heffergm

This is certainly true... I made the mistake of starting a section (twice!) in 4th gear. It started with a pretty technical hill climb in the dry (i.e. normal first gear stuff). I got away with it the first time, and only dabbed once the second time. My 250 is also pretty ballsy, which helped. Although all this could have been alleviated by my not being an idiot...

Unless you're talking about a leftover 2015 GasGas factory that you found, there is no new GG factory at the moment. GG has been busy going out of business, coming back to life, and skipping a model year in the process. I assume at some point they'll release a 2017 factory model, but probably late this year (complete guess on my part). As for Sherco vs GG: - the sherco is blue and yellow. You may find this horrendous or the best thing since sliced bread, so let your aesthetic preference be your guide (I mention it because I think it's hideous) - as the above poster mentions, the GG transmission is great from 1-4, but 4-5 is like shifting a two speed differential... be careful or it feels like it might explode. I suspect it's more durable than it sounds, but it's not a pleasant mechanical feeling. - I think the GG has the best clutch by a long shot. This makes up for the transmission to an extent. - I think the GG engine is better engineered, which is to say, they didn't do something stupid like use a ridiculously small bolt for the oil drain plug that blind threads into the case (sorry, I'm still bitter). Anyway, ride them both and decide for yourself. Everyone's experience is different. I do find for myself though that I just feel a lot more comfortable on the GG than I ever did on the Sherco. If GG would put a nice 5 speed in it, and maybe beef up the steering stem it would be perfect... oh, wait, that's a TRS...

I'm told that an oil change on the late model Marzocchi's (mine are 2014) isn't as simple as the Tech forks where you basically just drain and refill. Is it a case of needing special tools, or... ?

All trials bikes will oil up the exhaust pretty well. Generally, people mix 80:1 as standard and ignore the manufacturer specs (GasGas manuals say 50:1, Beta says 66:1). I mix 80:1 on my GG and, as is typical, there's plenty of oil making its way out the exhaust tip. As for cleaning, just re-pack. Or, find a long runway and do a half dozen full throttle runs in 6th gear

Count the clicks then put them in the middle. That's almost always the factory setting. Also seems to work reasonably well on my Marzocchi's.

Become compulsory at the club level? That seems a little nuts, but, in any event... I wore this when I was still riding enduro: http://www.motosport.com/axo-air-cage It works fine for trial if you're inclined (which you might be depending on what level you ride at). The integrated elbow protection is great, and while it looks like it'd be restrictive, I find it largely unnoticeable.

http://mototrials.info/?trigger=res&year=2016

Aside from the obvious, like rust, how can you tell if the dog bone needle bearings in the recent model GG's are shot? Mine look like they might have been left too long. There were a lot of metallic fragments in the old grease. I just repacked them with as much fresh grease as I could stuff in there and reassembled, since I don't have new dog bones hanging around. I don't feel any play in the swingarm.

Well, turns out this was nearly literal as his bike blew up. But he's still having a great year in terms of pace. Hopefully he'll get his 'luck' issues sorted out.

Probably worth mentioning, if you massively overheated it, the system might be functionally fine, but when cooling a really overheated motor can collapse a hose as it creates so much vacuum just from the temp diff, especially if you were washing it (cooling it off) quickly. Make sure there's coolant in it

Vacuum as the engine cools is usually what collapses a hose, meaning pressure isn't being released in the system. I'd be suspicious that the little pressure valve GG use on the radiator isn't functional. A clogged rad will produce the same effect, but that seems unlikely...

How about them apples Rossi is on fire. His qualifying has been massively better than last year.

To close this out, the issue turns out to have been insufficient torque of the stem bolt. Hasn't budged since I put ~30Nm in it.

Anyone know what the torque spec is for the top bolt on the stem?

We've finally got a couple in the States now. Looking at the bike up close, it looks incredibly well finished and thought out. It's not flashy, which I think a lot of people will like. Everything looks well or over-engineered and easy to work on. The headstock is a good example... the bearings look enormous, and in the event they do need adjustment, it's all accessible with regular hand tools without having to pull the bars off. There are a lot of really beautifully machined 'run-of-the-mill' parts on it... the knurled shift knob, the kick start lever. The linkage bearing are all the same, and you can get to all of them easily. I got a quick ride on one, and at a mimimum I can say that the clutch is fantastic. Too heavy as standard in terms of pull (for me), but engagement is very gradual easy to come to terms with. I'm guessing pulling a couple springs will fix the lever pull. The gearbox felt fantastic... very positive. Impossible to find neutral with the motor running, but oh well. I really like the bike. I think I'll give them a year to iron out any niggles, but it looks great as is.

Actually, I can't recall now that it is all back together. Is the top bolt threaded all the way down? Don't want to damage the threads using a longer pinch bolt if it is. Although I'd assume since there's already a bolt there it's fine.

Yeah, I know how to tighten things. The top triple bolts have been loosened before adjustment.

https://secure.rypusa.com/prodpage.cfm?cat_selected=119&product_selected=160&startrow=1

I kept looking at that stupid pinch bolt wondering if it was long enough to actually put any pressure on the stem. If it is, it looks like it barely is. I pulled everything apart this morning, and I don't see anything seriously mangled. Certainly the headstock isn't cracked anywhere (and given who the bike has been owned by during its life I'd be amazed if it was). I'll try a longer pinch bolt...

Bike is a 2014 250 Racing. Basically, after every ride or three, I'm having to snug the headstock back up. I can watch the collar work it's way loose and know when the front end is gonna start clunking. I'm told this is normal the GG's, but it's a little bizarre. I've taken to using a punch to adjust the collar and snug up the top nut so I don't have to pull the bars off every time. Aside from slowly destroying the top nut, this works fine, but I'd rather not have to do it so often. Do the GG's really loosen up like this so frequently?

https://www.google.com/?gws_rd=ssl#q=domino+aluminum+throttle

My Keihin's have always been weird, on both 300's and now the 250. Set the idle and air screw at home, bike runs great, bring it to a competition (same weather, same day, same altitude)... needs re-adjusting. I just accept it now :/

Generally when I see that happen to enduro guys, it's because they're riding the rear brake. Even if you're only slightly dragging it, you're gonna cook it pretty quickly, especially on a trials bike with such a small fluid resevoir. If you're sure you're not dragging the brake, then the brake is dragging on its own, meaning the pistons aren't cleanly retracting and need to be looked at.

Erm... Jarvis has won. More than once (or twice, or even thrice...) As for Bou and or Raga, I think people are kidding themselves thinking they wouldn't crush everyone else. Riding a bike is riding a bike. But I suppose it's all conjecture until they actually go do it. But I don't think they will. Unless Honda or TRS decides it's an event important enough to them to send their factory riders, they won't go ride it until after they retire (assuming they'd care at that point).

2/3rds vs half way up the glass is probably about 20ml of oil. It would make zero difference. Not sure about the slipping on a new clutch. I'd have to guess something went together incorrectly.