The end of a restoration. ..

[James8672]

Well..it took two years to restore to a showroom finish..and one ride to get rid of that virgin look....but boy has it all been worth it. Very easy to ride and very forgiving. The leading link suspension is much better than you think. Looks like thats me hooked on pre65 trials for this year then. Hopefully it won't be so muddy next time...

[scott151]

Well done James

Nicely done, nice to see it getting the use for which it was intended

Regards

Scott 151

[Colin Sparrow]

Very well done James; job's a good 'un!

Another Scottish saved to live forever - and getting some proper use along the way!

[Andy Z]

Nice bike James!

Just a couple of geeky questions: What gearing are you running? gearbox sprocket etc., and are you running points or electronic ignition.

Also, how do you find the front brake? Many people convert them to a floating brake plate to prevent the forks locking under braking.

Just wondering, as I'm slowly rebuilding a 1960 Scottish for use in the mud...

Cheers,
Andrew

[MikeV]

Front brake

Nice bike James!

Just a couple of geeky questions: What gearing are you running? gearbox sprocket etc., and are you running points or electronic ignition.

Also, how do you find the front brake? Many people convert them to a floating brake plate to prevent the forks locking under braking.

Just wondering, as I'm slowly rebuilding a 1960 Scottish for use in the mud...

Cheers,
Andrew

Hi Andrew,
Many years ago I converted a steel hub brake to a floating back-plate, just to keep up with the latest idea's from Greeves with their alloy hub. I did'nt have any problems with brake locking when riding in trials with the conventional brake set up but did find that it gave more control in fiddlely sections because you don't have the fork rise under braking. Setting the position of the the brake anchor arm was made by trial and error.

For "political correctness" I would keep the standard fixed back plate and work on the brake shoe leading edges, which I did before converting to floating back-plate, and develope your "feel" of the front brake with lots of practice.

Mike.

[James8672]

Hi Andy,

The front brake is best described as vague...as for any hope of locking the wheel..I think you need to book an appointment with the lever and the brake shoes for it to lock. That's something I'll develop over time.
I use electronic ignition. Can't remember the exact brand/manufacturer but in the instructions its refered to as STK-970. The company is based in Oxford if I remember right?.
I did hear mixed reviews about it - especially if you wanted to fit a lighting kit. But I must say, I've had no issues with it and the bike starts easily and runs fine. All I can say to anyone fitting a kit like this is take your time and make sure your measurements are accurate.
Gearing is stock 20TC - so if I remember right it's 14t on the engine and 44t on the rear sprocket.

There is one big BUT with this bike...it's not a purist bike and so some people will poo poo it.
It's not actually a Scottish. It's actually a 1961 24DB. I originally got the bike by swapping a 1955 francis barnett falcon for it. The Greeves was just a bare bones rolling chassis whereas the falcon was complete but stripped.
All I wanted was a simple guilt free bike to have fun on without worrying about its value or the rarity of its parts - which can ruin the fun sometimes.
The gearbox is supposedly a genuine trials one, and as I'm no expert on that kind of thing. I took that in good faith. It pulled through the mud and rocks on Saturday without fuss so I'm guessing it was true.

That said, the front wheel is still a 19 inch rim running a 3.00 trials tyre with a modified loop to suit the bigger tyre. A standard road tank 2 gallons or so? Is fitted. Mainly because a long term aim is to do long distance trials.
Soft metalastic trials bushes are fitted in in the leading link. A heavy duty clutch is fitted. Stock villiers carb and an extended inlet track/stub is fitted to soften the low down power. Renthal bars are fitted along with a quick action throttle and renthal medium compound grips.

All in all, not 100% authentic but 200% rideable and fun.
Cheers,

James.

[Rob]

Great - another muddy Greeves!

James, well done, another Greeves being used for its correct purpose and dispelling our image of being only the Greeves Polisher's Association! Looks a great little bike and you really can have some fun with an ordinary bike and not have to spend £10K on a so-called Bantam!

Nobody that actually rides will poo, poo your bike, certainly not in this club! Who cares what the bike started out as, the important thing is that it is out there being used and enjoyed! The spotters tend to enjoy their sport away from muddy places anyway!

Where was that mud plug? We did the march Hare a couple of weeks ago and everything looked like that including the van, inside and out!

The ignition you have is the Electrex World. Despite what you might read, I have found this works well. Like some other people, I blamed the ignition for a hot running, harsh engine and fiddled around with the timing, etc. I then found it was my fault for having too high a compression ratio (never previously checked it). Sorted this and it is now just about perfect.

Don't know where you are located but the Somerton weekend is on June 6/7th and is a great do, nothing but fun and high jinks disguised as a trial!

Andy - I am using standard primary gearing (20T) and 14T gearbox / 60 back wheel. 15 / 64T works out about the same. This is ideal for road trials but you could go slightly lower, say 14/64T if you stick to small trials. I think that would probably be classed as highly geared by some people but I like it that way.

[John Wakefield]

Some good points there Rob. The fact that James has resurrected a Greeves from a pile of bits is testimony in itself, also the fact it is a roadster frame is unimportant particularly as the Greeves frame is modular & bits can easily be swopped, there are not many other bikes you can do that with. Good also that James is going to ride the bike rather than restoring it as a 'trailer queen'. The only point I would make is that he will find it beneficial to fit a 21 inch front wheel.

[Andy Z]

I agree with Rob & John, this type of Greeves frame was very similar whether it be a road, trials or scrambles model, and the fact that its being used is far important than originality.

A 21" wheel may well be useful for a bit of extra ground clearance.

[trialrider17]

the end of a restoration

Well done James lovely little bike and used as it should be , just about to start on my project a pile of bits rusty 24TE frame and forks, pair of rusty wheels and a 32A engine to start riding again after 15 years.Will start new thread and post photos of before and after (will not be showroom condition)
Simon

[James8672]

Thanks for the positive response. Much appreciated. I've already had someone say "nicely painted tank....pity it's the wrong colour..." I just shrugged my shoulders.
The front wheel size was a whole dilemma on its own. In the end, the original wheels were perfectly usable and I really couldn't justify the huge expense of getting another pair laced up. I'm sure my total lack of any trials riding skill wouldn't feel the difference between wheel sizes anyway....but I do kind of like that "fat" looking front wheel though.

I'm in the gloucestershire area and the club I've joined own private land, and my membership entitles me to access to their land 7 days a week, pretty much any time during daylight hours.
Another local club that cater for pre 65 bikes is the Hawks motorcycle club. They hold trials once a month every month by the seem of it. So I'll be entering in their events soon.
Should be an enjoyable (muddy) year hopefully...

[trialrider17]

If you painted the tank that colour then it is the right colour.Wait till you see the colour of mine.