Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

Spanish, French and world titles. We're talking to Toni Gorgot to ride Spain and to the new French champion, Gilles Burgat. Nigel Birkett may sign for England. We have Baldini in Italy. I hope to ride the U.S. rounds next year, if the schedule permits, otherwise I'll ride the Italian nationals. We've just signed Scott Head to ride here next year. And Vesterinen may sign, too. I hope he does sign. If it wasn't for him, I wouldn't be where I am right now." ..... 00 0') ..... Eyeballing the ltaljet IAbove left) Bernie Schreiber works out on the new trialster. expected to be available in the U.S. next April.IAbove right. and beIowl The 330cc engine features a six-speed transmission with primary kick starting on the production model. Engine development was a between every meet affair until late in the season. They wound up with slightly more flywheel weight than a Bultaco. Carb is a 28mm Bing. ....... -~~~ 34. Three Italjet trialers (pronounced Eetal-jet over in Ee-talia) are slated for production. A 100, 250, and !l50. They'll begin rolling off the assembly line in December. Units should reach the U.S. by April. The bikes will be imponed by Italjet USA, headed by Keith Mullins. Engine displacement for the !l50 is !I!IOccs. Production units will feature primary kickstaning. Bernie's prototype is a snick-it-in-neutral staner. Carburetion is handled by a 28mm Bing. The factory is testing a DeU'Ono mixer that may appear on the production bike. Bernie's bike carries 10/48 drive gearing, but internal changes in the final engine will allow dropping the rear tooth count to 4!1. The production engine won't have separate primary and transmission oil companments. Instead, a single oil fiUer for 20/50 oil will be located on the right side of the engine. The primary is gear driven. The transmission has six speeds. First and second are like a Bultaco while third is taller, more like a Montesa. Founh is lower than a Bultaco's. Bernie felt a higher third gear offered more of an advantage for slippery sections. The initial engine prototype had very heavy flywheels. The finalized flywheel weight is slightly heavier than a Bultaco. The exhaust pipe is similar to a Sherpa's. Dual spouts on the end of th silencer box direct the exhaust down away from the face of the rider waiting in line behind the bike. Dual ta.bs provide for sturdy mounting. Schreiber's drag-and-dump clutchstyle was provided for during development. Cork and metal plates are alternated in the clutch. The pull is quite easy to facilitate those feet-up pauses in the sections. Geometry vinually identical to a Bultaco was used as a jumping off point in the development of the prototype frame. The geometry' has acquired its own personality over the past months, but any Bultaco rider could easily adapt. The downtube on the production unit will be straight. On ~rnie's prototype frame you'll notice it's bent. That was done to accomodate the Italjet engine. This powerplant, lighter than a Sherpa motor, is a bit more front-heavy because of the cant of the cylinder. As a result, the engine was moved back in the frame to compensate. Then the downtube was bent in to avoid having to use longer mounting brackets. Engine mount rigidity was emphasized by the developers. The down tube is completely fiUed in for more strength. There is no rear frame loop behind the seat. Instead, brackets are used to secure the fender. The steering head angle is identical to a Bultaco. However the rear end of the bike is lower because of the mild laydown of the shocks. Bernie feels lowering the rear end gets more weight on the wheel for better traction. The top shock mount was moved an inch forward while the bottom shock mount was lowered slightly and moved back about an inch. Betor shocks, mounted in closer to the frame for more rigidity, are used.

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