Hi

I am new to trials and have got myself a Beta rev3 04 model. Great site by the way.

When i start bike from cold, the clutch doesnt work for just the first try, the bike just leaps forward but after this its fine apart from sometimes when i have finished riding and the engine is off but in gear, sometimes it doesn't work then either.

Thanks

Welcome Kingy.

Don't worry about the clutch, that's a very common problem.

I've a much old Beta and to free the clutch off I ride it around for maybe 30 seconds, winding up and down the gearbox till the clutch free's off.

It's mainly caused by the strong clutch springs suqeezing the plates together and causing a vacuum. The clutch oil seals the vacuum.

Ok thats great, thanks very much for the quick response

It is a common problem with trials bikes as the clutch is so big compared to the rest of the engine.

Some riders swear by different oils which cure this, but I've never found one that does. I just expect the cluch to stick if the bike's been stood for a few days.

By the way, I don't change up and down the gears until the clutch frees off. I just keep pumping the lever whilst riding along and it frees off in a few metres.

I have an 04 Rev3, before i start it up i put it in 4th or 5th and with the clutch lever pulled in rock the bike backwards and forward until the clutch works. Then put it in neutral start up and away you go no problem

For what it's worth, when I switched to the ELF HTX-740 that problem pretty much went away on my 2005, expensive stuff though

Edited April 18, 200818 yr by CODirtRider

Had the same problem using Maxima. Went away with a switch to Motul 2T gearbox oil.

Good stuff!