big john

Motorcycle Trials is classified as a motorsport. All ACU/SACU declarations are worded accordingly: Acknowledgement of the risks of motorsport: I understand that by taking part in this event I am exposed to a risk of death, becoming permanently disabled or suffering some other serious injury and I acknowledge that even in the event that negligence on the part of the ACU, the SACU, the promoter, the organising club, the venue owner, or any individual carrying out duties on their behalf were to be a contributory cause of any serious injury I may suffer, the dominant cause of any serious injury will always be my voluntary decision to take part in a high risk activity. Big John

I was alerted to this matter earlier this year when it became available on the UK Gov portal. It did not make pleasant reading. The clock is ticking towards 1st January 2018 and still no official announcement that the implementation is to be modified to allow 'status quo' to prevail or to continue type approval exemption for trials and enduro machines. Yes it will affect two sports in the UK. I don't buy into the theory that any use of 'for competition use only' will permit a motorcycle to be road registered, I reckon the very opposite will apply. Trials machines have been type approval exempt for some years, it looks very likely that will change on 1st January. Here's a thought: Try registering Valentino Rossi's GP bike for the highway and see how far you get! Big John

Sounds good to me Andy Big John

All these modified Bultacos are based on original work carried out by 'El Puma' in Spain (Puma Racing) Jose Luis Rodriguez. Big John

I would get a 24mm bore 600 series Amal. The smaller bore is ideal for these singles I have run one on my 1959 G3C long stroke in the Pre'65 Scottish for many years. I have a note of the jetting etc, but I'm not prepared to post openly on here, send me a PM and I'll let you have the settings. I use a conical filter with a rubber shield and suitable adapter. Big John

Correct up to a point 2/4, but I bought Aspen from Peter Bremner's place of work and AVGAS is not pump petrol either. There are over 200 outlets selling Aspen 2 and 4 stroke in 5ltr canisters. It's very low odour to handle, no aromatics, benzine or ethanol, I feel a lot safer with this stuff in the Batcave than pump petrol! Oh and BTW - When did you last see an SACU official test fuel in a trials bike at an event? Only drawback is the price £18.00 for 5 ltrs. Do some research on it, it is made from the higher part of the cracking and distilling process. It has been worth it from my perspective. Big John

I have most recently experienced softening of a glassfibre tank and that was using Shell V-Power nitro+ pump fuel with castrol A747. It has completely ruined a brand new, supposedly ethanol resistant tank. I did read Charlie Prescott's hobby site extolling the virtues of Aspen, but I had already researched it myself many months ago. I have purchased Aspen 4 locally, to use in both my four-stroke and two-strokes and contacted Anglo-American Fuels directly who confirmed that I can mix with any 2T oil that mixes with current pump petrol, without any issues. One guy ciontacted me and said his bike had carb freezing issues with Aspen, but that is quite common with some bikes where I stay anyway! Aspen is free from ethanol, aromatics and benzine. I don't think the separation of ethanol from pump fuel is a good idea, you are left with a quantity of contaminated water at the end of the process, where do you dispose of that in both a safe and environmentally considerate manner. Aspen is not cheap to buy, but neither are trials machine fuel tanks and fuel systems etc. I thought I was alright until I couldn't get the cap off the Bultaco tank that was depleting inside! Big John

The Bultaco Metisse - I'm not sure, it's on e-bay relisted at the moment. It was a Scottish championship winning machine a few years ago. It was owned by a very well-known Scottish motorcycle dealer and elder brother of a former double British MX champion who won on Bultaco. Big John

There is of course more to Telford show than just bikes for sale. The Model 10 Sherpa was on e-bay for weeks at £4K. It was taken to Telford in the hope that a buyer could be sourced, obviously it didn't happen. The price of motocross machinery is even higher a Model 11 Metisse that I saw a couple of weeks ago which I reckoned was worth £4K is now for sale at £7500. The Telford show is well run and not so expensive to attend. It's a fantastic social weekend, bike sales is only an element, its not the whole event. I enjoyed your company 'Greeves' Big John

Yes, a whole squad of us which makes up 'The Auld Highlanders Tour - 2016' are coming down and staying the whole weekend, we wouldn't miss this show. Mortons own it now, but it hasn't lost anything as Wrighty has been retained as a consultant. Great weekend! Big John

I am looking forward to seeing this in the metal at Telford, see you there Joe. Big John

A very good interview James. As usual, you have spent a lot of time and money to get this and I have learned much about someone I knew very little until now. I actually rode the SSDT in 1977, he was a few numbers away from me and I recall him riding behind me for quite a few miles on the run down to Killin (the only dry day in a wet week). He seemed to be taking in the scenery and never looked flustered. I hardly spoke to him as he looked so serious all the time. I knew only one thing that he didn't seem to be enjoying the SSDT. Now I know the reason why. Big John

Consider it done, but I don't post photos on TC and haven't done so for two years. Big John

I'm happy to find out more from the 'man himself' if you like? Big John

Non standard! An attempt to strengthen the top tube which was remedied by the alloy head steady assembly in 1982 on models. Big John

Hi Joe, Your inbox is full, so I have sent you an e-mail. I will be at Telford all weekend, much to do but I will try to hook up with you on the Saturday morning. Regards, Big John

This is definitely the 1975 Scottish Six Days. I have sent a message to Eric Lejeune and he admits Jean-Marie couldn't remember which year. The give away initially is the registration of the Honda entered by Sammy Miller's Honda team being N registration and Malcolm Rathmell on the pre-production 348 Montesa riding number 220. Big John

Nigel Dabster is quite correct I have such a machine, a 340 (5-speed), UK registered from new. Reg May modified the frame, but not one of the 40 Comerford Replicas which had modified frames to 'Vesty' specification. Also the swingarm on mine isn't oval section, it is rectangular section tubing and longer than standard 340 with the crankcases machined to take the swingarm pivot/engine mount which is also non-standard. Big John

A very frank interview with Ignacio Bulto on Retrorials. I had the great pleasure of having Ignacio and Oriol Puig-Bulto as guests at our Highland Classic Trial in 2013. James Brown went to a lot of effort to bring this interview to the internet. It tells the position from the Bulto family's perspective, but of course from 1979 the family were out of the picture. I am still keen to find out which was the last 340 model 199B, whether that be assembled out of spare parts bins at the Derbi factory or otherwise. Big John

It is always simple to try and blame someone or something for the demise of an entity. It all depends which 'side' you have taken because the other 'side' will undoubtedly be the target for blame. I'm sure this went on following the downfall of Bultaco in Spain. There are books on it, published by labour unions. We will probably never know the true reason for the ultimate demise of Bultaco - CEMOTO. For sure, the company was never the same post-1979 and the Bulto family had in reality nothing more to do with the day to day running of the factory. I do recall an effigy being burned, hanging from a window of the factory - that was reported in the motorcycle press at the time, but whether it was to depict Snr Bulto or someone else depends on interpretation by the reporter at the time. There was definitely unrest, the firm was broke, the workforce dissatisfied and ultimately production suffered and no new models were forthcoming. Very different from the halcyon days when Bultaco had won back-to-back world championships and sold motorcycles in their thousands. I wonder if enthusiasts of the current day manufacturers will be having this debate in 2046? Big John

2stroke4stroke, The BSA to which you refer was an ex-Bryan Povey BSA C15T, from which the original registration was sold off from the machine. I remember it well, a friend and former Scottish Trials Champion owned the bike, I begged him not to split the number from the machine, to which he asked if I wanted to buy the bike, but I didn't want it as the bike wasn't in a very good order at that time. The plate is now a 'cherished number' and the bikes history totally destroyed at the stroke of a pen! Big John

Excellent work Joe! You are getting there Big John

I'm in regular contact with Ernie Page. Ernie had a Bultaco agency through Comerfords and rode his own 340 in Lanarkshire MCC trials around 1983/84 as I was their treasurer at that time and rode my 199A 325, which I still have. I'm not sure if he still has his 340. I'll ask next time I speak with him. Big John

The thread continues to grow, along with the list of frame numbers, which is fascinating to a Bultaco enthusiast such as myself. I can back up 100% what my good friend 'Greeves' was saying about the 'Dirreccion General de Trafico', I have one from a machine that I now own. I had to exhibit that very document to the UK authorities, being the HMRC and the DVLA before the machine could be re-registered in the UK as it had been registered, from new, with the Barcelona road traffic authorities in October 1981. This helped when I was able to present the DVLA with a dating certificate from my good friends at InMotion/Bultaco UK. To whom I am again grateful to once again! This is a 340 model 199B which I now own and all formalities are fully complete. It goes to prove once again that road registered machines have a slightly higher value than those that have not been registered. I would estimate that this adds over £200 to the value of a Bultaco Sherpa. valid documents are now very high on my tick box list! The quest continues then for the highest frame/chassis number on a Bultaco Sherpa T mod.199B! Big John

By strange coincedence, I own a UK registered model 340cc 6-speed 199B motor in a 198B (250cc) frame. The original frame was destroyed in an accident, replaced with a donor 198B frame. The original frame was one of 40 modified to 'Vesty' specification by Comerfords and sold as their Vesterinen Replica. Big John