Greeves Preview
By TMX Archives on 23rd Sep 10
Those who can cast their mind back a couple of years may well remember seeing a prototype Greeves trials bike at Alan Wrights Off-road show.
Opinions were voiced on the look of the bike at the time but the seed was sown and we in the trials world were left to wonder when the production version would see the light of day?
Wednesday, September 15, 2010, was that day. At the very agreeable, and sunny location of Sammy Miller's motorcycle Museum in Hampshire the press, public and some trade visitors from overseas where rewarded for their patience.
Richard Deal, 'Mr Greeves' himself, and his team have listened to advice offered to them from several top UK trials riders and have tested the bike here and in Europe.
In fact Greeves won its first trophy in 34-years with a good second place at a Dutch Open Trial in April of this year, the first time out for the new machine.
One very noticeable thing that has been kept the same all through the development process is the trademark Greeves headstock design, familiar to anyone who remembers the Greeves machines from years gone by.
While the two extremities of the machine are brought in items, rims from DID, Talon hubs and Marzocchi and Ohlins suspension front and rear respectively, the important items in the middle are home grown.
The frame is all aluminium and produced on the company's own jigs and the engine is also British designed and built, even the clutch is a special item from Surflex, containing a 12 spline aluminium CNC-machined basket and unique friction plate design.
Two items recently altered on the machine are the water pump assembly and clutch slave cylinder which are now Greeves CNC-machined alloy products.
Because of the linkless rear-shock arrangement Greeves has been able to house the fuel tank under the seat area, and it extends all the way down to the bashplate to keep the centre of gravity low and central.
According to Richard, the bikes on show were close to production versions but one or two items are still being tinkered with.
The airbox location and design has changed a few times and the inlet position will be moved higher for the customer bikes. He also reported that a 125cc powerplant is currently being worked on that will have a six-speed gearbox fitted.
Yorkshire trials ace Phil Disney was on hand to give all assembled a demo of what the machine was capable of. Sammy Miller's car park had been converted into a small trials arena with an added Mitsubishi Shogun, two hamster cages and a seesaw!
Phil popped onto the cages and 4x4 no problem at all and handled the drop offs easily. The bike also appeared easy to hop around to gain position.
The exhaust note is unlike any other two-stroke and sounds very meaty and the bike certainly gets up and goes when a hand full of throttle is used but, after a ride myself, I found it to be very smooth on the bottom end.
This coupled with the very neutral feel of the chassis makes it an easy bike to just ride around. The top guys may as well not have a front wheel in their bikes, the way they hop and skip them around, but us mere mortals need something we can point at the section and be confident that it will handle our clumsy efforts and get us through.
The front has a slightly higher feeling than some of the modern bikes and this helped it steer and track well over the loose rocks and roots in Sammy's play area to the side of the museum.
Although not as modern looking as some of the competition, giving the appearance of more weight and larger dimensions, when lined-up side-by-side of them it is just an optical illusion.
At 65 kilos dry it is amongst the lightest out there.
The final production version is not far away we'e told, and the company claims to have firm orders for over 20 machines so far, in this country and abroad.
With what appears to be a shrinking market and several completely new bikes coming into the trials world over the next year or so, the Greeves team know they have to do things right, and first time - no pressure there then!
There is no doubt that Richard Deal and the Greeves crew have the commitment and enthusiasm needed to see this project through. Keep an eye out for the final release dates and a possible rider announcement as the company wishes to enter the British Championship when possible.
Specification:
