1964 Greeves 24TES

[Brian Thompson]

Bulltackoe Logos!

Hi Brian,

At the risk of appearing to be a Bultaco nerd (I do have a couple), thats not the Bultaco logo. It appears to have been hi-jacked by someone, as it should say "CEMOTO" at the bottom, not "ME MOTO"!!!

Cheers,
Andrew
#190

Ha ha!!! Well spotted Andy, and thanks for the correction!

Whatever next I wonder.....dodgy Greeves fridge magnets spelt 'GREAVES'......?! Is nothing sacred anymore....

Brian.

[Brian Thompson]

TES info etc.

Hi Peter, done a bit of digging in the Archive and the original Greeves catalogues (you did say you were going to join the GRA, didn't you..?

TES tank should be alloy. The budget version TE had a steel tank.

The rear seat mount looks ok - it isn't supposed to share the rear subframe bolt.

It should have fibreglass mudguards (the TE had alloy)

The tank on either model should be silver (polished alloy for a TES)

Your rear brake torque arm looks wrong anyway. The TE and TES both had steel British hubs, the short torque arm was part of the brake-plate - and was therefore painted Moorland Blue.

Handlebars and wheels are a matter of personal choice. There is no such thing as an original competition bike, they always get modified.

It's your bike, do what you like with it! I should give it a try as it is (well, with a seat on!) and see how you get on and then start modifying.

Nice one Colin. Thanks for the definitive answer re UK factory spec, interesting stuff.

Yes, I'm sure I heard Peter say he is going to join the club too....!

Brian.

[nzpeterb]

The TES and Membership

Brian, Colin, and John,

Thanks for the replies. I now have the Greeves at home. There was a delay after my car failed on the first attempt to pick it up. Loosely assembled would be a good description of the bike as it will need virtually a full set of nuts and bolts.
What threads were used? Cycle thread, BSW, or BSF?
What finish were the bolts? Zinc or black?

The bars despite looking very wide at 32.5 inches are only slightly wider than my Fantic 200 so will try them for size first.

The hubs are both alloy and from the Osprey Villiers book are the same as the TFS. Given the TES ran for three years perhaps the 1964 bikes used different hubs to the 1962 models? Certainly there were two different exhaust pipes used in the life of the model.

For membership I have downloaded the form and can pay by Paypal. Can I email the completed form to someone or does it have to be posted?
If posted what is required for the stamped self addressed envelope?
As NZ stamps will not be any use to you do I need to send an international reply coupon?

Regards,

Peter.

[nzpeterb]

Had a bit of time today to look at the bike. Observations so far are:

The tank is steel but even checking the inside there are no threaded bosses for fixing tank badges. I assume once I get membership sorted I will be able to get appropriate transfers for this tank.

The footrests say Bates on them. I assume these are an American item. They will need to be modified or changed as they are welded on the frame at different heights. Will either need to cut one off and remount it or change to modern style pegs. Reuse will require a source for the footrest rubbers.

regards,

Peter.

[John Wakefield]

Tank badges

Peter
Interesting that your bike has no tank badge fixing points. It would appear that the USA export models may not have had the screw on alloy badges to the steel tanks. Our Cambridge (UK) member Malcolm Powley has just restored a US spec TFS Trail (see my recent Cambridge Bike Show thread for a pic) and this does not have tank badge bosses either. It also has an 18inch front wheel which I think were again fitted for the USA market for trail riding use. Sorry I am not a trials bike expert so cannot help further. But no doubt someone can confirm what badges it did have.

[Colin Sparrow]

in the life of the model.

For membership I have downloaded the form and can pay by Paypal. Can I email the completed form to someone or does it have to be posted?
If posted what is required for the stamped self addressed envelope?
As NZ stamps will not be any use to you do I need to send an international reply coupon?

Hi Peter, just send the form to Don Heath by snail mail and don't worry about the SAE.

Pop a short note in with it explaining what I've advised (or print out this post), it'll be all right.

[nzpeterb]

Source for Seats

Colin, thanks for the reply. I have posted the form to Don and made a Paypal payment so should gain membership in the next couple of weeks.

My copy of the Greeves Osprey book arrived this week. I was lucky enough to get it signed by Dave Bickers who just happened to be staying with the American seller. This book outlines the changes to the model over its production run. My bike seems very original with the variations from standard being the guards, 18 inch alloy front rim, and Bates folding footrests. Still not sure about the tank. Now I have possession of the bike I find the bars are standard trials width just quite tall so will try these first.

Given Greeves are not common here I have been asked to put the bike in a display of british trials bikes that will take place here at the beginning of September. Does anyone produce a seat or seat base as I would like to put a seat on it before it is displayed.

Frank Conley can supply a mould for making a fibreglass seat base. I am not sure what shape this is.
Greeves Motorcycles show a seat on their website. Their base has a raised section to clear the back guard but on my bike the base only needs to be flat. Anyone know of a source or do I make something like the flat Tiger cub seats sold by Sammy Miller and others? Any guidance appreciated.

Regards,

Peter.

[Phil Hyde]

seat

If you are going to compete on your TFS then consider making a seat. The original Greeves offering was by modern standards a bit too high. The seat on my TFS was made from a piece of aluminium sheet folded and covered in closed cell foam of about 8mm thickness. This is the same stuff the road racing boys use on a racing seat. In this way the seat height can be reduced by about 50mm.


If you need more inspiration I will post some ideas for seats.


Phil

[nzpeterb]

Phil,

Thanks for the reply.
Yes the intention is to use the bike for trials.
Your reply confirms where I got to, that the best solution is to make a seat using a simple almost flat base. From what I can tell the original seats look to be about 3 inches high and when a cardboard mock up of this height is put on the bike to me it looks too tall.

Regards,

Peter.

[greeves246]

tes

silencer stickers !

[IMG][/IMG]

[Phil Hyde]

seat

Peter

If you still have the original seat bracket you need to get the hacksaw or grinder out!!!!!! Reduce the hoop bracket to stubs about 25mm high. This will be your setting out point for the new seat.

I have posted some photos of a 25 year development difference on my TFS Triumph-Greeves. The difference in seat height is a real benefit. The rear subframe currently fitted is indeed a TES item. The original TFS is in the shed broken. Another story sometime.............

By the way save the bracket. You may need it as a pattern, or to weld back on if you go back to factory spec.

Good luck

Phil