hrmad Posted December 11, 2014 Report Share Posted December 11, 2014 I've posted on here before about the problems I've had with a 06 rev 3 I bought, here is a recap, Bleeding brakes- takes forever, practically impossible haha! Automatic takeoff when cold- thankfully sorted by doing the clutch fix and using light gear oil Magnesium case corrosion Plug fowling Rear brake seizure, pads stuck Dog teeth on air box broke Took the carb off to improve the jetting- reeds completely worn Side stand broken off as well as the chain tensioner- both sorted out new thermostat- fan still not working and engine overheating After feeling roughness in the steering today I took the bike to my mechanic friend and uncovered a nice new host of new problems, Left fork seal gone Front wheel bearings worn Headstock roller bearing completely rusted- the seal must have gone and water got in Two of the mounts on the radiator have broken off (how I don't know, as this seems a low stress area) The wires connected to the radiator/ thermostat have melted together, no wonder the fan isn't working and she is overheating after 2 hours out! The exhaust is rubbing on the rear tyre when the suspension bottoms out, we found the bracket holding it had bent. Am I just unlucky? Is this just general wear and tear? Taking the radiator out made me realize how thin the front of the frame is, not impressed by the build quality or the parts. Everything is so flimsy, small, difficult to take off and put back on. Using a magnesium case with a liquid system just seems daft, as does fastening the exhaust onto weak dog bones and the air box. Why can't manufacturers make a bike that is better built and more reliable? Whats a few extra kilos for a longer lifespan? I'm beginning to think that trials bikes are treated like disposable objects. Couldn't the manufacturers keep the lower weight by using an air cooled system rather than liquid cooling but improve the quality of the components. I just feel really frustrated. Two years down the line I was thinking of getting a new beta evo 250 2t, but now I'm not so sure. I know things like bearings are general maintenance, but the quality could be improved- especially on bikes that are supposed to handle the roughest terrain that any motorcycle can go across. There are a lot of things I love about this bike, the light weight is good in many ways, no complaints about the engine and unusually for a beta haven't had any ignition issues. But for a few extra kilos or an air cooled system, it would be worth it for a better built bike. Has anyone else had similar experiences? What are the modern evos like in terms of problems? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greychapel Posted December 11, 2014 Report Share Posted December 11, 2014 well I had an '05 rev3 for 9 years and had a stator go, otherwise apart from routine maintenance was was faultless,I carried out the mods over the years as in John Lampkins tips, and certainly no bits ever broke,actually think Beta's are one of the stronger /better built bikes, unfortunately you appear to have a rough one! BTW just upgraded to a 200 evo and am very impressed. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hrmad Posted December 11, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 11, 2014 (edited) well I had an '05 rev3 for 9 years and had a stator go, otherwise apart from routine maintenance was was faultless,I carried out the mods over the years as in John Lampkins tips, and certainly no bits ever broke,actually think Beta's are one of the stronger /better built bikes, unfortunately you appear to have a rough one! BTW just upgraded to a 200 evo and am very impressed. Maybe that's down to looking after it from new? God knows what sort of life this bike had before I picked it up. The only good things have been the condition of the frame, rims and the engine. Next time might get a discounted year old bike or something, I do like the look of the evos, we'll see, thanks Just frustrated as the bike runs nicely but it's been one issue coming up after another Edited December 11, 2014 by hrmad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael_t Posted December 11, 2014 Report Share Posted December 11, 2014 Sounds like it had a rough life before finding you... It has been commented on here a number of times a great deal of reliability issues come down to the way bikes are maintained. Just think how much your riding will improve once it is all fixed up (or replaced). I would seriously look at the EVO 200 if you have a chance, great little bike and more than enough power. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hrmad Posted December 11, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 11, 2014 Sounds like it had a rough life before finding you... It has been commented on here a number of times a great deal of reliability issues come down to the way bikes are maintained. Just think how much your riding will improve once it is all fixed up (or replaced). I would seriously look at the EVO 200 if you have a chance, great little bike and more than enough power. Thanks Michael_t. I am very tempted to get another beta in the future, when I can afford one, despite having these problems. I guess I'll have to try out different bikes, won't be any bigger than a 250 I'm sure. This bike is a good starter bike, hopefully once I've sorted out these problems and maintain the bike it will last a decent amount of time. I like small bikes, to be honest I had more fun on the road ragging my 125 than taking it easy on a 500. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dan williams Posted December 11, 2014 Report Share Posted December 11, 2014 Yeah it sounds like you bought a former "expert" bike. They take a beating and it's common for newbies to buy from a top rider thinking the bike will be substantially better setup/maintained then they would be from the run-of-the-mill punters. Usually not the case if for no other reason than the impact loading of advanced maneuvers. Even with good maintenance trials bikes wear and all brands have specific foibles like the case corrosion. After 8 years almost any bike that's been ridden regularly will go through a set or two of fork seals and often wheel bearings especially if pressure cleaned. The broken radiator mounts says to me that frame has seen some hard service. The exhaust pushed into the back wheel happens so frequently nobody even notices. We just grab it and bend it back. Reeds don't usually wear, they may not sit flat but that's not really a problem as they are held closed by air pressure not the spring pressure of the reed material. There's no seal on the headstock. You need to open it up now and then and keep it packed with grease. Side stand and tensioner BROKEN OFF? That should have been a good indication of some ugly work by somebody. These are thoroughbreds and they need to be treated as such and even with extra care they will wear and they will break. The manufacturers have come out with heavier, more "reliable" models in the past and they didn't sell well so now they just give us bikes that push the envelope of performance far beyond the average rider's ability and we happily buy them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hrmad Posted December 11, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 11, 2014 Yeah it sounds like you bought a former "expert" bike. They take a beating and it's common for newbies to buy from a top rider thinking the bike will be substantially better setup/maintained then they would be from the run-of-the-mill punters. Usually not the case if for no other reason than the impact loading of advanced maneuvers. Even with good maintenance trials bikes wear and all brands have specific foibles like the case corrosion. After 8 years almost any bike that's been ridden regularly will go through a set or two of fork seals and often wheel bearings especially if pressure cleaned. The broken radiator mounts says to me that frame has seen some hard service. The exhaust pushed into the back wheel happens so frequently nobody even notices. We just grab it and bend it back. Reeds don't usually wear, they may not sit flat but that's not really a problem as they are held closed by air pressure not the spring pressure of the reed material. There's no seal on the headstock. You need to open it up now and then and keep it packed with grease. Side stand and tensioner BROKEN OFF? That should have been a good indication of some ugly work by somebody. These are thoroughbreds and they need to be treated as such and even with extra care they will wear and they will break. The manufacturers have come out with heavier, more "reliable" models in the past and they didn't sell well so now they just give us bikes that push the envelope of performance far beyond the average rider's ability and we happily buy them. This is my first trials bike, in the future I'll know what to look out for in a used bike thanks to this experience, I'm kicking myself now because if I had noticed some of these problems when viewing the bike I could have talked him down more. The guy I bought it off raced rally cars, I suspect he did powerwash it and rag it around a bit. When the V5 came through I saw that there had been 5 previous owners. It's a lesson I want to share with everyone- don't make the same mistake I did, research the bike you're interested in before committing to buy a second hand one. If you don't know trials bikes that well, bring someone along with you who does. The reeds had worn and were right 'out' performance was improved when I replaced them. There is a rubber o ring and spacer at the bottom of the head stock, that's what I meant by seal. Water had got in there and corroded the bottom bearing. I'm not suggesting the bikes need to be significantly heavier, more weight for weight's sake is not what I mean. Just better reliability would be good, I'd be willing to put up with a few extra kilos for that. Maybe if in tournaments they limited riders to one bike per season the focus would shift more onto bike quality. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hrmad Posted December 11, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 11, 2014 At any rate, I'll work through the problems and hopefully this time- this time there won't be anymore problems! I am a believer in good maintenance and have tried my best so far to keep the bike going and will continue to do so. But for future reference, how are evos in terms of build quality, common faults etc? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sirdabalot Posted December 11, 2014 Report Share Posted December 11, 2014 Owned 4 evos from new, 1 year each. Delivered with quality chains whuch easily saw a year out used every weekend. 2010 model shock blew and was replaced without question by lampkins. I was going to return to beta this year depending on if they had fixed the only problem i had with every one of them, the expensive glass mudguards. They haven't, so my money goes elswhere. Though they are one of the cheapest makes available fitted with an aged yet proven engine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dadof2 Posted December 11, 2014 Report Share Posted December 11, 2014 (edited) Unless you know its had a really competent mechanic as an owner, once a bike is more than a year old it really needs a thorough strip down and all defects put right. This gives you a good base to work on and keep on top of things. Difficult to estimate an exact figure or parts list but I would think to ensure a bike that looks ok really is in good nick a spend of £150 to £250 is not far off. A few years ago I bought a bike several years old, was cheap, looked a bit uncared for and had a bit of engine noise, it needed: New main bearings and seals A gearbox bearing - probably unnecessary, just felt a bit tight Engine gasket set Wear marks filing off clutch basket Swinging arm bearings Some shock linkage bearings Welding on exhaust Air filter Front and rear brake pads All fluids changed Chain tensioner Stripped tread on yolks helicoiling Footrests and hangers welding The steering head bearings were rusty but after a few cleans and regreasing workedfine The bike then did several years light use without needing anything Edited December 11, 2014 by dadof2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whiskey Posted December 12, 2014 Report Share Posted December 12, 2014 (edited) Hi All My first post! Purchased Beta Rev3 200 about September 2014, my first "modern bike" Every time i look at it find something else not quite right! Saw it advertised on the internet, not far from me about fifty miles, did some research decided I liked it, went to have a look, bugger would not start! Should have walked away then! Made stupid offer (I had bike love), a bit of negotiation, took it home! Now, I like playing with the spanners, so I worked out previous owner had flooded engine. I removed the spark plug, fuel off, throttle wide open, a few kicks, installed new plug, fuel on, second kick, lots of smoke and that nice throbbing trials bike sound, success! Time was getting on, about midnight, did not want to upset neighbours, oddly they don’t appreciate the delicate tones of two stroke motorcycles. Couple of days later, strong smell of petrol coming from garage! Yeah I didn’t turn fuel off, quickly found out from previous owner his problem with the bike, anyway removed carb, no dirt or water, ordered new needle valve and seat (from USA, 1/3 price of UK with postage!) While I was waiting for needle valve seat to arrive, checked rest of bike out, ended up; New swing arm bearings (HK2218 Roller Needle Cup Bearing) New Shock bearings (BLRB366748 Spherical Bearing) Cleaned and lubed head bearings Take exhaust apart to remove fuel, decoke, weld plate, mount and repack silencer Removed air box and thoroughly cleaned Removed broken studs (one in air box, one holding rear mudguard to frame, one on triple clamp, had to helicoil) Purchased new air filter (slight tear), subframe brackets (one cracked, one bent), rubber air box to carb tube (split) and throttle cable. Put all this back together, it came apart quite easy, going back together, emmmm, took some time! Anyway first ride, developed new problems Clutch sticking and drag Card settings, mainly float level, although it is very sensitive to the airscrew Brake performance Suspension settings Leaking oil from clutch cover More time in garage, misses getting jealous! Read about clutch fix and card setting on this forum, big thanks to all for posting the information Bled brakes, purchased new pads Put 43 tooth sprocket on rear Dropped forks until the tops are level with top clamp, decreased sag both ends Purchased new clutch cover gasket, fitting it was easy, DO NOT EVER REMOVE YOUR SUMP PLATE!That is three hours of my life I will never get back! Went out for second ride, feels much better, clutch still sticks when cold but ok when warmed up, changed spark plug to a BP5ES, feels better off idle, played with air screw (about 2 ¼ out), brakes work ok, handling great. Anyway cheap purchase, £200 in parts and about 60 hours’ work (mostly enjoyable), I am pleased with this bike, now. I trust it, I like riding it, it just feels right. A bit more practicing, and I am then hoping to entre a few local events, if I can work out this joining clubs/open to centre malarkey, why not run all events enter on day? People like me who will probably only do a few events a year, do not want to join clubs, centres etc. Funny thing is every bike I have ever purchased has had problem, it is part of the sport, right? Edited December 12, 2014 by whiskey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hrmad Posted December 14, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 14, 2014 Owned 4 evos from new, 1 year each. Delivered with quality chains whuch easily saw a year out used every weekend. 2010 model shock blew and was replaced without question by lampkins. I was going to return to beta this year depending on if they had fixed the only problem i had with every one of them, the expensive glass mudguards. They haven't, so my money goes elswhere. Though they are one of the cheapest makes available fitted with an aged yet proven engine. If I buy a bike it will have to last at least 2 to 3 years before I can afford another one. Thanks for the feedback, by the way, what have you moved onto? Unless you know its had a really competent mechanic as an owner, once a bike is more than a year old it really needs a thorough strip down and all defects put right. This gives you a good base to work on and keep on top of things. Difficult to estimate an exact figure or parts list but I would think to ensure a bike that looks ok really is in good nick a spend of £150 to £250 is not far off. A few years ago I bought a bike several years old, was cheap, looked a bit uncared for and had a bit of engine noise, it needed: New main bearings and seals A gearbox bearing - probably unnecessary, just felt a bit tight Engine gasket set Wear marks filing off clutch basket Swinging arm bearings Some shock linkage bearings Welding on exhaust Air filter Front and rear brake pads All fluids changed Chain tensioner Stripped tread on yolks helicoiling Footrests and hangers welding The steering head bearings were rusty but after a few cleans and regreasing workedfine The bike then did several years light use without needing anything I've learn a lot about maintenance by buying a second hand bike, it's been a good experience in that way- just wish I had payed less for the bike. But I'm hoping once the problems are sorted the bike will be good for a few years as you say. Hey Whiskey, snap! I bought a rev 3 200 in september too, an 06 what year is yours? Sorry to hear of the troubles you've been having Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whiskey Posted December 14, 2014 Report Share Posted December 14, 2014 Hi Hrmad My Beta is a 2003 model, yellow front mudguard, grey rear mudguard Not troubles, just teething problems! Betas are well designed and parts are of good qualitily, it is just they sqeeze every thing in there! I enjoy my time in my garage (not a big TV fan), bonding with my stead Like yourself i am hoping nothing more than routine maintenance from here on Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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