clarkp

onestophop - make your way to Tishomingo, OK on Nov. 11 - that way you can ride the ScotTISH Trials Race! Six easy sections, very difficult loop - you are scored on your time around the loop and your observed score in the sections. Riders will leave on 1 minute intervals. http://home.comcast.net/~pittmandc/ScotTISH_flyer.pdf This flyer will tell you more - don't miss it! It is an amalgam of a 'Scott' type trial and the Scottish Six Days.

I had a REV-3 250 and switched to an '06 Sherco 2.9 - I would say that the pick of a bike has as much to do with what's going on between your ears AND the type of terrain you normally ride. If my local trials scene was made up of riding in wet sloppy creeks, mud, limited traction, etc. I might be tempted to stay BETA (or a 2 stroke Montesa). If the events were dry-ish with some big 'ups', rocky stream beds, or terrain that required slightly more advanced technique than just making uphill or downhill turns on dirt slopes - the Sherco or GasGas fits the bill. My riding areas are dryer with bigger rocks / steps and I was becoming uphappy with the slower power delivery of the Beta but mainly I was very unhappy with the lower ground clearance the Beta has. It seemed I was always dragging the skid plate or bashing the pegs into obstacles. Lofting the front end on a Beta requires more effort because it carrys more weight up front - which is good if you're trying to turn on dirt slopes. Like they say, 'nothing turns like a Beta' (except maybe a Scorpa - but we don't mention them...) Yes, the big Sherco has power everywhere, nice and tractable down low and you'd better be hanging on tight when you yank the loud handle - because its taking off - NOW! Bottom line: I really, REALLY like it - its abrupt if you're careless (use it to my advantage now), it turns well, it carries itself higher so it doesn't drag everything everywhere - but most of all, I feel that my riding level has improved SIGNIFICANTLY due to this machine. In my opinion, Beta would have to make some generational changes to the "REV" line before I would consider another.

Ron, don't pay any attention to Mark - He's a true blue Sherco boy... hell he's even got Sherco tatooed on his privates, but he says he wants his tatoo money back because at his age all he ever sees is "SH". Besides, Uncle Albert is slowly turning the Sherco into a Beta anyway...shorter swingarm, lowered pegs... only problem is your have to run a Sherco 125 to make it feel like a 270! Whoa! Look out! Maybe I'll see you over Labor Day out in the rocks and mesquite dodging buffalo turds - Mark is supplying my favorite beer, cold and free!

First of all, stop browsing the GG web site... they're so jealous of Sherco that they copied the frame color for their '07 models The Sherco engine oiling system is a different philosophy than the GasGas system. If my information is correct, GasGas has little oiling ports such that the main bearings get lubed by the crankcase oil where Sherco depends (as do lots of two-stroke manufacturers) on the pre-mix oil to lube the main bearings. With that in mind, I would stick to the manufacturers recommendation for all lubes unless you want to become your own warranty station.

Is that better on edit?...

Who in the states sells carbon fiber fork leg protectors for the '06 machines? I want only the slider portion covered, not the slider and stanchion tube - and I want the kind that hold themselves on without clips or clamps...

OBTW - I've installed a set of Mark's CF swingarm guards on my new 2.9 - perfect fit and and a clean look. Well worth the money to keep the boot scuffs off the swingarm.

Jeezus Mark! Yer killin' me here... Riding on the curb... wow, we need an intervention quick, yer losin' it, buddy! Pack your ***** and get to Tish this weekend - no excuses (unless she's REALLY hot - and if she is... bring her along!)

The only problem I have is my face hurts from grinning when I ride it... oh, and the front disc rattles.

To top it all off, there is NO WAY a four-stroke motor from ANY manufacturer will fit into the existing Verlicchi frame / tank combo... the valve train puts it way up into the fuel tank. A four-stroke forces a complete frame re-design and that frame / tank is one of the strengths BETA possesses: superior rigidity. The REV package is too much of a good thing to shelve it all and start over... just scrap the POS Mikuni and source FI technology from Keihin like HRC did for the 4RT. Like Clouseau says, '...problem sol-ved...'

No one knows how much mistrust exists in the market regarding the oddly-angled Mikuni carb and it's perceived dribbling problems. Going with FI on an otherwise rock-solid trials package makes sense and kills two birds with one stone, lose the 70's technology Mikuni AND probably comply with upcoming pollution standards using fuel injection. Like Stu said, they may not NEED to go through a complete re-build when the answer is a cleaner tailpipe through more precise fuel management. If it's true, sounds like a genius decision on Beta's part to me.

I have no problem with that... I blamed my lack of skill on the bike before, I can still do it now... besides, I never said I was a GOOD workman. I'm actually much better at drinking beer and talking about trials than actually riding. ...I guess to shave a few points I probably need some new riding pants, gloves, and helmet too... Yeah, that's the ticket!

...missing my old friend?... well, the first trial on my new Sherco and I turn in a 77!? On my old Beta that would have been no more than a 72 or so...

The local dealer here checked with RYP and says about $500 over the standard model. That would put it at just under $7K... if that's right its not bad for a 150 unit limited edition. I'm waiting for the next Cabestany model that has the gas tank as an integral part of the frame backbone and a linkless rear shock... Mikuni carb... kickstarter on the left... sigh...

The only other 'real' experience I have is with the Beta Rev-3 - rode it in competition for several years... had a '97 Montesa before that but I wasn't good enough at the time to form much of an opinion (not to say that I'm better now...) So with that disclaimer in place: The '06 Sherco didn't "feel" like it turned as well as the Beta, but when riding around in circles in the dirt they are virtually the same - and when I put the Sherco to the test on some off-camber downhill to uphill turns it did just as well as my old Rev-3. The Sherco front end feels lighter. I really like the new-style footpegs on the new Sherco and seems narrower than last years Sherco. The main thing I like is the power of the 2.9 and the responsiveness of the throttle. The Sherco is stout and the power is 'right now'. I left the fast throttle on the bike and I'm trying to get used to the power. The suspension is faster and that in combination with the super-strong motor are allowing me to attempt obstacles I wouldn't have tried before. So, in all, I very happy with the new bike.

axulsuv - would any of the classic Barbour jackets suffice? They have the waxed canvas off-road jacket I would like to have. This is a link to the Barbour men's line. The Bedale, Durham, or Beaufort jackets would be great! Most are available in waxed cotton / canvas or other materials. Get me one while you're at it!

I bought some... pretty expensive - but they came with an '06 2.9 attached. Seriously, they look just like cast aluminum versions of the massively popular Hebo pegs! Like having floorboards on your trials bike.

Yes... Sherco rules, Beta drools...literally...

Well, aside from looking gay in that picture (...thanks, Mark...) I really like it. Moved over from Beta Rev-3 250 which is an excellent bike, but I was looking for a 'next level' bike. I think the '06 2.9 is about a 4-level jump! The power is incredible, it comes with new cast footpegs so I don't have to shell out $90 for Hebo's right out of the gate, good balance, suspension is more firm than my Beta, but less stiff than GasGas. So, in my 30 minutes of riding it so far, I'm very impressed and happy with it.

neonsurge...the Bean avatar is great, but I'll always associate you with the Ron Jeremy av. I did a ride-off between the '06 Rev-3 270 and the Sherco, and, as I mentioned... my brain said, "You're ready for something different and new" while my skills said, "The Beta is perfect!" So, as usual, I buy based on emotion and justify my decision with technical bull$h-t. The '06 Beta was soooo smooooth, plush, and it tracks perfectly, and, of course, it turns better than any bike available - where the Sherco has a killer motor (I think it has my number...) and slightly, slightly stiffer suspension. We'll see where this goes...

Thanks Andy_290... I see what you mean, that is a pretty gay looking pose... I was wasted after 4 back-to-back days of working the national trial. That pic was Sunday night.

Putting the Rev-3 out to pasture... I picked up this '06 2.9 last weekend at the Rock Creek National in Tishomingo, OK. The Beta has been a solid reliable machine, but my brain thinks I'm ready for a change. This new machine is very snappy and it actually turns quite well now that Sherco is using the Beta fork. Thanks to everyone for their help with Beta questions - I'm off to the Sherco forum...

It comes with a pair of carbon-fiber underwear, helium-filled tires, runs on an 80:1 mix of Red Bull and bean oil, and you get a free pair of anti-gravity boots from Alpine Stars... glad I have a current trade-in...

"Have also tried adjusting air screw in/out." Aye, there's the rub... Starting at the beginning...I'm assuming you're running the standard-ish 145 main jet and either a lean 27.5 pilot, a nice 30 pilot jet, and your carb slide needle clip is still in the middle position. And I'm sure you know that all of the carb circuits work in concert with each other so it can be difficult sometimes to identify the root of the problem, however, in the case of the machine "four-stroking" as you indicate - I would look to the air screw as long as all of the above are in line (main, pilot, etc...). You say you've 'tried adjusting air screw in/out', but do you really know what you're doing, or are you just whacking about with carb settings? I don't know how much experience you have with adjusting carbs, but you can really hose yourself with indiscriminate adjustments..much like a computer - change only one thing at a time and make a note of what happens. The air screw turned out even a half a turn more than necessary can cause your bike to four-stroke at mid to WFO throttle. Try turning your air screw in until it seats lightly, then back it out 1.25 turns as a starting point. Then refer to the online Mikuni manual for the final air screw adjustments. In a nutshell, set the idle up a bit and start opening the air screw by 1/4 turn increments - you want the revs to pick up smartly when you whack open the throttle off idle, but you don't want it to take a long time to return back to normal idle. Open the air screw until you achieve this balance. My guess is that your air screw is open too far.

I would set the floats back to their original position and check the starting... my guess is it will be back to normal. Follow the advice of 'totalshell' change only one thing at a time (this applies to computers as well...) And lastly, for 'gkp413' heck yes! Take that carb slide spring out, grab your wire cutters and snip about 1/3 off the length of that sucker! (or more). Makes a world of difference! I, like you, prefer a delicate, light, super smooth throttle action. Cutting the stock spring off (the stocker is as tough as a die-spring...) really helps - no need to spend your beer money for a light spring.