ChrisCH

Hmmpph. What a shame, I was looking forward to this and had planned to buy tickets for my nephew and his mates. No idea what the venue is like, but the island is a great place to visit and would be nice at that time of year I am sure. I can stop visiting the website every day to get tickets now. The Belgian event is not too far if you are in the Southern part of the UK. About 3 hours from Calais. Might go to that. You can buy tickets on line for that and plenty of places to stay overnight in Liege. Expensive with the ferries or Eurotunnel added in though. I would have thought a more central venue than North Wales would attract more visitors? The peak district for example. It's a superb venue with some great scenery and wonderful places to ride, plus there is a wealth of accommodation and food and so on. UK has more TV channels than you can shake a stick at with programs like 5th gear surely we could muster a little media interest? 35 grand hillary? is that all? Seriously? All the more shame, a village fete is more than that.

Yes, it's nuts!

Try https://www.mytyres.co.uk/cgi-bin/rshop.pl?dsco=110andtyp=R-268199andpartner=1andm_s=1andpartner=1andCountry=UKandID=css_rd_uk_Froogle_Shopping http://www.123tyres.co.uk/cgi-bin/rshop.pl?dsco=420andtyp=R-238408andpartner=1andm_s=1andID=psm_rdd_uk_shopelloandCountry=DUK https://www.wheelhousetyres.co.uk/tyres/classic/3-25-19-54t-heidenau-k67-classic-trials-t-t.html

Back to steel then.

I guess you would need to know what particular plastic the motorbike tank is made of. There are gigabytes of discussion on the matter and lawsuits in the US. My understanding is Ducati also replaced some tanks under warranty. The on going problem appears to be if any European models are affected and what if any comeback there might be on a bike that is 5 or more years old and the problem is the petrol spec has changed from that when the bike was manufactured. The tanks are - I think - PA6 made by Acerbis who also make tanks for dirt bikes. There was a class action filed in California against Ducati US in (IIRC) 2010. A fix of a liner material was as best I know the solution used and the Internet rumour machine revolves around whether the EU spec machines were not getting the same problem as E10 is not widely used in the EU and not in the UK. personally I think if E5 is OK then E10 will be as the percentage of ethanol is unlikely to make any odds to it being absorbed or not. Therefore I think all the BS on the 'net is the usual agenda of making a problem where none exists. The weird thing is I notice a smell of fuel now and then from the Monster as you walk past it. So you add 2 and 2 and get twenty-two

The ethanol write up is interesting (particularly as E10 is going to be the new UK standard) but nothing is said about reaction with plastic. I have read about ethanol being a problem with plastic tanks and in particular Ducati. Now, I really don't know what to believe, the Internet is not a reliable data source. Firstly the petrol cans you buy in a filling station are plastic so someone somewhere thinks it is OK and a million gardeners with a few litres for a lawn mower are all very silent on the matter. Second Ducati seem rather silent on the matter too. (Missus has a Monster). I have also read that ethanol gums up over time and so is not ideal if you don't use the bike over the winter. My road bike (Suzuki 650) sits most the winter and doesn't gum up and starts first push with months old fuel. My lawnmower does not gum up either and doesn't get the TLC of the bike. One problem in the UK is the ethanol content is not shown. In France for instance the pump clearly shows E5 or E10. Here you just have to assume it is E5. I have read (and again don't really trust) that Esso Super (97ROn) is only 1-2% ethanol or even 0%. I can report both the Suzuki and Ducati run just the same on whatever you put in it and normally get supermarket unleaded (95RON). My Beta pinks on standard unleaded, but is OK on Super. I have recently tried V Power which is a Shell 99RON product but it doesn't make any difference I can see. The technical pdf says what I have read and ethanol increases the octane rating so in my mind the higher the octane the more likely it has ethanol and yet the Internet reports suggest the opposite. We were in France at xmas and saw E85 at the local supermarket filling station. I had to look it up to see what it is. It was €0.63 a litre (unleaded is €1,29). This fuel seems quite common in the US. Could be becoming more common over here now? No real point to this other than my observations - ethanol seems to me to be inconsequential and the scare mongering about it mostly nonsense. i would love to know if there is any actual real data to suggest otherwise?

This is the one I bought (there are several sellers) You need to bend the bracket to fit the mudguard. The hinge has a thread in it so you tighten up the bracket to get the angle right. I doubt it would stay put if you rode it - I just fitted it for the MOT then took it off. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Motorcycle-Number-Plate-Rear-Light-Holder-Adjustable-Bracket-Metal-Motorbike/232778157571?_trkparms=aid%3D555017%26algo%3DPL.CASSINI%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D55149%26meid%3D7ccd702227644ad7a453d79f068ae456%26pid%3D101006%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D1%26%26itm%3D232778157571and_trksid=p2045573.c101006.m3226

That's a rather good idea. You could run a couple off the office printer and laminate them so if one gets torn off you have a spare. Like you I think if one shows willing then you can hope that common sense is the outcome. Ride sensibly and slowly, be polite to other people especially horse riders and pray that the coppers are not anti-bike. In some places pit bikes and stolen crossers are such an issue that any kind of off road bike is a "fair" target. Don't forget that to be road legal you need a speedo. If you get PC Misery Guts that will be on the list too.

There is an element of US society that appears to be proud of it's decision to trash the planet for their children. I like my motorcycles as much as the next person and hope that we - all of us - can find a way to leave the planet in good condition for the next generation of riders without the need to remove every item of pleasure from our lives. Every gallon of fuel burnt by some moron in a gigantic pick up hauling a quart of beer is a gallon of fuel that would give 8 hours fun on a trails bike. The CO2 is the same but I have had a full day's riding and the truck has driven to the local store and back. If people cannot be responsible in their own right at some point it is imposed upon them. I don't much like things imposed on me and really wish people would just grow up without the need of the government to impose anything.....

The legal requirements for a motorcycle number plate are laid down by the transport ministry It must conform to the British Standard for number plates. No other format is acceptable either for road use or for the MOT test. It must be clearly visible from the rear of the vehicle. To comply with this law in order both to get an MOT certificate and to operate the bike on the road the only option I can see is to fit a BS approved plate under the rear mudguard with a bracket bolted to the mudguard. To MOT my bike I bought a cheap (fiver) bracket off eBay and drilled two holes in the mudguard and bolted up a number plate. The bike passed the MOT. After which I removed the idiotic contraption from the bike as it would have broken off in seconds if you were daft enough to ride it like that. If you want to ride on the road you must guess what the reaction of the police will be to your illegal bike. personally I think that the legal numberplate could easily go on your back in something like a camelback so when on the bike the number is clearly visible. This is illegal but at least the numberplate is legal. A micro small numberplate or an upward facing one is illegal. In addition to breaking the numberplate law you have a non visible plate. At least a legal plate that is not actually on the bike is "legal". You can test out my theory with your local coppers easily enough. Or buy an illegal plate and test out whether your local coppers can be bothered to fine you for it. I guess the results will vary between whether you are having a nice ride on a green lane or at a trials event with a lot of other riders (so a whole lot of paperwork for Mr Plod and his mate to do - naaaah too much hassle for most of them). Which was a long winded response to your question to which the real answer is "there aren't any".

Yes, Euro 6 is urea. We have this spec van as it is now impossible to deliver to some city centres with anything more polluting. Automatic van is about 0.05% of the market here at best. Owner operator only. No petrol option on commercials. The trend is definitely smaller in terms of engine. The old Isuzu 4WD pickup was 2.5L and is now 1.9L Bigger engines only on the consumer oriented vehicles for people that are wannabe US red necks. A few Dodge Ram trucks round here now (US spec engines and ridiculous fuel consumption figures to match). I had to laugh at the Nissan panel van in the Autotrader review. It has a bulldozer engine in it. Very useful if you want to drive through the side of a house for some reason. I guess a lot of the fuel consumption is hauling round an engine that is bigger than the payload on a lot of small vans.

Don't forget US gallons are smaller than UK ones. 30mpg in US gallons is 36mpg UK. Also is the van automatic or shift? Automatic uses more fuel as a general rule (some new auto are very good). The new European Transit Connect is Euro 6 which is (as best I know) far stricter than any US emissions regulations. The new models are returning about 60mpg UK (50mpg US) [1.5 diesel] The US petrol van is described as having an "impressive" 21mpg. I am impressed. In fact I am amazed anyone ever buys one. https://www.autotrader.com/best-cars/6-best-cargo-vans-your-business-226694

If you haven't got far to go how about this? https://theusatrailerstore.com/the-dandy-motorcycle-hauler/ Kinda neat!

Any sub-compact that can tow a small trailer will give you reasonable fuel economy in relation to a big van or similar. Your biggest problem is that fuel efficiency is not a feature of the US vehicle market and so a light panel van like the Ford Transit has a 3.4L petrol engine for the US and a 2.0L diesel for the real world. A trials bike is about 70Kg so two bikes and a trailer is less than a quarter of a tonne. Your issue is therefore wind resistance and that is not an issue if you are only driving at 50mph or so. Don't forget the fuel saving when you are not towing is the biggest factor. Our panel van (Renault Master 2.3 diesel) gives 35mpg (US) and carries 1300Kg if needed.

I think most people in Europe would want a European engine though. Otherwise just buy the ready made Chinese bike. There is real consumer resistance to Chinese stuff (as we can see on the thread). I was thinking originally about a UK brand like AJS or Matchless that could be a real marketing tool. If I am honest I have no idea if there would be a market for such a bike - the Triumph bikes are mass market road bikes and the new Norton (I want one...) is a top end machine for rich people but again a road bike. Trials is more about competence than branding and the top riders already are brand ambassadors. You might just get Rotax powered bikes seen as "British" but not a Chinese engined one.

I think you could easily learn on the Scorpa 250. You can learn balance with the engine switched off. Have a look at the Laurent Ammazini short videos on YouTube. There are lots of others in English too, but these are good (helps me with my French as well).

Where are you? The biggest dealer in France (in Europe I think) is Dherby in Valence. They can deliver anywhere in France. Their current stock list starts with a Beta Evo at €2970 up to a Sherco ST250 at €3970 - there are 16 250cc bike to choose from. If you want a 125 (I think you want a 250) they have 2, a Gas gas and a Sherco. https://www.dherbeymoto.com/marchand/moto_occasion.php?sortby=5andsens=croisandpage=moto_occasion#liste I am sure they can give you lots of advice and will alter the throttle or add flywheel weights if this is what you feel you need. I have only just started riding trials and have a 250. My wife and I share the bike. I don't think a 125 would be any easier or better, the 250 is not difficult to ride. The left hand kickstart on the Beta is not a problem - the bike starts very easily. You can ride the bikes at Dherby before you buy them. At least if you went there you would be able to look at a very big selection of different bikes and find what you like.

Please tell me that is -10C not -10F I would think the petrol gets a bit stiff at that temperature never mind the tyres.

I have really enjoyed finding large number of youngsters that are keen on trials. It's really great to see kids doing something that encourages responsibility and gives them confidence. Most seem to start out with the new electric Oset bikes. I wish they had been around when I was a nipper.

I am new to the sport and was amazed that the bikes do not need type approval. Must be the only road vehicle that is exempt? I can see that Euro 5 would be a big problem. Road bikes have long abandoned 2 stroke to meet all the standards. Do you know if the emission standards are a regulation for competitions or just for road use? Most bike are off road only so it might not be a major issue, but I wondered if the FIM or similar require certain standards? I was going to try some green lanes with mine but in the end have found it better to use a (off road) practice ground so never got round to a VED (I MOT'd it and it is insured with my road bike)

Thanks for that - interesting read. Once you get past the stereotype of shoddy Chinese tat it looks a good machine. At the price if it were here at that level is probably about the same as European stuff. (I assume that the US$ price would be the base machine then UK VAT) I also think it would get a lot of negativity as it is Chinese if it came to the UK. certainly one to watch for the future though.

I think it would be possible to revive a UK brand, but clearly developing a new engine is not cost effective. The obvious thing is to buy in an engine and build a UK frame. There are few engines available, The obvious one being Rotax as they are one of the few manufacturers that sell just engines. I have no idea if the Rotax is suitable for this application? They are sold for go-karts and I would think therefore have a different power delivery to that which a trials bike needs. I'd love to hear if anyone has any expertise in this area. Also I don't know if this meets the current Euro 4 needs? Even with the UK out the EU we will still need to comply with all the European standards if we are to sell into that market. There is a good spread of technology there already with the Italian and Spanish bikes and Montesa Honda benefiting from the new EU-Japan deal. It would be a very tough market to enter, particularly as an outsider. That said the brands like BSA are very well known and could be a selling point, however you would first need to buy the brand from whoever owns it. Basically we are reinventing the wheel and the way to go is to buy the Chinese bike!

I'm afraid that leaving the EU will finish off the UK and leave it with no manufacturing at all. The rest of your post is rubbish as well. However, this is not the place to debate the subject. We will not have a UK made trials bike in the next 20 years and I would personally bet that much more of the current Triumph production will move from Hinckley to Thailand. That is a shame as I would like to see the UK produce bikes as much as anyone.

It's a shame the UK motorcycle industry is no more. Some of the world's best known brands started in the UK and it took a property developer to return Triumph to the market as a Kawasaki copy. There are enough European trials manufacturers without really any need for another one in the UK. The development costs of a small engine with such a limited market is really against any new entrant to the market. Making a bike with another manufacturer's engine is the best way forward. But that is more or less re-inventing the wheel. I think all of us have to face up to the fact that the future of the UK is not manufacturing. Come April this year what there is might well shut down. I would love to expand our current business into trials bikes but with a new Beta costing less than 6k retail I doubt there is any money at all to be made in the trials market.

I am new to trials and cannot bring much to the debate about the handling and so on of the two models even though I have ridden both. I recently bought a Rev 3 and I like it a lot. However the silencer and subframe issue is enough that I wish i had spent a bit more and bought an EVO. Look at all the modern bikes and the exhaust is tucked away in a much better design like the EVO has. I hope that I get the chance to see if I can fit an EVO pipe to the Rev 3 - the question seems if the rear shock is in the way. The Rev is a good bike, of that there is no doubt. I find the gearbox to be a bit agricultural and the clutch stick issue annoys me but it is a great (and inexpensive) bike to learn on (and boy is there a lot to learn). The missus is learning with me and at some point will need her own bike. It most probably will be an EVO (unless I can con her into having mine then I will buy an EVO for me..) I will upgrade mine when the money allows for it. If you weigh up initial purchase cost plus all the mods needed to sort out the exhaust the EVO would have been cheaper long run. Go for the EVO.