So far I've scrubbed it in WD40 with a toothbrush, washed it off in WD40, dried it all off with an air line and a rag, dipped it in light oil and hung it up to drip dry. I'll wipe it off a bit more before fitting it and see what it's like.
Any recommendations for a chain lube that isn't too sticky? Currently using Rock Oil and always applying it days before a ride to give it a chance to soak in but its so sticky that the chain gets filthy in no time. I do have some Wurth dry chain lube, that worth trying?
Try an Iridium plug gaped to 0.023" - they help alittle.
Getting proper purchase and a good quick snap on the kicker(think club head speed) is the key. I know guys who swear there bike is messed up and wont start and I can start it 1st kick. The 300's can be a bear. If you still have difficulties, a low comp head and a FWW helps alot.
It is a bit of a knack. I was warned by the UK importers themselves when I bought my 300 new that they were not easy to start. But you can learn how to do it. Get the engine and kick-start to the best (highest) engagement position and...a good hefty kick, easier if you are up on the pegs. If you kick at the kickstart without engaging it with your foot first you may chip the cogs. That's about £150 for the two, and as noted above one is only a quadrant anyway. There is a demo short video on You Tube somewhere by an American guy.
Thanks, yeah I've read up plenty and watched the videos. It's probably just due to the engine size then, maybe I'll get a 250cc next!
Looks like you need oil in the gear box to be honest. Kickstart looks okay just make sure bike is set up correctly and it should start upon quick sharp kick once enaged kickstart, just use choke n no throttle from cold and then some throttle when warm.
Bike is leant over to the left, oil level is fine.
Do not just jump on it, you have to make sure it is engaged. It takes a fast kick to work. I sometimes have the same trouble, I just get my big kid to start it. The funny thing is it`s a 300 Raga and the previous owner sold it for not being able to start it!
I deffo don't just jump on it, I find TDC then kick. I've studied Jim Snells starting video it just seems that I'm not getting enough rotation out of a kick.
After a bit more messing about I've found that after finding TDC with the lever about 11 o'clock it does seem to drop to nearer 9 or 10 o'clock when I put my foot on it (even lightly) so I've rotated the lever clockwise by one notch so that even after its dropped a little its still at 11 o'clock. Will see how that is next time I take it out.
Bike starts and runs OK, usually second kick hot or cold but it does take a hell of a kick so much so that its almost impossible to do it without standing up on the bike and dropping your body weight down on to it, obviously this is a good technique anyway but it can be annoying when stalled mid section as I can't leave one foot on the floor and start it. Also the amount of force required seems like its too much, as in I'll end up damaging something one day, it makes a loud crack/snap sound when starting and sometimes makes a weird click sound which I don't think is right at all, happens pretty rarely but does do it. I have had a good look at the pawl gear etc when I had the idler (i think) gear wear out on me and jam up the kick starter mech last year and all looks OK, I'm just not overly happy about it.
It seems to me that when I've found TDC the lever is in about the 11 o clock position (which I think is good) but does seem to drop a little more when I get my foot on it ready to kick which leaves me with not much room left to kick it as the lever is then a bit low.
Where should the kick starter be exactly, this is mine now:
Resting
TDC
I've tried moving it clockwise one notch but that didn't help and I tried going anticlockwise one notch but the lever kept getting jammed in the foot peg after kicking it.
I have found that if I don't have enough free play in the rear brake lever that after 5 or 10 mins the brake over heats, and binds so bad that as you pull the clutch in to change gear the rear wheel locks up on grass.
My mates rear brake on his '09 Beta Evo suddenly locked on today, lever was still up in the off position, we let a bit of oil out and it freed up for about 10mins before siezing up again, done this a few more times so we stripped down the master cylinder and cleaned it all (seals looked OK), rebuilt it and same happened again after 10mins riding, so again we let a little oil out and that seemed to have done the trick, it lasted all afternoon. So I have a couple of questions:
1. What caused this? I'm guessing it's something to do with pressure building up after so many pumps of the lever and somehow not releasing.
2. What's the correct way to bleed the rear? Not having done a rear before I connected a power bleeder to the nipple on the caliper which forced fluid up into the system which I then bled out by loosening the banjo bolt on the master cylinder until the air was out. When I use the power bleeder on the front brake I attach it to he master cylinder with a cap I made, force oil down the system and bleed it out of the nipple on the caliper which works great but obviously the rear does not have a cap to attach the power bleeder to. What I did to the rear did actually work just wondering what the correct method is?
Mate of mines rear brake on his Beta EVO has very little travel and is quite stiff. Any idea what would cause this? Would simply bleeding it sort it, or maybe a rebuild kit?
Yeah I know what you mean, I'll do a video anyway as I want to make sure I'm doing it right as I've only had the GasGas a few months (Beta before) and dont want to knacker my case again!
One thing I know, starting the big bore bikes at or near TDC, like some do, seems to ME, is bad practice, if you jump up and then down on the starter, cracks cases? it really needs to be "back and down" on the starter. I also post this everywhere, but every time I start my '12 raga 300 I like to rock the bike to where the piston has passed TDC (which is technically rolling engine backwards approaching TDC in reverse) then kick the bike in a fluid motion, less stress on all the starting parts, and getting the piston to start moving from dead stop when it is up against compression. of course it is a learned thing.
Thanks yeah I do actually already rock the bike (finishing with a reverse movement), then kick it but obviously mid obstacle or section you can't do that if stalled. I'll upload a vid of how I typically start it over the weekend so you can see if I'm doing it right. I know I must have some bad habits as I also own a 450 supermoto which requires the tdc method.
Good info, will check where mine sits but I'm pretty sure I tested the movement of mine with the clutch cover off so could see what was happening. Will double check again though as obviously if the footpeg is used to stop the starter I'll need to make sure that is happening instead of stressing the internals and/or clutch cover :-)
What Chain Lube?
in General Trials Talk
Posted
So far I've scrubbed it in WD40 with a toothbrush, washed it off in WD40, dried it all off with an air line and a rag, dipped it in light oil and hung it up to drip dry. I'll wipe it off a bit more before fitting it and see what it's like.