Having ridden all 3 (250, 280 and 300) and owned a 250 and 300, I have to say that the 280 is the most snatchy to ride. In my experience, the 300 is the smoothest (I currently have a 300 Raga - with a Dellorto carb).
I would put the order of smoothness as:
300
250
280
Of course this is only my opinion, I'm sure others would disagree.
Get yourself to the next GG open day and try them all out! Thats what made me go 300!
I'm due an oil change which is its first since I bought the bike. I would like to replace it with the same oil as this is the best feeling clutch I've ever used. I'm not sure if its so good due to the oil or if its down to a good clutch, but i'd like to keep the same oil. Its not discoloured either, its always remained green.
Problem is, I've no idea what it is. Anyone know of a green gearoil? Dextron that I've used before is normally red and normal engine/gear oil is brown, so whats this?
Thinking of repainting my 06 Raga swingarm, but not sure what primer/paint combo to use on MagAl. Also, anyone got know of a decent colour match for the Raga gold?
Mate please pull the head off. There will be 6 years of carbon on the piston and head. It needs polishing off and probably put the jets back as they were. All 2t bikes need this maintenance.
We have a winner!
As I mentioned the other day, I decoked the head and it seemed better from pinking point of view. So, as an experiment, I reverted to the original pilot jet (33) and moved the needle back to its original position (second notch from bottom)....no pinking! So, thanks to all that mentioned the decoke!
So, the moral of the story, if its pinking, decoke the head before changing the carburation!
On decoking, anyone any tips on decoking the piston? I only did the head with fear of dropping crap down the cylinder.
Well done wayne. When you do get around to decoking the piston spend some time polishing the piston top with Autosol polish (after some 600 grit emery paper) to slow further coke buildup.
I was a little nervous about decoking the piston, so I just did the head. Whats the best way do do the piston without getting crap down the cylinder?
UPDATE: I put the plug back in tonight (the one causing the misfire) and sure enough, it ran like a dog again...its is definately the plug. To look at, this plug and a working one look the same (coked up), the gap looks the same and the electrode looks fine. Infact the dodgy plug is only a couple of week old! Not sure whats caused it to fail, but the spark does look week and arcing down the electrode....How long should a plug last, is there a specifed cleaning regimen?
I went out for a 3 hour ride last Saturday, the bike was still pinking now and again when the throttle closed. Just as we was about to put the bikes away, the bike died. I kicked it back up, but it coughed, spluttered, knocked and generally sounded dreadful. It wound't run for more that a few seconds. I sounded exactly like before when it started backfiring etc.
So, this week, I have:
- Pulled the flywheel: Woodruff key is intact. Changed it anyway, as the key had a little scoring on it but the flywheel was still definately keyed into it. - no real problem there. Put it all back together and it still wounldn't start! I changed the spark plug (the one I took out looked ok, black with soot, but looked ok) and it fired up first time!
I took it for a test ride and there was still an odd pink now and again....back into the garage...
- Took off the head and decoked: Head was particularly coked. Left piston alone, I didn't want to get any crap down the cylinder.
I took it for a test ride, no notiable pinking so far, but its early days.
So, woodruff key was fine and the plug seems to cure the odd running....This bikes has a mind of its own...
Mate please pull the head off. There will be 6 years of carbon on the piston and head. It needs polishing off and probably put the jets back as they were. All 2t bikes need this maintenance.
Have you a recommended procedure for decoking? Simply remove the head and clean? Do any gaskets need replacing in the process?
Does your bike have a Dellorto or a Keihin Carb? I have a 300 Raga with a Dellorto and have just changed the pilot from a 33 to a 38 - unfortunately, its still pinking/knocking at random times when closing the throttle. Its looks that you are already running a much bigger jet than me even after my upgrade! I'd be interested in what jet combination you find to work best.
Had a good couple of hours ride today...hell of a lot better with the #38 in, but still it pinks/knocks at certain times when shutting the throttle off, especially under load.
Strangely, it doesn't do it constantly.
So I suppose I could up to a #40 or is this really point to an air leak somewhere? More investigation required this week I think!
Exactly what was wrong with my 2009 300, Mine used to pink/knock like mad, Changed jetting, Nothing seemed to cure it, Until one day I noticed the base gasket was leaking & got worse everytime I rode it, Which was the cause of it pinking. It Didn't help with the fact that it was an ex GG Team bike & who had it before me had put the wrong gasket on (to thin) Probably to make it higer compression which would have caused it to pink even worse.
Wayne: Hope your bike stays running good, I know it's an annoying problem, I hated it!
Hi Ben,
I did try and squirt WD40 around the base gasket hoping it would affect the idle or make the WD bubble if it was leaking. It didn't do anything noticable, so have to assume its ok. I'll see how things go.
You're right on how annoying the pinking is, it makes the engine sound like its on its last legs - the noise go right through you!
Dropped the needle back to it original position (second notch from bottom) this morning and....
Perfection!
About a 20 minute ride without one single pink! Seems to run nicely too! I'm going to treat it to a new spark plug and see how we go from here.
Still a complete mystery as to why it backfired etc, just hope it was water in the fuel or something (drained tank and fuel can). I will keep tabs on it and when I get a flywheel puller I will check the woodruff.
Thanks everyone for your input and wisdom, much appreciated, I wouldn't be where I am now without you all!
As per Jon's recommendation, I've now fitted the #38 jet and dropped the needle one notch. Its early days (only a quick 15 minute ride), it does seem better but there is still the odd pink. It seems a little lumpy at part throttle, but fine at the top end (arm ripping )
I'm tempted to put the needle back to where it was (second notch from bottom) and try again. Any thoughts Jon?
If the timing, due to key shear, has retarded/advanced slightly, this could lead to possible overheating and poor running. It could also be stale fuel or water in the fuel.
I'd go with a #38 pilot jet and drop the needle one groove (raise the clip one groove). The other jets seem to be in the ballpark and the #300 float needle flows more than enough fuel to prevent high-speed starving. Check the float level by tilting the carb body so the float arm tab just lightly touches the spring loaded pin on the float needle. If the arms are then parallel with the gasket surface of the body that the bowl contacts, you're fine.
While you have the carb off, I'd take the manifold off, check the reeds (hard to know what else the previous owner took off) and then use a little sealer on the gaskets when re-assembling it. It's probably a standard steel/rubber reedcage/manifold assembly, so don't overtighten the four screws holding it in (that will "bow" the manifold between the screw holes and allow air in). This will eliminate a manifold air leak as a cause.
Jon
ps. Fear not. Everything can be fixed.....
I may take the flywheel off just to inspect. Incidently, what the best way to undo the flywheel bolt? How do you stop the flywheel turning?
I'll get a #38 ordered on Monday and see what happens. Not sure what you mean by "drop the needle one groove"?
I'll take a look at he manifold too. I've checked the rubber while its on the bike and I can't see any splitting, but I'll give it a going over.
Depending upon which condition you are referring to with your symptoms.
Basics #1= Throttle chop ping is something of a normal condition, as you have just cut off the fuel to the motor(goes lean). I presume this is a dellorto carb?
Increasing pilot jet size can help minimize this(33 to 35/36) range, as the carb is then able to provide more fuel through tht transition circuit on throttle chop. Will likely require you decrease the fuel screw setting a bit for best idle.(2turn range rather than three)
Is it still running ok otherwise now?
Yes, sorry chaps, its confusing me as much too!
Its seems to be running as it was before now, still pinking but not farting and backfiring etc, so it is a complete mystery!
I've now taken a photo of the carb and labeled all the jets, so it might shed some light on it (its a Dellorto by the way, not the Keihin that the 300 Raga came with - a previous owner must have robbed it )
I'm assuming the "33" is the pilot and this is a standard Keihin PWK28 on a 300 Raga (usually mid-40's works well). That seems way lean for a pilot on this configuration. That would be way lean for a Dellorto in fact (usually #36-38) and may be the cause of the chop/pink problem. Air screw adjustment should be done according to ambient conditions (blip throttle and in/out to get best reponse).
The backfiring problem is somewhat of a puzzle and could be flywheel alignment related, as well as an air leak (usually manifold). The shock loads on the flywheel/crank taper for a Trials bike are huge in comparison to most bikes and the flywheel bolt needs to be checked now and then.
Jon
Hi Jon,
I did forget to mention that it has a Dellorto although the 06 Raga 300 should have a Keihin (I think a previous owner must has swopped it from another another bike - ). So maybe the problem is the 33 is way too small for the 300? Just to help matters, I've taken a photo and labeled each jet:
It does seem to make sense since engaging the choke makes the whole bike sound better and the pink its almost completely eradicated. Which jet then would you recommend?
Its a complete mystery to why it went all lumpy, backfiring as its now back as it was - generally running well apart from the pinking. Its an absolute head scratcher! Surely the bikes timing can't just change and then correct itself, but it did seem like the timing...I will keep tabs on it, but I just feel problems like that don't just disappear over night!
I got up this morning and kicked it back up....Its ran quite normally for at least 20 mins, no rough running, not backfiring...mental! This bike has a mind of its own!
Unfortunately, it still pinks now and again when closing the throttle and sounds much nicer when the choke is engaged.
I also sprayed some WD40 around the cylinder gasket/rubber carb inlet to see if the engine sound changed due to it sucking in the WD40....no difference. Is this a good way for checking gasket/rubber leaks?
When I stripped the carb, I had the following jets/needles:
33
270k
300
118
60
Not sure which jets/needles they are though??? I might strip again and take a photo so someone can point me to which one is which.
Tonight, stripped the carb and cleans all the needles etc. All looked well, so I reassembled and it kicked it life. It sounded better straight away. So I took it for a gentle ride and let it warm up....the pinking seems to have gone...great! After about 5 mins, I was just about to put the bike away feeling chuffed with myself, there was a clunking sound and the bike cut out. I kicked it up again only for it to cough, fart and backfire! It now runs like a dog and it not very happy
It back fires, sounds to knock (pink) and sounds terrible! Help!
The strange thing is, it was sweet as a nut for 5 minutes and then caput! What went wrong?
Could by complete coincidence could the woodruff key have sheered and put the timing out or has the motor given in? I have no flywheel puller to check the state of the woodruff.
I'm very worried...
Your help is greatfully appreciated!
Cheers,
Wayne.
More than one GG pro has sucked it's base gasket in.
On a dry dusty day you'll see oil/fuel stains at barrel base, on a wet muddy one, you won't.
Cured with thicker gasket - and bike runs smoother too..
Pinking, if engine has tight squish - high compression - carbon build up can be enough for pinking.
Had the same problem this summer. As it turned out my base gasket was shot. Look around the bottom of cylinder for any oil or combustion residue. It progressively got worse as the gasket was dieing.
Here is a pic
--Biff
Interesting! Was there any signs of this before you stripped the engine? Was there any residue visble externally at the bottom of cylinder?
Ok doke, I give it a go and check for splitting too....
Thanks for the pointer...
I guess you mean an 06 Raga? Yes, give the carb a good clean and blow through, but also check the rubber the carb' fits into for wear and splitting. The symptoms you describe hint at an air leak between the carb and the motor.
So, thanks to all that mentioned the decoke!
I changed the spark plug (the one I took out looked ok, black with soot, but looked ok) and it fired up first time! 
)
). So maybe the problem is the 33 is way too small for the 300? Just to help matters, I've taken a photo and labeled each jet:
2011 280cc As Lively As I Keep Reading? Gas Gas Newbie....
in Gas Gas
Posted
Again, it only my opinion, but I think the Gold Raga of 2009/2010 are still the best looking trials bikes ever made!
Its a shame I only have a 2006!
I would love a goldie! Although, I wouldn't want to ride it...just look at it and polish it 
Go for gold