Basket Cases

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Greg Harding
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Re: Basket Cases

Postby Greg Harding » Tue Dec 20, 2011 9:19 pm

Mark K wrote:
David Lahey wrote:(IN REPLY TO GREG'S PHOTO)
........ I couldn't help but wonder .............
My first idea is: Something to do with .......... Ok maybe not
Next idea: You were wanting to ..........
Next idea: You were in town having .........
Next idea: You really think the ...........
Next idea: You have ridden (and won) ........

David, I suspect you are trying to read too much into this. I have a different and much simpler theory. I reckon that if you thought that people would believe you had that hardware, and a big banana, then you'd want to show it off too.

Hi Everyone,
We do ride Observed Trials, and to reiterate my observation simply:
Isn't it wonderfull that trials is so friendly and the rivalry is light hearted! This may be the only time both of these trophies are in the same place at any one time! Having competed at the Twinshock Masters on 4 occasions and the TY Challenge all three times confirms to me that these are excellent events!
IF posting a simple photo stimulates more interest and hopefully competitors, isn't that a good thing?
For a few years now, we have been stimulating interest in trials bikes and riding in Coffs Harbour as we would very much like local competition and social rides like we enjoy north of here. :D :D :D :D :D :D :D
Merry Christmas to everyone and we will see what the New Year brings as I don't always want to be the


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Re: Basket Cases

Postby nipper » Tue Dec 20, 2011 9:51 pm

You didnt get to finish your sentence Greg.............Donna find that big banana :oops:



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Re: Basket Cases

Postby Greg Harding » Mon Jan 02, 2012 9:02 pm

Hi Everyone,

Nipper, I am assuming that you have worked it out by now. :oops:

Stu, is the "A" model back together and sounding chrisp? Will we see it at the TY Challenge this year?

David, have you ridden a Vinduro yet, as that could be good fun? Are they social rides or competition and what era bikes?

Mark, sorry about this, we are back to not so shiney photos again. Picked this up in a scrap metal yard (not sure why), think it could tell a story?
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Re: Basket Cases

Postby David Lahey » Mon Jan 02, 2012 10:33 pm

I think the story of that TY175 tank included flames somewhere along the line. If it still had some paint somewhere on it, it could have just been resting at the beach but I can't see any paint on it.

A friend of mine had his TY175 catch alight and burn to a crisp on a trail ride well away from any firefighting assistance. He walked home and the remains of the bike are still where it burned. I have often wondered if it is better (regarding limiting the damage) to leave the bike standing as it burns or to lay it down, or even turn it upside down?


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Re: Basket Cases

Postby David Lahey » Mon Jan 02, 2012 10:55 pm

Greg Harding wrote:Hi Everyone,
David, have you ridden a Vinduro yet, as that could be good fun? Are they social rides or competition and what era bikes?

No, not ridden one of theose new-fangled vinduro things yet. The first Qld one for the year is in February and is strictly a recreational ride ie a trail ride, and only for pre-85 bikes.
I've heard that there will also be a Vinduro class in some of the Qld enduros (competitions) this year. Not sure if they are scored or maybe just like "rally" class where people just ride the course without being scored and can take as long as they like. At the end of my Enduro riding days in the late 1990s I used to ride the "rally" class in the Queensland two day enduros so I didn't feel pressured to ride beyond my physical endurance limits. One event I rode the first day on my WR200 and decided the course was so lovely and tight a trials bike would be fun to ride, so turned up at the start of the second day on my TY250A. The competition secretary told me "you can't change bikes halfway through an event" I said "but I'm in Rally Class so who cares what I ride?" Luckily the C o C was sympathetic and I greatly enjoyed riding the TY.
In Vinduro there are some requirements like headlights and other enduro bike things but that shouldn't be any trouble. The Alpina is going very well so should be as suitable as other bikes. It is taking quite a bit of getting used to riding it though. I had forgotten how badly knobby tyres work on rocks and logs and the steering is quite crap in tight turns. It is easier to sit down in tight turns. I am even thinking of fitting trials tyres to it to get some grip in the gnarly stuff.


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Re: Basket Cases

Postby Bully fanatic » Mon Jan 02, 2012 11:36 pm

Hello all. David in the seventies a lot of really tight forest enduros were won by Alpina`s and Ossa Explorers as they handled the tight stuff really well. This happened here and overseas. I can remember reading in Trail and Track about enduros being won by Bultaco Alpina`s and the writers were always amazed at this happening. They always felt a little bit strange riding them as a trials bike. I know because my first Bully was a 213 Alpina which were the last 350`s. I used to ride it to work during the week and then change the tyres and gearing and ride trials all weekend. Fun times. You will enjoy the bike though as they are really good trail bikes. Graham.



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Re: Basket Cases

Postby Greg Harding » Tue Jan 03, 2012 9:18 pm

Hi Everyone,

David, I think the flames were the beginning of the end, there was no dints at all in the remains. Only ever witnessed one bike fire, when a school friend parked his brand new XT250, removed the fuel cap while sitting on the bike at night. Then lit his cigarette lighter to see how much fuel he had used, luckily that was the end of the stupidity as in a panic, he simply smothered the flames with his hands, went whiter than the tank and didn't say much for the rest of the night. Don't know what he told his parents, as there was no facial hair or fringe left! On that ocassion, leaving the bike standing was the right choice.

If Vinduro is a recreational trail ride for pre 85 bikes, it sounds like something that I would be interested in. My first choice would be my Alpina.

Graham, the first Bultaco that I competed on in a trial was my 213 Alpina at Connondale a couple of years ago. Not the best trials bike, but I think it is the best trail bike that I have ridden on trials terrain. Not going at the moment with ignition problems, my mechanic mate is confident that the coil with 2 wires (at the top of the photo) is the problem. There was also some bad earths and corrosion in the wires, we cut them back in an effort to get past the corrosion, to no avail. Does anyone know where I could source another coil, spoke to Don Newell and he hasn't got any?
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Re: Basket Cases

Postby David Lahey » Tue Jan 03, 2012 10:20 pm

Greg if the Femsatronic plan falls through, it is pretty easy to revert to the Femsa points ignition. In the mean time, I'll have a look in my shed for that coil.

A mate of mine lost his KDX175 to a fire on a forestry trail at Mount Glorious in 1979. He went back in his ute and brought the remains home, but it was mainly so it could be laid to rest as there were no parts suitable for reuse.

Graham, what a coincidence, my first Bultaco was also an Alpina but bought second hand in 1975. It was the first model 325cc Alpina and like you I also rode it to work during the week and on trail rides and when a trial was on I fitted a huge rear sprocket and an extra length of chain and rode it in trials competition. I didn't do tyre swaps though. It had Bridgestone trials universals in all riding modes. From memory it went scary fast in top gear with the standard gearing (for a youngster) and it felt strange doing flat turns on gravel roads, but made up for it by being amazing on single track and going up and down mountainous terrain. Luckily, the Alpina I have now (M138) is the most trailbike-like Alpina in the series so it actually is quite good in flat turns and even feels nice in MX-type riding. It has the same steering geometry as the other Alpinas (earlier and later models) but is an inch longer.


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Re: Basket Cases

Postby Mark K » Tue Jan 03, 2012 11:26 pm

Greg Harding wrote: ........... Mark, sorry about this, we are back to not so shiney photos again. ...............
I can't begin to describe how much pleasure that photo brings me. Finally after all these years, a tank that makes mine look good. :oops:



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Re: Basket Cases

Postby Bully fanatic » Wed Jan 04, 2012 12:21 am

Hello all. Greg you could try Bultaco UK for parts or Hugh Weaver in the US would have one for sure. He has barns full of second hand Bultaco parts from every model and if anyone has that ignition he would have it. His web address is www.Bultaco.com. Or try Peter at Bultaco Australia. His web addres is the business name with www. in front of it and .com after it. You might need to know what model it is off though as it would help them find one. You might have to send them a photo of the ignition with the email to match it up. If it was a Motoplat it would be easy as they are still in production in Spain and can rewind any coil they ever made. Mark if you want I could make your tank look like that one of Gregs for you, it would be easy. Greg your Alpina should have a Motoplat points ignition on it. I can get hold of one if you want me too as the bloke who owns the place where I store my bike has one he has been taking to swap meets to sell. I am not sure how much he wants but it wouldn`t be over the top though. One really good thing with the later Alpinas is the fact that they had 160mm brakes compared to the Sherpas 125mm ones so they stop well especially after they have been wet and dried out a couple of times. On mine on the road late one week I applied the front brake and went straight over the handlebars outside the Darra train station at 5;00 in the afternoon. I have never had so many people clapping and cheering me falling off. The brakes get rather grabby and end up as an off/on switch. David did you know you can also scrape the footpegs on the road with trials universals on the later ones. You have to be carefull though as the tyres let go just after the footpegs scrape. Mine had a shortened swingarm so it was rather twitchy at speed. You can probably tell why my next bike to use on the road was a RD 350 LC J model. Graham.




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