motovintage Posted March 24, 2008 Report Share Posted March 24, 2008 picked up the italjet, not sure how to identify the model, pretty sure it's a 250 as I think the 350 has a different exhaust, the motor seems pretty sound, good comperssion etc. I think it will make an easy restoration, I really need the left engine cover and shift pedal, a seat would be nice but I can fabricate a seat if I have to Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
italjetfan Posted March 24, 2008 Report Share Posted March 24, 2008 It looks to be a 350, as the crankcases are green. (250's were black) The engine No. is by the kickstart, it will be T3 for 350, or T2 for 250. All 250's and 350's had the same exhaust. The VERY early 350's had a single outlet, production versions had the type yours has. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motovintage Posted March 24, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 24, 2008 (edited) it does have the T3 designation so it's a 350 then ...cool! any idea on how to determine the year model? Edited March 24, 2008 by MotoVintage Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spencer Posted March 24, 2008 Report Share Posted March 24, 2008 Cool bike. I don't remember ever seeing one before. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swooshdave Posted March 24, 2008 Report Share Posted March 24, 2008 Cool bike. I don't remember ever seeing one before. Lord knows with that color you wouldn't soon forget. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motovintage Posted March 24, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 24, 2008 (edited) Cool bike. I don't remember ever seeing one before. Bernie Schriber rode them at world rounds for a couple of years, then that was it, I never saw them again, Tom Batcholor was selling them in the early eighties, and there was only a few of them in Texas as far as I know, I would be very interested in production numbers, my bet is they are pretty low, the bike seems really well made, Chrome molly tubing, betor forks, notice the fox shocks mounted upside down ( they won't dampen if they are upside down) also this bike seems very Bultacoish to me, the frame is very simmilar to the last Sherpa's with the intergal skidplate, the cylinder and exhaust have a bultaco style look to them, also the front fork and tripple clamp are practically identical to the Sherpa Edited March 24, 2008 by MotoVintage Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
italjetfan Posted March 25, 2008 Report Share Posted March 25, 2008 Your bike is 1981. 1982 MY had Marzocchi forks, white tanks etc. This one is identical to my VERY early one that I use all the time...1980. And this may even be my bike, as it is identical in detail...taken from a French test Dec 1980. This one is the "production" version. Note the differences in the frame (especially shock absorber mounts), tank (prototytpe is fibreglass hand made, production is blow moulded) exhaust totally different. This is the 1982 model... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motovintage Posted March 28, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 28, 2008 Your bike is 1981. 1982 MY had Marzocchi forks, white tanks etc. This one is identical to my VERY early one that I use all the time...1980. Do you think that any left side engine cover will work, 250 or 350? 1980 to 1982 also was this the only years that the italjet was produced? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
italjetfan Posted March 29, 2008 Report Share Posted March 29, 2008 ANY side cases will fit ANY 250 or 350, so no problems there. Steve Goode has some new ones, have a look on ebay for betatr250 (I think), or google his name, that should lead you to him. He is a decent bloke, and will sort you out with what you need. I don't think he has any green cases left, just bare ali ones. With Bernie, I think the prototype Italjet was good (hence the initial successes), the production version he was made to ride wasn't as good, so the early rounds in 1981 he struggled with, resulting in him jumping ship to SWM mid-season. I personally prefer riding my Italjet to the equivalent Bultaco (which we also have), but I'll probably be pilloried for this statement. A lot of people who knock them forget that 28 years on, there is little difference in all the bikes, it's now down to what condition and state of preparation each bike is in, and more importantly, how good the individual rider is! These are the views of a GENUINE heretic, so treat them with huge PINCHES of SALT! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swooshdave Posted March 29, 2008 Report Share Posted March 29, 2008 I personally prefer riding my Italjet to the equivalent Bultaco (which we also have), but I'll probably be pilloried for this statement.A lot of people who knock them forget that 28 years on, there is little difference in all the bikes... Except for the fact that one is painted a disturbing shade of green... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motovintage Posted March 30, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 30, 2008 (edited) What is supposed to be here? there is a brass bushing in the hole like a shift shaft should be there but no seal and it appears that the shifting mechanism is the small lever to the left of the hole Edited March 30, 2008 by MotoVintage Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pedronicman Posted March 30, 2008 Report Share Posted March 30, 2008 I was told recently that early on that italjet were the italian Bultaco importers , and the first italjets were Bultaco's painted green. Somebody may correct me on this!. Have alook at this site, great for looking at models of most trials bike- look here Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
italjetfan Posted March 30, 2008 Report Share Posted March 30, 2008 That hole is for when you have the gear lever on the right hand side (and the brake pedal on the left), which is my prefered set up. The brake pedal interferes with the kick start, and the right hand brake uses a cable, which is not as good as the rod when on the left. Coming from a 350 Enfield, it was much easier too! The only downside is that the gearchange loses some of it's precision. So don't worry, there is nothing missing from your bike. You may need to plug it up if oil is leaking though. You'll notice there is a core plug under the kickstart, which is where the gearlever comes through if using right-hand side change. I don't think any of the Italjet parts are Bultaco, apart from the the common Betor suspension bits. Bernies very first prototype may have been more Bultaco based, but can only find two pics of that one, and they are both poor. Does anyone have any more Kermit pics please? Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wherry Posted March 30, 2008 Report Share Posted March 30, 2008 Any more Kermit pictures? Hmmmm. Try these for size. It was some considerable time ago I can tell you - May 1985 apparently according to the back of them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
italjetfan Posted March 31, 2008 Report Share Posted March 31, 2008 I can't see anything. Is it just me? Tantalising... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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