woody

Yes they were, the Alpina changed in about '75, models up to then were Sherpas with different gearing and bigger tank. After that they got the Pursang type fork yokes. If you have the earlier version then changes are minimal, just the tank and gearing - there are plenty of Sherpa gearboxes on ebay so you could just swap the gearbox internals as long as it is from a compatible model as there were a few changes to the mainshaft and its bearing on the clutch side over the years and this will determine whether your clutch hub would still fit. If yo have the later type Alpina I'm not familiar with them so no idea how much work is involved but sounds like PeterB had the later version.

Not sure why people are thinking this was the dawn of the trick riding era - front and rear wheel hopping and feet up reversing was in full flow well before the the first Yam mono hit the dealers floors. The FIM changed the rules from the original 'if forward motion ceases it's a 5' to 'anything goes' in about 80-81. By the time the 240 Fantic became available sections in centre and national events (UK) were already being marked out so that hopping was required to get around the tight turns and shortened run-ups to steps. Although these air-cooled monos are not from my favourite era and I find most of the bikes themselves pretty ugly, it was still nice to see the video. Favourite bike on there is probably the Garelli, I always liked those, twinshock or mono.

Because on the Yamaha rims they won't stay seated, they drop into the rim as soon as the pressure is let down. On Bultaco/Ossa Akront rims they seem to be ok so you can use tubeless with a tube.

You have to split the crankcases to change the seals or just look at the kickstart stop? No, crank seals are like the Bulto, fitted into bolt on carriers. Kickstart stop I'm not sure about as I haven't really looked at that yet but someone else said not. I was assuming that a full engine strip was on the cards - I've been in the 'I only need to replace this bit and it will be ok' situation myself and ended up with the thing in bits.... too many times actually...

When you split the crankcases try and do it gently and leave the gearbox in the right hand case (ie; kickstart lever side) The gears run on the shafts using three rollers/pins as bearings. There are three sets of three. Each set is a different length. The parts manual shows each set but doesn't show which is which in terms of their length. I split mine and managed to keep everything in one piece. Inevitabley, something happened afterwards which resulted in gears sliding off shafts and rollers dropping onto the bench. When I put it back together I've now got to work out which set goes where and from what I've seen so far it doesn't look obvious. Hopefully this will save you from doing the same....

You're right, definitely the show to go to but there is a new date - it's now 24/25th January - Wrighty was actually standing on the path back to the carpark at Stafford on Saturday giving out leaflets to everyone he could force one on. Have to hand it to him, he puts a lot of effort into that show.

Be interesting if it was as what would all the modern bikes do.... On a serious note I have no idea if that is true or not but if it is it would be a ridiculous thing to do. There isn't a decent tubed tyre available any more. Dunlop don't make a tubed, Michelin's tubed is the old X1 only nowhere near as good, it's useless - try one in Midland centre mud. That leaves IRC who have lost the plot totally with their tyres. The sidewalls are so soft that they roll all over the place if you weigh over 10 stones. You may be lucky and get one that doesn't but nearly all do. I was running 6 and a half pounds in the back tyre on my Bultaco at the last trial and I still couldn't stop it rolling on the sidewalls. Needless to say, no grip with that pressure. I've just spent a fair amount on some tubeless rims for my Yam, Ossa and Bultaco. If I can't use them in the traditional series then I guess I won't be riding in it any more, but I really can't see that it is true, surely..?? Really can't understand this 'no tubeless' stance in some classic trials - utterly pointless rule.

Originally the plug would have been in the central position but in practise, it won't make any difference to the way it performs whichever way around they are fitted

ok, thanks for the reply, I guess it's going to have to be a best guess then. Starting point will be the old Ford Le Mans green - hopefully that's not the putrid shade it is already...

This has been asked before by someone else but never got a reply as far as I know. Anbody know the paint code for both the lime and metallic greens on the KT? I just had some parts arrive from Fred in NZ and he was going to send the paint colour cards too but I guess he forgot, so if anyone knows the codes it would be helpful as it's a putrid lime at the moment

Yes, sorry - mis-type, meant to say other 125 (400 also). The cylindrical part of the case where the arm sits is always much bigger on the bikes I've seen than it is on the red KT and the prototypes. On those, it's smaller and isn't the full width of the casing plus the arm, although on the top, is set further backwards.

Rocket - I'll have a look at my engine case tomorrow when I get home from work to see where the number is stamped. I've found the red KT on google search now - it's the one that belongs to Hop Blip and Jump on here, should have remembered. Doubt he'll know what the case is off though as it was most likely fitted when he got the bike. It's got to have come off some production model pre-79 but I've seen pics of nearly all year KX models and none have it fitted. Mystery.

You need to be there before the organisers have left the start if you want a route map. Don't know what time first man away is as I'm riding Lakes 2 day so won't be there but if you're there no later than 10.30am you should get a route card ok.

Nope, that's the same as the KX250 cases I've seen Rocket - which website did you get the picture of the red KT from - I've never seen that one before and can't find it on a search now either.

KX clutch cover on the red bike yes, but any idea which KX as I have been looking for one of those and cannot find one anywhere. Can't even find a picture of a KX with that type of cover. The KX250 all years (1970s) have the clutch actuating lever to the front. the KX400 has it on top but different cover, as is the KX450. Only ones I don't know about are KX125. Anyone any idea?

Hi Peter - I was 14 or 15 at the time and the only thing I knew about shimming was up or down drainpipes to beat punishment curfews

You've plenty of local trials over the winter for Pre65 as the BMCA (link to website below) run a trial each weekend from September through to April. Trials are 4 laps of 10 sections generally, sections being of a gentle nature usually, depends on venue and weather obviously and there are two routes, so you'll have no problem with finding sections to suit your lack of trials experience. They have also experimented with the 50/50 route at times. This is called the clubman route and uses a mix of hard and easy routes and suits riders who aren't challenged enough by the easy route but don't want to ride every section on the hard route. As regards your bike there is a fair mix of bikes in use, rigid 500 Ajays, Matchless etc, through to lightweight Bantams. They don't actively encourage heavily modernised bikes and there aren't any of the lightweight modernised Cubs or James around (maybe one Cub) Having said that, they wouldn't turn anyone away on one either. The only thing they generally don't like is a foreign carburettor or the obvious stuff like a pair of GasGas front forks or discs or anything daft. As long as no-one takes the pee they're pretty accomodating. I'm assuming that you're Betors are fom an Ossa or Bulto. If Bulto they're going to be leading axle which is a bit more obvious than the Ossa which are in-line spindle forks which look the same as MP or Ceriani. As Charlie says, if you put some gaiters on them it makes them look a bit more period as does painting them black. There's always the option of riding in the specials class if you don't want to rock the boat at all. Can't honestly say you'd have any problems there really - you wouldn't be the only one with Spanish front end parts. As regards the Miller rounds it is basically the silhouette formula. As long as it looks period it is acceptable. Again, the only thing you can't have is a foreign carb, so your bike would be fine in the Miller rounds also. There is a Miller round this weekend run by South Birmingham, The Greensmith, over by Craven Arms. Or there is the BMCA at Tanworth in Arden. Go along to one and have a look, although I'd recommend the Miller round as obviously this is a national series and you won't get another chance to spectate locally as the next one is south of Oxford, whereas there will be another BMCA event each week afterwards to go and visit. I think you are worrying about nothing to be honest, when you see what else is out there being ridden and therefore deemed acceptable. I'm not against modifying the bikes myself, it's just some people's attitudes towards what's acceptable and what's not, or who you are. The whole eligibilty thing is a laughing stock. There's a club in Yorkshire or Lancashire, can't remember, who will not allow the rear shock mount positions to be moved..... it's against their rules (didn't people have welders and hacksaws in the early 60s then..??) However, you can have a 280cc Cub and they will allow you to fit a D'ellorto - yes FOREIGN - carb to it. Some logic eh. Just go out and ride your bike and enjoy it, you'll be fine. BMCA

The Dudley club never promote their trials on the net as I'd suggest that the organisers, mother father and son and who are very hard working people, may not have access to it. Last time I sopke to them they didn't have email. That is no criticism and is their affair. Not everyone in the world has or wants internet. This has never been a problem and their trials have always been well supported, especially at this venue. However, if anyone would care to check the Midland Centre ACU website they will find that the calendar on there shows that Dudley have an event on October 5th. A more likely reason for lack of entries was that the trial was pre-entry and had a closing date as it was a centre championship round. All other Dudley trials have been enter on the day, so either riders didn't take notice of the fact that it was pre-entry and will just be turning up as usual this morning to ride, or they just didn't want to ride. Enough riders would have known that this event was on to make it viable, it's been on the midland centre calender all year, although I also know of about 10 riders who would normally have ridden it but may well be at a national event elsewher today. You can slag TMX all you like but many riders buy it and the trial has been in there for weeks. It's still the main focal point for 'what's on' regs for events nationally. Lack of publicity on the internet has nothing to do with this trial being cancelled. Makes you wonder how anyone ever got to a trial pre-internet.... Dudley isn't my club but I can see that this post may well head in the usual direction of people jumping on the bandwagon and criticising them for the way they run and publicise their events. Knowing the family involved that would be totally unjustified and out of order.

Clear answer is no they're not as they're Spanish and they're visible which makes them inelligible, simple as that, they're against the regs. What's not clear is whether anyone would bother if you used them or even whether anyone would be looking the year you ride, that's the chance you take and where the inconsistency lies. They didn't like my Cota 247 yokes in 2007 which look just the same as the AW Engineering yokes (that should be AW look the same as the Cota actually as the Cota came first...) However, in 2006 no-one bothered about them.

A second hand Wassell Sachs was also my first trials bike back in '74, part chopped my Greeves Challenger for it which was my first motorbike (wanted a trials bike in the first place anyway) Sadly, it didn't perform as well as it looked and was pretty gutless. It soon got part chopped itself for a type 80 Bultaco, just like the one we used to watch Arthur Browning performing on in the local sand quarry where we used to ride. This is it I thought, now I have a real bike. The other thing that really used to irritate with the Sachs was that it was a major achievement, or minor miracle, to get it to change gear from 1st to 2nd in one go. Used to hit neutral virtually every time. A friend had another Sachs engined bike and his did exactly the same. Good luck in the search but you may find more demons than you're trying to leave behind if you do find one....

Yes, very well done Andy and team, that was an excellent effort for a first attempt at putting on a trial like that. Thoroughly enjoyed the ride around, always love to ride rocky sections as we have none in our centre - wish we had a fraction of that land available. Road mileage was just about right with not too much distance between the groups. Twinshocks aren't too bad on the road but the Pre65 bikes like Cubs, C15, are so low geared now that even 30mph is pushing them a bit too hard for long periods, so long sections of roadwork can be really tedious at 25mph. Yesterday had it just about right. Route marking was clear, map and instructions were clear - saved me from heading off to Brecon at one point after missing a right turn two groups from the end. If you'd like some genuine feedback on the sections themselves then these are my thoughts. This is obviously intended as constructive feedback and is not criticism of any kind - If the trial was exactly the same next year my entry would still be in. As a standalone trial rather than a round of the traditional championship, I don't think you'd have to change anything, the sections were fine as they were and pitched about right for most abilities on Pre65 and twinshock bikes. Competent riders on modern bikes may have found the going on the easy side but I did see a few dropping marks - however, for me and as we discussed, the emphasis and section design should be on the classics, not modern - modern classes are the support class, if it's too easy for them then so be it, the intention is to get as big a classic entry as possible. As a Miller round it would be ideal and again, virtually nothing need be done to the sections, but obviously it would be hard to accomodate the sidecars. If that isn't possible, then it is a no go as a Miller round. Any way to divert them around that hideous gully we had to ride up that turned into the cobbled track? Forget what it's called but the skin off four of my toes is in there somewhere... As a Traditional round I think that the sections in some groups would need to be toughened up a little. I don't mean by this that the trial was no challenge, as it was, but there are some pretty competent riders in the Traditionals and I think there may have been a few clean sheets on yesterday's sections. It wouldn't take much alteration, maybe there are more rocky streams available with bigger jumbles of rocks, some waterfalls (like the one you pointed out when we were chatting at a section) A few more of the old Wye Valley sections perhaps? Maybe use sections like those to replace the sections that were laid out on the banks in woods (personal bias here as I can't get enough of rock streams due to local shortage...) What I'm getting at here is just a bit more of a technical challenge on the harder route would be needed (ie; championship route in the Traditional) nothing over the top, but along the lines of the Classic Experts, Tavistock, Bootle etc. You're not too far off as it is. I wouldn't have thought that the easier route would have required any changes. Whatever you decide to run it as next year, I'll definitely be back to support it and hopefully bring a few more twinshock riders with me too. So, good job and you can rest easy now knowing it turned out a success - although I think you may have been taking it a bit too easy afterwards, lying down on the job outside the boozer with a couple of pints. There was a pickup truck behind you with the observers boards in - you could have knocked up the results instead.... Afterthought - having had two fives through going the wrong way in two sections I'm in no rush to see them.......

Haven't tried to fit it yet so haven't noticed this (and now I've put it down somewhere and can't find it....) I made the assumption it was for the Godden 250 frame when I bought it as it definitely isn't a Yam frame stand. I'll be doing a couple of Jobs on the bike in the week/next weekend so I'll see how it offers up and let you know. I wouldn't have thought it would fit a mono Yam as they are shorter and have no bends.

20% is ridiculous - that's

Model 151, 1975 325cc