stevel

Reference setting up your suspension, I have found this useful. http://www.gasgas.com/Pages/Technical/tria...nsion-tips.html There is a lot of technical jargon but in the 4th & 5th paragraphs it outlines how to set up the 'sag' to suit your weight. Hope this helps

[ my point is how long should you just accept the kind of crap like my manager is giving me, quote]. Simple answer is you don't- If you don't like it you have the same choice as the rest of us- walk away and get another job- if you have the b***s.

There was an issue with a number of 08 bikes due to the main bearings being assembled incorrectly. Apart from my son's 270 I am aware of another 2 in this area that failed in their first few months. All were repaired under warranty and to my knowledge have had no further problems. So in answer to your problem, I believe it to be a one-off issue, and if it has been sorted it is unlikely to re-occur. I hope that this puts your mind at rest

From the symptoms you outline, it is almost certainly the thermostatic switch in the rad. It is obviously permanently closed or it wouldn't start the fan when the coolant is cold. nor would it close if it was operating in an air lock. One other possibility is that the switch terminals have been shorted together effectively by-passing the thermo switch hence causing the fan to run permanently. (Riders often do this when the switch fails in the open condition) If the terminals have been shorted, then the likelyhood is that the switch has failed previously and someone has shorted them out to avoid buying a new one Unless the terminals are shorted together, for what they cost I would suggest that you get a new switch & don't mess about with bodges- you can bet your life if you rely on a manual switch in the circuit, one day you will forget about it and at least spoil your day's riding or at worst cause an expensive (or possibly painful) problem

I've recently bought a spare rear wheel from an 01 rev 3 and by a little bit of modification to the spacers made it fit an 08. The only noticable difference other than the fact that the spacing is slightly different is that the older discs are thicker, but this has no effect on the fitting or the performance. Sod's law being what it is, we've never had a puncture since we got the spare, but you can guarantee that the first time we leave the spare at home................ Sorry I can't comment on whether techo wheels are the same nor whether the fronts will swap, but I'm sure that someone will have the answer

Sorry mate, I've read your post several times and am struggling to understand what you are trying to achieve. If you are happy with the current gearing why not replace like with like? What will you achieve by just going for smaller sprockets? As for wheel base effect, changing sprocket sizes will not affect the wheelbase. Your engine output shaft position stays constant and the rear wheel spindle is constrained by the swinging arm slots-i.e. NO change So I guess the answer is YES you are overthinking!!

Well that answers that question!!!

Just to confirm what Dabster said, I get approx 3 miles /dollar from a mid size diesel 'euro van' -a Mercedes Vito, so if that was equated to US fuel costs would get you approximately 10 or 11 miles, & based on the Cummins engined Dodge pick-up truck I hired last time I was in Canada, any of the current crop of euro vans would get you to your destination quicker, quieter and in more comfort. I guess the message is -dump your 7 litre gas guzzler and get a 2.2 litre 'euro van'

More to the point, they are illegal for trials competition. There are strict regulations as to the tread pattern that can be used. If I am not mistaken this is shown in the ACU handbook

There is a shear pin arrangement on the end of the selector shaft, designed to break in the event of hitting the gear lever on an immovable object. This could give the symptoms you explain as although the pin may have sheared the friction of the sheared pin in its shaft still gives some drive. (speaking from experience) It is very easy to check. Lie the bike on its side and remove the water pump (you don't need to disconnect it, just tie it back out of the way) remove the clutch cover and check the movement of the selector. I would advise you not to loosen the centering cam (which the 2 legs of the return spring sit on) as it can be a pig to set back up. There are many possible explanations of the problem you outline, but for the sake of 30 minutes to check that the selector is working OK it is worth doing before you start thinking of any serious strip down

John, If you use an impact wrench you will find that just putting it in gear will be sufficient to stop it rotating, the impact action of the wrench will do the rest!

As paul w says it is a woodruff key which is half round so his method is spot on. As for tightening, I pop down to my local garage and get them to tighten the nut with their impact wrench, and after I learned the hard way like yourself, I've never had a problem since Good luck

My contribution 1. When you need a posi driver you can always find 10 flat bit drivers and vice versa 2. The special tool you made and put away somewhere safe for next time- You can never remember where 'somewhere safe' was 3. The hack saw always has a broken blade 4. The only drill bit you have is either just too big or just too small for the job in hand 5. The socket you need is the only one missing from the socket set 6. The power tool you need is always the one you loaned to your mate/ brother/ son and hasn't been returned 7. The tool that you pinched the plug off to mend the wife's hoover is always the one you nee

Lennie, I'm willing to put up a small prize for anyone who can demonstrate how to change a new tubeless tyre using ONLY levers and a footpump!!

Matt What would you have said if he was going to punch a 'one'? My guess is you'd have said nothing! It works both ways-and probably more in favour of the rider than against. Just take it on the chin like 99% of riders do and get on with it knowing that next time any genuine error will probably be in your favour

Matt, Have you ever heard the phrase 'tongue in cheek' as this was the spirit in which my original comment was made. Having said that I would like to add the following 1. I no longer observe after many years of observing week in week out in all sorts of weather, simply because of the 'serious abuse' that happens 2. Do you honestly think that it is in the spirit of club trials to give someone a clean who stops resting on their sump plate on a rock with the engine stopped while a genuine attempt gets penalised?

There are many rules in trials, but only 2 for observers 1. The observers decision is final 2. In the event of a dispute-refer to Rule 1 Seriously I don't know how the rules would apply to the scenario you mention, but personally I would always give a 5 and quote rule 1 above

Hi, I ran the Peugeot equivalent of the Despatch for some years (as a second vehicle) in 2 seat format, and found it fine & reasonably comfortable. However decided to change it to 3 seats and regretted it almost immediately as the bench seat is no where near as comfortable as the single seat due to reduced padding and lack of adjustment Personally I would not recommend it in this format as a first vehicle, purely from the point of view of passenger comfort. But to be fair, I would add that my Peugeot was a 2000 model and the comfort level may have improved since As for the rack, loads of folk use them without problems (irrespective of the questionable legallity) and they have the benefit over a trailer of not being subject to a speed limit and they take no storing. If you are worried about the legallity or the possible effect on your car of using a rack, then you are stuck with the trailer option and the shame of having to unhitch everytime you need to reverse Hope this helps Stevel

Thanks guys, I'm sorry I will not be able to take in a trial, but I will still enjoy visiting your country again Cheers Steve

Hi, I will be touring on Vancouver island for a couple of weeks starting Wed 25th, followed by a few days in BC, and would love to see how trials are run on the other side of the pond. Are there any events on the calender for this period? I could even be persuaded to observe if asked nicely!! Chees Stevel

Couldn't the same arguement apply to each year on year upgrade of Beta, Sherco etc? The only radical changes occur when a totally new model is launched.

There are probably as many techniques for changing tyres as there are contibutors to this forum! I use the same process as Scorpa3 and have found it to be the most successful ( I thought it was an 18" inner tube) The only thing I would add is to generously lubricate both the tyre and tube with tyre soap. I have used liquid household soap in the past but I am told that this can affect the rubber, only judging by how long a tyre lasts I don't see this as a major problem. As I have a compressor, I have never tried fitting a new tyre using a footpump, but I have been successful in re-seating used tyres 'in the field' when they have come off the rim, using just the ineer tube method and a foot pump

An excellent post, couldn't agree more. But it gets better for the outsider when he wants to buy his first bike! Beta are by far the best followed by Montesa, Sherco, Scorpa & Gas Gas or was that Beta are a load of c**p followed by ........ 4stroke is always better than 2 stroke apart from when 2 stroke is best. And you must use between 20/1 and 100/1 oil mix in a 2 stroke. Engine capacity-you need the power of a 300 with the weight of a 125 but it must give instant responce while being totally docile. Tyre choice is easy always buy a Michelin or was that IRC or Dunlop? If you want to change the tyre or mend the leak through the spokes, then there are probably 20 different ways to do it - all right of course. Gearbox oil - you can use the best oil available at

Testing the memory a bit, but is this not the engine where one of the bottom bolts in the side casing doubles as a drain? I may be wrong (and I'm sure someone will point it out if I am) but nothing lost if I am Cheers

It sounds to me as if you have a 'tubed' tyre on the rim. If this is the case it will spin and rip out the valve stem unless you fit a clamp. This involves drilling the rim, making it impractical to ever return to a tubeless set up The other options you have are to fit a tubeless tyre with tube (making sure it is seated properly on the rim or it too will spin) or to revert totally to tubeless. It may be worth trying to find out why it was fitted with a tube in the first place. The usual reason is the dreaded leakage through the spoke holes, but there is plenty of advice elsewhere on this site to help you sort that out