Bultaco Finally on the Road, But Then Disaster! | Bultaco Alpina 350

Finally getting the Bultaco on the road, but will it be a successful ride? Watch to the end to find out what happens...
Background history:
A lot of old bikes like the Bultaco have fibreglass petrol tanks. These are lightweight and strong, but they do not like modern ethanol-enriched petrol. Ethanol quite literally dissolves the fibreglass!
My old tank has some bubbling in the paint where ethanol has been absorbed through the fibreglass, which means realistically it's too late to coat the inside. I have a spare one which should be ok, but ideally I wanted a metal tank so I didn't have to worry about it. Cheap ones are available via eBay from India, but I've heard pretty terrible things about the quality...
Amazingly I managed to pick up a 50 year old BRAND NEW, never used metal tank, made by a company called Homerlite in Solihull, England, in the early 70s. These were made for UK-market Bultacos when the UK (briefly) brought in a law against using fibreglass tanks on the road.
I fit the tank, get the bike going, but it all goes a little bit awry... stay tuned to see what happens!
Cheers,
Alex
Music:
Hip Hop Christmas (Extended) by Twin Musicom (twinmusicom.org)

[@TheBigIdeasMotoEngineering]

Good to see some one outside of main land Europe or the Usa keeping an Alpina on the roads! The Alu tank is a good shout that will create less issues down the road, Your Bike has a combination of issues there, sounds like jetting, carb slider size, timing ,and ignition issues. Definitely best to fully strip and rebuild the motor as they are an old bike with steel lined barrels and its a 2 stroke any way so when they sit up they just build up corrosion and all bearing surfaces get pitted and once run again they just give up shortly after, that growling noise is not healthy. They are worth it though a very fun little machine to have, also swap out the ignition system for a modern non points version as the points just create varying issues. I have a 12v system in mine and I can start and ride it to work reliably with out any fear of it not starting. They top out speed wise depending on your rear wheel as some hubs on the older models limit how small of a back sprocket you can run, one of my Alpina engines is in an early Sherpa frame large back sprocket bike tops out at just under 50mph but will also maintain that nearly up a steep forest :) I did have an Alpina 250 that toped out close to 70 but that was very hard on the motor. They are a very capable woods and mountain exploration bike when set up correctly!

[@gageoakley583]

Keep making alpina videos! I’m waiting for my piston, I can’t wait to ride!

[@adhdrebel982]

Funny story ;when gasohol was first developed,it was mandatory for underground tanks to be replaced Unfortunately no one knew that all the new fiber glass tanks melted from inside out till after 50k USD was spent on every gas station.They had to replace 2500 gas station tanks a second time in less than 4 months --- that's 5000 ten thousand gallon/40k liters each tanks .Station owners weren't happy to say least ...

[@redtobertshateshandles]

I'd say crank seals with an old two stroke. My old IT250 needed a race plug. Just wouldn't run properly without one.

[@kymnewitt-xk9lg]

It s eat plugs i found ngk to be best not race plugs

[@lkearney7299]

The primary chain tensioner broke on the Sherpa I had years ago. The tensioner wheel had broken and it was just the remaining arm pressing on the chain maintaining the tension. The oil in the primary case was a mess! I has a one tooth larger front sprocket and I could get 70mph - it was revving though!

[@TittertonRacing]

I bet it was revving a bit! The oil wasn’t so bad on this, but it hadn’t done much running since the tensioner went 👍

[@richardcross7633]

Unusual surname, don’t suppose your Dad is Geoff by any chance

[@adhdrebel982]

In the US landscape and emergency responders gas powered tools don't use ethanol in rescue equipment find land scape supply company and they sell premix fuel shelf life is a year .

[@TittertonRacing]

That’s handy! I think some chainsaw 2-stroke premix here in the UK is ethanol free but it’s very expensive… fortunately some of our super unleaded here is still zero ethanol, but it’s getting harder to find

[@user-pq1gy2xx9v]

If you live South of about Nottingham, Esso Premium is Ethanol free. It’s not ethanol free up t’North. Taco’s we’re notorious for splitting the pistons and smashing Conrods when I raced Carts in the early 70’s before Suzuki’s started to take over

[@TittertonRacing]

Very true, the north and Cornwall don’t get ethanol free petrol anymore ☹️

[@jamesgeorge1709]

Anything over 45 on these was a little dangerious due to the wheelbase.

[@TittertonRacing]

Definitely! Plus I don’t think the brakes were known to be brilliant either…

[@simonaustin1788]

Is there a follow on video to this? I’m interested to see your next steps. I have a 1978 Sherpa, and currently experimenting with the carb to sweeten the running,...& hoping the bearings hold out

[@TittertonRacing]

There will be soon, I’m just very slow at editing! Turns out the motor is absolutely fine (had the top end off twice), the horrible noise was simply a broken primary chain tensioner! 10 minute fix, if only I’d checked that first…

[@simonaustin1788]

@@TittertonRacingseen the vid- thanks. Is the Alpina engine basically the same a a Sherpa....but geared higher?

[@TittertonRacing]

@@simonaustin1788 at least for the early ones, the frame and engine were the same, but the gears slightly higher and more evenly spaced out. However I think the frame and engines diverged slightly from the Sherpas later into the 70s

[@427les]

What are you using as a speedo? I need something like that.

[@TittertonRacing]

I used this wired bicycle speedo, connected up to the rear wheel, with the cable going under the engine: www.cateye.com/intl/products/computers/CC-VL520/ It worked pretty well, but you need to program in the tyre diameter to get half decent readings!

[@adhdrebel982]

Have any Friends in the air plane business mechanics sometimes has to drain tanks to do repairs they store it untill disposed of , 104 octane might be a bit hot if you tune it for 104 anything less makes motor PING. Know anyone in first responders groups and where they purchase supplys..

[@Nitrox524]

Poor little bike. Needs more love. Strip it! Hehe

[@TittertonRacing]

Yep, it’s definitely not happy… time to get the top end apart and see what’s what!

[@gageoakley583]

@@TittertonRacing keep us updated!

[@sicks6six]

sounds like a snapped ring or/and the crown of the piston destroying itself, ethanol, wrong plug, and timing not set up correctly, they are the best options after that is bearings, seals, bearing-races, ethanol destroys old oil seals they have to made from Viton, the old 1970s 1980s seals turn to chewing-gum when they warm up and ethanol is present, I've taken them out of 2T engines and they are warped out of shape and are stretchy,

[@TittertonRacing]

Interestingly the noise turned out to just be the primary chain tensioner - new tensioner and it sounds great! Agreed re the timing though, electronic ignition was fitted later and it ran much better 👍

[@mikeskidmore6754]

My Friend had a Butaco 250 Apenia .. a nice Trail bike .. My 1978 Yamaha YZ-100-E was faster..

[@TittertonRacing]

The Alpinas are nice bikes, but as you say not the fastest... I've sold it since, but have a Montesa 349 to play with now!

[@mikeskidmore6754]

@@TittertonRacing The Reason I know my Yamaha YZ-100-E is faster is because: We were riding side by side on a RR Bed after a rain . My friend decided to accelerate ahead of me and spray me with Water. The Next 5 water puddles I out accelerated my friend and he got splashed.. He could ride a 1/4 long wheelie on the Alpena .

[@Workerbee-zy5nx]

Luminum tank...Fiberglass tanks can't hold modern fuels?, Yikes.

[@TittertonRacing]

Yeah it's becoming a problem for old trials bikes and some Nortons with fibreglass tanks... At least in the UK some super unleaded has zero ethanol content, but the standard stuff is 10% which just eats through the tanks and gums up the carb

[@Workerbee-zy5nx]

@@TittertonRacing I had a 72 360 sang that was fiberglass and it was a little crunchy also..

[@georgejanssen6467]

so, what happened?

[@TittertonRacing]

It turned out to be a lot better than I'd feared! The horrible scraping noise was just a broken primary chain tensioner, and the pinging was sorted out by playing around with the main jet to richen the mixture slightly. In the end I reverted to the original Amal carb, as I found the pickup to be a bit more crisp. 👍