totty79

I'd check the float height

300ss Beta and 300 Sherco have masses of torque without ripping your arms out of the sockets, quite linear. 125 Beta is more rev happy, well down on power compared to the 300's, ok low down torque, more lively but with less to give. Will easily do the job but from your description might not be what you're looking for. 250 Beta particularity the ones with a flywheel weight as standard is the middle ground. I haven't ridden the other 125s. Gas Gas 250 and 300 much more lively.

My springs came from https://springcoil.co.uk/ The bike had excessive static sag, when you lifted the front there was a lot of suspension travel, when the spring was removed the cracks were hard to see until you flexed the spring then it was obvious. Foot peg spring is probably shared with many other bikes. I'm not sure what you mean about the rear shock, you may just need to reduce the preload as a heavy rider might have maxed it out, or it may have too strong a spring for your weight or the shock might have seized. I don't remember what shock those bikes have so I don't know if different spring rates are still available for them, but a winder like https://springcoil.co.uk/ could custom make one for you if needed.

I've used a couple of Chinese copies on road bikes including a PWK 28, and they weren't all that bad but I never really got them running as well throughout the range as I did with a genuine, and on a trials bike this will be more noticeable. If you know the correct jets for a PWK 28 then for the sake of a tenner the copy might be worth a try. The current carb is much better quality though so if you're going to need to spend a lot of time on jetting then it may be a better starting point.

Looks like a VM, I have a VM26 on another bike that looks identical to it. I can't remember if the pipe at the base that looks like it's plugged is an overflow/breather or a drain connected the the screw that's near it, either way it shouldn't need to be plugged and may indicate that the float height is set wrong. The string pull on the choke may also be a problem, it might not be closing fully. I'd see how it runs after sorting out those two things.

There's a pdf out there somewhere that details 5 or 6 ways of configuring the factory clutch. The most progressive configuration has the top hat spaces turned to reduce the spring preload and the two thicker plates swapped out for thin ones. The oil can make a difference but brands seem to make as much difference as grades.

Pull the spacer down at the top and you'll see that the top cap is screwed on and also held with a lock nut, there's a tool you can buy or make to hold the spring out of the way while you undo it.

Water in the fluid can also have this effect.

Enjoy your new bike. Like many I started with a rough old bike that needed work and it was a PITA that's best avoided. I also forgot air filters, and the horrible but effective glue like filter oils.

Most people buying new or nearly new bikes are never going to even see the piston or mains. Whereas before an engine rebuild is needed things like the rear linkage will have been stripped and greased a dozen times, several changes of hydraulic fluid, fork oil, wheel bearings and who knows how many brake pads etc. etc. We could even get picky about things like electric still having mains. It's probably fair to say that there is less to go wrong, but if someone doesn't have the facilities to maintain a petrol bike then I don't think an EM fixes that, they still have many of the parts that need routine maintenence.

Nothing against the EM, I'd quite like one if they were cheaper, but I don't see why there would be a significant reduction in maintenance the only things it doesn't have are coolant and fuel systems both of which only tend to need work every couple of years. They still have linkage, headstock and wheel bearings, gearbox and fork oil etc.

On the older bikes with the spoke sealing tape sealant is only needed when the rim is corroded, and using the wrong sealant is a very easy way to cause very rapid and serious corrosion in the first place. Every time someone recommends sealant I think back to some of the messed up wheels I've seen because if it.

What brake parts have changed since 2014? I only know of the rear master cylinder in 2017 and only noticeable improvement is a better outer seal.

Short answer; maybe slightly lower quality but not to the extent that makes any practical difference, and different work but probably break even on maintenance. I've never owned a 4RT but I've owned several Honda road bikes and worked on a few others and I've ran a 2012 Beta Evo for about 5 years. Honestly Beta is not Honda made in Japan quality, Honda's made elsewhere are often noticeably made to lower standards and the Beta is more or less in that ball park, perhaps less well designed in some aspects but that's a difficult comparison. Common Beta Evo niggles are weak mudguards and clutch drag, and the rear brake is far from the best on the market. Dropping out of 2nd is often reported, in my experience this was linked to the clutch dragging and has not occurred since shimming it correctly. Expect the clutch to need shimming to the lower end of the spec from new and maybe again every few years depending on how much you use it. I've needed to clean the carb twice, once after submerging it and once when the end of an aftermarket idle adjuster wore and into little flakes. Just keep the air filter appropriately oiled and keep the fuel clean and you shouldn't have to touch it. Bearings, fluids etc. related maintenance is probably no different to any other bike.

More than half of the riders I see in the UK don't wear any obvious protection but the previous question could have just as easily related to choice of supplier. I'm not aware of any guards with good side protection, it's probably considered a lower risk area for most sports. The sock type guards are varied, there's no easy answer to the level of protection or heat. I have Jitise which have an insert with a hard shell and Bliss Protection Minimalist which harden on impact. The bliss protection ones are cooler, less noticeable, and have less of a tendency to be knocked out of the way by a side impact, I'm sure they offer less protection but I consider them adequate and now only wear these ones.

Oil threads are notorious for everyone having a preference. 75ml in 5L of any trials specific 2 stroke oil (it doesn't need to be trials specific, but it's easier than getting into specs and doesn't cost any more) Gearbox oil, any bike specific gearbox oil, putoline light gear oil would be fine - they don't tend to have a draggy clutch so they don't need one of the more expensive oils. I'm not far away near Durham and had a 1999 321 about 6 years ago, it might even be my old bike. It was a nice bike, amazing on hills. Check the fork springs, mine were cracked and the used replacements I bought were also cracked so it may be a common problem, I had to get replacements made.

Use a small mirror to check the seal groves in the caliper as you can't see it all directly. Any muck or corrosion in the grove will make the seals too tight.

If you can't source any search for spring winders, most will make one offs to a specified rate. I think it cost me £35 last time and I had to post them an old spring so they could check the dimensions. Also check your current spring, the rate might not be the problem it might have compressed below spec or it might have cracked.

If you use a silicone sealant be very careful which one you use, some are very acidic an will rapidly corrode the rim. That's how a previous owner trashed the rim on the txt I had. If you use a tube without a rim lock it seems to be pot luck if you'll get away with it, some have been OK, but in mine it spun and tore the valve off. Since you're going to the hassle of replacing the spokes it makes sense to replace the rim. It's hard to tell from the photo if that rim is even safe to use. If you stick with that rim I'd carefully clean where the sealing tape fits and I'd fit a new tape coated in the type of tyre sealant that you put in to prevent flats like gunk or slime. If it goes flat over a day or two then that's fine, as long as it holds long enough for a trial.

They are normally colour coded, black is standard. Aftermarket springs could be any colour though. It's common for the spring rates to be engraved on the ground flat bit at one end but I don't know if beta do this.

How often do you change your gearbox oil? Twice a year on a bike used every 2 or 3 weekends. I don't have an hour meter but the running time per change is probably under 25 hours. Clutch feel and oil colour indicate when a change is required. Very slight clutch drag creeps in and the oil darkens. What is the reason for choosing that interval? A general environmental personal consumption based avoidance of excessive waste. The oil has a very easy life compared to the other applications that it's used in, and it's used in them for tens of thousands of miles. On a 2 stroke it's not contaminated by combustion byproducts, and forces are lower. Which oil do you use? The above is based on 300v. Now using nanotrans and the change interval may differ.

£1700. I'd say it's around £1200 for a rough one needing some work to £2000 for a spotless one with a pile of recent receipts.

5L is 2 to 3 trials or practice sessions, and it'll easily keep over 3 months. Anything in the range of 70 to 80ml of Synthetic 2 stroke oil is fine, best to pick a number and stick to it. Either trials specific or something with a low burning point ideally not a "racing" oil or you may get spooge. Take a look at the clutch thread particularly the shim and gearbox oil recommendations, a dragging clutch can really hold back your learning.

No way of knowing if the mc is worn out or not without opening it up and checking the bore. Pre 2017 has a poor outer seal so the mud getting in can accelerate wear. If replacing it fit the newer version.

A self tapping screw will work. Case will be fine if it's had anti freeze in it, my 2012 has no corrosion. If it's only had water then it might have corroded through.