mercuryrev

Your blips and zaps are all double blips. Much better examples now you're using a bigger obstacle, well done. You don't have to use your clutch on the step you're doing but when you move onto larger obstacles you will. There might even be an argument that if you used your clutch on the obstacle in your video it could be slower and more controlled. There is no need to rush it all, in fact there's plenty to suggest you should take it slower. If you don't have room in front or after the obstacle for example. Your splats are a zap without touching the obstacle. A splat is using a kicker to take off from in the aim of landing on the obstacle and then driving over it. Have a watch of the video I put up on your other thread.

Firstly apologies for saying you were landing on top, I think when I wrote that I was looking at the still from your video. The difference between a zap and a double blip is shown really well in this video.... (Method 1 is a zap and method 2 is a double blip). It's in French but does have 'quite' good subtitles. However Jimmy films it so well that it's pretty self explanatory. Unfortunately the music tends to drown out the noise of the engine. What you're trying to do is a double blip. A zap is more or less a wheelie and let the rear wheel hit the obstacle and drive up. The clutch is used in a double blip to add more power. If you are clearing logs of the size in your video, you don't need the clutch. Perhaps using a bigger log would help you. Then you might/could use the clutch to lift the front and then use it again to lift the rear wheel onto the log. Have a watch of Jimmy's video, you can even ask him a question, he usually replies. Keep going with it, it will come. Trials is as much a mental sport as a physical one, take your time and think it all through.

Funnily enough I was practising this on Saturday. From your video it seems like you are too late on the second blip of the throttle, you are also landing on top of the log rather than on the side. You need to feel the impact of the front wheel and then blip the throttle and release the clutch. If you wait too long then you lose the rebound from the compression of your forks. It is a question of timing that second blip/dump. It might also be easier to use the bigger logs you have? From memory, the correct place to aim for with your front wheel is 3/4s of the way up the log. As you approach the log drop your knees and as the bike's suspension rebounds from that, blip the throttle to lift the front wheel. Once the front wheel hits, blip and dump. Looking at your body position above you seem to be leaning too far forward as well, so that you're fighting that wheel coming up for the second time. Your clutch is your safety net, if the front goes too high, pull it in and the wheel will drop. Keep filming what you do, it really helps to spot what you're doing.

I've had a 250 Rev3 and a 300 Evo in the past and liked them, however I was pretty happy when something different came up. I'm happy to try to sort the situation but not if it's either going to be a waste of money, or unachievable.

I think you're right, but here the cost would be around 500 euros in parts. I could always sell the 300 parts but again I am investing rather than just going to buy something more suitable. As Mr Dabster says a 250 would do everything I need to do. At the moment, depending on what a shop would give me for my 300, I could possibly get a 2019 250 Evo for 600 euros, a 2020 for 1000 euros or a '21 for 1500. Beta's come with a 2 year warranty here.

I would agree with you and if I'd had the option, I would've bought one, I live in rural France and it was the best I could get without driving hundreds of miles on the off chance. It was also a question of testing the waters, in terms of my ability to ride and also finding places to ride. I have now joined a local club, with their own practice grounds and I absolutely love riding with the guys there. Now I seem to be faced with trying to make the 300 work for me, or giving up on it and getting something else, I'm well aware I can spend a fortune chasing something that may never be suitable for me. When you say 'set up' do you mean that the 300 will never work for me, or do you have any suggestions?

An update on my experiences so far. Had an afternoon's riding with my local club. I tried starting a 280 GP fitted with a low comp head today, both times I tried, I started it second kick, even with my dodgy right knee. The bike was much easier to start than my standard 300. Three guys rode my bike and all agreed it's hard to start. They all also said that the low down power was nice and 'torquey' but when you need a quick blip of power it comes in so strong it's a bit of a battle to control it. No one liked my clutch either, saying it was either on or off. In comparison when I rode the 280 it felt like it had instant power but the power wasn't over powering like it is on the 300. I felt like I could 'boss' the 280 much more than the 300.

I've always owned Betas but circumstances meant a GG 300 was all that was available in my price range when I was ready to buy. My problem is that I don't want to keep throwing money at a bike that may never be what I want. I live in France and the local club is exactly that, a club, with some really nice people in it. It's become as much of a social thing as somewhere to ride. I've just turned 60 and don't feel the need to do much more than ride the easier clubman type routes. Both myself and SWMBO love an afternoon at the club, I'd just like to not be worrying about the bike I'm riding. I take it that despite liking the GG, you wouldn't swap one for your Beta?

Now you say it, I think one of the guys at the club has a low comp on his 280, so I'll ask him if I can try starting his. Splatshop have always been so helpful whenever I use them, although I do like BVM as well, I try to spread my purchases around in an attempt to keep as many suppliers going (doubt I keep them in biscuits even.....) Wow Greg, you're worse than me, mine have all been football and then coaching related and never as far as a bodycast! Good on you for keeping going. Cycling and road biking is proving difficult these days, so I can't hang up the trials boots just yet! I think it's a combination of trying to get back up to speed with my throttle and clutch control as well as learning the bike. If I could start the bugga it would certainly help the process! Hopefully we're riding tomorrow, so we'll see.

Hi Greg, what made you go for the low comp head? I've had a couple of rides lately and pretty much come to the conclusion that I don't need a hard to start, beast (as described by everyone at the cub). Your tips helped but I still can't start it regularly when I'm tired. I also spend my time worrying if it's going to bite my a*se clearing rocks and logs. The bike rides nicely and is easy to work on but coming back to riding after so long and trying to relearn so much whilst also trying to tame the bike, isn't working. Think I need to go back to the Italian side, a kicker for my stronger knee, and a 250 for my fitness and skill level.

I'd be very interested in hearing how you get on (and the video!). It's been 8 or 9 years since I've ridden regularly and aside from the starting issues I'm finding the bike gets away from me at times. So I would really like to hear your impressions when you get to use it in anger. Good luck with it.

I feel your pain.... 2017 300 bought because there was nothing else available where I live. Everyone now tells me there is a knack to starting them, just after they've said 'they're really hard to start". Speed of kick seems to be the secret, also the angle of your foot. Using your heel can help too, or so it seems. It also seems easier to start on the stand, as the movement of the suspension is reduced. I have a weak right knee, which I'm working on, so have to jump off and start it with my left. My bike doesn't have a problem, the ex GG works mechanic at my local shop, fires it up first or second kick every time. I just can't discover the knack. I watch guys at my club fire up their 280s with no trouble, it just seems to be the 300s. I'm coming to the end of my patience with it now however. Making a bike that people can't start seems pretty poor in this day and age, there really shouldn't be a need for The Knack. Toying with spending on a low compression head, in the hope it will improve things, or just trading it in for another Beta. Perhaps not such a capable bike (although for my level that's negligible) but if I can start it without wearing myself out in the process, that makes it a much better bike in my book. Not sure if that helps other than to confirm there is a way of starting them that currently defies my 40 plus years experience of starting a motorcycle.

Thanks for the reply. I've checked the coolant level and it's fine, I'm hoping that as I bought the bike from the only shop in about 200kms, they know what they're doing?! The mechanic there is an ex factory guy and aside from the fan, the bike runs beautifully. I'm riding with the local trials club this weekend and as they all ride Gassers, (aside from one guy, but they still speak to him......) so I'm sure they'll put me right!

Thanks for the replies. Funnily enough I've nearly always had a Beta and never really experienced the fan being on so much as this. Once the bike had been running for 15 minutes or so and then in some tight sections, but this is within two minutes of starting the bike and riding it. Thanks again, perhaps as you say, it's the warm weather here.

Just picked up a 2017 300 which runs very nicely aside from the fan coming on within a few minutes of starting. The weather is very hot here at the moment, but the bike doesn't seem to be hot enough for the fan to come on. Once on the fan also speeds up when I rev the bike, then cuts out only to come back on a few seconds later. Never had a Gasser before, is this normal? Or could I have a dodgy switch? Thanks in advance

I'm a good judge then! ?

This one is due to happen this year hopefully https://www.trial-truyere.fr/ Not ridden it but I did visit it a couple of years ago (we were passing through on our way somewhere) and everyone seemed to be enjoying it, including the few Brits who were riding. Looked like there was a good selection of routes for pretty much everyone. It's a fair way south but a gorgeous part of the world. October can also be the nicest time of the year there too, chilly at night but warm during the day.

Thanks Metisse, that is one of the reasons for asking on here. I'm sure if I was local to wherever I could eventually find out, like anywhere I guess, but as an 'outsider' it's a lot harder. Also riskier! Thanks for the offer but we're a bit too far away from you.

70 euros for a one day trial? The UK has something right if that's the case! I'm not really interested in competing, it leaves me cold, much more fun just having a practice area and playing with friends. Here in France you can join a club and ride their land for around 30/40 euros for the year. Yes the bike must be registered for the road and insured, if you want to compete then you have to get a licence.

Possibly heading to the Algarve rather than Spain but happy to have weekends away in Spain.

As far as I know there aren't any clubs in southern Portugal, although there are riders. I'm meeting up with a french guy this coming winter and I know that several 4RTs have been sold locally. If I moved there I'd have a go at trying to contact others there. My thought process was there are likely quite a few places to ride in Portugal, thanks to the miles of off road tracks. However with the Spanish border 90 mins away at most, then a weekend trip to ride somewhere around Seville/Cordoba/Granada might be a possibility. I know nothing of the trials scene in Spain other than a few of them are 'ok' at riding..... ?

Thanks, that's a good suggestion, I'll send him a message. Thanks..... Is it a case of joining the club and then you can practice? Do you know if hold trials without the need for a national licence? I'm thinking of maybe moving to the Algarve where there are no clubs and so heading into Spain for my fix.

Are there any forum members living in Spain and riding with Spanish clubs? Interested to know how licensing works, how clubs are run, if they mostly have their own land to practice on, that sort of thing? Thanks in advance ?

Hi Gines, where do you live in Spain?

We were in the Algarve Jan & Feb this year, looking to possibly buy somewhere. We went into the Honda dealers in Portimao to ask about a Montesa, as it seemed the most likely bike to be sold there. Not expecting to hear they could supply them, the sales guy reckoned he'd sold half a dozen or so in the last year/18 months. Mostly British buyers apparently, so there must be some interest there. We've missed the boat with NHR, so unlikely we'll moved down permanently now, but if we do I'd have a try at seeing if it was possible to get a few folks interested in riding. I'm sure there must be plenty of good places to ride in the hills.