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I'm a proponent of the dbSnorkel (thedbsnorkel.com) on trials bikes and have been using it on my GG 250 and it makes it sound like 80cc. There is a little bit of power loss which smoothes out powerband. It fits on standard 9" diameter oval silencers which means GG and Beta only. I can ride in backyard since I'm quieter than a lawnmower and leaf blower. Most brand new 2-strokes start out quiet but since some brands don't have repackable silencers, they can get loud over time. The middle muffler is another part that gets clogged up with burnt oil. On the GG it is packed with a steel wool type material so I think it could be cleaned out with solvent. On the downside, a quiet bike doesn't have the thrill factor of a loud pipe which appeals to a lot of riders.

What I did on both levers is used a hammer to straighten them out and reduced the travel with the adjusting screws. Then I use one finger near the ball ends. More leverage=less effort.

It looks like he hit his visor, forehead and and chin. He's lucky he didn't break his nose, teeth or jaw. A face plant on an irregular shaped rock could have been much worse. A full face helmet would save you on a crash like that but most people don't like the impaired visibility. I took my KBC full face, cut off the top of the Darth Vader vent and face guard doesn't bother my vision. The cheek padding is removable so I took it out and replaced it with some backpacking mat material. The face guard lost strength by cutting it so I filled the gap with JB Weld epoxy. My main problem adjusting with it is not visibility, but my habit of spitting! I remember some World Round riders in 1992 wearing helmets with narrow face guards.

I bruised my hip bone by hitting it on the clutch perch which seems in the perfect position for pain. So I applied a big gob of black silicone adhesive sealant on the perches, let it dry, then cut it into a rectangular shape with a razor. No bruise the next time it happened.

I'd be interested in knowing how many bikes sold last year and how much by each manufacturer.

I would check the adjuster screws at the lever first. I once rented a bike that was set up like that which I think was done on purpose for beginner mode. The throttle cable tension at the carb was adjusted way out which would normally cause high revs but the clutch was adjusted so it was always slipping which kept the revs down. A throttle blip wouldn't bring the front end up or cause rear wheel spin because of the slipping. The clutch was like an on off switch.

I just use the bike's balance for side to side level and the bubble level for front to back. I made my Gas Gas even lighter for just a few dollars. Next project is to replace the 2 lb. tank with a 6 oz. 650ml fuel bottle. Save some weight and dents! I'll need to find a way to cover the gap between the frame. Maybe something soft.

Most trials and riding areas near where I live are so small a 3 liter tank and 5th and 6th gears are unnecessary. I'd like to only fill the tank with enough gas for a loop or a riding session but with the GG tank I can't tell how much is in there and would top off to be safe. I would be carrying around unnecessary extra weight up high where you want it least. 3 liters of gas weighs about 4.5 lbs and I only need about .5 liter for a loop or session. I can save weight by filling up with only the gas that I need and keeping in on reserve. So I made this simple visual gas gauge with clear fuel line and two vacuum line T-fittings. The green line shows where I usually fill to and circled is a bubble level to ensure I get an accurate reading. The top T fitting is in between the cap and the line valve so gas doesn't spill out. I had to use a smaller diameter hose to fit the space above the radiator and through the frame. The small line is for model boats and was bought at a hobby store. My reserve is now a .375 liter camping fuel bottle I carry in my fanny pack. If someone made a small capacity tank that weighed 1/4 of stock, I would buy it.

Even if it's brand new, I wouldn't assume it's ready to ride. My GG came with the airbox boot slightly off the carb letting in dirty air.

Using a hair blow dryer is a safe way to apply heat.

A key for me to hopping the back end is to turn the steering wheel in the correct direction. I used to think if you want to hop left, you turn towards the right and let the bike straighten out. This works on a bicycle, but on a motorcycle the back end will lift up but not over to the left. What works better to hop left is to start with the handlebars turned to the left. As the back end swings to the left, you start turning right.

On the Todo Trial site, www.todotrial.com on the Clasico section, there is a news story that Bernie will riding at an event in Spain next year along with a recent photo of him. The english translation is not so clear but it says he's in good shape from mountain biking so I guess he's going to be riding this vintage event. Maybe someone who speaks Spanish can translate better. It's been a long time since I've heard anything about USA's only World Champ. Has he ever ridden in the US in the last 20 years? From what I know, since retiring, he stayed in Europe, married the sister of another European world round rider, and switched from motorcycles to mountain biking.

My backyard sections I made these with pallets, logs and rocks all picked up for free. 4 pallets can be nailed together and braced to make a cube. 2 for a triangle. Pallets are nailed/screwed together to make a stack. Concrete blocks are under all pallets to prevent rotting.

I was showing off my new bike to a friend and he commented that he never heard of a Cas Cas. After that, whenever I look at the logo it seems to need some improving upon so I created this:

I made some fork protectors out of black golf club tubes, attached them with black nylon ties and applied some Armor All for shine. All for less than a buck! For upper fork protection I used cracker sleeve containers that cost $2 each at my Kroger grocery store. I'd like to find something else that's clear. For 15

I bought a pair of ATV boots (MX boots with lug soles) made by MSR but they are way too stiff and it's hard to feel the brake pedal and pegs. A better solution is to wear ASO ankle braces under your regular boots. Tennis players wear them and once you put them on you will feel the support that will eliminate sprains.

It probably hasn't come out yet in Europe but the Bourne stuntguy does some trials during the motorcycle chase that happens right after the scooter chase. You can clearly see the trials tread as he zaps up a 7 foot wall and up the steps. It looks like a 4RT with side panels and other add ons to make it look like an enduro bike.

I'm not talking about repacking the silencer which is fairly simple, but repacking the muffler in between the header and silencer. I first torched it which didn't make much difference, so my next step was cutting four holes in the muffler. On my 95 Fantic Section I figured it wouldn't be so hard since the sides are flat. I used a Dremel cutting bit and cut two oval holes on each side about 1 inch by 1 1/2 inch. The muffler is made the same way as the silencer with a perforated tube with fiberglass packing between it and the shell. Then I used an old brake cable frayed at the ends and loosened all the oil soaked fiberglass and shook it until fell out. I then torched it again and with the extra four holes I was able to thoroughly burn out the gunk. I again used the cable to get any remaining packing and carbon. I repacked with small pieces of fiberglass using a chopstick to push it in. I made covers out of 3mm aluminum sheet metal, made gaskets out of silicone baking sheets, drilled holes and sealed with rivets and then painted black. I had to use JB Weld to level out the rear outside of the muffler that had the FM letters embossed. The whole process took a while but now I can completely repack the exhaust system making a big reduction of noise compared to repacking the silencer alone.

A floating front disc allows for side to side movement, but should there also be any up and down movement? Mine does and sometimes makes a clanking noise as well as not stopping well. Does the metal collar around the mounting bolts need to be replaced?

You should check if any exhaust gas is leaking anywhere besides the back end. You might have torched out a seal. Or you could have burned out the packing inside the mid muffler.

I found this video on youtube: A rider in Japan with an XR100 engine inside a Gas Gas.

Stock it's heavy with a gutless engine. Kind of inbetween an dual sport and a real trials bike. It was popular for the retired motorhome people who would strap in on the back and use it for short rides. Like a Honda XL 175 it will run forever with little maintenance and you probably can still get parts from your Honda dealer.

No one in the US makes a living competing so why are they called Pro? If you ride that class don't you feel embarrassed calling yourself a Pro? If you have ambitions to make that class and once you do, you still need a regular job or parent's money to support your riding.

http://www.lewisportusa.com/electric.htm Big heavy batteries and short run time are still the major setbacks. Someone should make one for exhibition use that has no batteries and and needs an extension cord minder.

I built trials sections in my backyard at no expense beside nails and concrete blocks so I spent about $100 USD. I pick up things around the city for free to build with using mainly shipping pallets and shipping crates. I also use rocks, logs, broken concrete, and scrap lumber. They need to be arranged so that the skidplate doesn't slam into the wood. Concrete blocks are put under the pallets to keep them from rotting from moisture. A skilled trials rider can ride them without much damage but an unskilled rider on an enduro bike would tear it up. In that case you would need tractor tires, railroad ties and boulders.