pete_scorpa3

I think I'm going to fit a new chain now. It's tempting fate to say they last a long time, it'll probably break on Sunday if I leave it a day longer!

That looks really well sorted, I'd love to have a go on it!

I'm happy to say that you are spoilt for choice. There are a number of very good clubs within easy traveling distance of Dudley. The Dudley club hold trials at Mamble Farm and Kinlet Mine, their easy route is always good for a beginner. The Stourbridge club run at Shatterford, Howards Wood and Clee Hill. Very sensible trials and a friendly crowd. Stafford Auto have a few locations including Milwich Farm. South Shropshire Club run events over near the Welsh border. Evesham club hold events on the Cotswold hills near Broadway. These and other clubs all set out club trials with an easy route. I'm a member of the Stratford club and we hold club trials with three routes to cater for all levels of ability. As I mentioned, you have a good choice and can probably ride every weekend without travelling too far. You will find that you bump into the same faces over and over again which ever club you choose as many riders just go to the nearest trial every week and there's lots of riders in your area. I hope this helps. Pete

Hi ya John, A good tip is to practice the really easy stuff until it becomes second nature, you often see riders who can get up big steps and climbs who then loose marks on the simple turn at the top. To start with just go round doing figures of eight from lock to lock slowly. This will help lots when you progress to the harder stuff. All the best Pete

It won't help you get your V5 but it is still worth doing as it's free. It'll tell you what model of vehicle the reg belongs to. CLICK HERE

A 200 is a lot easier to start than a 250 and less stressed and more forgiving that a 125. If you can find a good one for sale, it's well worth a look. Pete

I wonder how many new 2010 Scorpa's are out there? I bet they've not sold half a dozen or so T rides or 4 tricks for that matter?

I'll have it Addict, I'm such a pussy that my chains never wear out! I hardly ever get off tickover these days. Might as well use a cheap chain, it'll last for at least 10 years for me

Always better to play safe

Yes, you see lots of cars smaller than an A4 with trials bikes on racks. I've never used one because we almost always travel in two's or three's to spread the cost of the fuel, so I stick to my trailer. Pete

Well that's three different pieces of advice. Probably best to stick to the manual. There is a massive difference between 60mls to 5L and 100mls to 5L.

Hi Matt, Welcome back to trials. What is your budget for a bike? There are a few bargains about but also some rubbish. Pete

Good one!

The close up shots look like the bike is well manufactured, the blue wheel/dark mudguard don't do the overall look any favours but ofcourse can easily be changed for a production model. The engine sounds just like my mates old '94 Gas Gas TX350. Good luck to Greeves with this project.

That would be my advice too. Just take a look at what the 125 Euro Youths are doing on theirs.

If you are going to try this (I assume you will use a type of electric welding), please DO disconnect the stator and the cdi before striking an arc. Also, the heat from the welding process may well loosen the stuck thread but wait until it fully cools down before trying to turn the nut as the heat will make the stud expand and actually be tighter until it cools. Good luck and let us know how you get on. Pete

By all means give it a go using all of the methods mentioned, but if you try to drill a hole in the stud, be very careful not to drift off centre, you could do some serious damage to the surrounding area. See if you can find a local engineering firm with a spark erroder, in the long run it might be worth paying a proffesional to get them out.

Yes Addict, perhaps with this rain that's not going to be such a good idea! They're enough of a handful when it's dry!

Go tme too, but since it's past midday the fools on you!!!!

We were thinking of entering on our trail bikes for a laugh!

I can only ever get 450mls out of my '05 no matter what I do. My rear goes flat over the period of a week since I damaged the rim tape refitting a tyre, I pump it up prior to a trial and live with it. Use some washing up liquid and brush it onto the spokes, you will probably see bubbles from around the area of the leak. I use 80mls of synthetic oil to every 5 litres of fuel.

I offer a free entry to any rider who provides an observer, this doesn't attract that many extra observers in itself, but it does make it easier for me to approach people at 5 to start time, begging then to do me a favour. I really try not to get annoyed at people who hide in their cars until after the trial starts so as to avoid being asked to obseve, although it does niggle me when they suddenly appear once the last obsever is found! We are lucky in that we have a regular core of observers who always turn out, these people are rewarded (if you can call it that) with a chocolate bar and a drink and at out National trials they are also given a

Providing you carry on using tubless tyres but just put a tube in, you are unlikely to have any problems. I've done this a number of times when I've had a puncture in a tubless tyre just to get me through a couple of events prior to buying a new tyre. I find that the tube stays in place ok as the tubless tyre doesn't move on the rim. Have you tried fitting a new rim tape? I know this can be a real pain to get right, but it would be the simplest solution and probably cost no more than buying a tube? Pete

Any of the modern trials bikes would be fine for you to have a play on, even the 200's will cope with your size fairly well although it would probably be easier to find a 250. Are there any that you like the look of? If there are any trials clubs in your area, it might be worth going to watch an event, that way you might get an idea of which machine you like. If you come back on here with a short list, I'm sure people will give you advice on what advantages/disadvantages a particular machine may have. Pete

I use a porta-press accross my gagage side door, but a little bottle jack would do the job just as well. You'd probably pick one up at an Auto jumble for