5 Classic Trials Bikes of the 1970s

[@senianns9522]

Hours of fun on a 250cc Montessa! I wasn't any good at trialing but got out and about in all weathers in the late 70's.

[@bikerdood1100]

Nice 👍🏻

[@cliverussell5344]

Thanks for a nostalgic blast from the past. I really enjoy your videos

[@bikerdood1100]

Thanks

[@derekdingwall]

That brings back memories of the Scottish six day trials back in the 70s especially the Bultaco and Ossa brand ,many moons ago😀👍

[@bikerdood1100]

Hard to think the 70s was 50 years ago

[@derekdingwall]

@@bikerdood1100 😂👍

[@derekbriggs6064]

Still got mine from 75 although it’s a Cheney cantilever version ,rode it from about 75 through to 79, had great success ,then the Scottish 6 days trial in 87 I think ,I only wanted to finish ,and I did not come last ,on a now 13 yr old bike , it’s now rebuilt and sits on the wall at home ,happy memories

[@bikerdood1100]

Cool 😎

[@dandare1001]

I loved my yellow Beamish 250. Had so much fun with it.

[@bikerdood1100]

Definitely nice bits of kit

[@Free_Ranger_CT110]

Always wanted a Fantic trials bike, who knows maybe one day. It's interesting that trials is the only motorcycling discipline where two strokes are still popular to this day

[@bikerdood1100]

Well it’s one of the few they are still allowed in I think

[@denlsgoulden2307]

Remember passing my motorcycle test on a Yamaha DT100 happy memories 😊

[@bikerdood1100]

Nothing like your fist bike

[@johnscotcher9753]

I started trials riding on a BSA C15T, then a Cotton 250, a Bultaco 250, and then a Honda TL125 which was modified a lot - it was bored out to 165cc, longer forks, angled rear suspension, which transformed the bike. Montesa was also a popular trials bike in the early 1970s.

[@bikerdood1100]

I’ve tried trials and quickly realised my lack of poise

[@4thinternational283]

Never been a fan of trials machines but there's some really nice examples here. The Alta Suzuki is beautiful.

[@bikerdood1100]

Certainly an unusual style Very 70s I think

[@royjacques5650]

Hi these bikes brings back memories when I had my first trail bike which was a yamaha dt 125 e which I passed test on, on my 17th birthday and never looked back .the two best bikes i had were a maico 440 which I raced in the early 1980s and a honda xl 500 r a lovely bike but a sod to start.

[@bikerdood1100]

Oh those big singles What fun they can be when cold

[@ObsidianFrog]

Another one of my long list of screwups, was in the mid 90's passing up a beautiful 1976 Bultaco 350 Sherpa......for £350........ I had that image of my wife's face floating in a cloud, and folded....😢

[@bikerdood1100]

Dam

[@tonypet1518]

Very entertaining video for me. I remember the company Ossa grand prix racing. There rider was Santiago Herrero who I admired. A David and Goliath situation, as you said with Ossa winning against the mighty Japanese. The engine was heavy finned with disc valve induction, beautiful to look at, so fit for the job. I remember seeing a photo in motor cycle press of the Ossa mechanics and I guess Herrero escaping a race meeting in Northern Ireland when the IRA decided to bomb something, or similar. When Santiago Herrero was killed in a racing accident, the owner , and mechanics were so sad at his death they decided to stop road racing. Which is perhaps a different explanation you gave in your video. Not that it matters 😅. Greaves were around about that time , with beautiful looking machine. I remember seeing a racing aerial 250cc 2 stroke with a a kill switch to be used instead off a clutch 😮. Saw one racing bike with a reliant 4 cylinder car engine in. Happy days. Cheers from benidorm 😊

[@bikerdood1100]

Very interesting thanks for the comment

[@marcbrasse747]

Just back from a holiday in Northern Spain. I actually saw quite a few examples of the Spanish brands but only as static displays in museums, behind old shop windows or even in front of houses. The spanish surely are proud of them but I wonder if they still have enough spares to keep them running. 😁

[@bikerdood1100]

And rightly so. They built some wonderful machines

[@stefanhansen5882]

Super interesting! Glad I found your channel. I'm looking for a classic trials bike which can be road legal (in Denmark/Europe). Can you recommend some models? Thanks!

[@bikerdood1100]

Depends the age your thinking of Bultaco is an obvious early choice But Fantic, Montessa and Ossa seem the obvious choices to me The earlier the bike the more road biased really

[@stefanhansen5882]

@@bikerdood1100 Thanks.

[@marcwiart5657]

That green and white OSSA is a pretty little thing! Trials bikes were hen's tooth rare in my neck of the woods. Funny how the sport never really took off in north america. Can Am made one but I think that was under Armstrong at the time? MX was popular looking back I think I would have loved trials. My parents would likely been much more supportive as well! I can't blame them. Poor mom seeing her boy on a MX track. 😘 Sorry mom.

[@bikerdood1100]

😂

[@briancooper562]

Only mentioned in passing but I had a couple of Montesa bikes. The only manufacturer I have come across using second preference bolt sizes. If you are not in the know where do you get M7 bolts and spanners?

[@bikerdood1100]

May well include them in a later video

[@dandare1001]

I've got a Renault 4 that has quite a few M7 bolts. You could try a classic Renault dealer. I loved my Montesa Cota 349.

[@Nudnik1]

I had an Ossa Mick Andrews replica Trials Bike. Wish I kept it.

[@bikerdood1100]

Think the white one in the video is a rep

[@Nudnik1]

@@bikerdood1100 mine was green MAR. I had it in 1990 in NYC long island. Was into Motocross Enduro racing. Not much trials here then. Now in Tennessee there is a trials school. Really difficult. Toni Bau trials super human skills..

[@bikerdood1100]

Tried it once at a trials school I wasn’t a natural

[@pauljnight8620]

? Two Suzuki based machines but no montesa?

[@bikerdood1100]

OMG It’s not a top five Got to save some for a future video you no

[@phillockwood4014]

It would have been great if a Honda TL125 had been in that video...

[@bikerdood1100]

Can’t fit em all in a single video I’m afraid

[@viennapalace]

I know you had to draw the line somewhere but to include 2 Suzuki based machines in place of mentioning Montesa's venerable Cota lineup seems a little indulgent...

[@bikerdood1100]

You assume it’s a top 5 Which it is not And that I don’t intend further videos, which I do 🤷🏼

[@phillippitts6294]

Almost bought a ossa enduro in 71 , I don’t remember the model.

[@bikerdood1100]

Port would have been seen as an investment today

[@SUZUsaki-kz7bl]

Fantic was taken over by the Chinese a long time ago and has become a fake-tic wearing Italian skin.

[@bikerdood1100]

🙄