mtbrider wrote:Thanks for all the help so far. I have spoken to Col about his bike. What an interesting guy and so helpful. This bike sounds a gem and really restored to new and a museum piece that would be too good to ride. Although the museum piece just to look at and admire every day is tempting to me at this stage.
I am totally confused at this time about what I should do.
E bay at present has a 175 and a 250D (which was the model I owned previously) if any one can have a look at these for me on there and tell me what they think about these and guess what costs would be to get them to a rideable level or even if parts are available to do so. Hard to do from photos I know but any advice would be appreciated,
The TY250 currently on eBay may not be not what it seems. Yes it is advertised as a D model but has at the very minimum, an A model frame, an A model seat and seat surround and A model engine covers. It appears more likely to be an A model TY250 with a D model fuel tank and the seat surround and exhaust heat shield painted to match the tank colour. I have asked the seller for engine and frame numbers to try and confirm what model it is, but have not yet had a reply. I would not bid on that bike unless I had checked it out fully in person.
The TY175 is from the same seller so the same approach would apply to bidding on that bike.
In general terms, getting a twinshock trials bike to the point where it can reliably be competed on should cost less than $3000, including the cost of the bike and using your own labour. I have been through the process of acquiring and fixing up eight twinshock trials bikes in the past 13 years to get them to the point of being ready to ride in trials competition and the overall cost per bike has ranged from $1800 to $3500. As far as labour goes, I have outsourced very little (rebores mainly). If you were to pay someone to do the labour it would be very easy to spend $2000 more per bike. Unlike Col Aish's lovely museum standard restoration TYs, the bikes I have worked on have only been cosmetically improved enough to be recognisable as a particular model (I like the used look).
If you just want to ride the bike around rather than compete on it, you should be able to buy a twinshock trials bike and get it to a suitable standard for less than $1500 (using your own labour).