mags

Brian, Your body (muscles) get used to it after time. I have a collapsed disc at C4-C5 so holding head anything past looking straight ahead (verses upward) gives me grief after about an hour. It used to be 15 mins on the trials bike so thats better after time. I have some medium grade degradation thoracic and a lumbar vertebrae about 16mm out of alignment that the ortho doc wants to pin.... my wrists give me some grief after a good trials session. I still put in heaps of time on the trials motorcycle and trials bicycle plus ride about 1400 kilometres a month on the road bikes. Amazing what the body adapts to... any leg strength training and/or knee muscle strengthening would be a great idea... when playing on trials bikes. Mags

And that Ladies and Gentlemen is a great recommendation for Montesa! That and some of the stuff that Bou boy does on his weekends... Mags

Its definitely coming from end of breather hose not between O ring and cap... or O ring and tank? I replaced Cindy's Beta tank cap O ring with a larger diameter one. The original was getting sliced up a bit by the sharp edge it mated to, it leaked ever so slightly when full. By larger I mean thicker not larger O.D. Edit: I might just add... I dont place the breather hose where the factory does (with cables in pass through area) I put it in the recess (hole) in the centre of the top triple clamp. This puts the hose's end above the fuel level at all times. Mags

G'day Stkman, So I didnt have it quite right? Components changed at 700 hrs... not still in cupboard. I have 25 hrs on my Cota so have a bit to go! What signalled the new stuff? Did you do a compression test and it was dropping? Leak down test? Where the valve ground and seats recut? Its a great testament to Honda trials motor running 700 hrs on original topend! And...1100 now on the rest. Mags

Or Ural! Mags

b_42woody, I am an absolute beginner on the trials bicycle and didn't know what to purchase. The bike above was decided on because of price... it went from $1300 to $700 on sale! The Australian agent told me a 20 inch would be fine as a beginner bike and I might progress to a larger wheel size in the future. I'm riding it every day and I think its a great bike to supplement my trials motorcycling. I'm 55, 81 kg and 178 cm. My wife had a session yesterday arvo and commented "Thats a thigh workout on that thing". She throughly enjoyed it.... I said "Hey! Thats my bike but you can use it, Khalessi!". Mags

I have played quite a bit over the years with paint and powder coat with my show cars and 3 concourse trophies for a motorcycle. These days I despise powder coat as it is brittle and will wear just the same as anything else from a constant rub like a trials boot. If there is any movement like in a chassis and the powder coat cracks because it is inflexible, it will let moisture in and lift. The hardest paint I have ever used is two-pack marine paint like Jotun. Some of the primers you can hit with a hammer and it will only mark not chip. My new motorcycle trailer has been done in this paint and it is long lasting and hard wearing. It will still mark with constant rubbing over time. I'm with Copemech here.... take the wheels on my car I'm rebuilding they are done on industrial black enamel single pack epoxy. I can touch them up very easy with a scuff over and a lick with the spray gun. Takes a bit of heat as well... motor heat not exhaust heat. So I would do the cases in rattle can or spray industrial enamel or single pack epoxy and touch up every year. Motor bits I do in flame proof at times. This would be good for the head. IMHO Don't use satin as its hard to get mud stain out of... use gloss its much easier to wash clean. Industrial enamel should take the head temps. Chassis stuff is two pack marine all the way. Mags

Brian, The trials bicycle is great tool to improve balance (especially static) and I can take it anywhere!!! Also...You think the trials motorcycle is a workout... try one of these suckers!!! I try to practice every day on the trials bicycle but we have a love/hate relationship!! Hehehehe Mags

When we started trials back in January this year I was 210lbs... today I am 178lbs!!! Massive change losing 32lbs. Cant believe the difference it makes... sleeping better, mild snoring has gone completely according to my wife, much fitter with resting heart rate at 55 and BP normal. The general, much better feeling of well being has transferred to the bike with longer sessions before tiring. Another 10lbs to go and more weight training and I'm a happy chappy fanging around on my motorcycles. Mags

I have heard from a very reliable source that there is a Cota in New Zealand that has 700 hrs on motor. A rebuild parts order was supplied for it but the parts still sit in the cupboard! Mags

I ride around any obstacles higher than my bash plate as well... at this stage. My mini "trials dream" is to double blip as smooth as silk over a 2ft log. I will get there eventually but at the moment its practice lifting wheel and placing it down on a target. Isn't the zap used when you are more confined and cant get a little run up? Mags

Not that I'm aware of... I do engine oil around 10 hrs running and oil and filter at 20 hrs. Gearbox at 15 or so. Mine does lead a charmed life in Novice Class. Best thing I did was fit a self-powered hour meter. Mags

I have it on good authority (someone who was there and saw it) at the last round of the worlds here in Australia... Dynamite and Fujigas brakes were cleaned between runs. The pads were out each time and the pads washed with a brush and dried. I had the rear wheel out of the monty recently so pulled the pads out and washed them dishwashing liquid soap and a tooth brush then dried in slow oven. Cleaned disc with spray can brake cleaner. To be honest they were not that dirty or contaminated but would do it after a day of fun in the mud. I give the brakes a good spray with the hose when washing the bikes after each outing. I then run the bike and warm up engine and dry brakes out. The Beta has about 65 hrs or so now and still original pads so far. Mags

Well done Barry! Very skilled on that enduro of yours... I'd be rapt being able to do that at any age let alone our 50's! As I've found out.... much longer healing time in 50's! Some of those harder areas... alas, are only stuff of my dreams! I like my testicles intact with my body thanks!! Hehehehe Mags

I do the opposite... to bed the pads in from new! I spray cold brakes with water then ride and heat them up... let cool and spray again and ride a bit more. You can see even sweep area of pad on disc when done. I one end at a time. You have to bed discs and pads in by bringing up to temp gradually. Some of the better car disc makers have temperature markers... warm, hot, very hot and you bring the disc up to these marked temps gradually. It "sets" the new pad and gives best rotor/pad grip. It sure goes against the grain for me to pour cold water on very hot brakes... Mags

I agree with Lineaway it is very dangerous and difficult to wheelie hop a trials bicycle. You'd better start on un-mown grass... and I'd use full enduro armour and shin pads initially! After a few days now on my first ever trials bicycle... Wheelie hops are really the area of the young not the young of heart IMHO. Over 30, over 40, over 50 yrs the knees would take a pounding from the wheelie hop and cardio fitness better be at least reasonable. You feet are not attached to the pedals in any way even though it looks like it in the vids... lift is generated from the bars via body inertia (very tiring and builds lactic quick if not pretty fit). I went down twice in first 10 mins (as I stated elsewhere)... the are light, unstable, quicksteered, super low geared widow makers I throughly respected on day 2! So much harder to static and fig 8 on compared to a trials motorcycle... so I'm thinking... if I conquer the bicycle for those I'll be up a "balance"level on the motorcycle. Time will tell! Mags

I'm able to ride my trials motorcycle around my yard for a bit of practice but... start it up warm it up do 20 mins put it back was ok but not for every day or twice a day practice. Well, not for me at least I'd rather wear it out at the trials grounds in the main. With this view I've just purchased a trials bicycle and had my first go yesterday! Hit the deck twice just trying to static!!! Ahahahahahaha Helmet, shoes and gloves on so no body or bike damage but it taught me to RESPECT it today!! Hehehehehe I can static much better today and will start on slow fig 8's next. No falls today and having a ball on it. Much harder to static on it verses the motorcycles. As for raising front wheel...its like stone at the moment! Hehehehe Bike weighs about 8 kg. I grab it and go and do 20 mins... no motor to wear prematurely, no noise and uses a smaller area than the motorcycle. Will take it with me in the car and practice anywhere. I'm primarily using it to make my balance even better and because its easier to use in parks and sensitive areas et cetera you just get more practice. I may even do a simple trick in the months to come but if not its no biggie I'll keep using it for just a bit of fun and balance training. The bicycle was about $1300 but is on special at the moment for $700 so I grabbed one from Victoria. Its a Zoo Echo 20 inch. Edit: I'll put a pic of it in here... in the morning. Mags

I have loved motorcycles since my first ride at 11 yrs old (55 now). A neighbourhood mate got a centrifugal clutched mini-bike and was kind enough to give me a go up the street. I have had a motorcycle in the shed since... selling papers and mowing enabled me to buy a second hand bike soon after my first ride. Although no technical certification (rebuilt my first car engine at 15) I have played with cars and motorcycles as my main hobby and really need to "ride to live". I have won 5 concourses... 3 for motorcycles and 2 for cars. I have prepped a mate's car paint to national concourse "best paint". I am a qualified paint correction technician to improve my paint presentation I dont do it for a living though. I ride on the road (virtually every day) and have a trail bike I ride regularly off-road as well as the trials bikes. I am doing my last car restoration (14 yrs now hehehehehe). A very original '72 corvette with matching numbers Big Block engine. As a younger lad I fanged a car around a few local race tracks, road raced (sprint practice days) a motorcycle and drag raced a road registered car for quite a few years. My wife and I own a veterinary practice (25 years now) she is a gifted veterinary surgeon and although I'm the "rear of the horse" worked in the practice until the kids came along. I am general dog's body (pun intended) to the practice... looking after the "goods and chattels" and my wife gets on technical medical stuff. We have two girls, one at University doing last year of Engineering degree (bloody Engineers, hehehehe) the other in final year of school before heading to Uni of technology. Mags (Anthony)

WoW! What a joy and inspiration to see an 11 yr old so "in command" of a motorcycle. I hope the speed and thrills of motocross/enduro does not lure him away from trials! Go Hugo! Another trials inspiration I have to add to my list.... And lets not forget... How cool are Hugo's parents!!! Mags

Buy a second hand trials bicycle and start static balance practice and ever tightening fig 8's while you search for a motorcycle? Bicycle will allow you to do static balance inside the house where its cosy through impending winter... if you are bringing motorcycle inside house for static practice like we do thats great as well. Mags

I'm a virgin on a trials bicycle but I'm gonna have a go... I'll use my motorcycle trials helmet and once I saw the spikes on the pedals ordered a set of shin guards!! If it turns out I cant back wheel hop (99%unlikely) at least I can practice static anywhere anytime without starting a motor! Mags

Borderline troll??? MMMmmmmmmm! If troll... the best motor is the one Tony Bou uses... Lampkin is a legend in my eyes as well... maybe its his engine? Now I'm perplexed! If not a troll... Plain and simple the best motor is one you can exert fine control over! I'm boss of my motors... I say rev, you rev muvver! Mags

You'd be surprised where Motion Pro, Snap-on ring spanners and my torque wrench will take me! Mags

I did the same thing early this year at 55 and my wife's first ever go on a motorcycle at 50 not being a pillion! Have not looked back and we are addicted now to the point I will have trials bicycle arrive over the weekend! I will use for a bit of fitness and some dodgy beginner bicycle trials! Or it will be an old aged home for spiders very quickly... Hehehehe Mags

It seems so... Hehehehehehehehe