I recently bought this, it’s a Greeves Scottish 200cc trials bike. Mates of mine do pre 65 trials and I’ve wanted to have a go for ages. Messing about in mid what’s not to like. I set myself a strict budget of ?3000. I wanted a stroker as I want something relatively light, tiger cubs and 350 four strokes do nothing for me at all.
Originally I wanted a Francis Barnett as I grew up round the corner of their sub factory in Coventry and also because of this picture
This is my dad in 1957 18years old on his 1953 FB falcon trials bike with a 23inch front wheel.
I looked at several but they are all 3 speed and quite dated. So my next thought was a Greeves. I’ve always loved them since reading a book given to me by my dad called built for speed it was from the early 60’s and has been a part of my life for years. Both the picture and the book mean a huge amount as I lost my dad a few years ago and he was my biking inspiration. He was a teacher, taught CDT and motor vehicle engineering and rode a bike to school. He taught all the ‘bad lads’ won the first ever schools BP build a car (with the abbey cat) built hovercraft’s with the kids for the BP hovercraft competition not bad for a proper working class lad from Wandsworth.
So I sought out numerous Greeves none of which did it for me. Eventually I bought this, in hindsight I probably should have walked away but I was desperate and had driven 4 hours just to view it.
It’s a 1958/9 Greeves Scottish 200 powered by a 200cc villiers 9e engine 9 bhp of rip snorting power.
Having got it home I realised it wasnt as good as I thought.
The front wheel is 20 inches yep 20 you try getting a new tyre impossible for trials riding, it needs new shocks, new cables, stand, brakes doing new rims and spokes, a kill switch, new levers, sump plate etc etc etc coupled with a thorough going over and all the bodges rectifying. In hindsight I should have spent more up front and saved myself some cash. Oh well benefits of hindsight.
Already ordered loads of parts. Short term aim is to get it safe and useable long term, yamaha clutch, electronic ignition system, rebuild the motor etc
Originally I wanted a Francis Barnett as I grew up round the corner of their sub factory in Coventry and also because of this picture
This is my dad in 1957 18years old on his 1953 FB falcon trials bike with a 23inch front wheel.
I looked at several but they are all 3 speed and quite dated. So my next thought was a Greeves. I’ve always loved them since reading a book given to me by my dad called built for speed it was from the early 60’s and has been a part of my life for years. Both the picture and the book mean a huge amount as I lost my dad a few years ago and he was my biking inspiration. He was a teacher, taught CDT and motor vehicle engineering and rode a bike to school. He taught all the ‘bad lads’ won the first ever schools BP build a car (with the abbey cat) built hovercraft’s with the kids for the BP hovercraft competition not bad for a proper working class lad from Wandsworth.
So I sought out numerous Greeves none of which did it for me. Eventually I bought this, in hindsight I probably should have walked away but I was desperate and had driven 4 hours just to view it.
It’s a 1958/9 Greeves Scottish 200 powered by a 200cc villiers 9e engine 9 bhp of rip snorting power.
Having got it home I realised it wasnt as good as I thought.
The front wheel is 20 inches yep 20 you try getting a new tyre impossible for trials riding, it needs new shocks, new cables, stand, brakes doing new rims and spokes, a kill switch, new levers, sump plate etc etc etc coupled with a thorough going over and all the bodges rectifying. In hindsight I should have spent more up front and saved myself some cash. Oh well benefits of hindsight.
Already ordered loads of parts. Short term aim is to get it safe and useable long term, yamaha clutch, electronic ignition system, rebuild the motor etc
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