woody

Don't know about Mont/Bult piston similarities but there is someone selling Mont pistons on ebay UK at the moment, item number 120396701665 for what could be a 72.5mm Cota piston 72.50 may be standard size, can't remember but if it is it may be worth contacting him to see if he has others as he has a lot of Mont stuff to sell which is NOS, although you may need to give him the part number. I got a 247 Wiseco piston from Jared Bates at Southwest Montesa in the US. It takes a different small end from the standard type but he can supply that too.

I tried a MK2 Otter Faber framed C15 at Red Marley trial last year and the owner of the bike told me then that they were making a new frame with bottom tubes, no oil in frame, which would be compliant for Pre65 Scottish. As the cost of the frames is somewhere around

They bought the rights to use the name for the first year, not the name itself. Bit of PR to launch a new model with an established brand name I suppose.

I heard that it was to make them elligible for the Pre65 Scottish as with the frame tubes back in they resembled the original. They are supposedly not oil in frame either. I was also told they had done one for Jock McCom.... (spelling??) so they could hardly not be elligible.

Thanks for that - I was looking at the wrong (as in Avery) website I'm guessing that the splined shaft is for the later engines though, but I'll make an enquiry. Wish I hadn't seen the picture of the lovely NEB belt drive alloy clutch..... It's one of the biggest headaches on my C15. Put oil in the clutch and it slips, particulary on starting. Run it dry and the clutch is perfect but the chain doesn't last long.

Yes, I checked the website after Spudsdad's post but as you say - empty, under construction. I think the splined kicker is going to be too much hassle so I think I will stock up with cotter pins and change them frequently from now on before they get too bent to want to come out. Having spent a fair amount of time and effort on my C15 frame, modifying and slimming it down as well as having it straightened so that the wheels are now nearly in line at least.... I had got to thinking a while ago that it may be easier to just buy one of the new Faber frames with the bottom frame tubes. I asked them to email some pictures of the frame last year but nothing came. I thought never mind, I will take a look at it at the show. Not one there... I've spent all weekend doing further repairs to the frame and still have a bit to do. Red Marley trial is 3 weeks away and time is running out fast. Again I thought just get the Faber frame. Looked on the website earlier - Still not shown, it hasn't been updated for some time. I did see a picture of one in Old Bike Mart a couple of months ago so I assume they are making them - but as you say, why not show it on the website...?? So I'll stick with the original now.

Does anyone know if there is a splined kickstart shaft available for the early distributor type C15 (Star?) engine? It's a 1963 engine. Really fed up having to drift out cotterpins every time I have to remove the kickstart. No matter which type I use they bend and really take some hammering to remove. The knuckle on my forefinger really hurting and being twice it's normal size thanks to the hammer was the last straw this tonight... Or I may have to investigate the possiblility of grafting a splined shaft from something else onto the C15 gear - or rather I will have to talk nicely and grovel to someone else... That sort of stuff is beyond my capabilities

The SM stainless pipe is still designed for the standard TY250 though, not the Majesty, but as with the old chrome version I daresay it would still fit with a bit of fiddling. Craig's pipe should fit Godden and Yam framed Majesty as they both use a shorter pipe.

Yes, the new SM TY250 pipe is stainless, the old one was chromed steel. The chromed type I bought a few years ago was too small in diameter to fit snugly into the collar that secures it to the cylinder which makes positioning it to sit correctly over the exhaust port difficult. Strangely, when a mate bought one not too long afterwards his was shaped differently and fitted in the collar much better. I phoned SM to see whether they had changed the design and was told no, they've been the same ever since we started making them (no I didn't have one for a TY175) We've both fitted them to a Majesty and although designed for a standard TY250 they will go on the Majesty with a bit of fiddling. They are a bit of a cheap and nasty construction though. There is a fairly prominent lip directly inside the entrance where two different diameter pipes are welded together and this needs cleaning off to smooth it out. The chrome hasn't suffered on mine and I've had it for aboout 3 or 4 years now although very rarely on the bike as I made my own in the end as I wanted a larger diameter pipe. Maybe it would have suffered more if it was used constantly. Now this is the old version I'm talking about, no idea about the new stainless version. The only aftermarket front pipe you can get specifically for a Majesty is Craig Mawlam's, which is also stainless.

Got my riders list through today, tell me your name and class and I can give you your number.

There is nothing racist in the word Niggardly. Niggardly comes from the noun niggard which means miserly or mean etc. It has nothing to do with nigger and therefore race. So the word is used in it's correct context meaning that the act of giving such a paltry present was mean or stingy. However, I agree 100% with your sentiments on the 'importance' of who gave what to whom. Who cares, he's there to do a job, not for personal gratification. Now he may have an idea how pensioners feel when he gives them their winter bonuses or pension increases. Maybe it gives him an idea of how cheated our soldiers feel when they receive their paltry compensation payouts from injuries received fighting for their country. The 'worth' of the gift is symbolic of the respect that the giver shows to the receiver. Perhaps he now understands how insignificant or worthless his policies make hard working people in thiis country feel whilst layabouts, hooligans and minority groups continue to prosper from them. I hope he felt a real ****

Virtually all the Morad tubeless rims prior to about 2004/5 are 36 hole, as fitted to GaGas, Sherco Scorpa etc. Only ones to watch out for are some of the early Beta Techno type flanged rims (like 315/4RT Mont) as some of them are 32 spokes. How do I know this...?? Cos I bought one thinking it would be good to get a flanged type rim laced to a twinshock hub therefore no leaky spokes. Didn't realise some of them are 32 spokes not 36..... too late now as I don't have any 32 hole twinshock hubs.

Trial starts 10.00am Your number 79 start time 11.19am Start is signed from the Ashburton junction on the A38 Tel 01626 332891 100 entries, nearly 40 twinshocks with some good riders

Isn't the back box on an SWM a spark arrestor anyway? Like a Bultaco (1975 onwards)

Yes, a Gripper case will fit either side so no problem there other than they are harder to get than MAR cases unless you have one already of course. They just have a recess for the mag wires unlike the MAR which is in the actual crankcase at the bottom. On the Gripper it is in the top of the timimg cover itself so you'd need to plug that. I'd hesitate to say 100% that any case will fit, I'm pretty sure they will, other than the later motocross cases that are visually different and may be slimmer for the smaller flywheel. Virtually all other enduro and trail bike cases should do. Some early 4 speed models may be slimmer and not have enough room for the flywheel but I'm guessing here but they don't look right anyway due to the different design of the OSSA logo on the casing. As Brian says, there is usually a good supply of cases on ebay USA so worth having a look on there.

That's good - his was the pleasant and friendly voice on the end of the phone at Miller's during his time there - the other one wasn't so pleasant shall we say.... You're right to give the Bulto full attention. They are such a nice simple engine to work on. The Montesa is a real pain by comparison, even worse than the Ossa. It seems they ran an exercise on how complicated they could make a gearbox and selector mechanism. Why did they use those dowells on the shafts and bolts that need O rings.... The Bulto is simplicity itself.

I love this, really funny thread Answers to your above question of the garden hose may depend on various readers ideas of 'plug hole' of course....

Just spoken to Sandifords who confirmed that there should be O rings, but only on one side, presumably clutch. They had enough for one set so I've ordered them. When they come I'll measure them and post the size

Had a ride on an SY175 today after a trial, not in sections, just around the car park but enough to appreciate what a good little bike they are. I'm 17 stone and a bit and it pulled me no problem, as I knew it would. Not sure why people think they don't have enough power to pull anyone over 10 stone - put a pillion on any trials bike and it will pull both riders with ease... It is a perfect bike for an easy route and more than capable of tackling the clubman route in our traditional nationals. Good suspension and brakes, bullet proof engine as mentioned and can be had for very reasonable money. Being picky and assessing it for personal preference, I would have liked just a little more flywheel weight and it was slightly high geared but I've no idea if it was on standard gearing or not. I'd probably have gone 1 less on the front sprocket. The flywheel weight isn't really an issue with the bike, it plonks perfectly in bottom without using the clutch but in second I felt it may stall when trying to drop to tickover speed. Slipping the clutch obviously negates this but I prefer not to if possible and there was the high gearing issue to consider here also. This is however, personal preference, not a fault with the bike. As with anything you need to try before you buy but I don't think you would be dissapointed. A very competent and easy bike to ride.

Never had the chance to phone Sandifords in the end today as I was riding a trial today and ended up prepping all morning so I'll try on Monday and let you know. When I was working on the 247 motor I never even noticed the countersink. I must remember to wear my reading glasses now when working on bikes as my focus within the first 2 feet has gone and you don't realise you can't see, or rather don't notice, that things like that are there....

I doubt you'll ever get an honest test of a new trials bike - ever. TBM did an honest test of the Yamaha WR400 when it came out and they truthfully criticised the dreadful hot starting and the bulky ergonomics of the seat and tank which added size and weight compared to the YZ. The cardiac inducing hot starting was the biggest criticism however and having owned one, rightly so. Yamaha's response was to pull advertising and to withhold any further test bikes for a couple of years I believe. I remember someone I know well doing a test on one of the last twinshock trials bikes for a monthly dirt mag at the time and giving it a glowing report. When we next saw him we said you rate that bike highly then - it's a bag of ****e was his true opinion. But that wouldn't have pleased the importer, sponsor or dealer would it... Not sure I'd welcome a Clarkson type figure anywhere near off roading personally. For me, he has the ability to be a good journalist but just acts a juvenile pillock and does very little good for the motoring cause in the eyes of those above that watch our every move. I can just hear the comments about 'filling in ramblers' who venture into your path whilst out trail riding as a lesson that they should stay out of our way. It's true TMX has untapped potential but I guess they have no staff available to stretch or diversify from what they do now. With the increased interest in classic trials it would be nice to see them raid the archives and reprint some of the old twinshock tests that they did back then. The cost and manpower to do that would be minimal. Who cares if they aren't/weren't accurate, just nice to read about them and look at pictures.

Thanks for that, probably answers my last question in my previous post

Can't remember unfortunately whether it could have been the old O rings squashed and broken or silicon that was there as it was too long ago that it came apart. Probably withered O rings thinking about it. As you say, even if opinions differ, makes sense to fit some as I have to release all the bolts again anyway. I'll try the importer today to see if they have the original O rings. If they don't, as I'm not too hopeful, do they need to be a particular size? I have a box of O rings which include some of the right diameter or smaller that will fit over the bolts but I'm not sure about the thickness. They may be thicker than original, but I guess they will squash/compress ok. Are these O rings fitted to all twinshock Monts, right up to the 330?

Thanks for that - guess it will be ok without them then. Say thanks to Jeff for me - a very nice chap. I wish this meant I now didn't have to undo all the crankcase bolts but unfortunately I have. Being the first Montesa engine I've ever worked on, I didn't realise the importance of fitting the oil seal that sits behind the clutch on the selector shaft into its housing in the crankcase before the crank halves are bolted together. I've tried in vain to get it over the shaft and into the housing but it's having none of it. So I have to release all the bolts. open the crankcases a few millimitres to clear the end of the selector shaft, fit the seal and then close them up again. Lessons the hard way as usual....

Just assembling the crankcases on a '74 247 Cota and before I fit the clutch just want to make sure I haven't missed something. Do the crankcase bolts have O rings underneath the washers to stop air / oil escaping past the bolts? I can't recall seeing any when I took it apart although there were traces of silicon under the washers maybe, but I can't really remember, besides, there are usually traces of silicon sealer everywhere on old engines so doesn't necessarily mean anything. I'd never have thought myself but someone has mentioned there should perhaps be O rings fitted. Or is it just bolts, nuts and washers? I have a parts book but it only gives part numbers and not what they are and the clymer manual doesn't mention anything either. Anyone know?