The Vintage Trials Thread

[kanur]

Thanks Guys,

I knew I had made a mistake selling this bike from the moment I did it. The friend I sold it to sold it to someone else right away. Years later, I told my friend I would love to have that bike back after listening to him tell of a thirty year search for a bike he had won a hard fought championship with.

He suggested I call the current owner and let him know I would like to have it if it were ever for sale. Eventually I got the nerve to make that call. The current owner had never thought of selling it but would keep me in mind if he did. Several months later I got a call out of the blue from the owner saying he wanted me to have the bike as I had a history with it.

This bike had NOT been for sale, His family did NOT want him to sell it, He did NOT need the money, He did NOT need the space! I am still unable to express how grateful I am, not just about the bike, but about such a selfless act to make someone else happy.

[pcmx47]

Originally Posted by lamotovita

Well on a local level the events are lame, sloppily run and poorly laid out. The last event I rode (sept. 2011) featured 3 loops of 7 sections for a total of 21 rides. The whole event took about an hour and a half. The distance between the first and last sections was about 300 yards, despite the fact they had hundreds of acres at their disposal. The largest obstacle(in the expert line) was a railroad tie laying on the ground. Sections were laid out in the parking area where vehicles were driving, and parking, in the staging areas for the sections.
I have ridden this event for the past 3 years and it's gotten more lame each year. Well before the event this year I talked to the Trial marshal and offered him the assistance of both myself and our local Trials club of about 50 members, to try and make it a better event this year, he opted not to take advantage of that offer.

On a national level it's clear that AHRMA doesn't care about Trials or want to develope it further. They don't publish Trials results on their website, they refuse to make a class for 80s vintage twinshocks, despite the fact that they did for MX, and those are some of their fullest, most competitive, classes.
Also they seem to be very lax, or selective, in enforcing their own rules. Walk through the pits and see how many bikes (both Trials and MX) you can spot that obviously exceed the 4" rear travel rule. A guy who builds his bike according to the rules is handicapping himself.

Are you sorry you asked now?

The good thing (I think) is that I've discovered that I dig riding vintage trials bikes! I was shopping for an MX bike to go with it. I just wish there was a better venue available to me for it.

On the subject of quality of AHRMA trials events, it seems to me that one would need to sample more than one event before developing an opinion of AHRMA events as a whole. I've not been to the Spokane or Bellingham events so I can not judje them. While I have been involved with the Chehalis Classic since it's inception, I have only been involved with the trials side the last 2 years, taking over as the trialsmaster this year. I'm lucky to take over a trials that has been the largest vintage trials in tje US for a number of years. One reason for the high numbers is the MX crossovers. Most all of the Northweast Region motocrosses also have a trials.

On the subject of results, the AHRMA national site posts results for the national events as well as point standings. The AHRMA Northwest site is privately run by an individual who dedicates his time to post info, schedules, and results as they are given to him. AHRMA as an organization does not promote any trials or motocross events, it is done by dedicated individuals or groups.

Hope to see you at Chehalis. If you Have any questions you can call me at 360-751-6652 Dana Salsman

[PSchrauber]

Originally Posted by Sting32

Picked this up this weekend, 84 Fatic 240 Pro. Bought from my cousin who was original owner... No half bad shape.

Might ride TS next year....

Finally after I unloaded her.

Phone Cam 1 by stingre, on Flickr


Phone Cam 2 by stingre, on Flickr

Very perfect, most compettitiv twinshock with drum breaks bike ever made.
(watch out for the saddle in good shape one of the rarest pieces on earth nowadays)

[kanur]

You can find all the trick Fantic parts your credit card can handle here --------> http://www.classictrial.co.uk/fanticindex.html

[Sting32]

Originally Posted by kanur

You can find all the trick Fantic parts your credit card can handle here --------> http://www.classictrial.co.uk/fanticindex.html

I can get almost anything I need from Tryalsshop.com
Mike has a lot of stuff, or he gets it all from those guys, or some other
place in Italy.

[lamotovita]

Where'd everybody go? This thread was pretty hot for a while.
I really like my Bultaco but I've got it in my head that I'd like to try a TY 250. I'm thinking that it would be easier to go back and forth between a Ty and my modern bike. At least they would both shift on the wrong side. A blue and white 76 would be cool. I'm driving from WA to AZ (USA) in a couple of weeks, anybody got any leads on a TY?

[flyinfuzz]

Sweet lights and all ! Love the forward kicker. I owned the last 240 imported into the US . Worked for the importer as Fantic started the 300 . It sat in the shop in the crate for about 6 months untill we too pity on it and put it together. Also had a works world round 240 that was rode at the Watkins Glen ,had all sorts of neat stuff on it,single ring piston,different footpegs and position,trick levers with moly coated pivot bushings. Made one into a monoshock .Wish I had kept them all

Originally Posted by Sting32

Picked this up this weekend, 84 Fatic 240 Pro. Bought from my cousin who was original owner... No half bad shape.

Might ride TS next year....

Finally after I unloaded her.

Phone Cam 1 by stingre, on Flickr


Phone Cam 2 by stingre, on Flickr

[Garthe]

Originally Posted by lamotovita

I'm driving from WA to AZ (USA) in a couple of weeks, anybody got any leads on a TY?

If you need anything check out on this end, just give me a PM.

Garage space is available.

[lamotovita]

Looks like I'll be able to go to the AHRMA event on Jan. 22 near Phoenix. I won't have a bike to ride but I'll get to see how they do things in the desert.
Anybody else here going?

[buls4evr]

Originally Posted by pcmx47

On the subject of quality of AHRMA trials events, it seems to me that one would need to sample more than one event before developing an opinion of AHRMA events as a whole. I've not been to the Spokane or Bellingham events so I can not judje them. While I have been involved with the Chehalis Classic since it's inception, I have only been involved with the trials side the last 2 years, taking over as the trialsmaster this year. I'm lucky to take over a trials that has been the largest vintage trials in tje US for a number of years. One reason for the high numbers is the MX crossovers. Most all of the Northweast Region motocrosses also have a trials.

On the subject of results, the AHRMA national site posts results for the national events as well as point standings. The AHRMA Northwest site is privately run by an individual who dedicates his time to post info, schedules, and results as they are given to him. AHRMA as an organization does not promote any trials or motocross events, it is done by dedicated individuals or groups.

Hope to see you at Chehalis. If you Have any questions you can call me at 360-751-6652 Dana Salsman

Yes their results are on the AHRMA website. Easy to miss though with only 12-14 riders running with them anymore! Ironically, at least East of the Miss. Rvr, the biggest turnout event that AHRMA guys run is at Barbers Vintage Days. It is big only because the ITSA riders from the South frequent it. When VMD in Ohio was lost the big trials turnouts in the Midwest went with it. And the rest of the venues are gone too. Only Wisconsin remains in June and has very few riders in trials. My neat KT255 has been parked with the fuel drained for 2 years.... Anyone interested in buying it? Anyone interested in AHRMA at all anymore? Any progress been made with that stodgy Board of Dirs?

[Sting32]

Originally Posted by buls4evr

Yes their results are on the AHRMA website. Easy to miss though with only 12-14 riders running with them anymore! Ironically, at least East of the Miss. Rvr, the biggest turnout event that AHRMA guys run is at Barbers Vintage Days. It is big only because the ITSA riders from the South frequent it. When VMD in Ohio was lost the big trials turnouts in the Midwest went with it. And the rest of the venues are gone too. Only Wisconsin remains in June and has very few riders in trials. My neat KT255 has been parked with the fuel drained for 2 years.... Anyone interested in buying it? Anyone interested in AHRMA at all anymore? Any progress been made with that stodgy Board of Dirs?

Nope, Im for ITSA, I thought I would be goin nationals this coming year, but recently figured out the fantic isnt welcome in AHRMA... .

[Sting32]

Originally Posted by PSchrauber

Very perfect, most compettitiv twinshock with drum breaks bike ever made.
(watch out for the saddle in good shape one of the rarest pieces on earth nowadays)

I see you can buy the tank and panels from a place in the UK, Ill have to check I thought I saw a seat, so thanks for the heads up on that! Might build me something to replace/save the seat now...

[buls4evr]

Originally Posted by Sting32

Nope, Im for ITSA, I thought I would be goin nationals this coming year, but recently figured out the fantic isnt welcome in AHRMA... .

But it is highly welcomed at ITSA events which are very well run. You want fun? Ride Ginder's events at Dickson, TN.

[welder]

I just bought a nice 74 ty250. Has what i think is a 76 tank (blue and white) as well as the later narrower engine side cases. Engine has been rebuilt and runs great. Brand new michelin x11 tires, oil injection still works good. headlight and tail light still on the bike, fenders and seat are perfect, owned by an old guy and looks like it had a nice life. Picking it up saturday. $1100. pics to come.

[dwthump]

I confess that I've been following your thread and have enjoyed all of the vintage bike pics. Trials riding runs in my family. My cousing was a rider out of Chicago and was pretty good. My Uncle had a 40 acre farm in central Illinois that had great trials type riding, single track. They had many trials bikes in the shed, I usually got stuck with the Ossa...

I still use the trials skills I learned way back when. I get up on the pegs quickly on my KLR650 when I get into some gnarly stuff, (just not too gnarly!).