplied a frame with this feature from early 70's but not done by Bultaco as standard until the 198A/199A in l978. Stuart

Have you spoken to the event secretary? They may be offering one day ACU RTA insurance you can buy at the start, useful for those like me with an insurance policy that excludes trials. The club/secretary have to arrange the paperwork with ACU/Locktons prior to the event so may not be doing this. Not sure of the age limitaions of this scheme as at 50 years old with no penality points I have no issues. Stuart

Interesting you suggest the Dremal. I have done this myself in the past and got away with it. But most MOT testers are becoming aware of the non road legal tyres and getting them to turn a blind eye is not as easy as it used to be. After all it is there business at stake. I understand from my tester that VOSA are aware of these non road legal tyres. Also do not forget if you ride your bike on the road with non legal tyres your insurance company are within there rights to refuse any claim. (if they find out or check) Simple fact IRC tyres are not road legal and you can not complain when an MOT tester is doing their job and fail a bike fitted with them. Stuart

The IRC tyres I have fitted to my bikes quite clearly state "For Trial competition use only " on the sidewalls and do not have any reference to E or other standards. These tyres are not road legal and your MOT tester is quite right to fail the bike fitted with these. I can not advise on Michelin as I do not use them. I am lucky I have a spare set of wheels fitted with Pirelli MT43 tyres which are road legal. I ride twinshock and use these for roadwork. Stuart

Interesting. I did not know the M21 had electronic ignition. I just assumed the FEMSA points set up similar to my M10. I have always wondered why with the company's knowledge of electronic ignition they kept with the points for Trials models. Cost could be an issue but I suspect that the performance gains were just not worth the change with these relatively low revving engines. I would be interested to know more. Stuart

Why do you want to fit electronic ignition? In my opinion the original FEMSA points set up works well, so changing this and fitting electronic would be the last thing I would do. Other peoples bikes I have tried with electronic seem to me no better performance than my own. I own 4 Sherpa's and an Alpina from a model 10 through to M199 and never had a starting problem. I have had condenser issues but these are easily sorted when mounted next to the coil. I do keep the points in good condition and take a lot of care setting the timing. About an hours maintenance once a year is all it takes. I will admit to owning two Bikes with electronic ignition (M120/M215) but Bultaco fitted these as standard. I have heard good things about the units sold by Inmotion but two friends who have fitted different electronic units (both types mentioned above not from Inmotion) have both had failures in less than 2 years. Both claimed the main reason for going electronic was to reduce maintenance. Stuart.

I had not seen any photographs either and having previously owned a M10 with this lug fitted I was not sure. I suspect now that the original design was not very good and if it was supplied was probably taken of and not used. I am planning to replace the lug on mine so I can fit a stand if required but think I will not bother with the actual stand. After all we do have a lot of trees in East Anglia. Stuart

A few years ago we had a rider local to me try riding an M85 Alpina in Trials (what the Lobito developed into) the bike was hard work to ride in sections as the gearing and power band just did not suit. The rider got very disillusioned with the bike even after lowering the gearing, particularly after riding it in sections back to back with my M80. I would be very careful as you might find Mrs Boghopper rather than encouraged is put of riding as on this bike she would not be doing as well as she should be. Make sure she rides an easy to ride bike as possible. Just my opinion and from a rider who is planning on riding my M215 370 Frontera in Braintree and District MCC long Distance Trial on the 2nd of March. Stuart

I was told years ago that one of the mods done by Reg May was to add 1" sections to the exhaust near the cylinder and then above to add 2" length increase to the main pipe. Not sure if this mod was worth it but if Reg May did it I suspect others would also give it a try. Stuart

bultacosd, interesting that they may have been with or without depending on the market. I would have thought that they would have welded the lug on all frames just not supplied the bolt on stand but that implies logic which where Bultaco's are concerned does not always apply. When I had my previous model M10 that had the lug but no stand. I had a length of broom handle that wedged under a foot rest and some elastic bands to strap it to the handlebars but more often than not a East Anglia tree would do the job. My plan is to add a lug at this time and I can fit a stand if I want but as it probably if using the correct stand it will wang around so will not bother. In one of Sammy Millers books he has a picture of a later bike propped up by a gallon oil can. Perhaps I should carry one in aback pack. Interesting that Sammy Miller is responsible for the New Forest. I would have thought as you have eluded to in your post he would have planted more olive tree's. Them Oak's take such a long time to grow. Stuart

Thanks that shows the lug exactly as was on my M10 that I sold a few years ago. Bult360. I will PM you requesting the photo. Stuart Penfold

Did the early model 10 have a sidestand? Every photo I look at does not show one. I am currently restoring an early M10 frame/engine number ***291. The frame does not have a lug for a side stand. I have an illustrated parts list that also does not show a stand. I owned in the past a later model 10 (2nd edition/flat bottom tank) which I sold about 6 years ago but before selling took a lot of close up detail photographs and this bike had a 2 bolt lug just inboard of the right hand foot rest. Was this standard or been added at some time? I always regretted selling my first M10 but at the time was rebuilding a plane and needed the money. To be honest this new one was a total wreak when I bought it but in the past I have restored bikes passed up by other experienced restorers so this is nothing new for me. I intend rebuilding as good as I can get it then go and ride it. Stuart Penfold

My first post here for several years! I can not quite match these incidents but have others I will save for another day. I like bultacorock worked in a local garage whilst at School saving up the money for a Bultaco. Early in 1977 also at the grand age of 15 for the sum of £200 I become the proud owner of a Model 80 "KLR55K" similar to the one in the picture. I was a member of Essex School boys Trials club. Saturdays or other holidays myself and a friend with a TY175 and later a Beamish Suzuki would be dropped off near Felstead, Essex with two bikes, petrol and a packed lunch for the day. We practiced on the banks of a disused railway line. Our playground was several miles long. The line is now a nature reserve and cycle path. I do not think we would be welcome now. I was talking to Allen Collier on Friday evening. For those of you who do not know the name. Allen was supported by a local dealer Jack Hubbards in Braintree from the late 60's through to late 70's and had a brand new Bultaco most years during this period. Allen was Eastern center champion several times during this period. One thing we discussed was that during the 70's we never referred to the bikes by the model number, In fact most of us at the time would not know the model number but just referred to the year. Allen has just got a 340 rebuilt and ready to ride so we should see him riding a Bultaco again soon after many years riding modern machinery. Stuart

Sounds like a repeat of the Lawarance of Arabia story. Apparently in his life time Lawrence owned 5 diffrent Brough Superiors of which all 7 are still in existance. Stuart

I started riding trials as a member of the now defuct Essex School Boys Trials Club in the late 70's. Also a member at that time was a up coming MX rider Kurt Nicoll. If I remmber right he had a sponsored KT Kawasaki to use when not riding MX. Stuart

I also have to agree about Sams riding ability, this is not in question, but as for service, sorry he lost my custom a few years back. 3 consecutive orders. First ordered a front mudguard, Rear mudguard arrived. Next order a throttle slide for a MK2 Amal, a slide for a MK1 arrived. third order a clutch cable, a front brake cable arrived. Each time telephoned to complain and got a very gruff send it back and we will replace it. No apology, No refund on postage, No further orders from me! Stuart

I agree with the comments regarding the Bing. This is why I was surprised to see a picture of a 340 with an Amal and questioned if it was a 340 or in fact a 250cc model 198B which had the Amal as standard. And, Legs..................How would you know, I understand that you never like riding these Bultaco thingies Stuart

Old Trials Fanatic. I notice from your original photo's that the bike is fitted with an Amal Mk2 carb. This is the standard fit for a 198b (250cc/5 speed box) A 199b 340 should have a Bing. Is the bike a 199b and does it run OK with the Amal? Stuart

Both the Wymondam and Norwich club (Eastern Center) run events at Middleton pit which is just a few miles south east of Kings lynn. Not sure about any active riders from the area but it can not be to far to travel into the south midland center so should not be to bad for trials. But then again you could always take up speedway! Stuart