16cs ajs

As per my original post in this thread, I've been trying to determine the year of manufacture, of this particular Dougie Lampkin replica. The current owner thinks it's an 03, but he's not sure & it's not registered. The frame number is A02E308445. Any ideas, guidance much appreciated chaps. The trials dealer RAS have similiar models for sale, so a visit there may well be informative. Mike.

Thanks chaps for all your replies, views & advice. To answer The Dabster, I live in God's own trials county, Yorkshire, where men are men & women are glad of it. Fortunately there are plenty of trials clubs & challenging terrain. Consequently older trials bikes may have been battered over rocks with subsequent damage to peripherals & plastics. The Lampkin replica that I have seen is no exception. The dogbone bushes or bearings require replacing & the plastics are tired. All of which are, I imagine, still available? I get the impression from various threads that the 315R benefits from better construction & build quality than its period contemporaries, hence a reasonable buy for a "mature clubman." Thanks again guys.

Hi. I've been offered a 315R D.R Replica, in reasonable condition for £1500. As my knowledge of "modern" trials bikes extends no further than my air cooled RTL four stroke, I would appreciate some info, data on the strengths, weaknesses of this model? Reading previous threads it seems that the 315R is still a popular choice, with reasonable potential & good build quality. Are spares still available? What's different from the base model compared with the D.R. replica? 314R/315R comparison? Cheers chaps. Mike.

Mayhap the Edinburgh Club have taken a leaf out of the Indoor World Championship's book & introduced a wild card entry? Wild being the operative adjective! Should be a fascinating spectacle watching Guy trying to ride slowly. He'll definitely raise the profile of this classic event. Might even be worthy of a mention in MCN & similiar "rags?" That would be novel.

Hi Acot56, Re your request for help, with a collection of "classics" such as yours, you surely need it! One Cub is surely enough for anyone and I am an owner, but mine's a trials cub. If you have a Tigress/Sunbeam engines trials bike, then you have what may well be a uniquely interesting surviving example of what might have been a successful trials bike. One answer to your enquiry will be found in Deryk's ORRe, to be found on this site, which I heartily endorse & recommend to you. If you can source a copy of Don Morley's Classic British Trials Bikes, you will have perhaps the best reference source available. If necessary, I will photocopy the relevant pages & post them off to you. My choice re your little twin would be an update & make over to be suitable for classic trials. Good luck & enjoy. You will be inundated with questions about your antiquity, should you get it out in any competition. Enjoy.

It's usually the mild steel central collector box that requires renewal due to internal corrosion, as mine did. These are relatively easy to replicate. Reproducing the stylized HRC into the outer face of the silencer will be a challenge. To eliminate the inner face of the alloy silencer being worn through by contact with the outer edge of the tyre, it would be beneficial to weld on a doubling plate, or increase the offset of the mounting bracket to avoid contact. Good luck.

TMX somewhat ambiguously says "in the afternoon." In previous years it has commenced at 3.00 p.m.

Andy, The fact that a 2014 bike had screwed fasteners that could not be dismantled conventionally, would seriously concern me. It's only experienced one winter. I think I'd systematically dismantle as many components as possible and apply copperslip or molybdenum disulphide based grease. Swinging arm & engine removal are much more of a chore with seized fasteners, removal of both being predictable. I thought build quality had improved, over the years.

When I bought my RTL back in the 80s, it came with an HRC manual. It describes a complex method of measuring down the inside of the fork leg to the oil meniscus. In practise, this equates to 250cc. Experimentation with plus or minus 20cc will make a significant difference. I use the recommended 10 grade fork oil. If I was able to attack the hard course (how I wish) or weighed in above 12 stone, a higher viscosity oil would be advantageous. I also use 0.5 inch long PTFE pre load spacers, above the springs, to compensate for the coil springs settling over 30 years of abuse.

Hmmm??? TTspud has invested considerable time, thought & effort into this initiative. I really do want to believe that his intentions are honourable & genuine but the mote responses I read the more concerned I become. By coincidence I have the same model of AJS, in relatively original trim and there are at least four pre 65 clubs, in the North, where I can enjoy it's traditional charms riding Clubman class. I'm never going to win any awards but then neither would I riding the Miller or Grant Ariels. History proves that reactionaries can never halt progress. Witness the Luddites. My approach is simply to enjoy riding what you have, whilst you can, deriving immense pleasure & satisfaction with kindred spirits of like mind. Ultimately the organising authorities, ACU, AMCA etc will determine the regulations & specifications & we all know how difficult they are to influence. In short, get out & enjoy the freedoms you still have. It may well not be available to us, indefinitely!

Wallo, I strongly recommend that you change that lurid yellow for the more traditional black or yellow if you are to compete in classic/pre 65 trials. That way you'll be more in keeping with ALL the other fiddle bikes entered. As both your bikes have rigid back ends, I guess you would be grafting the Rock shocks on to the front of your machines. Finally, when you are competing, take care not to bite your tongue wedged so firmly in your cheek. Nice one Wallo!

Gautrek, re your chain spit link, try this. Paint the "fish plate" white to make it more visible. Support the handlebars with tie downs from an overhead point. Place the bike on robust blocks beneath the sump guard to lift rear wheel clear of ground. Run bike in 1st, blip throttle to induce oscillations in chain tension while observing split link and carefully observe any potential rubs, particularly adjacent to any frame fixtures, tensioner etc. A thin piece of shim steel inserted behind the fish plate and then peened over both legs will prevent the fish plate legs opening up & becoming dislodged, if it does rub against anything. Good luck campaigning a Panther. You have my genuine admiration as well as the essential large spheroids required.

Shedracer, I would be fascinated to know more about that captivating video, taken at Mr Mitani's place? He must have an excellent security system. Please excuse my ignorance, but who is this lucky chap who owns multiple RTLs, and SO many other desirable exotica? It appears that all the bikes are as catalogue and mint. Exceptionally rare with any used comp bike! Re additional RTL videos, could I gently encourage you to post a video of your pride and joy, as and when, now that you have your own HRC masterpiece? ATB.

Whilst I have no first hand knowledge of the effectiveness of Bulto cable operated rear brakes, there is no good reason that a cable rear brake should not work satisfactorily. Many British sports twins of the 50/60s utilised them, such as BSA A7SS. I have a Cotton 37A with a cable rear brake, that has plenty of feel and passes MOT. Period cable front brakes work with reduced hand pressure. Perhaps, as previously suggested, it's some inherent design issue within the shoe mechanism, rather than the cable.

As always Deryk, your retrospective, first hand experiences, provoke contemplation of the past and concern for the future. With the inevitable passage of time, we have to accept change, however painful. I well remember admiring Pete Robson, manfully riding his girder rigid Levis through sections at Scarborough 2 day & Yorks Classic Captain's trial, while I took the easier option of riding a Cub or Cotton. How many girder rigids or genuine, springer pre units are regularly seen in competition now? As the experienced older riders, understandably now chose to compete on progressively lighter more nimble bikes, witnessed by the recent proliferation of trick Bantams and younger entrants prefer high spec two strikes, I fear for the future of larger capacity four strikes. Some clubs, such as YCMCC & Poachers, strive to encourage pre units, with limited success. It is certainly no fault of "Sam the Man" who stayed faithful to large capacity pre units in particular & 4 strikes in general that current classic trials and their classes favour trick, lightweights at the expense of proper pre 65s! We can only hope that everything goes in cycles. However my bet would be the growth of twin shocks and air cooled monos, for a host of depressing but sadly irrefutable reasons, including price, availability & suitability to increasingly harder sections. On this occasion, I really would like to be proven wrong. Time, as they say, will tell.