woody

The VAT is not new, we've always paid VAT on items bought from the EU. The way it's collected has changed and as you've said is now creating more work for the retailer. Import fees shouldn't apply to a purchase under 135.00 euros UK couriers can also add their own handling fees

What I forgot to say is that some Spanish dealers still have this chain available. If you google Bultaco simplex primary chain you should find them, Classicdiaz, ,Motos Luis, Motos del Abuelo etc

You won't get turned away from any trial for having a fibreglass tank. There are new fibreglass tanks still being made and being used on plenty of bikes The law was introduced in 1973 following a road accident when a fibreglass tank spit and caused a fire. Hence all UK trials bikes had an alloy tank from then on to replace the original factory glass tank. It's never been clear as to whether the law was for all bikes or just those registered for the road, but as most trials were road based back then I think they all had their tanks swapped for alloy versions at import. It only applied to fibreglass tanks, doubtful there were any plastic tanks at that time. 1980s bikes were used on the road with their original plastic tanks

He doesn't have the thread for Bultaco spokes, I've spoken to him about it, he's done a few Bultaco wheels for me

I think it was a one off size made for Bultaco by Joresa. Where I live there are many chain suppliers/manufacturers. Due to the non-availability in the UK at the moment I went to a local manufacturer (who are big) and showed them the chain. His first reaction was no chance but he was very helpful and consulted his charts but the outcome was the same. Not a standard size, no-one will stock it. The problem is the inner width which is very big for a 3/8 chain. It doesn't exist on any chain size chart you can find. An old chain off one of my bikes is from Regina but I tried them and it is no longer produced Joresa still exist and have this size chain on their website so they must still make it

No I can't lace wheels, I send them to a wheel builder who makes his own spokes Tubeless has pros and cons. Pros - More choice, less chance of puncture as no tube to pinch, quicker to fix if you do puncture (I'm told as I've never punctured one at a trial) I have fixed a slow leak I found with superglue... Can run at 2 - 3 psi if needed (ie; here in UK in winter slop) without the fear of ripping a valve out or compression punctures. In the last Pre65 Scottish trial I had 5 compression punctures with a tubed IRC and that was with around 7psi in it and the time lost put me out of the trial Cons - you need a good compressor to fit one, a bead breaker to remove one (there are cruder alternatives...) They can be a pain to seal both at the spokes and on the bead. I gave up with the rubber sealing band that seals the spokes and use silicon sealer that is used on aluminium window frames, that stops leaking through the spokes but air can still seep through at the bead over days or weeks, Most of my bikes fitted with tubeless are sitting with flat tyres at the moment You can run tubeless on a tubed rim with a tube and security bolts. The inside lip of the bead is slightly longer on a tubleless and if this is trimmed back to match a tube type it will sit on the rim better. I've run tubeless on some Ossas and Bultaco Akront rims without trimming the bead and not had any problems, they've stayed on the rim ok. But with Jap rims I've never been able to get one to stay on the rim, tried on a KT and TY and as soon as the pressure went below about 10psi after fitting and deflating it dropped into the rim on one side. I never tried it with a trimmed bead though

I've had both new and used Morad rims fitted to various bikes, full width and conical hubs including Gripper, not sure why there should be a problem with a new one

Yes, on earlier models the first two and later models the first three engine and frame numbers identify the respective model https://cemoto.tripod.com/bultaco.htm

Look at what's fitted before you order as engine components changed a few times in the early 70s so you need to know which is in there. Not only the size but quantity as well, some have 1 some have 2 per side

Yamaha won't issue a certificate of newness as the bike is 15 years old so you can't have a current registration number, certificate of newness only applies to new bikes or a year or so old. What you need is a certificate that gives the year of manufacture - a dating certificate, then DVLA will issue an age related 2005 plate. If it is a bike imported by Yamaha UK then they will issue one for you but I think they charge for the service now, they used to do it for nothing. If it wasn't imported by Yamaha then they probably won't do it However, if you're using the Yamaha aircooled owners club they will issue the dating certificate for you or do the complete service so you don't need Yamaha. You may need to provide them with the chassis chart which shows the year of the bike

It's been a couple of years since I bought from them but there was a girl there called Gemma Bayo who was sending me emails in English and they weren't google translate English, might be worth trying a call if she is still there. I only had the info@ivancirre email address

What year is it, looks about 2005/6 ? Why not contact Yamaha for a letter showing proof of age and then you can get it registered on a proper age related number instead of Q plate. Easier to insure and sell on a proper reg than Q

Can't help with the engine number as I'm not familiar with YZ numbering but I'd have thought it matched the frame number in part. The engine number isn't as important to the V5 as the chassis number. To register it you don't need insurance unless you're in Northern Ireland but you have to tax it which you can then surrender and SORN it if you need to. Check the DVLA website for registering a new vehicle for what you need

The bike hasn't been registered so yes it does have to be recorded on NOVA to register it. It was MOT'd on the chassis number for registration or insurance purposes. There is no V5 to change ownership on

NOVA is nothing to do with the MOT and the MOT won't display any NOVA reference. NOVA is purely a HMRC process concerning duty payable on imported vehicles. DVLA will check all V55/5 applications to see if the vehicle is recorded on NOVA, if it isn't they won't issue a registration number. NOVA records the VIN number

You have to complete the NOVA form. It's really designed for new imports but a NOVA completion is required to register anything. It's to ensure that any VAT and import duty have been aid on a vehicle. NOVA is a declaration to HMRC and seperate from the registration process. DVLA won't register anything until it is on NOVA system If you search this specific topic for NOVA there is plenty of info on what you have to do.

I looked but couldn't find spare plates, the only ones I could find are from the spare engine I have in pieces, I thought there were more, if I come across them I'll let you know but I guess that tool will do the job just as well

I've probably got one in a box somewhere, I'll check later on tomorrow afternoon/eve.

I don't know of anywhere that sells them in the UK. If you can find an old clutch hub plate you can make one by welding a bar to it which passes through a slot in the basket and locks against the cush drive. I welded on a 6" nail, works well enough

When you start the bike and let the kickstart back up does it fully return to it's stop by itself or does it stop short and are you able to push it fully home by hand which cures the problem? The only reason it would sound as though it is still engaged is due to the ratchet not being fully home and still engaging with the starter gear. All that can cause this is a problem with the ratchet cam itself which is unlikely if there wasn't a problem before fitting a new spring. Even if the gearbox was dry it should still have a coating of oil and return fully. Does the gearbox have oil? Firstly, are you sure the spring is tensioned enough to fully return it? Or, the nut that locates the spring is on the threaded end of the ratchet guide so if you undid the nut fully it's possible that the guide moved inwards whilst fitting the spring. I don't think it can move enough to affect its correct location but can't be certain. The guide has a flat on one side and this locates against a recessed flat on the inside of the casing. If the guide moved inwards and turned it might be possible that it turned enough that the flats didn't line up and when you tightened the nut back up and it hasn't pulled the guide back far enough to fully locate the ratchet. With the nut removed there should be approximately 14mm length of thread showing on the outside of the case. If it's less by a few millimetres it could be incorrectly located, try pulling on it gently and turning left and right to see if it slots back into place. This is just a guess but it's what I'd be looking at if I was certain the spring was fitted and tensioned correctly

Yes, model 191 is a 325cc Sherpa from 1976. They were called a 350T but were 325. Always use the engine or frame number when ordering parts

Yes, dykes, same on all of the Sherpas In Motion are only answering phones two days a week during lockdown, tuesday and thursday I think but it will say on their website

I'd say a Miller tank. He never used a proper Bultaco filler cap on his own tanks, they were a chrome cap, probably from a car and were a twist fit, not threaded. The Miller tank that was fitted to a bike I bought also had the breather tube as the cap wasn't vented The glass tanks fitted by Bultaco to the early run of 198/199 were different from this one, they were the new slimmer style that narrowed to the rear, similar shape to the plastic tank. Our UK bikes continued with this old shape introduced from the 158/159

The spacer is 23mm long. I can't remember the exact OD but it sits inside the bearing oil seal, so whatever that is. Make sure you have the inner bush/sleeve that sits inside the fork leg as this acts together with the spacer to position the spindle correctly. I'm not sure if In Motion have the spacer, I think they have the bush. Also make sure you have the top hat spacer that sits in oil seal on the other side of the hub, inside the brake plate