I suspect he's talking about the UK and British Championship riders

If that is the the case then it is a fair comment, mind you last years championship didn't have that many 4 strokes either.

The 4rt (I haven't ridden any other brand of 4 stroke) is not an experts bike IMHO.

It's a clubman/plodders bike (I'm including myself in that catagory).

The bike does put a unique smile on your face and for that alone I would consider one but you need to spend some serious

I bought my first 4rt in Feb 2006 having ridden 280 & 250 Gassers since 2002, the 250 being the easier bike to ride. I spent most of February March & April trying to make it grip, I then went to Scotland with it in May & thoroughly enjoyed it. I did OK in the sections on it & found it great on the moor, stick it in 4th & go, flat out or lugging, it just did it. I continued to enjoy riding it after Scotland but I did find my results varied a lot with it, I always felt I could have some really magic cleans on it but I also felt I 5'd a lot more sections than I normally would, one wrong move (lean an inch to far forward) & it would stop. Any way roll onto Scotland 2008 & I'm back there on my 2nd 4rt. Now for some reason I didn't enjoy myself to much in the sections, I spent half the week upside down ( p*** off Gizza ) & I haven't a clue how I got as far up the results as I did. I'm still not sure if I should blame the 4rt, I was two years older & problably not as fit as I could be. Anyway that bike stayed in Scotland following a deal with BJ & I bought another one a couple of weeks later. I rode this bike a reasonable amount & did all my marking out work for our 3 day on it but at some point on the Tuesday before the Trial it was time for a change. I'd come to the conclusion that while I loved the Mont for the in between bits I was hating it in the sections. I felt it was trying to push me up sections far quicker than I wanted to go, I like to try & pick my way up stuff but the Mont just doesn't like that, certainly not with my hand eye coordination, it just keeps on wanting to go so that I usually ended up going straight up the middle of stuff which I do find a bit hit & miss. Anyway with half a dozen phone calls & a fair bit of luck I'd done two separate deals & I now owned an 07 250 Gas Gas. Apart from a quick spin round our lane the first section I rode on it was section one on the Friday. It was just like pulling on a favorite old pair of shoes & I felt I had my most consistant ride in ages.

I bought all three of my Mont's nearly new, this saved a considerable amount but I do feel I had to spend a fair sum on aftermarket bits to make the standard bike into a usable item. Footrests, Footrest hangers, big clutch on the 06 bike, bash plate & throttle body were all expensive items & I did collapse a wheel & have a shocker regas on the 06 bike. Nothing will ever convince me to run the same bike year after year, I'm always convinced they go off. But then I know of a local 4rt that has had some serious hard riding thrown at it that would have worn out three of any other brand of bike.

I have got to own up that since the 3 day, with the exception of Scott week where I was involved with marking out & on Scott day where I spend the full day riding, the Gas Gas hasn't turned a wheel. The only time it's moved was when I sat it on my work bench as I needed the bike stand, it's just the right height for hanging wallpaper off. I've sort of lost interest, I think. So I'm not convinced of my reasons for getting rid of the mont was it's fault at all.

Anyway that bike stayed in Scotland following a deal with BJ & I bought another one a couple of weeks later.

Yip and it's still here, No.1 son rides it and loves it!

I haven't been out on mine for ages, but it's not for sale, it will do me!

Big John

I spent half the week upside down ( p*** off Gizza )

Yep seems every time I caught you on camera you were struggling or on your ar*e but as you say you still bagged a half decent result

You in for 2009?

You in for 2009?

Work signs are poor & I've a young dog that'll need a lot of my time this spring, I really don't know about Scotland.

I've a young dog that'll need a lot of my time this spring.

That is an utterly ridiculous excuse!!!!

That is an utterly ridiculous excuse!!!!

But it's the best he's got right now.....

Most talk is on the 4RT but my experience was with the Sherco 4T. Having one of the very first ones was not a good idea but I messed about with it, put on a Kehin and set it up differently and it was superb. I found it really nice to ride with so much torque that It was much easier to ride than the sherco 290 2003 I had before. The grip was superb and it would pull up anything. My scoring got better ( beating my nemesis Elwyn for the first time on only my second time out on it) in VERY muddy sections and it was superb.

What went wrong? Well, the much known starting problems wore me down and I got fed up with it and it had to go. Lost 1.5k on it in only 6 months but took the loss and went back to the brand new (at that time) 290 sherco. Immediately it felt so much better and easier to ride. It just felt a lot lighter and gave a lot of confidence. Scoring continued to get better but it wasn't till i moved to the GasGas 300 (which had been calmed down a bit) did I find the bike that was absolutely perfect for me.

After having a go on Ross' bike, If I bought another bike I today it would be a Gasser 250 without hesitation

Go buy it Ian and get your a*** up the Yennards again

The first full week in May is always a very sensitive time for young pup's, I'm not off cos I'm just past it, Kinell's not off cos he a fat little ****er, and Perce!! well the dog comes first

never rode a 4rt but after reading these post's most seem to enjoy how it goes between the sections that it goes like a rocket and pulls in high gears and puts a smile on your face. that's just what i would say about my 300 gasser only difference the gasser love's spanners

The only 4rt i seen being ridden are by novice riders where i come from and most experts ride 2-t's. The only 4t bikes to make any headway is the 08-09 sherco 4t, now ridden by two top experts. My old 05 4rt was great on rocks but crap in mud, stable and a bit heavy. My current scorpa sy is great in the mud not that bad on rocks, stable and a bit heavy.

Edited December 21, 200817 yr by spud

It all comes down to money. If you can ride equally or better on a 2t as on a 4t then why would you spend the money? In todays cash climate the 4t's have gone the way of the bank. If you have money to afford one then you have one. In this sport the 4t is a progression towards an environmental ideal. Honda being a large player in this 2 wheeled world has succumb and can't go back. The question is can the rest of the brands sneak under the environmentalists noses? If not then 4 strokes will be made to show dedication towards the environment.

All in all I don't think that consumer demand has made this push to the 4t like it has in motocross and enduro. The bang for the buck is just not there.

--Biff