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Following on from another thread, my club here in the best part of the Dordogne , near to Sarlat are organizing a classic Pre 65 / Twinshock trialing day 1st May. Anybody on holiday from the Uk able to fit and load up the bike rack without other halfs noticing and also any Spanish chums who would like and fancy a real good day in the French countryside you are welcome to come along. Twenty sections over a Saturday afternoon and Sunday, as many laps as you fancy. There will be a very modest entry, fish and chip van on the day and if numbers allow a Saturday evening meal to help empty the French wine lake. If you need any further details emai me l Hamish.eadie@gmail.com

What a great idea in Spain, shame we don t have the same open door approach here.

Hola Greeves, What about Saint Feliu, the start out of the port, through the town over several roundabouts. Back into the town, along the main street, sections on the beach.. hardly off road.. do the police look the other way or is the responsibility with the rider if there is an accident.

Even for these amical trials bikes need to be insured. That's the easy bit a company called ABELA will do it on a special deal for trial bikes for around 60/80 euros a year. They will insure the bike on the frame number as well so whether you actually need to re register your bike is a little bit of a grey area. In Spain several of the classic trials I have ridden the organisers have not looked or bothered with insurance. lights or number plates, even the police directing traffic at the rounderbouts between sections have been less than interested. This goes against an Enduro riding chum of mine that rides in Spain and tells me that the police are all over him and his mates like a rash, and any infrindgment is dealt with a fine.. My bikes are all French registered and insured with lights not all working , but to the untrained eye.. Good luck its only just begun...

These amical trialing days, without classification are with out doubt the way trials are heading. We are trying to organize one near me in the Dordogne for May, and even for this the hoops we have to jump through is amazing, Meetings with mayors and the equivalent county council, to which we need to submit detailed plans etc etc. To do a trial with classification, would require more hoops still as competition is a dirty word it seems. Police, fireservice have to do a risk assement, sections not too far away from vehicle access , and a doctor or qualified first aid in attendance. Small wonder many clubs are sick and tired of these endless, needless , tiresome never endling list of things to do and the trials calendar is suffering, such a shame when the country is awash with land and hardworking people ready to put the effort in if only it just wasn t so damned difficult.

I live in France and can get tubed Michelin's no problem front and rear, from memory the last rear one was 112 euros.. divided by 1.32 equals...... I use them and they are great, as are the IRC and another funny make a friend gets from the Uk . Howver its mostly dry here so even if they are knackered they work.

Nice restoration, just looking over the picture and I see you have added lights. I have an early 434 that is currently being fettled and wish to fit lights to it. Am I correct in thinking your lighting kit is one of those currently being advertised on the well known selling site, and if so are you happy with it as it seems a logical way to go, considering what the kit includes. Thanks for any input

That's very kind Will, sadly my trips up to Norfolk are limited these days. With all these jobs you need to be doing them on a regular basis, showing someone how to do something is fine, but more likely practice makes perfect. Also cobbling tother a bitsa is all well and good, but many out there want the glittering , must have bit that does cost, looks good and of course makes them a better rider.. Supply and demand will always dictate the value of something, it will be interesting to see just how much these somethings cost in a months time at Telford.

It's easy to say or write, just mod this and just turn that down and just respoke that wheel, not many people have the know how to do this, or the shed or garage with the right tools. Hence a package through the door sometimes, often squirrelled away before someone else sees is the only way to go. Building a bike on a tight budget to bugger all is all well and good... if you know how.. Most of us don't , but wish we could.

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The trial at Maeztu, am I right in its just over the French border near to Pampalona.. If so any chance of contact details, assuming non Spanish riders will be able to ride using the day licence included in the entry Thanks

Thanks for the comments, I will pass them on.

Would you buy a jota gas and if so why and if not whynot.. Sounds a silly question I know , but its really on behalf of someone else...

Depends how lardy you are..... they put sidecars on 200 Fantic new saw one on a 175 Yamaha..

I would imagaine a tidy 200 Fantic would be well within your budget or are things going the same way as the Pre 65 scene

Interesting, very interesting... Are greeves with banana forks not pre 65 then, I only ask as this side of the channel there are some slightly hostile comments on why Charles Coutard didn t get a ride, certainly as he had entered by all accounts on one of the less fiddle, trick more original bikes of that era.. and the reason touted is that his bike was unacceptable.

Todays Pre 65 / Classic trials is just history repeating itself.. won t be to long before you won t be able to give a decent Fantic away and everybody will be after Mono Yam's.. you wait...

Woody, can you check your T.C Inbox tried to send you a message. Cheers

I would agree with Woody, just changed the shocks on mine to 360 Rock shocks, great over the dry Spanish rocks this weekend, steering great, just got the clutch to fine tune.... somemore.....Patrik..

Try France Trial classic, he usually stocks the early TY seats with the fiberglass surround although only in yellow perhaps like the very first model.

I over the last few days been toying with a new Pre 65 project.. Done a little contacting and adding up on the back of an envelope and that's were its going to stay. I thought Repsol Hondas were exoctia, not a pre 65 with a Villiers engine

I Would say its a nice ride round, and yes you would think having only 20 sections might be a little light. However you never seem to think at the end of the day, we finished too early, or I wish there were more sections. Its a full days riding and to be honest ageing limbs on Sunday morning do object a little when putting on the boots. My only comment, the organisers are getting slightly hung up on having all these ex superstars there and catering accordingly. The hard route not long ago was very do able, now its becoming a very tough, hence the middle route is packed with riders who should be in my opinion riding the red. Also the handicappe system. If you ride a pre 65, at the end of the day your marks are cut in half. There is no segregation and only one class, so riders on twinshocks have to have an almost magical ride to beat good riders on good pre 65,s after all the adjustments are made. Still these issues maybe looked at and tweaked for next year, again really worth doing for the whole experience.

A great watch, what It doesn,t show is how difficult the red route really was and how the team of Tarres, Saunders and Berlatier were a country mile ahead of the rest who really struggled on the top route. It is a trial that should be on the hitless of must do's and again the video doesn t show the wonderful array of machinery on view ridden right across the classes .One of the observers had Eddie Lejeurns Honda to get to his section, and it was left propted up against a tree. If you are slightly effected by trials bike envy, then come to the trial next year, there is usually one of every thing there. You need to get organized though they were oversubscribed by 120 this year.

As a young man in shorts I can still remember the heady days of the Austin Allegro, Maxi and the Morris Marina, the four wheeled version of the the motorcycle industry at the time. I can also remember the fledging Honda dealer ships and drooling at the first XL range as well as having to step into the road to get passed the rows and rows of sold Honda step thru's,. The world and his brother very soon had one to start first time and get him to work. Fast forward to now the gleaming Honda range in both motorcycle and cars for sale in the glossy showrooms and where is the British motor trade, the same place as the BSA bantam, being fettled and kept running in garden sheds.

If I could ask for a little guidence also. I am contemplating risking a stamp as well , but before could someone help with a couple of queries . My Ariel has no rear stays, ie. the ones that drop down from below the seat and fix lower down I assume behind the clutch somewhere, is this frame allowed. I wish I could remember the builder. I also have a Yamaha forkbrace, I seem to remember they may be up for discussion. Lastly I cannot again recall who supplied the yokes and have been told just to mark them down on the sheet as replica of the time. They are not Spanish, and the last time it went North of the border 1999 it went through the scruitineering fine. Thanks in advance