LL August-article by Mike Tizard (Tri-Greeves Challenger in Lands End Trial.)

[John Wakefield]

Got my LL this week, nice article by Mike Tizard on his Greeves Triumph Challanger trial bike & his exploits in the Lands End Trial. Well done Mike on winning a Gold. Nice to see a Greeves being well used.

[Brian Thompson]

Fully endorse that, and well done to Colin for getting another great issue of 'LL' out on time whilst moving house! Thanks Colin.

I really enjoyed Mike Tizard's article too, and noticed what looks like some interesting and very nicely engineered fabrication work (modification?) to the front forks. If Mike or Phil (Hyde) is reading this, it would be great to hear a little more about it if poss!

I've attached a pic of the bike for reference, as well as a 'blow up' highlighting the fork details. (Hope you don't mind me copying your pics for this purpose Colin, thanks mate!)

Also, for interest I've attached a few pics of another of Phil's splendid Triumph-Greeves machines, which I photographed at the GRA Trial at Nailsworth in 2005. I was observing at the trial, along with my partner Wendy and friend David Stonebridge. It was a pretty 'hard' event due to being so wet and conditions were 'sticky' to say the least. I took the pics before the start, and big respect to Phil for manhandling the beast around the scenery that day! Really nice bike Phil!

Brian.

[Phil Hyde]

Triumph-Greeves

The forks on Mike's Challenger were an attempt to replicate the Greeves factory prototype 'Straight Banana' forks used briefly by Bryan Wade on the factory MX4. Twenty years ago banana forks of any type were either in short supply or sellers wanted a kings ransom. So, armed with a set of factory banana drawings I set out to make my own version. They are stamped so should never cause any confusion as to their origins or provenance.

As for the trials bike it is still an ongoing project. I still have many ideas that I wish to try, yet still remain within the spirit of Pre-65. Development lives on.

As the Triumph-Greeves marque specialist I still get regular enquiries for projects. There is a certain fascination in engineering a Grumph. Long may it reign.

By the way I appear to have arrived. I am now a member of this forum. A big thanks to Rob/Colin.

Here to help.

Regards

Phil

[Brian Thompson]

Prototype Banana Forks.

Welcome aboard Phil, and great to have you on here!

Thanks for the explanation on those forks (and the Trials Grumph), thought they looked a bit special-nice job!

I dug out this old pic I have of some protoytpe banana forks Phil...are these similar to the ones you were refering to? (see attached.)

Brian.

[Bearingman]

Welcome aboard Phil, and great to have you on here!

Thanks for the explanation on those forks (and the Trials Grumph), thought they looked a bit special-nice job!

I dug out this old pic I have of some protoytpe banana forks Phil...are these similar to the ones you were refering to? (see attached.)

Brian.

Brian,

These forks look great.

I noticed the drilled and dished fasteners, over here the American motorcycle press always made a big deal of the Japanese works bikes with all their trick hardware...Greeves did it long before!

I believe these are the forks Bickers used in the famous Youtube video of the Bickers/Smith race.

Thanks for posting this photo.

Kenny

[Brian Thompson]

Hi Kenny,

Thanks for the added info, I didn't realise that! One thing I did hear about that fantastic race was that the reason Jeff Smith gave Dave Bickers the 'moody look' at the end of the race was because DB's footrest tore a hole in JS's chaincase during that amazing overtake just before the flag....!!! What a race that was!!! Colin's reprint of the piece in the latest 'LL' (151) by Jeff Smith is a wonderful reminder that however hard they competed on track, off track they were just the best of mates. True sportsmen and great champions both.

Just in case anyone hasn't seen it yet (there's a link to it in the thread on 'Historic Greeves Films on YouTube' in the Archives and Historical section of the forum) here's another quick link to that fantastic footage;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jhuZk5q0qCs

Back on topic, I quite agree on those forks! In fact, elsewhere on the forum I've attached a pic of one of of my all time favourite Greeves, a banana forked Grumph, the one with the ali tank with the simple Union Jack sticker on it. A pic of it is in pride of place over my work bench! One day etc...(sigh!)

Speaking of Jap fasteners, I wonder how many of these nasty crosshead bolts (made of cheese!) Peter Rotherham has had to get the impact driver (or drill!) on over the years in his professional life.....?! (Sorry to remind you Peter!) Yes indeed, Greeves were always praised highly in the press for their use of 'Nylock' nuts on production machines too, way before it became the norm. Quality, and proper engineering, and not just for the pros eh!

Brian.

[Phil Hyde]

Those forks

Brian/Kenny

I seem to recall that photo, or similar, was in Don Morley's scrambler book. The all action photo I referred to of Bryan Wade was a factory picture that is in the club archive.

Phil