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Thanks All interesting info I am not a qualified engineer, and I have never been a motorcycle fork manufacturer, so- I DON'T KNOW what an acceptable variation in size is for fork stanchions. Out of curiosity I have measured the 9 pairs of forks I have. (Kawasaki, Yamaha, Suzuki,Ossa,can am) all are 1970s & 1980s Only 1 pair are within 0.02 of each other , the rest are 0.05 - 0.15mm different to each other. Most are undersize, but a couple are 0.05 oversized. ( Measured in multiple places with a micrometer, not one place with a Lidl Vernier) I don't know what the correct tolerance is for fork stanchions, but all the forks I own don't appear to be made to micron tolerance. Perhaps with modern manufacturing, the tolerances are better now on a new bike ?

Hello Suzuki 250 You commented that the Suzuki stantions are a smaller diameter than 35mm , could you tell me what that diameter is please ? As I mentioned, I have one measuring 34.8mm , and the other 34.95mm, is one the correct size , or are both wrong ? Thanks

Thanks, So should the Suzuki stanchions be 34.8mm or 34.95 ? I have one at 34.8, the other 34.95 For comparison, I measured the 4 Ossa fork stanchions I have , and they measure - 34.95, 35.00, 35.00,35.05 So the Ossa ones are within 0.05mm of of the nominal size of 35mm But the Suzuki vary by 0.15mm, I would have expected them to be closer ( All measurements taken with micrometer in several places, not one place) The 2 different sizes make me think one stanchion has been replaced ?

Thanks, I was thinking that today- nothing to lose in stripping 1 fork leg down on each set and doing some measuring. Measured the O.D. of the Suzuki stantions today - 1 is 34.95mm , the other 34.8mm ( same readings in multiple places, not just measured in one place) So maybe the forks have already had some work ?, which is not surprising for its age

Hello, Has anybody replaced the leading axle forks on a Beamish/RL with straight forks ? The reason I ask is because the stantions on mine need re-chroming , £200 ish seems to be the going rate , but I have a spare pair of better Ossa MAR & Yamaha trials forks , and several wheels. so would probably only need to buy some suitable yokes that go with the forks that I am thinking of using, to get somewhere near the right geometry. I think I have seen this change from straight to leading axle on some other bikes ( and vice versa) but can't remember seeing a Beamish that has been changed. I have access to a lathe & mill, so some small mods won't be a problem Thanks

From memory, ( could be wrong) Correct diameter of clutch rod is important to prevent oil leaks (where it comes out of sprocket?) It's a while since I looked at mine, but seem to remember this happening , and the problem was a slightly smaller rod than original had been fitted previously

Interesting, can't wait to see this finished. If I remember correctly, the brake shaft is just beneath the swingarm end , with not much space , so will be great to see how this fits & operates

Cracking is not usually the problem as there are flexible Additives for 2K paint (and plastic primers) The problem with painting a plastic tank is usually that petrol fumes bleed through the plastic and cause the paint to bubble and lift off. ( Can do the same to stickers) However , I have seen a couple of plastic tanks painted where the paint has stayed okay, I don't know if this is just luck or if the type of plastic or it's thickness make a difference ?

Please show us how you get on with replacing the rear brake cable with a rod. I hope to do something similar with my own MAR, but haven't come up with ( or seen elsewhere) a simple & neat way of doing it. ( I have left hand gear lever , right hand brake on mine, which I want to retain. Right hand gear lever, left hand brake would probably be easier to modify)

Electronic ignition is a good investment, if you intend keeping the bike. The original points setup can work just as well when correctly set ,but requires maintenance. Carb needs to be in good condition & correctly set, but if it has an Amal carb these can wear rapidly and replacement with a new Amal ( or preferably something from a better carb manufacturer) is the only fix. Other things like worn crankshaft seals / air leaks etc. can also lead to hard starting Unfortunately, fixing hard starting can be trial & error , and the time and money spent can add up. If it always starts eventually, then perhaps try the cheap & easy fixes first , or just live with it.

I have a 250 MAR, but have never removed the engine ( yet ) From looking at it, I would say no special tools required, just metric socket set, metric spanners , screwdrivers , pliers and of course a hammer. Disconnect - clutch & throttle cables, ignition wiring, remove - carb & exhaust, bash plate under engine, chain. to remove things like exhaust , you may find that - tank,seat, side panels etc. need to be removed , but these are simple and will make access to engine better anyway. ( take some photos is a good idea if the engine ends up being out for a while and you forget how things went) I seem to remember seeing it mentioned somewhere that one of the Ossa models needs the cylinder head removed , to allow engine removal ? ( I may have got that completely wrong, but again the cyl. head is easy enough to remove if needed) It should all be logical & simple, leave the engine mount bolts till last, and if you are clumsy then wear some steel toe cap boots to save injury when you drop the engine. Good luck, and just ask more questions if you get stuck, someone will answer I am sure

Exactly, well put Plus, I am not sure how it works, but I presume live streaming requires a fast and stable internet connection , something that cant be guaranteed in this country.

I am sure they are great sometimes. But every time I come across one, it is when one falls apart or comes out on a bolt from something that has been previously repaired by someone else. I find if they haven't been loctited then they just come out with the bolt every time you undo them I find helicoils fragile to be honest , and much prefer thread inserts that are a solid one piece of metal This is not misinformation, it is real life experience over decades But , I am glad they work for some people

Yes, you are right. I have had various Yamaha's over the years. Bolt pattern for the reed cage & rubber inlet is often the same pattern , allowing sometimes bigger / longer rubber inlets to be fitted from a different & sometimes more popular model. I could be wrong , but seem to remember having a TY175 or 250 , which had a DT175/250/360/400 ? rubber inlet that bolted straight on and allowed a bigger carb to be fitted You also have some of the YZ and RD ranges from various years that may have identical parts , or interchangeable but larger parts

Possibly other Yamaha reed blocks / rubber inlet manifolds from the DT, RD ranges could have been fitted as a perceived upgrade, or just because of availability ?

I am glad to see that you have found some aerosol products that actually do what they claim, as in my own experience any aerosol heat resistant paint has never been very petrol resistant , or even water resistant. I shall give these products a try on my next exhaust refurb. I have previously only found - Powder Coating, ceramic coating & 2 pack paint to be the only products petrol resistant { and some of these are not very heat resistant } thanks for the info

I once purchased a non-running 2 stroke bike at a cheap price. The only fault was the piston had been fitted the wrong way round. ( That was the only lucky purchase I have had, most non-runnners I have got involved in have been much worse than expected )

Okay, so how would an electric bike do in the International Six Day Enduro ? ( I suppose you could ask for a rule change - permission for much longer stops for the hours needed for recharging compared to minutes to refuel, that sort of thing or perhaps change batteries , but decent batteries cost £thousands compared to a petrol can + some fuel at say £20 ) As I mentioned , the very expensive, cutting edge electric prototypes only do one lap at the Isle of Man, ( presumably to avoid overheating / flat battery etc. ) No thanks , I haven't seen an electric bike yet that i would want to own

Sounds like its not really suitable for Enduro, Average speed will be higher than trials, plus distance traveled would normally be longer as well I would have thought. I know I am old fashioned, but electric bikes still have a lot more work needed to be better than a petrol bike I think even the electric race at the Isle of Man TT is still only 1 lap, and those bikes have had a fortune spent on them The trick is to cool the electrics without using any battery power as that will just shorten the range- if you can invent something Tesla will give you millions good luck

Thank you for thinking of the non facebook users ( yes , there are millions of us who haven't been brainwashed into believing facebook is the only possible way to communicate)

Yes . I do know the secondary voltage on my 2 stroke , but I am sure the ignition hasn't enough power to do welding. ( which has been quoted for the electric bike concerned in this post ) Thanks, I will take my chances with the kill button

Wow , I think I will be sticking with 2 stroke power , all this talk of - 50+volts , 800A fuses, mixed with heavy rain , is not convincing me that electric is the future. Good luck, I hope its a simple fix

Never been interested in Pre65 trials, because 90% of people involved seem to love moaning about what other people are doing and taking everything too seriously. I do think it would be better if the bikes at least looked like an old bike - tank shape , seat, frame , colours etc. instead of looking like a modern bike with an old engine fitted, but thats just my opinion as an outsider and its now too late to expect the riders who have spent £thousands to change their machines I ride a tatty Ossa in non serious trials , where many people have better machines than me, but I just enjoy my own riding and dont moan about what other people have got. If someone is rich and wants to spend £1000+ on a pair of forks , then good luck to them. there is a place for everyone , most trials have an easy route that any original bike could get round , you dont have to keep up with the Jones , enjoy doing your own thing. I do think its a fallacy that there are thousands of Original Bikes in sheds with owners who are just waiting for events catering for Original Bikes , there may be a few but the majority of these bikes are either Family Heirlooms , or they are being hoarded as an investment

I seem to remember someone fitting an OKO carb to an RL250 , but cant remember if it was on here or another forum. As it was an RL250 not a beamish , it may have been someone in the USA or Aus , NZ etc. ? A job for Google perhaps ? Failing that you could try your Cota carb on the Beamish as it is and see if it works okay, { they are both 250cc piston port 2 strokes , so similar engines } - if okay then use the same jetting / settings as a starting point and fine tune later