January 30, 20242 yr Hi, I got a project starting soon to rebuild my old Sherpa T, it's in bits and is missing the exhaust and seat (possibly more) and the engine needs bigends done. Are parts available for these bikes any more? Cheers.
January 30, 20242 yr Author 20 minutes ago, majesty said: https://www.inmotiontrials.com/product-category/parts/twinshock/bultaco/ Thats great! Cheers, had no idea there was soo much available. The old girl will live again.......
January 31, 20242 yr Author The bike in question has a one piece alloy tank seat unit, does anyone know what years they were from?
January 31, 20242 yr They were replacements for the slimline one piece fibreglass tank/seat unit. Fitted from 1973 - 75 in UK only due to fibreglass tanks being banned for road use
January 31, 20242 yr Author Thanks, What would be the things to lookout for before starting? ie what are the weak parts of the bike or things that will be expensive/hard to fix? The bike is in a box at the moment with the engine partially stripped. I used to own the bike when I was a late teen, sold it to a friend who moved away and sadly died some time later just as he was starting to restore the machine. The family have offered it back to me as no one wants to put it back together so I have taken it on as a project. It's been a long time since I worked on the bike and remember bits of the primary drive and frame layout. Looking forward to it but not sure if just buying a ready to run bike would be cheaper? Will get some pictures up when I get a closer look at it.
January 31, 20242 yr 7 minutes ago, halfway said: Looking forward to it but not sure if just buying a ready to run bike would be cheaper? Loads of parts still available, but a word of warning : they ain't cheap. Get ready to load the money pistol.........
January 31, 20242 yr Author 30 minutes ago, lorenzo said: Loads of parts still available, but a word of warning : they ain't cheap. Get ready to load the money pistol......... So it might have to be a long term project! How hard is it to road register them if no log book etc? Lots of trails around but need to hop on the road to make use of them.
January 31, 20242 yr For a full engine rebuild it will top £600 in parts plus cost of crank build and rebore. If it needs a primary chain you'll have to source one from outside UK as there are non here. The cycle parts will also add cost but it depends on how far you want to go in terms of finish - eg: you don't have to get frame repainted but to do it could be between £100 and £200 depending on finish, powder coat, sprayed, enamelled etc. Fork chrome, chrome in hubs, state of wheels, tyres, cables, bars. levers etc etc. You can easily be up to £1500 in rebuild costs depending on what needs doing and how far you go. Plus the cost of the actual bike unless you're being given it. If you're doping it to keep and use the cost doesn't really come into it but should you need to sell it on it's unlikely you'd get all of your outlay back. They have a ceiling in terms of what they're really worth. To buy a bike, there are loads of Sherpas for sale but the asking prices for many are way over value which is why most have been on sale for months and years, some people asking between £2-3000 for something really worth about £1000, sometimes less. Some of them look ok but when you actually examine closely, things like the tyres, shocks etc they aren't any use for trials riding, similarly the engine might run but need attention, hub linings, cables might all need attention, exhaust repacking, so more outlay on what's an overpriced ornament in the first place. There are decent bikes out there, you just have to be carefull in what you buy For registering, was it ever registered originally? If so there is a facebook page 'vin to reg' who will use the frame number to find the original reg number if there is one, if they do you then just apply for the V5 using a V62. If there is no trace you have to go through the new registration process and apply for an age related plate as a historic vehicle. Lots of info on this in the Road Legal forum
January 31, 20242 yr Author The bike is free and really plan to use and keep it, probably won't try to make it perfect but will get it back to mechanically sound even if it doesn't look amazing. If I end up really liking it then the cosmetics could be looked at, frame coating, spraying etc. From memory I enjoyed riding it before, I went from a DT175MX to the Sherpa and had a hoot, and the only thing that sticks in my mind as akward was the brake gear change sides. I drive a more modern bike as well so sure that will be a shock to remember what side is what. Did later models go to left foot gear change? Edited January 31, 20242 yr by halfway
January 31, 20242 yr They fitted a through shaft for the gear change in 1975 on the new M158/159 models, giving the option of a left hand gear change. To have the brake pedal on the right needed a cable to operate the brake but there was no provision on the frames to mount one so owners would have had to sort their own. In 1977 with the M198/199 model Bultaco released them from the factory with left hand gear change and right hand brake with cable - owners could still change to right hand gear change and left hand brake if they wanted to
February 4, 20242 yr Author On 1/31/2024 at 6:18 PM, woody said: They fitted a through shaft for the gear change in 1975 on the new M158/159 models, giving the option of a left hand gear change. To have the brake pedal on the right needed a cable to operate the brake but there was no provision on the frames to mount one so owners would have had to sort their own. In 1977 with the M198/199 model Bultaco released them from the factory with left hand gear change and right hand brake with cable - owners could still change to right hand gear change and left hand brake if they wanted to Left hand gear change would have been better for sure. Wonder if it's possible to mod the gear change and brake, with a shaft across the frame for gear change?
February 4, 20242 yr 28 minutes ago, halfway said: Left hand gear change would have been better for sure. Wonder if it's possible to mod the gear change and brake, with a shaft across the frame for gear change? I would challenge the idea that it's "better" ; right side brake would operate by cable - definitely not better in terms of feel or effectiveness. Modification : anything is possible with the necessary skills and financial wherewithall, but why would you even bother ? It's an old bike ; just accept it and enjoy it for what it is. On 1/31/2024 at 10:27 AM, halfway said: I used to own the bike when I was a late teen Did you struggle with left foot brake / right foot gearchange, and did you consider changing over control sides when you last owned it ? Why not retrain your brain and feet to operate the bike as it is - definitely the more practical (and cheaper) option ! Edited February 4, 20242 yr by lorenzo
February 4, 20242 yr 23 minutes ago, lorenzo said: Did you struggle with left foot brake / right foot gearchange, and did you consider changing over control sides when you last owned it ? Why not retrain your brain and feet to operate the bike as it is - definitely the more practical (and cheaper) option ! You can do like I do and continuously ride the rear brake 😆 hard on the brake pads but at least you never lose track of where the brake pedal is.
February 4, 20242 yr Author 33 minutes ago, lorenzo said: I would challenge the idea that it's "better" ; right side brake would operate by cable - definitely not better in terms of feel or effectiveness. Modification : anything is possible with the necessary skills and financial wherewithall, but why would you even bother ? It's an old bike ; just accept it and enjoy it for what it is. Did you struggle with left foot brake / right foot gearchange, and did you consider changing over control sides when you last owned it ? Why not retrain your brain and feet to operate the bike as it is - definitely the more practical (and cheaper) option ! You are right and if the bike was sitting outside and ready to play on I wouldn't stop to consider it. But it is in a box of bits in someone elses garage at the moment, and if it turns out it is really expesive to get running again then it may take a few years before it is good to play on. So is it worth putting back together? Is it worth doing a mod as a challenge while it sits on the bench waiting for money and parts? Did I enjoy it when I had it 30 years ago? Yes and it was fine when you got used to driving right foot gear change. Hoping from other bikes back and forth it was a bit hard and many a clutchless knock down a gear happened along with lots of rear wheel lock ups at unexpected times. It was the riding both regularly that was hard. Seem to remember that we fitted the gear pedal so it was sticking almost straight up in the air so you couldn't change gear without lifting your foot right off the peg and pushing forward or pulling back to change, that way you remained aware a bit better.
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