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I think that is very wise the clutch bearings are probably fine anyway. As you say its an old bike and it isn't really worth the expenditure , it will all work fine even with the kick gears in worse condition than yours are now so you do not need to worry as when you ride the bike the noise is a lot less noticeable. As regards changing the bearings its a doddle there is just 1 x bolt in the centre of the clutch shine a torch there and you will see the allen head deep in the recess this bolt is drilled and has a hole through it for breathing of the gearbox casing so it is weak you must make sure that the allen key that you use fits tightly or it will round off and you will have to drill the head off so care is needed , with luck it may be loose.

Cheers Konrad, Not worried about not enjoying it, I ride mountain bikes and have good mechanical skills from cars, go karts and bikes so not scared of any of the jobs on the list! Tinkering is half the fun haha! This Aire is my father-in-laws that’s been sat around for years hence starting off with a ‘classic’.

I'd strongly suggest borrowing a bike to see if you even enjoy the sport. You could easily spend far more time tinkering than riding. Which is fine if that's what you want, just understand what you are getting yourself into. You'll need well-developed mechanical skills from some other endeavor.

Hi All, Starting a project on an ‘89 Aire. I don’t have the forks to go with it so looking at my options (budget friendly). I’ve never tinkered with or even ridden a motorbike so don’t have any knowledge to go off. What are my options of forks/wheels? I assume getting something period correct will be my best option for getting something that will fit? Is it just a case of making sure the forks fit with the 35mm yokes that I have? Or if I get a full set with different yokes is it just headtube dimensions to check? I.e if theres upside down forks that I can find. I’m not overly fussed about making it factory corrects just looking to get it usable so don’t mind if it’s a different brand etc. thanks in advance, look forward to getting stuck in!

Hi there, I’m in the middle of building the engine on a 2004 beta rev3 does anyone have a diagram of gearbox? I have a box of shims etc unsure which goes where as I didn’t strip the engine just been given it to try and rebuild. Previous links posted don’t seem to work anymore. Thanks mark

Thanks for the replies. I might just leave as is. I'll check the bolts on the mounts etc to see if that helps with vibration. It's hard to justify spending lots of money on a 2012 bike. It's not like I'm out every weekend on an expert route. It's a white route once a month dotted with practice at home in the week. I do like the bike tho. Very reliable starter etc. we'll see. Time is a factor too as I guess it's a reasonable strip down to replace that bush behind the clutch basket

Oh yeah I live near Langham so I think raydon is the closest ? Where is it in raydon ?

Hi I have been a motorcyclist for years puch maxi to my road king u have a beta trial bike id like to go to raydon join in and generally try a session obvs very new to trials, my son does cross which I find dull but it’s my turn to try trials how do I get involved ? Thanks mark

Rim lock I would buy a light one, but my bikes are a lot lighter they all work if you don't pinch the tube mounting it and that rarely happens. ... I can easy spot the cheapest one there and that would work just fine.

fish glue! lol...love it. not sure i'll use sheet metal screws (yet, anyway!) is there a good brand of rim lock i should get? i see fleabay has quite a few options for 2.15" ...any recommendations appreciated! do all these basically do exactly the same thing?

Want to know a Canadian backwoods Trials tire fix secret, the worlds best tire sealant is Fish Glue. I even used it to fix holes in an inner tube tire that has sheet metal screws in it for riding on ice and snow 😎

Seen it done with sheet metal screws through the side of the rim and into the bead, but that's a bit backwoods.

Almost shocking that rim has no hole for a rim lock, hole is typically not same size as the valve stem hole. For the tire to slide that direction it was under brake force Rim lock is a safety feature for braking because it might suck real bad when your brakes don't work.

Thank you so much Lemur, appreciate the insight and advice! I'm excited to learn more and do this myself. looking at this pic its definitely not coming straight out and does appear to be at a bit of an angle.. Q/ so when i drill the hole to install a rim lock is there a 'best' place on the rim..I'm guessing opposite the valve stem? Thank you all for helping, i learn a great deal here from your wisdom and experience!

Rode 4RT for decades and only used the same all season hydraulic transmission oil I used in the farm tractors and excavator in the transmission. Regular Honda oil in the engine. Filters are easy available and inexpensive. Never have clutch and transmission problems even in winter sub zero riding 2T or 4T Using Kubota branded oil at the moment, check out your local farm supply

You know you need rim locks or some other way to secure the tire to the rim when the valve stem goes crooked or disappears into the rim or gets sheared off depending on how you have the valve stem locked down, I put one side of the tire on and then push the tube in from the other side tube deflated, install the valve stem, rim locks are in place with the nut backed off completely, push the rim locks in by the bolt and nut when you are mounting the second beed, the rim lock is where you need to install the bead first then work around the rim to about the 3:o'clock position to finish mounting the tire. Don't need soap or water with mounting a tube tire except to test for leaks and to wash the wheel before you work on it.

Thanks Lineaway, appreciate the encouragement to change the tire myself! no, it's not tubeless..has inner tube....i'm thinking though should i drill a hole and add a rim lock? i saw on the FWOJ thread (page 19) brewtus added one....just wondered if it were necessary and a good safer option?

@Steveyboy vibrations through the bars can happen if the bolts holding the front of the bash plate to the frame are not totally tightened up also make sure all the motor bolts that hold it in the frame are tight , they do not need to be stupid tight or the motor lugs may snap.

@ Steveyboy The only way to get rid of the noises is to have all those parts renewed IE the kick gear the idler gear the clutch basket and the bush and the primary drive , very expensive . It makes more sense to replace the cluch basket bush/bearings and use a grinder on any chipped damaged gears to smooth off their surfaces where they mesh.

@Steveyboy In short yes it will make lots of noise and it is normal for this to happen regularly if used a lot on a Pro model , a pair of gears for the Kick mechanism are around £200.00 these days and the best way to make sure you don't have to buy a new pair every 5 minutes is to slowly engage the gears before you kick the bike over and also when you fit the kick start do not position it on the splines too far forwards there are two positions that were used by factory riders through the years those were 12 o'clock and about 7 mins past 12. look at old WTC videos on YouTube to see these.

Hi Had a look at my clutch tonight as it is terribly rattly which I know these bikes are known for it. I found these 2 chips on the idler gear would they have any effect on the noise? I guess the bart gear looks a bit tasty too, although it kicks up on 2nd kick from cold and 1st kick when warm. The clutch basket and plates all look sound. I was worried the clutch basket would be worn out but it looks good. The only other thing I have noticed is the bush/bearing on the shaft going to the gearbox has some play in it. I've tried to attach a video but it won't upload for some reason. It all seems to work ok but I get quite a bit of vibration through the bars too. Any thoughts appreciated. Thanks

It's just an old Aprilia model name. Here's a pic of one: https://www.james-pratt.com/2023/01/working-on-my-very-rare-aprilia-280-climber-trials-motorcycle/

I'm from the U.S and I don't mean to be a smartass but, I am not familiar with the term "climber". What does that refer to? Thanks , LaVen

Is it a tubless or not? Just putting a tire on is pretty simple. Alot easier if you heat the new tire up first. Laying it on the dazh of your vehivle is the easiest. Some sunshine needed. Soap and water mix and lube well. Lots of vids on it. Good luck.

I have always assumed there was a sponsorship deal. A friend calls that oil "Elf Tears".