bubba

DJ, Welcome to Trials Central. I joined a while back as I found myself in a similar situation of trying to decide which bike is best or better suited to my son's needs. I ruled out a PW50as I thought that my son wouldn't get enough use out of it before it was too small for him. The Gas Gas 50s, I read about had alot of problems with electrical failures, and the last thing I need is to get ready to take the kids out and the bike won't start. (They're not all like that, but there's alot of people mentioning electrical problems with them on this site.) I toyed with the idea of buying a Sherco 50, but availability was a problem plus they are quite expensive. I settled on a 2003 Beta Minitrial. (Automatic) It is reliable, starts easy, lightweight and fairly cheap to buy. I have fitted a rear brake to the handlebar as my son has difficulty in locating the rear foot brake and I've fitted a kill switch that attaches to him to cut the bike out in times of crashes or in times of PANIC. He was only 5 when I purchased the bike and could only (just) get his feet touching the ground. We have now owned the bike for just over a year and it now fits him really well. Infact today I have ordered a new spark plug for it, it doesn't need it as it starts and runs so easily, but I felt guilty about the lack of maintenance I've given it and the lack of maintenance it's required, so thought I'd better treat it to something new, so that shows how reliable it's been. When my oldest son moves up to a geared bike, the Beta will be passed down to his younger brother and after he's done with it, I won't have lost anymore than a

I bought a 2003 Beta Minitrial for my 5 year old son last Summer after posting on this site to which is best Sherco 50 or Beta. The replies were mixed, some even saying the Gas Gas 50. I ruled out the Gas Gas due to alot of people saying they had problems with the electrics. (Free time is short so I can't be bothered having to work on the bike prior to using it) The Sherco seemed the best deal at the time through my communications with Allan Belchard from the USA. Seeing what his son's Sherco could do with a few modifications and an able rider I was impressed. Availability of the Sherco was poor (I'm up in Scotland) so finally settled for a Minitrial, still having to travel 650 miles round trip. What a great little bike. My son had never ridden a motorcycle before and had only started to ride his pushbike without stabilisers for 3 months prior to getting the Beta. Took him round the back garden with me controlling the kill button and running alongside him supporting the bike. Next was to a large field and within 5 minutes he was away by himself. I shouldn't have as Mr Belchard gave me a row when I mentioned it in my email, but both myself and my wife have ridden it. It will obviously struggle with an adult but it did surprise me just how much power it delivered. The bike starts easily, even when left for months on end. Ground clearance is superb and so is the front brake. The rear brake being a normal foot pedal as found on larger bikes, is proving to be a struggle for my son to locate. (Big boots all the padding on etc) Again this can be addressed by fitting a hand operated brake where the clutch would normally be located (as it is an automatic) Again Allan Belchard helped me out by sending a photo of his Sherco 50 rear brake set up. It looks easy to do, just time and the thought of working in a cold garage has put me off doing it so far. The only thing I've done to the bike so far is to fit an additional kill switch that attaches to my son incase he falls off or gets into a panic. (The same type as fitted to jet skis etc.) We haven't had the bike out on hills, streams etc yet as he's still building his confidence and I've not had alot of time to take him out. (My play area for the bikes was a 100 mile round trip on the land where I work, but I've recently sorted out a small field for him to play on that's only 10 minutes away, so hope to get out more often.) The Betas are cheaper than both Gas Gas and Sherco and I don't think my son would have been any better off on either of the others compared to his Beta. (No brand loyalty here, as I run a 250 Gas Gas myself.) Once he's done with it and possibly moved onto something else then it'll go to his wee brother for a while and I only expect to loose

Alan, Once again many thanks for your advice and thanks for attaching the picture, it simplifies things. I'm about to take my son out of the flat fields and into some rougher terrain and I want to make sure that he can stop if it all goes wrong in a moment of panic. He enjoys the bike and I want it to stay that way without him having too many frights early on, as he's still only 5 years old, hence wanting to fit a rear handlebar brake. I have his bike loaded up in my works van so that I could take it to work tomorrow and get my bike rack modified to carry his bike rather than loading up a trailer each time we go out. I'll print out your photo and get the fabricator to make up the modification at the same time. Thanks again. Allen

My son has been out on his Beta 50 and is struggling to use/ find the rear brake so he's constantly having to use the front brake only. I have seen in the past some Beta 50s for sale with a handlebar lever conversion to aid the use of the rear brake. I'd like to fit one just incase something goes wrong, that way he'd be able to stop. So if anyone has any info on the levers used, cables and fitting of the conversion whilst retaining the original foot brake I'd be very grateful for any information. Many thanks.

Sandra, Kids are certainly more expensive than bikes or guns. Only thing is, my kids are growing up wanting bikes and guns! (My 5 year old has a Beta Mini Trial and the 2 year old thinks it's his) Shooting is an expensive game, especially now that I've blamed my old gun for my poor results and talked the long suffering Mrs Bubba into giving me funds for yet another gun. Might have to try that theory with her about my Gas Gas that's sitting gathering dust in the garage with the Harley. Your husband must have been pretty good to represent the Scotland Shooting Team. I would only say I was an average shot hitting approx 75% of Sporting/DTL targets. Anyway must start getting ready to go and see the practice.

Sandra, Thanks very much for the quick reply. That'll keep me out of trouble and the kids happy. Thanks again.

I had promised to take my kids to spectate at this round of the championship, but this clashes with a clay pigeon shooting competition, so I was wondering if there was any practice for the riders on the Saturday that I could take them to watch instead? If so does anyone know any times etc? Many thanks.

I've taken your advice Alan and banned myself and my wife from riding the wee fella's Beta. The helmet arrived mid week and he got his first attempt at riding. This was done in my back garden (yard), which isn't that big. The riding session, basically consisted of him working the throttle and me running alongside holding him upright and keeping my thumb over the engine kill button, which was used on more than one occasion as he went from tick over to full throttle for his own entertainment!(He's too wobbly on it at present, as he keeps looking directly at the front wheel instead of where he's going, he was the same on his bicyle) Although my son has been asking for a bike for a while, he has never liked being around my bikes,(Gas Gas and Harley Davidson)whilst the engines are running. He would cover his ears and shout for me to turn them off. So I was a bit worried that he'd be the same with the Beta. Turns out it didn't phase him in the slightest. After his first shot, even though it was only round the garden,(3 million times),I hoped that he'd enjoy it and ask for another session, which he did, although he asked to do some stunts! He even had the cheek to ask me "why are you sweating so much Dad" As I've recently changed my car, I've just ordered a new tow bar so as we can transport the bikes to a more suitable area and get him to actually ride the bike unaided. Happy times ahead! Bubba

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

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

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

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

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