elmetal

I usually use a syringe with a tygon tube out the end. Get the fluid level close but high, put a ziptye or a mark on the tube the correct distance from the end (if its 135mm from th top put the mark 135mm from the end....) and suck out the excess untill it doesn't suck any more. Done. Spring noise is usually caused by the spring not seating flat on the cartidge (bottom). Can't remember off hand how the Gasser forks do it but if they seat at an angle when they compress the first thing they do is hit the tube side (clank) then compress.

Whenever I get bored I look to something simple but impossible and keep at it until I make progress. Have an off camber turn is slippery snot that's impossible? Figure it out. Always do one climb/hop in second? Try it slow in first. If this doesn't get me going I'll go back to the RP vid, look at some tricks I've seen but not mastered, pick an easier one and work on that (front end hop, long wheelie in 1st, zap, etc). There's so much to learn and practice it's really just a matter of opening your eyes and swiching things up.

I'm a novice rider but working my way through things; have been working on basic ground skills recently and went out dirt bike riding. Brought the Gasser (of course) and spent about 1 1/2 hrs doing a circle on a dry, scrabbly hil that's about 35 degrees, (summer in CA) about 20' in diameter. Could do all of it except the off camber at the bottom/transition to uphill. Always seemed that I either pushed the front or slid the rear; when I got the front to track and started to roll on the throttle the rear would come around slipping and I'd lose the drive. I've got the Ryan Young DVD but hadn't watched in a while, remembered the outside to inside shift when going uphill to downhill but couldn't remember what he did at the bottom. By the end of my little seesion I could do the whole loop (was proud of myself) but only if I did as your friend says (swap the bike to the outside as you transition from straight to uphill). This worked (I think) because throwing the bike outside gave the rear a better traction patch and allowed me to keep my momentum, really felt a pull on the outer bar was the gas was on. Now I looked back at the DVD and RY says to lean the bike into the hill to initiate and get the front tracking, then smooth throttle...I think throwing the bike to the outside covered some of my other mistakes (throttle and weight shift) so that's why it worked. Now I want to go back and try it with the 'proper' technique and see if I can do it...probably not.

Only place I get contact there is at my ankle bulb (Tibia end?), wouldn't want a plate of any kind there due to movement restriction. How about Shoe goo'ing a small section of rubber hand ball/racket ball on that bulb? Would last a bit longer than a dab of silicon and you might be abe to get a free ball if you go to the courts and ask..... (you said cheap, yes? : )

I use an equivalent unit from A*stars, it's got the mesh 'shirt' with all the pads sewn to that. Great protection on elbows, fore arms, shoulders with a removable back protector. I've gone down at 25 mph on super hard dirt with 2-3" rock heads sticking out all over and took one right to the elbow/shoulder. Didn't even feel it really, had on the T-pro shorts and took a shot to the mid, outer thigh; felt it but no bruise..very good pads but the shorts under are tearing now, have to sew on a new set. This was dirt bike riding. I tried using the body armor once on the trials bike and not again. I'm not doing 6-10 ft rock ledge step ups and don't need a minder for all of what I ride....If you're hitting more agressive stuff you might want to wear it. As to the T-pro shorts I wear them for everything (Dirt bike, trials, SuMo, mountain biking), you barely notice them and you always seem to take a hit to those protected areas whenever you spill. I use Gearne boots with shin/knee puck combo from A*stars and the T-pro shorts for trials; add the body armor for dirt bike. The chest protection on the body armor is light and flexi (zipper runs through it) so it's a little weak on taking heavy roost, most guys I know that use it wear a second, typical 'chest protector' on the outside of it for this. Way too much stuff for trials. One thing I keep in my mind when near a danger spot (like those rocks that could swallow an ankle...) was something I read on here from Zippy or Copemech (pretty sure) , "...don't hold on, just let the bike go. They're amazingly strong bikes."

I just finished doing the bearing in my linkage, wasn't too bad but you have to pull most of the rear apart to do it. Got the dog bones separated out the pressed out the old, put in a flush seal on one side and drove the bearing up against that, then put in the other seal. Bearings under the swingarm were a PITA mainly because I decided I was too lazy to pull the swing to do it. Ended up making a special drift to hold all the needles in place and drive the bearings in at the same time. Remember the shouldered bush at this location ends up close to flush, you drive the bearings and seals in deeper than you might think. Really makes the rear seem more alive and I got some dirt out of the nooks and crannies that made me feel much better about what's going on down there....

You generate heat when slipping the clutch (balancing against a rock, pushing) and some of this heat causes the clutch fluid to expand. This back pressure might be enough to swell the new lines you put in and allow some of the presure at the top hat to reduce. Unless the new seals have been nicked already I'd say the lines are worth a look, you've replaced just about everything else.

The older motors (pre-Pro) take 650 ml, the Pro's take 350ml; I've been told to run ATF type F (older stuff) and it's been working great. Poor action at the master or not enough stroke at the master will cause a drag, so will worn plates. If the plate stack isn't the correct height (too high) the slave will not have enough travel to completely disengage the stack (hence the problem skye2 was having). You can pull the side cover and the clutch basket and measure to see if you need new frictions (an '04 that's never had them replaced could be due); the adjustments at the bars are much easier so start with them.

I second the brake cleaner/compressed air technique. I also wire them 'cause I sometime put the 'death grip' on the bars when I'm struggling. FYI I've got a dirt bike buddy (MX only) that uses lube under his grips so they rotate, he swears this helps cure arm pump and teaches you to use more correct input. Go figure.

Thanks for all the feedback everyone. I've now spent about 8 riding hours with the risers and am liking them. Bar input is more noticable and it is helping me stretch out a little on the bike. Before my bars e felt low and at my hips, a hard spot to keep control of the bars with my arms so I was doing it more with my legs. Now I'm squating a little more (using legs) and the bars are up some so I feel like my arm input is helping rather than chasing the action (if that makes any sense). After a few months I'll pull them so I can compare feels but as of now I'm liking it. Helped with doing a longer wheelie to boot, go figure.

One of the reasons I thought about raising them was when I video'd myself my a*** was pretty high and back. Didn't feel this way but I could see it in replay. The higher bars make it easier to keep my b$tt forward due to not being so bent over but they may end up just being a training tool. If I bend my legs more I dip to a lower, forward C of G which seems better for just about everything (except steep drop off's) but I can't stay that deep in a knee bend for and hour. I really like the added bar input I'm feeling and it seems as if I can move around more without impacting my balance as much. As gazzaecowarrior noted, the front comes up easier which might be a problem for big step-ups, can't get far enough over the front end at a full stand.....interesting to play with for sure.

I'll definitely pay attention to the front end. I got them machined and rode a little with them, bar input seems better (have a little more leverage) and now that I think about it the front 'felt' lighter. Have to do more testing....

Thanks for the feedback, guys. Sounds like it's worth playing with, think I'll machine a couple of spacers from aluminum and see what I think. Can't wait to feel the difference.

I'm 6'4 and riding a 2002 280 pro. Lately I've been playing more with bar position and was wondering if anyone uses risers and if so, how much rise? The bars are the stockers and I've got my dirtbike bars up an 1" or so and like the effect. Obviously trials bikes aren't dirt bikes and in reviewing some of the SSDE pics I didn't see anyone using a riser. Do they have an adverse effect on position/turning? Any feedback is welcome.

Great clip, Zippy. Definitely gives you a new perspective about the size/scale of the obstacles. The thing that really got me was the size of the GAPS between the obstacles, looks like you could fit a bike and a half in most of them and he's springing right across.....impressive. Love that two view sceen too, you can see it how you're used to watching, then flash to the POV and it doesn't look like the same section!