| |
-
http://www.allensperformance.co.uk/
-
I never geared it back to standard for SSDT so back sprocket was (is) 43 teeth. I was up to 100kph on the road at times but that was in no way buzzing the motor - never felt under geared felt like there was plenty left but I never went over that. Likewise on the moors and tracks it would pull 4th and 5th so wasn't really buzzing it. Thought it may be because I had the vent holes taped over in the mudguard to stop muck getting around the airbox - maybe that caused it to run a bit rich.
I know what you mean about the brace and it could be why it took longer to refuel. It was really p*ssing the army guys off
-
That very rarely happens though as he normally wins the t/s class in those trials every time. Have to disagree about the advantage the bike has - engine in standard form is far better than most twinshocks, as is the clutch, steers better, front suspension and brakes are better and the bike is lighter than all but the smaller bikes.
Fitting a hydraulic clutch won't upset anyone - again, nothing in the rules about it and personally I can't see anything wrong with it. After all, it's not as though your hiding a Honda or Yam clutch in a Pre65
-
If you get to Cumbria this weekend you've gone too far! Dabster has urged me to try one of these Classic rounds (then the git hasn't entered himself) so I'll see you there.
Opps, might be a good idea to find out where it is - haven't even looked yet. Got the riding list through today, think I may be at the wrong end, could be a tad slippery at the front.
Think you should enjoy it Perce, couldn't ride it myself last year but it was reckoned by all to be a good trial, for the modern bikes too.
Dabster's not willing to move away from that Southern softie mud
Twinshock - you polish that bike any more, the frame tubes will be that thin they'll snap
-
What a cracking picture. Certainly have been some nice ones in different topics recently. but the older ones are better...
-
About the only rule for twinshocks at the moment is that the bike must have been manufatured with twinshocks as standard equipment. So for the ACU Classic series or the Sammy Miller series you would not be allowed to ride a modified monoshock, otherwise where would you draw the line - 300 Raga replicas with twinshocks
In club trials you can ride what you like probably as it is up to individual clubs. There is a TY Mono fitted with twinshocks being ridden regularly in the twinshock class around Wilts. area such as Bath Classic, Golden Valley. That bike has a huge advantage over proper twinshocks and wouldn't be allowed in the ACU Classic.
Personally, I don't see the point, don't think it is in the spirit of what riding a twinshock is about and is basically cheating. I like riding certain twinshocks because they were the bikes that were current when I started riding in the 70s and most were just a pipe dream as they were new and I couldn't afford one. They are the bikes I have a certain affinity for and would like to own now and ride whenever possible. Most of the later twinshocks don't really interest me as much so don't have such a desire to own one. There are the odd exceptions though...
As regards discs, there are no rules and a few bikes that run in the ACU Classic are fitted with modern forks and a disc. Personally I wish they'd ban them (discs - not the riders who have fitted them...) as it could be the first step towards more modifications and if that leads to what has happened in Pre65 it only adds to the cost of competing if you are to stay competitive and on an even playing ground.
-
My 4RT seems thirsty on fuel. In the SSDT, I actually ran out on the Thursday run from Fort William to Chairlift, about a mile or 2 before the fuel check, and again on Friday on the moors but luckily only about 200 yards from the check. Don't know of anyone else running out, just me I think. It also seemed at the fuel checks that it was taking longer to top up my tank than the 2 strokes - which is strange given that it is a smaller tank - or so I believe as I haven't measured it.
Out of interest, I was told that according to Sandifords, the 4RT has a 2.2 litre tank and a range of 70-odd kilometres, whereas the 315 has a 2.7 litre tank but a range of 37 kilometres. This is what someone told me, I didn't get that direct from Sandifords themselves so don't know if it is correct or not. Didn't seem that way when I had run out......
Does seem strange that it uses more fuel than I thought it would. My old YZ426 Yam would do 2 hours plus racing to a standard motocross tank which was easily better than a 250 2-stroke on a similar sized tank. Would have thought that the 4RT and 4T would have shown the same fuel trend in economy.
-
Cheers Johhny, definite possibility, had blood tests last week so waiting for the outcome and Thyroid is one of the checks, along with a few others. Of course, my body could just be crying enough now.....
One thing is for sure though, I am definitely hauling myself up to Cumbria for the next round of the ACU Classic on Sunday. I dragged myself around the SSDT so will do the same there as venues like that are not to be missed - especially after missing Bootle round due to the van tyre blowing out on the M6 on the way.
Looks like the Majesty is going to have to come out a bit earlier than intended for a shakedown as the Ossa is dead again (all of 'em...)
-
Sounds like a cracking trial yesterday. I'd loved to have ridden and am disappointed not to have but some mystery thing has been leaving me drained of energy for the last couple of months and as I've had to retire from the last 2 events because of it I had to concede it wasn't worth going, and I really hate doing that. Used to ride loads of Llanfyllin trials in the 80s and they were always good events.
As regards routes for the twinshocks it's difficult to make a ruling as to which they should ride. How they cope with the sections depends on the type of bike and who is riding them. If you have competent riders on modern, well sorted bikes such Fantics, Hondas etc. then they are going to be able to and want to ride harder sections than an average Joe on an unmodified 70s twinshock. Same with the Pre65. A 'modern', modified bike with decent rider will want more of a challenge than the more standard bikes. I think it is easier to include a class on both Yellow and White and let the rider decide for themselves. That way they are all happy and no gripes about too hard or too easy. Having ridden the ACU Classic for the last umpteen years I have seen how difficult it is to cater for the wide range of rider abilities and machine capabilities on one route. That series desperately needs two routes to encourage more twinshocks and Pre65s back into it
-
Yes, sounds like the Ossa is Steve Sell (think that is the right name)
He has made the fork yokes himself, put a reed block on the barrell and machined alternate fins out of the barrell to make it look like one of the last 4 fin motocross barrells. All very nicely done. If I remember rightly, I think he made a different swingarm for it too. There was a picture of him riding it in TMX in one of the trials reports a few weeks ago and it had what looked like Bultaco fork legs in it - absolute sacrilege......
-
If you search the Scorpa forum you'll find the answer as it has been covered before but I think the answer was a definite no
-
That could also be the bike that Derek persuaded Honda to loan to John Shirt. Don't remember Lejeune riding standard colour bike in 1987, only Rothman's but could easily be wrong on that.
-
This site has catologue pictures of virtually all trials marques. Just look up the Yams
http://www.ataq.qc.ca/galerie/index.php
-
When Honda pulled out of trials and recalled the bikes, Lejeune being their only rider by then, Derek persuaded them to lend him a bike plus necessary spares for Shirty to ride in the UK for a season, which they did.
Can't remeber how successfull he was on the Honda, a bit hit and miss I think, but not long afterwards the GasGas importership was taking off so he switched to riding Gassers from then on.
-
Did anyone catch it? Got home from work in time so watched it but what a big yawn. Sections were hardly original, all the same, just hop hop hop from one rock to another and slam up the occasional big one. Skilled riding without question but is that really the future of trials at world level. It was like an indoor outside - maybe that was that the intention, to give the home riders an advantage. Whatever happened to natural sections with big climbs, cambers, roots, etc. Surely they can do better than that. Let's hope Japan do - assuming we get to see it on good old Eurosport
-
I think the name of the French guy who owns one of Lejeunes 360 RTLs is Jean Calliou. He is a friend of Joel Corroy and was with him at the Scottish Pre65. You'd remember him if you saw him as he was riding around on Saturday in a dinner suit with dickie bow and in the paddock he was sporting his trademark cowboy hat.
Story is he bought 2 of Lejeunes bikes, restored them both, kept one and sold the other for as much as he paid for both of them, so ended up with a 'free' ex-works 360 RTL. Nice. Lejeune is still supposed to still own one himself but I've no idea if that is true or not.
He rides the bike in classic events, it's not just a showpiece. I've seen him on it the last couple of years at Joel Corroy's 2 day event. It's full of trick bits like fork legs, yokes, brake arms etc. all machined out of solid aluminium, or magnesium for all I know. The shocks have rose jointed mountings and the front forks are beautifully plush. Super smooth. What surprised me though is how quiet the bike is. I expected it to have quite a bark to it but it was not really any louder than most TLRs or RTLs I've heard.
Hoping to be able to get a go on it at Joel's trial this year. I'm already practising grovelling in French.
-
Anodised rims were available on some trials/motocross/enduro bikes as standard equipment back in the 1970s (uusually gold) so it's not a new idea in itself. Just that people are having them done in different colours these days.
-
Early Majesties of 200/250/320 capacities all used modified Yamaha frames, the mods being to lift the engine for more ground clearance and reposition the shocks. Some 'works' bikes may have had the steering altered but most didn't. Later bikes used the Godden frame which went through about 3 incarnations, the last of which had no rear frame loop and a steeper steering angle. The bikes went from yellow to red frames/white tank to fit Yamahas corporate colours i believe, although some also had chrome frames.
Easiest way to spot a standard Yam frame from a Godden is the toolbox situated at the top of the front down tubes under the headstock on the former.
The Majesty produced by Craig Mawlam is to the spec of the last Godden framed bikes that were produced (discounting the 2 or 3 special 6 speeders that were built and were never on sale to Joe public) It was only the frames/swingarm that were purpose built, all the running gear was TY, no special bits were used.
The fibreglass tanks that Craig is having produced now are, as has been said, copies of the 175/200 mini Majesty tanks, which are slimmer, neater and a smaller capacity than the original 250/320 alloy tank, although if you fit one to a 320 and go on a road trial I guess you'd better have a fuel stop arranged.... the 320 may be a bit thirsty.
The standard TY forks were a bit under sprung and damped, so works bikes had the forks modded to improve them and Girlings replaced the original equipment rears on all bikes.
-
Oh yes, couldn't agree more. Fantasic event and a heck of an acheivement to organise it so successfully. Long may it continue.
-
As regards something being fit for purpose before it goes on sale, I agree entirely. However, whilst at the SSDT I was led to understand that the bikes are not actually on general sale yet. Dealers have been allocated one each for a supported rider to ride and presumably let people try them out at events. You can't actually buy one yet. Now that is perfectly acceptable in my opinion.
However, seeing the dealer ads in TMX, and judging by some previous posts, they do seem to be on general sale right now, which I find strange if the factory accept/admit that they are not properly sorted yet.
Hopefully they are just teething troubles and they'll get them sorted. I've nothing against the bike whatsoever, as I've said before, variety is just one of the things that makes the sport interesting.
At the SSDT Sherco had a demo 4T in their parc ferme area that anyone could have a play on if they wanted. Whilst I was having a look at it, a couple of lads had a go and were doing the usual, riding it around and hopping the front/back etc as they went, like you do, for no particular reason. Other world champion wannabees were contemplating showing off their skills too no doubt, on a nice flat carpark in front of a small audience. Anyway the bike was parked back up again and Grimbo appeared and got on it. 'Riding it in the trial' said someone 'no' he answered and then said 'don't know if I can start it'. It fired up first kick and within seconds was performing sit down wheelies in a very confined circle with people/cars/mechanics as the 'arena wall'. The front wheel was skimming a few noses as it went round, in perfect control, speeding up slowing down at will. The control was spell binding. Makes you sick.... He then parked the bike up and wandered off.
Needless to say, there were no further takers rushing for a chance to show what they could do after that
-
It's a 2-stroke so you don't have to worry about engine wear on unleaded, that is only a problem for 4-strokes as it can cause wear on the valve seats with some of them. Just use a good quality, high octane brand of unleaded like optimax and it will run fine. 25:1 is way too much oil though. Modern oil like Castrol TTS which burns clean and doesn't gum up exhaust and plug should be run at 50:1 on an engine like the Ossa which has conventional steel liner. Only the modern bikes with nikasil or chrome liners use ratios like 80:1. Set your ignition timing at 2.5mm BTDC and it should run well. If the engine is is in a good state they're quite a pokey bike - at least the only decent one I ever tried was.
-
Nice looking bike, mudguards definitely better in red than any other colour IMHO. Weren't the originals the black crinkle finish VF brand - the ones that shattered if you so much as looked at them.
Anyway, your picture has inspired me to get working on mine again now and I've got the engine fitted today so progress at least.
-
Well, I won't pretend not to be confused now. I thought it was Jim Susans who made the 4 replica 305 frames for Honda.
-
Not sure I've seen anyone actually criticising the bike, especially not 4RT owners, unless I've missed some posts somewhere. Unlike the 4RT which took ridiculous amounts of criticism from people who'd never even seen one let alone ridden one.
Rumours will always abound with what went wrong with the Sherco and chinese whispers then alter facts beyond all reality so unless it is from someone directly 'in the know' I doubt the true reasons will ever be known.
Story is that they suffered electrical failures due to a wire rubbing through and shorting out down the back of the engine somewhere. No idea if this is correct or not. Codina's bike was said to be rattling badly. He was near me in the running order and it sounded fine when I last heard it but then he disappeared and next time I saw him he was spectating. Again, no idea if the rattling story is correct or not. What I did see with my own eyes was one of them come in at the end of a day trailing whisps of smoke and there was a smell of burning oil. I saw it so that is a fact but obviously I have no idea what the cause was. May have been something simple and the bike may have carried on and finished for all I know.
I still think it was brave of them to publicly 'test' them like they did and I hope they get them sorted as it is nice to see variety. Obviously they had decent riders on them but the bike performs well.
It is curious though that given the amount of people who slated the Mont, which is a good bike, no-one seems to have a bad word for the Sherco. I'm not saying the bike deserves it because it doesn't, it's just puzzling.
Or is it...
-
If anyone knows Jim Susans, then he may have some info on who made the tank units. Don't know whether he just supplied the frames or was involved in the complete assembly of the replicas. Maybe he still has the jig to reproduce the frames.....
I'll also ask Mick Grant when I see him at the next ACU classic round in a few weeks and see if he has any ideas.
It would be nice to be able to build a replica (of the replica...) of the 305 Honda but sourcing parts would be difficult. Tank/seat unit as already mentioned. Frame. Forks could be Marzocchi, as per Fantic etc. as Honda forks would be diificult to source. Then there's the engine. The 305 was based on the TL250 and those aren't exactly readily available, but that engine itself was derived from the original XL250S so maybe one of those could be adapted. Just leaves an exhaust to fabricate and some wheels and nearly done....
It's nice to have dreams.....
|
|
