lowbrow

A GasGas head insert won't fit the Jotagas. If you can obtain a disc type head spacer it should be easy enough to lay it on top of the head to see if the bolt holes line up, but if you use a spacer and low compression head insert won't it be flat as the proverbial ................ I presume you're using 98 octane fuel. Have you tried richening the mixture/changing the jets, etc? What make of carb' are you using?

These are good, solid, reliable bikes. If you loop the bike make sure the rear mudguard is still sealed against the airbox otherwise crud can get where it shouldn't. GasGasUK used to offer a rubber apron to help overcome this problem. Enjoy!

Ossa MAR? Looks like it'd make a good snow shovel, if you could fix a handle to it.

Hi, welcome to trials and the joys of bike maintenance! From what you describe I’d suspect an air leak on the inlet side of the motor and if it was mine I’d do the following to eliminate all probable causes: Check flow of fuel from the petcock is good and the tank breather hose is not blocked. If no better then proceed to: remove the air box, clean and oil the filter if dirty; remove, dismantle and thoroughly clean the carburettor making sure none of the jets or airways is blocked and the float level is correct; remove inlet and reed cage, and any spacer between the reed cage and crankcases. Check reeds are intact and that there are no splits in the inlet rubber. Check carburettor is a snug fit in the inlet rubber. Some 327s had the larger 28mm Dellorto so has someone swapped to a 26mm without changing the inlet? (We used to use the 28mm inlet when installing a Keihin, back in the day.) If everything is okay reinstall the reed cage/inlet using new gaskets and a light smear of silicone gasket goo on every surface. Fit carb and air box and you should be good. What better way to spend a Saturday? Good luck!

Thanks for the additional info'. For the die hard trials bike 'fettler' the only problem would appear to be that you can't adjust it with the motor running, unless you're very brave!

Thanks, I'd never seen or even heard of an APT Smartcarb before. I'm not intending to hijack your thread, but having done some research online I'm curious; is it good in a trials application?

That's a great job; the carb has been transformed! What is it?

Looks like it's going to be shown on MotorsportTV (Sky channel 447) at 22.35 this evening

It's on. Reg's here http://www.acuwesterncentre.org.uk/downloads/suppregs_chg_newyeartrial_2jan17.pdf

It's listed on the AMCA website.

Staffordshire Moorlands club trial?

Options are limited because the Jotagas shock won't fit other bikes and vice versa. The factory fit Olle or Elka shocks, both of which are rebuildable. Ohlins is another option. Haven is the best place to start for advice these days.

I use something similar to this http://www.safeoptions.co.uk/master-lock-5400d-portable-key-safe

This is what I cannot understand because they could've sold more, in the UK anyway. Steve Saunders had orders but couldn't get bikes and this situation was replicated in other countries too. The question should therefore be why didn't they/don't they make more when they could've done well? Whatever it's now called and whatever it's finances Jotagas seems to have behaved like a zombie company ever since JT left.

Well spotted. I'm pretty certain they used to be on that page and took it for granted they still were; sorry.

Take your pick from these http://www.gasgasmotos.es/en/manuals/6.html The 2000 TXT250 isn't listed but will be the same as the 280

It's not a competition to see how little 2T oil you can use, but I wouldn't use more than 80:1 because the unburnt oil saturates the exhaust packing and anybody who has done it will tell you the tailpipe is a bitch to re-pack if it's never been done before.

I use ATF in the gearbox and change it quite regularly, either every four or five rides or whenever it looks mucky in the sightglass. I use Rock Oil or Putoline synthetic 2T oil with super unleaded. The original Jotagas premix recommendation was 100:1 and I've used that since 2012. I've had no trouble using 100:1 in the Jotagas and when I had the barrel off recently I found nothing untoward and was pleasantly surprised by how well the piston and bore were coated with oil.

There seems to be plenty of enthusiasm when it comes to spending Government or other people's money designing and developing a new bike, but much less interest in seeing a return on that investment. I wish TRS well and hope to see its bikes in the UK very soon because as others have said the longer the wait the greater the doubt for potential buyers. Perhaps another positive for the Vertigo project is that the Jane family have vast experience in manufacturing and selling its products?

Neither one of them is going to beat Adam Raga so wouldn't it make more business sense to get your bike performing in the UK, a major market arena?

I asked Pete Cartwright this very question and he confirmed the Dudley Club won't be running a trial on this date.

That's got to be heavier than the standard frame surely?

I've always been proud that motorcycle sport shows its respect in this way. One day a year isn't too much of a sacrifice, is it?

Trials & Motocross News.

1.00pm at Mamble, signposted of A456 just west of Clows Top. It could be a little muddy