There are tubes inside these tyres though. GasGas had tubeless rims with the required number of spoke holes to fit earlier hubs. Reason for that is the trials world has gone tubeless and such tyres don’t sit all that well on tubed rims. They don’t look out of place though and are laced to probably GasGas rims. Hubs too are not from OSSA and are actually Grimeca ones as fitted to many an Italian machine of the slightly later era. “It’s a Montesa one though which one I don’t know,” grins Mick, “maybe we should put an OSSA one in there.” No need for comfort over hundreds of miles these days.Īt the rear is a longer swinging arm which, though Spanish, isn’t OSSA. Adding to the slimline look of the bike is the minimalistic seat.
Though of the same stanchion diameter the sliders have a leading axle and the internals are certainly much more modern in their damping.īecause of the axle position on this bike – OSSAs as standard have the spindle position under the slider – it has been necessary to cut the frame slightly and tuck the headstock back a little. Though the frame is almost a standard MAR 250 one, it has had a little tweak at the front as the forks are from a later Fantic trials bike. It was built for Mick about eight years ago to use in Spanish events and instead of the more familiar green colour, is finished with a red band on the tank rather like his 1970 bike. Wheels & Tires: 2.75 x 21/4.Anyway, back to the smart machine in these pics.Suspension: Telescopic Fork/Twin Shocks/Swingarm.Engine: Two-Stroke Piston Port Single, Air-Cooled.In 2010 the trademark was revived by a group of Spanish business men who again manufacture OSSA branded trials and enduro motorcycles. There is a strong following for their motocross, enduro, trials and street bikes. Unable to compete with cheaper, more rapidly evolving designs from Japan, OSSA ceased manufacture in 1977.
Trials has a very limited market, small sales levels. Points from all sections are totaled for each rider, lowest score wins. This is earned when the rider cannot clear a section. Five dabs is five points, or a “fiasco”, the maximum for a section. Each “section” in a trials course has an observer who scores the riders. Recently the event has also been run indoors on synthetic courses. Trials competition is purely a European invention most popular in Spain and Great Britain. It’s an athletic competition more between riders than machines. Trials riders run at a slow pace, but the course is set on steep hills or mountainsides, has water crossings, vertical paths a mountain goat may give a double take.
Most motorcycle competition involves getting through the course in the shortest amount of time, or at the highest rate of speed.
Andrews won the extreme Scottish Six Days Trial all three years between 19 for the Ossa factory. Andrews went on to win the 19 European Trials Championship, now the FIM World Championship. Mick helped OSSA design the OSSA M.A.R., or Mick Andrews Replica. In about 1970, OSSA signed champion British rider Mick Andrews. Spanish manufacturers Bultaco, Montessa and OSSA had a long history in designing and building great trials bikes, hiring the top riders for development and competition work. Trials bikes have torquey motors, high ground clearance, very light weight, are narrow and tough to withstand crashes against rocks. In Observed Trials competition you earn points when you “dab” with your foot or cannot complete a “section” staying inside the marked obstacle course.