Sprite Trials & Scrambler
SPRITE TRIALS & SCRAMBLER
Off-The-Peg Out Of The Box
CYCLE WORLD ROAD TEST
IT'S A RARE — and happy — day when we have the opportunity to ride and evaluate a pukka, over-thecounter trials machine. While interest in observed trials may be growing in this country, the availability of suitable as-is machinery hardly reflects it. To be sure, there have been several makes and models available for some time that are well suited to this highly specialized sport, but in the main, these have required modifications and tailoring before they were ready for a slow and skillful go. The picture in the last couple of years has changed for the better, and further evidence of this is offered in the person of the Sprite Monza Trials.
The Sprite is, strictly speaking, a one-purpose machine. Its use is dictated by suspension geometry, gearbox layout, control/seat/peg relationship, gas tank size and seat padding. The Sprite is supported up front by leadinglink units of the manufacturer’s design. Rear suspension is handled with an inclined swing arm, and both ends employ Girling spring-shock units. When we received the bike we were disappointed that it was not fitted with the telescopic units that are available, but after many hours of riding we can find little to quarrel with about this leading-link arrangement for trials. The forks are responsive and consistently stay where they are put. Vertical travel is seven inches — wholly adequate, because the front end was never close to bottoming out. Both the front links and rear swing are bushed with nylon, thus requiring little lubrication.
The front end has a bad habit of trying to get out from under when the bike is pushed hard over soft, uneven terrain. This is a difficult point to forgive, because experience tells us that a one-day machine need not have this characteristic as an unfortunate by-product of its necessarily steep front end. It’s a safe bet that the optional teleunits would aid stability, however.
The all-brazed Sprite frame is constructed of chromemoly tubing. The front loops are closely set and are tied into a larger-diameter cross tube aft of the engine.
The center frame member is a generous single cross loop inclined forward about 50 degrees. The rear frame horizontal loop and the main horizontal members converge at the apex of the center loop. The front loops tie into the center of the steering head and the main horizontal members tie in at top and bottom. The frame is functionally simple and quite attractive, causing one to recall the axiom “form follows function.”
As with the front suspension, we were unprepared for, and initially unhappy, that the test Sprite was delivered with a 32A Villiers. We had expected to see it with the “Starmaker” that is optionally available. As it turned out, the 32A was its ever-tractable self, although it tends to run out of power in extremely steep sections. The higher output of the “Starmaker” will make up for this, but its low end will require a deft right hand if it’s to be managed at walking speed. The 32A is fitted with wide-ratio trials gearing and plods along comfortably in low. Loose uphills require second gear to maintain traction, and when you are done with second and require low once more you are just about out of luck; the end of the gear change lever is better than a foot away from the peg, and while it can be shortened, the mechanical advantage lost to get it close enough to the peg will make gear changing difficult. Whatever, this is going to require some custom tailoring and any solution will have its attendant compromise. The transmission drain plug is, unfortunately, the lowest point in the frame cradle area, and until it is protected, the rider will have little peace of mind. The Sprite uses a Villiers S-25 carburetor. This center-bowl device has been around since year one and with good reason; it’s nigh impossible to flood and does an admirable job at low speeds.
Exhaust on the Sprite Trials is routed through a narrow, flat muffler that is acceptably quiet. The short, curved outlet nozzle has a nasty habit of directing hot, oily exhaust gasses all over the leading edge of the rear fender, and while this doesn’t affect performance in anyway, it’s a bit saddening to see a brand new motorcycle with oil stains on the frame and fender. Another more intolerable point with the exhaust system is the routing of the head pipe. It, and the front of the muffler, stick out too far — right in front of one’s shin. A guard might help, but the muffler is almost as far outboard of the bike as the left peg and a guard would only add to the width. It would seem far handier to route the pipe along the side of the head and place the muffler under the seat with the outlet on the right side. With all of the room beneath the seat the present placing of the muffler is odd.
One annoying point on the Trials is the amount of steering lock. The front end could do with at least five degrees of additional steering on each side. Like it or not, sections are frequently encountered in trials where nearright-angle steering is required, and, because of such variables as the camber of a course, it isn’t always possible to correct for lack of steering lock by applying additional lean to the bike. Back yard tinkerers will find it difficult to modify the bike to get the needed increase.
While it may seem that we are being harsh in our evaluation of the bike, it must be remembered that this motorcycle is not simply for casual riding. It is a serious piece of equipment that is supposed to be near optimum for trials riding. As such, it can’t afford compromises or bad habits that make it anything short of perfect. Overall, the Sprite is a proper trialer despite its few shortcomings. It is light, agile, has an excellent standing position and boasts a great deal of ground clearance. Personalpreference modifications will doubtless cure most of its minor ailments.
The Sprite Monza Scrambler is a curious piece of equipment. The frame is essentially the same as that used for the 5TA Triumph lash-up, accounting for its biggerthan-the-average-250 appearance. A fabricated cradle provides a comfortable nest for the Villiers “Starmaker” Engine. Frame layout and proportions hint at Rickman influence.
The scrambler differs greatly from the trialer in many ways and is quite similar in others. The front forks are identical units, but have considerably more highspeed stability because of greater rake. In addition, the rear spring-shock units are inclined more to increase the mechanical advantage of the swing arms. Like the trialer, the scrambler uses Motoloy hubs, but these are laced to 18-inch rims both front and rear.
The tanks, fenders, seat platform and mid-section panels are made of fiberglass, finished with a color coat of British Racing Green. The rear fender peak ends at the seat and will reduce the cost of a potential prang. The forward section of the rear fender is protected by the rear frame down tubes and boasts a unique integral stillair chamber and air cleaner.
The exhaust system on the scrambler is a bit unusual. The pipe is routed forward between the frame tubes into a “bent” expansion chamber located between the horizontal plane of the loops. This is no doubt a very good mud ski for English and continental courses, but we shudder at the thought of what one or two ill-placed rocks would do to it. Rough country riders will want to mount a skid plate. And while we’re on the subject of modifications, the rigid foot pegs, fine spring steel numbers that they are, will have to replaced with folding pegs for most events in this country.
The Sprite Scrambler is best suited to rough events, be they motocross or western-style. The gas tank would be skimpy, however, for long distances without refueling. The seat is comfortable, and rider/bike relationship is good for average or larger types.
The handling of the Sprite is good but not remarkable. It must be remembered that this model falls into one of the largest, most sophisticated categories in scrambles machine design, in addition to being a compromise of sorts, referring here to the original design intent for the chassis.
The Sprites will pick up a few friends in this country with their less than average price tags. The only hitch, however, is that the bikes are delivered in kit form. Sprite designer-builder Frank Hipkin has set out to build pukka, off-the-peg competition machines for the serious sportsman with a limited budget. In England one of the best ways to achieve this is sell your equipment in a kit so the buyer doesn’t have to pay the horrendous 33-per cent sales tax. Hipkin has further pared the delivery price of the Sprites by selling directly to riders — he is sole agent for his products in Great Britain. The savings aren’t quite so pronounced in this country, but there are riders who will be attracted by it and will enjoy setting up their own bikes.
The Sprites are beginning to garner their share of the gold in England, and of particular interest are several recent winning performances turned in by factory trials rider Dennis Jones, who is rapidly becoming the man to beat. Hipkin’s firm is small, energetic and progressive — a fresh, welcome combination that is destined to produce some interesting and competitive machinery in the years to come. ■
SPRITE
TRIALS & SCRAMBLER
SPECI FICATIONS
$630 & $730
PER FORMANCE
SCRAM BLER
