woody

No, first I've heard of it but from what little info they've put, it suggests it's the same as the non-street legal tyre (as it doesn't sacrifice any performance) therefore should be just as good. Which begs the question why make the two, just make the street legal version. And street legal where? A rider here in the UK contacted the UK importer about whether the IRC was road legal and was told they had no plans for a road legal tyre.... There's a thread on it somewhere

The tubed rear michelin radial is utterly useless in mud and it should be against the trade descriptions to label it a trials tyre. If they even produce it any more. An X11 tubeless will sit ok on the Ossa rim with a tube and security bolts. Pirelli MT43 are also road legal but it depends on what you want from the tyre other than road use as to whether you'd want to fit one of those or not. The michelin tubed front tyre is fine.

The only spring is on the selector mechanism inside the clutch cover and a broken spring on that won't cause the problem you have. The selector moves backwards and forwards when you move the gear lever and it is moving unhindered if you can go through gears 1 - 3. All a broken spring will generally do is stop the gear lever centering after you change up or down. At worst it could foul and jam the selector but then you wouldn't have gears 1 - 3, so not sure what your mechanic has found broken. With the clutch cover off, you can see the selector that the gear lever operates. This engages with the selector mechanism which in turn engages with the selector drum which moves the selectors in the gearbox which select the gears. Picture 1 below shows the selector mechanism in situ which is held in place by 3 screws. The selector that the gear lever operates is removed and can be seen on the stand. It's been turned around to show the spring, when fitted the spring faces inwards. This is the only spring I can think of that could have been replaced. The slot in the selector fits over pin that you can see at 12 O'clock on the selector mechanism. When you move the gear lever up or down, the selector moves backwards and forwards. Behind the selector mechanism are two pawls and these engage into slots in the selector drum. When the selector is moved, the pawls engage with the slots and rotate the selector drum inside the gearbox. This moves the selectors inside the gearbox which engages the gears. If you remove the selector mechanism by removing the 3 screws you will see the outside face of the selector drum,an example of which is see in picture 2. If one of the slots is damaged it could possibly stop 4th gear from being engaged as the pawl would not be able to locate into it to move the drum. I've never seen it happen and think it's unlikely. Most likely I still feel, is that the previous owner reassembled the selector fork the wrong way around when rebuilding the engine. If all the mechanic did was replace the selector spring, he hasn't had to split the engine to do so, therefore the selector forks haven't been checked. All he had to do was go through the gears when he'd finished whatever he did to check they worked - which he obviously hasn't The selector forks are shown in picture 3 and the one nearest is the one which can be fitted the wrong way around. It's correct in the picture with the larger boss to the outside. Picture 4 shows them in situ in the gearbox I can't think of anything other than a selection problem inside the gearbox that realistically is causing the problem and I'm fairly certain it could be a wrongly fitted fork. I can't guarantee it but there is only one way to find out. For someone used to these engines it is less than 1 hour to get inside them to investigate

There is no spacer on the brake plate side (external spacer) so the brake plate sits right against the fork leg. There is a spacer on the other side and with the spacer fitted the edge of the hub is only about 1mm from the fork leg, they almost touch. The spindle goes in from the left side (left side as you sit on the bike) Fitting like this the wheel will be central. If it isn't central, have you got the forks the right way around? Not sure what the result of that would be but I can't think of anything else. If the spacer is too short the hub will foul on the fork leg and won't turn when tightened. If it's too long it will be difficult to fit and push the fork leg out.

Absolutely no idea where the 'about us' reference to cams, Honda or Porsche comes from. I don't remember any reference to them in the article, or on his facebook page

Thanks for the link Mick, I've looked over and over on that site and not seen them - assuming they'd be on the Northern Bike page... I'd looked around other pages but they're buried down on the News page which isn't particularly useful. Anyway, phoned Frank for the inevitable news that it's full. Now on the reserve list hoping for a cancellation.

Anyone seen the regs for this trial yet? I thought the regs for the PJ1 rounds usually appeared on the Poachers website but they don't seem to be keeping the Northern Bike section up to date this year and there's nothing on the South Liverpool site

Well you may as well try and determine a winner from what was ridden rather than scrub it completely. A crushing disappointment for the organisers and helpers and it's sad to see all that time and effort amount to nothing. Huge disappointment for riders too, particularly for those from other countries who will have spent a small fortune to compete.

Try and be objective rather than hysterical. Do you honestly think that for the last 30 years the rules have been applied correctly under stop and hop rules? We've seen riders going backwards. We've seen them stuck on an obstacle using their toes to push themselves off (that = footing) We've seen them stuck on something with a foot down with the bike rocking back and forth as they try to push themselves free. We've seen them hop and bounce the bike outside the boundary of a section to get a better line. We've seen them virtually off the bike with a knee and elbow on the floor. Everyone of those instances has gone unpenalised and all but one should have been 5 marks. The no-stop rule isn't responsible for controversy any more than the rule it replaces

It's all about balance and technique, playing about with your rear suspension settings won't help one bit. A rider with the necessary techniquel will do it on any bike straight of the showroom floor without touching the set up. If anyone tries to convince you that you need to change your set up, ask them to explain how riders that can do it are also able to hop on the rear wheel of Beamish Suzukis, Fantics and Pre65 James and Bantams.

The indoor rules barely differ from last year's outdoor rules, so the FIM would have achieved nothing by using them though? There is nothing wrong, difficult, contentious, confusing or whatever else about no-stop rules, it's about as basic as they get and caused no issues with observers being "confused" during a period that stretched over decades before stop and hop became allowed. There are videos from Motegi of riders who are blatantly stopping, hopping front and rear wheels to line up for the next part of the section. There are several issues here: The riders know damn well they shouldn't do it but did Are they doing it to make a point The observers allowed them to do it Some sections were (or appeared from the video) totally unsuitable for no-stop. Section 3 for one. The commentators could easily say 'oh dear that's a five' (interpret as you like) at a point where a rider blatantly stops. Instead they whoop up the crowd with oohs and aahs and encourage the rider on The crowd whoop with delight as they encourage the rider through a section and never ever acknowledge the fact that they are breaking the rules As a result of the last point, the observer probably feels pressured into giving the clean (or not penalising the stops) From what I've seen of Motegi, there seems potential for some pretty big and challenging no-stop sections but the organisers seem to have merely served up the stereotypical man made obstacles on most with large rocks placed a bike length apart which suits stop and hop and splat. I don't know if no-stop is an answer to whatever troubles WTC may have, but if Michaud is satisfied with that then the bloke needs sacking from his post. From what I've seen from videos of other sections only Cabestany comes away from that with any credibility. On section 5 Fuji and Raga are a joke, as is Raga on 3. If you're going to try no-stop (or anything) ffs do it properly. Some riders, the organisers, Michaud, the FIM, the commentators and most of the crowd all need a good shoe-ing after that debacle. The FIM should haul all riders and officials from that event together, play the section videos back and point out what was wrong on each one. Maybe then, at the next trial, we'd at least see a bona-fide attempt at no-stop. How can you say something works if it isn't tried properly.

You can do it with two pairs of pliers. A normal pair to compress the spring and a needle nose pair to remove the pin. Yes they are under a fair bit of tension so the engine will have to be held securely if it is out of the bike so that you can push hard against the tension of the springs. If still in the bike, lay the bike on its side. Or make a "compressor" from a bit of tube, saw two slots in one end to fit over the pin, drill two holes opposite each other at the other end and put a bar through that you can hold securely as a T bar and push the tube onto the spring and compress it. Needle pliers to remove pin.

And from what little I've seen of it on TV, there are a good number of empty seats? Too many years of watching the same riders doing the same thing over and over on the same sections? There seems little variation and little scope for it

Having watched Cabestany's incredibly smooth and skilful ride through the section, here's Fuji's version of no-stop. This is the biggest difference between no-stop and stop allowed. You can see the section is possible no stop from Cabestany's ride. Fuji looks like he is struggling to hold a line and balance without stopping. He appears to be deliberately stopping to regain control and set himself up. If he didn't stop he'd probably have had a dab or so. He should have been given a 5 on about four occassions. If the section was ridden under stop and hop allowed they'd have ridden it with their eyes shut, no-stop it creates more of a challenge. So in that respect it achieves what it sets out to do, a section that causes problems if ridden to the rules and is obviously very difficult but not stupid (although I might think otherwise if standing at the bottom of it...) A success or not? http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=XrJRFynYz6Y

I always thought the original red 349 was better than the white wonder as I thought it was the white wonder that was longer... I've no experience of either, just what I'd heard / read. The final 349 with kicked up swingarm was a very good bike with only a dodgy Montesa clutch and gear selector as a negative. Nice chassis, quick steering, light on the front to enable you to place it easily and one hell of an engine. I've seen pictures of Rathmell's white works bike that was fitted with the kicked up swingarm - sign of things that were to come

But, is what serves WTC best, also best for the sport as a whole. Now there's a subjective poser... Personally I don't think it matters what they do with WTC as I just can't see how it has any bearing in the slightest on what happens at club level. To be honest, there is barely a trial I go to throughout the year that it's even mentioned.

But I didn't say it was an argument to support no-stop. People are making a big deal out of how erratic no-stop observing is. All I did was point out how erratic observing of TSR22A has been too. Are people seriously suggesting there have been no rider/minder/observer confrontations since stop and hop arrived in around '82. I prefer no-stop but don't necessarily think it is the answer to whatever the problems, perceived, real or otherwise, are at WTC. The FIM, manufacturers and riders need to first of all decide what they want from the WTC. Is it first and foremost a competition, as it used to be, to determine who will be world champ from the best of each country. When, if enthusiasts wanted to turn out and watch the riders perform then they did so, but the events were always geared towards the sport, not spectators. Or is it just now a show for spectators, revenue earner for whoever with the actual competition to determine a world champ just a sideline by-product. A show far removed from what happens on your average Sunday in club rider land Until they find an answer to that, the WTC will probably never have any real direction or stability. But ultimately, does that make any difference to your average club rider’s enjoyment at their average club trials most Sundays. Most probably not.

Why is the observing any more subjective than it was under last year's rules? Time again we've seen riders moving a bike backwards by 'bouncing on the spot' except that they aren't, they move the bike backwards - against the direction of the section in order to get a better line. That's 5 - it's never given. Time again we see riders at all levels stuck on a root / rock or suchlike with a foot or feet down trying to pull the bike forwards. The bike is actually rocking back and forwards whilst the rider tries to get going again having FAILED to get over the obstacle that they are stuck on. Usually they get a 1 instead of the correct 5 for the bike slipping backwards. Whilst I've no personal interest in what they do with WTC rules, it's ridiculous to say that only TSR22B rules are open to interpretation or subjective, given what's been going on under TSR22A for the last however many years. Observing, whatever the rules, is subjective by its very nature.

They were alloy on the Ulf Replica Alloy isn't a good idea if you're going to ride it as they don't crash well, fine for just looking at it. I don't know if the Cota repro alloy guards are like the Ossa repros, but they are that flimsy that the stays cracked and separated from the front mudguard within a couple of hours use, I never even got the chance to bend them in a crash....

Second video is a good example of how a crowd can possibly influence an observer's decision when they rapturously shout and applaud what they perceive a clean. No-one shouts 5 at the 20 second mark when he blatantly stops of his own accord and hops and bounces into position. First video at around 38s is a good example of how not being able to stop and regain control when you've mistimed or misjudged a part of a section puts you just a little off line and nearly takes a mark to regain control. Fuji does stop here to avoid running right off line but it is very quick, quick enough for him to get away with it. As twinshockdude said, borderline, so you'd give the benefit of the doubt. As all the sections are (or should be) filmed these days, it wouldn't be too hard to resolve any disputes over issues like this afterwards. There's nothing there that I haven't seen happen in a classic trial...

Have a look through the Montesa forum as there are other topics about early Cotas with pictures and the sort of info you're looking for

Looks like one of the converted bikes that Commerfords did with the Whitlock swingarm and the pivot moved forward

I don't know of anyone specifically no, there are many spring manufacturers down here, mainly in Redditch, but I've no actual experience of any. I have had some springs made but they were done though a back door contact but they were pretty cheap. I don't imagine it would have been much more over the counter. I've heard other people say they have had springs made for not much cost. I'd measure them, wire thickness, overall length and internal diameter, then just pick out a few off google and see if you can get some quotes. The only place I can think of that might have some originals is Vale Onslow in Birmingham as they have masses of stuff for British bikes as the shop has been going since the 1920s. Old Len died in the early 2000s but son, 'young' Len (now 80 and was in the same school class as my dad) has worked there since he left school, as has younger brother Peter and the stuff they can remember is incredible. Be warned though, it can be hard work. (and my mum was at school with Jeff Smith's sister) Can't see the shop being around for too many more years, not only because of their age, it's falling down.

If you know what rate you need Ross, I don't think it costs much to have a pair of springs made

I bought a Sherpa because I had some spare fuel left and needed somewhere to put it...