steve

No problems, I don't think we have actually met. It's been about 10 years since I rode. There were quite a few people at the Trial I knew but an awfull lot I didn't. I wondered what people who didn't know me must have thought, with no riding gear and a knakered old twinshock. I hope I'll be riding the next trial but I've got the crankcases split apart at the moment. Hopefully I'll get the bottom end together in time, the rebore will have to wait as I can't get a piston yet. I have ridden at Duck End before (I only live a couple of miles away), it was in 1988 and it was my first clubman trial on a Fantic 240 Twinshock. I won the clubman route then, perhaps I can again on a bike of the same age some 20 years later! I look forward to trying your bike. See you soon.

Be a good project for a super trick pre 65. I bet you could modify what ever you like on that bike. Nobody will have seen another one so who could say if the wrong forks or carb are fitted!! Turn up with the wrong forks on a Tiger Cub and everyone knows.

Added my signature. Not bike related but a typical example - I recently attended a Birthday Party at a little old Pub in a village. The party was in the backroom and patio doors opened onto a patio area outside, however the landlord didn't want people outside as the guy in the house next door kept complaining about the noise - fair enough you might think but the house was a new build squeezed between the pub and a farm. I can't believe someone builds a house right next to a pub then complains about the noise!!! The pub had probably been there a hundred years!

I see, nice job. I didn't know what standard ones looked like but noticed how thick the tops were! I see the stepped piece inside the spring now.

Hi, I saw you at the last Nene Valley trial - I was the guy on a Montesa twinshock trying desperately to stop with no front brake! You may have caught me amiring the bike at the Trial. She's a beauty. A good friend of mine and an ex Nene Valley rider John Hawkins always rode RTL's long after they were competetive. I couldn't really understand why until I tried one!! I was also lucky enough to try an ex Steve Saunders works bike once - one or two did escape the crusher. Still to this day I don't think I have riden a bike with smoother suspension. Richard - Who has the other RTL? Has Bob still got his?

IKB - Those spring caps look good. But....... what do the standard one look like? Surely by making them 3mm thicker you have inreased pre tension on the springs making the clutch heavier? Talking of spring pressure, by adding shims you are not actually making the spring any weaker, just shortening it. The best way to achive what you want would be to fit lighter springs. If these aren't available, how about grinding a litttle from the side of the springs? Make the spring thinner you make it weaker.

I had a Beta shock rebuilt by Falcon once, did a good job and was still perfoming well when I sold it a couple of years later.

So who's going to email the winning bidder with the info?

Rare? - Yes Classic? - Yes Collectable? - Yes Pig Ugly? - Definately

Mick, Did you sort the brake problem out yet? If not I would check that the bearings are fully seated, perhaps there is some new paint where it shouldnt be? If the outer part of the bearing housings aren't fully seated into the recess then when you tighten the spindle the inner races will be pushing together creating lateral friction. I presume there is a spacer between the two bearings - when looking at the wheel out of the bike with brake plate removed etc... is this spacer being held tight or can it move around? If it's moving around this would indicate the bearings aren't fully seated. Hope you get it sorted - The bike looks great. Steve.

Thicker stuff can be carefully scraped and wire brushed, Carb spray isn't too bad for final cleaning.

Build a frame using thin gauge 25mm steel box section. Six uprights (one in each corner, one in the middle of the sides) Add diaganol supports from the centre uprights. Don't worry if seems a little flimsy at this stage. The front of the roof should slope for aerodynamics. The sides are best skinned with aluminimum sheet. Rivet the sheet to your framework, on the diaganol's of the sheet industrial double sided sticky tape will be ok (just stops the drumming noise). An alternative to Ali could be galvanised sheet. I bought some 8x4 Galv sheets a few years ago for just

The 8 section's at a trial is something I really dislike also. The reason for this is lack of observers. Despite offering a free ride to any rider that brings an observer NV still can't get enough for 10 sections. At the last trial they had to run 'double sub's' which therefore had an impact on queue's. I have heard the difficulty thing mentioned a few times in the past myself. I may have been a little guilty years ago when I used to set sections. Nowerdays though they are not so bad, the last trial was won on 6 lost by a bloke on a twinshock!! Only 2 sections took any marks from him - hardly what I'd call a killer eh! Also they have the 50/50 route now. They perhaps got the clubman route a little too tough though.

Hi, There is a level check screw just below the kickstart. The qty is 750cc. Have a look at the manual on todotrial - click here good luck with the bike, Steve

Well, due to lack of funds and space for my other bikes I have decided to sell the Bultaco. If anyone is interested then drop me a line. Steve

Over here it's more common to use cc and litres rather than oz. For 50-1 mix use 100cc of oil to 5 litres of petrol. (i.e. for every 50 parts of fuel use 1 part of oil) Briefly here's how to work it out. 1 litre = 1000cc. 1000cc divided by 50 (the mix ratio) = 20cc 20cc x 5 (litres of petrol) = 100cc A nice range of graduated mixing jugs are available from the Missus kitchen!! Jim, I don't live far from you (Kettering) and am trying to get my Montesa sorted. Don't be shy and introduce yourself if you see me at any Trials.

Tom, sorry about that. I stand by my opinion that a 300 Gasser is too much for a beginner but then that is only my opinion and what do I know! I have never seen you ride so shouldn't make judgements about your ability. I am pleased that you like your bike and well done for the progress you have made so far.

This is advice from somebody who posted - "Does anyone have any tips (no matter how basic) for making the bike grip better in slippery conditions?"

Crikey, that's a tricky one. Firstly how slow was the dealer that he couldn't hit the kill switch before it siezed! I bet we've all started our bikes at one time or another with the cable unseated after a crash - I certainly have on many occasions - however it only takes a second to kill the engine. I have seen engines carry on screaming even with spark plug caps removed as carbon etc.. glows and kind of provides it's own ignition. The only thing to do is turn off the petrol and wait!! This would not happen to a new engine. I wonder if there is more to the strory than the dealer is letting on. Components at risk of damage would be cylinder and piston, main bearings & crankshaft assy. I am suprised the cylinder didn't incur any damage if the piston siezed in it. If you are really serious about buying it would the dealer be prepared to remove the cylinder head for inspection of the cylinder? It is not too big a job on a two stroke, if he refuses - why? However if all checks out then I would expect to pay a bit more than a second hand model of the same age, after all the rest of the bike is 100%, so somewhere between the lowest new price for an old model and highest used price! I would imagine the dealer is selling a cost.

Thought I would update you on the 'lack of' progress so far!! The airbox cover is still a problem. For those that haven't seen one it's a plastic screw on cap about 5" diamater. Fed up with battling against the language barrier trying to get one from Spain I bought some 8mm ali plate to make a temporary lid from. I drove over to my Dad's to use his lathe Sat PM but had to spend a hour fixing it first! I spent ages making a mandrel to mount the ali then carefully turned the outer diameter. The lathe is a nice Cincinnati and Dad must have had it about 30 years but has never cut a screw thread so I was on my own. I saw my Grandad do it quite easily on this very Lathe about 20 years ago, he was 82 years old and could hardly see!!. How hard could it be? After quite some time messing with levers I got the thing cutting at the correct pitch on a test piece. On went the lid and taking a little at a time I cut my first ever thread. It looked a treat and Dad was surprised I managed it on a piece of Ali only 8mm wide. All was looking good and the next step was to skim some material off the thickness to lighten it. First however I had to just check the box would screw onto the lid. Problem - It wouldn't go at all, I re checked my measurements and then it dawned on me - I'd only gone and turned a bloody left hand thread on it!!!!!!! Now I remember Grandad telling me - Turn the tool upside down and run the lathe in reverse if you want to cut away from the chuck. No more Ali and no time and throughly fed up I had to call it a day.

Lol - Reading down the post thinking, oh this guys got some helpfull advise. I get to the bottom and think perhaps I'll give this method a miss!!

Pops? Floaters? Zaps? - Are we still talking about Trials? I made a video myself a few years ago for a bit of fun - check it out

Nice one, thanks for sharing it with us.

I was going to go but unfortunately can't make it now. I was looking forward to catching up with some old frinds and seeing some of our best talent in action. I did ride at Seymore's a few times, an old friend Rod Nicholas used to live nearby, is he still involved with the club?

I fitted one to an old Transit I had serveral years ago. The basic fittment was fairly straight forward and once working was absolutley fantastic. On a freezing cold day having finished a tough national it was great to climb into a warm van to srip and change - beats trying to balance on your shoes outside the car with wind and rain lashing against you. By the time you've got your clean clothes on they have draped all across the floor and look as dirty as your riding gear! The biggest problem with my heater though, it was 24v!! I had to do some pretty complicated wiring to run 2 batteries in series whilst in use, but switch to parallel whilst traveling to charge at 12v with a split relay! Despite insulating mine and fitting away from the bed it still used to wake me every time it cut in if you had to keep it on overnight. Make sure you put the control panel so you can reach it from bed (if you have sleeping). I used to wrap up warm with good sleeping bag and duvet and only put the heater on in the morning.