woody

Don't be fooled into thinking that all Pre65 bikes are unwieldy peices of rubbish. The leading cubs that were there on Sunday are more competitve than all but the best of the twinshocks. There are also some handy lightweight B40 and C15 trickers around too, not forgetting the James and other Villiers engined specials. All of these are good enough to give all but the latest twinshocks a run for their money. They are a lot more rideable and controllable than you think. On a standard Pre65 though you would have hurt yourself - badly. This is why they all modify them........ The series is definitely creeping towards being more suitable for twinshocks now though, above trick Pre65 bikes excepted. Riders on bigger bikes are definitely in for a struggle. In one sense I'm happy with it as there is nothing other than this series in the UK that provides challenging sections to allow riders a good competitive run out on their twinshocks. Ease the sections off and you take away the challenge and any sort of prestige that a National championship should have. Pre65 on the other hand has the Sammy Miller series, Northern Pre65 championship, Talmag, Eastern Thumpers, Scottish 2 day, another new 2 day trial this year in Scotland. The Midlands has its own Pre65 championship organised by the BMCA and I have just learned of another new Pre65 2 day road based trial to be held around Welshpool in early July. Only one of these events allows twinshocks (Spanish Pre76 only) and that is the Sammy Miller series. The rest ban twinshocks without exception. So we need the ACU Classic to pitch the sections at the right level to offer the twinshocks a good challenge, and after a few dodgy years I think it has begun to do this. If that decreases the amount of Pre65 entries then that is sad but they are well catered for in the other events. Personally, I would love to see the series return to the old format it began with, catering for Pre65 unit and pre-unit and twinshocks by using 2 routes. It was interesting to see the huge variety of machinery ridden and meant that groups of mates who were passionate about bikes from different eras could travel around the country and ride some truly excellent events. The change I would make from before though is to run an expert class on the hard route for the twinshocks and better riders on the trick Pre65 bikes who wish to tackle it and run a clubman class on the easier route to cater for both twinshock and Pre65 riders who don't feel capable of tackling the harder course. There would be an Experet and a Clubman champion at the end of the year in each category. Adopting that format would cater for all abililties and may also encourage more early twinshocks to get out there as well. At the moment, 70s twinshocks are poorly represented, Fantics, Hondas and Majesties etc. being more common. My '75 Ossa is generally the oldest bike competing and it is very much outclassed by these more modern bikes which steer better and offer brake and clutch control, more power and a choice of gears other than bottom..... mmmm nice. I lost a lot of marks at the Mansell purely because I had no control downhill and no way of making tight turns on clutch and brakes. I've no complaints about this as I know the limitations of the bike in certain conditions and I ride it because I have an affinity with the marque. However, in order to be competitve a change of bike may be necessary. Tough choice for me. It is maybe issues like this that stop others from trying to compete on the older bikes. Having an easier course or even a Pre77 class in the twinshocks may encourage more people to have a go on thier older bikes as they are at least competing against equal machinery. They are out there as enough of them are selling on evil-bay. Getting back to the Mansell, I thought it was a good trial. Only a handful of sections were 'ambitious' but the organisers were well and truly caught out with the change in weather and there was nothing they could do to alter them. Roll on round 2 in Newquay, Cornwall. A new trial for this year. Hopefully the snow will hold off for this one. Wonder if there will be any beach sections..

IRZ carbs were fitted up to '73. All of the MAR models had Amal 627 fitted from about '73 onward up to your '76 model - unless the States and Canada continued with IRZ a bit longer, don't know. All of the manuals however only list the IRZ, not the Amal. First of the Amals were bolt on fitting, then in about '74 they were push on into a rubber inlet hose (different cylinder barrells for either) Standard settings for the Aaml carb are pilot 25, needle jet 106, main jet 150 (maybe 160) needle clip on the middle groove (there is only one needle size) Float height isn't adjustable. Throttle slide number 3. There isn't much you can do in the way of servicing other than replace all of the components but there is always the possibility that the carb body itself may be worn, depends on how much use it has had over the years. If the carb is the bolt on type, new ones are available as they are still made in Spain. If it is push on, these aren't available anymore, they were unique to Ossa I believe. They are only avalable as 26mm now though, 27mm no longer made. All of the parts, or a complete new bolt on carb, are available from both Surrey Cycles and Hitchcock's here in the UK. They both have web sites and both have exploded view diagrams of the carb with part numbers - at least Hitchcocks do anyway. http://www.hitchcocksmotorcycles.com http://www.surreycycles.com The bikes do run ok with the Amal if it is working properly but an alternative is the Mikuni VM carb as these are available from the States cheaper than the Amals are over here which are about

Raga and the other Spanish are riding indoor sections all the time as they have their own indoor championship in Spain through the outdoor close season, so they have an edge there. Having watched 3 of this year's indoor events on TV, the Toulouse round having just finished on Eurosport about 10 minutes ago, it is evident that the 4RT isn't as capable on the big splat type sections as the 2 strokes. It doesn't seem to have that immediate hit that they need to launch the bike into the air and onto the face of the obstacle. Either that or the three Mont boys have lost some of their ability on this type of section as they could do them before...... You only have to see Lampkin riding the other type sections to know this isn't true. So yes, if all sections are big splat attacks the 4RT will be at a disadvantage, therefore you can build sections to the advantage of the 2 stroke. And this is taking nothing away from Raga because he is bloody good, no doubt about it.

Just measured my non-pinky TY Mono forks with the vernier and they measure 36mm immediately above and below bottom yoke, 36mm immediately below top yolk and also midway between the dust seal and bottom yolk. For some reason, at the mid point between the top and bottom yoke they are 35mm - can't explain that. Length from middle of spindle to top of stanchion is 75cm give or take a couple as I was stretching to reach the bike. If you are stuck for a front end try Ellastone off-road breakers as they have broken a few monos with and without disks

You're right. It was the model referred to as the pinky that had the Yamaha disk as standard, available from about '90 or 91. Talon, Gateway and Shirty all did disk conversions for the earlier bikes but none were much good really. The Yamaha set up was much better. Could well be the same wheel/disk/caliper set up as the TYZ but not too sure on this. TY Mono front forks work superbly giving nice plush compression and rebound damping. As good as anything else availabe at the time and still good by today's standards as modern forks tend to have a lot of bounce in them rather than a slower, plush action. I have a pair of mono forks so I'll measure their length tomorrow. Diameter is 34mm I think but I'll double check that too.

The Yamaha framed Majesty also had the engine lifted higher in the frame to give more ground clearance. This meant that the brace that runs under the frame top tube to join with the downtubes from the headstock (incorporating the toolbox) then ran very close to the sparkplug, so the brace had to be modified and shaped to bend around the plug. On a standard frame the plug is well away from this brace. This is easy enough to check for if you remove the tank. Also, where the frame tubes were cut at the bottom of the frame at the rear of the bashplate for what must have been the engine lifting mod, the tubes were left open. Normal frame will have properly finished tubes. I've hopefully uploaded a picture of what I mean marked with red arrow. I have 2 Yamaha framed Majesties and they are both modified in this way. The exhaust pipe also needed to be shortened in height as well I think due to the engine being moved up so there should be signs of welding where it has been cut and rewelded. So although it is relatively easy to reposition rear shocks Majesty style, it's unlikely that anyone would also carry out these other mods also. Apparantly, Shirty still has the build sheets for all the Majesties and is still willing to help out with veryfying/dating them so he would be able to tell you straight away from the frame number whether it is genuine or not. Not sure if Craig has that info or not.

Sheared flywheel key maybe?

I think the frames with the extra tube you mention are the earlier ones. The bike in the picture, which I bought last year, is about a '68 I think but the person that owned it before the person I bought it off did ride it in the Scottish Pre65 apparently. He was a dealer from Newcastle Upon Tyne way but can't remember the name. Can't verify if this is true or not but there is a blob of paint on it similar to the scrutineering marks they use in the SSDT. No idea whether they do that in the 2 day though, as I've never been successful in getting an entry (not with the Sprite - 500 Enfield) Wouldn't like to ride this Sprite in the 2 day anyway as it is. It's about as competitive as my Bandit 1200......

It does look like a later Sprite trials frame even though it appears to be in scrambles guise. Parrallel down tubes, the tube under the top frame tube to the headstock, swingingarm all appear genuine Sprite, even the engine/sump guard. They used to offer leading link or telescopic forks, down to the customer I think. Picture of a Sprite trials

If you want to try and contact Joel Corroy for parts, this is his number from the regs of a trial he is organising. It's probably the number of his shop in Vesoul but chances are you'll get someone who speaks a little English. 03.84.75.83.34 or fax 03.84.76.59.24. You'll need the code for France which I can't remember. Haven't managed to post pictures of my old bike yet - techy problems.... However, if yours is the Europa Weekend model they won't be of any use to you but I'll post just in case anyway. Just don't remember the Weekend having drum front, thought it was drum rear/disk front. Then again, my memory is useless. Didn't know Birkett rode one, let alone was a dealer.... If it is a Europa then Brian Griffiths should be able to help, not sure he has anything for the earlier model. Also, Steve Goode has broken one, maybe two Europas, so worth trying him also. Plastics will be white rather than red though. 01938 850544

Agree about the Classic Team shocks. I tried Mick's bike and they worked really well. I've no personal interest in them either just for the record.... I am thinking of trying some next time I need som shocks however.

Don't remember Birkett ever riding one, only Yams from Majesty days onwards. John Reynolds and Mick Andrews rode them but Rob Sartin rode the later disk brake bike, the SR version of the Europa. I'll hopefully get pics on by tomorrow night. If yours is missing as much stuff as you say though I think you may find it difficult to get the parts now. I've just remembered. If you search the forum archives you should find another topic on JCM as I remember someone else after info a while back. May have some info useful to you.

If it has drums front and rear then it should be one of the first models which came as 323cc followed by a 240cc. They had an oil-pneumatic rear shock which worked on gas pressure - no spring. Quinn's was the importer but he is long gone. Robinsons in Rochdale were a dealer and are still around so may have some spares. Best bet may be Brian Griffiths M/Cs in Hereford (I'm sure it's Hereford) as his son Carl used to ride one and I think he has spares. Don't have a number though. I had one of the first 323 models. If it's any help and I can get the scanner working I'll post a photo , although have to find the old pictures first.

Dabster, I'd agree with your thoughts on the power/torque of the 325 against 340. I've owned and ridden later 325s and the power delivery was always quick, or snappy perhaps. I've only ridden one 340 ever, finally got the chance a couple of years ago after a classic trial I had ridden on my MAR. Was well impressed. Immediate impression was how torquey the motor was (would be after the MAR though) not snappy or sudden, just a smooth and predictable delivery of torquey power. The suspension worked really well on the front although the rears - falcons - were a little soft but not too far away (see, they're not always perfect ) I also felt that the steering had been 'tucked in' and was a little quicker compared to what I would call the norm for Bults. This all led to one very nice bike which had loads of usable power, steered and gripped well and was stable over the rocky sections I tried. Only drawback over the Ossa was one section with a series of tight turns which the Ossa did with room to spare. The 340, even though it felt as though the steering had been tightened, still had to have the front wheel floated off the odd handy rock or root to make the turn. Didn't have the lock/steering angle to just steer round. But then the Ossa will turn up its own *rse so not really a criticism. When I gave the bike back I asked him if he wanted to sell but no way - he then told me it was one of Thorpe's old bikes so that may account for it being so good. As it is the only one I've ridden I wouldn't know if it was any different from a standard one. He wasn't selling anyway but one day perhaps..... I've since managed to acquire one but it needs some work. It has had the frame mod to move the dampers forward at the rear although the engine hasn't been repositioned, or the swingarm mount. Seems to work quite well suspension wise but the exhaust is a disaster and needs sorting as the engine (noisy is being kind - it's what Hookey's should have sounded like....) is being strangled. The alloy fabricated airbox is a beaut however. Welding on the repositioned frame tubes is messy but can be tidied, I hope. There is a good bike in there somewhere - it's just finding it..... So Dabster, I'm going to try and get around to rebuilding it in a few months. If I e-mail you can you send me your list of magic Sherpa tricks so I can plan ahead on the what's hot mods list. Big John you're a scoundrel..... I saw that 250 6-speed too and thought the same as you - bet that is a 340. Didn't want to investigate any further though as if it was I know I'd have done the same as you and I just wouldn't have the room to keep it or the time to ride it. I've already overdone it. But then again, a gentleman and all that. Good spot anyway.

Perhaps some have been influenced by their road biking bretheren. Ever been to a bike gathering in a pub carpark on a summer evening. Seems to be the done thing amongst a certain element of sportsbike rider when leaving the place, to start the bike up and immediately rev the tits off it in neutral bouncing the rev limiter to impress everyone takes years of practise and the level of skill required is beyond measure...

If you want the ultimate testament to the ruggedness of a 340, Dave Hooke used to ride the bike he owned from new in the old Falcon series for a good few seasons during the 90s. Anyone that knows him will recall what a handy rider he was on that bike, winning many rounds. More appropriate to one of the issues raised on here however, reliability, they will also know what a merciless chap he was with a bike. If it was an animal he would be on the most wanted list of the RSPCA. That Bulto took some serious abuse over the years and only needed one rebore in all that time. Nothing else broke on it as far as I recall and I have seen it held on full throttle for periods that really should have melted every revolving part inside the motor before welding it together. But the bike just took it and moved on to the next event. Price of a 340 now depends upon who is selling and what people are prepared to pay I would say, depending on how/where it is advertised, as well as the region. Vague? Yes, but a nice example on e-bay a few months ago which you would expect to have made

The kits to blow out dents for MX pipes are still available and work very well but the final cost would probably be as much as a new front pipe for a trials bike. You also need access to a torch to heat the pipe sufficiently - small propane torches don't always generate enough heat, and a compressor. Also, MX front pipes are thinner guage than trials I think and also have a much larger surface area, so may respond better to the blow-out kit. Mate of mine who is a brilliant fabricator/welder put a similar type of dent in his 315 front pipe. He sorted it by cutting out the dent, shaping a new peice of metal to fit, TIG welding it in and then buffing the welds. Once repainted you could not see the join, no way. But you have to be very good at that to make a good job of it.

I think they may be Acerbis. They recently produced universal front and rear guards for older trials bikes. I was shown a pair (white) to see if they were suitable for my Ossa but I discounted the front one as it had flat edges and wasn't rounded at the front. Sounds very similar to what you are describing. Definitley won't be Gonelli as they are round section and front end (Sherpa) Stilmoto are round section but square front with a lip at the edge - Preston Petty copies sort of. UFO used to make nice front guards, round section, round front but don't anymore. Don't think anything else is available. Pretty sure they could be the new Acerbis guards but don't know who stocks them - Steve Goode may be worth a try as I'm fairly sure it was one of his suppliers that had them.

Yep, some of the blokes in my club fitted boost bottles to their TY175s back in the 70s. They made their own which, if I remember correctly, was a cannister of some sort fitted to one of the downtubes from the headstock connected to the inlet via a pipe. Cheap and simple. Not sure how they work but the purpose was to improve throttle response and engine pick up from low revs/tickover. It must have worked as a good few of them had them and they were blokes who knew what they were doing - seemed to be to me anyway. One of them even ran his 175 with no fork springs, used air pressure only. A bit brave I thought as it only needed to lose pressure and that was it - trial over. They worked very well as I remember though and he won a good few club events on it.

That's beause it's a Yam.... Seriously though, I've also seen a few 4 stroke enduro bikes play at submarines and if it is purely the affect of water on electrics that is the issue, they have had no problem because like Munch said, they are well sealed units. The problem is getting all of the water out of the airbox/engine/exhaust before it will start, no different from a 2 stroke in that respect really. Don't forget 2 strokes have sealed electronics as well such as CDI unit and coil and they aren't affected by a good dunking - although Beta and Gassers don't need water to upset the electrics...... (and that isn't a dig against them as I'm very close to buying an 04 280 pro because I like my mates so much, it's a nice bike - If I do I'll just buy a spare CDI with it...)

There is also something called Atom ignition doing the rounds which replaces points and condensor. It's an Australian product and I have no idea who imports it but apparantly it can be used on any 2-stroke engine. I was talking to someone today who has just bought one for a Bantam. It cost

Just to throw a spanner in the works I put a hefty bend in the rod of one of the Falcons on my Ossa at the Torridge round in 03 - some fairly juicy rocks in that round. Bootle and the Hillsborough round have some fair rocks in too, although at Bootle, it is more likely that if a rod is going to get bent it will be crossing the moors if you're motoring a bit, rather than in a section. I haven't bought any Falcon trials shocks for a while, but last year I bought a pair for a Bultaco Pursang. These cost

Miller does them if it is the wrap around type that you mean to fit the curve of the rear guard.

The falcons will not give you much change from

Have you have got proof of the bike'a age from what DVLA consider a legitimate source before you go for the age related plate. This is normally the importer or in this case Yamaha UK, or they also accept dating certificate from the Vintage Motorcycle club. Without the proof they will only put it on a Q plate. Apologies if you already know this - just wouldn't want you to have a wasted trip.