bubba Posted May 7, 2006 Report Share Posted May 7, 2006 My son has been pestering me for months about a trials bike and I've finally given in and said yes.(Really it means that if I get him a bike then I'll be able to get out on my Gas Gas more often!) Basically I've narrowed it down to either a Sherco or a Beta mini trial. (My son is 5 years old) What's the views on either of these bikes for starting out on? Any problems to be aware of? My budget is around Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomsdad Posted May 7, 2006 Report Share Posted May 7, 2006 Niether !!! The Gas Gas 50 is far better than either the Beta or the Sherco. We had a Beta 50 from new, probably a good field bike but not a trials bike. Best thing we did was sell it. The Sherco is better but those Monty cycle tyres are a bit of a handicap. The gasser has brilliant suspension, great brakes, an awsome power to weight ratio and a clutch that allows the better riders to practice their rev and dump the clutch technique on quite fair sized steps. Only downside, the electrics can be a bit tempremental. Buy the Gasser and he'll love it !!!! Ours got thrashed for two years doing the youth Nationals and I would have another without question. Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
telecat Posted May 8, 2006 Report Share Posted May 8, 2006 If a TY80 is out then the Gas Gas is best. Can the lad ride already?? If not then any little auto Trials bike will do, just don't expect it to do a "real" trial. My lad was older so started to learn on a PW80 Yamaha and spent about 4 hours on that before learning how to use a clutch on a TY80. Do beginners and conducted only with him until he gets the idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spudsdad Posted May 8, 2006 Report Share Posted May 8, 2006 a lot depends on the size of the lad,sherco 50 is ideal if hes on the small side.my lad aged 7 has had one for a while and its a great bike to get started with,easy to control and plenty of power for easy and conducted route trials. brakes may be not up to the gassers disc standard,but ok. tyres may look a bit of a handicap, but he will find them sufficient for the trials he will be starting out in. all in all we have found the sherco to be very reliable standing up to trials and field use no problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sirhc Posted May 8, 2006 Report Share Posted May 8, 2006 I can't speak about the Sherco but, I had a Beta then a Gas Gas for my son. When my son just turned five we got him a Beta and it worked good for him for his first trials bike. Compared with the Gas Gas the clutch engages a lot smoother making it easier to do tight turns and ride smooth. I find the drum brakes are good for a new rider as they aren't so grabby and the new rider doesn't have to worry about grabbing to much front brake. The Beta hasn't changed for years. The problem with the Beta was once he got better it just didn't have enough power to do the harder sections. When he was six we got him a Gas Gas. I had a love, hate relationship with it. I loved it's power,suspenshion,handling and the brake let him do nose wheelies I hated how unreliable the thing was. I worked on it way more than my bike, there was always something wrong with it All the other parents I have talked to feel the same way, love how well they work but, hate how much they break. The problem is if they get serious about trials there's no other good choice. Boy I'm glad he's on a Beta 80 now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alan bechard Posted May 8, 2006 Report Share Posted May 8, 2006 (edited) We had the Beta 50 and then the Sherco 50's (several) I think you will find that they all have their plus and minus's but we were very happy with the Sherco 50 and Dean rode it quite well. I think Chris pretty much nailed it on the GG 50. When I was Youth director for the STRA almost every event one of the GG 50's would not be running. They definetely have the trickest bits on them though. We did a fair number of things to our Sherco's to make them suit us a bit more then stock. I found the same problem that Chris had with the Beta, found ourselves stuck on a hill without enough power to overcome the clutch multiple times. Some people on here have said that the Sherco did not have enough power to suit them, but we never found that to be the case for us. Andy posted some pictures of Dean over on the US board on the 50. The obstacles that he was on were used last year as advanced class obstacles in a local event. Link http://www.trialscentral.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=8444 Whatever bike you get, I think the important part is to get out there and ride with your child. I know it has given my kids and I many hours of enjoyment together. Edited May 8, 2006 by Alan Bechard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bubba Posted May 8, 2006 Author Report Share Posted May 8, 2006 Thank you all very much for the replies. My son is above average height for being 5. He is approximately 4 feet tall with a 21" inside leg (These measurements are approx. as I have just measured him whilst he's asleep in bed)so I hope that he'll fit one of the bikes mentioned as I haven't seen any kids trials bikes since visiting parc ferme at the 2004 SSDT. For those that mentioned the Gas Gas, I hadn't really thought about that as I haven't seen alot of them for sale, other than way down south. (I live in rural Perthshire, Scotland)I've seen plenty of Betas for sale in Northern England which is about my limit for travel and I see a couple of Sherco 50s for sale 30 miles from my work so might check them out. I have two sons, the 5 year old and another at 2 and a half years old, so thought an automatic was the best choice as the bike would be handed down to the youngest son when senior was ready to upgrade. The bike would be used for fun and to learn on, hopefully he'd like it and want to stay in the sport, then I'd get him something more serious. Glad to see some replies from the USA, my sister lives in SoCal and I was stationed with the 326Engr Bn 101st Airborne Division in Ft Campbell Ky, (basically Clarksville Tn) Memories. Thanks again folks. If you can think of anything else I'm all ears! Bubba Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alan bechard Posted May 8, 2006 Report Share Posted May 8, 2006 Well Bubba you must be a fine person then... hoooah.. I sit at Second and Wickham building 5134 Hazardous Materials Control Center for Ft. Campbell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sirhc Posted May 8, 2006 Report Share Posted May 8, 2006 after hearing more what you would use them for I would say go for the Sherco as they do have more power than a Beta and also a high and low range which like the Gas Gas it helps out. I don't think you would want the head aches of the Gas Gas. A funny thing, I just had to stop writing this post to fish my kids bicycle out of the pool. He thought it would be cool to do tricks into the pool Fortunately he was smart enough to use his old bike from K-mart and not his good one I think he is working on a "naked indian air" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bubba Posted May 9, 2006 Author Report Share Posted May 9, 2006 Alan, I've just checked out the link you posted for the pictures of your son on his Sherco. Boy am I impressed. I certainly didn't think that it was capable of anything like that. My son was in awe. Maybe I should think of a Sherco 50 for myself. Thank you for that. I think as Sirhc and others mentioned about the Gasser 50 the reliability problems, it would be a bad idea at present for me to have something that required working on prior to use as free time isn't easy to come by at the moment, due to work, DIY etc, I haven't even managed to get my road bike out of the garage this year. The same thoughts about reliability of the TY80 crossed my mind as well as I always remembered my friend had a TY80 back in the early 80's and it was always sitting in his dad's workshop needing something done, mind you that might have been down to his fathers mechanical skills and not the bike. I must admit the Sherco is starting to look favourite with me, my son is a Gary MacDonald fan so that'll please him to get a Sherco. When I was at FT. Campbell nobody had heard of trials bikes, it was all motocross, has it taken off now? Sirhc, all I can say is thank God it doesn't get hot enough here to have a pool in the garden, who knows what my kids would jump into the water. Many thanks everyone for all the advice. Bubba Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alan bechard Posted May 10, 2006 Report Share Posted May 10, 2006 (edited) I had to leave for a while so it died down a bit Been around here since 85 first go round, Came back about 91 and been here since. There are a handful of Trials riders around, but we are rather stealthy. When were you here? I would add that a TY 80 is as solid as a rock, unfortunately it is also about as heavy. I would not be afraid at all of a well maintained one, but think you may find it not the best to start your son on. We went from the Beta 50 to a TY 80 while waiting on our Sherco to come in, and my son about quit riding. The added weight, and the clutch that was tough to pull for a 5/6 year old just took a lot of the fun out of it for him. All the bikes are good, and they all have some faults, I always try and steer people to where they can get some local support and assistance. Have no idea what your local area is like, but it is always nice to have others with the same bikes around. Let me know which way you go, if you do decide to go Sherco, I may have some tips and ideas that will help you along the way. And let me add, they will all take some work, fine tuning, Feddling or whatever you want to call it to make them perform their best. Edited May 10, 2006 by Alan Bechard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bubba Posted May 10, 2006 Author Report Share Posted May 10, 2006 Hi Alan,thanks again for the advice and offer of tips and ideas if I go Sherco. I saw two Sherco 50s for sale in my local area, but it turned out that both were sold a while back (advertised on a trials club web site that hadn't been updated.) I'm off to spectate at a 2 day trial near Loch Lomond at the end of this month and if I haven't already got him a bike then I'll ask around some of the guys there about any Sherco 50s for sale. I was out working at my own trials bike last night, bleeding the brakes as I haven't used it since last June, when I fell off and damaged ligaments in my foot, only to discover that I need a new chain and sprockets, rear wheel bearings and a new rear tyre as well as a gearbox oil change, all the stuff I should have done during the winter, quite how I'll manage to keep my trials bike going as well as my sons bike maintained I don't quite know!(Not enough hours in the day) I was at FT Campbell from 88 - 91. Decided to ETS as next duty station was Korea and if I'd reenlisted it would have put me over 10 years then I'd have probably been a lifer. Did enjoy it though and still miss aspects of the Army on a daily basis but civilian life is far easier! I'll keep you informed of any pending purchases and how my son gets on with it. Thanks for all of your replies. Bubba Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alan bechard Posted May 11, 2006 Report Share Posted May 11, 2006 Too funny, I too miss some of it, I got off active duty after 6 and am a contractor now. They made Wickham the PT route now. I get to look out my office window when it is pouring down rain and lightning out and watch the guys putting in 4 miles and go, Yep,, It was as stupid as I rememeber! Let us know how it goes, any of those bikes will work well. I try and use the maintenance time to show the kids some stuff about mechanics, often does not work though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bubba Posted June 4, 2006 Author Report Share Posted June 4, 2006 After about a month of looking for a bike for my son, I finally got him a Beta Mini Trial auto from Ebay. (A 600 mile round trip to pick it up) It's a 2003 model, one owner and Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alan bechard Posted June 4, 2006 Report Share Posted June 4, 2006 My one piece of advice is that you and the wife stay off from it. While it "works" more 50's have been torn up by adults riding them then kids. Get your son out there riding and have a great time (after the helmet of course) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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