1:More modern,wide
footrests,arefitted to
thisbike.
2:Marzocchi forks
were us ed by SWM
original ly bu tthen
therewas achange to
Betor.
3:AlloyBetor
suspension units
replaceCorte Cosso
original s.SCHREIBER’S SWM
What’sitliketoride?
Modern trials,even modernversions of classic trials
aredifferent to traditionaleventsand the techniques
to ride arenotexactlythe same as thingswere in
world classeventsof the Eighties.
Forinstance,the tyres whichthenwere classed
asworksrider only –stickyMichelins–are now
availabletoall riders. Itwasgood to see Schreiber
showing throttle controlrather than clutchcontrol
in sections too.What hasn’tchanged since the dawn
of the sportreallyisatrialsbike needs to carburate
cleanlyatthe bottom end, then accelerate cleanly
with no hesitation at all when the rider needs to snap
thethrottle open when tacklingastepfor instance.
Now,whileIamanexperienced trials rider I’m
certainlynotaworld class rider but elsewhereinthis
featureBernie himself claims the TL320 to be the
most forgiving and easy to ride trials bikes, andmy
brief ride on this one seems to bear this out.Ididn’t
tryanymassivelydifficult sections, whatIdid was
rideoverafewrocksinthe start area of the trial and
trysomefulllockturns.Thebike is set upextremely
well and as far asIcan sayriding this SWMwould
haveremovedavariableortwofrom the trial for me
in particular.
All the controls operated smoothlyand itwasa
conscious effort to think of themrather than just ride
thebikeand havethingswork.This is as it should be,
as none of us ride throughasection and think “I’ll
use the clutchnow...” it’smoreasubconscious thing
of rider and machine in harmony... asIwrote that bit
Icanalmost hear people saying “we’veseenyouride,
thatphrase can’tbeaboutyou...”butyouknowwhat
mean,ariderwants the controls toworkrather than
having to thinkabout them.What’sitlike?
Answer, verynice,Iwant one.“TheSWM 320 wasmyfavouritemodelofthefamilyand
thebikewhichprovidedmewiththemostconsistent
resultsinmycareer. 1982 – 10 worldpodiums,twoworld
wins,SSDTwin,KickstartwinandUSChampion.
Itisaveryforgivingbike,easytorideforeveryoneand
probablyoneofthebesttwinshockproductionbikes
ofalltime.ThespecialoneMartinMatthewsprepared
forthe 2019 HC 2 DT–whichwouldbemyfirsttrialin
Scotlandfor 37 years–wasjustaperfectreplicaofthe
modelIrode 37 yearsago.Martinknowshisbikeswell
andthisfabulousSWMdidnotdisappoint.BERNIE SAYS...
Flat platehelps sli mthe framedownalittle.MotoSWMand Rex’sSpeedshop have collaborated
on adual stage igniti on system forSWM.Totaland Nolan wereBern ie’s sponsorsint he day...
we’llallow Martin hissticker on thereashebuilt
thebike.1
2 3
AUTUMN 2019 | 25
Bernie citesthe TL320
ashisfavouritebikeof
il.