turbofurball

So you only want the clutch to require less pressure to pull in? If everything is in good order it should already be as light as possible without slipping, if it's very tight you will need to check the system from the lever pivot and master cylinder all the way down to find the problem. There are videos on clutch setup on youtube, however that's all in English. Do you have a friend who knows enough english who could translate it for you? Examples: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dv3sWgY-RjM&pp=ygUaZ2FzZ2FzIHR4dHBybyBjbHV0Y2ggc2V0dXA%3D https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PuUGLuUMmOs&pp=ygUeZ2FzZ2FzIHR4dHBybyBjbHV0Y2ggamltIHNuZWxs

Google translate really doesn't work well on stuff like this because it does a literal translation without context (like if you say car bonnet it might think you mean a hat for a car). I think they're after different clutch plates that are less aggressive ... so to Skylark I would say: try using different oil first, Dexron III automatic transmission fluid is good, if that doesn't help then you probably need new clutch plates because it should work smoothly with standard parts, even on an old moto like yours.

Maybe, mine is at least 10 years old!

For reference, I have a Wes single piece and it's very loud. Since I'm mostly using the bike for trail riding I'll be adding a little pitbike silencer with silicone adapter to take the edge off without affecting the back pressure (I also have concerns about it not having an effective spark arrester which that would solve) ... the long term plan is still to convert it to electric but I have too many projects on the go for that at the moment 😕

Address it, it shouldn't be leaking fuel! Find out where it's coming from, if it's the carb use a rebuild kit to seal everything nicely. It's not unusual for cheap fuel filters to start leaking or the fuel lines to crack too, so check everything thoroughly (cheap Chinese filters are false economy).

That does sound like the kind of problems a good carb clean will sort, it's definitely worth fitting a carb service kit at the same time, then once it's dialled in you won't have to touch it again in a long while (assuming the bikes getting used )

I thought after posting that that may have been the case but it was too late by then, lol

No, that looks aftermarket. Quite possibly the original owner didn't like the factory rubber seat for some reason

If it's serviced and runs, I'm with StPauls with this one, get on the bike! Most problems can be found by using the machine, and it's entirely possible to spend all one's time just messing about. I have absolutely zero surprise a dealer sold a second-hand bike without it being serviced.

Always nice to see the old bikes with the original stickers ... my '82 349 still has it's Sandiford stickers on too, though the bike is nowhere near as clean and tidy

I don't know much, having never entered one, but there's one near to me every year ... were there specific questions you had about them?

The "secret to starting" is usually to have a bike that's in good working order, lol ... other than that as Glayne says, on a modern 2 stroke, get the lever to where it feels like the gear is engaged (a little resistance) and then kick it quickly. Lots of people complain about a particular bike being hard to start, most of the time it's because their bike is out of tune. My Gasgas' (I've had 3 of different sorts) always started second or third kick from cold once I got them properly fixed.

With any trials bike more than 1 year old the condition is more important than the fine details (apart from some specific model/years that have had known problems). Avoid the Sherco 290, that is not a good bike to learn trials on - there's a big difference between the 250s and the larger bikes. The KLX, if it's in good condition, is a solid choice for learning on ... heck, for trail riding it's a good choice for physically small riders full stop.

If only one is a bit sticky you might get rapid and uneven pad wear, so keep an eye on that ... it might free up with a few heat cycles now it's clean, though

Excellent point! (and thank you)

lol, proper boy racer territory ... I had a variety, but that was by the time they old, cheap (not yet considered classics), and needing of mechanical attention. My favourite was an '87 Shelby GLHS. The '80s was a good time for hot hatches in general though

Thanks, the username is an old one from when I was a crazy cat lady and spent my time tinkering with '80s turbo cars ... a lot has changed since then, lol

Hi Andy, it's not bad - trials calipers are made to be light weight rather than hard wearing so it's no surprise they need a little TLC. You'll need the right tools for removing the caliper (usually allen keys, I don't know about the 4Ride specifically), some brake cleaner, nitrile or equivalent gloves, a toothbrush and some way of compressing the pistons (there's a special tool but I usually use a small socket and a pair of plumber's pliers, very carefully). If you pull the caliper you can remove the pads and see the pistons, use the brake cleaner and toothbrush to clean the pistons (don't be shy with the cleaner), then you'll be able to see if there's any corrosion ... if the pistons are oxidised, don't push them into the caliper, get yourself a rebuild kit. If they're nice and clean you can use the lever to push them out a teensy bit, use a little brake fluid as lubricant, and then compress them back into the caliper to get everything moving again. Don't use any WD40 or similar on the brakes. While you're at it, you can check the pads, and once it's remounted put in some fresh brake fluid. Check that the wheel spins with only the slightest touch of the pads before you go out riding again, if it's still locking up it's time to remove the pistons which is more of a messy job. There's probably good videos about how to do this on the interwebs Make sure you don't get brake cleaner or brake fluid on you, use nitrile rubber gloves, consider using safety goggles the first time you do a job like this, it's surprisingly easy to get something in your eye ... brake dust, cleaner, and fluid are all bad for you!

Can you see what's stopping the pistons from coming out? Is the caliper oxidised or something? They're simple cups so if they move enough to apply the bakes they should just continue to come out when under pressure ... you might be in line for changing the caliper TBH 😕

Acerbis make a universal plastic bash plate, I have one on my Rieju Tango (which has a cradle frame) and it works well ... having looked at it it could be made to fit most classic trials bikes (you'd just have to trim off the excess on the sides). The stock TY175 bash plate is 1mm steel IIRC, so I can imagine a plastic one would work equally well. On a modern bike you could add a sheet of PTFE to slide over stuff if that suited your riding style, but I think most people try to avoid that! (meanwhile I get stuck and have to rock myself off, lol)

Twinshocks aren't meant to be ridden on the clutch, with a 350 you usually have a choice of a heavy clutch, or a slippy clutch (assuming your cable, lever, etc is in good oiled condition). Carb tuning, however, needs a well-trained ear - best thing is to ask at your local club(s) because often someone will be around who does that in their garden shed ... hell, I got a full carb rebuild and tuneup in the parking lot of a trials event once for the price of a couple of drinks.

You have 3 options: find a used one from a bike thats being broken for parts, get a local fabricator to make one for you, or just lean the bike against a tree when you're not on it.

Yes, obviously a nice Japanese bike would be good. But if none are available within budget, the pit bikes are a good alternative ... I've been thinking of getting one to ride to the bar on.

A cheap alternative for just trying motorbikes would be a "big wheel" pit bike, if those are easily found where you are (and easy to offload after) ... they're also good for just pootling about off road and lending to people, only downside is they're usually loud

FWIW a 125 will pull around someone who is about 200lbs ok for getting started, and they're easy to start off with. I wouldn't recommend an 80cc bike for any adult bigger than a petite woman, and even then it might get a little frustrating quite quickly. I found going from a 125 2 stroke to a 250 2 stroke didn't result in being able to do better / more, it just used more petrol (and had I had it from day 1 it would have got away from me in sections, the 125 was good for building confidence). 2 strokes are a little lighter than 4 strokes, so easier to pick up and drag about if your wife doesn't do weight training regularly.