Simon's Greeves BSA trials build.

The finished 1961 Greeves 24TE 1961 250 BSA C15T engined trials bike

Simon Built... 

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Simon builds a Greeves BSA C15 T…

Simon Hatcliffe.

One of our most avid contributors has recently built another trials machine that is a bit different… he likes to build bikes that have a character to them…

 This time he started with a 1961 Greeves 24TE. And an early 1961 BSA C15T engine… and like all-of his builds, has rebuilt the motor adding new Electrex-World ignition etc.

 The Greeves started out with the Greeves rubber intorsion front forks but Simon has replaced them with a set of banana forks from a Greeves Anglian. Sorting out the engine plates to fit the BSA unit engine to the frame has taken some time as all one off's do.. it is getting the correct engine position right for not only the chain line, but also the correct balance in the frame for the engine. I must say that the Greeves frame does invite you to have a go and fit most unit engines into the frame. And with the rigid cast alloy front frame beam the frame is more than adequate to cope with the extra power a four stroke engine produces..

 After getting the engine sitting nicely and the chain in line, time has to be spent sorting which sprockets to use for the correct gearing… usually I find a 428 sixty tooth seems about right as a starting point for the rear with the BSA engine and a thirteen or fourteen tooth gearbox sprocket…

Simon has plumped for two small under engine rail tubes instead of a bash plate, this also helps to put more strength into the frame…

When I get the build notes from Simon I will update the page has we go, but below are the build photos that Simon has sent me. And my comments.

Photos Courtesy Simon Hatcliffe...

Another superb build by Simon of a one off very special, Greeves BSA C15T...looks like final dry build of the bike.

Simon has started making the engine plates to fit the BSA C15  engine into the Greeves frame, using the engine without the crank and piston makes the lump more manœuvrable  with less weight but you need the gearbox top gear and sprocket in to get chain alinement with the rear sprocket.

Front plates sorted, and the correct chain line.

Getting there and engine in...

You could say easy bit done now... it is when you start on all parts to complete the build that the work starts, exhaust system, oil tank, air box, etc, so what looks like a trials bike is far from finished, just look at the top photos to see the work needed to complete the bike.

All Photos Courtesy Simon Hatcliffe...

You can see in this shot the engine plates and BSA C15 bottom engine mount through bolt fixing on the rails...

A good close up of the engine plate spacers needed...

Not only the engine tray but a good look at the brake cross over shaft for the Motoly rear brake fitted.

And a better shot of the brake crossover shaft... how long has that taken to make and get right...

And the finished BSA C15T engined Greeves...

I do like the air box to match the Triumph Cub oil tank on the other side Simon will let us know if it started life as a BSA Bantam tool box?

There you go Mike Waller a shot of the complete engine cradle for you...

 Another great trials bike build by Simon Hatcliffe...

You can see the swinging arm set up better in this shot...

With the chain oiler that Greeves fitted.

And a close up of the Triumph Cub oil tank that Simon used..

and the stainless exhaust header pipe, made up of several bend sections,

 and also the neat alloy silencer box that looks like one of the alloy exstrusion sectioned units from Silverback Engineering...

And a close up of the other side with the nicely fabricated air box from I think a BSA Bantam Toolbox... Nice job...

Note: the brake pedal peeping through behind the engine...

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28/03/2024...

Simon's Build Notes...

Well we now have Simon's build notes, and more photo's that tell the story better.

Thank you Simon for finding the time to write the notes right now...

Photo Courtesy Simon Hatcliffe...

Another photo of the finished Greeves BSA C15T trials bike...

Simon...

I like your writeup and the photos, a bit about the Greeves it's my 1961 24TE that I used in trials before I started using the Burian, a very good mate Bob Rolph decided to put a BSA B40 motor in a Greeves MDS rolling chassis he had to race in the Pre65 class down here.

Seeing his build (photo included of Bob's bike) I thought I would like to fit a C15T in my Greeves TE, there was plenty of room for a C15 but they are quite a tall engine.

I was lucky to find a rebuilt 1961 C15T engine which I fitted

Electrex-World ignition... 

I decided to go the same route has Bob as he had templates for the engine plates and bottom rails, I managed to get a set of C15 cases which also had a gearbox sprocket so it was easy to get chain run. I had to modify the engine plates and bottom rails as the MDS frame is slightly different to the trials TE frame. After getting the engine in the frame I had to fit the oil tank which was from a Tiger Cub and air filter cover from a cut down Bantam side cover, I managed to fit both with out any mods to frame.

Made the exhaust from some stainless bends, and a mate welded it for me, silencer is a lovely little alloy one from Silverback Engineering. 

A couple of photos of both sides of finished bike, also photos of Bob's Greeves MDS fitted with all alloy BSA B40 engine .

If you need any more info let me know Charlie .

All the best Simon…

Thank’s Simon for the information of the build, and I can see looking at Bob’s superb BSA B40 scrambler why you had to build your trials bike nice jobs both of you…

More later with more build photos now we have Simon's build notes added.

Photo Courtesy Simon Hatcliffe...

A photo of Bob Rolph's superb Greeves MDS BSA B40 Scrambler...

And the other side of the Greeves MDS BSA B40...

Updat 25/03/2024...