James Trials

[bultaco49]

Just finished a rebuild of a James swapped for a surplus Bultaco. Its interesting having a new 'old' bike and researching all about the history of both bike and manufacturer. There is a very good website for James bikes in general (http://www.simplywizard.co.uk/index.htm) and Bill Lomas's book, which is a great read in its self, also provided a lot of background for which I am indebted for the blurb below to go with the photos.

I would add the bike to the garage but the manufacturer dropdown does not include James!

Anyway, here is the blurb about the bike and some James trials history...

The late 40s and early fifties saw an upsurge of 2-stroke trials specials built by both manufacturers and clubmen. From the latter part of that era this bike was built and is probably best described as a James Trials Special. It has, as its basis, a 1953 James Cadet J15 plunger frame. The rear plunger mechanism has been cut away and replaced with the plates which now locate the rear axle and wheel. The engine, which was a 122 Villiers on the J15, has been replaced with a 1953 Villiers 197cc 6e unit which has had various upgrades most notable of which is the Ajax Pearson head and barrel 210cc conversion. The gearbox is a standard wide ration 3 speed.

The forks are from a BSA C15 and have been extended by inserting a spacer at lower end of stanchion. A one-off high level exhaust is fitted which is

Edited May 21, 2009 by bultaco49

[axulsuv]

You need to compare notes with Bob Ginder , Owner of B&J Racing in Tennessee . He has a real Sweet James that he uses when the mood hits ... I don't know any details on his , But they are legendary bikes . Kinda changed the course of competition ?

Glenn

[abbifin]

Nice bike.

I would love to see more photos and hear more about the tuneable exhaust.

[ducman]

I think Bob's bike is a springer and very simmilar to Mick Andrews bike.We just came back from a trial in Italy and there was a spanish guy riding one of the James replicas.Nice bikes.

Chrs:Mike

[bultaco49]

Thanks for the comments.

I thought that the tunable exhast was some sort of gimmick when I got the bike but there appears more to it. Tuning two strokes was in its infancy just after the 2nd WW and the concept of expansion boxes was known but not much developed or used in practice. The Burgess silencer I have fitted simply has the tail pipe blanked off and a horizontal slot between baffle box and tail. A sleeve open and closes the amount of slot exposed. Changing the slot does have a noticable effect on the characteristics of the engine starting from soft delivery of power to quick throttle response (lets not get too excited - we are only talking about a fairly standard Villiers 197 after all!)

This must have been a common mod in the fifties as many of the old boys who come up to look at the bike remember this system.

As I said, Bill Lomas mentions this in his book of which by chance the section on development of the James is available to read at

http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=2-IWdGZ...snum=3#PPA54,M1

I would reccommend the whole book though - its a good read.

I'l post some more photos of the bike tommorrow

Here is a close up of the exhaust

[charlie prescott]

Hi Guy's

Hi Bultaco 49,

All I can say is brilliant,

Some one else as done there home work, and put it in to practice with one super result. and it just proves what I always say that what ever mod you think of, has always been done before in the past. PS. Looks like an Ajax head and barrel to me ? these were made just up the road from where my bikes are kept.My First trials bike was a James that looked a lot like that, exept it had plunger suspension on the back. I spotted the bike on the side of the road for sale for

Edited May 24, 2009 by charlie prescott

[Andy]

I would add the bike to the garage but the manufacturer dropdown does not include James!

It does now