dadof2

Multi lap trials in Northern England (not all by any means but some). The hard course maybe has about 4 or 5 riders as it too difficult for anyone else. Many of the clubman sections are too easy for experienced clubmen. They barely need a glance on the first lap and the other 2 or 3 laps (maybe 1 or 2 miles round) are ridden without even bothering to look at the sections. Add in the inconvenience of some self observing and the cheating that goes with it and the conclusion not to attend that event in future is an easy decision. I am not going to name specific events or clubs, because even a poorly attended event means hard work for volunteers.

Its not BS. It seems to be easing off recently but 2 to 3 years ago in Norhern England there was argument after argument, some of it so offensive even people who and ridden and observed for 25 years plus gave up observing in disgust. Some of the worst examples being some well known BTC riders at the round in Swaledale / AGs field the dry limestone beck sections.

There seems to be some misunderstanding on this topic. A diaphragm clutch is a basket clutch. Both diaphragm and coil spring clutches (on trials bikes) have an outer basket. The diaphragm clutch has fewer plates and hence can be a bit slimmer. As I posted previously a diaphragm clutch requires less work to fully disengage it. This is useful on machine tools were the clutch may operate many millions of times but on a trials bike feel and partial engagement characteristics are probably more important the difference between the two types are probably less than personal preference.

When I started trials entries were much larger than today. Trials were generally much longer even though the number of sections was about the same. Many trials lasted from between 9 and 10 in the morning until 15:30 or even after 17:00. You felt as if you had ha a worthwhile day out. In the last few years I have been to quite a number of trials or 30 to 40 sections on very short courses. The trial only lasts about 2 to 3 hours, hardly worth travelling too. May as well have a decent practice session instead.

They only observe very occasionally, but their family members (wives, father, daughters) used to observe frequently until they got fed up of stop / no stop abuse.

There is a picture of a new 500 two stroke MX Honda (allegedly) doing the rounds on the internet. In theory 2T trials should be quite a bit lighter and cheaper (due to less parts / less complexity) than a 4T. Until a manufacturer produces and sell a top spec low cost 2T in large volumes Honda / mont will probably continue to sell only 4T. Same goes for MX. If good 2Ts were available at a lower price and 4T sales fell then manufacturers may be forced to go 2T including Honda.

talked to a couple of friends, good riders who trial pretty regularly and both mentioned one thing that makes them stay away from some trials is lack of observers. They would rather travel further or miss an event rather than "self" observing.

Go for the 270, yes a 200 is easier but you could wait a while before one comes along. Usually the extra power of a larger cc bike only makes itself felt later in the day when you are tired. A slow throttle and flywheel weight goes a long way to making it easier to ride. You could also fit extra cylinder base gaskets. A washer or restrictor sleeve in the exhaust will also calm it down, as can closing up the reed stops.

Thanks, I had not seen that clip. I was deliberately brief when I made my post. It seems they can use 2.7L in a race which is about twice what I thought (I had not looked it up recently) 2.7 L in 105 Kg of fuel is about the equivalent of about a oil to fuel ratio of 1:50. The point I was making was that some trials manufacturers and riders always want to use less oil whereas F1 would like to use more. There is unfortunately on this and other forums a whole load of crap posted about mix ratios and the supposed benefits / disbenefits of this that or the other. Perhaps if trials bike manufacturers advised more protective oil to fuel ratios they would not have to rely on the "limited competition use warranty" to avoid premature wear claims. Its a bit like gearbox manufacturers describing their units as "sealed for life" (ie no oil changes). What they do not point out is that this sealed for "life" will be far shorter than the life of an unsealed gearbox that had oil changes at 30,000 mile intervals.

Is the fan coming on? Hot running can be caused by weak mixture or retarded ignition timing. Unlikely on a trials bike but blocked / restricted silencer can cause hot running. Hose collapsing inside or split in such a way it impeded flow - unlikely but worth a check Is the radiator really clean - remove it from the bike and hold it up against the light and look through it, you may be surprised how many fins are wholly or partially blocked.

As I said just guesses but here goes with possible prices. Wash bike and remove / refit engine + fluids £100 Strip and rebuild engine £150 Straighten + weld frame engine mounts £40 TIG weld (assuming cases are aluminium not magnesium) engine cases £50 Gearbox parts £50 - this only allows for the few most common worn / broken parts If crankcases are scrap new ones are about £500 - might be able to get some seconhand.

It is not uncommon for the frame and underside crankcase engine mounts to break on a gasgas when subjected to the treatment you describe. No point in guessing the full extent of the damage.

A properly set up diaphragm clutch exerts maximum pressure on the plates at the point they are fully engaged which is what you want to avoid slipping. As the clutch is disengaged the pressure required drops so you get a lighter action and less hand fatigue. With a coil spring clutch the spring force is at a maximum when the clutch is fully disengaged and at its minimum when the clutch is fully engaged. This means your hand has to work harder to operate a coil spring clutch.These comments apply to hydraulic clutches. Cable operated clutches can have more compensation built into the cam, lever and operating arm angles.

Anneal it before bending it and don't use it for two weeks to give it time to age harden. It you just bend it without annealing it will be weaker and more prone to cracking.

The probable cause of this is fretting or false brinelling. I do not like the practice of roughening the surface by punching or chiseling and bearing fit adhesives have a very poor success rate on cranks. Having said that if you get the crank measured and its worn under tolerance you could take the view its scrap anyway and give punching a try. I prefer JB weld or Devcon to bearing fit. If you go to a bearing specialist they may be able to supply bearings ground to fit your worn crank (so long as its not oval). You may even be able to get your crank ground to take bearings with a slightly smaller bore.

Compress the rear suspension with your hand and release sharply. If it pops up quickly and or tops ot with a bang the shocks are worn out. Sometimes they can be refilled with oil. Remove the springs. Immediately above the weld where the bottom of the shock is welded on drill and tap an M4 threaded hole. Fill the shock fully with oil then withe the tapped hole uppermost fully compress then release the shock. Fit a screw with sealing washer / loctite to the tapped hole. Front forks. Drain the oil then remove the spring. Refill to about 90 to 110mm from the top with the spring out and fully compressed. SAE 10 hydraulic oil or automatic transmission fluid does for both forks and rear shocks. After a bit of riding / experience you will be able to better judge what to do for yourself.

There are a whole number of factors. I know of some riders staying away from some trials because the find some of the sections dangerous. Even only 2 dangerous sections on a 4 lap trial effectively means they forgo 40 marks, making their overall result disheartening, so they stop away Entry fees are too high / not perceived to be value for money. I know some will argue this but it is simply a fact that there are plenty of other outdoor activity sports that are much cheaper to enter and equip for. The initial purchase cost & running costs of the motorcycle. The learners laws restricting under 19 year olds to 125cc and the cost and inconvenience of CBT Linked to the previous comment, the unsuitability of modern trials bikes for any other purpose. With regard to the Allan Jeffries. When trial bikes had a decent seat height and a reasonable riding position this was a good, enjoyable ride out. Additionally even the poorest riders were likely to be able to attempt most if not all the sections and go home unhurt. Modern bikes are so uncomfortable on the road it makes this sort of trial a misery, add to this a few sections where failure is likely to result in a fall and possibly injuries and it is easy to see why riders stop away, especially when you look at th present age profile.

Strange though it may seem formula 1 engines (which are four strokes) run the equivalent of about 1% oil in the fuel, and in order to give more power they would like to burn more. I think the FIA limit is about 1.2 litres of oil for 105 Kg of fuel.

That may be correct most of the time but I do not believe it is the case on ice or diesel + water. Some time ago me and some friends compared bikes with traction control to bikes without. Accelerating on wet grass the bikes with traction control won 9 times out of 10, so yes electronics can outperform a human. When buying my first bike with ABS I made the judgement that it was worth paying the extra £1,900 (compared to to the non ABS version) even if it saved just one crash. In 20 years riding ABS bikes I have never had the ABS activate. I have had a few near misses: 1) Diesel on a roundabout, about 25mph. The ABS failed to activate despite both wheels sliding when the brakes were applied. It was only my strength that kept the bike upright. 2) Articulated lorry changed lane and cut me up - had I braked I would have been run over by the trailer wheels 3) Slid on corner, some oil and a bare steel (all the grit worn off) BT manway. Never even got the brakes on. Again it was my strength and MX experience that prevented a crash. As mentioned previously I have ridden road bikes for many years as have my friends and acquaintances. Among this group there has been many accidents and a couple of fatalities. From what I know of these and my own incidents ABS would not have made any difference (traction control may have prevented one fatality). In all but one of these incidents the helmets (judging by the marks on them) greatly reduced or totally prevented head injury. I am not saying ABS / TCS / CBS should not be an available option especially on large capacity road bikes, but to make it compulsory on all bike over 125cc is not justified. There is also circumstantial evidence especially among young car drivers that ABS and air bags only results in them gaining more confidence and driving faster, meaning that when they do have an accident it is faster and more serious. The see friends have a crash at say 50mph then because of modern bodyshells and airbags, they walk away from a total write off and laugh about it. This gives them a sense of invincibility that often ends with devastating consequences for pedestrians or other road users. As most people who have had motorcycle crashes will tell you, a fall with the wheels locked and a slide along the road is far preferable to a crash with the bike vertical or a "highside". I know of a crash (Yamaha FJ) where the rider braked on diesel at about 30mph and the ABS operated. When the bike reached the end of the diesel spill it was still doing about 20 to 25 mph. The sudden regain of grip by the front wheel cause a wobble / him to slip on the bike and he went over the front. He was unhurt but the damage to the bike was over £4,000. Remember the people proposing these rules are the same twits that panicked about CO2 and encouraged the move to more hazardous diesels. Politicians and bureaucrats have a very strange sense of priority / relative risk, why all the effort to eradicate smoking when alcohol and unhealthy food does far more harm to far more people? Regarding statues to Hitler - Perhaps they should have them in most german cities and explain what he stood for and did. Many german school leavers have no knowledge of the Holocaust for example.

HT coil faulty when hot. Coolant temperature sensor not working - cold start enrichment staying on when engine warm.

I had seen the 02 sensor in your photo. It is the position of the CAT that is a bit odd. That far from the exhaust valve it will struggle to get up to working temperature, especially on a single cylinder engine on typical trials use. Probably a bit of a gesture to the green lobby rather than a necessity, unless its for type approval, in which case you may have to refit it for future MOTs. Same problem will apply to the 02 sensor unless it has a heater which i can't tell from the photo.

Is that thing actually a Cat or just a silencer?

Nigel - You ought to remember Chad Evans before you start posting unsubstantiated allegations If it is right for Americans to attempt to hide their history by pulling down statues, perhaps we should bulldoze Hadrians wall in case it reminds English citizens of being enslaved by the Romans, or christians of being fed to the lions, or chopped up by gladiators. History is what it is, right or wrong it should not be destroyed or hidden. Will no longer being part of the EU make getting laws changed easier? As long as we are members it is nigh on impossible. Had we not been members of the EU we would not have the present extremely complicated and restrictive motorcycle license system. Compulsory ABS and the helmet law are not really comparable. Prior to the compulsory wearing of helmets there were a very large number of easily avoidable horrific injuries that were very costly to the NHS and many of the head injuries subsequently required many years or lifelong intensive care. Wearing a helmet that cost less than £5 was a very simple solution. The benefits of ABS on motorcycles are much more marginal. ABS would make very little or no difference to most motorcycle accidents, It may also worsen some. Consider the following. A car pulls out in front of an ABS motorcycle on a slippy road. The rider grabs the brakes and the ABS cuts in and the motorcycle hardly slows down before hitting the car upright. The riders groin and thighs slam into the tank and handlebars and his head whips down and forward, slamming into the car. Then the rear of the bike pivots up ejecting the rider over the car. The first impact probably caused several fractures. After being flung through the air the already fractured rider hits the road and the fractured sharp bone ends rive about inside the flesh, causing horrendous internal injuries. Now consider the same incident on a NON ABS bike. The rider slams on the brakes and the bike skids out from under him, he falls a short distance to the ground. Both bike and rider scrub off a useful amount of speed before hitting the car and suffer only one impact. In a lot of motorcycle accidents the rider never even gets the brakes on or the accident is caused by excess corner speed, in both instances ABS makes no difference, Still think spending a lot of money on ABS is worthwhile? The money would be far better spent on compulsory eye tests and diesel leakage monitoring / prevention. I have ridden large capacity motorcycles for well over 30 years (both ABS and non ABS) and have never had an accident for which I was to blame. In one instance (mud on the road) ABS may have prevented me dropping the bike, but had I not dropped the bike I would almost certainly have run wide into parked cars, as it was I just slid up the road with a scuffed elbow.

The problem with trying to put the fuller number of full size digits on a plate is that the plate has to be so large it tends to get broken off off road motorcyles in particular and off road vehicles in general. Some registration numbers have more digits than others and some digits and letters are smaller than others. It would make sense to issue registrations with fewer digits and narrower numbers and letters to vehicles with restricted plate space, such as motorcycles. Slower moving vehicles could also be permitted to have smaller plates and digits. A good case could be made for the above on safety and easy vehicle recognition grounds. I like suzuki 250 do not hold out much hope of politicians showing common sense but they did remove the need for front number plates on motorcycles on safety grounds. What we need is a body that properly represents our case to the rule makers, an area where the ACU is sadly lacking.

Britain is a wonderful country, generally hard working, inventive and kind people. Unfortunately this great nation is all too often dragged down by politicians, bureaucrats and do gooders. Well done Donald Trump for standing up to those who seek to destroy that nations heritage by pulling down statues etc.