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Hi Sorry will check my inbox and delete and make room. Yes it is very spectator friendly, with some seven of the 20 sections within walking distance of the start. The others on the second loop a little further , but with easy access. The trial starts at the Rally cross circuit called Circuit Bonnet. This is in the commune of Saint Andre Allas some 4 kms from Sarlat. This is best accessed from the Sarlat to Beynac road and will be well signed. It will be best to visit the Sunday morning and if you want to say hello just listen for an English voice or ask one of the organisers to point me out. Hope this helps

Out for a morning practise with a guy yesterday, Fantic 340, and new Beta 300. Riders similar age and experience,e mid fifties. The Fantic could do everything the Beta could. Only when it started to get a little silly could you see the age gap, although the old Fantic was willing. She won t be replaced just yet for a younger model..She's still better looking.

The consensus is that the 340 is brutal compared to the 325, again this is hearsay, albiet by many respected people, the six speed is always a plus. Also the Pre 80 class is becoming very popular and the 199a fits perfectly. I have a friend Marti Font, who always rides his Bultaco, I think its 1974.. with the campeon seat and tank unit, he swears by it . It is a puma bike , but to back this up I know for a fact, he has a 1979 Bulto and a very nice Montesa last model 349 all built by Puma and in his garage. The softer less agressive, more ridable bikes are better suited I guess for the southern climes, or just for the classic section nowadays in general. Don't want to start another what is best bike type thread just my two euro's worth.

Being new to the Bultaco family even after nearly 37 years of trialing having never owned a Bultaco and only ever riding one in a trial once, I have sold a nice Pre 65 to reinvest in the marque. I read with interest this thread because I thought the 199b was the Bultaco I always wanted, and should buy, only to find that many other people, better qualified than me talked me out of it. When I was still adamant thats what I should buy several were for sale in France and also in Spain. This backs up the point Dabster made about they are not that sought after in Spain, or highly prized, perhaps like the Uk. Many of my Spanish chums including El Puma think the 199a is the better bike . Now this is not to say one is better than the other just to reliterate a point made earlier about the desirablility of one model over another. I did out of interest buy a very nice 199a after doing my homework, its having a little bit or work done in Spain, I will report back when done what head steady it comes back with.

Just on the off chance someone out there might be interested. The Easter weekend 15 th 16th April we are organising a classic trial here in the best bit of the Dordogne. Just a few km's from Sarlat, 20 sections of fantastic quality, with a ride round of 20 odd km's. Might even be an excuse to get away, you won't be disappointed. We will accept modern bikes for over 40 riders.. all non stop. Camping is avaliable from Friday until Monday with toilets, and an evening Saturday night meal is arranged to help empty the French wine lake. Further details available by PM

Stuart, Do you mean the big hill in Ballingdon grove, sadly no longer in trials use.

With Sterling at these levels, I doubt you will beat the Uk.

Not getting into the rights or wrongs of Pre 65, the irony here across the channel, is that first model Bultacos are now classed as ...yep you guessed.. I blame brexit..

The usual candidates, but no converted mono's with twinshocks added, and no later mono engines in twinshock frames although in the case of 301 / 303 engines it seems to be ok. To be honest this trial a few years ago used to be a showcase for largely Pre 80 bikes with lots of original bikes making a yearly appearance. In the last few years history has repeated itself, and these bikes are being left in the shed and shiny new Fantic's have made up a huge part of the entry. The fact the handicap if you ride anything pre80, helps level the playing field, and if you want to trouble the trophy engravers , you are better riding something built earlier, better still a Pre65.

Hi Guys, You certainly looked like you enjoyed the trial in Saint Feliu, I had to chuckle when stopping for a chat to see three dismembered Fantics on the pavement all being robbed of bits to make one good one. I will have a look and see as the dates come up to see if a road trip of classic trials would be possible . Have a great new year and look forward to seeing you this side of the channel later in the year.

There are 20 sections per day, doesn t sound enough , but with the ride round you are riding all day usually finishing mid to late afternoon. Routes.. hard, medium and easy. The hard route has now become quite difficult, some big steps, short runups and very technical. They have tried be a little too clever trying to get the household names back and upped the level. The result is, that many good riders that should ride the hard route have dropped down. The middle route to be honest is a little easy for the better rider, and sub five marks on the day is the norm, you cannot afford a five or even a three. The easy route is from what I see quite easy and straight forward . The three man team you have to belong to, must all ride the same route. The handicap system in place means that its better to ride a pre65 and then pre 80, post 80 bikes incur added marks that make even a dab expensive as it becomes two. A slight moan now, the Pre 65 class and the tricked up, modded bikes that now ride in this, including first model Bultacos, coupled with good riders have in my humble opinion to much of an advantage, so it takes an almost fautless ride to figure in the results if you are riding the pre 80 and certainly the post 80 bikes. It is still though a very good weekend away and certainly worth doing if only once. Hope that helps

Whilst quite a while off, the dates have been set for the Classic trial in Mont Ventoux Provence for the 14th and 15 th October. Those who fancy a European adventure this comes highly recommended, for how it all works, and information please look at previous posts here over the last two years. Regs normally come out around the end of July, and its advisable to get in early with entry and booking accommadation .

Thanks for the replies, the bike I rode may well have been ported, to be honest I did nt think to ask and the owner never mentioned it. He was an engineer and maybe when he rebuilt it he just did it very well. As to my bike, I had used it on the road during the summer to avoid holiday road congestion, I hadn t really thought of it to ride seriously. Due to circumstance, this year I ended up riding it in a two day trial in Spain and it was so easy to ride, soft , great handling and just that bit different it just rattles.....it has only covered 1400 kms since new and I had to replace, I assume, the original Dunlop tyres and I did move the footrests. In the Pre 75 class it takes some beating and its begging to be used again. Cheers again

I am contemplating a few extra sorties on the TY 250 this year , but after many years the bike could do with a rebore. I recently rode a newly restored 434 and the engine was sooo sweet and the the guy told me as well as a rebuild he had nikaseled the Barrel. He had in fact done the same with the clutch. I just wondered if I could tap into some knowledge as to whether this is worth it, I would certainly like to replicate the end product of the bike I rode, it really was fantastic, and although it was only ridden in the carpark straight away I could feel the difference from mine having just spent two days on it . Thanks

Its a good post, I have just come in from cutting out secitons here in deepest France for a trial I am organising in April. My self imposed brief is that if you turn up on a 340 Bultaco or the like you will have as much, if not a better chance than a 200 Fantic. At least half of my sections will demand second and even third gear. The only problems I have is that half the guys that turn up won t have ever really ridden these and will worry about their over polished jewels. There will be an easy route for them at least. In in my opinion good and even moderate riders of many years, still like to ride hard sections as long as they are not overly tight or dangerous and relished dusting off the higher gears...you need however, experienced sections plotters that know the difference between hard silly and hard interesting.

Speaking to Norman Blakemore at this years Telford show some months ago I explained whilst I would have liked some Girlings on my newly restored Swm, to make it a little more original, I had bought some other shocks.. He told me with notice he could doctor shocks from his NJB range to look like girlings if people so wished. Some months later I don t know if this is still the case , but may be worth a call to see if that is the look you are looking for. Hope that helps

I run my leaf blower with a drip or two of Castrol R in the petrol... just reminds me of what I'd rather be doing......

Out of interest if anybody would like to see the runners and riders for this trial they are published on the French Classic trials site. Forum Trial En Ancienne. Scroll to Manifestations and look for the Saint Feliu thread. Few Brits making the trip.. safe journey . This trial goes from strenght to strenght.

It is without doubt the best classic trial in France. The site, sections, ride round and weather all make it. Mark it down for next year, but get in early. Next up is the trial in Saint Feliu Spain, look out for the Video of that, another must do on the hit list...

Or just to complicate things you could do what they do here in France at one big trial introduce a handicap With twinshocks, Pre 80 every mark you lose stays as such, Post 80 every mark you lose costs 1 1/2 marks , the last two posts are just examples how other countries do things.. I let those reading make there own judgement on both.

I don t know really. I guess so all the early Montesa's Bultaco's Yamaha 434 etc etc all play together on an easy route, and then the first SWM, later Bultaco's Montesa's Green Ossa's and a few I have forgotton can play together on a harder route. Of course you can always enter your pre 75 in the harder class if you wish and play with the later bikes. What it has done has brought out a lot of inexpensive early to mid seventies bikes, and has levelled the playing field so to speak. I mentioned it to add to what Woody had said and to show it can work.

Most of the major Spanish classic trials run a similar format as described above. They run pre 65, 75, 80 classes and then everybody else .. It works fantastically well and now there are more and more early and mid seventies bikes making a return and not every other bike is Fantic or Honda. It really isn t difficult and brings the cost of being competitive down.

I bet he could nt give it back quick enough... the days when men were men ahhhh................

I have just got bigger balls and a longer action on mine... still makes my wrist ache a little if I use it too much....

Have a look at Trial MCA 16, a good trials club both modern and classic that have their own practise ground just north of Anglouleme. Couple of Brits ride there and the ground is open to ride most Sundays. Hope that helps Back to the pool while the sun lasts... from a bit further south Good luck and try and get another 200