hillary

Hello, is anybody out there?

Can somebody please confirm that the Cleveland will definitely be run tomorrow. I went to the Bemrose last week and it was cancelled - quite rightly - and went to Barrow for their re-run trial this afternoon and that wasn't on, so don't want to go all the way to Castleton and find it's off. Cheers, lads.

Windlestone has got me all wrong. I've never even suggested that I want to prevent a rider from taking part in the Scottish or indeed any other trial. I've spent my whole trials riding life (42 years) encouraging folks to have a go. I want nothing more than everyone to take part. But what I am saying is that with the best will in the world, for some, the Scottish is too hard. If you have never been, or maybe have never ridden, then by all means put in an entry and try to get a ride, even if you think it will be too much. At least (if you get an entry) you will have had a go. But equally, there are those that have ridden many times and every year they are amongst the last few finishers. What I am saying is that if they won't recognise that enough is enough, then the organisers should do it for them. I'll never say that to get a ride you should have to qualify. No matter how poor you may be, give it a go, but having had that go, do accept that for some, it is too much. What really bugs me (and others) more than anything else is the rider that rushes around all week, gets to the start of the section, rides in the first few yards, takes a five and pulls out and is then off over the hillside onto the next section or moorland/road stretch to the end of the day. That is NOT doing the Scottish; doing the Scottish is queuing, walking the section, getting delay, attempting the whole section and each sub section, then moving on having made a genuine attempt at each of the day's 30 sections. Somebody out there must agree. And to the American asking how to get a ride it's simple, fill in an entry form and if accepted just turn up, probably on a hired bike from one of the UK importers who all do good deals. There's nothing particularly mysterious about riding, just do it, but be prepared for a physical, tiring week.

Nice to be an all round good egg, trouble is the egg is hard boiled. Those that know me also know that I can take any amount of stick and critical remarks are like water off a duck's back. Didn't think that my piece about the Scottish would start this off, and Highland Lassie has a very good point when she says why drop the last 30 when the 40 or so retirements get another go. To be honest, I haven't got an answer but there's no doubt that there have always been a number of riders in the trial about whom spectators say "it's time he gave it up". That doesn't mean to say they should give up trials. Let me explain a bit further. All being well, on an average day I can cope with most clubman nationals, like the Manx, Pre65 Scottish, Colonial, Cleveland, etc, but I also recognise that there are trials that are above my ability, like the Jack Wood, Alan, Bootle Presidents, Victory etc, so I don't ride those. The Scottish stragglers (strugglers) call them what you will, in their heart of hearts, know the trial is too much for them. I certainly couldn't do the Scottish again, and as I've said before, the last one was one too many. There comes a time when an individual has to recognise that they need to rethink their attitude, but unfortunately, there are some determined to persevere come what may. If they can't recognise when the time has come to call the Scottish a day, then the organisers have to do it for them. Look at this year's entry list and you'll recognise the same names that I recognise as riders who really shouldn't be in it any more. If that's hard then so be it. It comes to us all eventually. Perhaps suggesting the bottom 30 be dropped is too many, and I don't think dropping off some riders is going to make any difference to the trial not being oversubscribed. It's current success is due to the sport as a whole being popular. Bikes are great, whatever you ride, prices are reasonable, and taking part is cheap compared with any other form of motor sport. Anyway, keep the criticism coming, response for a columnist is bread and butter, pity there's not more of it.

The trial is on March 5 and is limited entry due to it having Lake District Planning Board Planning Permission. Don't know if it's full but I suspect it is as I entered over a month ago. Try Hughie Irving on 01539 724892.

In the short wheelbase Connect it has to be at an angle if the wheels are straight but it will just go in with the front wheel turned and at a bit of an angle. In the long wheelbase version it goes in dead easy straight and will take two easily or three at a pinch. Great van by the way, I've had mine from new for three years now.

Check also there's no gunge BENEATH the float needle - I had a brand new one that would not run and it was a bit of swarf under the float needle, blew that out and it was perfect for ever after.

Any results yet - can't get onto Manchester 17 website; key in manchester17mcc.org and Google can't find it.

No problem with mine, but they do start better out of gear.

Follow road signs to Hallam FM arena; parking on site for thousands of cars (not free!), night finishes about 11pm if all goes well. Takes some time to get out though, allow half an hour.

Can't understand what AtomAnt is on about, his 4RT having no fuel injection. Is he called AtomAnt because he keeps blowing things up! Haven't heard a whisper about any fuel injection problems with the bikes/riders I know about.

Most folks will know that I've ridden a 4RT since February this year. I can tell you that it has done a LOT of trials, and it's riding better than ever. I buy my own bike, no sponsor, no support, so this is the truth. Discounting normal wear and tear items (tyres, chains, sprockets, oil filters, engine and transmission oil, rear pads - still on original front pads - )my only purchases have been a pair of 'bars, two levers and a left generator cover damaged when I crashed and knocked off an oilway. It is a great bike, but then so was the 315. It's brilliant on rocks but still catches me out on the odd slippery bank. As long as I think about how I'm riding it, it's fine, but just give it a handful and try and spin up a slick bank, and you may not make it. Somebody asked me the other day, would I buy a two stroke, and I have to say - at the moment, no. 4RT owners will tell you now, that once you've ridden and owned a fuel injected bike, you won't ever want to go back to a carburettor. Ask yourself, would you want to go back to a carburated car with a choke? Of course not. I ride every Sunday, without fail, and all around me I see two-strokes suffering ignition problems, gear selection problems, bearing problems, access to carburettor problems, mudguards held on with duct tape etc. etc. No names of course, but you know to what I'm referring. But my Montesa wants for nothing. Ok the mudguards look tatty, but they are still in one piece and everything else is as solid now as it was the day I bought it. Is this bull****, you have every right to think so, but it's the truth. Speak to me, question me, test my enthusiasm at a trial, all that I can confirm is that my next bike will be another 4RT. Is it the trials bike that's likely to be the most successful? Possibly not, but I can tell you categorically that my results have improved these past 10 months. Getting back to second hand price, it's worth what somebody would pay for it, but I can tell you now, that I consider mine to be worth about

The reason the tank gets warm is because the fuel is constantly recirculating. It doesn't use all the fuel delivered to the injector from the pump, the excess flows back to the tank and as its been under pressure, and also close to the engine, it naturally gets warmer and eventually warms the tank, though it's less noticeable on a cold day - naturally.

Time to repeat what I've said before. The 4RT is without doubt, the most enjoyable bike I've ever owned - but, it's not the best trials bike in the world, that's probably a Gas Gas or a Beta. However, in a national trial I reckon I'm good enough for 30th to 50th place depending on the number of riders and their abilities. However, if I was on a Beta or other comparable two stroke, I might squeeze into 25th/45th place. But the biggest joy of all is riding the Mont, it's absolutely fantastic. It's very powerful, tremendous on climbs, great on rocks, particularly flat, slippery rocks and only becomes a handful due to my inherant lack of fitness when it wants to keep going when I'm half a yard behind it. As for maintenance, and the crap somebody says about keeping it simple.Listen, all you do is wash it. There's no carb to adjust and the engine runs in an identical fashion all the time, every time, no matter what the weather. Somebody asked me the other day would I go back to a two stroke. Frankly, no I wouldn't. Let me put it this way. I'm told the world's best selling outboard engine these days (for boats) is a fuel injected, four valve, water-cooled, OHC four stroke engine, made by ---- Honda!. Now if my Mont breaks down on a mountainside, no problem, but if the outboard engine breaks down five miles out to sea with a force nine storm brewing, that's a bigger problem than me stuck on the moors. So what's the problem with trialing an engine like this. On the road nothing else can live with it, Monts have the best wheels, the best build quality, excellent parts service and sensible prices, good suspension, but of course it's a touch heavier. So what! I too can't believe why there aren't more about, but that's other riders' loss, not mine, I've got one. And before you think I'm getting a free bike, I buy mine and all the parts (not that it needs much) just like you do. My mate has just bought a Raga replica and after one trial he's had to ring Gas Gas to get a bigger flywheel for it to calm it down. At the Lakes last week a number of Betas retired with ignition problems. In this year's Scottish 49 4RTs started and 48 finished. The one that was retired was because the rider had taken enough pinishment after the Pre 65 and three days of the main trial, so effectively, it was a 100% finish. I'll say it just once more. It's brilliant and I can't believe that anybody would regret buying one. However why listen to me, I only started trialing in 1963.

Change the clutch master cylinder for one from a 315 (around

Heavy rain has caused some problems but plan B is ready for use should the need arise on Sunday morning. The river was handlebar deep this morning, but it goes up and down as fast as a fiddler's elbow, so the decision to alter or otherwise will be made in the morning. Either way, it'll be superb.

Haven't been to this trial but I've entered this year on the advice of my mate who rode last year. It's a clubman two day, and he reckons it's very steady. He lost around 30 odd for two days and he's a Veteran but capable and exactly my standard if you know who I am!!

Before you do anything else, strip the silencer box and repack it, I had four, 315s and never a minutes trouble from any of them but they rely heavily on good exhaust packing, it's likely to make a big difference. Try that first, all it needs is roof insulation.

So, you want to know the pros and cons of the 4RT. Well, here goes - but not too long. The cons are very few indeed. There's no doubt that in some, slippery situations it's not as good as a two-stroke; you need to be more determined than on a stroker, you have to be the boss and force it, but those are the only real problems. The standard clutch master cylinder does not allow sufficient feel, and is best replaced with one from a 315. In addition, I have Hebo foot rests fitted and a 43 tooth rear sprocket. The pros are numerous. It's definitely more stable, therefore more controllable in many situations, particularly downhill, it inspires lots of confidence. It's GREAT fun to ride, and it doesn't need the restrictors taking out. It tracks well, steers well, has superb suspension and is great across country. It doesn't need to run at 1800 rpm, it's fine slower than that though it makes it marginally more difficult to start, it's a price I think is worth paying. Build quality is superb, OK, it's more than a stroker in pound notes, but so is a BMW compared to a Fiesta and they both do the same job. Do I regret buying one? - not at all. Would I buy another or would I buy a stroker? - it would be another 4RT. Why did I buy it? Well, I seriously considered a Beta, but fancied the Mont, so I bought the Mont on the basis that if I didn't like it, at least I had got it out of my system and could then go to a Beta. If I had bought the Beta instead, I would have always been thinking, "I fancy a Mont". As I like thw Mont, I'm happy and have no desires now for anything else. Does that tell you what you want to know?

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think the FIM have any intention of banning two-strokes. As I understand it, the intention was to insist on four strokes only in World Championship events, but that has been put on the back burner until all marques have four-strokes. As far as the general punter is concerned, both two and four strokes will continue to be made whilst there is a market for both. Whilst the FIM can influence the World Championship, I can't see them having any influence at all with the clubs that run FIM sanctioned events like the SSDT, Santigosa Three Day, Sardent Four Day, Verdun Five Day, or indeed any other international event. If they were able to say (for example) four strokes only in the Scottish, I imagine there would suddenly be a huge number of entries available in the trial. Equally I can see the Edinburgh saying the Scottish version of stuff it, we'll do what we want. My opinion only, for what it's worth.

Don't know why 315 master cylinder works better, it's bigger, so has more fluid and maybe has more leverage, but it's the simple answer.

Forget using the standard clutch master cylinder. Remove it and replace it with a clutch master cylinder from a 315. No other modification needed, simply bolt it on and use, it makes the 4RT clutch just like a 315 clutch. Just about all the bikes in the UK that I come across have this modification on, it's not expensive, a complete clutch master cylinder with lever in the UK is about

Glad to hear from Nigel Dabster that the Lancs County round last year was the best. We have the trial again this year, it's the next round on June 5 (NOTE - The Welsh is NOT a round this year) I gave out regs to a large number of riders yesterday and have tonight posted out regs to all last year's riders that didn't get regs yesterday. So far that's 160 sets. This year's trial will be three laps of 15 sections which will help negate early numbers suffering as the sections get easier but listen here now - AN EARLY ENTRY WILL RESULT IN A LATE NUMBER - maximum 125. Mike Rapley can't claim the success for this trial, Nick Shield and his helpers do the sections, Rappers just does the paperwork, but it's a club effort. So if you want regs, ring Rappers on 01524 734674.

Cracking trial and the 4RT went brilliantly - but no results yet, they are available on Excell but can't get that to download, so will have to wait until somebody sends me some. Need them urgently for the TMX report.

All restrictors left in except the one that the importers tell dealers to take out from the throttle body. Have ridden one with no restrictors in and the bike is not as good.