neonsurge

I think I've posted about this before (sorry) but I've tried everything suggested and I'm still having problems - just wondered if anyone has any more advice they can offer! It's an '03 250 and takes 10-20 good solid kicks from cold before it'll start. When it finally fires up, it runs very rough and spluttery for a few seconds (as though it's flooded) but clears quickly and from then on runs perfectly all day long. Once warm, it starts first kick every time. I've checked the spark (fine) and disassembled and cleaned the carb several times (including checking and resetting the float height). I follow the recommended starting procedure of putting it in gear and rocking backwards and forwards a few times then leaning it over to the left and right before kicking but this makes no difference. I've removed and cleaned the front and mid pipes and repacked the silencer. All other suggestions gratefully received!

Cota, you do realise what you're getting into there don't you??? Oops, just noticed the date. Well, guess you've found out by now

Are you sure that the radiator is the cause of the coolant leak? Might be worth checking in case it's actually a split hose or something and save yourself a lot of chasing around trying to fix a non-problem. I had a big crash on my enduro bike a few years ago and almost tore the left side radiator off. However, there was no coolant leak and I managed to bash it back into place using a log and rock (I was in the middle of nowhere at the time) and it stayed like that (working perfectly) for several weeks before I scraped together the cash to replace it. Just a thought.

A while ago I looked into the possibility of manufacturing aftermarket plastics for trials bikes. I'm sure most of us break either the front or rear mudguards at least once a year and OEM replacements are very expensive. I also thought that it'd be nice to provide colour alternatives - how about a white Beta for example (or maybe pink for Essex Rider ) However, some preliminary enquiries suggested that the initial expense of having moulds made etc. to cover all the different models and years of bikes would be prohibitively expensive given the relatively small market and probable short-term returns. Still, I'm surprised none of the larger aftermarket manufacturers (Acerbis or Polisport for example) haven't picked up on the trials market. Maybe it's because (most) trials riders replace plastics through neccessity, not vanity and fashion as seems to be the case in MX

Taking up the MX comparison again, if Ricky Carmichael, James Stewart and some of the others are the best racers in the world, how come we don't see them at world championship events (apart from their annual "charity" appearance at the Motocross Of Nations where they frequently look as though they'd rather be elsewhere)? The reason is simple: They race for the money, not the sport. That's not necessarily a criticism, I'm just suggesting that the sporting culture in the US is such that so-called traditional values such as sportsmanship and a "because it's there" attitude to apparently insurmountable challenges will always be pushed to one corner when the sponsor's cheque book appears. You could argue that it's just how things work in the modern world but I don't think that explains it completely. What do you think motivates Dougie at the start of each new season? I'm pretty sure that his salary, although psychologically important to any professional sportsperson as an estimate of their worth to their employers, is secondary to his desire to win another world title and I'm willing to bet that the same it true of virtually all of the WTC competitors. Although I'm sure that the top riders make a good living, there just ain't that much money in trials. Maybe there's the problem. Maybe the NATC organisers recognise this and have at least subconciously decided that the money's not there to motivate the up and coming young riders so there's no point in promoting the US at a world level 'cos they just ain't gonna make it. What's lacking is that "screw 'em, we're gonna do it no matter what" attitude that is now accepted as a pre-requisite for success in a minority interest sport elsewhere. This isn't meant to be a criticism of the way that the sport is run in the US - to be honest I know very little about the NATC and its organisers. I'm just suggesting that it might be a "groupthink" cultural attitude difference that's the problem. I know that several young US riders are actually trying to do it for themselves and good on 'em but from what I've read it does seem as though they're working with one hand tied behind their backs. As a completely uninformed foreigner, I'm simply saying what I see and suggesting what the missing piece may be. Putting it another way, is the collective American psyche able to deal with the sport of trials? There are people on here who would be able to confirm or debunk this theory (I'm thinking of Ishy in particular). Care to comment?

From what I understand, a couple of Italian guys DID enter on trials bikes but didn't get through the 3-hour qualifying race. A trials iron would be great on the ultra-gnarly bits but they'd get totally blown away on the more open sections. The 2-stroke factory KTM that Knighter rides is specially prepared for events such as Hell's Gate (softened suspension, power valve regulator etc.) to make the performance more like that of a trials bike and don't forget that in addition to being the current world enduro champ, he's also an ex-British expert class trials champion! That's got to be pretty much the perfect combination of machine setup and rider experience for these "extreme" events. Having said that, trials ability obviously counts for a lot - Mr G. Jarvis, 4th in his first(?) international enduro? That's amazing. It'd be sad to see him disappear from world-class trials competition but trials' loss would undoubtedly be enduro's gain. Go Graham!

I'm not sure that the aborted FIM 4-stroke rule for '06 had as much to do with the decision to develop the 4RT motor as did the decision that Honda made a while back to go 4-stroke across the entire company's output, from weed whackers to excavators. It was always going to happen sooner rather than later. Of the two "big five" trials manufacturers yet to announce 4-stroke models, GasGas have some in-house 4-stroke expertise with the EC enduro bikes leaving only Beta who have 4-strokes in their non-trials product ranges but using externally-sourced engines from Suzuki (Alp) and KTM (in the RR enduro machines). Until the recent upheavals at GasGas I bet they were working on a 4-banger trialler but with the suits now firmly in control of the purse strings I bet the project's on indefinite hold until the FIM finally make their mind up what they're going to do. If Beta don't have some super-secret internal 4-stroke development programme it'd make sense for them to do build something around the KTM 250EXC Racing engine (like Scorpa did with the Yam WR/YZF250) but I guess that all depends on the terms of their agreement with the Austrians. DRZ-engined Rev-3 anyone? No, me neither

There are numerous online spelling and grammar checkers out there that will help you construct coherent sentences. You'll find that people are more likely to respond to your questions if they can be easily understood (unlike your first paragraph above which required three read-throughs before I deciphered what you were trying to say). I know a couple of people who, although you wouldn't know it from their posts on forums such as this, are severely dyslexic. That's because they make use of the language tools available to them. By the way, "text talk" is forbidden here - I'm pretty sure that it says as much somewhere on the registration form but in case it doesn't you might want to bear that in mind before Andy gets all official on your ass. All that "HI M8 HWZ U? OMG ROTFLMAO LOL LOL!!!!!!!!!1111111111111!!!" style crap should stay in the AOL teen chat rooms. Having said all that, just take a bit more time to compose your messages and I think you'll find that the TC crowd are really pretty friendly. With regards to your original question, if you really want more power from your Beta have a chat with John Lampkin at Beta UK who I'm sure will be able to sort you out.

Dude, the role of grumpy old curmugeon who spends all of their time moaning about about how the young 'uns don't seem to be capable of basic grammar and spelling let alone performing the most basic google searches to find the information they're incoherently trying to solicit on here is taken, OK? That's MY job, damn it!

"Was" or "has been"? If the former, what's the point of telling us now? If you meant the latter, my congratulations for a truly awesome post!

Just watched the Barcelona round... what was all that about then? Sure Bou was riding brilliantly but those sections (apart from the races and waterfall) were just an endless series of rev and splats. All big power and big balls, no brains required. Am I the only one who thinks this year's indoor WTC has been a bit on the boring side? Sheffield aside, it's been a case of "seen one, seen 'em all".

Purple? Why?!? Yeuch....! Maybe it's the angle I took the photo from that doesn't show it very well but it actually matches the curve of the silencer and mid pipe and sits pretty close. I've never caught my trousers (or anything else!) in it.

You might if you have a 4x4 or a tractor (or ride your bike there) but not otherwise. If you want to practise and can get there then go for it but the trial is off.

For those of you who don't hit the front page very often, the SDMC trial tomorrow 5/3 has been cancelled due to heavy snow in the Scarborough area which has made Low North Park inaccessible

I was just browsing through the new forum posts and noticed your reply. It's a good little van if a bit thirsty (2 litre non-turbo diesel) and slowish (0-60 takes a glacial 28 seconds when fully loaded) but torquey as hell and will chug around in 5th gear all day. Easily gets 2 bikes plus all riding gear, toolboxes, fuel cans etc. in the back. I reckon you could get 3 bikes in without too much bother but I've never tried it. The advantage of the Cub/Vanette and other vans of this type is that they're not as large and obtrusive as something like a Transit or Traffic and don't look so incongruous sat on the driveway (which means the missus doesn't get quite so narked). Mine has 97,000 miles on it (not all by me!) and still runs beautitfully. Only problem I've had was a broken propshaft caused by a loose UJ bolt (my own fault, I should've tightened it as soon as I noticed the vibration) but even that was quickly (and relatively cheaply) fixed.

Dunno if this discussion from back in '04 might help. Sounds like the exact same problem you're having. Haven't seen clarkp on these forums for a while... you still there mate?

Just remembered - here it is:

This is getting ridiculous. There's no problem with the new Betas. It's the cluch/primary gears vibrating. They all do that. Thank you for your obviously well researched and carefully reasoned input. Go you. Andy, someone, put this thread out of its misery.

OK, I appreciate that the original poster's intentions were genuine, but... JUST STOP IT, OK?!? ALL TRIALS BIKES ARE GOOD. THEY ALL HAVE THEIR OCCASIONAL LITTLE PROBLEMS BUT THEY'RE EASILY SORTED IN ALL CASES. THE RIGHT BIKE FOR YOU IS WHATEVER BIKE FEELS RIGHT FOR YOU. Jeez, this is worse than the OS wars over on slashdot.org...

Um, I'm also in IT (I'm a programmer) and to be honest, I quite like it. Mind you I am a total propellerhead (it's OK, I've come to terms with it) and I get to work from home most of the time which means I can keep an eye on TC all day! I think the problem with turning a hobby into a job is that there's a danger of it becoming... a job. You might end up hating trials just as much as you hate IT and find yourself out fishing or something on a Sunday instead of thrashing round the sections. It's happened to a couple of people I know. Just a thought. Mind you, if you're sufficiently enthusiastic then I'd say go for it... can't be any worse than project management (it's bloody project managers that make my life miserable, especially in the days leading up to a completely unrealistic release date that's been promised to customers by a dimwit salesman). I'd like to be one of those extras in Eastenders or Coronation Street who get to stand in the background of pub scenes and drink all day.

I have an ally one on my bike and I think it looks quite good. I can't take the credit for it because the previous owner had made it and obviously taken his time to make sure that it matched the shape and curvature of the original carbon one (perfectly smooth edges etc.) I'll get a photo if you'd like to have a look?

Yeah, I'd agree with this. Respect where it's due and regardless of whatever else has gone on it's not as if L doesn't know what he's talking about. BUT... It's not necessarily what Lane's saying, it's the way that he says it and this, combined with an apparent reluctance to address direct questions is what gets everyone's back up. I'd be sad to see him go because buried in all the self-importance are some valid points and ideas. If he adopts a more restrained, less confrontational posting style the flamers (and I confess I've been one of them in the past) will hopefully start to back off and maybe not every thread in which he participates will turn into a pointless snark-fest.

Wibble.

Trialsmonkey

<ComicBookGuy> Worst... thread... EVAH! </ComicBookGuy>