mrskywalker

Well the 125 has been working good, no issues and riding several times a week, but have another friend getting into trials who is gonna buy it and I came across what looks like an early Montesa 4rt for $2500 as a replacement. If it is the older 250 is it worth going for or should I just get a 21 beta 300 factory edition for $4400(250 hours but well kept)? Both are about 5-7hrs away and I like the idea of the newer beta but its alot more investment but both seem like good deals.

Maybe the case but the 6yrs sitting would allow either issue to empty it(Ive seen both happen on other bikes). I'll just keep an eye on it and rebuild it if it has trouble holding pressure or constantly leaks down.

The bike was sitting for 6yrs in TX so it was actually dried out. I flushed the system, inspected seals and refilled, its DOT fluid as its 03. Its been a few weeks since that issue was addressed and hasnt lost any fluid since.

Well Ive been working on the bike getting it going. Gone thru it all and its been running great, did my first ride yesterday for about 20min before it ran out of gas(only mixed a little for testing). That said I knew it would need some revs to get up and over stuff but its pretty crazy. I think I need to make a few clutch adjustments or need to bleed it a little better(had a dry master when I got it). Anyway heres a little before and after(not the greatest after pic but it looks 10x better than when it showed up needing a lot love). Only have about $1800 into it so far and dont see it needing anything major for the time being.

Well this bike does have the exhaust tire rub issue but that seems really easy to modify. It seems there is quite a bit of debate about the trans but from what I see its more from the 4-5 gear transfer and being very deliberate with shifts but not forcing it. I dont think Ill ever use anything above 4th as my yard is quite small(1/8 acre) so its just a matter of making it a habbit of being intentional with shifts and leaving it. Like I said the transmission design is quite interesting but can see where it can be problematic with the multiple gears being engaged at certain times vs the typical 2 at a time in most dog boxes.

Good to know about the bearings. Thats interesting about the gears, I didnt realize that in my research about the transmission. Im an engineer so odd ideas interest me, too bad it was a poor implementation.

Yea, Im a cheap guy if you havent noticed yet lol so if its even remotely possible to rebuild a shock thats what I'll do unless it goes bad then Ill get a new one. Ill do you one better, here is a prolog video I did before tko at our local trails and you can see a few sections we ride. Its been unusually dry this year so not really any muddy spots but if it rains 1/2 inch typically takes a week to dry enough to ride without destroying the trails. You can go thru my channel and look for the Bluffs in the title to find a few other videos but dont have much of there. I do travel alot to race in LA and a sandy trail system in MS Yo

I meant the shock, the forks are super simple compared to enduro forks. Ive done alot of forks like these on pitbikes and bikes like my dr200 and even done custom valving with race tech emulators.

Yep, I always order from vxb bearings. I was talking more about the suspension linkage and swingarm for greasing, if they dont need outright replacement. May do fork seals and oil too. The biggest thing will be if the shock needs to be rebuilt as these arent as easily rebuildable as typical enduro bike stuff(I have found some videos on how to though on these)

Ive seen they make a 225 kit for this bike so maybe I can upgrade later if this bike proves reliable but when it comes to finding traction for hard enduro, its often with revs up on rocky and rooty climbs so I think the 125 would be good for that. Also my beta 300 is very low powered compared to most as it has no hit and I actually tuned it for a more linear pull with less snap of the bottom as I like that type of power more for where we ride. It feels more like torquey 200 with no powerband than the 300 ktm/huskies I have ridden.

Ive got a set of pitbike boots that are like trials boots on flexibility and support as well a boots I use on my streetbike that are similar, just a bit stiffer sole for crash protection. I'll be going thru the bike the next few weeks and getting familiar with it(I do this with any used bike) and make sure bearings are greased, clutch fluid, brake fluid, oil, air filter, new grips, carb cleaned, fresh gas, etc. Actually just had the bike delivered a few minutes ago but probably a few weeks from even trying to ride it. Im already better than most at our hill climbs as I do alot more clutch work than most of them so this is really just pushing my skills even further. If only I had one other person to practice with then maybe I could justify a more expensive tool as this is just something to practice when I have time, not a primary focus. Im sure once I get older and enduro bikes are too much I'll make the switch but thats probably 2-3 decades away(Im 33 right now)

Yea Ive always been a rider that does more with less so 125/200 bikes have always been what I knew I wanted. An example is I have ridden the same trails everyone was on enduro race bikes and I did it all on my dr200 and kept up with all except the fastest 2-3 guys. There was once on an optional hill called cry baby that one guy used the excuse that he needed 200 more ccs(was on wr250f) to do it after I had just done the same hill on my dr200 with 60/40 dual sport tires lol. Ill keep that in mind about the shifting and starting. The one short ride I did on a trials bike I dont see myself being hard on it with starting and shifting as its more of set and forget until you finish the obstacle. With the shifter being farther away its not like like when racing and ripping thru gears and its just casual practice, not starting for dead engine start hare scramble.

Yea pretty much anywhere other than US, especially where I am in the muddy south, trials bikes are abundant and far cheaper.

Yea I could see where hard enduro riders might use trials bike as trainer but find trials competition boring as its not like and enduro where is head to head, I might fall into that category. I just think a 300 would be way too much for me, I can hardly manage to ride full size enduro properly bc of size so thats why Im on the xtrainer and used the surron light bee as they are manageable in hard enduro for someone my size, but thats also why I think the 300s are just too much bike for me, the 125-200 enduro bikes were the only ones I got along with before the xtrainer but the xtrainer is very mellow for a 300 and if there was a 200 xtrainer thats what id own. As for getting one from a dealer Ive looked on cycle trader for dealers and there just wasnt anything really in my price range, only one that was close in price was a 2020 beta 125 for $3250 but literally no info or pics and other side of the country so shipping would probably be $6-700.

Yea, Im not new to technical riding, its just new to focusing on trials specifically. I love the idea of nicer bike but its just not in the budget, the $4500 bikes were already a huge stretch given I dont know how much I will actually use it. I find it hard to believe even an older bike that has been gone thru(I plan to refresh bearing, fluids, and fix any mechanical stuff, etc) wont be beneficial to learning balance and clutch control, especially since I will get way more ride time as I only get to ride the beta 2-3hrs a week on Saturdays where this I can ride in afternoons after work. Thats the plan at least. It really seems like the Montesa is the bike I should look for as next bike if that comes around. Again the only reasons for the looking at the beta 4t was availability and reviews said they were quiet, but I do love my honda fuel injected bike(honda grom with 38k miles on it) so know how nice efi can be for a just plain reliable bike.