malibudon

We couldn't even get them to build a 200cc 315R!

I was all set to leave Saturday morning and then we had a networking/ISP issue at home. I wasn't able to get it settled until about 5pm, which was kinda late to leave. Kelly doesn't mind me going off for trials, but the Internet better be working when I leave!

Scott, thanks for that. It confirmed my suspicion that the TY80 wasn't going head-to-head with modern bikes. And, as far as top riders getting started on TY80s, that's certainly not the case her in Southern California. We've got a mob of teenagers who are quite good and have probably never even seen at TY80 in person. And, I'm not saying the TY80 wasn't a great bike. It was! It just think some of the praise is going a little overboard. Much of its success is due to a lack of competition, not its inherent brilliance. Certainly, the TY80 was not the blueprint for modern bikes the way the TY250R was.

There are plenty of Honda models that are sold in other countries that aren't available in the United States. Here are some examples: http://www.honda.co.jp/motor-lineup/displa...r400/index.html

Thanks for the tip. It just so happens I had a 2002 Gas Gas Pro. As bad as the air filter housing was (I don't recall ever messing with it in cold weather), that was the least of that miserable motorcycle's problems.

That sounds like a class designed specifically for TY80s. Are there any current bikes that fit the rules description for that specific class? Was the one current bike (which happened to be leading) a modified bike with smaller wheels? I suspect that's the case.

Thanks everyone. I've got to say that I'm disappointed that Honda allowed a routine maintenance procedure to be so unnecessarily difficult. Obviously, they should have given the oil filter its own cover, like on the other four-stroke dirt bikes I own. I can change the filter in less than a minute on those, which no removal of the skid plate or swingarm or front inner tube required.

It's time for me to change the oil in my 4RT for the first time (okay, it's overdue). I was hoping to be able to get to the oil filter without removing the skid plate (gee, I expect so much), but that appears to be impossible. The last time I pulled a skid plate off a trials bike was on my Aprilia TXR312M. Getting it back on was a mission so close to impossible that I had to call in Tom Cruise. He brought lots of vice grips and various other tools. I got it back on, but it was not a pleasure. So, if I pull the skid plate on my '07 4RT, how easy will it be to reinstall?

I agree with you...it shouldn't. In fact, I wouldn't have bought a four-stroke without EFI. The computer bails you out of so many mistakes, it's amazing. The computer is programmed to not let the engine die, and it does its best, within the program's parameters, to make sure the engine continues to run. If we didn't know about computers, we'd call it "magic". Remember the old days of carbureted four-strokes, where they'd die if you wicked the throttle wide open from idle? Those days are gone with EFI. The system is designed to not let that happen, and it does its job both incredibly well and wholly transparently. A carb is to EFI what points are to a CDI.

Why isnt it? For a bike to still be fully competative and still capable of winning British championship rounds in its class, 30yrs after it was first made. Is there another bike out there that has been as competative at that level for so long? Kids riding TY80s win national championships against kids on modern 80s? I had no idea. If that's the case, why don't the manufacturers build a TY-like 80?

I would suspect that people mentioning the 1974 Yamaha TY80 are unfamiliar with the 1973 Montesa Cota 25.

I would be shocked if the TXT300 puts out anywhere near 33 bhp. The 200 is in the range of 12-15 bhp.

I don't know. Is lack of power holding you back? That may sound flip, but most riders would do better with less power, not more.

The two distinctive design features of the Merlin monos were the 3-spoke wheels and the odd exhaust system. Neither design had a life outside of Merlin, so you pretty much have to file it under "Failed Experiment".

Huge leaps forward: 1984 Yamaha TY250 mono (single shock) 1990 Beta Zero (aluminum frame) 2005 Montesa Cota 4RT (fuel injection)

Here's a good interview with John Dowd after the race: http://www.racerxill.com/articles/detail/1...-john-dowd.aspx

axulsuv, Lake Arrowhead has lost some of its luster over the last decade or so. The pine bark beetle has been allowed to run rampant (thank to environmentalists), and great tracts of pines in the area are now dead or dying. A awful forest fire ran through the area and almost leveled Lake Arrowhead. Lake Arrowhead escaped for the most part, but some surrounding communities were not so lucky.

"How to Ride Observed Trials Just for Fun!" by Carl Shipman (1973, USA).

It snowed here in Malibu today...enough to close Kanan-Dume Road! I blame Global Warming.

Now wait a minute! Endurocross has nothing to do with enduros. There's no timekeeping or navigation involved, which is the major distinction of enduro competition, which is not a race. The only thing "enduro" about it is that it's on rough terrain. It's more like CrossCountryCross. Bingo, Ringo.

Interesting observation, Mich Lin. Keep in mind that your perspective on the relative appeal of endurocross and supercross is that of a heavy duty motorcycle enthusiast. I believe, that for the average guy to goes to a football stadium to see motorsports, is interested in BIG and a spectacle. Supercross has certainly become that. While you and I may appreciate low-speed, low-altitude competition, you may have a tough time convincing the average guy that it's better than huge triple jumps and airborne aerobatics on an epic scale.

I'm in America, so I'm probably no help, but here's what I run: VP Racing Motosport 103 (99 octane, prevents pinging) Yamalube 2-stroke oil at 1.5 ounce per gallon. I have had zero engine problems and the bike has been ridden frequently for 9 years.

Skid, the 200 doesn't have the meaty throttle response of your woods bike because, well, it's not a woods bike! The Beta 200's motor will serve you better in trials. Your woods bike's motor will serve you better on trails. It's hard to advise about the carburetion from here. Do you know a trials rider who can go along with you and give you a better idea as to whether or not the bike is running right, or you just have an unreasonable (for the bike) expectation?

It must be a cold weather thing. Here in sunny southern California, usually a guy doesn't start his bike up until the guy ahead of him in line enters the section. Also, maybe it's older riders who remember the days when starting a bike could be unpredictable (the Sherco 4-stroke notwithstanding).

I'm not going to ask how you're familiar with the distinct aroma of a Turkish wrestler's armpit.