2stroke4stroke

I just used Royal Mail - seemed reasonably priced.

The prices seemed high for the age when I was looking, no doubt due to the conversion cost. However, I lost interest when I read reports that insurance companies loaded the premiums quite substantially for such altered vehicles. Seems like disability discrimination to me.

That's basically what I was saying - with the ACU covering the event aspect you can take out a policy that does not cover trials use, thus opening up choices in the market in order to tax the bike.

I would imagine the longer springs, if suited to MX or YZ, will be far too stiff for trials use, ditto the damping control set up. 15w is far too heavy an oil anyway. You don't say what your bike actually is, what is it? There was an implication of it being a trailified TY but then you mention an expansion chamber which points to something else. I can't, in that case, help but feel that it would be better and cheaper in the long run to take cleanorbust's advice about getting a trials bike - you haven't even started on rear suspension or footrest position queries yet, let alone the unsuitability of an expansion chamber equipped motor.

The answer to your question is - nobody knows or can know. Since, by and large, trials bikes no longer get registered (or maintain registration a few owners down the line once sold), very few machines have any verifiable provenance. Where once an ace might have had a well known number they seem to get a new bike every six months now so it is very hard to say which exact bike did what. The same applies to old "works" numbers which were shuffled from bike to bike. Whilst many on here might be able to list reg numbers for Miller, Rathmell and others of that era I think we have, alas, lost a valuable part of trials history since. Who could state the reg number of, as a random example, the bike Graham Jarvis rode to SSDT victory? It's unlikely any photos captured what passed for a rear number plate.

I have tried various oils, don't have the gear selection problems, and neutral is sometimes hard to find (as on many trials bikes) but don't have actual clutch drag in that I have to release the lever a fair way before drive starts to be taken up. Having said that, I long ago gave up any expectation of the thing starting in gear. It will do once in a while for no apparent reason but generally I don't bother trying. It beats me how the might of Honda can't produce a clutch that consistently permits starting in gear but you may just have to get used to living with it.

You'll need to wait, it's kept secret until the prizegiving. Though I daresay the whole of the Fort will know.

I did both on my 348 back in the day, using roofing insulation, and it was a lot smoother afterwards.

I just taped up the vents from the inside. Bike runs fine and the amount of muck that still reaches the filter shows that plenty air is getting through.

Just check that nuts and bolts are not loosening off.

If the tap is that bad to use and the results of leaving it on are so bad then I'd be draining the tank or putting a clamp on the petrol pipe between events.

Sorry, I don't recognise those. What is the problem with them? I would normally expect such as these to be mounted the other way up for the damping system to work properly.

What colour are the springs and how many on each unit? They could be Fox, but a photo would certainly help a great deal.

The liquid type is recommended to be applied by pouring some in to a ziplok bag then putting the filter in to the bag, sealing it and massaging tbe oil in. No mess and no waste with just the right amount used - surplus remains in the bag for next time if you put too much in, but you soon get to know the right amount. I went to NoToil oil years ago, it's easy to use and can be washed out with a solution of washing powder so does not leave a smell in the kitchen?

As far as I know the lighting runs direct and LEDs won't like that so plug and play, as you put it, seems unlikely.

I was told that Honda don't do casing paint, which seems a bit odd. If you have enough on the casings it can be scanned by a car paint supplier (there's one in Livingston I think) and matched.

They were certainly good for flying over the moors Ross and the early ones very fast (in context) on the road. Now that I think about it I remember scraping my wellie boot whilst cornering on the road at the Alan Trophy. I must have been braver then as the footrests were pretty high, in accord with the Rathmell design.

If memory serves, your selection problem is caused by the drum in which the pawls slide having been put in upside down. The groove for the pawls is offset from centre.

And that gear lever won't last long way down there.

I know someone who successfully did the occasional enduro on a mono Yam..........

I always liked the kick start lever the works bikes used at one time - the bit the foot contacted was a bar that slid in and out of an eye at the top of the lever. Very simple and no pivot to go sloppy and no fancy washers. I'm sure these could be replicated at a more economical price? i think a fin was machined to allow it to be housed.

Aye, and he was telling me just last week that he was riding the first Yamaha to compete in the SSDT.

I'm sure the porting was different between S and R, the exhaust certainly was and I think the jetting, if not the carb. Bottom ends probably the same.

It's all relative of course. These modern things might be fast action, but they're not quick action. I once saw, and maybe even rode (it's too far back to recall), a trials bike with the old Amal Quick Action twistgrip - nothing to full throttle in a quarter turn. Cam must have been about two inches diameter. Just the job for road racing.

I ran a 200 for many years and I would say it is better than a 125 as it has more bottom end so you don't get that lag followed by a surge of acceleration when you open the throttle from low revs. This can be avoided by using the 125 technique of slipping the clutch (or weighing 9 stone) of course but you'll have enough to learn without adding that in. Normally I don't agree with extreme tweaking to change a bike but, as you already have the 300, then you may as well try the inexpensive mods. Why a fast twistgrip is standard is beyond me as most average riders need to change them, or should but are too vain to do so. As said above you will find any bike a bit of a struggle at first after being away so long.