Author Topic: NGC My Honda Trials Bikes  (Read 638 times)

Offline 9fingers

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NGC My Honda Trials Bikes
« on: February 05, 2023, 10:23:08 AM »
These pics are mostly for Skeptical Scotty, but their are undoubtedly others who dabbled in trials....probably shouldn't use "dab" in the same sentence...no pun intended. For those who know little about trials, when one puts a foot down in a section it is called a "dab" and one penalty point is added. Paddling with ones feet nets 3 points and falling gets a 5. In some vintage trials meets just stopping and balancing gets a 5, which I think is stupid (cause it cost me a win once).
So, here are my main vintage bikes, a heavily modified Honda 1986 TLR200 Reflex, custom glass tank/seat, swingarm, Falcon shocks, etc, a 1974 TL250, the red and black one,  with custom frame and most other bits, and an uber rare 1985 RTL250 Honda HRC team bike, the red white and blue one. It came with a notebook manual and the engineer's card that was responsible for that bike. Serial number 15 of 15 imported that year. I think they imported 15 each of 4 years. I sold it after a year to Geoff Aaron, 10X USA trials champion......pictu re of him in the mix....he was a little better than me.....ha ha. I made a VERY nice profit!



plot linestring python


I usually placed first but there were a few 2nd, 3rd and gasp! a 4th once. I was ranked 2nd in the NY State Vintage series in 2008, my last year of competition. The 1st place guy, another guy named Aaron, was far better than I was. Anyway, I did all the work on these, the paint from rattle cans. For those that care, a stock TL250 was around 230lbs with not enough ground clearance and mine has 13" and weighs 204, with a TMI chrome moly frame and lots of lighter bits. The TLR200 is probably around 225lbs with the lights and stuff and mine weighs 184lbs and still has steel rims. And the RTL 250S, red white and blue,  was probably 180lbs or so......fantastic motor in that one! Modern trials bikes....I have a Beta Rev 3 water cooled 2 stroke......typical ly weigh approx 150lbss, for reference. And they have a lot more power! I added a pic of my Beta 270 about to climb a rock ledge.....came in first that day. And one of practice on my Honda 200.
Anyway, enough jibber jabber.




















Scott
« Last Edit: February 05, 2023, 10:30:38 AM by 9fingers »
Current bikes:
V7 III Special - Sophia
Royal Enfield Classic Chrome 500 Bullet - Guinevere
Suzuki V Strom 650 - Rita
Beta Rev 3 270
Honda TLR200 custom
Honda TL250 custom
Honda TL125
Yamaha TY350

Offline SIR REAL ED

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Re: NGC My Honda Trials Bikes
« Reply #1 on: February 05, 2023, 04:24:25 PM »
Very Cool!!!  Thanks for posting.

One of the guys in our local club, the Carolina Virginia Observed Trials club, claims to have two or three of the RTL Honda factory trials bikes. I have never seen them, but I believe him.  He has been a trials enthusiast for at least 50 years now.

I would imagine you have run into one of my buddies in your trials days.  His name is Pate Keen.  Pate is on the high side of 90 now, but even in his early 80's he was still a very, very good rider.  So smooth, that after watching you were bound to think, "Sure I can do that!"
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Offline 9fingers

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Re: NGC My Honda Trials Bikes
« Reply #2 on: February 05, 2023, 05:11:02 PM »
HI Sir Real Ed, I have never ventured south of MD for a trials event and I think that was twice in my life. Unfortunately I have not heard of Pate Keen, but he sounds like the real deal! I know a guy out in Williamsport that collects old Hondas and he has one of the RTLs and was interested in buying mine........but he wanted it cheap and mine was not going cheap.
Scott
Current bikes:
V7 III Special - Sophia
Royal Enfield Classic Chrome 500 Bullet - Guinevere
Suzuki V Strom 650 - Rita
Beta Rev 3 270
Honda TLR200 custom
Honda TL250 custom
Honda TL125
Yamaha TY350

Offline SIR REAL ED

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Re: NGC My Honda Trials Bikes
« Reply #3 on: February 05, 2023, 05:56:37 PM »
Pate didn't get into trials until he was 50 years old.  He became so obsessed with trials he rode 40 weekends a year, often three classes per weekend.  He said he put about 35,000 miles on his van a year just going to trials events.  He talked about going to events in PA and NH.  He was a three time national champ in the over 60 class.

No good reason to let a bike like that Honda go for cheap.

Another club member had an ex Bernie Schreiber Bultaco trials bike.  Some how Bernie learned about it and wanted to buy it.  The owner, being a super nice guy said "Since it is your old bike, & I got it cheap, I will give it to you!"  Bernie said "No way!  That bike will be worth fortune when I finish restoring it!"  So Bernie gave my friend $3500 for a beat up old Bultaco.
"If reading shite on the internet will trigger your head exploding, please wrap your head in Gorilla tape before logging on.  Thanks!!!"

2019 Beta EVO 250
1999 Suzuki DR 650 w/790cc kit
1994, 2001, & 2002 MZ Skorpions
1992 YAMAHA TDM850

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Re: NGC My Honda Trials Bikes
« Reply #3 on: February 05, 2023, 05:56:37 PM »

Offline Guzzistajohn

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Re: NGC My Honda Trials Bikes
« Reply #4 on: February 05, 2023, 06:06:47 PM »
I bought my 1st trials bike in '76, a BULTACO Sherpa T. Still have it too. (it ran when I parked it)  :laugh: I had 2 Fantics, and 3 or 4 Gas Gas's and rode AHRMA trials a few years. Even took a trials class with Dick Mann (which was cool)

This was my 40th B day 1/21/2001 @ Chadwick, Mo.  :thumb:
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Offline Caffeineo

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Re: NGC My Honda Trials Bikes
« Reply #5 on: February 05, 2023, 06:28:35 PM »
Trials is hard enough on a modern bike. I think the vintage bike would be an even bigger challenge. Way harder than I ever imagined and quite addictive. Never thought I would get so tired riding a bike so slow.


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Offline Trialsman

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Re: NGC My Honda Trials Bikes
« Reply #6 on: February 05, 2023, 06:57:43 PM »
I started into trials as a cross training tool and it soon became the primary focus.  My first was a 73 OSSA M.A.R., but was followed with an assortment over the years.  Bikes like the Sherpa T, Cota, RL250, and others.  In 78 at the World Cup at Roaring Branch, PA I got to meet and actually ride Mick Andrew's SWM.  A couple years later I was able to purchase one, a 320 Jumbo, and I think it was my favorite bike, maybe just because of the prior meeting.  Back in about 95, I traded it to a friend in NC for an RX7 engine and he put it under a sheet.  To my knowledge, it never moved from there and is still in his basement - under that same sheet.  Trials taught me so much technique that I use to this day woods riding. (Thinking further I think it was NY where we met.  Time flies)




« Last Edit: February 05, 2023, 07:25:23 PM by Trialsman »
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Offline 9fingers

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Re: NGC My Honda Trials Bikes
« Reply #7 on: February 05, 2023, 11:55:25 PM »
All cool stuff! I have ridden an event in Roaring Branch.... was a great place to ride I recall.  My riding history was spotty, first as a high school kid with little money and parents that had no interest.....I didn't have one of those supportive dads that drove to to events and taught me mechanical stuff......my dad was left handed (any good left handed mechanics?) and I knew more than him from about age 4 on....really. So I rode occasional events back then and then it was off to college and no more riding and then girls took over as my interest. And I got a 1981 or 1982 XR200R, whatever the first year of Pro-Link suspension and I learned to ride fast.....but again interest in the ladies too over.  And at some point a career, house, wife and kids took over and I didn't ride any bikes for 23 years! Oh and I learned how to design and draw a house and GC/Build much of it, which became rather all consuming So I think I started again in 2005 but no competitions till 2006 and then I was done in 2008. I had spent so many weekends away from my young children and wife that I felt guilty and that was the end of it. Plus the house still needed finishing (and still does....). So, I met some great riders over the years and have some great pictures of the international event in Rhode Island, Mick Andrews, Malcom Rathmell, Martin Lampkin, Manuel Solar Bulto (the Bultaco son I think), Charles Coutard, The Honda trials team on their uber expensive titanium bit 305cc bikes. Enough rambling.
Scott
Current bikes:
V7 III Special - Sophia
Royal Enfield Classic Chrome 500 Bullet - Guinevere
Suzuki V Strom 650 - Rita
Beta Rev 3 270
Honda TLR200 custom
Honda TL250 custom
Honda TL125
Yamaha TY350

 

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