brt650 Posted March 3, 2009 Report Share Posted March 3, 2009 Hello Everyone. New here. Now It's probably a stupid way to start my time here. But to me it's a valid question. I don't mean as in race. I mean which bike would you prefer and do you have experience on both bikes. Why I hear you ask? Well I'll tell you. My mates and I are competing in the Vintage Twinshock trials this year. In Aus. I jumped in first and bought a Italjet 350T. 1983 I think. It's greeen anyway. And heavy. 101 Kg's. My mate bought a Sherpa T 1976 250 first. When he rode my bike he liked the low down grunt. He has now bought a 1981 Sherpa T 350. A blue one. Now it weigh's 93 Kg's. I like my bike don't get me wrong. But when I rode the Sherpa T wow it turn's nice. It appears to have more pick-up too. But my bike has been fitted with a reed valve. I don't know if that is the difference or not. He call's my bike the Mack truck. It doesn't stop for anything. Do I now buy a Sherpa T ? To keep up with him or can I be competitive on the Italjet. We have been riding for a while together and I'd have to say we are on par with each other as far as skill goes. Very little that is. We both fall off about the same time. I thank you all for your time and thought's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wherry Posted March 3, 2009 Report Share Posted March 3, 2009 Do I now buy a Sherpa T ? To keep up with him or can I be competitive on the Italjet. You can be competitive on the (2mins 50secs).I think you'll find that most people back in the day didn't like them very much though as there were much better bikes available like the Fantics for example. I rode one for a bit in the mid '80s and always quite liked it, although as you say it was a heavy old lump. But plenty of go after a TY175! If I was riding twinshock now I'd definitely consider one just because it's different and because it's GREEEN! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psla Posted March 3, 2009 Report Share Posted March 3, 2009 - if you want to be competitive, buy a new bike. - if you like classic trials, ride the bike you like. - it doesn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hop blip and a jump Posted March 3, 2009 Report Share Posted March 3, 2009 Just get some shady practice in on the side, without telling your mate, then whoop his ass at the next trial!!!! Then you can tell him he should be on an italian stallion!!! Bultacos are like noses??? Everyones got one!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobtlr Posted March 3, 2009 Report Share Posted March 3, 2009 hey, idd a bultaco 350 is a verry nice bike but i would go for the b 40 in the videoclip sorry like 4 strokes i have a 350 t and liked that bike a lot but a tlr (wat i have now) steers a lot better and is a bit lighter. still any later twinshock is a good bike just ride wat you like most regards bob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jse Posted March 3, 2009 Report Share Posted March 3, 2009 Hello Everyone. New here. Now It's probably a stupid way to start my time here. But to me it's a valid question. I don't mean as in race. I mean which bike would you prefer and do you have experience on both bikes. Why I hear you ask? Well I'll tell you. My mates and I are competing in the Vintage Twinshock trials this year. In Aus. I jumped in first and bought a Italjet 350T. 1983 I think. It's greeen anyway. And heavy. 101 Kg's. My mate bought a Sherpa T 1976 250 first. When he rode my bike he liked the low down grunt. He has now bought a 1981 Sherpa T 350. A blue one. Now it weigh's 93 Kg's. I like my bike don't get me wrong. But when I rode the Sherpa T wow it turn's nice. It appears to have more pick-up too. But my bike has been fitted with a reed valve. I don't know if that is the difference or not. He call's my bike the Mack truck. It doesn't stop for anything. Do I now buy a Sherpa T ? To keep up with him or can I be competitive on the Italjet. We have been riding for a while together and I'd have to say we are on par with each other as far as skill goes. Very little that is. We both fall off about the same time. I thank you all for your time and thought's. I've had both the Italjet and Sherpa-T 350s in the past and although I would choose, for my riding style, the Sherpa for competitive results, I had more than a lot of fun on the Italjet too. I agree that you should ride the bike you like. The success of the bike will depend, in part, on how well you take care of it and how much time you are willing to spend on setting it up correctly and/or making any creative modifications necessary, within your class rules, to correct shortcomings. For instance, the Bul's I rode in the 70's were lacking wet weather braking ability and Trials organizers then seem to like to put long steep hills right after creek crossings just for fun. The Bul hubs had chromed linings so I machined out the lining and shrunk in a steel liner and had some sintered iron (GM Corvette racing had just released them to the public) brake lining material bonded to the Bul shoes and then arched to fit the diameter of the hubs. They worked perfect wet or dry. The difference in "more pick-up" between your bike and the Bul, I would guess, is probably, in part, a result of overall mechanical condition and tuning, rather than just the reed valve (reed valves allow more advanced cylinder porting spec.'s with less loss of low-end response). Jon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brt650 Posted March 3, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 3, 2009 Thankyou eneryone for your comments, Private pratice-I like that. I like to be different too. The bike has Classic Falcon rear shocks on it. I'll check the length.They are 340mm long .It also has a Yamaha TY350 front wheel assembly fitted. The one with spokes that run from side to side. It has me thinking , I could buy my mate a cake everytime I see him.That could even up the weight thing. The bully seems to have wider bars. Mine are 530mm. I have taken some photo's. I'll read up on how to post them Thanks again brt650 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brt650 Posted March 3, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 3, 2009 Ok ok I didn't get the photo's up , but I did get my avatar working. If you must know it's my mum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swooshdave Posted March 4, 2009 Report Share Posted March 4, 2009 Ok ok I didn't get the photo's up , but I did get my avatar working. If you must know it's my mum. More picture of your mum, less of the bike. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swooshdave Posted March 4, 2009 Report Share Posted March 4, 2009 The Bul hubs had chromed linings so I machined out the lining and shrunk in a steel liner and had some sintered iron (GM Corvette racing had just released them to the public) brake lining material bonded Wouldn't the sintered brake lining material be for drum brakes? Corvettes (especially racing ones) had disk brakes since the early 60s. Rear brakes on racing Camaros were drums. Maybe that's what they were from. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jse Posted March 4, 2009 Report Share Posted March 4, 2009 Wouldn't the sintered brake lining material be for drum brakes? Corvettes (especially racing ones) had disk brakes since the early 60s. Rear brakes on racing Camaros were drums. Maybe that's what they were from. Oops, wrong model. Yep. The Vette's switched to disc's in 1965, I think it was Zora's Spirit possessing my keystrokes. The guys at the brake shop did our machine work on brakes and flywheels for the drag cars at the time and they had a set of these weird drum linings from GM that had square pads of the sintered iron bonded on rather than a single strip on the shoe. It looked quite brittle but proved to be strong and I talked them into making up a set for my Bul. I was worried about extreme wear on the liner but none was noted in the time I had the bike. Jon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swooshdave Posted March 4, 2009 Report Share Posted March 4, 2009 I wouldn't expect much wear. There's a huge difference between the amount of pressure that can be applied by hand vs. hydraulic. But seriously, were are the pics of the lad's mum? Barring that maybe the bike... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brt650 Posted May 23, 2009 Author Report Share Posted May 23, 2009 (edited) Hello again, Just an update on the Italjet 350T V's Bully 199a . I beat my mate twice now.I won C grade and my mate got 2nd.So there the cheap Italjet conquers the mighty Bully. Now before anyone get's upset with that statement. I have gone and bought a 159 Sherpa T.It needs a major birthday and it's getting it. The frame has been sand blasted and powder coated . I have ordered new spokes , rod kit , gaskets and the the like from Bultaco UK. Gee that pete at Bultaco UK is a fantastic bloke to deal with.Nothing is a problem.The forks , rims,engine cases , hubs are out getting polished. I have to get the correct tank and seat.As someone fitted an early tank (1971) and what looks like a dodgy seat. Well that's an update. Please don't tell me that maybe I have more ability than my riding buddy.As my helmet just fit's my fat head as it is. I'll keep you all posted. Cheers Brt650 Edited May 23, 2009 by brt650 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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