Hitchcocks Forum

I am currently building a green lane Bullet and am wondering about a few parts. Firstly I am wanting to install the unpolished alloy mud guards and am wondering if any of you know if the 19inch front guard and stays for the drum brake wheel will fit over my 19inch ENSIGN UNIVERSAL TRIALS TYRE that is already fitted or am I best fitting the guard and stays for the 21inch wheel? (Or the 21inch stays with the 19inch guard?) The tyre did rub on the original deep front guard before I made some modifications to the existing stays. Secondly, are the fork gaters designed for the forks I have on the 1993 drum brake Bullet? Lastly, I am thinking of fitting a baffle or the mute to the standard exhaust to make the machine more sosciable for countryside use and am wondering which one is better suited and if I will likely have to adjust the carburation to run leaner with either fitted? Many thanks and all the best guys.

Matt, I don't know if those particular parts will work together but as a general rule you need more clearance between tyre and guard when going off road to prevent the wheel jamming with mud or sticks etc. So I'd err on the side of extra space.
REgards, Mark

Thanks Mark. I agree and do feel that more clearance is better so am tempted to go with the 21inch front guard equipment. I think it will also give the bike a more rugged and "ready for anything" look. The only question now is whether to go for the 19inch guard with the 21inch stays or the 21inch guard, it's hard to visualise but I think the 19inch guard will look "out of proportion" with the wheel curve if held further away?? What do you think? Maybe it'll be best with the 21inch everything.

The unpolished alloy guards that I am looking at are not drilled so it's worth mentioning that I could make any guard fit with any stay... I guess?

Matt, fit 21" stays and guard. 19" guard will not fit 21" stays properly, you'll have to tension it to make it fit and alloy cracks easily!
REgards, Mark

Thanks Mark. I think you're right. So, has anyone got any experience with these baffles/ mutes in the silencer? Worth doing or will I loose all the great Bullet sound? Will it also cause the engine to run slightly richer? Thanks again.

Hello MATT--------- just a thought but will a "Woodsman"-type system fit the bill ??

It does look good Alan but I'm going to keep the original down pipe and silencer and just fit the angled extension bracket for an upswept silencer to keep it out the way of the muddy ruts and lumps on the lanes. It'll be much cheaper, will look good and function perfectly for what I need. I'm not planning on hardcore technical rock and obstacle ridding, just gently cruising the english countryside. Nice suggestion though buddy.

I wouldn't bother too much about noise when green-laning as most of the time you will be plodding along at low revs when the bike will be reasonably quiet.
I think that you are making the right decision regarding retaining the standard silencer with the angle piece as if you look at period 1950's trials photos you will see that this design was popular on early trials bikes.

-------------or, why not try the silencer used on the Watsonian-conversion Trials bike (Bullet Sixty Five model) ?? It was made in Brum by Brit-euro and runs with standard carb. jetting (iron 500). It's not so long and ungainly as the "long-Tom" standard unit.