The clutch sticking after sitting is common. On my new Sherco I just get it started, push the bike so that when I put it in gear the bike is already moving, then after rolling a few feet I pull in the clutch and push on the rear brake and the clutch releases.....and it works fine after that.
When I bought my used Sherco the clutch became much harder to release and I could ride for several minutes before it would release. I took the clutch apart and cleaned the plates, then I placed a sheet of fine sandpaper on a flat counter and lightly rubbed the fiber discs across the sandpaper to remove the glaze, and did the same on the metal plates. I then cleaned the plates and oiled them while assembling the clutch - and it worked fine again. I believe the problem is that when the plates get very smooth the oil makes an air tight seal and the plates don't want to release.
Not so sure I'd want bigger valves on a trials bike. Larger valves help get more fuel/ air mix in and more exhaust gases out. This has the effect of improving power towards the top end of the power curve at the expense of the bottom end. It will also require a larger carb opening and different exhaust. It may make the bike better for green laning (I say may...), but is likely to adversly affect it's usefullness as a trials bike.
I could (and often am) be wrong though...
Graham
Yep.......I agree. Don't put a Ferrari head on your John Deere! Seriously - the small valves and intake ports and carb keep the air velocity up at lower rpm's and make throttle response crisp. If you put parts with bigger holes on it....the velocity will go down at low rpms and things will get sluggish until you rev the motor up. There is a reason the engineers put smaller valves in the engine....they know what they were doing when they designed it.
All the stations here in the Midwest proudly display large signs if they carry Ethanol free fuels, so it is apparent that the public has an affinity for avoiding the oxygenated fuels. As such, it puzzles me that the best and brightest minds in the U.S. Chemical Engineering industry can't come up with an emission reducing compound that solves the problems and the public wants.
Jon
My annoyance with ethanol free fuels comes about not for use in my daily driver.....it is fuel injected and goes through a tank of fuel each week and the fuel work just fine except for a 10% reduction in my fuel mileage. My problem comes from trying to use the stuff in older carbeurated engines that were not designed for ethanol.....especially equipment that is only used seasonally. The ethanol fuel dissolves the rubber fuel lines and carb diaphragms, and when not used for a few months the fuel can rust fuel tanks and on 2 cycle engines can allow the oil to seperate from the fuel with horrible results.
My opinion is that the EPA and those associated with trying to clean up the air are not concerned with how your old equipment operates or how the ethanol blended fuel might damage your equipment....they would rather see you stop using your old pre-EPA equipment and buy new more environmentally friendly equipment that includes fixed jet carbs, fuel injection, EGR & PCV valves and catalytic converters. This attitude does penalize the many people that just can't afford new equipment and are using the old tractors that have been on the farms since the 40's and still get the job done well. I have had to work on a lot of the local farm equipment - as my neighbors know that I am a gear head and can fix all their stuff. Most of the work is related to corrosion of the metal parts or the rubber parts being dissolved by the ethanol mixed in with the fuel - and I have been working on small engines for the last 38 years and I can see the difference that has come about since the advent of ethanol blended fuel. In the old days the fuel would go bad and gum up the fuel system if they sat for a year or more and it would require cleaning - now the fuel system components are getting corroded or dissolved a very short period of time.
My '93 GasGas JT250 had a prisitne tank all it's life when I was using a 50/50 mix of 110 LEADED purple (Sunoco) or C12 VP LEADED and 93 octane pump gas. used the same stuff in my '74 TY250. No problems for years until about a year and a half ago I made the mistake of switching to Sunoco 100 clear race fuel with same pump gas. Didn't notice it right away but my fuel tank "grew" in all directions until it will no longer sit down on the frame. The new Yamaha OEM fuel cap had to be relieved and greased the threads (silicone grease)to be able to tighten it down. I had a hard time unscrewing it the first time since last year. The cap had swollen so tight I almost had to use pliers but I managed without that.
Funny thing is the original Yamaha cap had actually shrunken until it was a straight drop in and will not thread at all. I obtained a NOS cap and it worked perfect until the ethanol race fuel. Maybe I'll soak it in ethanol/gas to see if it will grow!!!! Say What? NO No I ain't goin' there!
My new Sherco tank grew as a result of the ethanol in the pump gas, and started to fit tight in the frame and push the fender back on the frame as the tank got longer. I was able to reverse the damage by taking the tank off the bike and getting the fuel out....and letting it sit in the sun for a couple of days to air out. I did it at a time when I was not able to ride and probably had the fuel out of the tank for 2-3 weeks total. Since that time I have been very careful to only buy fuel that it ethanol free. Either 96 Shell racing fuel - or 90 Octane fuel that I buy from CountryMark in Indiana.
Does anyone have novogar boots that rub at the outside of the ankle bone? What did you do to fix it? The fold of the boot at the ankle pushes inwards and rubs the crap out of my ankle bone. Only on my right foot.
Mine did the same thing, and it really was bothersome. At first I cut the tops off of a couple of thick socks and would pull those pieces over my socks at the ankle heights before putting my boots on. I have wide feet and I have to wear thin socks with my boots on - so I have very little padding at my ankles with the thin socks on.
Later I found out that if I tighten the buckles around the ankle tighter - the leather is pulled and it does not rub my ankle nearly as much.
I have since tried other rust converters but once you rinse them out it is rusting again before the rinse water dries.
You can use Phosporic acid to clean the rust from a metal tank. (Do not use Muriatic acid as it will cause steel to become brittle). Submerse or slosh the phosporic acid around in the tank until the rust is dissolved. Then rinse the tank with warm water to remove the phosporic acid, then rinse the tank with Acetone to remove the water before it causes the tank to rust. Keep rinsing the tank with acetone until the acetone comes out clear. Be careful not to get the acetone on any paint.....it will screw it up, and don't use the acetone on fiberglass as it will disolve the resin.
I would think that clutch control could be developed by having him start and stop in the middle of the turns. Also by having him stop while going up a hill - then attempting to get going again without spinnning the rear wheel. Both of these drills will also require good balance.
I have a drill where I make very tight turns around trees that are on a medium steep hillside in the woods and it requires lots of clutch slipping to do it correctly as the bike must go very slow on the downhill turn to keep the front wheel from washing out.
I am 55 and new to trials - but at my age the skin tight pants were not something I wanted.
I am a fair weather rider and don't go riding when the weather is horribly cold or wet - so my choice may not suite your needs. I bought a pair of motorcross pants that were very affordable and they work well. They are a bit roomy as they are built so you can use knee braces, the hips pads are just pieces of foam stuck inside the pants, and there aren't any pockets for keys or money - but they are comfortable and seem to be durable and I am pleased with them.
This company offers lots of choices of motocross style pants - and the prices are great and really cheap if you happen to find an older closeout style that has your size and color available. I don't know if the shipping would be expensive outside of the US.
I have a Gasgas JTX 250 which I am currently using petrol mixed with 2 stroke oil for my chainsaws etc
I also use the same oil in my bike as I do my chainsaws.....but I use a fully synthetic esther based oil in both. I use the Maxima K2 oil mixed at 50:1 for my chainsaws and yard equipment - and mixed at 80:1 in my Sherco 290.
I believe that any good quality full synthetic oil would be fine - just avoid the oil made for outboard motors and general purpose 2 cycle engines.
oh yeah thanks...mine kind of clicks but when the brakes are applied it always makes a loud squeak/screech! I haven't heard the fender slap noise though?
The cure for the squeak/screech is supposed to be riding the bike with the brake applied to get the rotor hot - then run water over the disc to cool it quickly.
there is a weird winein noise coming from the bike at top speed or near it it sounds like if the coolant is low but it isent n when on cold start the bike is dead smokie any help?
EDITED:
There is a weird whining noise coming from the bike at top speed, or near it. It sounds like if the coolant is low - but it isn't. When on "cold start" the bike is dead smokie. Any help?
Thanks for the help guys. It looks like I've left the 'petcock' on for the last few days.
A good way to check......is to turn the valve to what you think is the "RESERVE" position and start riding. If the engine stops in a minute or two - it is actually the "OFF" position.
hi guys, I own a 2009 model Cabesany replica sherco 290. It has a floating front disc works quite well but is noisy as hell!!!I have put new pads in, deglazed old pads and nothing has worked. the disc has a large amount of freeplay and I'm wondering if new bushes to reduce freeplay would help,what are your ideas???
I have a 2009 3.2 and the front brake rotor has clicked loudly from the beginning. It is kind of a contest between the brake rotor clicking and the bottom of the front fender slapping the tire to see who can make the most noise. The brake rotor and mounting points appear to be as intended from the factory and there is not very much play - but it does make a noticeable (and cheap sounding) noise. I have thought about adding some silicone grease - but was concerned that it would attract dirt and get messy or throw some grease onto the rotor and affect braking. The disc only occasionally squeals - but it clicks all the time.
I have a brand new fuel valve right here in my hand. Straight down for the lever is ON. Push the lever in toward the center of the bike is OFF. Pull the lever out toward your right knee is RESERVE.
It sounds like your bike has too lean of a mixture when you open the throttle quickly. Four Stroke motorcycles are more susceptible to this problem than 2 stroke bikes - and the carbs for 4 stroke motorcycles have used carbs with vacuum controlled slides or more recently accelerator pumps to solve this problem.
I don't know what carb you have and the method it may use to control the mixture during quick throttle opening - but I would start by giving it a good cleaning and see if this solves the problem.
EDIT:(Sorry for the "carb" statement....I am not a Montesa owner and did not realize it was fuel injected. It still is a problem that is related to the mixture being lean upon sudden throttle opening for some reason. Hopefully the other peoples suggestion about the exhaust will solve the problem.)
My Sherco 4T just developed a problem off idle and I took the carb apart - and I found some black sludge and coffee grounds looking bits in the float bowl. I have absolutely no idea where it would have come from as I use fresh 96 Octane Shell racing fuel, my tank has a strainer, and the rubber fuel line was in good shape. I put it back together with new Tygon fuel line and an inline filter, and it runs great again after cleaning.
I remember the days of 20:1. My dad would bring home a can of 30 weight oil and we would dump it into a 5 gallon can of gas. I can remember the cloud of smoke rising from the starting line at Hare Scrambles and Motocross events.
Are you getting a lot of smoke and oil out the exhaust? If the mixture is too rich you will be getting smoke that tends to be black. Oil smoke tends to be more white or light blue.
It could be that the crank seal between the crankcase and gearbox is bad and you are burning transmission oil.
When it's all done and I put the new oil in, I suspect it will get itself contaminated from the lot I have drained out ( there's bound to be some left ) is there a product I should use to flush it out, I've heard people mention diesel, but I'm concerned that may attack the seals.
I have no problem flushing with diesel fuel.....it is oil.....and the seals are oil seals. After flushing I would add the regular oil and ride it for a bit - then drain it and refill with new oil.
not another victim of the dreaded ethanol in petrol rotting your tank.
how many others are having problems?
I bought a used 2004 Sherco 290 and I had to replace the fuel tank as the ethanol caused the tank to grow and push the rear fender back....the tank was like this when I bought the bike and I didn't know why. Then when I sold it and bought a new 2009 Sherco 3.2......the tank started to get soft and grow after about 4 months. I was able to get the 2009 tank back into shape by removing the fuel and letting it air out for about a month.
I have solved the problem by using 96 Octane Shell racing fuel in the Sherco.....which does not have any ethanol in it. In my lawn mowers and farm equipment I have solved the problem by finding a distributor that will deliver 87 octane gasoline for farm use that is not blended with ethanol. The distributor sells this fuel to farmers as the ethanol blended fuel does not store well in the above ground tanks or run well in older equipment. Some farm equipment can sit for months between use and the ethanol blended fuel can cause severe problems with corrosion and/or dissolving rubber parts. I have to buy 100 gallons of the farm fuel at a time - but with Sta-Bil added it keeps a long time and I am just using up the last of the fuel I bought 2 years ago and it runs fine. I have a couple of 55 gallon steel drums that I buy the fuel in and I keep them sealed up and transfer the fuel into 5 gallon cans for filling the mowers.
I have a friend that is a contractor and he has a gasoline powered welder, air compressor, straw blower, water pump, wood chipper, generator.......and he can never get them to start after they have sat for a few months unless he drains the fuel. He is making the switch to the ethanol free fuel so that his equipment will run when he needs it.
I don't mind using the ethanol blended fuel in my modern fuel injected car - as it was made to run on it and I go through a tank of gas every week. I do believe that we should be offered a chance to buy ethanol free fuel for our older equipment and motorcycle and cars that are not designed to ingest ethanol.
The front wheel on my bike had a pretty good sized wobble - and it rode fine but looked awful when riding. It really bothered my when I looked down and saw the tire wobbling left to right the width of the entire center row of tread blocks.
I first tried to correct the problem by putting a marker alongside the wheel to identify the run out, then loosen the spokes on the side that was wobbling and tightening the other side. My results did not end up very good.
So......I took the tire and rim strip off and remounted the wheel into the forks. I put a drop of very light machine oil on the inside and outside of each spoke nipple and then used a screw driver to loosen all the spokes until they had the same amount of thread showing above the nipple. I then ran each spoke nipple in about 1/8 turn at a time until the spoke just started to become slightly snug. At this point the wheel rim had become much straighter than it was before I started. I then taped a cardboard strip on the fork that I could use as a pointer and attached it so that it just cleared the edge of the rim. When I rotated the wheel I would find the point where it became nearest the rim and mark that with a piece of tape, and do the the same on the other side of the rim. I would then make about a 1/8 turn on the spoke on the side of the rim so it would pull the rim away from the cardboard pointer. I would turn the spoke closest to the tape the most and the 2-3 spokes adjacent to the center spoke I would turn a little less - then I would snug up all the spokes around the rim to even out the tension. As I got the rim closer to straight I would tighten all the spokes another slight twist and check for straightness again and correct it in small increments. Eventually I got the spoke as tight as I thought they should be and the wheel was very straight when I was done.
If you do a search on bicycle rim/spoke straighteneing on YouTube you will find some videos that are very helpful. I found that in order to get my wheel straight I had to loosen all the spokes and start over - just tightening or loosening some spokes with the the tire on the rim didn't help as there were some stresses built up into the rim that I was not able to correct until I started over.
I am capable of welding steel and I have welded aluminum a couple of times and I can offer some explanation.....more experienced welders can correct me if they want.
There are 3 ways to weld aluminum that I know of. You can do it with a Tig Welder, a Mig Welder, or if you are very talented you can use a torch.
The Tig welder is the method of choice and it makes the nicest looking welds. It can get heat to aluminum very quickly and the weld is started by melting the aluminum until it becomes molten and flows together - then a filler rod of aluminum is used to create the bead/fillet. The heat can be controlled with a foot pedal and the trick is to heat it the metal up until it flows - then melt in rod to build a strong weld. You don't need to add much filler rod as you can control the flow by regulating the heat.
The Mig welder does not work nearly as well on aluminum as it does on steel - as the aluminum carries the heat away to fast to allow the arc to penetrate very deep. The aluminum carries the heat away from the weld so quickly that there is little penetration(flow) of the parent metal and you get a lot of metal built up top of the base metal.
Gas welding is similar to the Tig method - but I believe it is much harder to control the heat as you cannot vary the flame while welding.
I believe the method that was used for your repair was the Mig welder. It will probably hold fine - but is certainly not the method that provides the best looking welds.
There is no hard/fast rule about how many hours between cleanings - where you ride makes a big difference. If I am riding in the woods and there is no dust and no mud the filter stays clean a very long time. When I am riding out in the open and it is dusty the filter will get dirty much faster.
If the outside of my bike and the chain stay clean, then chances are my filter is clean as well. When I can see that the filter has noticeable dirt and dust clinging to it, then it is time to clean it. (I actually have a spare and clean and oil them both at the same time so that I only need to do the messy cleaning and oiling job half as often.)
I had the same problem and one of my new Betor shocks for my TY80 gave out after less than 20 minutes. The seal on the shock just gave out and there was a green rubber hunk sticking out from the seal and the oil just drooled out with every bump. I had them mounted the same way you did and it is the correct orientation.
I could not get any help from the US Betor distributor.......not even a reply after 4 months of trying. Finally the dealer just returned my money.
The rubber parts in your shut off are either old and brittle......or have been dissolved by ethanol in the fuel. Either way you will have to get new rubber parts if available seperately - or a new petcock assembly if the parts are not available.
I just just replaced the fuel petcock on my neighbors 2006 Honda CRF as it had set for about 6 months with ethanol blended fuel in the tank. It dissolved the rubber disc on the fuel shut off and corroded the aluminum base of the carb float needle and pushed the rubbertip crooked. It only took $ 60 in parts and 4 hours of labor to correct the problem......Hopefully he will remember to drain the fuel out of his bike before he stops riding it next winter.
Help with non runner
in Bultaco
Posted
Have you checked to see if you are getting any fuel flow from the tank?