scorpa3

Welcome Boyobach, once you get the trailer you will find loads of events in your area. The Midland and Western Centre are just at the end of the M50, so even if there's no events close by there's lots on offer within an hour or so every weekend. All the best with the Raga Pete

Do you have any pictures of yourself in action? I take it you don't ride a 200?

what he said, - seen a handfull dakar bikes do them - its on if your a trials rider Yep, they do look big in a section though! Especially when the next three bikes riding through- on the SAME route- are Gas Gas Pamperas.

Wouldn't it be brilliant to have a new venue for every trial! And then be able to find enough Observers to man 40 sections so that we could use just one lap!

Ten years further on is a big difference. Plus the 4rt is know for having good suspension anyway.

Now laquer it on.... I dare ya!

It sounds as if you were unlucky Marcus, I went through the same thing last year with no problems. Perhaps they see a lot more trials bikes in Worcester, I don't know. It was a fairly painless experience... thankfully! The wosrt thing was sitting for three hours in the waiting room with a ticket for the initial part of the process. Yes, they then wanted to Inspect the bike to check that it didn't need SVA but the inspector at Worcester just walked out, bang on time, took one look at it and said 'Ok, that's exempt alright'. She, checked the engine and frame number and 20 mins later I collected a tax disc.

No Barry, we don't expect our bike to last three years without a fault. But it isn't unreasonable to expect a three month old bike (a 2004 in my case) to get me through a club trial without loosing it's spark; then five trials after fitting a new (free of charge) stator, the same thing happened again. It's true, I haven't spoken to a single person who's had a stator go on a 2007 Rev3, so maybe the problem is sorted but the number of '03, '04 & '05 owners you hear tell the same story is beyond belief. Or are we all abusing our bikes in some way?

I had a 2002 SY then a new 2005 SY. The performance and handling of the two is almost identical. Buy by condition. A well looked after '01 might be a better bet than a rough 2005!

It's a terrible thing to say but I agree with you. I swore by Beta's in the '90's, I had a coule of new Technos and they were brilliant. A return to Beta in '04 and two stator failures put me off. And to hear that people are still having problems amazes me. How can a fault like this continue from one year to the next... never mind for three years!!!??

The Straford-Upon-Avon Club are holding a round of the 2007 National Trail Bike Championship on Sunday 23rd Sept. The OK Supreme LDT will include a route of 75 miles with 26 sections on and around the Cotswold Hills near Shipston on Stour. The event is open to any road legal machine with classes for Trail bikes, British Bikes, Twin Shock and trials bikes, and ladies. Click HERE for regs.

I will try to explain the general process for greasing the suspension bearings. Each type of bike is slightly different, but the general idea will be similar. You will need a box or paddock stand, low melting point grease, (available from any DIY motor store) and a basic tool kit with some allen keys. It helps matters if you remove the rear wheel and prop the bike on a box or paddock stand. The linkage is found under the swing arm and is attached to the under side of the frame and the bottom of the shock. It s a relatively easy job to take apart, although you will need to be patient and carefully note how it goes back together as you go. Don't let the swing arm drop down when you take the first bolt out as it will possible damage the brake system (or cut your fingers!) You can now remove the swinging arm spindle and gently ease the arm out of the frame. Be careful to detach the brake cable from the arm. Once apart, you can (if they're not seized) carefully pull out the components leaving the rollers in place. If you have to force anything apart you may damage the bearings, but if that's the case they were probably past saving anyway. Clean and examine all of the parts, they are not expensive in isolation but the cost soon escalates if you have to buy lots of them. Once you have cleaned/replaced what is needed, re-assemble using plenty of grease and check that everything is tight. Having a good look at everything on the bike as you put it back together. Frame, airbox, seals, rear brake, brake lever etc Before you ride the bike in anger again, you should ride it up and down the drive a couple of times to make sure nothing if fouling and that the rear brake hasn't been damaged during the process. Then check all of the bolts again to make sure they are still tight. This should cure your squeaking suspension and save you a lot of money. I've found, to my cost in the past, that if you leave it until it squeaks, you're too late, so do it sooner rather than later. I recommend that you do this from new and again at least once a year; more if you ride in a lot of mud and clean the bike with a pressure washer. I hope this helps. Let us know how you get on.

So it is still an on-going problem and not an isolated case? Or perhaps we are all abusing our stators in some way?

Thanks for the reply John. I understand that you don't know the full facts of the case which spurred me to raise the issue, however my question was only prompted by the report in the paper and not directed at any particular case. The details are not important to my question, I was merely wondering if anyone thought that it was fair to be faced with a possible fine when carrying out a volunteer task? We know the rules, they are clearly laid down and we agree to them; so we can't complain. But does that make it right?

Are you sure that it's not the linkeage or the rocker bearings? I've had a Gas Gas and a Sherco that were dry from new. If it's squeaking, strip and grease/replace as soon as possible, every squeak wears the bearings/top hats/rollers more and added up, it's not a cheap job.

I'm on my second SY250 and despite buying various other models, I've found the Scorpa perfectly suited to my limited ability. The first one I owned was in 2002 when they were

However, I had a 2004 Rev3 and had two stators go on that in FIVE trials over a six week period. So I don't think you can blame neglect every time. Lampkins were brilliant, they changed it both times free of charge.... as you would expect. I don't blame the importers for the problem but so many people had the same thing happen to '04 and '05 250/270's is was past being a joke.

If ever I can't shift a bearing, I'm lucky, I have a MIG welder. Especially if the outer bearing race gets stuck (when the inner race and bearings fall apart) I simply weld a long old bolt to the race and then use the bolt as a drift. The heat from the weld also helps to loosen things off.

Serrows are very good LDT bikes, just check out on which year they changed the swinging arm to take a 400x18 rear tyre!

We've had KTM 525's and XR600's in the past, but it would be fair to say that they found it quite a challenge. I use my DRZ400 and usually keep my score under 12 or so. It's ideal for something like an XR400, the Beta Alps, and Pampera's find it a bot too easy, which is why we've added six sections with championship HARD routes. The winner will still probably be on clean though!

The Stratford-Upon-Avon Club are holding a round of the National Trail Bike Championship on 23rd Sept. The OK Supreme LDT. Starting at Blackwell Village Hall, the trial will follow a 75mile route around the Cotswold hills. Taking in many minor back roads, tracks, trails and a lot of private land around the course, riders will be faced with 26 sections set out suitable for trail and enduro bikes. As the OK Supreme traditionally has very easy, wide sections; the organisers will be putting in six 'championship route' sections with an additional hard route to test the regular front runners in the series. The remainder of the sections will be one route and NO INSPECTION allowed. The 'non championship' route will be aimed at enduro/trail riders on machines such as Honda XR400's and Suzuki DRZ's. The trial is open to any road registered bike with a rear trials tyre fitted. Third party road insurance is available on the day for

Then using a new front and two new rears in a National race weekend to end up coming 25th... or travelling all the way to the Isle of Man (or Bishops Court or Brands Hatch etc etc,) to get taken off in the first practice session and travel home with a pile of scrap in the back of the van without even racing! Trials is just the most amazing form of motorsport. I should have done it 20 years ago and paid off my mortguage instead of going road racing. You can buy a

Welcome to TC Bladerunner, good luck with the fractures, been in a similar situation myself from road racing. In the plus side; your road racing licence will cover you for trials. Pete

As an ACU official we sign to say that we will follow the rules as laid down in the hand book oncluding the National sporting code. Being a paid official or unpaid seems to have no bearing on the situation. It states; FINES Levied by ACU court....... Unlimited fine. Levied by National Club, Centre or Stewards.... Maximum

I've been going through a similar spell just lately, I just ride when I want to ride and only do the sort of trials which suit me. (Easy ones) if I get there and I can't be bothered then I just observe instead. If it's raining I don't go. Call me a wimp, but a good friend once said to me 'there's more to life than motorbikes you know!' and I couldn't understand what he meant at the time.... now I get it. Ride for enjoyment; if you're not enjoyig it - don't.