woody

The Bultaco hose is shaped to go around the frame and it's still a tight fit. A straight piece of heater hose, given it's thickness and inflexibility could be a real pain to fit. The proper hose is worth the money over the possible aggro.

I left the brake pedal as it is. In reality, there is little you can do with it due to the design but I can still get to it ok where it is.

Yes, that's a standard 350 flywheel The flywheel itself may be balanced, I don't know, but they aren't balanced up to the counterweight on the clutch side as they vary in weight, shape and size for different models whereas the ignition flywheels didn't.

The sump bolts were seperate bolts each side originally but I can't remember the thread pitch from when I had one back in the day. The bikes I have now have long since lost their original bolts. I just use standard 8mm bolts. Fit them so that the nuts are on the outside, that way, if you need to remove the sump you can just push the bolts through far enough to clear the bracket instead of having to to remove them completely. The sidepanels are fibreglass originally and new patterns are available. On the inside of the airbox cover is a straight bracket which is held by a rivet (from memory) There is a conical shaped spring that sits between the airbox cover and the gauze panel. The smaller end of the spring tucks in behind this bracket. When the sidepanel is attached and screwed onto the frame, it closes the airbox cover up and the spring holds the gauze sheets and filter in place. In Motion sell a new airbox but not sure if they have the spring. You may find a spring from USA suppliers if In Motion can't help. Hubs are normal steel liners It's possible Ossa may have reverted to electronic with the later green bikes, they definitely had with the Grippers. Or someone may have fitted electronic to replace the points. The same ignition fits all bikes so not an issue.

Some of the frame/engine number sequences can't be found on the ID charts. My 350 MAR has matching frame/engine and starts 43 but it doesn't appear on the charts, it should begin 24 according to them. Same with the 700 sequence, it's not on any chart I've ever found. I had a bike with the same sequence. It definitely relates to the green MAR but whether it's the black frame or the all green bike I don't know. Mine appeared to be the all green model (it was in bits) and the gold wheels on yours suggest the same as the black frame bike had silver wheels as far as I know. Apart from the colour, they're the same bike really, which itself barely moved on from the earlier MAR. Same frame, different shock location, same engine, longer forks and points instead of electronic ignition. Timing between 2 and 3.5mm TDC. Carb should be an Amal on the 240 but don't know jetting. The shock length you should get off the Falcon Shocks website

Guys, I wasn't trying to prove you were wrong, it's just that the Haynes manual says one way and the Clymer says the other, but the proper Bultaco manual would show how they came from the factory. I have Barnett friction plates which are thicker than the standard steel plates, but I fit them slightly different from how you do it. I still use the steel drive plate as the first plate in the clutch but only use 4 of the Barnett plates with one of the original Bultaco steel plates to get the pressure plate in the correct position. Same result, just a different method.

Yes, but the other manual shows the plates fitted the other way. What you really need is the Bultaco manual.

Generally the 350 Sherpa flywheel looks like this. It has a squarer edge to its face than the 250. and is a lot deeper front to back http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Bultaco-350-Magneto-flywheel-/181180646350?pt=UK_Motorcycle_Parts&hash=item2a2f3543ce The 250 generally looks like this, it has a more rounded edge to its face than the 350 http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BULTACO-SHERPA-T250-1972-IGNITION-ALTERNATOR-GENERATOR-STATOR-FLYWHEEL-/400528679177?pt=UK_Motorcycle_Parts&hash=item5d415ea109 There are slight variances but generally, that's how they look. The 350 is thicker front to back than the 250. This is for the FEMSA ignition, the Motoplat from the later bikes is different again.

I'm sure it's 5 as standard, but, I'm going from memory and I have Barnett friction plates which are thicker than the Bultaco steels. I can't check until I get back to the bike which will be the weekend. I think the Frontera had 6 plates but they were thinner, so the overall thickness of the pack was the same. Visually, the inside face of the cover plate seats about flush with the edge of the basket. The Haynes manual shows the plates fitted one way, the Clymer shows them the other way.... I've always fitted the drive plate first and never have any clutch issues. If you speak to Bultaco UK they'll confirm it for you.

Don't forget the large O ring that fits in the housing before you refit it.

They go in the housing back to back - ie: the 'open' side of the seals face outwards and the solid face of the seals sit against each other on the inside.

12mm longer springs.... I'm guessing these are new too, so they would be right but 12mm longer...? What was in there...?? There's no reason for it to drag, have you put new plates in? Have you got the right number of plates? The first plate to go in is a drive plate, the one that locates on the hub. There are 5 drive, 5 friction plates and the cover plate. Too many plates and it won't free off properly. With your engine, the clutch springs are held by pins so there is no way of getting unequal tension on the springs as there is with the bikes that are tensioned with nuts. The clutch plates should seperate evenly when the pushrod pushes back the cover plate. Obviously the clutch cover has to come off again to check this. I ride mine around the garden with the cover off until I get the clutch set right so I can see what's going on with it. Also, have you got the clutch arm set in the right position on the timing cover. Make sure it is positioned so that the arm is being pulled by a straight inner cable. To far back and you are pulling against the pivot, too far forward and there isn't enough movement to free off the clutch. The pushrod is 185mm long by the way, I found one to measure.

It's essential so that the casual spectator can identify with it and might be encouraged to watch it, as they understand words like race and grand prix. Talk about observed trials and they are lost. Something to do with watching barristers isn't it (no, not whilst they're out dogging...) Its the kind of bollocks that happens when promoters and money men run the show and want to turn it into exactly that. A money making show to line their own pockets with no care at all for the history or roots of the sport or what happens to it once they've p****d off. The same people presumably who tell Cal Cruthlow and Dougie Lampkin back in his day to give media interviews in a ridiculous euro accent. And who tell today's Motogp riders to pick up their drinks bottle and have a fake swig every time someone pokes a camera in their face, The sport sold out to money years ago and 'race', 'fiasco' and 'grand prix' is the result.

I'm interested to understand this as well.... but bare in mind these bikes do get hot if you clutch case or magneto case gets hot then somthing is wrong. They run hot but there's something wrong if they get hot? I'm sure there is a typo in there somewhere but I still can't make it out... They're going to get hot due to heat transference from the cylinder... You don't need the vented plug for the gearbox. And if you fit one the chances are that the gear train will try and throw most of the gearbox oil up it - just like the clutch does on the later bikes with the vented filler plugs. The only damage you're going to do to the gearbox is if it runs dry and seizes the bearings. It's not going to run hot because of a blocked breather.

You should have a pushrod, then a ball bearing, then the mushroom. 10mm is too long to take the place of a missing ball bearing. There are two lengths for the pushrod. The later bikes with the slimmer timing case (the one with the thumb logo) have a shorter pushrod and kickstart shaft. I don't know the lengths off the top of my head but if you had the later pushrod fitted, it would be too short with the normal ball bearing, maybe why there is a 10mm piece instead. Or. someone has got the clutch adjusted incorrectly but I'm not sure it's possible to get it that far out.... You can check the length with Bultaco UK or someone on here may have one handy to measure. I don't at the moment. Edited because I forgot to say:- If you have bought new pushrod, ball and mushroom from Bultaco UK it will be the right one for the job, so if you can't adjust the clutch up as described in the other thread, something else is wrong. Check the number of clutch plates as the thickness of the pack will also affect adjustment.

You also have to know what the registration number is, as, even if they have it on their database post-'83, they won't tell you what it is from the chassis number. If you can't find the reg number yourself, you'll have to apply to re-register it which you can do on an age related plate at least.

They have all the seals for the Bultacos. The gear shaft seal is a very tight fit into the casing. I go around the edge of the seal housing with a stanley knife or suchlike to put a leading edge for the seal, plus plenty of grease

It is nothing to do with the woodruff key on the clutch as if that was sheared and the crank was spinning inside the clutch drive sprocket, you wouldn't be riding the bike either as it would have no drive from the crank through the clutch to the gearbox. As you've had a go at adjusting the clutch, you could have unknowingly made it worse, even though you turned the centre adjuster out. When you re-tighten the lock nut, you have to ensure that it doesn't turn the adjuster screw back in again - which it can and probably will do. If that happened you could have actually ended up with it screwed further in than when you started, which could be why your clutch slip is now worse than before. Ideally, what you need is a box spanner cut right down so that you can see to hold the slotted screw adjuster steady when you tighten the nut. Or, when you're used to doing it, you can finger tighten the nut and then just put the final turn on it with a spanner. It will still turn the centre adjuster but if you have set this slightly further out than you want it and can judge how much it will turn with the nut, it will tighten in the position you want. Box spanner is better though. Adjust the clutch again. See the previous post from P@ul250 but it's better to actually remove the cable both ends. Then move the clutch arm on the casing as far backwards as it will go (there should be some play in it, if it is solid and already as far back as it will go, it's definitely adjusted too much, so see latter part of this explanation) Assuming there is play, when you screw in the adjuster, watch the clutch arm. As soon as you see it move it means there is no slack between the adjuster, pushrod and arm. This is where Paul refers to it bottoming out. If you now try to move the clutch arm on the casing, you'll find it is solid. Now just back off the adjuster a little. Now try moving the clutch arm and there should be a few mm of play from fully backward position to where you feel it engage the pushrod. That's how it should be. Reconnect and adjust the cable.

Clutch plates from the 250 will fit your bike yes, they're the same. It's not unusual at all for the Bultaco clutch to slip on the kickstart. They can do it with brand new plates, so fitting a new clutch won't necessarily cure it. I have Barnett plates in mine which offer more bite than standard plates and it can still slip on the kickstart even with the clutch correctly adjusted - but never when riding. The kickstart gearing is high and the shaft is also high up on the engine. Also, the kickstart is angled quite a way forward because of the amount of rotation needed before it engages, so it generally means people stab and thrash at it when trying to start them. Once you're used to it, you'll find it doesn't slip nearly so often. Pull the clutch in and take the kickstart down to a position that your leg is comfortable with and so that you will be pushing straight down, rather than trying to move the kickstart backwards first. Let the clutch go and slowly push downwards until the piston gets to TDC which you can obviously feel by the compression. Now let the kickstart back up a couple of clicks on the ratchet, back to a position that feels as though you can just push straight down. Now just push firmly but don't thrash at it. It should turn the engine without slipping this way. If you just lash away at it, then it will slip, regardless of new plates and being correctly adjusted. The Sherpas can and often do, actually fire when your just fiddling for TDC, without actually trying to start it. Once you're used to it, you'll find it rarely slips.

Craig also runs Yamaha-Majesty.com so you only have to look on there for his contact number http://www.yamaha-majesty.com/index-4.html

Clarke cordless impact wrench from Machine Mart for about £90 Excellent for removing such nuts - one of the best tools I've ever bought.

Put it on the middle slot which is the normal position Top slot means the needle sits lower so lets less fuel through - weaker mixture in mid to high range Bottom slot means the needle sits higher so lets more fuel through - richer mixture in mid to high range You'll find that the needle clip being broken on an Amal is quite common but they still hold the needle when in situ

Hightown, I'm no engineer or gearing expert so the actual ratios people are quoting don't mean anything to me... 11/39 is standard for your bike so it isn't incorrectly geared, but as with most things it comes down to personal preference. Although it's standard gearing for my 199b as well, I find it a little high so sometimes use 1 or 2 more teeth on the rear, but, I only use the clutch when things go tits up or are very tight, so it's geared so I can ride most stuff without the clutch in bottom gear. That's about all I can tell you, it's down to you really, your riding style and the type of sections you ride in

'85 bikes were red. It was already 8 years old when the current owner got it, so it could have had the colour changed by a previous owner, unknown to the current one. Pink bikes weren't '85

The red model was from '85 and had drums The pink model was about '87/88 and had drums. The last model was '89 with the discs and had white tank with red/blue flash. The early bikes had a 4 spring clutch and this was changed at some point to a bigger 5 spring clutch with a different actuator in an attempt to improve the action. I can't remember if this came in on the pink bike or the disc model. The last bikes had different crankcases with a shallower sump