ChrisCH

The Inch Perfect rides include the new Escape XR if anyone is interested - quite a few of the slots for that bike gone. We will put a small area aside to test it. Still plenty of chance to try out the Factor-e. https://inchperfecttrials.co.uk/products/2024-em-escape-xr-enduro-tyres

IP booking now open. https://experience.inchperfecttrials.co.uk/em-test-ride-selby-trials-park-wimborne-dorset-bh21-3qz/ Don't forget to bring your bike and have a ride with us as well.

Beta have a main parts source in Ireland https://www.nmcbikes.com/beta-parts/ The Rev4 is not a current model but you should be able to get most parts you need. The suspension is obselete but can be repaired or rebuilt. You will need to pay VAT and import on anything shipped from UK.

Great stuff and very interesting. Above my pay grade on the electronics. How I wish we lived near to oneanother. The regen on the throttle is very interesting - that would be a game changer for a lot of people that I can think of. I agree on your observation about the clutch as well - it is a weak point on the newer bikes I think - our Factor-e is not outstanding in the clutch operation. I would turn off the tickover for myself but the wife likes it. We had booked to ride with Gael who was one of the development riders but his recent injuries stopped him from being able to do the training. Hopefully that opportunity will come up again. I would love to go through some of this with him (it will help improve my French as well......)

I have a TRS but have never been more than about 20mph on it. Have you thought about a Beta Alp? You can do long distance trials and green lanes and so on. I keep looking for one but they are hard to find and the new ones are "rally" type to cash in on the adventure bike fad. I have a CRF250L but it would be useless for trials. Great fun though.

I locked up the wife's Ducati with a disc lock when we went on holiday. When we got back I couldn't get the thing to work - the lock barrel had failed and the key wouldn't open it. I tried oil and all sorts but it would not come off. A customer offered to cut it off for me which was an offer I accepted. He had a small battery disc cutter/angle grinder in his van with a cutting disc on it. The disc cutter took the lock off in about 15 seconds. It was pretty quiet and my missus in the office 20m away never heard it.

Do a Johnny cash and bring it in one component at a time 😁

Check with them but I think this is the one that will retro fit the earlier bikes. https://inchperfecttrials.co.uk/products/2024-em-main-command-switch-map-button-fits-models-race

Will the new up/down map switch fit your model? I thought they were on the later bikes. The factor-e will move maps up or down on the fly. Its one of the things I think make it better than an ICE bike. I seem to remember the same switch configuration being on the other bikes but our old bike ('21) had the push button set up which scrolls sequentially through as you describe.

Entries for the practice day open on the 21st. Search "xhg" on the sport 80 site. https://acu.sport80.com/public/wizard/e/205401/home

Our club (XHG Tigers) will host a test day with Inch Perfect at our ground near Poole/Bournemouth. Date (unless everything goes wrong) is planned for 9th August. We will put a practice trial on as well so you can have a ride if you bring your own bike. I will update this thread as all the details finalise and the invitations for the test rides and trial go live. Hope to see a few of you there on the day.

Clay says the bean counters are not pushing him around. I think he should maybe let them - just a bit.....

You might find the parts you need here: https://classicandvintagesuspension.co.uk/product-category/front-suspension/betor/

You would need to find a courier that understands the correct paperwork, but in theory there is nothing to pay in import or VAT. https://www.chamberelancs.co.uk/2021/11/export-and-return-of-goods-for-repair-to-and-from-the-eu/

Most local bike repair outlets will service forks. My local one does mostly motocross, but will work with trials forks too. I am also lucky to have a suspension specialist nearby as well. https://www.racelab.co.uk/ However Betor are not a brand most will know or be able to get the parts for if doing a full rebuild. I think the OP will need to send them back to Spain. That would be my number 1 option. Sadly it is (now) a major PITA with all sorts of VAT and import/export BS to do and hoops to jump through. Might try https://twsuspensiontech.co.uk/services/shock-rebuilds-repair

The manufacturers do a restoration service - you'd need to ship them back to Spain. https://www.betorspain.com/en/1076-restauracion-betor-forks.html

Thanks for that very informative post Alan. My missus has the '25 Factor-e and the front disc has a very slight noise under rotation. The mud and a bit of wear has shut it up but that explanation is very helpful in understanding the issue. She had a Beta Evo years back and I replaced the disc with a Galfer and it was much better than the Beta OE. The current EM setup is very good though - the braktec stuff is excellent.

The bike will climb a steep rocky hill very well. The electric motor gives enough power at low revs to tackle most stuff. The big thing to get your head round is the lack of a flywheel. When you roll the throttle off the bike stops. It takes a bit of time to get used to but I am sure you will find it OK. You need a clutch on a petrol bike so you can build power on the engine without forward motion. Electric is a different mindset. The lack of a clutch is more an issue if you want to power the front wheel up from stationary or very low speed. You need to compress the forks and blip the throttle. To be fair I need the same technique on my Honda CRF but my TRF will lift the wheel on the clutch very easily. I hope you enjoy the Escape and it solves your issue. If money were no object I would buy one tomorrow.

The PRB is an interesting device but I agree with the above analysis that it is not a suitable substitute for a rear brake. My immediate thought to your original post is that on kids trials bikes like Oset the rear brake is where the clutch lever should be as is the case on a pedal cycle. (US push bike spec is other hand - really odd - French do it too). Can you get a ride to see how it works for you? The Oset 24 is just about big enough for an adult. Once you experience not having a clutch it will become clear. You have - in effect - an "automatic" and seperate front and back brakes. Would that work for you? The EM Escape might be worth a look if you need a saddle and just want to ride for fun. I am sure it would be possible to link up the LH lever to the rear brake as the system is hydraulic and should provide the pressure for the rear caliper.

Thanks - I tried to set up yesterday and have failed. This is really annoying. I do wish they would make the software run on a Windows laptop - that would be so much easier.

Anyone using this now? I have just managed to download it (app) and hope to get it working over the weekend. The phone number they require is to send you a code to set up the app - I am not sure if the number needs to be the phone the app is on or any phone to get the SMS? Inch Perfect use one phone to manage all the bikes. Clearly once set up the app will manage multiple machines.

One of each? Got to be the best option.

I think; as the situation is in the UK at the minute, it makes sense for many households to have an EV and an ICE car. This would work for me with an EV van and a diesel car. No one is 'virtue signalling' with an electric car it is a lot of cash and a sensible decision as they are better than ICE in so many ways although they can be problematic until the infrastructure catches up. In four or five years time EV will be the popular choice. The Ténéré is too tall for me. I like the CF Moto 450MT and might be tempted when new stock arrives. The old Yamaha XT range always was a good option. I liked the 500 but they are bonkers money now. There is - I think - a new 600 coming? Might be worth a look. Adventure bikes are the fashion go-to right now but not my thing as a main bike. I will keep my GSX for the minute - it does everything I need for road use and cannot depreciate any more. I looked at the Triumph Trident 660 but it is not as good a bike as the one I have. As long as I can buy petrol I intend to keep the Suzuki. I will be dead by the time it is illegal to ride it ☺️

Nope. Like them or not (I aint keen) the EV is the future. The ICE is in its death throes. Most governments will ban new ICE light cars at some point. The big question is therefore motorbikes. Currently there is no real agreement about bikes. Most European countries (inc UK) are looking at ICE bikes banned later than cars. 2040 is the current year (proposed) here. Lots of time for an alternative to be developed. The market is running faster than this because for many people an EV car is a better option than an internal combustion model. So there is a real possibility that traditional fuels will become more difficult to buy sooner than expected. Again not a problem for trials as we have a container with petrol in the van. For me the concern is road motorcycles. Small tanks mean frequent filling. A diesel car will do maybe 800 - 1,000Km on a fill, a petrol bike maybe 200 - 300Km. Eventually you will need an app to find petrol as it is phased out. The electric road bikes like Zero are a bit rubbish at present. They are stupid money too. Trials will go electric long before road bikes.

Hmm.. The link for the international site doesn't show the trials stuff. UK importer site is better and has the two trials bikes: https://www.arcticleopard.co.uk/arctic-leopard-models.html#trial No idea if anyone has ever bought one.