General Trials Talk

Hi, Im thinking about buying my first trail bike, money isnt rly an issue altough i wanna buy a slightly used 2nd hand. I want a model with some durabilety that can handle my weight Im a tall guy, 6`3 (193cm) and 105kg. Im gonna use it mostly off road, on mud, grass, rocks.... GasGas is considered as the top brand if I understand it correctly. Whats the difference between the txt racing, pro and raga? 280 or 300cc? What do you guys recommend?

I have always used fully synthetic oil in my trials bike, however, I have just read elsewhere that one of the top riders in Britain uses semi and said fully is a big no no ? Anyone care to tell me what the benefits are of semi against fully or vice versa and should I change to semi ?

Is there anywhere that reports on Ladies and Girls in UK Trials ? I thought there used to be a Specific Forum on here ? I've looked on other Trials related websites and I'm struggling to find any coverage ? With Ladies and Girls sports (especially ball sports) being heavily promoted I'm unsure why Trials is lagging behind ? Or maybe i missed something ?

The FIM minimum weight limit got me wondering, what is it makes a trials bike manufacturer a success AND commercially viable. Greeves, Bultaco, Montesa (original) Ossa (original) Merlin, Mecatecno, SWM, Aprillia, Yamaha, SWM, Suzuki and probably a few more that don't immediately spring to mind all went bust or pulled out of trials despite producing decent and in some cases WTC winning bikes. What went wrong? why did they fail? What lessons can the newer manufacturers in the sport learn from others past failings?

indoor on eurosport tonight at 10.00pm

Having ridden since the early 70's, its quite obvious that there is far less land available for us to indulge our chosen sport. As trials riders we generally tinker about on an old pit tip, a corner of a sympathetic farmers land or a disused quarry or the like and we have generally gotten away with it for years. There's no doubt that this small island of our is getting more crowded and the area's that we ride are mostly within earshot of someone somewhere. As in the title - which has been a saying around for years (I saw it recently in a 1982 copy of the motorcycle mechanics magazine) is it time we completely eradicated the noisy motorcycle exhaust? Im talking about …

Once over someone in the market for a new bike could go along to the local dealer and check out the bikes, if trials bikes were on show, the basic shape still looked like a regular motorcycle. Even if the punter thought he may give trials a try but wasn't that interested in the sport, he could still have a useful trail machine for casual riding. Now the bikes are so small and compact with no fuel range or possibility of sitting down on trails the only person interested is the trials rider, I have heard many times people ask can I get a seat and bigger tank for it. This picture of the Scorpa long ride shows you can have a full blown trials bike with larger capacity tan…

Have any of you gone back to 2 stroke after a 4rt and was it the decision

Hi! I´ve got a short question: does it deal damage to the engine, when i ride in the snow? I ask because I could imagine that it isn´t the best for the engine if it always gets shortly cooled down by snow when its hot. greets Dani

In the market for some Hebo foot pegs to replace standard Beta ones, Pro bike do them for

Hello all, I´m a student doing a trial motorcycle research. But as I have little to no knowledge about trial motors I´d like to ask you a simple question. Which engine do you prefer? By this I mean from which manufacturer and why. Also if you have any other advice about what you prefer in your motors it would help me a lot. I hope I´m not causing you any problems and hope you will be able to help me in my project. Regards, Ivan Vicevic

Seems a retrograde step to me. Probably about staying in WTC and costs rather than the better ride.

Hi all as the title why dont we have them on our handle bars like enduro to protect the leavers iv never seen any on one but always thought it would be a good idea thanks

Yet again this topic has to be brought to the attention of riders. StuartC has a observer abused and insulted at a trial. Why!! because he has given a 5! I'm sorry but how do some riders expect Trials to continue in this climate. We are not Premiership footballers, the observer can be swayed if you ask but to abuse a volunteer especially in the conditions on Sunday is not permissable. I was out at West Leeds and due to problems couldn't take a position, however at Horsforth I was out there marking. Whenever I can I take a section which is difficult when My lad is attempting to climb to the hard route in only his fourth/fifth full year of riding I expect a little ribbing b…

Just being nosey.... Mine was just after i started riding, I was at a trial with the Huddersfield Falcons on my Twin shock Bultaco. Going round a tree at the top of a steep decent, sharp left turn downhill. Just as I went over a large tree root the front wheel went onto full lock and started to go end over end. I just lept upwards and grabbed a branch as the bike went down the banking flipping about 4 times. I was left dangling at the top and all the bike got was a broken clutch lever! There was no way I was going down there with it and the people at the botton were left laughing at me hanging in the tree!

The chain is probably the most ill-treated part of a trials bike. We dose it with mud, dust and water and put sudden shock loads through it, and most of the time it serves us faithfully and well. I have my own system for cleaning and lubrication but I wonder what other people do. My procedure goes as follows: After washing the bike I give the chain a spray of WD40 before putting it away. Unless the chain is looking unusually clean, I take it off and wash it in paraffin, brushing thoroughly and then hand it up to drip. After 24 hours + I refit the chain. On completion of the bike's general maintenance I spray the chain with chain lube. I'm using Mu…

Need some new tyres so going to get some michelin X11's (for road) however im not sure of the best way to remove them and re-fit the new ones? I see lots of topics about fitting the rear tyre but dont fully understand what people are talking about! Is there a guide anywhere on the internet that can help? I dont mind spending a bit of money on the right tools to make the job easier. Thanks in advance! Tom

Do you have any good Ideas for cutting edges on a tire/sharpening? I keep looking at the electric fish filet knives at Walmart, anybody tryed one? The tire cutting tools I see sold on the various world wide web stores look like they are for off road 4x4 truck tires. sam

Time to buy chain and sprockets, but what to buy as i usally replace bike first. Iris is

Thinking about buying either a new gasgas factory 300 or a sherco factory 300, anybody had experience of both? which would you recommend? Reliability,performance, maintenance ect... cheers!