[Which Bike For My Son To Buy? Advice Please Size And Make!]

I'm starting to think that a 200 is the perfect bike for us mortals.

The big guys may need the big motors for the big stuff, but we probably don't.

I had an '03 200 Pro that was TOTALLY amazing...but only when it ran.

I recently rode an as-new '01 Sherco 200 that was BRILLIANT, and I hear that the Beta 200 is, as well.

For me, the 200 gives smoother power delivery without the big hit.

Much better in the tight stuff and slippy stuff.

I can do full lock turns all day on the 200 Sherco, but not so on my 2.9.

[Best Bike]

I didn't rank Montesa...as no self-respecting rider would ever be caught dead on a 4-stroke.

OUCH!

I've never ridden one...sure would love to try.

As an aside...there's a guy near me with dozens of 2-stroke bikes in his barn and he's sort of the local 2-stroke guru/wacko.

He's been known to wear a t-shirt that says "Valves are for toilets"

[Bought Some Novogar Boots...]

An older fella who owned a shoe store fitted my shoes one time using alcohol in a little spray bottle

It lets the leather streach

So put on some fat socks and crank em up tight and spray the tight spots, works good

Years ago I bought some special shoe stretcher spray and the smell told me it could only have been rubbing alcohol.

Not sure it would sink in to this leather...it seems to have a pretty impermeable coating.

I think it'll be OK...I wore them around the house/yard for a couple hours and they got much more comfortable.

Anybody notice a difference in boots regarding the flexibility/feel of the soles?

Just balancing in the garage I felt really light on my feet because the soles didn't bend around the peg, but the feel/feedback wasn't there.

I'll know soon and post some impressions.

[Spark Plug Torque?]

Basically, nobody puts a torque wrench on a spark plug.

Just use your head and make it nice and snug.

I always put some anti-seize on the threads so the hard plug doesn't gall the soft aluminum.

If I had to, I'd say 18-20 ft./lbs

[Bought Some Novogar Boots...]

OK...my red, white and blue "Captain America" Alpinestars from the 80's finally gave up, and my spares are too clapped out to wear.

I crashed, ripped off a sole and broke a toe.

I've always got used boots before...this is my very first pair of NEW trials boots.

The Novogars look good for the money...as in, they're the cheapest.

Got the "carbon" look...very cool.

My feet are 8.5 EE or EEE, almost as wide as long with very high instep and arches.

I got the 43 (about 9.5) and they're a tad snug in the width, but I walked around in them for awhile and they now feel super comfortable.

I had to let the lowest strap WAY out so I could buckle it.

The soles are WAY stiffer than my old boots and I can't feel the pegs.

I'm sure I'll get used to this.

The "carbon" material appears to be very abrasion resistant and I expect long life from them.

Looking forwarding to riding in them this weekend!

[Newbie With 2 X Montesa Cota 247... Light Restoration In Progress]

A condenser is a little silver cylinder (About 1.5"x .5") with a wire coming out of it.

It may be right next to the points or up by the coil.

If it's by the points, many of us move them to the coil for ease of changing.

It bleeds excess voltage from the points to keep them from arcing and burning and the bike won't run if it's bad.

They also have a shelf life, so they can go bad from years of sitting.

Points need to be set to a specific gap and timed to open at the proper time.

You'll need a flywheel puller and a little gizmotron to screw into the spark plug hole to gauge piston position.

This was a very dependable system but, as you're probably noticing, a bit of a pain to service.

[Newbie With 2 X Montesa Cota 247... Light Restoration In Progress]

Paint codes?

Better get it running!

No talk of points and condenser?

Best look into those.

[Changing Oil - Symptoms?]

I can tell that the shifting begins to get a bit harder.

[How To Cross Railroad Tracks]

Are you doing this on your FLH or the Sherco? Older bikes with less travel and shorter wheelbase can be challenging. The modern bike should be able to simple roll over the tracks. Keep your weight back and your knees loose so the bike can come up to you when crossing the rails. Best to ride straight across, not at an angle.

Not the FLH...yet!

It's not just a ride-over as the tracks are just the right distance apart the both wheels hit at the same time.

I always think the way is to carry the front wheel over the first and hold pressure when the rear wheel hits so the front will come down past the second one.

Those little buggers are sharp and under cut and the front always seems to slam down early.

I also think it's because I've blown it so many times and there's the extra added pressure that I'm trespassing on active rails.

I'll have to find some abandoned ones and practice where the stakes are lower.

[Jap-Zap Practice?]

I actually have ridden with Bruce!

VERY nice guy and a great teacher.

He took my son aside and worked with him 1 on 1 to help him sort something out.

[How To Cross Railroad Tracks]

I thought this would be easy, but they kick my butt!

The rail bed is built up with gravel and it shifts easily.

I have a hard time getting enough traction and holding pressure over the first rail, so the front drops, hits the next rail and stops me dead.

I can sometimes do it diagonally, but if I don't hop the rear up enough, it hits the rail and it's very slippery.

I fell the other day and there was actually a train coming!

How do you cross the tracks?

[Hebo? Gone And Out Of Business?]

Jumbo shrimp.....MIcrosoft Works.....rap music....airline schedules......government intelligence.....adult male....Progressive Conservative Party......skilled road-racer.....light-weight 4-stroke....motorcycle safety....religious science.....fair FIM rules....Accuforecast....socialist worker....religious tolerance....airline food.....British Intelligence (sorry, I should probably delete that one!)...Great Britain (ok, ok, scratch that one too, they ARE great riders, sorry again...how about "Great American"?)

Athletic scholarship

[Colins Hill Climb At The Old Quarry]

I like yer style, mate!

Between you and the bike...at least one of you made it!

[Trials Vs. Enduro Bikes]

I recently got a buddy into trials and on a Sherco 200 (BRILLIANT bike, BTW).

He's a good rider and was sponsored by a local KTM dealer to the tune of two bikes a year.

We were out riding and he wanted to try a big climb, "I'll take you to the Widowmaker."

My son and I followed (1.25 and 2.9 Shercos).

We got to the top of a moderate hill when he stopped and said, "I guess it's not such a hill on a trials bike, eh?"

"THAT was the Widowmaker?" my son said.

I've encountered this numerous times.

Why is it that Enduro/Trail bikes are so terrible at climbing hills compared to trials bikes?

[Stalling On Downhill]

I once worked on a Scorpa that did that.

I could pick up the rear wheel and it would stall.

Faulty carb.

Some kind of machining glitch.

[Clutch Dragging On My 2008 280Txtpro - *problem Solved*]

The fingers get grooves in them at the big end where they take stress...and it's never even.

I tell ya...I did everything.

Went through a pile of plates, got the pack the right height, rebuilt the master and slave, blah, blah...it still slipped.

The day that bike left in somebody else's pickup truck was a happy one.

[Gas Gas 200 Ajp Clutch Master Cylinder]

Yup.

[Jetting After Switching To Race Gas]

Both bikes are burning the same way.

Jetting is right according to what others here are saying.

Half the plug is grey, the other black.

I suspect the black is facing the intake (haven't marked the plug and checked for sure), as I run the mix a little fat.

I guess it's time for crank seals.

I'll be expert at the procedure after doing 2 bikes in a row!

[Tank coating to protect against Ethanol damage]

I also noticed that tightening the swollen tank down stressed/deformed it enough to cause a leak between the petcock and tank.

[Jetting After Switching To Race Gas]

We really want to know how that 100 Oct works in the FLH

The Pan loves it!

Probably 9.5:1 compression and not the most efficient combustion chamber design, if you know what I mean.

Although...the timing is adjustable with the left grip when he starts to ping.

Throttle is slow action, so it has great grip in the slippery sections.

[Tank coating to protect against Ethanol damage]

Update...after a few tankfuls of aviation fuel, my tank has returned to its original size.

[Jetting After Switching To Race Gas]

It's aviation fuel and there is no alcohol in it.

The airplane guys won't have it.

The alcohol in pump gas was growing my tank so much it would no longer fit in the frame.

I didn't set out looking for high octane gas (although the little stickie on my bike calls for 98), I just wanted to do away with the alcohol.

[Jetting After Switching To Race Gas]

I'm now on a steady diet of 100 octane low-lead.

Both bikes (1.25 and 2.9) are running lean.

Is this normal?

[Wandering Idle]

I get it adjusted, then, sometime later, it rises or drops.

Sometimes it changes/surges at idle.

Crank seals?

[Leak Where Petcock Meets Tank.]

I'm using no alcohol fuel (100 oct avgas).

But, Copeski...you're the 2nd one to mention a square section seal...the first being a hydraulics guy who spends a lot of time dealing with seals.

So far my best fix is a carefully-sliced bit of 5/16" fuel line.

Seems to be holding...