CDB/AMCA CLASSIC CHAMPIONSHIP REVIEWED
DIRTbike ISSUE Sixty-t wo
CLASSIC
Spring
2 02 2
#62
Enduro excellence KTM’S GELANDE STRASSE 250
r e e n o i p c i Butler: plast Star
performer Cheney Beezer PLUS
HI-BOY BULTO TECH TALK VINDURO
IN BALANCE
On the edge We all like to be just a little better than the opposition.
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any years ago I was offered some bits and pieces of advice by older and wiser competitors in my chosen motorcycle sport of trials riding. This advice was along the lines of: “Three things which will improve your riding are practice, practice and more practice.” This advice was a surprise to me as I was hoping for an insight into some ignition setting or fancy attachment to bolt on to my bike which would propel me to stardom… To be honest I’m still looking for such a gizmo though after 48 years of riding perhaps such help doesn’t exist. In common with many club riders we were always certain the works riders winning weekend in, weekend out had the edge over us because their factories were totally focused on their team riders winning and if only their secrets could be known… What we often conveniently ignored was that factories were in business to sell motorcycles and if their star performer was winning on an ultra-special machine which bore little relation to the showroom model then the showroom is likely where the model would remain. Equally glossed over is the ‘edge’ the top riders had at their disposal was often themselves and their dedication to the task in hand. There were slight deviations from the standard model ethos; in the case of the British industry such changes came as the factories faced falling sales and closure and machines they were offering weren’t wanted. This situation allowed a great deal of freedom to factory team members and some nice machines, albeit in the ‘one-off’ category, surfaced. We also understood those good enough to gain a factory ride would often be expected to have a hand
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❝ ... who can forget the pic of Joel Robert crossing the finish line with his Suzuki frame held together by the clutch cable, hope and very little else. ❞ in developing machines or testing ideas. What this brought was a situation where the team bikes could be different from the standard machine and press releases from whichever factory it was would be along the lines of ‘exciting new developments being tested and soon to be incorporated in production machines’. Some of these riders freely admitted their involvement was to ride what was given then provide feedback to the comp shop while others knew what to do and could do it. Sometimes, in the search for an edge, things could go too far and who can forget the pic of Joel Robert crossing the finish line with his Suzuki frame held together by the clutch cable, hope and little else. This particular incident was partly responsible for a change in rules to supposedly ensure safety but probably aimed at preventing wealthy factories building one-off machines with the sole purpose of winning a GP. If an event such as the ISDT, or ‘E’ if you’re a modernist, is looked at the situation becomes more interesting as the desire for international prestige quickly transformed the laudable aims of this event from a shop window for production machines to a need to be seen winning. In attempting to gain an edge for their country, much time would be spent poring over the rule books to see what was permissible and what wasn’t. Or perhaps what could be stretched to include some things not strictly catalogue but within sight of the spirit of the event. The British industry by and large played fair with these rules and while their team bikes would have some parts not UK spec, or even complete machines not for the
UK market, it was suggested the parts or bikes could be ordered from the factory. The ultimate expression of this ‘edge’ was the bikes built by Triumph for the 1973 ISDT and based on stock motorcycles. With the disarmingly simple idea of drawing a bike full size on a board and adding bits to it, the team at Triumph’s Duarte HQ – with apparently little idea of what an enduro bike should look like – created a legend. Their gaining of an edge while stretching the concept to the limit was still way behind what the other factories in Eastern Europe were doing and producing bikes with only the name on the tank bearing any similarity to the stock machine. The surprise was how well it all worked when really it shouldn’t – but isn’t this the premise behind most ‘edge’ seeking enthusiasts? So, this meandering into the world of gaining an advantage over our competition must have some point and it does. As these words are being pored over a few days before the 2022 Classic Dirt Bike Show at the Telford International Centre I’m trawling through scraps of oily-fingerprinted paper on which are hastily scribbled notes detailing the bits and pieces I hope to find within the halls and will give me my own edge against the opposition. The biggest edge I’m looking for is to have rear dampers on my Bultaco which will go up and down rather than the current units with one damper rod at a jaunty angle after a slight incident in a trial last year.
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Regulars 03 In Balance More musings from the deepest recesses of a motorcycling mind.
06 News and views All the latest in the wide world of motorcycle sport, events, people and much more as the coming season is rapidly approaching.
42 Subscribe Find out how to have your copy of CDB drop on your doormat on a regular basis.
62 JD’s view Sartorial elegance and off-road sport are uneasy bedfellows – the first mud splash and everyone looks the same. There were those who tried to brighten our sport though.
82 Moto Memories As this issue is leading up to the CDB show we thought a ‘show’ pic would be a good idea, so here is one… were you there?
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Events 64 Vinduro action CDB headed north to try the Vinduro Hare and Hounds… thankfully our photographer managed to avoid pics of the editor in ‘action’…
68 Hudson at Hawkstone Celebrating Neil Hudson’s championship year anniversary at Hawkstone Park.
75
CDB Classic MX A round-up of the CDB championship series by Andy Withers, who was there.
On the cover 1974 was a transition time for KTM; they’d developed their own engine of larger capacity than the Sachs motors they had been using and would go on to increase the capacity to 400cc. However Mauro Cipolat-Gotet’s 250 is a superb example of the Austrian marque’s GS model.
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Features 11
International co-operation An Austrian machine, restored by an Italian living in England, with parts from the US – no borders with motorcycling.
20 High-boy Bulto Not exactly common in the UK, a fully Millerised Bultaco Sherpa is extremely rare in the US. See how this one arrived over there…
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24 70, 60, 50 and 40 years ago We delve into our archive and see what was happening in 1952, 1962, 1972 and 1982. Do you remember? Were you there?
34 Speedy Beezer A tale of determination, dedication and ultimately success despite the setbacks on the way.
44 Workshop rebuilds At every turn there is frustration, what should work doesn’t, what should fit doesn’t, what should be understood isn’t.
56 Butler’s bike Forget superior gentlemen’s gentlemen in morning suits and think superior motorcycles wearing stylish glass fibre outfits... yes, that Butler.
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CCM’s works team A reader request brought to light some unseen archive colour from the CCM glory days.
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Classic Dirt Bike Show 2022 The timelines in magazine production can throw up some quirky situations such as this being written a couple of weeks before the Hagon Shocks-backed Classic Dirt Bike Show at the Telford International Centre, yet it is likely you could be reading it after the show when the magazine drops through your letterbox. Of course, you could have picked it up at the show, attracted by the KTM GS250 Enduro on the cover and actually in the metal on our stand and are reading it while enjoying a cup of coffee in the halls. After the pandemic-induced uncertainty of the last couple of years, when shows were postponed, events cancelled and not just our sporting life disrupted there were glimmers of hope of some normality. The first sign was confirmation that the show was actually going ahead which even up until Christmas just gone wasn’t certain. Hoops were jumped through, regulations met and conditions agreed for the indoor gathering to happen, then the regulations were relaxed a bit to allow a bit more freedom but the advice still is to stay safe. Okay, what is there to see or what did you see? Did you catch the presentations for the CDB/AMCA MX championship on stage? Or were you there when Arthur Browning and Derrick Edmondson were
See our stunning cover bike on our stand then read about it in the mag.
being interviewed about their incredible off-road careers at the top end of motorcycle sport? Perhaps the packed trade area was your reason for being at the show and you were scouring the stands for something vital to ensure your season – be it trials, enduro or MX – gets off to a fine start. Did you see the incredible find of genuine Eighties
Derrick Edmondson in action at the Highland Classic Two-Day Trial on Alvie Estate.
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trials gear on former show owner Alan Wright’s stand? Rooting about in his attic Alan found a box… peeked in and there were brand new Ellegren riding shirts and orange and lemon Fantic trials helmets! Did you part with the asked-for amount for a piece of history? Rumour had it Wrighty was going to part with them for the original Eighties price… It could be you’ve been inspired by past shows and determined to have your rebuild on show in the private entry lineup where all sorts of competition bikes are on display, their owners hoping their efforts will catch the judge’s eye and be deemed Best in Show. One of the best things about the show though is just catching up with mates you only see at the show. This will be much more poignant in 2022 as the gap since the last one is almost two years.
Arthur Browning tells Sammy Miller how it is.
All change The Toughsheet National Twinshock MX Championship moves into its 30th anniversary year, with a few changes. Chloe Hudson has taken over the reins as co-ordinator following the retirement of Geoff Shuttleworth and she has come up with a six-round series with a couple of new tracks on the calendar. As usual there are classes for all Twinshock riders, plus Evos, Super Evos up to 1996, and the ever popular Vets Over 40/50 on modern bikes. Registrations are now open to everyone, and you can get your form and IOPD licence form from Chloe by emailing chloehudson11@ hotmail.co.uk Payments can be made over the phone by calling 07887 407590 after 6pm weeknights. Alternatively please visit the National Twinshock stand at the Telford Show in Hall 3 to get all your relevant paperwork.
Changes at the Twinshock series, but the racing remains as exciting as ever.
The six rounds are as follows: April 17 Cumbria Twinshock at Polesworth, Staffs. May 8 Durham & Northumbria at Schoolhouse MX, Consett, Durham. June 4 (Sat) Nottingham Twinshock at Bevercotes, Notts. July 16/17 Cumbria Twinshock at Pontrilas, Hereford.
July 31 Cumbria Twinshock at Bassenthwaite, Keswick. September 18 Cumbria Twinshock at The Grange, Tern Hill, Shropshire. The Cumbria Twinshock Club is also hosting the King of the Castle at Farleigh over the weekend July 2/3, and you will be able to enter when visiting the Telford Show.
Drumlanrig Offroad Motorsport Festival 2022 The Galloway Motorcycle Club is pleased to announce the launch of its Drumlanrig Offroad Motorsport Festival 2022 and delighted to confirm that guests of honour will be three motocross legends: Roger De Coster, Brad Lackey and Heikki Mikkola. The festival starts with a road run of 75 miles or so on Thursday, June 16 and funds go to Scotland’s Charity Air Ambulance. Friday, June 17 There is a 50-mile run in the morning for classic bikes before Friday evening entertainment starts with a pipe band to open the event. Motorcycling action starts with a grasstrack. The cut and thrust of short, sharp heats and finals are popular with both riders and spectators and provide some close and thrilling racing. Sat/Sun June 18/19 Saturday and Sunday will see the TwoDay Classic/Twinshock Scramble. A full race programme of classic and twinshock competitors with up to 40 riders at a time battling for honours on a superbly laid out circuit in the shadow of Drumlanrig Castle. Riders come from all over the UK and Europe as well as South Africa, Australia and elsewhere. The track location and
Galloway charity 2022 The Galloway MCC chooses a charity each year to benefit from its fundraising and for 2022 Scotland’s Charity Air Ambulance will be the beneficiary. Funds will be raised at all the club’s events and a JustGiving page makes it easy to support the charity: www.justgiving.com/ fundraising/GallowayMCC22
layout allows spectators a good view of all the action. You can witness some of the best riders in the sport (many of them exchampions) doing battle on a wide array of classic bikes which reflect the golden age of scrambling from the late 50s right up to the early 80s. Sunday, June 19 Sunday also sees a first for the event with an Open to Scotland Trial. Drumlanrig will provide fantastic and varied terrain to challenge these feet-up specialists. Sections will be laid out as Pre65 and Twin-shock friendly with three routes of varying difficulty so riders of all abilities can challenge themselves. Trials enthusiasts will be pleased to know that Scottish Six Days Trials legend Bill Wilkinson will be the trials guest at Drumlanrig this year. He will be joined by Vic Allan, multi British Motocross champion and Grand Prix runner who will be riding his fantastic home designed and built 175 MV Agusta trials bike. For those taking a break from the cut and thrust of the motorcycle action there will be lots of other activities from farmers’ markets to arts and crafts for younger visitors… watch this space!
For Drumlanrig information Event director: Kenny Harper 07778 912305 clubgallowaymcc@outlook.com Scramble entries secretary: Geoff Shuttleworth geoff.shuttleworth121@outlook.com Sponsorship enquiries: John McCrink 07379 379278 clubgallowaymcc@outlook.com Trials section: Derek Porter 07768 243000 gmcctrials@outlook.com Scramble/motocross section: gmccmotox@outlook.com Road run section: Crispin Bardsley gmccroad@outlook.com Membership secretary: Jim McMeeken 07850 038953 clubgallowaymcc@outlook.com Press officer: Sue Grant 07749 060285 suegrant23@me.com
Per person One-day pass £20; Early bird £15; Event pass £35; Early bird £25; Camping £10 per pitch per night. Ready for action at Drumlanrig – be there or be square.
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Northern British Bike Championship For fans of the way trials used to be in the days when Pre65 trials bikes were new and we had a bit of roadwork in each event there is the Northern British Bike Championship. A seven-round series in the Lincolnshire/Derbyshire/ Yorkshire and North Wales area with sensible sections and a good ride out to boot. The event dates for 2022 are confirmed and are as follows: March 27 Poachers Bag (Lincolnshire Wolds) April 10 Derbyshire Trial June 5 Reliance Trial – Buxton (Peak District) July 10 West Riding – (Bronte Country) Yorkshire August 13/14 Croesi’r Ddyffryn Dyfrdwy October 23 Red Rose Bowland Classic (Forest of Bowland)
Pre65 Scottish changes Latest news from Pre65 Scottish Trial HQ is it is now all systems go for 2022 as it looks like they will be able to go ahead with the event this year. All the work in the background has been stepped up a gear or two with just three months to the trial kicking off. Riders on the current entry list should have had their new 2022 paperwork in December and should have returned it by February 7, 2022 to ensure their place is secured. If you opted to carry your entry over from 2020 and have not received a letter, please get in touch – sec@pre65scottish.co.uk as soon as possible. There are no new open entries for the 2022 trial as there is still a reserve list. A couple of changes will come in for 2022 with the biggest being the route will no longer be a dual-route figure of eight but a single lap with riders
all going the same way. The club is aware that there will be challenges to overcome and has ideas on how to minimise the impact. One major advantage is for observers who will not have such a long day out on the course if the weather is bad. Second change is the start time, which will be 9am each day and the route will pass through the village to give riders the opportunity to refuel. The organisers advise us they’re still needing observers so, if you are interested in helping out, please get in touch with Sally Burton, observer co-ordinator – sallyburton5@live. co.uk or pop along to their stand at the Classic Dirt Bike Show on February 12/13. Come along and see us for a chat and perhaps treat yourself to some new Pre65 Scottish Trial merchandise.
The organisers would like riders’ feedback to see if they would like both days to count towards the championship at Llangollen. If so, they reckon the best six scores out of the seven rounds could count. Contact them on their Facebook page.
Jersey cream
For such a small island it seems incredible the Jersey Classic and Modern Trials Club can fit a two-day trial on it but it can, has and will do in 2022. After an enforced layoff while the world dealt with a pandemic, motorcycle sport is back on track and the Jersey International Classic and Modern Two Day Trial will take place on March 19/20, 2022. Though entries are closed now CDB says keep this event in your diary for next year. Regs and entry forms available on the website www.ji2d.com, as is more information. Back for 2022, the Pre65 Scottish. Will Jose Moreno and Danny Littlehales be in the entry?
Pre2000 fledgling series
Market Drayton Motorcycle & Light Car Club enjoyed wall-to-wall sunshine as its new trial for Pre2000 bikes burst on to the feet-up scene at Bourne’s Farm in Shropshire last October. Losing out a little to the Pre65 and Twinshockbased trials the late air and early watercooled trials bikes now have their own series. So far the fledgling series has three dates for 2022 so if Pre2000 sounds your thing and you want to get involved details are available at marketdraytonmcc@gmail.com
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Rockshocks series Latest news from the Rockshocks Classic Trials Series HQ is the events list for 2022. The popular series begins at the end of February and finishes at the end of October and to ride every round you’d have to be up and down the country like nobody’s business. Worth it though, as there are some great events to take in. So, here is the list, the organiser details and entries will be on the Rockshocks Classic Trials Series Facebook page.
February 27 Breakheart Community Project March 20 Spen Valley April 10 Scunthorpe tbc May 15 Vale of Towy June 19 Huddersfield Falcons July 10 Castleside July 24 Wye Valley August 14 Central Wales Auto Sept 18 Sedbergh & District October 30 Yeadon Guiseley
Out on the Peninsula Organisers Andy Johnstone and John McCrink are pleased to announce the 11th Moidart Peninsula Classic Motorcycle Road Run will take place on Thursday, April 28, 2022. Trials riding legend Sammy Miller will be guest of honour at the run and also at the main event of the weekend, the world famous Pre65 Scottish Trial. The sad news is entry for the Moidart is already full as all entrants from the two Covid cancelled events have carried their entry over for 2022. The Moidart Run has become the traditional opener to a great weekend of motorcycling in and around Kinlochleven and we can all look forward to the usual, warm welcome from the people of Lochaber. As always, riders on an impressive array of old bikes will be taking part which this year includes a genuine 1925 BSA
Editor: Tim Britton cdbeditor@mortons.co.uk 07739 615605 Columnist: John Dickinson Contributors: Tim Britton Media Ltd, Andy Withers Photographers: Fiona Watson, Nick Nicholls Collection at Mortons Archive Production editor: Pauline Hawkins Art editor: Kelvin Clements
John McCrink and Andy Johnstone persuade Sammy Miller to be guest at the Moidart Run.
and some original ex-works Greeves ISDT machines. Of course there will be the usual, impressive display of vintage and classic machinery assembled at The Viaduct car park, Kinlochleven, ready for the off, with riders all anticipating the spectacular scenery they will encounter on the Road to the Isles. All being well, the first rider will depart at 10am.
Designers: Charlotte Fairman, Tracey Markham, Tim Pipes Publisher: Tim Hartley Group advertising manager: Sue Keily Advertising representative: Leon Currie 01507 529465 lcurrie@mortons.co.uk Sales and distribution manager: Carl Smith Marketing manager: Charlotte Park Publishing director: Dan Savage Commercial director: Nigel Hole Archive enquiries: Jane Skayman jskayman@mortons.co.uk 01507 529423 Editorial address PO Box 99, Horncastle, Lincolnshire LN9 6LZ. General queries and back issues 01507 529529 24hr answerphone help@classicmagazines.co.uk www.classicmagazines.co.uk Subscription Full subscription rates (but see pages 42/43 for offer): (12 months four issues, inc post and packing) – UK £20. Export rates are also available – see page 42/43 for more details. UK subscriptions are zerorated for the purposes of Value Added Tax. Website www.classicdirtbike.co.uk Overseas distribution Marketforce UK Ltd. 0203 787 9001 Printed by William Gibbons & Sons, Wolverhampton.
This superb looking AJS is on Car & Classic website.
CLASSIC DIRT BIKE (ISBN:978-1-909128-87-3) is published quarterly by Mortons Media Group Ltd, PO Box 99, Horncastle, Lincolnshire LN9 6LZ UK
Car & Classic
For overseas subscription packages please visit www.classicmagazines.co.uk/cdb-overseas
This stunning AJS caught our eye on the Car & Classic auction website www. carandclassic.co.uk – seems the classic scene is on the up. A recruitment drive by Car & Classic that will see its team double to 120 members over the next year highlights the breadth of new skills needed in the classic sector. With eight current vacancies spread across technology, marketing, sales and support roles, Europe’s largest classic and specialist
vehicle marketplace is seeking expertise both in the UK and internationally. Recently, Car & Classic has appointed two new marketing assistants, who join a team of seven, and is still recruiting for three software engineer roles, legal counsel, product managers and – in line with the company’s international expansion – multi-lingual negotiators. A career page can be found here: https:// careers.carandclassic.com
Copyright Mortons Media Group Ltd. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage retrieval system without prior permission in writing from the publisher.
spring 2022 | 9
10 | SPRING 2022
1974 KTM GS250 Enduro
Kool Transition Model In the frantic world of competition, motorcycles are constantly developed which means occasionally bikes of one year include bits from the previous year as they transition from model to model. Words and pics: Tim Britton Media Ltd
Above: KTM’s 1974 GS250 Enduro. Left: Farioli were the Italian KTM importers.
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D
espite the UK team having its best result in the ISDT for many a year in 1973 and doing it mounted on machines created from the fully road-equipped trail type Triumphs there was little doubt it was a swansong for our home industry. Something more suitable for the changing face of the ISDT, which had become a six-day enduro rather than a shop window for production machines, was needed. Such a statement was no real revelation; it had been clear for some time the rest of the motorcycle world was more concerned with being seen winning on machines often only loosely related to ones which could be bought than promoting their home country products. When the post-event discussions were in the press there was much talk of the smaller, lighter machines used by the Eastern Europeans – however until the rules were relaxed and Trophy teams could be mounted on machines not made in the home country they were stuck. It didn’t stop the team riders trying other machines though.
1974 KTM GS250 Enduro
THE PENTON CONNECTION KTM’s off-road history is inextricably linked to the American Penton family and a jolly good job too. Very briefly in the late Sixties John Penton approached the Austrian manufacturer with a proposal to make 100cc and 125cc motorcycles for the American enduro market. Penton’s reasoning was a smaller, lighter machine would be easier to ride and not need to be as powerful so wouldn’t tire a rider. The concept was one practised by the Eastern European teams who had 50, 75, 100 and 125cc machines in their ISDT squads. The bikes would be marketed as Pentons in the US and the connection would prove to be beneficial to both parties. KTM wanted to build larger machines, with their own engines rather than Sachs motors, their first – a 175cc engine – was introduced in 1972. It was followed by a 250 one year later then, for 1974, a 400cc unit.
Once the rule changed and opened up the manufacturing world to the Trophy squads – the Vase teams had enjoyed such freedom for a while – the problem was what to choose. Jawas, MZs and such were available but were not quite the same as the respective factory riders would be using. There were others of course, Husqvarna being one with a good track record and the KTM/Pentons had proved their worth but were of small capacity until the factory decided a bigger bike than 125cc was needed and started developing their 175 which grew to 250cc in 1973. This first year was successful for KTM and as 1974 dawned they had their new GS250 enduro model available though it did rely heavily on the 1973 stock of engines. Mauro CipolatGotet, an Italian electrician living and working in northwest England and the owner of this stunning GS250, is telling me a bit about the machine as I photograph it. “I have had it since 1988 and used it in enduros at home in north-east Italy,” he says. “It is a transition model with the engine pretty much as 1973 but fitted to a new
Above: 1975 IOM frame known as the ‘Tubino’ because of the small tubes ISDT 21-year-old Jack making the frame from the footrest to seat area. The Penton, US. next model year has oval tubes of greater section and a black painted engine rather than a silver one.” How did I come to be photographing such a transitional model far from the owner’s homeland and the bike’s parent factory? Simple, I struck up a conversation with Mauro as we waited our turns at a section in a Cumberland trial a couple of years ago and he mentioned having just started the restoration of his KTM which he brought over from Italy in 2010, would I be interested in seeing the result? Oh yes! Just at the back end of November 2021 an email pinged up with an image on it… and oh boy! What an image! The accompanying message was along the lines of ‘remember me from…’ and adding ‘this is the bike, are you interested in a feature?’ Then the weather hit… Still, there was one fine day at the end of last year so we took our chances and headed west in the hope the weather would last.
Spring 2022 | 13
Above: A new cover over the original foam on the original base restored the seat. Left: Bing’s Type 54 carburettor is also a transition with both choke and tickler.
Now an enduro bike really needs to be photographed in the countryside and Mauro suggested a couple of locations which might work for our shoot. As I took pics and positioned Mauro’s bike for best light I caught up on a bit of background of the superb looking KTM. Mauro has had the bike since 1988 but it was in the workshop at his family’s home in north-east Italy while his work took him all over the world. “I always was going to restore it,” he says, “but until I had a settled base there was no point in starting the rebuild.” Mauro finally brought the KTM over to the UK in 2010, figuring if it was in his garage in the UK it would at least get some work but the project remained on hold until the Covid lockdown altered lots of plans. With time available he set about checking the bike over and found his memory of how the bike was differed from how it actually is. “It had deteriorated a bit with not being used or looked after,” he tells me, “but it was still complete and all the bits which can become lost were still there.” It was however in need of every part looking at and even though the KTM hadn’t had a hard life it was quite
worn rather than bashed about. The only thing to do was to strip it down to every last component and start from there. “I have tried to salvage and reuse as much of the original machine as possible.” Once the bike was completely stripped Mauro admitted to making a mistake. “I was excited to begin the rebuild and had the frame powder coated. I should have done the mechanicals first,” he shrugs. However he didn’t and once the frame was back from the powder coaters he had little option but chalk one up to experience and press on. The swinging arm actuates on needle roller bearings and they were well past their sell-by, as indeed were the cup and cone steering head bearings so both sets of bearings were replaced. The swinging arm spindle was in good condition though and went back in. In less good order were the suspension units at either end of this stunning machine. Both are Marzocchi and of a high specification for 1974 and both needed a lot of attention to bring them up to the required standard. For the rear units a complete rebuild kit was available and in the great scheme of
Left: Fully rebuilt, rebored, all new bearings and seals with the crank done too, the six-speed engine is ready for action. Right: Hubs and brake plates are magnesium, both ends only require bearings, seals and cleaning, the shoes were in great condition.
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1974 KTM GS250 Enduro
A MEMORY JOGGED It is a fact of life ‘firsts’ tend to stick in your memory by which I mean things like the first time you cleaned a section, or got the holeshot or rode an enduro. Though equally it could be the first time you saw something momentous such as a Norris rosewood infill smoothing plane or the Slimline Sherpa T I saw when my dad took me to my first trial, these things remain in the memory. The memory may well be buried deep in the consciousness but needing only a slight jog to reawaken it and the recollection of just when something was seen is back like a shot. In this case the memory of when I’d first taken note of a KTM enduro model bounced back large as life. It was Thursday, May 9, 1974, probably around 4.30pm… and in the pages of MotorCycle, week ending May 11, 1974, p14 to be exact. How can I be so precise when remembering what I had for dinner yesterday is not always possible? Because I came across the feature again while feverishly scouring back issues of MotorCycle in Mortons’ archive in a desperate hunt for information about the 1974 KTM GS250. I knew I’d seen something years ago when, in common with thousands of other enthusiasts, the only sources of information we had were the two weekly papers which in pre-internet days were as up to the minute as could be had. Flicking over each page, scouring the pics and words for the distant memory when, suddenly, there it was. Exactly as I remembered it, complete with Ken Heanes in Seventies flares kick-starting a 400 KTM and announcing the UK team would be KTM mounted in 1974’s ISDT. In the end though the team used Jawa rather than the Austrian machines.
Above: Though of aluminium the yokes and headlamp brackets are powder coated rather than polished. Below: It has taken quite some effort to bring the GS250 to this standard.
things it wasn’t long before both rear units were back to pristine with new seals, rods, oil and springs. Up at the front end it was a little more involved and after Mauro had stripped the forks to their component parts and scrupulously cleaned every last bit the stanchions could be sent away to be rechromed. If the hard chrome plate – an engineering coating rather than decorative – isn’t spot on then the chances of a fork seal lasting more than seconds is slight. With the stanchions back in Mauro’s workshop the sliders were fitted with new seals, springs and dust covers before being slid into the fork yokes which had been checked in case they were twisted and, perhaps unusually for aluminium yokes, powder coated rather than polished. Querying this with Mauro I learnt the finish was as per the factory. With the frame and suspension together it seemed a good time to do the wheels and as an indication
on how seriously factories were taking the whole weight thing KTM went from aluminium castings in 1973 to magnesium for 1974. Both the hubs and plates are in this ultra-light material and thankfully were undamaged. Now, by the mid-Seventies most comp bike wheels wore alloy rims and KTM favoured flanged Akront ones which only needed aqua blasting to return them to looking excellent. Now, those spoke things… it seems KTM had their own spokes made
Plenty of room around the gearbox sprocket and swinging arm to prevent the build-up of mud in an event.
Schmid were the chosen fastener suppliers for KTM and others, these days they concentrate on engineered wood screws.
and the ends which go in the hub have a clover leaf pattern on them. I can’t imagine such spokes are thick on the ground and Mauro agreed. “An enthusiast commissioned a batch to be made and I bought a full set from him,” says the lad and the wheels were quickly built and fitted with new bearings and brake shoes for the plates. Finishing off the wheels are new enduro tyres, originally KTM would have used Metzeler rubber and, of course, Metzeler still make tyres but nothing looking like the original type so Mauro has used Pirelli as the nearest to a classic mould to suit the 1974 machine. Mauro’s decision to save as much of the GS250’s originality as possible is not an easy path to follow and always depends on the condition of what is being saved. Take fasteners for instance; loads of new ones are available in a variety of materials from ordinary steel to fancy aerospace stuff but KTM were supplied by Schmid in those days. Mauro salvaged as many as he could and only replaced the ones too worn to be safe to use. “If I had to replace one I tried to do it where it wouldn’t be seen, if I could,” he explains.
Also saved was the glass fibre petrol tank which, thanks to its shape, is known as the ‘water melon’ tank. It was designed originally for models going to the US and while larger than the MX unit is a smaller and neater tank than the massive ones KTM used previously. Now old glass fibre and modern fuel are not easy bedfellows as the resin used in their construction is softened and the unit delaminates which isn’t good. Mauro has cleaned the inside of this rare tank and applied a liner which so far has held up to the task. Also glass fibre, but not likely to be affected by ethanol, is the seat base. This is the original, as is the foam, but a new cover was needed. However the mudguards, with the KTM logo in, were too badly damaged to save but such things are available from regular CDB advertiser Andre Horvath’s Enduro Klassiker. While all this chassis work was going on the engine too was being looked at very carefully. Says Mauro: “It is the same as the 1973 250cc engine but housed in a new frame for 1974, perhaps KTM were using up stock, I don’t know. I do know the later models at the end of 1974 had some improvements to them, there
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Below: Gleaming in the winter sun, and attracting attention too.
1974 KTM GS250 Enduro
had been instances of damage to castings where kick-start mechanisms had caught them so were beefed up a bit. Okay, 1973/4 engine, the first 250 unit from KTM’s own factory… was a six-speed unit with primary kick-starting, so no fishing for neutral if the bike stalled. A Motoplat electronic ignition made sure the spark was there all the time and big fins on the barrel and head meant the bike wouldn’t overheat even when plastered with mud. When Mauro stripped the unit he found a lot of wear and when one bit is replaced it makes sense to carry on. So, as well as all the bearings and seals needing replacement the barrel needed a rebore and a new piston. Originally a Mahle piston would have been used, these are so rare as to be considered unobtanium these days so the options are Wiseco and Wossner – having made such a statement I fully expect someone to come up with “just looked in the old stockroom, not been in there for years, full of Mahle pistons…” The barrel was on standard 71mm bore and the first oversize is 71.25 which with the 62mm stroke still comes comfortably under the 250cc class limit. Ian Ambler, a local lad to Mauro, did both the rebore and the crank rebuild to set this engine back on the path to new life. For 1974 the engine castings were coated black, later in the year the newer castings are silver though. With all the bits laid out on the bench, assembly could begin and soon the engine was together; now KTM aficionados will know of ‘Dimension X’ which is the critical cylinder deck height measurement measured at the top face and adjusted by varying base gasket thicknesses. It can be a long and fiddly process but has to be done.
Left: Silencer has been de-dented, blasted, repacked and painted with the end cap rechromed. Above: Though complete this KTM had had a life, not a hard life but definitely used. Left: Not sure if you can make out the ‘Tommaselli’ name but that’s who supplied KTM with ‘bars. Below: This side panel was salvageable, the other side had to be replaced.
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Once the engine was rebuilt and mounted in the frame Mauro’s KTM started looking like a motorcycle again so work could go on to the ancillary parts such as the Bing 54 carburettor. As befits a transition model the carburettor too was a crossover. The world was beginning to think pressing a button on the side of a carburettor to enrich the mixture and have it dripping out was perhaps not quite environmentally friendly so the choke was becoming more acceptable. The concept of enriching mixtures by reducing the air flow into the carburettor had been around for a long time – even British motorcycles had an ‘air valve assembly’ but backed up by a tickler button. So it is with this Bing as it has both a slide choke and a tickler. Carburettors are tricky things to restore, they’re fragile for a start and Mauro has cleaned his as best as possible but the pilot jet is seized in the body and has resisted all attempts to remove it. “I would try harder to remove it,” Mauro tells me, “but if I damage the body then I’d have to find a new carburettor.” As with other parts of the machine any worn bits in the carburettor were changed and the intake system got a new air filter to fit inside the original glass fibre airbox which sorted out the intake side of the engine. Getting the gases out was more involved as the
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Above: While every effort has been made to retain original parts some bits just had to be replaced. Below left: A welded loop guides cables safely and stops them snagging. Below: The slight dip in the tap mounting helps keep fuel in the right place. Below right: Rebuild kits were available for Marzocchi shocks, anyone know if they still are?
exhaust system on an enduro bike can often suffer damage if there are any incidents. Careful cutting and delicate work beating the damage out then welding the pipe up again will cure most damage but it is a long and involved task. While on the exhaust it was repacked and the end cap chromed. In fact all of the bits which would have been chromed originally have been rechromed. The Tommaselli company – now Domino – supplied KTM with handlebars and these were reused, as were the Magura controls, while cables came from CIF in Italy and Venhill in the UK. An enduro bike has a headlight and tail-light as standard equipment and requires a wiring harness to connect both to the power supply… when your trade is as an electrician such things are not difficult to make. It might have been more cost effective to buy a harness but this way Mauro could remain faithful to the original colours. The KTM needs some final fettling to set things up but fired up reasonably quickly on the day we were there. Because of the high ethanol content in petrol and its effects on older machines Mauro keeps the bike dry internally so it took a while for the fuel to work its way through – but once running the bike sounded great as well as looking superb.
Far from home Often a motorcycle will have a convoluted journey from point of origin to eventual home… US reader Alan Singer has just such a tale. Words and pics: Alan Singer Additional material: Mortons Archive
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hough not exactly common in the UK there were certainly more Sammy Miller High-Boy frames in use there than here in the United States. In fact my research after buying this Millerised Bultaco on an internet auction site turned up only two others in North America. I’d spotted the bike by chance on the auction site, there were no bids on it, so for a lark – I’d not got a project on the go at the time – I put in the minimum bid which won me the auction. It was only 100 or so miles away and when I went to see it the description was accurate so I paid up and came away with a well-used 325 Bultaco Sherpa which on the plus side actually ran. Also useful were a number of original documents with the bike which included a bill of sale from John Lee Motorcycles and the UK registration document.
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Above: The finished bike on show at MotoEuro Garage. Below: Seat re-covering was by Sargent Cycle Products.
My first task was to find out as much information as possible while stripping and cleaning the bike. I took lots of photographs during the strip-down as most people doing the same as me will know memory often fails and a photograph will show the original way a piece went together months later.
MOTOEURO GARAGE MotoEuro Garage is a private, non-profit organisation dedicated to the preservation and restoration of significant European motorcycles. In addition, it provides a broad range of services, ranging from tour planning to website development. These are provided free as a function of meeting its mission.
