gautrek

Well I will be going if I can source or get modified an output bearing for my Burman box. The only bearings I can find are too big. For those who don't know its an English size bearing with a metric bore.

I'll try to meet you this time unlike the Talmag. We are staying in the pub the night before.

Anybody here doing this trial this year? Myself and around 8 others from my VMCC section are doing it again. I'm on my 37 Panther.

Its either a very nice sought after bike which will be lots of fun to ride. Or a Cub which was poor when it was new and hasn't got much better over the years. Or to put it another way a nice 500cc single to plod around town on or a 200cc single you will have to thrash the nuts off to be anywhere near safe in modern traffic. Its no contest

HHHMMM lets see this or a Cub. Well thats easy. Why would any sane person buy a Cub?

Try this blog mate http://oldnailsandswarf.blogspot.co.uk/2014/01/bantam-improving-part-two-contains.html

Yes mate I have my van space sorted already. Plus the Premier Inn is only about 5 mins away so its a very nice set up for us coming over the night before. Its not as good as the Arbuthnot trial as we stop in the pub where its starts which is even better.

Well I must say what a brilliant day out it was. Even though I was soaked to the skin by about 1 o'clock. I managed to finish around 3-30 in the sun. I bet they will buy a cray supercomputer to work my score out as I didn't manage to get round most of the sections after about section 8 on the first lap. I didn't start until about 10-50 and just saw the back of Jons head as I attempted to go over and talk to him as he rode off at the start. I did think the wait at the start was just long enough to get soaking wet and freezing cold before you began. I do need to sort my gearbox out and stop it dropping out of gear in second. This meant that most climbs were either 1st of 3rd gear which meant neither gear was right. I will drop a smaller sprocket on the back for next year as my bike is so low geared it was a bit unsuitable for this trial. The old man's route I did wasn't too tight so I should be able to get away with more speed for the long climbs. I did also get lost looking for section 15 and ended up riding around with a 5 others for a while. Us girder fork guys had a laugh as we all seemed to clump together for most of the first lap. I managed to clean section 8 (the long climb with the sand half way up) first time round but by the second lap the side cars had dug a trench across near the top which meant next to nobody could get up. But I cleaned about 5 sections before the conditions made it a bit impossible for me and my limited skills. Its a shame that it rained so much. I think in the dry the old man's route wouldn't have been too bad to go round as early on there seemed to be lots of grip everywhere. But I didn't go there expecting to worry the leader board. I just went for the day. So all in all a brilliant event. Oh and as I said to my mate at the start. Modern events just don't have the same noise in the pits do they. Give me "proper" bikes any day. I did like the T120 sidecar outfit and it sounded lovely as it went round. The T120 outfit Come in number 77. very nice T100 triumph. We couldn't work out what gearbox it was The first video i have seen on you tube. I'm about 3 mins in on the red tanked bike. stopping half way up hungry hill.

I have polished my bash plate and the soles of my boots for when I'm upside down under the bike. I do want to look my best for the camera as well :-)

I'm on the red panther in the girder class No 143 . Just above werner on his jappette.

are you number 77 mate?

Is anyone going to this. I have got a ride on my Panther this year. So I can show my self up in front of a crowd. It may be a bit beyond my limited skills. But you will never know unless you try.

I will copy them and drop them round his place. He has a PC but I don't know if he uses it. But his other half does. I'll sort his phone number out for you if you are interested as he has moved since the last time I saw him.

I have sad news with regard Pete. He had a fairly big stoke a few years ago and is still suffering from its effects. He was still riding his Levis up until 2012 but he was suffering with badly arthritic knees in the last year he rode. The last time I spoke with him was last summer and he was walking around with a walking stick and his hand was not so badly claw like . But he is fairly poorly. This shot was taken in 2012 at stainby and it is the "new" 350 he had just built as his 600 was getting to be a bit of hand full for him. This bike was bought by another rider and is still being used in our trial championships

Here are some more James bikes. Martin Callcott on his james Joe Wills on his Gas James Martin Hazelwood on his And finally our very own trickymicky (Mick Ash) on his

I don't think its pre war as the frame looks wrong. I think its the same frame and forks as the 47 bike you have in the previous photo. But fitted with a Sloper Red Panther engine as people seem to like the earlier engines more.

They are riding in our trial championship in Leicestershire. here is Mark Wills on his 1951 500 Triumph Which he tried to use as a Submarine on the Arbuthnot trial 2 years ago. Every one was warned not to go through the puddles. But he chose it ignore this and ended up with just his handlebars above water. His Lad then followed him in on his James. Here is Pete Monk on his 50 ish 500cc trophy. This broke its frame a couple of trials ago and had to have major welding under the front of the engine area here is Roger Gagg on his on his 1949 500CC . With a generator engine fitted here is Micky Allen who occasionally rides in our events on his 1962 350cc Triumph All these bikes look and sound great

here you go a shot of a pre war Panther Stroud. I do like the holes on the mudguard stays. This is taken at the factory in Cleckheaton in 1946

Oh and I am riding as no12 on my Panther

Another Video from The Taverners section. held at Rileys Railway on 1-12-2013. our courses are laid out for pre 57 bikes. So "Big bangers" still compete