putrid_fruit

Hi Gent's, Sorry to hijack but I think it's relevant... What does the Akraprovic pipe do? I see it on the web site, is it just weight? Thanks, Chris.

Hi Tim, Happy to help, first thing though is that I haven't changed the slide, as ones for the right hand "choke" are too hard for me to find. so that's stock. Other things relating to the carb are the bowl extension, float level as per the diagrams in this forum, the pilot is the 27.5 and the main is one leaner than stock (130?). The fuel I run is 98 RON pump fuel. at 75-80:1 oil. The timing makes a big difference, with your fuel you should be able to run a fair bit of advance. In this image: http://www.betatrialuk.com/content/view/70/51/ I decreased that measurement by about 3 mm (from whatever it was on a stock 07) I'd guess the measurement on that diagram would be about 4mm on mine now (but i'm not checking for you). A nice clean, correctly gapped plug (.5-.6 mm) ensures you can run max advance without the knock, and is something that I see often overlooked, so worth checking. Also I have boyesen reed valves, I'm not sure (forget) how much effect these had. Good luck, Chris.

Hi, Just for reference I have an 07 270 with the stock carb fairly well sorted (float and jets) (think I want a 2.5 slide but these seem hard to get), also the timing is advanced up a fair bit, no other work. I rode an 08 270 early in the year, which was one of the top guys bikes but stock, and the '08 it was a bit better, but no tmassively in the way that has been suggested here. I would recommend sorting the carb and timing before dismissing the mikuni outright. Also for a harder bottom end I have the thin base gasket but haven't installed it yet. // 's all thanks! Cheers, Chris.

fkrisztian, what are you doing smashing (i.e.literally breaking) those steps up, no helmet and no boots? Poor example for the kiddies, I say. Anyway about your technique - far too fast approach. Find something a bit smaller and try for a standing start, you will get more verticle lift. Your body is not 100% effort, your butt isn't reaching the plastic, so there is more to be gained there, basically your body input is good for that obstacle, though. You are far too gentle on the clutch, there is heaps of grip where you are in the vid, so really pop that clutch out, you should spin the wheels a bit, dont worry the tyres will find grip! Post another vid when you have mastered these things. (including the boots and hat). Cheers, Chris.

nitropaul Welcome! With all respect to axulsuv - I really must disagree. Trials is an excellent way to learn to ride, as it focuses on technique rather than just balls to hide your mistakes. The bikes are difficult to stall, generally don't want you to push past breakneck speed, wich you won' t bust yourself up much when you have that first stack. Good work on contacting a few clubs, sounds like you are on your way already. As for what bike, I guess the options you have are a late 90's or an older twin shock machine (for that money). Depending on your level of mechanical skill I would simply go for the best running bike that you can source, as if you have one riddled with issues I think you will become dis-illusioned with the sport. (we all do after a bad day anyway!! -it's that kind of sport ) For this reason I would also suggest contacting some dealers, who may have old trade-ins and offer you some support to give you a hassle free intro to the sport. Anyway - welcome and Goodluck!

I hope your shock still works.... First thing is to get it serviced IMMDIATELY These shocks (like all modern shocks) don't hold much oil and when the damping is gone the destroy themselves. The good news is that because of the excellent engineering approach the beta factory have, it's fully rebuildable, unlike some others...... See since there is no linkages, the shock has a more demanding job to do, so the technology and work delivered by these shocks is quite impressive, and because of the shear volume of work they do, they wear. Like any high work component (clutch fluid, brake pads, ect) they need maintenance. Anyway contact your dealer, there is a rebuild kit for these shocks and send it to a (paoli) suspension center that understands trials. Servicing the shock really is annual maintenance, as it's hell cheaper than buying a replacement. Cheers, Chris.

Hi Tom, 'ave a look at this one... http://www.betamotor.com/en/bikes/download_explodedview/12 Cheers, Chris.

Hi, Rear shock would be minimum damping and minimum pre-load just for hopping the back about (usually there is a compromise with normal ride). Front should also be fast and soft to allow the forks to compress and move lower, as triple clamps are your pivot point and the lower they are the easier it is to hop the back. Handlebar position also make a big difference and the furthur forward they are the easier (so long as you actually get your weight forward off the back end. More important than rear suspension is body english. If you want to hop the back about, get physical with your legs, jump, for all you are worth, then get your weight forward (with the front wheel locked). start by using a bit of speed, and pulling the front on, with a good strong hop, then go slower and slower until you can launch into and endo from a standing start. It wont happen overnight... but it will happen, so long as you have a decent crack! Cheers, Chris.

Hi there, I was running a bp7 es and it was OK. But seeing as it's winter here and I live in a fairly cool place, I went with the BP5 and it was good. as for the BPR vs BP argument I don't know, the logic is that the resistor maintains a spark for longer giving higher probablitity of ignition. It might help if your bike is miss firing, but that isn't something that I have experienced. However, more important than the number (heat range) of the plug is gap. I just chucked in a plug with 'roughly' the right gap and all was good, however when I bothered to get some feeler gauges and properly gap it to .55mm, I was able to run more advance and still rev out better and higher than before. Prettly good gain for only a few bux. Anyway this is what I found on my bike, also I run 98RON fuel which is fair game here but is not the recommended 95 ron from factory and I'm not sure about your local regs. Cheers, Chris

+1 for The Addict on this one. Your left foot should be on the balls of your feet, all the time and the brake foot should move about a bit. being in the balls of your feet gives you a bit more flexibility in how the bike can move about under you and also helps when you need a little bit of lift for a hop or jump or whatever. Instead of needing your knees to do ALL the work you have your ankles to help as well. Consider the natural jumping motion of a person... No one jumps off their heels!. Have a chat to one of the top level riders and ask to see their boots. You will see that the left is worn towards the front, where the right will have a more spread wear region, due to the shifting of the foot in order to reach the brakes as required. Consider the design of trials boots... Lot more flexible to allow this ankle flex for control and hops, also there is no heel stop. The lack of the heel stop avoids the practice of putting the heel hard against the peg, because this is the wrong place for it! Also I question your motives for not wanting to change, all forms of motorcycling will benefit from having the front section of your foot on the pegs since this is where your pressure and balance sense comes from. Anyway, Welcome to Trials! May it bring you as much joy as it has bought us here at TC, Cheers, Chris.

It's mostly because you are not used to it. However.... Your 'bars are a long way forward, but your stance in not right. especially during wheelies. Trials is about balance, During a wheely you need to get your weight back (almost straight arms). you are pulling the bike up and relying on power acceleration to keep the front up, this give poor control, and you showed quite a lot of dabs doing this in you clip. With the Handlebars so far forward, it makes nose wheelies easy, so you tend to do a lot of 'em, however you technique is poor and again your weight is too far forward, which certainly could be stressing you wrist, and is likely a contributing factor to your RSI. Anyway I only offer a few tips as I see things, and I hope I might help in some small way. Above all else my advice would be: JOIN A CLUB AND TALK TO YOUR LOCAL TOP LEVEL RIDERS. They will be good guys, regardless of where you are. Cheers, Chris.

Yeah, the seal that causes problems is the one around the water pump, and usually the corrosion in behind the water impeller. so it's worth having a gander there, anyway. To see behind the impeller i'm pretty sure you need to remove the case. no big job, you can even leave the oil in, just lay the bike on it's side. You will have to pop the bash plate off at one end, unless you have never touched the bash plate on an obstacle... Good luck!

Hi Beta125 , Another vote for the gaerne balance. I have the natural oiled leather. These need a little more care than the sealed leather but they are amazingly supple for such thick leather, while giving good support and protection, also the gaerne soles are legendary for durability. Quite pricey and the sizes seem larger than you might expect so I would encourage anyone to try them on before purchase. As for other brands, what I have seen is that the hebo are extremely comfortable and give good feel and protection. The alpine stars are similar but seem to have a shorter lifespan (trial edition). Best of luck, and truly no matter what boots you get, having proper trial boots (with the good feel, maneuverability with no heel, flexibility by design, and protection) is always worth it. Cheers, Chris.

Yup, probably the case gone, whip off the cover and have a look. If the case is in bad condition then replace it, otherwise go the seal. Be sure to get an identical seal, I tried a generic size that was slightly thicker and didn't work. The genuine ones are relatively cheap and better. About repair with araldite - you should pursue a high temp adhesive I do not recommend it the 5 minuute Araldite as it softens above 65 C (check the website) and the ultra strength araldite softens above 100C, which is still a bit close for comfort in my mind. Also compatibility with a ethelyne glycol (coolant) is an issue for a lot of adhesives. Good news is that Beta have mass produced the side case in recognition of the corrosion issue, so replacement price is not too bad. Anyway, 'av a good go at fixing your milky oil issue because it affects performance, consistency and lifespan of your clutch, and gears. Cheers, Chris.

Go the 06. The revised fork rake and foot peg position are better. The engines are the same (as always some mapping difference - not much). You will lose money on either one. Forget the resale, just ride! Cheers, Chris

Hi Dasher. I used to believe that dish washing liquid was perfectly acceptable, in warm soapy water, as it is made to remove oils/fats and the like.... However I was recently giving the ol' air filter a wash and thought that I might like to get the stained portion a bit cleaner too, so I mixed some laundry detergent ( a liquid variety) with warm water, and it got a whole lot more dirt out than just the dishwashing liquid. For the record I use silkolene/fuchs/bellray ( not exactly sure which at the moment) aerosol spray for air filter oil. I clean my filter every 4-6 hours riding. I advise against petrol as a cleaner and the like since it might damage the glue in the filter ( and leave holes!). I have also had it suggested to me that it is good to use a smear of grease around the sealing surfaces on the filter as it helps to ensure that all the air is passign through the filter. I do this too. Cheers, Chris.

Hi, This is a good diagram, obviously left side air screw and lever type choke.. but still good... http://www.sudco.com/Diagrams323728/expvm.gif Also a lot of info here... http://www.sudco.com/onlinecat33.html ........Scroll down to "Mikuni" Cheers, Chris.

Hi Alan. There is a rubber bush at the bottom of the spring leg that can perish. When this happens the spring is allowed to reach further down and essentially reduces the pre-load on the spring. If this happens a symptom is very harsh "topping out" i.e. when the front wheel comes off the ground the stop in travel is a metal on metal action. I recommend dis-assembling the forks and having a look. It's not a big job and these forks are easy to work on A meduim use trials bike can use an oil change every 6 months, as the oil loses viscosity, and while this gives less damping, it can also feel like a softer action, especially on big hits which now bottom out. Do you tie your front forks down hard for transport? I believe this can cause a loss in spring length. I had this with a 93 Zero. Finally you can add pre-load by just chucking a spacer in the spring side, this gives more pre-load than you can get with the factory system, but if you genuinely need a stiffer spring, then a whole new spring is preferable. Best in troubleshooting, Chris.

Hi Lacho. I would run a mix of 50:1 Mineral for a couple of tanks. I had my first brand new bike recently, and did this, even though I was assured by the dealer that each new bike is dyno'd before shipping I still treated it like a new engine (Like yours ). I ran about 10L (3 tanks) of 50:1 Motul Mineral oil (I think it might have been castor based?) though before I used my usual 75/80:1 Synthetic mix. I am happy with mine, runs well with good power and compression. Hope all goes well for you, whatever you do Cheers, Chris.

Hi, I', almost certain your stalling is because of fuel overflow from the carb bowl into the crank. Lowering the float height or the drilling mod address this. I suggest starting with the float height. Have a read through the carb sticky in this beta forum. It really isn't hard and if you are gentle with settign the float height, not much can go wrong. Cheers!

I have those jets, and boyesens and have the standard needle as low as it will go (leanest setting). Altering the needle position really is better suited to 3/4 WOT jetting. Mine is still a bit "fluffier" than I would like.... I believe that the correct adjustment would be to change from the stock 2.0 Slide to at leaner (maybe 2.5). BUT - since our carbies are OEM and unusual in size and right side screw, I have not been able to source A supplier for a slide to suite. No one in Aus is helpful, anyway. I emailed lampkins, but they told me to try the UK mikuni rep... I didn't bother, since I expect a similar response to Aus reps . Anyway Lampkins told "The tel number for the importer for Mikuni parts is 01949 836733" If anyone can source these slides, lemme know ! Cheers, Chris.

Hi All. I ride an 07 270. First I did the float height mod, and this made a difference to how the bike ran, a little leaner (maybe in my head but...), however this did fix any overflow. Second I ordered a 27.5 pilot and a 145 main jet, put them both in and thought that I had lost a little power at the top end of the rev range, so I put the 150 back in. The running effect of this was that it a bit was crisper off the bottom end. Also prior to this I had some spark plug fouling issues as well, though I think there is about a 75% chance this was a bad fuel batch. In search of a better throttle response, next I advanced the timing by about 2 mm at the adjusting screws, and the response was much, much improved. Thinking WOW! "I want more of this..." I went another 2 mm. I feel obliged to mention at this point that I run 98RON fuel. The result of this second advance of the timing was a MASSIVE increase in torque off the bottom end, and generally more power across the range. I left the timing there. About this point I thought that I noticed some fuel starving when the bike was "wedged" with the front wheel quite high, so I installed the float bowl extension, I am confident this has cured that problem. Next I installed the boyesen dual stage reeds, In hope of more throttle response however that was not to be. But the engine did rev out stronger, and I thought that the plug was sufficiently dark to warrant re-installing the 145 main jet. After installing the 145 main jet, the bike has improved in the upper mid to very high rev range. quicker, and revs out much better when you really want it (big revs ). So in conclusion, and for those desiring more power, I would suggest that the most value is in advancing the timing, second in finding the best possible jetting. third for me (but mine was not stalling when facing down hill) - best float height. Fourth the Boyesen reeds. And fifth the float bowl extension. Who can tell me what the gains are like with the high compression head? please..... Oh and has anyone secured a suitable 2.5 throttle slide (stock is a 2.0)? Cheers!

Wow. 5 psi is a lot - you can definately go as low as 3.5 psi. Generally 5 is a rocky day with hard hits.... If you don't have your tyre pressure low enough in muddy conditions the tyre doesn't flex enough, and it is this flexing as the rubber passes in contact with ground that contributes to the self cleaning action of the tyre, and giving better grip. Tubeless tyres bead quite strongly, so the only real concern is denting the rim if it's too flat. So basically - if you aren't denting rims, then your tyre pressure isn't too low.... . Cheers!

Ahh Neo. I see that you jest! I see this for a number of reasons. That number is ten. I see ten of your points are in jest . Read on good reader... So.. this 5 year old bike bought unseen was ridable but you replaced the gear lever anyway? how bad could it have been. These will bend back (unlike the rear brake levers) The grips were worn! Damn! The bridges are bendy eonugh to be bashed flat... sure they sometimes show, but again its 5 years old. Factory recommended interval is 40 hours for check. Are you suggesting this is not adequate? or that you bought a mis treated bike and that is BETA's fault? You had to replace the sprocket on a 5 year old bike? Deary, Deary me... The chain on your used bike was dirty? Oh Noes! The bike was bought unseen and you laugh about high maintenance items need replacing? This strikes me as unusual.

The beta manual says for less than 70kg, no fork preload, 75-80Kg, 5 turns on the forks and 80+ Kg, 10 turns. Then ( this bit is not in the manual) set the back to match. they should move similar amounts when you push on the lowest point of the seat. As for the damping- the oil in the forks is 5w. you have to change it to change the compression damping, but Don't. I believe that the damping adjustment on the forks mostly affects the rebound. the manual says the shock adjusts the compression (but the english is poor, so...). The best riders have very little damping (springy) they are able to control the bike without the assistance of heavy damping. Lesser mortals need the suspension set to keep uncontrolled skip to a minimum. Set your bike up so that the suspension damping feels a little quick to you, but just controlled enough. P.S. My '07 feels quite heavily damped from the factory. Cheers.