bikeng

A closer look at the bike reveals I don't even have the speedo gearbox. I guess that was an extra to go with the headlight and speedo kit. So I guess I'll just go with a Trail-Tech dash with its own sensor arrangement.

Mine would be the 'square digital affair' as you describe it and driven by this odd cable. Definitely electronic as even though the cable starts out at the lower end looking like a regular speedo cable, ends in 2 wires and a plug that connects into the harness behind the headlight. But the actual drive connection from the gearbox is what has me puzzled and with no mention in the parts list (or manual) has me even more perplexed.

I am looking into fitting the lighting and speedo assembly to my 2008 4RT and I'm puzzled by the speedo cable. I realise later models changed to using a sensor on the rear wheel, but mine has a speedo gearbox and the 'street legal' kit has a speedo cable that appears to be a traditional thick cable (with rotating inner) at the lower end, but ends in a pair of electrical wires at the top. I realise that there is a sensor involved that is detecting the speed of rotation and feeding an electrical pulse to the speedometer itself, but a couple of things bother me:- I can find no reference to this cable on any of the parts lists, of any year, that I have found. How does the cable attach to the gearbox on the front wheel? 2 seems simple enough, usually the cable has a knurled collar that screws onto the gearbox and the square end of the inner fits into the square hole of the driven gear in the gearbox, but first of all the cable I have has no loose collar. There is a fixed collar that presumably screws onto the gearbox, but that requires the entire cable to be rotated, which means it has to be completely disconnected from the rest of the bike. Not that that is a major deal, but it's such a crummy idea I cannot help but think I am getting something wrong here. Also, the inner cable end is a smooth plastic cover. I'm loathe to try and pull it off to see if there is the square end underneath as it kinda looks like it is supposed to be there and anyway, why would a used cable have such a cover on it. It also doesn't want to spin freely. It will turn a bit, but it is as if there is no spinning inner cable, just a wired connection which will turn a bit, but then doesn't want to twist any more. I've not tried forcing it for obvious reasons. So it almost looks like the sensor is at the lower end and it's just then electrical cabling up to the speedo. In which case, why the fat cable that looks exactly like a traditional speedo cable. Anyone familiar with this and can provide some more info on this system and why the cable doesn't appear in the parts lists?

When I saw the 4Ride. I realised it is very nearly exactly what I'm looking for. Which got me thinking that an actual 4RT with some modification would be even better - especially as I already have a 4RT But it's one of the last of the 250s and so missing a few items:- Lights. Not std. on current UK bikes, but I've found a suitable front light assembly from another 4RT. For the rear I should be able to concoct a small assembly to hold a small regn. plate and LED rear light. Seat. Just have to find one from a newer std. 260. Then there's other needed mods:- Gearing. Bizarely, they chose to give the 4Ride a CLOSEr ratio gearbox, by raising the lower 4 gears, but keeping top the same as on the 4RT. But I think the 4RT with overall gearing raised would actually be better. So ideally an 11 or 12 tooth front sprocket will be required. Anyone suggest where to obtain one of these? Tank range. Obviously not great as standard on the 4RT, but even the 4Ride could do with a bit more and from pictures I've seen, it doesn't look like that tank would fit with the 4RT seat. Is there a large tank conversion available from anywhere? I'm aware of the front fork tanks and the extra tank/seat combo, but I'm thinking of a re-worked main tank, rather like they do for the flat tank conversions, but making it larger instead? Also, tank range is determined by fuel consumption, so the less it consumes the better. This for me rules out the 300RR as that just has to use the most fuel, but can anyone comment on any difference in consumption between a current 260 and the last of the previous 250s? I suspect the latter will use the least, but some first hand information would be good to know. What now. Assuming that neither a larger front sprocket, nor a larger tank is readily available, then they'd have to be made and costs obviously improve when more than 1 is involved. Would anyone else be interested in getting larger sprockets and fuel tank made? I'm in the UK, but they could then be shipped elsewhere. Or manufactured elsewhere and what I need shipped here. Either way, some sort of and#39;group buy'. If anyone would be interested, please either post here or PM me and we'll try and get it underway.

Fantastic, thanks. EXACTLY what I was hoping for. Brilliant. Thanks again. Don't have the same for the swingarm do you?

Yes of course, but that's the last resort. It would be much easier if I had some sort of pre-made template. I'm sure someone somewhere has the backing paper they pulled off a sticker kit when fitted, or even better a graphic file of the shape in DXF, EPS or PDF etc format that I could print and cut from. Failing that, I'll probably draw my own on the computer, but would prefer to save the time if anyone can help.

I have some clear film to help protect the frame and swingarm, but I need to cut out the suitable shapes. To help me with this, does anyone have templates for these shapes that I could download, or even if you still have the backing paper in the right shape, left over from some already installed. I'd like to cover up both sides of the frame and S/A, so any/all of those shapes would be most helpful.

Thanks for the answers to my questions that for some reason are missing from the quote.

And another... Has anyone compared the fuel consumption of the 300RR with the std. 260? I realise that for competition use it would be largely irrelevant, but I'm thinking in terms of the total tank rage and with the same tank, I suspect the 260 would get that bit further, but has anyone tried and can confirm or deny this?

Another couple of questions about the 300RR:- Does it have any sort of 'case-saver' protection in front of the gearbox sprocket? Would an earlier saver from a 4RT fit?

So if I wanted a 300RR in the UK, where best to find one? I'm thinking it's probably worth looking abroad, but where would be best? Belgium? Are all European bikes the same? Are they supplied with headlight and rear lights etc? Seat? Are they power restricted as supplied?

I have one of these for my 4RT, but not tried it yet. However, the introduction of the new 4Ride is making me think again about it. One thing I've not been able to determine is how fuel gets from the additional tank to the main one. I have read that one has to pour the fuel from the HM into the main tank, which IMO is a PIA and I really want to be able to use it all in one go, without having to faff around like that half way through. But I've also seen it stated that as the fuel is used from the main tank, the low pressure can draw fuel from the HM and so empty that first which seems it should be easy to arrange and solves the problem. So which is it? Anyone who uses the HM enlighten me on this?

I'm always amazed by bikers who dismiss any bike that doesn't suit their own particular needs, with comments like "can't see the point" or worse. Why be so negative? There's lots of bikes that don't suit me, but I don't feel the need to be so negative about them. I think the 4Ride is a great idea. Doesn't matter if its Trials performance is compromised, that's not what it's for, even though it could give a better account of itself than a stock 4RT could at being a trail bike. Personally, I'm very keen on the idea of something small and light and quiet and unthreatening to be able to get back into a bit of off-roading. My CRF450X is just too much for the sort of trails we have left in this country and I'm no longer interested in any form of competition. I'd just like to be able to have an amble about on something out in the countryside. If I want to go further afield I'd still need to trailer it, but I'd do that anyway rather than schlep down a motorway for 100 miles which is purgatory on any sort of off-road bike. I also quite like it still being kick start only because hopefully that means no battery. For a bike that won't be used every day, that's a big plus IMO. However, a couple of things occur to me about the 4Ride:- The gear ratio changes seem totally bizarre to me. The marketing blurb talks about a and#39;wider' gearbox, better suited to longer distances, but in fact the 4Ride apparently has a closer ratio box than the 4RT with top being the exact same which rather makes a lie of both the points being made. Seems to me that for more on-road use you want a wider ratio box with a higher first and even higher top. You really wouldn't need first to be as low as on the 4RT, but you would want a much higher top to enable somewhat more relaxed cruising on the road, even if you have to select 4th to gain max. speed. But although they have raised first to be the same as the 4RT's 2nd, they just close them all up and you still need to rev the nuts off it when trying to cruise in top. The one English review I read on the 4Ride made this exact complaint and I'm not surprised. Seems to me they should have instead simply raised the overall gearing. Much cheaper and I can't see how that wouldn't actually have resulted in better ratios for the 4Ride's intended purpose. The other point that I can't help wondering about, is how easy might it be to convert my 4RT into a 4Ride? Certainly I think the gear ratios could be better, but in fact I don't need lights - this would be for daylight only and I think that's still possible in the UK. So it really just comes down to tank, seat and rear mudguard/light assembly. I actually think I'd prefer a slightly lower seat for easier foot down control, but I do like the idea of the storage locker under the seat of the 4Ride. I actually have the HM tank extender and seat for my 4RT, but not tried it yet. However, the combined capacity is still less than the new 4Ride tank. Anone else thinking about converting their 4RT to something like the 4Ride?

Is there a common mod that is done to fix the stock stand? What specifically?

With respect, I would suggest the stand is down to Montesa manufacturing and not Honda. Whatever, it is a rubbish stand though. Even as new it almost collapses forward.