Classic Dirt Bike – August 2019

HubsaretoTriumphCubpatternbutmadefrom

alloy, asis thebrakeplate.“Thoseoldpressed steel

plates arepast theirbestnow,” saysDave.

Withno oiltanktoworryabout–oil is intheframe
–abiggerairboxcanbefittedandshapedaround
theframetube.

Insidetheprimarycasesits aSimplexprimary

drivebuilt upfromaTerriersprocketandan

ARMACclutch.

THORPEY’ SCUB

Aswechatted

aboutthebike

itwasclear

howDanwas

appreciative

ofthehelphe

receives,notonly

forthepre 65 side

ofthings,but

theS 3 seriestoo

andheaskedif

hecouldsaya

thank-youinprint

tothosewho

havehelpedhim,

namelySallyat

PutolineOils,MichelinTyres,S 3 Clothing,

MOTSHelmets,Stylmartin,Splatshop,

Renthal,REH,NJB,Bumpy,AWEngineering,

TrialandEnduroDirect.

AWORDFROMOURSPONSOR

experience.“We’vetohaveasecretortwo

y’know,”saidDavewryly.

On the go

Offered thechance to castmylegover the

bikeand trysome simplesectionsrather

than the bigrocksDanwasflinging the

bikeoverallowedmetosee whatthe

winning ridewaslike.Startingis quite easy,

thoughthereisahi-techfootrestlocatorto

pull thefootrest outofthewaytoallow a

fullswingonthe kick-start and oncethis is

engaged, afirm kickhasthe bike burbling

into life. Theclutchisniceand light, the

gears engageeasilyand thereisnosnatch

at all as the leverisfed home.

One bigbugbear with small four-stoke

engines used to be spitting backatlow

revs thatwasannoying onaroad bike

but disastrousonatrials bike whereit

all happens atlowrevsinasection.With

modern ignitions not having bobweights

and points,suchproblemsareorcan be

eliminated. Therewas no traceof anything

likethat duringmybrief test ride.Full lock

turns onawhiffof throttle followedby

flicking the twistgrip backtogiveabit of

urgeand it allhappens withoutsomuch

asamurmur,let aloneacough. As Dan is

prettymuch myheightIfoundthe riding

positionreasonableand therewas no need

to adjust thebarorlever position. Dan said

his GasGas haslower footrests butIcan’t

commentbecause I’venotridden one in a

longtime.Onesection atBumpyconsists

of a50-yardrockypath thatDandid feet

up bothways beforehanding the bikeover.

The pressurewas on andImanagedthe

same–anindication ofmyridingability

or the simplicity of the section?Discuss.

The session didn’tneed anylongdistances

but I’massured the use ofatrials cluster

in the boxmeanstheroadwork bits ofthe

Pre65 andother trials would be acceptable

rather thanan‘Oh god,let this roadwork

end’ scenario.“Ihaveraised theoverall

gearingalittle,” Dan says asIhand his bike

back,“it’smypreferenceforriding.”

AUTUMN 2019 | 15

Justafewofthe

peoplewhohelpDan.