mags

Ok! Got stand back on and looks pretty good clearance wise! Its feels much stronger can't bend with hand now! Maybe the metal on this particular stand was weakened from zinc process or just not work hardened for pressing it? A couple of pics... Mags

Huh? She starts the bike the way I've taught her... neutral, left foot on ground, clutch in, throttle at idle or fractionally above, right index finger on brake. I've seen her start bike on pretty steep hills! Facing down them and up them... never had stand down. Kick start is on right side of bike so is side stand... you would be leaning towards right and kicking on right if trying to start on side stand, bike would possibly topple over as you kick??? Mags

For some reason the pics I did above didn't load into thread and even when logged in I can't view them? Same for others??? Mags

The clubs that held the first (and only) trial I have entered couldn't get enough observers for the day, way short! The event was held with a "self- observe" method. You just rode the sections and their was a card punch at the out gate of every section. You just punched your own card at each out gate. If a rider was at the out gate punching their card and a rider was in the section, the rider punching card would wait and punch card of next rider exiting. Just to save dismounting or reaching ground to get punch. Worked well on the day.... my card was like swiss cheese, only cleared one section of the 15 I attempted, mostly fived. Hehehehehe Is this a normal thing to do if no observers??? Mags

TAF, I'm kinda hoping I never go over bars! Is there a trials God you light a candle to... to stop that! I can almost static long enough to say a very short, last prayer to trials God... just before clutching it! Hehehehe I have not tasted dirt for awhile... I'm due!! Hehehehe Mags

If you don't get any spools Bobcat or Tractor tyres are easily sourced an usually free from truck tyre fitting places. Lay flat, fill centre with dirt or cut thick ply and wire to inside bead on one side? 2 worn car tyres cut in semi circle and wired side by side would give an obstacle 4 tyres wide and half a tyre high??? Use 1/8 drill bit and 1/8 wire to tie them. All wiring done on under side through beads so no punctures from exposed wire ends... be careful there. Mags

The kickstand on my wife's 250 4T has been an issue since day one. The thing keeps bending outward and the bike leans over way too far. I have been bending it straight with foot every second trip so I knew metal fatigue is happening every time I do it. I finally got around to pulling it off for inspection and discovered a small crack (from bending back) see pic 1)) so decided to do a repair that may hold for some time or possibly forever. Be warned... it added 60 grams or so in bracket and weld. Pic 2 is inside weld of fabricated new piece to original stand area Pic 3 is outside weld of fabricated new piece to original stand area. Pic 4 is all cleaned up and painted with 2 coats of satin enamel outdoor metal paint. Piece is in oven in kitchen drying nicely at 45 degC. Wife doesn't mind motorcycle bits in oven as her dad did it at home when she was little!! If it bends again I still have the option of welding a spine at 90 deg to bend plane but this should hold it much better than stock. Mags

I just realised I might be able to do "some of the areas" of those sections the girls are completing! I must be improving! Hehehehehehehe Better not get ahead of myself!! Hehehehe The parents of any child riding a trials bike should be as proud as they can be without exploding!!! And "good on them" for the foresight and the determined effort it takes to keep, maintain, and get to trials comps!!! Conversation at school gate between two parents... Whats your child in to... soccer, 'puter games, a spot of cricket? Nah! None of those.... Competition Motorcycle Trials is the game of choice for my child!!! Mags

This gets us to our trials area but I'm looking to improve on it markedly. Post some pics of your set-up when done... Mags

Good luck mate! Have some fun for all of us!!! My wife said yesterday "Can we camp overnight this weekend and take trials bikes"? I looked up temp for Gap Creek.... ahhhhhh minus 2 deg C!!!! So thats a no for these older bones, in a tent, at those temps! A day trip it is! Don't forget camera! Just a few pics would be great! Mags

Nice piece of trials footage! Throughly enjoyed it! Looks like everyone had a great time. I'm very envious of the following trials has in Europe/British Isles! Not so great a following here in Australia most young people are raised on motocross and if speed and air are not involved its seems boring to them. Little do they know huh!! I'm trying to convince a couple of mates in mid-50's to have a go. I'll be showing them the skills of some of the 50 plus boys in vid! Showing them some of the skills I've learnt in 6 months as well. Mags

Thanks for the vid! I'm basically trying trying to do the above and I think my first attempts need run-off past the drop-off. When more experienced I can do small drops and practice pulling up just after the drop. I was very daunted by the drop-off I came to because you had to stop after drop-off in noir much more than a bike length. I have just purchased some besser blocks (cinder blocks) and can stack them at home for an 8 inch drop (200mm). I can practice running along them and then loading front for a lift to come off blocks horizontal.... well, thats the plan at least! Mags

Pat, Welcome to the site! I'm not much passed curious stage. Six months into trials and we enjoy the sport (lifestyle) with my wife. I've been riding motorcycles since 11 and am your age now. We are very fortunate to have to late model 4 strokes and the modern bike (2 str or 4 str) is stunning when out there doing it! I went 4 stroke because we live in suburbia and I want to practice in our limited space most days. They are very quiet with stock exhausts so suit us well in our home area and doesn't annoy neighbours on other side of the fence. Having had many bikes you should/might be able to maintain the trials bikes fairly easily? The modern bikes can be a labour of love at times if you don't enjoy mechanical work. For example, my Montesa Cota has to have the left side cover removed to gain access to the oil filter sitting in an o ringed bore. The Beta Evo 4T of my wifes has a normal oil filter cover you remove for access to the element but also has two filter screens that should be removed and cleaned as well. This really involves removing the shift lever to get a torque wrench in there. I also remove bash plate for ease of work and cleanliness. Valve lash adjustment is done on a twice yearly basis approximately. The Beta has to have the engine angled forward to gain access to the valve covers. This involves removing radiator support and fiddling a bit to get it forward with motor so you don't have to drain coolant for valve check. The Cota is far easier and just requires tank and injection. Other maintenance is just like the 2 strokes.... keeping an eye on things like suspension, sprockets, chains, head stem play et cetera. The modern bikes are super expensive as well... here in Australia anyway! There is no need to have a modern bikes as first intro to trials IMHO. The above said.... I wouldn't swap our experience for the world! We love the things! The capability, the quality and sheer fun of challenging yourself in a creek bed is the stuff of life, in my opinion! Damed addictive... and doing it with your son, how cool is that!!! You could do worse than the TY .... it has great following and has plenty of people familiar with them and good parts available mostly. We have trial comps here just for TY only, thats the popularity. There is no doubting the 2 strokes are easier on the pocket to maintain and re-build but you may settle on a bike between the TY and the latest offerings? Good luck in your quest! Mags

Wow! Thanks! Some good info there! Cant wait to re-visit the drop-off now! Might have to move some of those pesky rocks someone piled up!! Hehehehehe On the rock above it looks like the the front can just drop over but upon a bit more study the bike must have been accelerated near edge because the back wheel is near edge but front wheel still not on ground (middle pic) I'll have to practice a one foot drop-off like suggested.... approach, pull front up enough to keep bike horizontal or just up a bit in front and hit ground with both wheels.... well, thats my aim as a beginner to build up to bigger drops. Mags

Another great instalment! Its Friday morn here, when the girls are finished with their day we'll sit down tonight and view on the big screen. I'm using a stealth psychology.... just show them the "girls in trials" vids without saying anything like "you should have a go"! Maybe, just maybe, (with their Mum riding a trials bike) we might just have a trials girl one day!! Mags

I still remember a Bultaco incident to this day... I was fanging round our local ride area (a disused quarry with adjoining scrub) in my Honda CR125 Elsinore days (15 yrs old) and a guy on a Bultaco Persang rode in and whip our backsides in speed and talent. He never stopped so we could see who he was.... he rode in once, twice a month whipped us and left.... us young fellas gave him a nickname, MR. Motocross!!! Damn those Bultacos!! Hehehehehehe

First pic is me at 16 (started at 11 and this 43rd yr riding motorcycles) next is at 54 yrs. Still doing same thing but now on my trials bikes I could never afford when younger. But you can't knock the big Cruiser too much! Heading down the local to meet up on a Sat arvo is still great fun. But Sundays (around 2-3 per month) is for our off-road stuff. We do love our road bikes... had our first date on one 32 yrs ago!! Still have it!!! Last pics are my beautiful cruiser.... 26,000 kilometres is 18 months, its my daily rider for errands. Great video I'm passing link onwards.... Mags

I have 4 chains I clean after most rides. Two "X" ring RK chains on the enduro bikes and two normal rollers on the trials bikes. It was sending me a little "chain crazy" but I have it down to a fine art now. You can do as little as or as much of the following as you like... First tip is to not wash bike with chain on, I remove them... especially the normal rollers, the O ringed can take a hose spray but not a high pressure spray (I don't use a HP spray on bikes). To clean the chains I have made a tray out of house rain down pipe. Its a square shape here so I cut it in half and folded the ends to give a leak proof tray the length of the chains. I place up to 4 chains in it but mostly two as we usually only take two bikes on day trips. I clean with kerosene as per RK recommendations and a small paint brush. It will not affect O rings in the sealed chains. Once clean in the tray I remove wipe with rag and hang in sun for a bit to dry. The roller chains I then place in a small bucket of Inox (lubricant) for a few hours or until nearly at next ride day. I then pull up and let drain into inox bucket. The tray with kero I pour into old paint tin so the sediment settles to bottom. Most of the kero can be poured off slowly into suitable container for re-use. Sediment tin is lidded for next clean session. As sediment fills tin I let it dry out and lid it and toss. Bike's sprockets are quickly cleaned with a rag with a splash of kero on it. Once the Inox has stopped dripping I place chain on bike and run chain through rag. Chain done for next ride or ready for static practice during the week. The sealed chains go back on and are lubed with a sponge I keep in a small plastic box soaked with lube... the lubricant of choice is as RK recommended, they say gear oil but it stinks too much for me or use synthetic motor oil (10w-40 because its used in my car). At ride areas I spray some Inox on both bikes chains about half way through day, trial or maybe 20 sections. Chains is still original on Beta and sprockets show no sign of wear. I spray sealed chains with Inox at ride area as well. Inox may not be available outside Australia??? But a similar product must be local for most.Here is blurb and pic... it is a clear fluid... Mags The only lubricant in the world with the special MX3 anti-corrosion, anti-moisture formula for The twenty – first century. Inox contains no silicon, acid, kerosene or dieselene. Inox will not harm metal points or surfaces, plastics, paints, enamels, fibreglass, formica or neoprene seals. Inox doesn’t dry out, gum up, become gooey or sticky or wash off with water! Inox is non- conductive, non-static, non-toxic, non-corrosive and non-staining.

Last trip out I ventured down a dry creek bed and did a few dabs until I came to a 2ft6" to 3 ft washed away area that was a straight drop... and it was a two-footed 5 to take stock of the situation. MMMMmmmmm! I felt I might go back over front so chickened out. For me, rightly so... no need for any injury at this stage! I spent 5 mins piling rocks against the face at a 45 degree to enable me to go down the face for now and continue practicing riding rocks with minimal dabs. Remove rocks with more experience. You wouldn't believe it... as I'm moving rocks against drop-off face this voice from above says "Hey Mate!... No altering the section!!!" Thats right! My cheeky wife has read the rules!!! Geeez!!!! I said back to her " Rule no 1 sweetheart... never hassle your mechanic!" Hehehehehehehe So whats the go here.... Do I pop the front a little just before edge.... so you hit ground below with front and back wheel at same time? Man! I'd be going pretty quick for rocky area? Or... Pop front wheel higher so back wheel hits lower level first and then front? Even quicker to try to pull up? Or... Just put backside low and rearward and just ride down slowly? Or... none of above? I think the first two, popping wheel up is beyond my experience in the creek bed with the rocks. I can pop front up on the flat but not able to hit skids and pull up in bike length to avoid rocks after popping wheel for drop-off...yet!!! Maybe I can drop front over and let bashplate slide over edge.... to then just drop back down? Sounds safer??? Thanks. Mags

Excellent! I love the Novice line... thats about my ability for now! Well... without a big 5 and a possible fall! Hehehehehe When we watched it my wife was cheering them up! Hehehehehe She was saying... Go, Go, Go!!!!!!! Mags

G'day Mark, I have not used these guys but they have been around for some time. They are about 40 mins up the road from me in Brisbane. Maybe give them a ring for a quote? They do have an office in the USA as well by the looks. http://www.calimage.com.au My Montesa Cota was shipped to me from Sydney to Brisbane by Toll. They did a great job, not even a mark on the outer cardboard skin on the Montesa box. Cost was $200 Syd-Bris. I had to drive to depot on south side brissy to pick up from Toll depot to save another del charge! They loaded it into my Hi-ace with two fork lifts... one at side, one at end and we slide the box in on an old blanket! Easy!!! Mags

I had a peek at my '14 Beta 4T manual for comparison. It says on fork re-oil page to pour in quantity listed on page 11.... go to page 11 and it says .... Oil level (mm) (edge rod fork compressed) right leg 65, left leg 125 So I take that to mean.... Fork leg vertical, fully compressed, fill with oil until it just touches bottom of a steel rule with the rule at 65mm mark at top edge of fork. If using a small 6 inch (150mm) rule tie some string through hole in end in case it falls in .... don't want to have to start again! Be nice if it was a quantity, that way you could just use a graduated plastic lab flask, measure and drop in? But it looks like thats not the case... have to measure from top of leg to oil level? Confirmation is easy.... remove leg.. open and compress... measure to oil level and check with manual's listed measures??? Mags

Can I play spot the non-stock bits, Ross! Grips look like rental greys? Pegs changed? Levers changed? Case saver installed? Down a tooth in front sprocket? Dust caps on tube stems changed? Front light assembly changed for Montesa flat plate? Nice bike by the way! Mags

Thanks for the tip! I downloaded GoPro Studio and it fits the bill for beginner editing! I have now learnt to convert vid and pull a still shot from footage. They come out pretty good! Not like my Cannon 18 mp with pro lenses but pretty good all the same! A sample or two... Mags

If you get a chance you may want to edit your profile and add ya bike details? I even have mine in my sig! Mags