big john

Yes indeed Hewson. The 199A has a different mounting, it goes inside the bracket on the swingarm, the 199B has a clevis mount which fits around the outside of the bracket on your bike, see catalogue shot attached! The 199B has a much more snaked appearance and the foot is a final "swage" of the tubing. Come on Legs..get some proper 199B side stands knocked up, I'll buy a couple off you!!!! Warning, the Bultaco shown is not fitted with the UK spec alloy fuel tank for the purists and rivet counters out there, but is fitted with the headlight mask and rear light! Big John

OTF, Rivet counting coming up... Bultaco did a near side brake pedal in alloy fitted to earlier models before the switch to right side braking (a US requirement), I have a couple here that I will use on my 199B's but as the Dabster bike has a special swinging arm (al la Comerfords) the standard pedal will not fit as it's too long. Fitting the brake to the nearside or leftside and shifter to right, gives a much more positive "feel" to the rear brake (right Snr. Greeves?) As for the tank that's the UK alloy version absolutely correct for a UK spec 199B as Comerfords had them made for the job, so's the bike could be used in the SSDT and UK road based trials. EEU and home Spanish versions had the plastic (and later fiberglass) tanks fitted. Big John

DOT's are not my speciality I'm afraid. The early DOT comp bikes were called TD I think short for "Trials Dot". There is a lengthy chapter on DOTs in Don Morley's book Classic Two Stroke trials bikes. Fromthe photos there are a couple of rigid bikes numbers visible: ECF 842 MET 517 He lists a couple of rigid factory registrations as well as KNB 904 & NRJ 802 from that era. Big John

I know side stands are unavailable at the moment, but doesn't Dave Renham do seats for 199B? Big John edited to add; Nice Sherpa, well done! Pity you used a Sammy brake pedal, the alloy originals look better (IMHO)

I would take off the Hydrobag units, place them in a safe place (preferably in a suitable box) until one day you need them for restroration or whatever. Get a new pair of useable shocks so thta you can enjoy riding your Montesa. Big John

Hi Trickmicky, I posted in (Blast from the past 1982 SSDT) about that incident, it happened on the Blackwater path, I actually came across Alan walking towards me and I should OK!, he just waved me on and shortly after I crested a rise on the path and there on the left side was the bulk of the bike and on the other side lay the front end! That would be 1977 then! In short (as I have mentioned in the other thread), they put a fence post through the front part of the frame, started the bike and two guys "walked" the main section under power in first gear pulling the throttle cable and basicaly let it idle in bottom, another "wheel-barrowed" the front end back! Big John

Don't see why these fitments should, after all how many pre65 bikes had chain tensioners on the final drive? Big John

Spectator: Graham F Smith, Hawick (Scottish Champion 1981) by any chance? Big John

Couldn't agree more Outlaw Dave, long time no speak. I read Tony's site regularly and find it fascinating! Keep up the good work. Big John

Nice one GQ!!! Absolutely correct, I didn't actually look at the bikes as I was too busy looking at the programme. How sloppy could I be? Must admit I got a bit over excited with the Bultaco 198B in the first photo. Walter Dalton had entered on a Fantic and then swapped bikes to the 198B, as for the rest I pretty much glanced over them, concentrating on the rider moreso! (I now think that the 198B is actually a Comerford one, prepared by Reg May himself as Walter and Reg were good friends, also the swinging arm is just the very same as the 340 I bought from Dabster recently, over to you "Legs" if you are reading this thread!) Having said all that I will award you the distinction of proving me wrong here on TC, Baldi old pal, well done indeed! I no doubt will never hear the end of it if I am involved "on the radio" in May. Good idea, take the new born Quinn up to Scotland, the sooner the bairn hears the noise of a motorbike, the better!!! Oh my God, I'm beginning to sound like Ralph Venables! Big John

Anybody seen any UFO's lately? Last I saw would be 10 years ago now... Big John

Just discovered this thread. 2/4 if it was "N" registered it would be one of the first models to find it's way to Scotland dated as being registered between August 1st 1974 and July 31st 1975 so I would hazard a guess that it was a 1975 bike. Malcolm Rathmell rode a prototype in the 1975 SSDT. I think the very first 348 supplied to a Scots rider was Ian Baird from Edinburgh and at the time the most expensive trials bike as it topped

Steve, you are very welcome, I do hope that once again you will be in a position to join us over here in Scotland for another ride round Alvie Estate on a twin-shock or Pre65 bike and if possible join in the fun at Robregordo another great event which you would enjoy immensely! Big John

Could be a TLM carb, definately off a two stroke bike! Big John Try here for some tech advice! http://www.classictrial.co.uk/honda.html

It's a can of worms!!! Big John

I have to agree the aroma of Castrol R is something you never forget! Big John

Definately not the original carb for that model of RTL250S, it's probably off a two-stroke trail bike! Big John

OTH... the Matchless I can understand, but the lawnmower!? Does Mrs. OTH know that you get up to this sort of perverse activity??? Big John

Come to think of it, didn't the first 348 Malcolm Rathmell Replica Montesas not have a nasty habit of breaking at the headstock? Seem to remember one on Blackwater, 1977 SSDT sheared in half. I think the rider was a guy called Alan Blood (anybody in TC land know him?). I think he went back up the next day to recover the bike with two other guys and they walked the bike off the moor. They rigged it up by reconnecting the throttle cable and putting a fence post through the frame , started the bike, selected bottom gear and drove it off, with the other guy pushing the front forks and wheel like a wheel barrow! Big John

I've personally nothing against Triumph Tiger Cubs either, just it would be boring if we all rode a Cub at Kinlochleven. Don't you mean "Metisse - (which in French means mongrel "Matisse" was the artist), as produced by Rickman Brothers of New Milton, when did they produce a trials Metisse? I know Steve Wilson rode a Bultaco Metisse in the SSDT in 1973 but that's a bit late for Pre65? Of course they did make moto-cross frames (that's scrambles to the elderly) before 1965 but not a trials bike...to my knowledge. I stand corrected if anyone can prove different? Considering Sammy Miller himself worked for Rickman's (the then Bultaco concessionaires, prior to Comerfords) when he developed the Bultaco Sherpa in 1964, I would find it difficult to comprehend that the Rickmans developed a trials bike and made it commercially available to the public before 1965! Interesting one... Big John

Simple, BSA didn't make them until 1969! Big John

Exactly!... It was an American style peak, similar to the Duck Bill type, but more downward pointing and had a flip down visor built in, which broke off, hence the Scott goggles (made in Sun Valley, Idaho) on top of the helmet. the paek may have been made by Baruffaldi, all the rage in motocross around the 1976/77 era. I bought it at Motorite Comp Shop, Hook Road, Surbiton, Surrey. At that time it was jointly owned by John Wright and Vic Allan. Does anybody remember Motorite? Big John

Just for those who are interested in the old days!... The first black and white shot is Bernie Schreiber in 1977 on Kilmonivaig, near Spean Bridge, the only time the Scottish used that section. The second photo (black and white) is Charles Coutard in 1976 on Edramucky, the first day "terror" near Killin just down the road from what is now the Ben Lawers visitor centre. The first sub of Edramucky was quite hard, the second or top sub was a fair bit easier (must have been because I cleaned it in 1977!) Big John Here's Big John (250 Bultaco, lubricated by Bel-Ray Total Performance Racing Lubricant at 75:1) on Kilmonivaig, not riding it as professionally as Schrieber! Same year... The "man himself" Samuel Hamilton Miller and the first model 10 now referred to in Spain as the "Model Sammy Miller"

Here's another: Martin lampkin 1978/BenNevis

Each to their own Rosey...OK I know you seem to be an opinionated type of guy, but as long as you don't slag them off, I don't mind! You going back to Robregordo in May then? Big John (Bulto Boy)