Hi husky500, I am a stubborn old(er) bastard but you are dead right in questioning the 99% comment. On the basis of calls I've been getting I'd guess it's doubtfull it's even 50%.
I don't understand the furore all this has kicked up.Combining the relevant threads on this subject ( two of which have hit the dungeon) we are now approachin 40 pages.
To me it seems simple, put long travel on a pre75 bike, no mystery it's Pre78 under our rules. Put modified later components on an Evo bike and it becomes Pre85 etc etc.
Every time before a Nats this forum goes ape about something. This year its mainly about Evo rules. Evolution has been going for at least 10 years, and been included in about 8 Nats - no protests or formal submissions for change in all that time.
Now this puts unnecessary pressure on officials, mostly volunteers, and puts the cloud of controversy over the event 8 weeks out.
Anyway it's my birthday that weekend so be nice everyone
Hi Col, sorry to say, but it is a big mystery. The pre75 Montesa that Mark has posted up isn't pre78 legal(sorry Mark, not picking an argument). The Pre78 rules are very clear on this (at the present time).
The rules of Pre78 as they stand at the moment.
16.15.11.1 Acceptable for the pre 78 classes:
a) Machines and components that are limited to the 1975, 1976, 1977 models alone. The only exception to this rule is where the model remains unaltered after this date.
Sorry Mark and Col, but this bike can't be raced in Pre78, it has to go up to Evo.
I like the bike Mark and yes it would make a cool pre78 bike if it was allowed to race there and like many other bikes of the pre75 era that have been altered to longer travel than 4"&7".