Drayton Bantam Buying Advice

[italianstallion]

Hi all, can anyone give me some advice on the drawbacks of purchasing a Drayton Bantam? I've been given the opportunity to purchase one at a good price but heard that they aren't accepted at many of the pre65 British bike type trials? I'm thinking I may have a problem getting in at BMCA events and I guess the Scottish should I ever decide to have a go. Is this generally the case? Will I be limited? Do they hold their value as well as the purer versions as far as the investment goes? Many thanks, Stewart

[greychapel]

think there were plenty in Scotland, mate of mine rode one

[villiersprodigy]

Hi Stuart,if you have a drayton bantam you will be accepted  into the BMCA with open arms 90% of the entries are draytons.The B in BMCA as now been changed from British to Bantam.They do a by monthly newsletter with tricks and tips on the bikes also a bike of the month .As for Scotland

well the draytons are allowed and for the last part of your question your guess is as good as anybodies.

[hencam]

Hi Stewart,

 

My father and I have one each, we purchased them last year and intend to build 2 more ourselves this year from all the parts supplied by Jim & the Drayton team, before I give my opinion on the Drayton, what I will say is if you decide not to purchase the one offered can you PM me please as I would be very interested.

 

I asked Jim about eligibility for Scotland and at the time ours had the modified forks he was using (MZ I believe), Jim did not feel these were the best choice regarding eligibility for Scotland, this I believe was the only area of doubt and he was working on an alternative which he has now produced, that are eligible.  The other area Jim pointed out was the engine, if you want to retain the Pre-65 look you will need the earlier outer covers but with the later internals.  Jim will assist you in building or will indeed build you whatever you ask for, so I could have gone the route of most people and disguised my modern forks in Norton bottoms for instance.  To the best of my knowledge they are pretty much accepted everywhere I ride in the south and southwest with the MZ forks. 

 

Ours are Drayton frames, Whitton hubs, MZ forks, Amal carbs, PVL ignition, Renthal bars, Domino controls and IRC and Michelin tyres, the engines are B175 with centre plug heads bored to 185cc with a modified 2nd gear.

 

I am only an average rider, however the handling of the Drayton in my view is nothing short of superb, the steering is predictable with no washout or tucking under, they grip superbly and the engine behaves beautifully, parts for the engines are readily available and cheap.

 

I would say they are an investment but that depends on how much you are paying in the first instance, what i have noticed is that when I started collecting Bantam B175 bits about a year ago you could buy a whole bike for about £600 with a V5 etc, now you are lucky to find one and when you do it will cost you £1000 upwards.  

 

The final bit I guess and I am not an A$$ kisser, or in any way linked to Drayton apart from through riding the bike I bought and the relationship I have built with Jim and the Drayton team but the total buying experience and aftersales service in my view is second to none.  For a relatively small concern nothing is too much trouble before or after you part with the money.  People will say they are overpriced etc etc, maybe they are..............  but how many other bikes that are as competitive as a Drayton Bantam can be purchased for that price.  Personally I love mine and would recommend one to anybody. 

[hencam]

Hi,

 

Reading this post I thought it might be helpful to show you an image of hencam in action on the Drayton Bantam, taken from the photoreport of a recent event appearing in the next issue of ORRe, our digital magazine.  The photograph was taken by Mick Brockbank.

 

With a simple subscription to the magazine you will find many images of various Drayton machines in action and in an early issue (all accessible to all subscribers at no extra charge) a report on a well known rider trying out a new Drayton in a variety of sections prior to buying one for himself.

 

Enjoy

 

Thank you Deryk, there is no hiding from the ORRe team it would appear  .

[4stroke]

Can I ask how many of the parts on one of these bikes is actually 'pre 65'?

[twinshocktosser]

Watch it 4stroke, your question might start a Trialscentral forum pre65 rant!

Some of the bantams will only use the original engine bottom end & cylinder head. Everything else is new, or recycled parts from newer bikes such as forks & wheel rims.

Edited May 20, 2016 by twinshocktosser

[2stroke4stroke]

Can I ask how many of the parts on one of these bikes is actually 'pre 65'?

In the case of a four speed motor being used, probably none.

[twinshocktosser]

Sorry I am describing pre70 bikes, Charlie correctly states only outer cases are pre65.

[hencam]

Can I ask how many of the parts on one of these bikes is actually 'pre 65'?

The same amount of parts as most modern Pre-65 incarnations that have an aftermarket frame, wheels, modded forks, electronic ignition, modified engine internals, etc etc, very few.

[old trials fanatic]

Can I ask how many of the parts on one of these bikes is actually 'pre 65'?

Why would that be an issue ? If you want to build a bike from parts which are all from 1964 or before then nobody will stop you and parts are freely available. Well you might struggle finding tyres but i am sure there is a mountain of Pre 65 parts available to build your bike from as nobody in their right mind wants them so they are very cheap too. 

[4stroke]

The issue is the use of the title 'pre 65'

It was broken years ago, now it is just a joke.

 

[old trials fanatic]

The issue is the use of the title 'pre 65'

It was broken years ago, now it is just a joke.

Totally agree with you. It's a ridiculous title and always was. Charlie used the term britshock which I also don't like but at least it's a much more accurate unambiguous title.

[hencam]

Totally agree with you. It's a ridiculous title and always was. Charlie used the term britshock which I also don't like but at least it's a much more accurate unambiguous title.

Absolutely, the only difference between a normal mortal using his Britshock, Pre-65, Pre-67, Pre-70 call it whatever you will is the amount of money he or she can throw at their bike to disguise the modifications.   How a bike looks, (the silhouette) is no measure of originality or compliance with a year or period in time, it just means more Engineering ingenuity or money has been available to play with.  Marzocchi/Betor internals in numerous types of old British forks for example? some are in a position to buy two pairs of forks wreck both to make one trick pair for example.  Plus most fall at the first hurdle of ignition.  A well known event such as the Talmag, clearly stated in the regs no electronic ignitions/only original ignitions, unless many entrants all dutifully changed their ignitions before this event and in some cases whole engines, they all had their share of PVL, Interspan, Electrex World, Pazon or modified Japanese ignition fitted.  

so in the case of a Drayton Bantam am I really doing anything so bad or different, Whitton Wheels for instance adorn many bikes of the era in question, the MZ forks are just, not hidden in any way, the frame is modified/updated but then so are most aftermarket versions, the PVL ignition is not disguised or hidden and in my case I have not changed the outer cover for a more Pre-6??? look, what is the point??

 

What I am also guilty of is having alot of fun, on a bike that I enjoy riding with like minded people that I am able to maintain and keep riding while having to go to work 5/6 days a week and takes me 1/2 hour to check over prepare for Saturday/Sunday trial.

 

If the time comes when Draytons are forced to ride an alternative class, I will ride in the Twinshock and still enjoy myself just as much if not more.  This sport/hobby is about having a laugh and a bit of fun the best way you can, we, the riding fraternity must never forget that.

 

I am afraid I am guilty as charged your honour for owning a Dishonest Cheating Chicken!!!, that does not contain it's original giblets   , basically I am Plucked!!!!!!!!  Get out the TURKEY baster and give me a good sorting out, good quality stuffing (paxo or similar only though)!

[trialsrfun]

Well said Hencam enjoy riding your bike in as many events as possible.

As I see it one big problem here on trials central is that almost any posting in the pre 65 section brings on a torrent of negativity, personally I think this puts off many people from posting positive or helpful advise when it is asked for.