mags

Geez Michael! Thats an off for sure! I've actually got a pressure suit (armour) for the enduro but don't wear it on the Monty. The only reason it was pain time was the existing injury. Didn't have a scratch or bruise at all anywhere. I looked at the armour and it would not have helped as I came down on my bum which compressed the angled vertebrae into the nerves. I'll be going easy from now on thats for sure! Bill, I had the same thing mate! Just lay there for 20 mins and couldn't move... geez it was painful! I kid you not when I say I used a tree to get myself to my feet! If anyone rode by at that stage... wtf is that guy doing hugging the tree? He's a trials guy... nature lover! Hehehehehehe You came out worse than me by the sounds! I like ya tips! There were other riders on the property but not within cooee of me and they didn't know I was where I was! Next time I'll tell someone but I think I'm finished riding alone! I'm certainly more cautious about riding alone now, this episode was a warning IMHO. Glenn, Never fear! I learnt a good lesson! Kids were freaked out a bit, wife knows about the injury and has seen me in pain with it many moons ago, she was concerned. Kids thought it was unfair to be in bed for Father's day so they have deferred it to when I want to celebrate the day! Mags P.S. I got to wash the Cota today (slowly), clean and re-oil filter, chain off for good clean, oil and refit. We are still mates!!

Some info on heat range... Mags The insulator nose length is the distance from the firing tip of the insulator to the point where insulator meets the metal shell. Since the insulator tip is the hottest part of the spark plug, the tip temperature is a primary factor in pre-ignition and fouling. Whether the spark plugs are fitted in a lawnmower, boat, or a race car, the spark plug tip temperature must remain between 500C-850°C. If the tip temperature is lower than 500°C, the insulator area surrounding the centre electrode will not be hot enough to burn off carbon and combustion chamber deposits. These accumulated deposits can result in spark plug fouling leading to misfire. If the tip temperature is higher than 850°C the spark plug will overheat which may cause the ceramic around the centre electrode to blister and the electrodes to melt. This may lead to pre-ignition/detonation and expensive engine damage. In identical spark plug types, the difference from one heat range to the next is the ability to remove approximately 70°C to 100°C from the combustion chamber. A projected style spark plug firing tip temperature is increased by 10°C to 20°C. Also... for altitude... Barometric pressure/Altitude’ Also affects the spark plug's tip temperature The higher the altitude, the lower cylinder pressure becomes. As the cylinder temperature decreases, so does the plug tip temperature Many mechanics attempt to "chase" tuning by changing spark plug heat ranges The real answer is to adjust jetting or air/fuel mixtures in an effort to put more air back into the engine.

Thanks guys! I'm on the mend slowly but surely. I thought I was the only one injuring myself... be careful out there! I may try and wash the Cota today. I've put us in to attend the Motorcycle Trials Club of Queensland practice day this weekend. If I cant ride I'll still take my wife out on her Beta for her first go in a taped section. Mags

I've done a tiny bit of plastic welding with soldering iron. It can work well with a bit of practice. You can make it neater at the end by using a heat gun to smooth out. You can also remove scratches pretty well with gun as I've already done on wife's trail bike front guard. Handy tip... Keep old mudguard handy and you can cut slivers off with a pocket knife, makes great filler rod when you need more material as in covering the mesh edges. Mags

Good job! Some of the motard guys here use Plastidip to spray stuff, flat black seems the colour of road warriors. I use another "W" word for them. Thought you were missing in action! Being chased by the female lions!??? (fatalFelineWink) Mags

Bou was inspirational in my decision to buy a 4RT verses the Beta. We already had been sharing the Beta 250 4T between us and its a perfectly good bike. What can I say? Only been riding trials for 9 months and therefore only watching Bou for a short time and I fell to the "win on Sunday equals sales on Monday". From my short exposure he seems a gentleman, true professional and ambassador for the world of trials. Go Dynamite!!! Mags

Excellent Pat! Cherish the moments mate! '76 TY175, very inexpensive compared to new modern trials bikes... moments with your teenage son, Priceless!! Mags

Mate! You got away easy! Not a soul for miles on Friday when I fell off up a big hill and lay there for some time, in pain! Kangaroo and his Koala mate saunter over from behind trees and say "Showing off huh!" Kookaburra above them was laughing his feathers off! (rowdyFaunaWink) Mags

Levis, I have not pulled the hot start lever component apart yet on my wife's 4T but... It is definitely a detent shaft that has maybe a small ball that drops into the detent as you pull it out (or something similar). It obvious yours is not holding in the out position. Going by the nut that is against the alloy boss you can undo it and pull it out to give a clean or a re-grease on the shaft possibly. See if you can find a schematic on the net or a parts list on Beta site in the USA before you pull it out just to see whats inside first!!! You want anything falling inside the intake port as you remove it. EDIT: Try pulling the rubber boot off the alloy boss and hold it back towards red knob and spray some WD40, RP7 or your local similar stuff, along shaft and push in/out and apply a few times. Might free the detent up??? Mags

Sorry for quality but these are a couple of pics from Gopro I had on when I came off. Just digital stills off the puter screen so qual not so good. Bike having a rest! Hehehehe Mags

Don't worry the bike is ok!!! I was attempting a big hill (2nd gear) and was doing fine. I had been up this once before and when realising I was not going to get the last almost vertical area I stopped and did a front wheel slide turn with both brakes on, to get bike facing downhill and away I went. This time foot slipped off the rear brake and I started down the hill backwards so I bailed by laying bike over and digging the bars and pegs in. Bike stopped but I fell backwards on to my backside and flared up an old injury to a lumbar vertebrae that is about 15mm plus out of alignment. Pain was terrible so I just lay there for about 20 minutes... looking at bike 3 metres up the hill from me. The bike kept calling to me... help me up, help me up! I said to it "Geez buddy, you think you need help up!". Get over here trusty steed and help me up! There was no injury at all, not even a scratch or bruise but the old spine injury copped it. I'd like to thank the tree that stood strong and tall so I could wrap my arms around it and get to my feet. I couldn't lift the bike for some time, I eventually dragged the front to face down hill and in a washout so was able to eventually get it up and run it downhill... engine off, in first gear clutch out and releasing front brake whilst sitting on it. My vehicle was over a mile away so it was a fun ride back there in first gear and dodging even the smallest bumps. Car packed up and drove the 2 hrs home feeling like an idiot. First 24hrs was in bed on anti-inflamms and painkillers. Not back to normal by any means but much better today and taking care to heal it as soon as possible. I want to ride this weekend at a club's practice day but will just spot for my wife if I can't ride the sections. Lessons learnt... Dont ride in the lonely areas of the grounds. Stay in the vicinity of other riders on the property. Maybe keep mobile phone on person somehow when riding by yourself anywhere. I may need some form of lower back brace to protect the lower spine in case of even a small off in a section. I may have to have the non-aligned vertebrae pinned in the future. Pinning has come a long way in 20 yrs. Definitely ride Novice until skills are really perfected and have fun! Don't get ambitions and capabilities mixed because can't take medium to heavy falls. Don't want to have to stop riding off-road if I can help it. On a positive note.... I was out in the yard yesterday (on chair) with wife on her Beta for 1.5 hrs. She really improved her turning and I was able to see and say a few things I saw wrongish. Like... knees bent further, bum out further, arm straighter et cetera. We had just watched the Steve Saunders beginner DVD and she went out to put the turns into practice. Mags

First one under the belt! Congrats! Sounds like its getting into your veins if it isn't already? And why not I say... Mags

Supercharger to get some air density back, intercooler to lower intake charge temp (adiabaticWink) First drag-racing trials bike! Hehehehe

I'm no fuel guru but I do know people try to richen the mixture to "cool" and it works to a point but the point where you run out of oxygen to burn it comes quickly (too rich). Richening to "charge cool" is done for knock (detonation) mainly (as far as I'm aware) and to stave it off just that bit longer allowing wider throttle openings. I know one thing.... geez its a complicated science this fuel stuff! All to do with latent heat of the fuel and molecule conversion at the flame front to allow fuel behind into the burn process.... and plenty more techy stuff. Plenty of reading around if you care to make ya brain hurt! (cerebellumWink) Mags

Hehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehe! Thats funny Pat!!! My wife and I just joined the Western Districts Trials Club which is Sherconoob's club. I'll keep the above close to my chest!! Hehehehehe Everyone thinks Clarkson hates motorcycles but in reality motorcycles hate him!!! Hehehehehehehehe Mags

Dont forget! When checking out the sections... if the turns are mainly left handed put ya penis to left side of pants zip and vice versa! That, in conjunction with the tongue position can easily save a dab or two! Keep an eye out... you'll see many guys making an adjustment just before they hit the section! Mags

Hey! I resemble that remark! Hehehehehehehehe Mags

I was so conditioned to "they always seem to be red" that I thought black (or any other colour) might not be very good looking? But wow! Great looking bike!! Mags

Found this pic and they look pretty vertical to me! Mine are way forward compared to the pic. Mags

b40rt, I do feel they need to come back a bit... so back it is until vertical and see how it feels. Thanks. Mags

I'm with Glenn, wish we had something like that here! I live in a capital city and we have a great venue just up the road (entertainment centre). The chance of seeing a trials bike show in ANY format... well, lets just say I'd have more chance of flapping my arms and leaving the ground! Mags

Billy, I checked my valve clearances at 2-3 hrs use on my 2014 and they were spot on. I assume they would be need checking again in about 40 hrs? Chatting with importer here in Australia he has not seen them out from factory... highly improbable to be out at this stage but not impossible. The pipe out of the head is a crankcase scavenge/vent system AFAIK. So technically, dirty air (potentially oil misted air) gets drawn back into engine. Should not be an issue normally, as Honda engineers are pretty good! (wink) Can be an issue if rings/valve guides are worn excessively. Mags

I didn't even get through half the sections on my first earlier this year! Didn't matter... I had a ball and got even further addicted to riding the trials bike. Take a small digital camera if you can? Nice to have a few shots of your first ever one in years to come. Enjoy the day! Mags

Billy, I have a TinyTach which is hand held, proximity tachometer for small engines. I was able to set the idle at the recommended 1800rpm by using it rather than guessing. Once set I marked the rim around the slot screw for future reference. See if you can borrow one and set idle rpm? Makes a big difference to starting even when only 100-150 low. Have a peek at www.tinytach.com if you want one for the toolbox... about $47 US Dollars. Mags

Billy, You can test the topend (as far as filter oiling holding it back) with a clean but not oiled filter installed. Don't check where dusty though! If it improves its too sticky an oil, or possibly over-oiled? I'm like Oz thumper, just use mineral motor oil (10w-40) for the foam filter. How's the exhaust side of things? You have the big end cone on the muffler? I fitted a large diameter titanium header today. Well... it had a bigger bore than the stock Cota header. Don't know if it would help topend but should improve throttling up from idle. The Repsol might be fitted with a free flow exhaust compared to the one standard model's have? Mags