trapezeartist

Carrying a few pounds of lard might eliminate a 125 from the shopping list but I don’t think it changes the 250 v 300 debate. A 250 will be a lot more capable than you are and is never going to run out of puff. A 300 might take you to places you don’t want to go. (It’s not just a matter of 50cc. It’s the way they are tuned.)

Measuring the main dimensions is one thing. Getting the exact right profile and the right material is another. I bit the bullet and bought another kit (and some red rubber grease!).

I have just renewed the pistons and seals in the rear calliper of my Evo 250. Unfortunately I damaged one of the seals as I was putting it together. Is there a source for seals only as it seems a shame to spend another 30 odd quid when all I need is one seal?

As none of the bikes on your shortlist are 4T you’ve swerved one of the biggest sources of debate/disagreement. The other one is capacity. I would say definitely 250, unless you can find a good Beta 200. 125s are meant for youth riders and seem to be very buzzy (I confess I haven’t ridden one). Conversely 280/290/300 are intended for experts and tuned accordingly. There ability to throw you at bits of scenery goes far beyond the extra few cc. Make really doesn’t matter, except that a good local dealer for one make might swing you that way. Just buy something that is in good condition and well maintained.

The AMCA option is a bit less bureaucratic. Join an AMCA club and that's it. Around your way you've got Golden Valley and Cheltenham Hawks. (Although Golden Valley is a classic club they accept modern bikes ridden by riders over 50.) For maximum choice, I'm a member of an ACU club and an AMCA club and I have an ACU registration (they don't call it a licence).

Hi Nige I should never have sold that bike.😟 I thought about doing it your way but didn’t have an assistant to provide the extra hands. Also tilting the master cylinder would make it awkward to maintain the fluid level without another assistant squinting in fluid from a syringe. Do you put the cap back on when doing it? I thought about getting another cap, drilling it and putting in a fill tube with araldite. Then pressure filling it like that.

Yes to those, and that’s how I finally got to where I am now. The bike is back together and the brake feels just about OK. A trial in the next few days will confirm or not. But what a crazy idea to just loosen a banjo bolt instead of having a proper bleed nipple. All it would require from Beta would be a small mod to the air box and the use of a banjo bolt with nipple.

No wonder the job is termed “bleeding” because it must be cause of more expletives relating to blood than any other. I knew it was going to be difficult because I’d already read all the other posts here. I really tried to avoid breaking into the hydraulics but in the end I had to remove and split the calliper to solve the sticking pistons. I tried reverse bleeding: no result. I tried pumping like you would with a car: no result. I went back to reverse bleeding, did lots of tapping on the calliper to dislodge any bubbles, and got the brake nice and low so any bubbles should rise easily. Finally I tried cracking open the banjo on the master cylinder while giving it a pump, and after a couple of goes I’ve got a pedal of sorts. I haven’t yet reassembled it to running order but I think I’ll have an operational brake, but with a lot of travel. Not ideal. What sort of engineer designed such a crap system? The banjo is such an obvious air trap yet it has no proper means of bleeding. Does anyone know if there is a bleedable banjo bolt available that is low-profile enough to clear the air Box? (The bike’s a 2014 Evo 2T, btw.) Rant over. I shall now go back to the Christmas sherry and nuts.

Riding will enhance your fitness, so it’s a self-curing problem. And as you get better you’ll find that staying on the pegs is a lot less effort than falling off, lifting and pushing.

I’ve never seen a horse with footpegs. Pregnant or otherwise. What does a pregnant horse feel like?

50 years! I thought I might have a record at 47 (and 44 years not throwing my leg over a bike of any sort). If you’re passably fit, the old bones will have no probs at all. And your wallet should barely notice: £1000-3000 for your bike. £15 entry fees. 5 litres of fuel lasts 3 or 4 trials. For sure, try before you buy, but if you decide not to go ahead after your taster session, I will have serious doubts over your sanity🤔. Trials is not just the most fun you can have with your trousers on, it’s also the most cost-effective.

That rather answers your original question then.

All clubs are very welcoming to beginners. Don’t worry about that. Some clubs run a beginners route, or they might call it a gentleman’s route or a green route. That can be ideal for your first two or three trials. Just go along to the next trial you can and have a chat with people. The hour before the start is a good time as most people have a bit of time to spare then.

Bienvenidos casolagas. Moto bonita .🙂

I agree with you almost entirely. My only disagreement is with the word “only”. Sailing is much the same. I’ve chatted with world champions in the bar after a race, and picked their brains on technique and boat set up. They couldn’t have been more genuine, friendly and helpful. (They wouldn’t have felt any more threatened than Toni Bou would feel about me now.😁)