1971 OSSA 250 – Mick Andrews Replica Observed Trials Bike

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In Observed Trials competition you earn points when you “dab” with your foot or cannot complete a “section” staying inside the marked obstacle course. The lowest score wins.

Trials bikes have torquey motors, high ground clearance, very light weight, are narrow and tough to withstand crashes against rocks. 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. In about 1970, OSSA signed champion British rider Mick Andrews. Mick helped OSSA design the OSSA M.A.R., or Mick Andrews Replica. Andrews went on to win the 1971 and 1972 European Trials Championship, now the FIM World Championship. Andrews won the extreme Scottish Six Days Trial all three years between 1970 and 1972 for the Ossa factory.
Most motorcycle competition involves getting through the course in the shortest amount of time, or at the highest rate of speed. 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. It’s an athletic competition more between riders than machines.

Trials competition is purely a European invention most popular in Spain and Great Britain. Recently the event has also been run indoors on synthetic courses. Each “section” in a trials course has an observer who scores the riders. A perfect score is zero, no dabs. One dab earns the rider one point. Two dabs, two points, etc. Five dabs is five points, or a “fiasco”, the maximum for a section. This is earned when the rider cannot clear a section. Points from all sections are totaled for each rider, lowest score wins.
Trials has a very limited market, small sales levels. Unable to compete with cheaper, more rapidly evolving designs from Japan, OSSA ceased manufacture in 1977. There is a strong following for their motocross, enduro, trials and street bikes. In 2010 the trademark was revived by a group of Spanish business men who again manufacture OSSA branded trials and enduro motorcycles. – On loan from Jay Gaard

Specifications:

  • Engine: Two-Stroke Piston Port Single, Air-Cooled
  • Bore & Stroke: 72mm x 60mm
  • Displacement: 244 cc’s
  • Carburetion: 26mm IRZ Concentric
  • Ignition: MotoPlat Electronic
  • Primary: Double Row Roller Chain
  • Clutch: Multi-Disk, Oil Bath
  • Frame: Double Loop/Steel Tubing
  • Suspension: Telescopic Fork/Twin Shocks/Swingarm
  • Brakes: Internal Expanding Drum/Drum
  • Wheels & Tires: 2.75 x 21/4.00 x 18 Trials
  • Wheelbase: 52 Inches
  • Weight: 210 Pounds

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Featured Machine: Harley-Davidson Snow Mobile

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We thank David Borre for loaning his 1972 Harley-Davidson Snowmobile and rare matching snow "trailer" for display at the National Motorcycle Museum.

We thank David Borre for loaning his 1972 Harley-Davidson Snowmobile and rare matching snow “trailer” for display at the National Motorcycle Museum.

At 110+ years of age Harley-Davidson must be counted among America’s most successful and long lasting corporations. But looking back into the 1960’s and 1970’s there were partnerships, buy-outs and product experimentation that, in hind sight, were not always well thought out.

Looking for new ways to make use of technology, manufacturing capability and existing distribution channels, several powersports corporations ventured into the world of snow machines. AMF, American Machine Foundry, at that time soon to be the owner of Harley-Davidson and many other brands, was among them. An internal written study for AMF dated in 1964 offered “Proposed Specifications for the AMF Snow Sled.”  It presented the huge growth potential of the snowmobile market and specs for AMF’s proposed concept vehicle.  The study said the sled should feature a front-mounted two cycle engine, rugged drive belt, top speed of 25 mph, smooth and flowing styling, be lightweight, comfortable and focus on dependability. In 1965 AMF Western Tool made the decision to proceed with the new AMF snowmobile and production came fast!
Through 175 dealers, 3000 units were sold in 1966. After AMF’s acquisition of Harley-Davidson in 1969,  the facility in York would produce Harley-Davidson motorcycles and snow machines. Then, making use of their recently acquired power-house brand, in late 1971, AMF made the decision to again re-design and re-brand their snow mobile line.

They dropped the Ski-Daddler name in favor of the hugely popular Harley-Davidson brand.

A handful of 1971 Harley-Davidson Snowmobiles were produced and the 1972 model year was the first full year for the Harley-branded sleds and the last for the Ski-Daddler sleds, both AMF offerings. Harley-Davidson dealers were offered the Harley snowmobile line as a separate product and some former Ski-Daddler dealers were also offered Harley snowmobile franchises.  Promoting the brand, the Harley-Davidson sleds were advertised as using Harley engines, two-stroke singles which were conveniently sourced through the Italian Aermacchi connection; Harley had bought 50% of Aermacchi about 1960.

It was believed by AMF that they would sell more snowmobiles through the Harley-Davidson network with the Harley name.  Soon the Harley sleds were assembled at the company’s Oak Creek, Missouri facility, sharing production facilities with the Harley-Davidson (AMF) golf cart.  But, at the end of the 1975 snowmobile model year, it was announced that production of AMF Harley-Davidson snowmobiles would be discontinued. The eight year experiment had not been much of a success. And to complete the picture of that era in Harley-Davidson history, in 1981 Willy G. Davidson, Vaughn Beals and 11 other partners bought the company back from AMF. After a few tough years refocusing and rebuilding the company, profitability came in the late 1980’s.

The Sno-Clipper, Power Sled, Ski-Daddler and Harley-Davidson snowmobiles have remained popular with vintage collectors. We thank David Borre for loaning his 1972 Harley-Davidson Snowmobile and rare matching snow “trailer” for display at the National Motorcycle Museum.

Featured Rider: Tom Reiser, Racer, Tuner, Founder, Reiser Cycles, Columbus, Ohio

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Central Ohio Harley riders are a lucky bunch. While they have several different Harley-Davidson franchised dealers to choose from including the famous A.D. Farrow Harley-Davidson, they also have Tom Reiser, Reiser Cycles. One could say Tom Reiser has a PhD, plus tenure, in Harley-Davidson service, racing and competition bike building.

Tom has built many hillclimbers and a few drag bikes, like his Chevy V8 powered Tom's Bomb, but built this very special sidecar rig for his wife Beulah.


Tom has built many hillclimbers and a few drag bikes, like his Chevy V8 powered Tom’s Bomb, but built this very special sidecar rig for his wife Beulah.

Tom got his start at A.D. Farrow’s shop, in fact, around late 1956, when the first Harley-Davidson Sportsters hit dealerships. He got used bikes, trade-ins ready to sell. Then later, after proving himself, Tom worked in service. His passion led him to build hillclimb bikes for other competitors and himself. His first national win with himself at the controls was in 1964 in Muskegon, Michigan. Next up were drag bikes including one with a Chevy V8 that ultimately caused his departure from Farrows. “I guess I spent too much time playing with my drag bike, not enough time working on customers’ bikes,” says Tom. That Chevy V8 bike, Tom’s Bomb, is on display at the National Motorcycle Museum along with a Reiser-built hillclimber.
Around 1970, Tom built a competitive drag bike around a Sportster engine, ran it for a season, then lost his rider. He was still working at A.D Farrows at that time, and started looking for a new rider for the bike. Bobby Farrow, A.D.’s son expressed interest so Tom rebuilt the bike to fit Bobby. The Sportster drag bike Tom built is on display at the Harley-Davidson Museum in Milwaukee.
Knowing the Sportster engine’s strengths and potential, Reiser used them in hillclimb bikes he built himself at first. Later he employed professional chassis builders to help him win championships. Never a guy to think he knew it all, he even visited C.R. Axtell’s tuning shop in California. “We went to Axtell’s shop in California, a pair of Sportster heads in hand. C.R. gave us about 20 minutes of his time. We explained what we wanted the heads to do, what we were putting them on, and left. The heads arrived all done up…but it was about six months later!”

Reiser puts final torque on a big twin crank pin with a 46 inch long torque wrench delivering about 200 foot pounds.

Reiser puts final torque on a big twin crank pin with a 46 inch long torque wrench delivering about 200 foot pounds.

Reiser turned to building bikes for others to compete in hillclimb and helped several rider to championships. He retired from hillclimb competition completely in 2011. His shop on South High Street, in Columbus continues to serve those riders with older bikes. “We work on everything from 1936 to 2014, Knuckleheads, Flatheads, Evos, even Twin Cams. And there’s nothing a home garage mechanic can screw up we can’t fix up!” When you stop by the shop, you’ll likely be greeted by Tom’s daughter Chris. Tom will be out back in the shop, twisting wrenches. Motorcycling has kept him young. A true perfectionist and enthusiast, late in life he still enjoys his work at the real motorcycle shop he created.

Tom Reiser's "Panster" uses a Sportster bottom end and a Panhead top end. If you look closely you will note that the push-rods lean away from the engine's centerline to meet the head. That is just the beginning of the incredible amount of fabrication on this sidecar rig.

Tom Reiser’s “Panster” uses a Sportster bottom end and a Panhead top end. If you look closely you will note that the push-rods lean away from the engine’s centerline to meet the head. That is just the beginning of the incredible amount of fabrication on this sidecar rig.