reliving my youth, Bultaco trials bike

I had a Yamaha TY175 durring my (Adult) apprentice years, and was a much better rider for it, I was almost unbeatable in slow races at ralleys in this era due to the better balance trials teaches.

So when I was getting a set of Michelin Anakees on the weestrom last weekend, I spyed this for sale, you bloody beauty.











The Amel concentric carbie is pi$$ing fuel, and the fuel tap might as well not be there, but nothing that can't be fixed.
But look at the state of it, a '72 to '74 modle in this condition, I have just got to get it going right.

EDIT: its a Sherpa T 350 BTW

Mate... go or it.
I had a TY250A in 1975 and deeply regret selling it. Now as a middle aged KLR pilot, I have so many fond memories of the Ty and the things even I could do on it... man just do it!

Cheers

Happy Snapper

I want!:eek1 Nice bike there man.

I just got my Old TY175 out from under 18 years of storage
I've cleaned it up and I've been putting around on it.
It's blast. it still needs loads of work to make it mildly functional.

Trials bikes are whole mess of fun.

Don't forget to check out the trials forum here on ADVrider.

In my youth I had the 250 sherpa t defineatly the funnest of all in the woods. Loved every minute, except when I broke my thumb fending off a tree to protect that beautiful gas tank. But, still, I would do it again.
GO FOR IT

good lookin' bike. I had a Matador back in the 70's and would love to restore another of Senor Bulto's bikes

Do it! That's one good lookin' bike. As you know, trials bikes are great fun.
I'm in the process of building up a '75 Sherpa T for the local twin shock series. I'll probably start a thread on it in the near future. I need to figure out if I should post it in Old's Cool or Trials Bikes.

Couldn't help myself, it had to come apart, not that it is complex, wireing doesn't get any simpler than this, just three wire, two in use.


On closer inspection, the bike was less original that I had at first surmised, frame cleaned and painted, motor left alone.
Note the rust on the head bolts (nuts), hasn't been played with for "some time".


So out with the motor, all of three bolts.


Note new "chewing gum" trials tyres awaiting fitting, with "trials" tubes as well.


Note condition of external head fins compared to the rest of the bike, It will have it's head off and new rings as a minimum.


Tomorrow will show what state the motor in is, evidence of silastic use when pulled out, at least no oil passages to block on a two stroke.

AndyGadget. Looks like someone basically kept it out of the weather and loved it. A good find.

Norton73 and Squish why aren't your projects in the Trials forum? Haven't heard from you 2 in a while.

Andy, does that bodywork have original paint or has it been re sprayed, also is your bike a 4 or 5 speed? is the shifter on the right on all sherpa t's ? I don't know if I could get passed that. I love old trials bikes but know nothing about the buls, beautiful bike.

also I noticed that there are two what look like oil filler caps on your bike . I assume one is for oil ,but the other?

Bodywork looks new, but I may be wrong as the fuel tap is old and the tank cap is old.
Tank cap looks its age, which I would expect the tank to do as well, if it were 30+ years old as well.

The gearbox is a five speed, counted them a couple of times to make sure, and the right hand shift is a problem for me as well.
Every right hand shift bike I have riden, like old Ducati GT's and such, have caught me out in a panic situation, I end up changing gear rather than braking:huh

I have a "cunning plan" on how to cross them over to conventional, with not too much trouble, but worth it I think.

EDIT: Even if I just swap over the brake lever, and point the gear lever upwards will do, as you don't changes gears very often in "Old" trials riding.
On my old TY175, you decided what gear to ride the section in, put it in that gear, and started and stayed in the gear, its what torque if for IMHO.

This intrigues me as well, the primary drive is chain, so I suspect the right hand filler, the one at the front, is the primary drive and the clutch.
While the one behind the barrel is the gearbox, a pull apart will tell.

center filler is the gearbox, right side is primary and clutch as you suspected. Personally, I've had good luck running Silkolene light gear oil in both. It's made for 2 stroke gearboxes. I even run it in the primary on my Norton.

The only 4 speed Sherpa T was the first one, the Model 10. The next Sherpa T, the Model 27 was a 5 speed.
Most bikes have the shift shaft going through both sides of the case, so moving the shifter is easy. However, moving the brake is a problem. Sammy Miller offered a kit, but it's such a sorry piece of shit, I'm amazed he put his name on it. The brake lever was a ugly chunk of steel that outweighed the rest of the bike, and pulled on a cable with so much stretch that I think the bike actually accelerated when you applied the brake.
In a panic situation, Pull both handlebar levers in, push down on both foot levers. No matter what the bike, shift pattern, or lever side, this will cover most problems.
I ride BMWs, a Ducati 750 GT, a couple Nortons, a Suzuki, and the only bike that I screw up on is the Sherpa T. All the others, I've got figured out by the time I go past the mail box.

Primary case is separated from gearbox with a seal. Holds 10 oz. of the same gear oil that box uses. Anybodys modern 80-85 wgt. Great idea because clutch debris does not foul gears and can be changed separately.


Stay with RS shifter. You don't really panic that much in a trials situation in sections like trail riding. Norton 73 gave you great tips. That Venhill UK set-up he talks about is expensive junk IMO too.


I see new tires in the photo. One hopes these are radials not imitations.


For actual trials riding you probably won't like that seat.....too thick and will impede your side to side movement. And you need widened footpegs(you can do this yourself) if you want to really compete. Sammy Miller prods/Renthal sell trials bars that work better than the ones you have on there. Those have more backsweep than you want.

I don't care what your book says...Run this bike on a modern mixture of 1 US gallon race gas to 2.5 oz of your favorite concentrate oil...Motul, Silkolene, Maxima SuperM or 927, Golden Spectro. 50:1 just like a modern bike.

The Betor nitrogen shocks in 13.5 in. size should work pretty well on this bike. They are set up with a 70/100 spring and work pretty well for guys between 170 and about 220 lbs as they come. They are the least pricey nitros, pretty good reliability and work. Drawback is that they are not rebuildable like Falcon, Hagon, WP stuff.

Hope this all helps.....You will soon be hooked on going really slow.

At Andy's request, off to trials ....


Nice bike mate!

I have an M27 just pulled out of storage and to get going again this winter. It was my first bike bought used in 1971.

It could be a late 72, the M49 250 was still being sold up to around 1973 when the 350 joined it in the line up. The engine number - M92 04526 - tells me it's a 350 built likely built in 1973. Early numbers might be 72, but it's irrelevant since there was no labeling of year back then, only the model number. It became a legal requirement to put a model year on the bikes in the 70s after some unscrupulous dealers like Rick Case in Ohio were selling 1971 350 Hondas as 1973 models. When customers came in for parts, some 73 parts didn't work.

The shift shaft is only in the clutch side case on all the original right side shift bikes like this one, not clear through like a Japanese bike. Back when I was riding the M27 Bultaco recommended 80w90 gear lube in the gear box and 20w nondetergent in the clutch

One thing to be wary of on the bike would be if the crank seals are bad. It can suck the oil from the clutch or draw lean with an ignition side leak. I'd consider replacing them if any problems come up after first firing it up. Many parts are readily available, seals and bearings are numbered common stock on all but the latest of models Bultaco built. The interchangability of parts is what has been so appealling to the vintage racing crowd. Seems they are very rebuildable/repairable. I had my Betor shocks rebuilt a few years back and used Honda CL77 (305 scrambler) fork seals in the forks. A spacer has to be made for the seals to fit, or a ring groove machined. Stock Betor seals almost leak on installation. I've used the CL seals in my old MotoGuzzi and SR500 too, a rather common size seal.

Last notes, ditch the MX bars and get some real trials bars. Otherwise it's going to be a pain to ride due to the pull back on the bars. Also pull the back wheel and get that brake cam pushed back through where it should be. The brake rod lever shows it is out of position. You could also rotate the lever back one spline to get a bit better adjustment and slightly better leverage.

Did some internal investigation of the engine, evidence of a ham fisted fitter having at it in the past, broken and bent fins on the bottom of the barrel.

Head off.


Barrel off.


Piston off.


Primary side, front filler plug.


Drain isn't on the bottom of the space, dirt trap.


Clutch basket, no grooves that I can see, but being steel it shouldn't have any.


Butchered drain plugs, primary side.


Gearbox.


Primary side, sprocket is loose on its splines, nut not tight, butchered lock washer.


Broken fin.

Looks great Andy !! You'll have to bring it along to a trial next year, we have a twinshock class

Lot's of links to Tassie stuff and other onfo here

http://www.trials.com.au/content/

Hope to see it back together soon

BT