Trials Australia Forums

I have a 1964 Bultaco Sherpa T which I want to ride soon in competition. Is this bike in the twin shock class or the classic division?. I am going to ride this bike until I can purchase a more modern machine and start competing again. Basically, I would ride a moped to get me back into the trials scene!!.

Thanks in advance

Hamish McNair

You can ride that bike in the Post Classic / Twin Shock class plus the open grades C, B, A or Expert.

Hamish

If your bike is a Sherpa T M10, it would probably be deemed to be a 1965 model in Australia so would not be eligible for Classic class.

If it is a pre-65 model Bultaco (pre-65 Campera, Matador, Sherpa S, Sherpa N or other pre-65 models), you should have the option of riding it in Classic pre-65 class as well as Twinshock or the rider grade classes PA has listed.

If it is a Sherpa T M10, it is an extremely rare bike in Australia.

David

Thanks for the replies.

I believe this bike is rare in Australia. What are the major distinguishing items of the M10. I have searched the web and found the M10 and my bike does look the same. It has the radial (porcipine) head etc.

Thanks in advance

Hamish McNair

I should have never sold my Sherpa T. It was a beast, sure, but never let me down. Of course you had to start it first....

Hamish McNair wrote: What are the major distinguishing items of the M10.
Hamish McNair

The radial fin head means that it is a 1965 250 Bultaco. The Matador, Pursang and Sherpa T all had that same head casting in 1965.

Like many brands, Bultaco models can be identified by the prefix of the engine and frame numbers. Yours should be one or two letters followed by 10 (the model) then some zeros and then the unique number for that bike.

For example I have a 1968 Sherpa T which is an M49. The engine number is M-4900100. That means it was the hundredth M49 in the production run.

Another distinguishing feature of the M10 is the long, straight induction pipe.

Thanks again David for your reply.

I will check these numbers and let you know

I also heard that the gearboxes where different around these models.

Is this correct??

Thanks

Hamish

Not sure which gearbox difference you are referring to:

The M10 is the only 4 speed Sherpa T model. At the time the M10 was being developed, the factory was also developing the 5 speed (San Antonio) motor. The 5 speed continued on as the main Bultaco motor design with many subtle refinements until the factory closed in the early 1980s.

The next Sherpa T after the M10, the M27, is very much like the M10 but with the new 5 speed motor and a different but still quite wide fuel tank. It is also sometimes called the Sherpa T San Antonio.

The next model Sherpa T, the early type M49 in 1968, is very much like the M27 except it has a sleek tank/seat sidecover arrangement.

The M10 did have a different (lower) first gear ratio to the other 4 speed Bultaco motors of the time.

David,

My Bultaco is a 4 speed.

I havent had a chance to check numbers but I will ASAP

From what you have said and what I have read on the net I do believe it is a M10.

Hamish

By the way.

My dad also has told me that he owned a 4 speed Alpina 325cc which we believe was also a rare model in Australia.

He also told me that when he originally found the Sherpa it had fixed welded footpegs on the Sammy Miller frame and fixed lever pedestals on the handlebars. It also had a speedo drive in the front hub.

The Sherpa now is basically unmodified except for a mikuni carby and plastic guards. My dad believes he still has the Amal carby.

My Dad bought this bike when I was born in 1972 for $20 bucks not knowing what it was and has rebuilt the bike and ridden it all over the Victorian Alps with my uncle on his Ossa Mick Andrews.

He has rebuilt the bike many times. The bike now has had a motor freshen up and really only needs some minor cosmetic work to bring it back to standard.

Hamish