tony27

The reason most people recommend starting on a small cc bike is that it teaches you correct technique rather than just using engine power. Lighter weight also comes with the smaller size, from memory Gas Gas claim their 125 weighs around 63kg Here in New Zealand the guys who have progressed the furtherest generally started on 125s even though we have no restrictions on what size engine they use, only real exception who comes to mind is the current NZ & Australian champ Jake Whittaker who started on a Montesa 314 from memory when he was only around 10. When the possibility of doing world junior rounds came up he dropped down to a 125 Gas Gas & was still winning overall at a national level Don't be afraid to try a smaller bike if you can find 1 which won't be easy as 250s are generally the biggest sellers

I'm sure Cope can send you a link to the penile enlargement site if you ask him nicely enough

Good style in your shot above. Did you get the tensioner, can't see it fitted in the first 2 photos & the action shot isn't clear enough to make out if there is 1 fitted

What Ham is alluding to is don't leave fuel in the tank if it has any alcohol content, I've just replaced my tank after it grew enough to no longer fit the frame, am running unblended avgas at the moment to get around having the same problem but at $3.50 a litre I may end up blending shortly

Can't see how that can happen seeing as making the holes into an open slot is not letting the radiator cover get any closer to the actual radiator. Have had the fan mounting shroud wear through a couple of the tubes at the back of the radiator though, that was before modifying the front cover

Pretty sure they are the same cover in a different colour Found the short lever by looking at the standard lever & it was at the bottom of the page http://www.splatshop.co.uk/sherco-gear-lever-racing-short.html Quite often aftermarket levers are listed on ebay as well http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Sherco-Trials-Bike-Gear-Lever-Short-1999-2012-BLUE-NEW-/170714907672?pt=UK_Motorcycle_Parts&hash=item27bf66c418

Had a quick ride of the Ossa explorer last weekend, would have to say very similar in concept & would say they are perfect commuter bikes apart from the premix fuel as well as ideally suited to new/women or shorter riders

Quite unusual for the holes in the frame to get worn, normally the holes through the footpegs wear because they pivot on the bolts which don't move. Your footpegs should be aluminium on a 08 bike from memory, my billet ones have a steel sleeve that are wider than the footpegs that the mounts tighten up against which prevent them crushing onto the sides of the footpegs. If the holes in the footpegs are worn you can do something similar although a decent set of footpegs aren't that dear

Got a quick ride on 1 yesterday, possibly the first person in NZ to do so seeing as the importer had just finished PDIing & couldn't start it with his right leg being the 1 he broke at the start of july. Very impressed with what Ossa has produced & reckon that this bike is what most newer riders should be using offroad rather than the overly tall & heavy bikes that they generally end up with

These are what I use in place of the standard Sherco footpegs, they're now 2 or 3 years old & still have no real wear unlike the originals. Pretty sure that they're stronger as well due to being machined from solid rather than cast

Race(short) gearlever & 06 ignition cover. Lever allows easier removal of cover, cover is more rigid & much better sealed Oko 28mm D-slide carb with clear float bowl & V-force reed block Carb came with intake manifold that is 28mm minimum inside, genuine Sherco airbox connector for Keihin carb Fork protection & disc cover Fork cover is made from cutting lay flat hose. Later disc cover fitted for looks & covers more of disc Disc cover & snail cams Chrome framed bikes didn't have disc covers, matches front cover. Jitsie snail cams fitted which give more positive alignment Modified radiator cover Mounting holes cut & slotted to allow easy removal for cleaning radiator Billet footpegs Have brass domes on top for better wear, very grippy pegs that are very strong I have a pre-filter glued across the top of the filter holder which is a work in progress & a TRP shock fitted which I didn't take photos of but will when I get around to taking shots for garage section Hope these give you a few ideas on small improvements you can make that make life easier

Pretty sure that the thermoswitch isn't polarity sensitive, it's really only a open/close switch & the power won't care which way it travels through it. Have you removed the connections from the coil unit & plugged them back in wrong, this is the only way I can see that would cause the fan to run in the opposite direction although I'm not sure which way the fan turns as it's not something I pay attention to

If you want I can take a few photos of my bike to show you a few of the mods done including the short racing gearlever that allows removal of the ignition cover with the gear lever still in place, I have a few other minor mods that improve the bike for trail riding & muddy trials

I'd say the previous owner removed it, you'll be able to see where it fits if you look on the underside of the swingarm just behind the footpeg Maintainence basically involves air filter & oil changes as well as greasing the linkage bearings, pistons last for years in these I run the oko 28mm on mine which is a keihin copy, I bought the carb to airbox joint off splatshop-leave it fitted to the carb whenever you remove the airbox as it's easier to refit that way. The vent that aims at the muffler is a pain & fitting a hose can be problematic due to the lack of space, I don't bother with the tube. Does yours also have a casting for another vent on the other side?

The 06 was the first of the black frame bikes & because the rad was moved up in the frame the steering lock reduced, the 05 had better lock & you probably wouldn't notice much difference apart from the 05 will likely still have a working shock unlike the 06 Engine size is a personal thing depending on your ability, the 290s make more power everywhere in the range than the 250s especially low down & generally are smoother but you do need to learn to use the clutch to feel what the back tyre is doing to get the best out of them The last 250 I tried seemed very zippy & grabbed revs quicker than I was used to but did seem to grip well I think the reason that more 290s are sold is to do with the extra power down low makes it easier to ride if you don't get up in the revs very often, as a generalisation this applies to older riders My advice is to try both sized bikes if you can & see which suits you better

Your levers are basically in the right place if the top of the master cylinders are level with the wheels on the ground. You won't be able to tension the chain properly with out the spring loaded tensioner that mounts near the front of the swingarm http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Sherco-Trials-Chain-Tensioner-Blue-/250891749057?_trksid=p2045573.m2042&_trkparms=aid%3D111000%26algo%3DREC.CURRENT%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D27%26meid%3D1919142742473177725%26pid%3D100033%26prg%3D1011%26rk%3D4%26 This kit has all the parts but you may not be able to buy it, Chris will be able to supply you a RQF tensioner & the correct countersunk screw for a similar price http://www.splatshop...lue-silver.html

Have a look for the resistance values in similar threads or look here for a run down on how to test the stator http://www.splatshop.co.uk/stator-repair-exchange-new-style.html

Because you've disturbed the sidecover gasket & probably damaged it I would drain the coolant & take the cover off to replace the gasket, do the seal while it's off

Take it to a wheel builder, chances are they will be able to flatten the ding out for you or at least minimise it

Rossi

Spies has been keeping his plans for the future pretty quiet, would seem he chose to leave rather than Yamaha saying you're out of a ride next year. Where & what he races next year will be interesting to see I can't honestly think of any american riders who are competing at world level at the moment, this would have to be the minimum requirement to get on a Yamaha at the moment unless the rider can bring serious money to the team. My thoughts are the same as Feetupfun's where the issues that Spies has been having are concerned, different riders have their own styles & requirements of the bike which can explain why he has fallen off a few times & now is running into reliability problems Lorenzo's style came from riding high corner speed 250's which requires smoothness whereas Spies came from superbikes which are almost the opposite

Pedrosa has had 6 years? of the Honda team being built around him with all the development being focused on him & still has only just started to get more than 2 race wins a year happening. I can't help but feel for Nicky Hayden still, it must have been soul destroying to win the championship for Honda & then get told you're developing a bike you can't even fit on for your new boy team mate Personally I think that Dovi's biggest problem is his nationality, if you're spanish you have more sponsorship money behind you & Dorna is prepared to push your case for a better ride if you aren't spanish

Same could be said of Pedrosa but he's still there

Agree with Domino, good ratio on them & the forged levers don't break easily