Trials Australia Forums

Greg Harding wrote:Hi Everyone,
David, that is Dave and Emma Harris who always rode together and I can remember talking to them about their bikes, they lived in Tweed Heads/ Murwillumbah area. You may have found Whitehillbillies ?

David Lahey wrote:I haven't found a photo of any custard tarts yet but did stumble across this interesting looking .
Photo taken at the 2008 Qld Titles

JC1 wrote:

David Lahey wrote:I haven't found a photo of any custard tarts yet but did stumble across this interesting looking .
Photo taken at the 2008 Qld Titles

That RL looks quite nice in orange and black. Nice wrap-around bash plate too.

Brent, you mentioned (in another thread) about modifying RLs in NZ back in the day. My cousin's husband, Alister Thompson from Taranaki region rode a lot of trials there. When I was last there in 2009 he showed me his modified RL which was like this one.

Frame modified.jpg

This is not his but he said it was common to mod them that way in NZ "like the Mk1 Beamishes" - just remove the backbone tube below the top rear engine mount then move the swingarm forward. I thought at the time that it only solves one of the RL's shortcomings (reducing the long wheelbase) but potentially exacerbates others. (And I still think that.) He seemed to think it worked pretty well.

Did you have any experience with RLs modified that way in NZ?

brent j wrote:

JC1 wrote:

David Lahey wrote:I haven't found a photo of any custard tarts yet but did stumble across this interesting looking .
Photo taken at the 2008 Qld Titles

That RL looks quite nice in orange and black. Nice wrap-around bash plate too.

Brent, you mentioned (in another thread) about modifying RLs in NZ back in the day. My cousin's husband, Alister Thompson from Taranaki region rode a lot of trials there. When I was last there in 2009 he showed me his modified RL which was like this one.

Frame modified.jpg

This is not his but he said it was common to mod them that way in NZ "like the Mk1 Beamishes" - just remove the backbone tube below the top rear engine mount then move the swingarm forward. I thought at the time that it only solves one of the RL's shortcomings (reducing the long wheelbase) but potentially exacerbates others. (And I still think that.) He seemed to think it worked pretty well.

Did you have any experience with RLs modified that way in NZ?

We never did that mod but I can see the sense in it although they needed a longer swingarm.

My mate wanted more ground clearance so I made new front and top engine mounts that lifted the motor 25mm. Can't remember how I changed the lower rear mounts and we removed the frame tubes under the motor and made a bashplate. He was a very good rider but had no mechanical aptitude and said he liked the top heavy feel. The other addition was a fillet in between the gussets where the frame always broke. I 'm sure I did both sides after repairing the tube.

TerrY wrote:Reading about CUSTARD TART, I recall another Custard Tart which was a TY I think and ridden often by MR. So there must have been more than 1 Custard Tart. I don't remember the Honda one ridden by JB.
Would some one with a better memory please explain???? Was there a batch of Custard Tart paint that fell off the back of a truck and circulated around the southern Qld trials community???
I await an explanation.
Cheers,
TerrY

Grassy wrote:I was given the opportunity to swap bikes with Greg TL-climax yesterday at the end of the trial.. The brakes not only worked, they were perfect.

So please Greg, and all you other regular contributors to this epic thread, help a novice out and spill the beans on the secrets

Cheers,

Jeremy

David Lahey wrote:

Grassy wrote:I was given the opportunity to swap bikes with Greg TL-climax yesterday at the end of the trial.. The brakes not only worked, they were perfect.

So please Greg, and all you other regular contributors to this epic thread, help a novice out and spill the beans on the secrets

Cheers,

Jeremy

I witnessed your surprise regarding the working brakes on Greg's TLahhhh yesterday. I don't know what's wrong with yours but the usual causes for weak drum brakes on trials bikes are:
Lining radius not matching drum radius.
Lining material choice not ideal.
Drum surface not flat.
Rarer causes include:
Shoes not centered.
Play in wheel bearings.
Contaminated linings.
Cable drag.

You may be surprised to know how many of the people you rode with on the weekend were riding bikes that had drum brakes prepared to maximise performance. The usual method for worn drums is to machine the drum surface flat again. Then the shoes are relined with thick brake material that is then machined down so that the radii of drum and lining match. The lining material chosen is important too and modern non-asbestos lining material is available with fabulous friction properties.