New Classic Bike???

Never one to sit back and just be happy with the latest toy in the shed, the visit to Wrighty's show at Telford last weekend has got me thinking that I need a classic bike in the shed to allow a bit of choice for Sunday's..... After all, when you have got a classic trial being run with sections 100 meters from your back door and you cant ride in the trial because you haven't got a suitable bike, then there is clearly something wrong with the selection of tools available in the shed!

So, what do I have? As you will have seen on this site I have been through the range of what I feel are competitive classic bikes; a well sorted Triumph Cub, a Villiers engined Sprite (which could just as easily been a James/Francis Barnet), and an Ariel. Each one was good in its own way and all of them were competitive enough to win national events in the right hands - if not mine!!

There are a couple of options that I haven't yet tried; Something with a Villiers engine again but in a different guise like a Greeves, DMW, Saracen or similar, a BSA single C15/B40 or maybe a Triumph Twin?

I think the heavier Twin will not do the old knees any favours so I think that one is out for now, a C15 might be a good option as I think these are still available at the right price to start with and there are loads of options readily available for frames and trick bits, however I am still a bit of a 2 stroke fan as they seem to suit the way I ride (all revs and on the clutch as my Dad keeps reminding me whilst I am getting used to the Scorpa). 

For something a bit different I have been paying a bit more attention to Alan Nicklin's Greeves and he's kindly let me give it a try out tomorrow at the BMCA trial at Mitton. Now I know that Alan prepares some of the best Villiers trials engines around (he did my Sprite engine) and he's a great engineer as some of the bits he's made for the Greeves are very trick, even down to the leading link forks that he still uses which work just as well as many telescopic forks being used. 

As he won the Inter Centre Team Trial last year on this bike beating the likes of Neil Gaunt in the process, it will be interesting to see just how much is down to the bike and how much is due to the rider as I am not quite in the same class ...  Picture of Alan riding the bike is above...

I will update the BLOG tomorrow night and let you know how it went and hopefully have a few pics of the day..