Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/125752
g " tf. co "'" - .... '" iii ,; 0 Z ~ w Z w ~ U >- U , . By Ron Schneiders In the world of Master's trials you have your choice of three superb weapons: the Bultaco Sherpa T, the Montesa Cota and the Ossa Plonker. Anyone of the machines is capable of winning and no Master would dream of blaming IUs equipment for his failure to win. It follows that anyone of the three will be' perfectly adequate as a competition machine for any rider of less than Master's skill. The three machines are close to the ultimate, but only close. Refinement is possible and is being done at every opportunity. Each of the three manufacturers is trying to get an "edge" on the competition with small improvements. The refinements are usually changes that make the bike "fit" better, or make it more pleasant to own and service, rather than more functional. So let's look at the Sherpa T and see if it's a bike that you might like, assuming that you're thinking about riding trials or perhaps an Amateur. Any Expert or Master will probably already' know more about the bike than the manufacturer! New on the Sherpa T this year is what was called last year the "Campeon Kit". It consists of a ultra·thin .gas tank and seat combination combined with a new muffler system. This new set·up, now standard, allows the rider to be much more mobile on the bike. He can actually put his knees together while standing on the pegs! A disadvantage would seem to be more limited gas supply but in fact the tank will take over a gallon which is more than adequate for most trials. But let's start at the beginning, with the wheels. The wheels come dressed in knobbies which is an embarrassment for the true trials rider. For trials, one uses trials tires and for advanced work, one uses two-ply trials tires. So the serious boys must immediately invest in two new tires and a couple hours of work. On the test bike that I was given, this change had already been made. The rims are akront type: Lightness and strength have won over self·cleaning ability and ease of dent removal. In this rider's mind, the advantages and disadvantages of aluminum and steel rims are just about equal, so it becomes a roatter of . '"' This chain tensioner is just one of the devices used to keep the power smooth. personal preference. The front forks on the Bultaco are a thing of wonderment. They provide 6Y2" of travel that is so smooth it would make a baby buggy feel harsh by comparison. If they're not set up correctly they also provide several uncomfortable degrees of twisting motion. The trick is to tighten down the caps on the top of the forks to about 150 ft. ·lbs. before tightening the pinch bolts. Then they stay straigh t. The handlebars seemed quite comfortable to me. Controls are the pressed steel variety which are good for one bend-and-straighten operation before point. where two pounds was really critical. I bent one of the shocks during the test. Rich straigh tened it for me. They're really quite easy to straighten. Moving forward, we come to the chain tensioner. This is a device which keeps the power to the rear wheel smooth and even. It's· quite necessary for precise control and it works well. You must remember that it's there, however, so that you don't leave it on a passing rock. The pegs are folding, quite an improvement over earlier models, and they seem to be quite substantial and break.proof. The brake lever is a pres~ed steel gismo that is,tucked in as Bu/tf/CO'S T,if/ls' C!lf/mp the they break. I would replace them with Magura or similar if I owned the bike. While I was u.it, I would also replace the front fender which is a1umin urn and extremely fragile. The fiberglass of the new gas tank-seat combination is very nicely finished and offers no cause for criticism. It has a neat screw"-in tank lid which is vented into the fork crown. The Sherpa T has a seat and that's about the most you can say for it. The shock absorbers are a trade-off. They work extremely well and they are extremely light, almost two pounds lighter than more conventional shocks. But they also bend and break quite easily, especially if you fall down. Rich Bledsoe, one of the country's top trials riders, told me that the difference in weight is much the more important factor and he should know. As a beginner, I might put on something a little more sturdy until I reached the ~ . .; .)ft<'" Two-ply tires conform very nicely to irregular surfaces. This exhaust pipe is one'of the best pieces of motocycle engineering that I've seen recently. wen as any I have ever seen. It, too, seems indestructible. Some day I would like to see the left leg of a genuine Spaniard. The Spanish bikes all s.eem to have kick starter levers designed for some form of life I have never encountered. They surely don't fit Americans. The Bultaco isn't the worst, but it's bad enough. The only way to start the bike is to reach down with you . ,, , ..! f ., '0 , ~.".. ". ~'t.4 .~~ ""- Note the slim lines on the new Sherpa. Turns pretty sharp too. - If this isn't enough ground clearance for you, get a helicopterl