nigel dabster

if you cant see a problem you dont understand trials? What happens when a rider gets stuck under a machine or foot jammed in wheel? we cant social distance and help him or her? an older observer falls over do you help them up? A rider breaks down at the bottom of a stream do you help push the bike out?

id love to do a back to back test between "a sweat wicking t shirt" and a good old fashioned loose fitting cotton one....?

supply and demand is always a deciding factor

try changing with your heel, this might solve the grinding issue, the only way it can grind is when its not engage after being released which goes back to my "throw" comment.

Grinding is you not shifting positively i feel, very difficult to diagnose remotely across the atlantic!!!

Had a couple of betas, gas gas all the way, super light easy to work on built well now and highly recommend

i think youve answered your own question back up with a 2018 vertigo is essential

That I respectfully suggest could be the problem, you are used to an enduro slick change. Try to change positvely between 4 and 5th and insert more throw with you foot. Certainly as myself and others have said 4th to 5th isnt as smooth as all the others. is 5th to 4th ok?

Ardeche is very french and less well known and a fair way down so I wouldnt read too much into the 600, bi annual doesnt help.

Steve, how much have you ridden the bike? This 4th to 5th is a jump as you say and as a result is the necessity to make gentle changes possibly with lower revs, but positively as from memory the throw seems more on this change, if that makes sense? There has been a big effort to get as far as possible a small and lightweight gearbox, so it definately needs a certain amount of sympathy and awarness. if it goes up and down ok and you get the gear every time then i wouldnt worry. Certainly do not consider clutchless changes. Have you ever droped the bike or bashed the gear lever on a rock? The down side is I have had a problem like this a few years back and it started with 4th to 5th changes, upside the gearchange casette is aneasy and inexpensive cure.

bi annual afaik. I think it would be a much better trial than sardent is now, but if you can ride well you need to try something in spain, santigosa, or maybe italy.

Good, not many brits (if any) go, subsequently its good if you can speak french. They were strict on documentation lights etc. I went a couple of years back and similar to sardent. Its high up so weather in may isnt always good, i got hypothermia! Think entries have closed for this year, a long way down and tricky to find. parc ferme. Not much accomadation at start except camping?

Im not sure anecdotal evidence of one event, particularily when 99.9% of others have a different experience is worth jack sh!t. Montesa honda have no love from me but to say the gearchange shaft is glass............?

anything will do, mix with fully synthetic.

similar to sherco. Vertigo or gas gas?

Id be careful, 4m from a road is illegal in Spain afaik, so you need to know where you can go.

if you move to the algarve i think trials clubs etc will be very difficult, even with a long journey into spain, trials in the south are sparse.

why have you not mentioned any other make?

exactly.

@trapezeartist BEFORE SLICED BREAD IT WAS BARBED WIRE AND THE TIN CAN.

pretty much every year quality has got better.

If you go bigger cc's there is more demand the other way so you should be able to sell the 250 parts no trouble.

It is almost as important to understand what you can do to a bike to alter it to suit YOU and your riding style. Trials and trails are very different set up. I would be spending any spare$ i had on speaking or getting someone to show me how to set the bike up. If you can ride it fast the set up will be a million miles away from sections in a creek for example.

a bit rich can be adjusted, alot rich it needs jets, the needles as listed dont show a naph afaik. To be completely honest a kehien on a 330 mont is a bit of a strange one as its a very docile bottom end.

my guess is on all but the coldest days youre riding at 4.5psi rear and 6 front which is where i like to be, maybe 5.5 front if the trial has soft mud or cambers.