dfwilson

Have you checked for a restriction in the fuel line or petcock? Have you checked the screen in the tank?

I like Mechanix Wear gloves. They are light, fit well, and are inexpensive at $20 or less a pair. The ones shown are available at Sear in the Craftsman tools section. I have tried several different trials specific gloves and like these better. You can throw them in the washing machine along with your riding clothes. They are also available at auto parts stores. Ciao DFW

I don't think he is endorsing them for trials. The picture is of an enduro bike and he sells the Sherco enduro bike. DW

Charlie, I think that they are a great idea for MX and Enduro. For trials I think they would suck especially when you have your feet out on the end of the pegs in a full lock turn. I think it would tend to pitch your foot off the peg. Ciao Doug Wilson Pivot Pegz

Racing on trials bikes. Tisk, Tisk. Those boys would do well in the new American Indoor Enduro Circuit. Cheers Doug Wilson PS Thanks for the link. Great video.

Dr. Nick, (# teeth on front sprocket / # teeth on rear) / (# teeth new front / # teeth on new rear)=change in ratio. X 100 is % change Cheers Doug Wilson

Dr. Nick, With a 42 you will be going 2.381% faster at the same RPM than with a 43. You might want to go to a 44 or 45 tooth if you like to ride in second. Cheers Doug Wilson

Yeah but it's not near as much fun as my method which involves an electric drill, bucket of solvent, Foamy Engine Bright spray, hot water, heat gun, hot chain, and spray wax. Doug Wilson

I let the chain soak in white gas (Coleman lantern fuel(very flamable USE ONLY OUT DOORS)) then use several rounds of Foamy Engine Bright and hot water. I dry the chain with a heat gun to get the water out and spray it with chain wax while it is still hot. Chain always looks brand new. I also clean the chain guides and the sprockets with an old sock. I twist the sock tightly and draw it between the teeth of the rear sprocket. Here is a previous thread. Ciao DFW Chain cleaning thread

t-shock 250, Thanks for the advice. I think you are right. I thought I might trade for the 314r thereby avoiding the hassel of having to sell the MX bike we have now. Thanks again DFW

My 19 year old son wants to learn to ride and I have a chance to get him a 95 Cota 314r. Should I save my money and wait a bit until I can get him a 315r? It looks to me like there was a radical change between the 95 314r and the 96 315r. I don't see much change after 96 just refinements. Are there problems with the inverted forks? Any help in making a decision will be appreciated. Thanks DFW

Big John, Yes that avatar was of a young Benny Hill. I can only wish I were as funny as he. Watching re-runs of the Benny Hill Show is good exercise for trails riding. It strengthens the torso and prepares one for watching me ride [sic] through a section. Ciao DFW

I will say that it is your right to ride at home or by yourself without a helmet. It is not a good idea as I almost found out last Sunday. I was riding around in front of the house, with out my helmet or my handy. The ditches were full and very slick after it rained. I kept riding a little further and a little further. I was around the turn down the road about a half a mile away when one of the front disk bolts came out and stopped the wheel dead. I had been riding pretty fast just half a minute before and would have gone over the bars had it happened then. I couldn't twist the bolt in or out. I finally had to get the bike up on the back wheel and balance it all the way home. My point is that being stupid on your own time just affects you and possibly your family. When you are at a competition what you do can affect others. You should wear your helmet at a competition if for no other reason than it makes a good impression on the kids and lessens the liability of the land owner and event promoter or club. Ciao DFW

Dear Ady, Being from the states and all I was wondering did some one forget an "r" or an "n" in your name? Ciao Doug PS I like highly polished Shercos also. It means their riders spend more time polishing than riding there by affording me a better chance at winning.

You should have polled which wheel breaks the most spokes. It would have been the same answer.

Marky, Unless they have changed the flat skid plate since I got mine, you will have to make the hole in the middle a little oblong, that is if you want to change the gearbox oil without removing the skid plate. I used a carbide bit on an air tool to open the hole up just a little so that a socket wrench would fit on to the plug. The flat plate is great to ride with. You won't wobble if you land your skid plate on a log. Ciao Doug Wilson

You did a beautiful job. Ciao Doug Wilson

I am right handed and find it much easier to make a tight turn to the left. Any of you lefty's find that it is easier to turn to the right?

My son drowned his KX250 in muddy water in the creek next to our neighborhood. Fortunately he didn't try to start it. He just pushed it home. We pulled the head and flushed the crank with soapy water then with clean water then and then with alcohol to get rid of the water. Once we were to that stage we sprayed WD40 into the oil holes above the bearings and gently rocked the crank back and forth. We used a vacuum pump to suck the WD40 from the bottom of the crank. The WD40 foamed nicely and washed out all of the sand. After using about 5 large cans of WD40 the crank case was clean. We fitted a new piston, pin, bearing, and rings and the engine was saved. I would hate to have seen what would have happen if my son had followed the recommendation of all three local bike shops which was to turn the bike upside down, drain the water, and then get it started as soon as possible. I am glad the bike is a 2 stroke. If it had been my 4 stroke Honda I am not sure how I would have tried to fix it. Ciao Doug Wilson

Nylon screws work even better.

I particularly like the massive cooling fins on the overhead cam. Or possibly to save height they have devised an under head cam. Or possibly a beside the head cam like a Briggs and Stratton. What ever it is I am sure it is the height of technology.

I have an 03 and don't have that problem unless I open the throttle slightly when trying to start the bike. It my be your starting technique. Leave the throttle fully closed and don't open it until the end of the kick. If you open it prematurely it will never start. You need also to kick fast. I last had a 4T bike and occasionally I laps into that starting method. How is your idle mixture? When the bike is warm can you roll on the throttle quickly without the engine hesitating? Try adjusting the Idle jet and the idle. Good Luck you have picked a great bike. Doug Wilson

They are a little tight to work on but not too bad. A couple of screw drivers and an allen key or two are all you need. You do have to remove the tank to check the spark plug. They seem as tough as nails. Mine is an 03 and I like it enough that I plan on buying another. Being a Yank I am not in favor of buying things from France. To make up for it I drink California and Texas wine. Besides the factory is within spitting distance of Italy. A friend of mine just bought an SY175F and it is great to ride. Ciao Doug Wilson

Boo, When I first got the bike it had Mobil 1 motor oil (not sure of the weight although it was thick) and you had to idle for about ten minutes before you could put it in gear with out a big surprise. When I changed to Mobil 1 syn tran oil I noticed a lot less drag in the higher gears and I can put it in gear right away without much clutch drag. When I put in 600ml of syn tran oil I started noticing the drag again in the high gears but the clutch was still OK. Several other SY-250 riders I know use 500 ml. Ciao Doug Wilson

Page 3 of the PDF Owners Manual says to run more pressure in the rear tyre than in the front. Believe not, everything you read in the manual.