pat_56

Spent a few minutes in the yard last night paying more attention to my clutch and brake fingering trying to be conscious of my subconscious. My tendency is actually to keep my fingers off the clutch / brake levers all together, a throw back from my farm days (never leave your foot on the clutch). I am making the transition quite naturally to covering the levers but the second finger was creeping on due to not enough room. This should be easily remedied by a slight lever re-positioning. I am really impressed how light, smooth and progressive the clutch is on these bikes compared to other style bikes I have ridden.

I consciously use one finger on the brake and clutch and then those second buggers jump back on without saying a thing about it while all their friends cover for them and pretend nothings wrong!

Never thought of pulling the carb at this point Nigel, it just had an extensive rebuild and the carb was gone over because it got doused with water (reason leading to the rebuild). The parts list was $1200. "To my totally un - trials - trained ear" it runs flawlessly and starts 1st kick (I always roll the engine a couple slow rolls which I don't count as "kicks", cheating - perhaps but easy on starter mechanisms). Snappy come back on the float level Nigel, this not your first summer on a trials bike or something? Jonnyc21, new 520 "Non" O-ring coming up. I confirmed with previous owner last night that he never replaced the chain so I know the adjustment wasn't just used up because was just a too long chain - it is stretched. The sprockets look perfect. Spent a little time on it last night with my son on his awesome old Yamaha that started 1st kick again this spring! I think we will give the lawnmower the summer off and just ware down the grass! Thanks guys!

I'm not even heavy on the Ninja but yes, I sense the 250 is a precision tool - not at all buss like as is my old Honda XL200. Yes Nigel I believe it is the Delloorto carb. I think the previous owner replaced the sprockets but not the chain. I recall when I re-chained our little TY175 I was advised not to use an "O" ring chain so exchanged the one I had picked up. Is it also advisable to use a Non - "O" ring chain on the Gasser as well? What size does it take.

Well, it's been a while! I got discouraged posting after a couple years because I ran through all the questions trying to choose a bike when the reality was; "There just aren't any bikes for sale around here". Finally I found one that I hope is a good starting point, hooked my trailer up to my Honda Civic, texted a vacation day into work, packed a couple peanut butter sandwiches and a couple energy drinks and struck out on a 688 kilometer run to Quebec where I picked up a 2006 GasGas TXT250 pro. The bike is still on it's first tank of gas after a fresh rebuild this spring at the dealer and the price was... well every cent I had so I took the plunge. Now it all makes sense. All the advice not to get too big a bike to start with - despite my stung ego that I ride a 900 Ninja on the street, have owned about 30 bikes, qualified as an inst... bla bla and so on. This is a different breed of cat. I took a short ride when I got there, my first on a modern trials bike, and felt as out of place as Fred Flintstone in an episode of Star Wars. The throttle felt like an on off switch, the front brake truly wanted to kill me and there was nothing between my knees to hang on to. I tied it to the trailer, set the GPS for East, hit the road and unwrapped my last peanut butter sandwich. I only picked it up 3 days ago so have only been on it 3 times. It is the thing most unlike any other thing on wheels I have ever tried to ride. I do take advice, and I do listen to the answer to every question I ask - but there is that little "know's better" voice in your head like that stupid tune you hate but it plays - stuck in your head all day anyway. To be honest, after my less than inspiring test ride, I drove all 688 kilometers home considering that the bike would probably soon end up back in the classified adds. There was even an element of actually feeling compelled to complete the deal because I had gone so far. But my hours off the bike have dominated my thoughts analyzing the minutes I spent on it: Why did I lunge onto the bars if I even looked at the front brake - it was because didn't know how to ride a bike with no seat or tank to grip with my knees. Why do I feel like a terminal wheelie is eminent at 1/4 throttle in 3rd ? - because I have no core strength in my 58 year old couch potato anatomy. I did not expect to encounter something that would "Reset" my total experience clock. You expect this feeling when you are 20 but eventually exhaust typical scenarios that provide it as you check off fresh locally available experiences. So far, to me; approaching this bike demands that I put aside everything I ever thought I knew about riding motorcycles. With this comes a bit of a refreshing side effect, aside with those things I relied on in some part are some of the years that it took to accumulate them, blowing some of the dust off of the learning process so to speak. The rides are getting more comfortable, less scary but it is all very fresh - like the first time I ever rode all over again and so far I really like the GG, everybody stops to stare at it and I find myself starring at it quite a bit too.

This late arriving summer sure would be easier if there were a truck load of reasonably priced Montesa Cota 315R's and used Beta 200's around to pick from. That not being any where near the case around here, what is a good second or 3rd choice bike?

There is a nice looking 2009 Beta 290 in striking distance at a good price. It doesn't seem to be a very popular model, is there anything specifically wrong with them? Speaking in terms of it being a challenge for a beginner to ride, how would it compare to a Gas gas 300? I have heard mention of some of the Gas Gas 300 having a switch that reduces the power output. Does that switch work in any tangible way to make it easier to ride? Does the Beta 290 have a similar feature? Thanks, Pat

I have even been looking at the occasional add for a 125 and wonder how that would work with my 200+ pounds aboard. I watched some clips of the air cooled 125 Scorpa and it actually looked quite a potential for the kind of riding I will in all reality be doing for the 1st year or two if the right deal happens along... one of those might even entice me to part with my old XL200 "the bus" which I would otherwise keep for trail riding.

Well, in very few words Michael, you have summed up the quandary in this area: "Very few bikes" and fewest of all are the 200's. I have always been a little, somewhat, OK I'm Very impulsive, so if a good looking bike big or less big - and my money are in the same place at the same time I'd be denying decades of personal history if I tried to pretend it won't be going home with me size aside. The 250's seem to be the most "USED" while there seem to be more larger bikes that are relatively spotless. Maybe it's because they performed an air show into the burdock's and cat tails then got parked.

I was doing a search for FAQ's of trial bike clutches, mainly - Do you really ride the clutch all the time, or have I just gotten the wrong impression? If so, do they end up requiring frequent replacement? I understand the differences of a car clutch being dry and all, but I wouldn't expect to use my Ninja like that and have much of a clutch left at the end of the season. Are modern trials bike clutches uniquely more robust than other motorcycles? I have only logged in a few minutes on my sons TY175 and the clutch feels very light to me. It is hard to wrap my head around how good that little thing works for a 40 year old bike! I am looking forward to getting a newer style for myself. Man I wish there were a few near me that could test out, it would do so much to help me understand what I may want to look for as the TY is the only trials I have ever tried. I wanted an older one for my son because he has very little motorcycle time logged and should have a seat until he gets board enough to be a little more adventurous with his riding and he is very proud of his old TY. I have had more than 30 bikes since my 1st in 1974 street, motocross and enduro but never rode a trials until last summer.

A few new selections popping up now within striking range. Missed a real nice 300 in March down in your direction Michael_t, yes it's me one province west of you, didn't have my money ready in time for that one, OK I'm still a couple weeks away from being ready. A pristine 2010 Beta 200 went on sale in Ontario CA. for $4500 earlier this week but was gone in a day. An interesting trend I am noting is $3500 gets you a 2001 - 04, 250cc or a slightly newer and cleaner 270, 290 or 300 so you can have a newer better looking larger bike for the same or less money. An interesting social observation strongly supporting the preference to smaller bikes and bigger is not better, that this forum has been advising since I signed on. I hope to find a good bike at the first of May. There is a really good looking 2009 Beta 290 for $3900 about 6 hours drive from here.

At my 1st look I was sure it was a Rotax so googled up some Can-am images and the castings look the same but all the bits are in the wrong places. Even the pipe is on the opposite side from the other SWM's. Then I looked at SWM's, there are two with left chain. One is a 50cc trials, the other is a 350 street legal 4 stroke enduro. Why did you have to ask that question, I should have been to bed hours ago. Armstrong has left chain, right kicker and similar body work, not a Sachs motor, not like the other Rotax - carb of the rotax goes into the lower casing and is ducted to the rotary valve. Not a CR480R, not a yamaha, not a rokon.... AAaaaa!!!

How are you making out, bike running yet?

Hopefully they didn't charge him full price for the ride.

I was doing a bit of model history searching and in one form or the other there has been a Beta 200 trials as far back as 1987! There have been a couple of gaps and the early ones were air cooled so obviously not the same bike. Question; What year did the beta 200 begin to stand out as hitting the mark so to speak? The closest resemblance to current style appears to have appeared in the 1998 Techno.

My new hero!

Unfortunately, despite being a very large land mass (3,855,100 sq mi) there are only a hand full of trials bikes for sale in Canada at any one time. Currently there are less than 2 dozen ride-able bikes in a thousand kilometer radius and none of them are 200's, they are all high priced (many straight out over priced) to figures you have quoted on this site and 80% of them are firmly out of my budget. May just be grabbing another old TY twin shock before it's all said and done, even so I drove 2035 km round trip to get the first one!

Interesting notes of experience, the 315R was my dream find as it is highly respected and recommended but very rare. The Beta 200 appears to be neck and neck with the Montesa for loyalty and winning over the masses putting it in some very compelling company. I am afraid that I am in a bit of a time panic as my son is 14 not giving me too many years to win him over from computers to trials so will be wanting to jump on spring. I now however am leaning on the Rev 200 as something I will want to snap up if the opportunity presents.

Three of us drowned our 2 stroke dirt bikes in a bog. Stood each bike on their tail, drained carb, engine case and air filter on the spot. All 3 started, good thing, we were miles from civilization. Only one bike gave us trouble, I ran his spark plug in my bike for a couple minutes to get it hot, then put it back in his before we saw any signs of life in that one.

I believe I will be having the opportunity to try the Pro, the 250 rev 3 is over 1000 kilometers away at a dealer that will ship very reasonably, the rev 3 also has fresh tires, chain and sprockets. There may also be an opportunity to ride a 200cc rev 3 demonstrator locally. Up to this point, as trials bikes go I have only ridden the old TY 175 I got my son. Tricks? Err, aa, no. A trick to me would be stopping without putting my feet down for a few seconds and working on some of the positioning advice I get here, you know beginner stuff.... but who knows when I knock a few trees out of my back yard and have a spot where I can practice multiple times each week. Primarily I want to make a spot where my son can ride on his own so he can build up some skill and confidence. We will use and interchange bikes, the TY and what ever I end up getting. Good nuggets on the suspension and build quality. I want to ride, not fix. Thank you, Pat

2004 Gas Gas TXT 300 pro, vs 2006 Beta 250 Rev 3. Pros? Cons? Thoughts? Price and condition are roughly comparable, Beta is $500 more both are tight and appear lightly used.

A bit of interesting math: The speed that the piston of a Honda CBR600rr with a stroke of 1.67 inches is moving at 15000 rpm. Is the same that the piston in a 1690cc Harley Road King with a stroke of 4.4 inches is moving at only 5727 rpm.

That is the best explanation I have ever heard of horse power vs torque! The 1/4 mile statistics on a 600cc rocket are astoundingly close to my 900cc (10.16 for my 900 vs about 10.80 for a modern 600cc). However, for day use you can whack the 600cc wide open at 5000 rpm and feel no more pull than any family sedan beside you, at 6000 rpm the fuse is lit and the fun starts. On my 900, if you crack the throttle at 2000 rpm in 1st, say hello to a world full of things are about to happen and happen now! I reasoned that although capable of more than I am prepared to utilize on a daily basis, if I got a 600 I would end up driving overall harder and faster looking for a little rush. With the bigger bike I can roll on part throttle in the first couple gears and generate enough pull to put a grin on my face and a knot in my stomach just getting up to speed and never pass 6000 rpm. Instant gratification. The 900 red line is 12000 rpm. A current 600 may rev to 15000 rpm or higher. axulsuv FYI, if the Yamaha Rocket you tested was an R1 (1000cc) if it was from 2005 up, is sharply more intense than my Ninja (2003, last year for a 900cc performance Kawasaki).

All things in consideration, trials bikes in my area are so rare that I will end up with what ever works good enough and is close enough when or if I have the money. I have so much to learn that my 1st bike will either be my favorite forever or it will enlighten me as to what to look for in my next bike. I think there would be a lot to say for the psychological factor in participating in events on a bike of somewhat humble linage, than to show up on a set of Boss wheels and ride it like a knob. I am definitely placing higher consideration on a 200 now than I was before participating in this conversation - thank you for that. Also, as I understand that there is a Beta 200 demonstrator around that may well be my best access to try out a modern style bike. As I reflect, after all my 900 ninja is by no means my 1st bike - it is about my 30th and certainly would not have been a good 1st bike (well, so there wasn't such a bike 40 years ago when I got my license). I am sure there will be opportunity to sample other rides when I get to an event or two.

dadof2 Yes, that old rat bike would be easy to launch just bang it and ride it out. A big sport bike is hard to launch well, if I start my bike spinning you cold hold it back with a finger, good grip and too much throttle and it will try to punch you in the face with the handle bars. The right rider on any relatively current liter sport bike, would dust the old rat bike in a heart beat no matter who was riding it.... But a capable rider probably wouldn't get involved, it would be a pitiful win with no bragging rights. About four years ago I was cruising on the 4 lane when I noticed a bike several cars behind spotted me, his reactions clearly displayed an obvious light came on in his head and he came rapidly up behind me, when beside me I identified it as a white, early 70's Norton 850 Commando - rider laying tight on the tank and right wrist rolled so hard under it looked like it was on the second twist around! I sped up a little to get a look and an ear at the bike, he was doing about 100 mph, jean jacket flapping, work gloves, sneakers, very old sparkly red open face helmet. I became rather concerned for the guys safety and eased off so as not to encourage his pursuit. After getting a few cars ahead of me he also rejoined the regular pace of traffic. I don't know if the guy thought he had a chance, was joking, trying, playing or just wanted to entice me to put on a show for him. If he went on to brag of victory, that's just fine too. I only hope that tonight where ever they are; The old iron horse is under cover ready for spring, rider is warm, well, enjoying the recollection of many fine ride and anticipation of many more to come. If we had pushed his old bike into a tank slapping head shake it would not have been a good day or memory for either of us and I would rather think we shared a bit motorcycle camaraderie than to spew an empty boast that "I showed him a thing or two"