You know, it could be a simple case of fashion, availability and cost that currently dictates the lack of Greeves trials bikes in use at present.
Must have fashion over the last good few years for competitive mounts; Pre Unit Ariels, then BSA B40's and C15's, followed by Tiger Cubs, James and now Bantams. No-doubt I've missed a few along the way.
Success by someone riding something even at club level breeds copycat desire, even if the person whose replicating that particular mount hasn't got the riding ability to achieve those same levels of success. Its the bike, can't be my riding ability mentality kind of thought process.
As those various 'in fashion' bikes at the moment gain in popularity modifications are taken to new levels by those selling trick parts and they deliberately create desire (like Apple computers) as must haves by the followers to be allegedly competitive. Needless to say prices rise, availability wanes (or simply priced out of most peoples pockets) and new marques are sought that are more plentiful and therefore cheaper to start modifying and so on it goes.
Does the engine in Greeves trials bikes need lifting, does the trail need altering? I don't know. What I do heavily suspect is that a good rider on a standard unmodified Greeves will beat a poor rider on a extensively modified version of the same bike.
Also riders modify their bikes and engines to suit there own unique riding styles. What suits one guy is unrideable by another.
Finally and this is where I think the Greeves popularity for use is slightly limited is that its far easier to find Cub and Bantam parts readily at cheaper prices. If you want to build a bike from parts as many people do now instead of putting up money upfront for a complete bike these models and probably others offer greatly availability of parts more readily.
Case in point, second hand pair of BHC full width hubs on e-bay that require re-build start at £450.00. I reckon I could get a nice set of cub hubs with new alloy rims built for less.
As a final thought, as I'm building a Bantam at present, a well known and very successful rider recently said to me that the Bantam would be a far better machine with a 250cc Villiers lump in it and not to waste lots of my hard earned cash trying to make the Bantam motor work as I wanted it to….
Note to oneself: modify relatively plentiful and cheap Bantam frame, borrow motor from my alleged highly un-competive TFS and guess what I'm a winner, maybe not!
Anyhow, back to the workshop, must lift that Greeves motor onto the top of the tank and chop a couple of inches out of my leading link forks. I'll be taking orders to carry out these mods as soon as I can get a top flight rider to win on it at the Scottish, Talmag or such like…….
Although highly competitive by nature I can't help thinking that riding old bikes in trials or scrambles without a championship or trophies being a necessity / requirement would get unused bikes out of sheds and garages and into use. Shouldn't it be about getting a ride on whatever we have stashed away and having fun on it rather than building something to be ultra competitive.
I believe that more folk will end up trail riding a lot of ex and alleged now un-competative trials and scrambles bikes for fun at the cost of entries in 'competitions'
Sorry I don't post often, I rant too much and its far safer if I spend my spare time in the workshop building a full size replica of a MX4 out of Lego…..
Must have fashion over the last good few years for competitive mounts; Pre Unit Ariels, then BSA B40's and C15's, followed by Tiger Cubs, James and now Bantams. No-doubt I've missed a few along the way.
Success by someone riding something even at club level breeds copycat desire, even if the person whose replicating that particular mount hasn't got the riding ability to achieve those same levels of success. Its the bike, can't be my riding ability mentality kind of thought process.
As those various 'in fashion' bikes at the moment gain in popularity modifications are taken to new levels by those selling trick parts and they deliberately create desire (like Apple computers) as must haves by the followers to be allegedly competitive. Needless to say prices rise, availability wanes (or simply priced out of most peoples pockets) and new marques are sought that are more plentiful and therefore cheaper to start modifying and so on it goes.
Does the engine in Greeves trials bikes need lifting, does the trail need altering? I don't know. What I do heavily suspect is that a good rider on a standard unmodified Greeves will beat a poor rider on a extensively modified version of the same bike.
Also riders modify their bikes and engines to suit there own unique riding styles. What suits one guy is unrideable by another.
Finally and this is where I think the Greeves popularity for use is slightly limited is that its far easier to find Cub and Bantam parts readily at cheaper prices. If you want to build a bike from parts as many people do now instead of putting up money upfront for a complete bike these models and probably others offer greatly availability of parts more readily.
Case in point, second hand pair of BHC full width hubs on e-bay that require re-build start at £450.00. I reckon I could get a nice set of cub hubs with new alloy rims built for less.
As a final thought, as I'm building a Bantam at present, a well known and very successful rider recently said to me that the Bantam would be a far better machine with a 250cc Villiers lump in it and not to waste lots of my hard earned cash trying to make the Bantam motor work as I wanted it to….
Note to oneself: modify relatively plentiful and cheap Bantam frame, borrow motor from my alleged highly un-competive TFS and guess what I'm a winner, maybe not!
Anyhow, back to the workshop, must lift that Greeves motor onto the top of the tank and chop a couple of inches out of my leading link forks. I'll be taking orders to carry out these mods as soon as I can get a top flight rider to win on it at the Scottish, Talmag or such like…….
Although highly competitive by nature I can't help thinking that riding old bikes in trials or scrambles without a championship or trophies being a necessity / requirement would get unused bikes out of sheds and garages and into use. Shouldn't it be about getting a ride on whatever we have stashed away and having fun on it rather than building something to be ultra competitive.
I believe that more folk will end up trail riding a lot of ex and alleged now un-competative trials and scrambles bikes for fun at the cost of entries in 'competitions'
Sorry I don't post often, I rant too much and its far safer if I spend my spare time in the workshop building a full size replica of a MX4 out of Lego…..
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