Any trials riders here?

[Tozguy]

What was really scary about my Bultaco was that the gear shift pedal and rear brake pedal were on opposite sides from most other bikes.
Once I was used to the Bultaco it was very tricky to test ride other bikes.

 

[C-Bag]

I recall reading a test of the Maico 500.
No powerband to speak of. Basically off or on with no warning. I believe the magazine editors also called it a widow maker.

That was that 360. When I bought it the guy didn’t have the pipe, it was being rebuilt because it got damaged and would give it to me when it was done. So I didn’t ride it when I bought it. The owner didn’t want somebody who hadn’t bought it yet to ride it. I thought it was odd, but could see his point. But without the pipe it was loud but nowhere as powerful as it would be with the pipe I would later find out. The guy tried to tell me it was an insane racing caliber bike and my stupid young brain thought yeah, right. Little did I know, but was smart enough to know I was out of my league.

 

[NortonDommi]

I did a short couple of years riding enduro with my Suzuki 185. But I didn’t have a truck so was limited to where I could go. Being a wheeler dealer I bumped into a guy who had a Maico 360 that the engine was strong but it needed work for $400. Tore it down and which was good as it had a crack in the frame under the engine. Did the whole resto on it and rode it once and knew I’d bit off way more than I could chew. I’ve ridden some fast bikes and that scared me. My brother, being fearless bought it off me and it scared him so he sold it to a guy who was a semi pro and he raced it. He lost control of it and ended up with a spiral fracture and almost lost his leg. Long before he crashed he called it widowmaker. I can’t even imagine what the 501cc was like. It looked like this one but yellow.
View attachment 334884

My first M/C was a Suzuki TS 185. Ended up with a stuffed crankcase, good port job Early YZ swingarm and Honda XL 250 front end because they had 21" front wheels. Bored the triple tree with a bit more rake which meant straight lining in sand was good but the front would tuck nicely for a flick in the forest.
You ever encounter any of the CZ's? A friend had one of these: https://motocrossactionmag.com/amp/classic-motocross-iron-1972-cz400/ Ugly as all sin but damn near unstoppable handled surprising well.
I can remember when reed valves came into he motorcross scene and the inlet bottles and the variable exhaust ports, long travel suspension that didn't break on a big drop. Frames that didn't break! Powerbands that became longer than a few hundred RPM. Power bands that started below 4500!
Pretty surprising that any of those old 'bikes survived.

 

[C-Bag]

Pretty surprising that any of those old 'bikes survived.

It was a pocket universe I’d stumbled into still being in high school, having a job and $$ and the ability to fix stuff. I got offered all kinds of stuff, all basket cases. CZ, Bultaco, Allstate scooters and others I can’t remember. Basically ‘70+/- and after the Maico I realized I was pit crew, not talent. I don’t know if it’s because I got out of it and left that universe or what but I never saw any of those bikes after that. It was all Japanese. So in my world they didn’t survive. They were basket cases after only being a couple of years old. Makes me wonder if they took them apart because they didn’t know what they were doing or it was a way to not get killed on them.

 

[DavidR8]

If you have seen ToT's earlier videos you can tell by the grades of metals he descibes. His later videos he goes by grades that are more commonly here in North America but I think he does that just for the sake of his viewers.

Also if you notice the electrical plugs & outlets in his shop, they look like European plugs.

Another giveaway for me & many might not be aware of is his Milwaukee cordless drill & impact driver. The white labels on the tools itself & the big number followed by the small number on the batteries that indicate the ahr are indications that the tools were not sold in the North American market.

At one point I had thought he later moved to the US but by the looks of his workshop I don't think so. I do believe that he has lived or worked in the US for some time in the past but I'm just speculating.

Finally saw a non-North American plug in a ToT video.

 

[GoceKU]

Finally saw a non-North American plug in a ToT video.

Haha, and the improperly joined PVC 50mm pipe painted orange.

 

[C-Bag]

Finally saw a non-North American plug in a ToT video.
View attachment 334966

This just blows my mind. I just thought for sure TOT was livin’ somewhere in Jersey and finding all these cool old foreign machine tools in this crazy merchants machine emporium. Funny how how we just make up these stories.

 

[DavidR8]

Totally hear you @C-Bag. My mind is so completely blown I need to go sit in my shop for a while and contemplate this new reality.

 

[darkzero]

Finally saw a non-North American plug in a ToT video.
View attachment 334966

Here's what I meant about the Milwaukee cordless tools.

In Europe & Australia they look like this, not sure about other countries. Label on the tool is mostly silver & on the battery the Ah number is larger.



Where as here in the US the label is mosty black & red and on the battery the Ah number is not the main emphasis.

 

[GoceKU]

As i said before, i respect his privacy, but i've noticed many clues that he is in my neighborhood, from the euro gauge set on his gas bottles, to the pavement where he shoot his kid driving the go kart he build, in his shop press video that is gone now, his surandings when he painted it in front of his garage, jeep cherokee 2.5 td (Diesel) he drives many others. Someone mention maybe his wife is from here, i'm thinking the same there are many foreigners are living a normal life here.