baldilocks

Except that in the trials world most of us do our own preperation and maintenance. I can do some jobs on my car and van but to be fair they require less maintenance than a trials bike. If your trials bike has to be plugged in regularly at a dealer or importer that's a big increase in cost as well as time depending how far away they are.

Experience is very relevant here. Kids always want to ride regardless of the weather. I do remember nagging my dad to take me to trials when we had snow / ice. However there aren't many kids riding now to do the nagging, most older riders just don't think it's worth the effort. Finally all the officials are older than the riders themselves.

Diagnostics is a huge step forward. It's why I wouldn't buy one, like many I don't have time to drive back to the dealer if it doesn't run properly or won't start. Especially if it's at a trial and you have to retire. Needs to be standard then I might think about one again.

While it looks flash an ex Vertigo owner has pointed out that the previous bikes had 3 or 4 maps you could select by pressing a button. Now you need to get your phone out which will take longer and you could damage the phone or run out of battery. Wasn't the previous system more practical?

I think world trials have introduced some machine changes to make the bikes safer which trickled down to all levels and should really be compulsory. Lanyards, solid sprockets , the shark fin sprocket guards, disc guards, bar pads and now the new style rear discs. Nothing has really been introduced for rider protection. I'm almost six foot tall and modern trials boots only go halfway up my shin. Last time I caught the footpeg with my shin it got infected and took weeks to heal. So I've now started riding with mountain bike shin guards inside my riding jeans which I don't really notice. Some trials pants include protection but it doesn't reach the top of the boots. Back protector may be a good idea.

Wash the bike, clean with Wd40 or similar. Remove air filter box, strip and clean carb, clean inside filter box, fit clean filter, re fit filter box. Occasionally start bike at home but rarely. Bike lives in the garage which isn't heated. Ive had no issues in the last 15 years I've been doing this. I think some people are trying to solve imaginary problems. My bike is currently out of use , I went through the above routine about a month ago and the bike has been in my freezing garage since. So after reading this thread earlier I've started it this afternoon. It's absolutely fine, no rattles no grumbling mains no big end failure, same as it always is.

My 2006 Trafic is on its original gearbox so I'm keeping it until it's banned under the emissions rules

They are a pain to bleed. Took mine to a friends garage who had a kit to suck the fluid through the caliper bleed nipple. I just poured fluid into the master cylinder at the same time and it was perfect in 30 seconds. For some reason the syringe method didn't work.

Arguably the best trials rider of all time has just broke his back. Time for change ? Farre's crash last night was yet another lucky escape

No stop just hasn't worked for me it's a farce. But can sections be designed in such a way that the rider doesn't have the opportunity or is at a disadvantage if they stop to set up / prepare for the next jump ? Applying a time limit and making the sections longer just led to the better riders getting further ahead. Watching Bou at the Scottish round he could land his wheels right first time whereas most others needed two or three hops to get the position they needed. Over the course of a section they just ran out of time. Applying time limits and the sump rule to current indoor sections is just dangerous. We don't want it's a knockout but some earth getting dragged onto sections would reduce grip and give 1st rider an advantage instead of hopping from one dry rock to the next ?

@duggan a TRS is very similar to ride to a Gas Gas but I find the steering a bit more stable, better in a straight line.

Section design needs a new direction. Riders have now mastered the huge step so it's become 0 or 5/ injury at x trial level. Easier outdoors to have more natural sections but indoors it's quite difficult..but indoor mx and enduro manage to import tonnes of earth to make a track. So why can't an indoor trial include more natural stuff ? Playing the game to raga and bou's strengths isn't the answer.

I have a 2017 280 RR and recently rode a 2018 300 RR in Spain. Very similar to ride but as the 2018 was a 300 it was a bit quicker. It's not a step change from the 2017 but they have made a number of changes to make the bike easier to start and last longer. I find this a bit odd as my 2017 has been exceptionally reliable and I don't have a problem starting. There's nothing wrong with my 2017 so I'll keep it for this year. My next bike will be a TRS unless something ground breaking comes out from another manufacturer next year.

most footrests have a bush between the bolt and the footrest, check the bush is actually there ?

I'm surprised it will heal as quickly as the report suggests, could have been a lot worse

Wheel is the same but you need to change the bearings and probably the bearing spacer. Brake caliper wil bolt to the fork ok but not sure if you need a spacer ? The tech fork leg may have a shoulder like the marzocchi , it does in a TRS. I don't like the sound of fitting spacers to the triple clamp for 39mm forks ?

Trials riders are great at twisted logic. They can spend £100 on stickers but then can't justify £15 for a pressure gauge ? Or if the best pads are £20 they'll put cheap ones in to save £5, on a £6000 bike !

Dadof2 I think all modern two strokes come with either a Keihin or Dellorto carb. Both have a drain bolt in the centre of the bowl at its lowest point. Not sure what carb is on a 4t Beta. You may not be able to get the drain bolt all the way out of the carb as it will hit the crankcase but if you rotate the carb either way with the jubilee clips slackened off you will get most of the fuel out.

It does make me laugh when a new bike is announced with a 15mm longer / shorter swinging arm. Surely nobody can actually tell, that's probably two clicks on the wheel adjusters ?

I have a 280 TRS before that I had two 280 gas gas's. I've tried a 300 gas gas in 2006 and 2010 but I just can't ride one. The 280 is claimed to be more snappy ? I found on the 300 it just kept going, whatever the gear whatever the gradient. It was wearing me out in two laps of a club trial, a 280 doesn't. I think when the 300 was first launched in 2003 it was softer but once the top boys moved to the 300 Gas Gas it got more powerful. I'm happy to admit I'm not good enough for a 300 gas gas but I love the 280. If you think riders as good as Dan Thorpe and Sam Haslam run a flywheel weight on a 300 then I think that says it all. I was lucky enough to try a 300 TRS in Spain recently. Really smooth and I could be tempted but I haven't fived a single section on my 280 due to lack of power. Finally I'm learning... ride what suits you

You need a mallet to return the sump to its original shape and it's worth fitting new rubbers between the guard and the engine cases or you may quickly end up back where you started. Sump guard is quite easy, fit the front blots, just a few turns. Then get the rubbers in place and if necessary use longer bolts to get the rear bolts started and then swap the correct ones in one at a time.

I was lucky in that my dad had a shop and taught me a lot about maintenance. "Some people have lost the trial before they get the bike off the trailer as it's not prepared properly" Removing the carb on a beta is a bit more of fiddly job than on other brands but we are really talking about a couple of jubilee clips. Have a go at removing the carb. Clean the bike thoroughly first as you don't want any dirt getting into the reed valve intake. I'm sure someone with a Beta can take you through the process. The benefit is you can then start fixing the bike if it breaks down at an event instead of being stranded. With practice you should be able to clean the carb in 15 mins. Alternatively on a Beta you might actually be able to get the drain bolt out without removing the carb ? Finally a Beta has an aluminium tank so at least you don't have to worry about the plastic tank expanding if it reacts with the petrol.

No that only works for so long, maybe lap one if you are lucky.

Ok just wondering if it was mine. There were a few sold up here but they weren't that common.

More sections per lap is the way forward. It needs more riders to put effort into bringing an observer. Also more people to set out the trial. Setting out a trial can be fun with a bunch of mates, it's no fun if there's only two of you. I've marked out a trial , got my wife and son to observe and then back marked before. If everyone did that a couple of times a year the job would be sorted.