g4321

There are some US websites where TLR200 microfiche can be seen online, this is useful for chassis parts since much of chassis is identical to 250. The one I can find tonight is http://www.powersportspro.com/partsfish (this covers the TLR200 Reflex) I have a microfiche for both the TLR200 and 250 and have a 'primitive' reader so if you can tell me the parts you are interested in I can look um the numbers for you. Then you can use some of the other websites (including the above) http://www.ronayers.com http://www.cmsnl.com/ http://www.ronnies.com http://www.davidsilverspares.co.uk/ If anyone else knows of an online spares list for the TLR250 (or a pdf) I would be very interested since my Fiche viewer is very poor (although useable). Gordon

Use a pushbike pump to add air to the forks (bicycle pump for those heathens South of the border) - minimises risk of blowing seals. Then use a gauge to lower the pressure to the required setting. There are proper pumps made just for suspension - S&W used to make one.

Have a look at the following link - one of a number of sites with the full MOT regs for bikes. lot opf things depend on age of bike. Worth reading. http://www.ukmot.com/bike/menu.asp

John Have a look at http://www.trialscentral.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=4722 Gordon

Sorry to sound a little vague but I have used a straight length of cable which essentially makes a 180 degree bend under the tank towards the front of the bike. I have used the original outer cable mount on the rocker cover/cylinder head cover (but on one of my bikes I had to make up a mount). The cable has been routed towards the back of the tank and then turned towards the front of the tank on the opposite side of the engine. I have also fitted a small coil spring between the decompressor lever on the head and the cable adjuster/cable mount, this may not be necessary but ensures the valve closes properly given the poor cable routing & resultant risk of there being a tight cable. Its not the most elegant/efficiant solution but it works. I have used this setup for around 5 years on one bike and 1 year on another bike with no problems. Let me know itf you want a photo! Gordon

Well thats a suprise the bike didn't get any bids - if it had been complete ie with wheels and tank it might have been a better proposition!

Not too bad quality at all Mr B considering what you took it on. It certainly shows what you took it for! Yes you are right that is one steep hill. I havent tried it with the sound on yet since the difference in note between that and my old Honda will make me jealous!

Surely if you are changing your bike every 20months (average from figures above)you will not have got to the stage where things start to break. If you had the same Gas Gas for 12 years or even 7 years with no major problems then it might qualify. For durability its got to be the Yamaha or even Honda engines since the japs no longer build unreliable motors. How many 10 year old' gas gas, beta or sherco bikes are still competing - compare that to how many jap engined bikes are still competing. Its all personal choice, we all know riders who love brand X but hate brand Y with a vengance - each to there own!!

The second picture is the 1st trials bike I owned - great bike, lots of fun had on that one & it never let me down (I also made around 300% profit when I sold it after 2 years!) - perhaps it aint as good as a Fantic - perhaps that is a matter of opinion, and thats what everyone is entitled to but with the correct rider on board I am sure it could still embarass many riders of modern bikes. The world would be a sad place if we all liked the same thing.

Have a read of what the seller/author says about the Ebook format - apparently you cant print out the pages...... To some of the book owners out there, how much is contained in the book about the RTL and TLR era bikes?

Thanks for that might be tempted at that price

Sounds to me as if the kickstart is worn. Is there a lot of play in the pivot bolt of the kickstart, replacing this (normal M8 allen headed bolt with locknut will do but try to get non threaded portion as long as possible) and 'shimming' the bolt hole as tight as possible will help a bit. Otherwise a visit to the local breakers for an alternative kickstart to fit - there are lots of old 125 hondas out there.. As for being a pig to start is this technique (assuming you are used to a t** stroke -no criticisim meant) or just a poor starting bike. Feel the bike just over TDC after compression stroke and then give bike a good kick - then it should fire relatively easily. A manual valve lifter makes feeling the bike over TDC easier but an automatic decompressor makes kicking the bike easier. Gordon

NO! Have a look at the little picture under my name - I bought that because it was different, same with the TLR & both would sell very very easilty at a vast profit (If I ever wanted to!). Yes I do have some quirky bikes as well - sadly the 3 of them are 2 strokes but there are very few 4 stroke cyclemotors & 2 strokes make a better SMALL engine - eg strimmers, cyclemotors or mopeds. Race bikes excepted from my sweeping generalisation!!!) Still 10 out of 10 for effort for the guy who designed it - the world would be a sad place if we all liked the same thing - be it gas gas trials bikes or ford cars - both of which I would be VERY unlikely to own! You never know it may be miles ahead of the 4RT and Sherco - I doubt it but who knows!

I quite like it! - Its different The CV carb on the bike is designed ro run at a high angle so that shouldnt be a problem.

You must have been unlucky, I had the same bike and never had any reliability problems (18,000 miles when I sold it if my memory goes that far back). I would not have described it as a commuter bike - even now where anything smaller than a 650 is seen as a commuter bike. Lovely to drive reving up to 12 or 13k through the gears ALL THE TIME (with another 2k in hand) - great to see the surprise on some of the slower 250 riders faces as you passed them - Honda Superdreams were a favourite bike (not mine I hasten to add) but the little 125 twin was a fater and better bike all round.

Personally I would be making up a short cable to go to a lever on the handlebars and working the valve lifter manually. This allows you to get a better kick at the bike after feeling the bike over compression. I find bike much easier to start this way than with an automatic valve lifter fitted. I got into this habit from riding an XR500 which was a pig to start with a stupid automatic valve lifter but a 1st kick started when I converted it to manual. Hence It was the first mod I did to my TLR when I bought it although the TLR is relatively easy to kickstart without a decompressor. For a source of a decompressor lever - try an autojumble for a lever off an old British single or alternatively and much less expensive get a cheap bicycle brake lever (plastic ones off kids mountain bikes are virtually unbraeakable and can easily be shortened to suit). Make up a bracket on the cylinder head to hold the outer cable if it is missing. The other advantages of a manual valve lifter are its much easier to 'bump start' the bike - eg when sitting on a slope and you can remove the kill switch.

Thanks for the info, I will keep the originals as a spare then. Robin at Falcon always strikes me as a perfectionist as well as a businesman, he will replace any part which is at any way worn on a shock and anything you receive from him after being sent for repair is as good as new.

Its not just in plastics that MX is less expensive - compare the cost of a rear tyre - anything from

Let us know when you have an update - both price and whether it is possible! I have a set of original Honda shocks which I could re-fit rather than getting my Falcons rebuilt again.

Check if there is any damage on the fork leg. Do you spray the bike with WD40 or similar and if so does this get on to the fork leg - this can cause problems - or so I've been told! Fit a set of old fashioned fork gaitors or thoes neoprene protectors along with new seals and dust seals. Gaitors don't look cool but who cares it they save you changing seals every few months.

A few of the Jap bikes I have had have had a little oil lying in the airbox - by little I mean just a smear of oil. this I have always put down to the breather going straight into the airbox & any oil that comes out of the breather is going to end up lying in the airbox - unless the motor sucks it in with the air via the carburettor. This is done I suppose to minimise polution? Unless there is a lot of oil I would not be too worried. Personally I would let the breater vent to atmosphere rather that re-circulate through the airbox. Then again too many wheelies or too much time upside down can do the same thing!

Question is ISHY would you swap your Sherco for that Honda RTL?

There seems to be a misconcepthion that the early Husqvarna fourstrokes used the belt drive Rotax engine & Rotax had a similar oiling system to the Sherco. The early Husky engine was based on a 2stroke bottom end and was not the same motor that Rotax have been selling for the last 20 years. this started off as air colled and then went to watercooled after a 1 or 2 of seasons. see picture below for Husky engine. They were only problematic IF they were not maintained properly. As for 2 strokes running colder - in theory this is the case in that a fresh charge of cold fuel circulates (is compressed) in the crankcase before secondary compression in the cylinder - hence the bottom end of the engine is cooler than the equivalent 4 stroke where the crankcase is partially full of warm oil.

WHO? It would save a bit of searching for others if you could let them know, why keep others in the dark? TS is supposed to be a medium for disseminating information!