Greg suggested that I add my TL story. While I originally posted some of the pics up on a UK trials site, I hope this Basket Case brings a few laughs to anyone doing something similar in OZ. We all know that Light is Right. So why embark upon a 'basket case' that weighs almost one third more than a modern bike. Back in the '80s, I bought a one-owner, one year old Honda TL250. This was during one of those reoccurring phases that happens after spending a short time on crutches. On the basis that perhaps I should slow down and have more fun 'thumping' up and over technical obstacles a TL250 was purchased. Aside from a rattling cam, chain ownership was sweet and trouble free. The bike was used as if it was a Bultaco Alpina for weekend work on tight technical trail tracks. I never entered the TL into a Trial. The bike spent its time taking me to work, conquering the steepest of fire-breaks and wading through rivers that drowned many a two-stroke. Aside from one memorable over-the-handlebars incident at high speed on a wet single-track, it performed its trial/trail role well. But once the XR Hondas arrived on the scene the TL was sold.
36 years later, I own a modern trials bike and felt that my garage should also have a twinshock in it. I saw a TL250 for sale on the web and paid the owner a visit as much for sentimental reasons as for reviewing a possible purchase. But surprise: the TL was narrower and lighter than I remembered. It was also mechanically noisier (it's air-cooled after all), and going for a price $300 more than brand new in 1976! I couldn't see the point. I walked away from the sale thinking I'd be better off to buy a lighter, and younger by 10 years, TLR200.
But then a semi-restored TL250 was advertised on the web about a month later. So when no one else seemed to want it, and the price dropped to a third of what a TLR 200 cost, it became a must-have basket case. As befits a Basket Case it was a non-runner. Frame and airbox had been powder coated. Electrics were in disarray. No mudguards or seat. Header pipe was butchered. Knobby tyre on the rear said it had been a play bike and may have been thrashed (worst case for 36 years!). Supposedly it had been a garaged for 10 years, but who knew. I understood that parts might not be easy to get. However, I was aware that many Xl250/XL350 parts fit, so it might not be as dry out there as an eBay search might first seem.
I didn't want to undertake a restoration that would leave the bike looking 1976 fresh out of the box. Instead I've always fancied the RTL360 look. But before I began playing with the motor, I thought I'd better get the running-gear up to speed first. I spent the first week sourcing a variety of different size allen-head bolts to replace the knackered Philips screws and bolts on the triple clamp, engine case, exhaust etc. I had no idea stainless steel bolts were so expensive!
New handlebars went straight on. I remembered having high 6'' riser bars on the original but I've settled for a shorter rise this time around.
A forged alloy gear lever with a folding tip from a CR80 slipped straight on. A new front brake cable from Venhill in the UK arrived and operates ever so smoothly. A TLR200 clutch lightener from Shedworks in the UK was ordered, but to fit the raised the shape of the TL engine cases it needs to be shortened, so it doesn't quite give the extra leverage I had hoped for.
I've got Hebo pegs on my 4RT so I put the OEM 4RT pegs onto the TL. 2mm of metal needed to come off the peg mounts as well as letting them spread slightly to accept the new slightly wider and 36 year younger peg mounts. The Montesa pegs are double the width of the skinny 1976 pegs and move the rider's weight backward as well.
There were three holes in the exhaust and the spark arrester was missing, the Torque Dump chamber has been cut out and the header pipe has an extension welded to it. Looking over the newly arrived bike, the first of several surprises was spotted. The sprocket was not dished and there were no spacers between hub and sprocket. The chain was a 530 size not the original 428. I also found a couple of welded on nuts (exhaust mounts) that weren't metric! An earlier owner being lazy I suspect. There was evidence -not seen on the web For Sale photos - of repairs to the repair swing arm. The rear wheel looked strangely askew too.
I held the back break pedal in my hand today - feels like it was made by a ship-builder!
Still, I am thrilled to have a TL in my garage again. I like the full-bodied look of the long-stroke engine and you can see the heritage on which the next 30 years of XL and XR motors have been built.
The discovery phase continues: I had forgotten just how deep the plug is located in the TL/XL head. I found out that the rear hub did have brake shoes but that they didn't touch the sides of the brake drum! The sprockets have been upgraded by a previous owner to 520 size, but with a 530 chain! Why? Well the replacement flat sprocket was bolted straight onto the hub without adding a spacer to compensate for not using a dished sprocket. Ahh, the joys of a basket case.
The swingarm is twisted. It is unbelievable to me that someone could take off a dished sprocket and think it would be ok to just replace it with a flat one without a spacer.
Here we are looking at the swingarm pivot while the axle is clamped level. No prize for where the bubble should be.
The replacement swingarm has just come in. The clean grey one in the foreground is the OLD swingarm. Just out of shot on the left hand tube are two welds where the swingarm had been broken and patched previously. This is the reason I did not risk applying heat to straighten it, in case the earlier welding came un-stuck. So on the basis that a fix-on-a-fix might be more trouble that it is worth I went shopping on the web. But surprise, surprise, the shock mounts have been altered on the replacement swing arm..
They've been reinforced and raised 35mm. I didn't spot this alteration when I looked at the For Sale thumbnail. Caveat Emptor. To be fair to the seller, a US parts firm, they probably didn't look that close and realise it wasn't stock. Anyway, its here on the other side of the world now. It is straight and on the plus side, the extra height will help sharpen the steering.
Fitted the replacement swing arm. You can see how much height it adds with the Surprise higher shock mount alterations. Not what I wanted, but we'll give it a try. I happened to have a brand new set of '03 Montesa 315 guards lying around, so for a laugh I thought I'd just sit them on the TL for inspiration and compare 30 years of change. New mudguards are on order from ebay but after a month waiting, I have to assume that they are lost in the mail. That'll be tonight's job to call the UK and find out where they are....
