Hi everyone, I'm currently looking around for a good 2nd hand trials bike. I rode trials for 3 years when i was 11 and i'm now 22! I've ridden bike-trials up until a couple of years back but fancy getting another motorbike for some fun and local trials!

From what I've read a Beta rev 3 250 2008 would be a reasonably good bike for me. What should I look out for when viewing and how much should I expect to pay for a really clean example?

Thanks

Hugh

An 08 beta,gas gas or sherco 250 would be fine.Buy the best condition bike you can find,they all have their good and bad points.If you don't know what you're looking at,take someone with you who does.I don,t know where you live but bvm in gloucester are straight to deal with'

Edited January 8, 201115 yr by huski

I'd rather buy a rough looking bike that has been regularly trialled and well maintained than a clean looking bike that has sat around gathering dust.

I'd rather buy a rough looking bike that has been regularly trialled and well maintained than a clean looking bike that has sat around gathering dust.

Hi There! whats you're reason behind this statment, are you speaking from experience, maybe a bad one

A rough looking one that been trialled regularly and maintained regularly is a bike worth buying IMO, and when I say rough I mean plastics of course, not all dents and bashes....just my opinion, others may and probably will disagree.

No bad experience btw, I've only ever bought one trials bike in my puff

Edited January 8, 201115 yr by Thedbf

The reason I ask, I too am looking to buy a bike, I'm a big lad, but I've been told not to jump in and buy a big cc bike ?

I've looked at a few, but I'm new to this game, some are nice and clean, others I would call tatty, some have been farmed?

it's a minefield out there!

We went and looked at a bike today for a mate, asked the guy, when was the last time you changed the gearbox oil.....answer, ach, don't get out on it much, maybe changed it twice in the last three years......goodbye !

How often are you meant to change the oil in a gearbox on a trials bike?

How often are you meant to change the oil in a gearbox on a trials bike?

Steve, plenty info regarding this if you do a search or post it as a new thread? I personally change mine at least twice a year (2 stroke) - 4 strokes are more frequent.

Hugh,

everyone has their own opinion on what make/model etc they prefer. If you can it's always best to try before you buy? They're all good these days but my personal preference is Gas Gas plainly because I like the way they handle/feel/operate. Test riding a few may help you make your own decision?

Set yourself a budget and take it from there. Have a look on the web, e-bay etc and you'll soon discover the average price for the average bike of the average age ?? Remember to include riding gear in your budget because if you don't already have some the new prices may shock you?

I personally wouldn't walk away from a bike just because they've admitted the oil hasn't been changed much? Use points like this to your advantage. If the bike looks reasonable then getting

How often are you meant to change the oil in a gearbox on a trials bike?

I do it once a year whether it needs it or not.

Depends on what you use. ATF is usually changed more often than Gear lube. (This is a whole different discussion about which is better.)

Actually I think I do it twice a season. More if I break something and need to drain gearbox to fix it, which I usually do at least once a season. Kickstart shafts/springs and shift shafts don't exactly agree with me.

The reason I ask, I too am looking to buy a bike, I'm a big lad, but I've been told not to jump in and buy a big cc bike ?

My OPINION on what size cc to buy. All depends on what type of rider you will be, and how much motorcycle experience you already have.

The following is for 2t. I have no experience with modern 4t.

125 and 200 are basically docile machines and you MUST rev the nuts off to get any power.

270 and 290 will have more low end torque, less throttle required for bike to pull, but if you rev the nuts off she will launch real good.

300 Shed loads of low end grunt and if you rev the nuts off you will launch to the moon.

250 seems to have a good mid range for low end and high revs.

I personally ride a Sherco 2.9 (272cc) I like the low end grunt (don't need to rev to pull out of a situation) and higher rev launch that it can do.

Just MY OPINION,

good luck

Thanks for the advice chaps. With regards to the make of bike. I have been looking at the beta just because i've read good things, and quite like the look of them. When i rode trials, it was on a new gasgas 125 which was a fantastic little bike.

With regards to kit, the budget for that shouldn't be an issue. I've ridden alot of mx over the years too and the kit all seems quite cheap in comparison!

I'm certainly open to other brands and would certainly consider both gasgas and beta. Like you say, i probably need to try both the get a feel for the newer bikes.

I think i'll keep an eye on ebay, biketrader and the classifieds here to see what crops up!

Thanks again

Hugh

My OPINION on what size cc to buy. All depends on what type of rider you will be, and how much motorcycle experience you already have.

The following is for 2t. I have no experience with modern 4t.

125 and 200 are basically docile machines and you MUST rev the nuts off to get any power.

270 and 290 will have more low end torque, less throttle required for bike to pull, but if you rev the nuts off she will launch real good.

300 Shed loads of low end grunt and if you rev the nuts off you will launch to the moon.

250 seems to have a good mid range for low end and high revs.

I personally ride a Sherco 2.9 (272cc) I like the low end grunt (don't need to rev to pull out of a situation) and higher rev launch that it can do.

Just MY OPINION,

good luck

Good Answer, Thanks, I've been on the planet for a while now and have ridden bikes most of my life, latterly more off roading, even a bit of quading, but now I'm about to tip my toe into the world of Trials

Wish me luck

Can't say I agree with you Zippy. My 200 Beta has at least as much bottom end as the 250 Yam that preceeded it and will pull high gears if required (I've used 5th in a slippy section before now) and seems to be a grip manufacturing machine over the moors. It would be hard to imagine a better bike for a beginner.

The 200s are after all derived specifically for the sector of the market that wants this type of performance as the target audience does not want the zippiness of a 125 but does want the perceived lighter weight of the small motor. But let's not get involved in a discussion about rotating mass.

How often are you meant to change the oil in a gearbox on a trials bike?

Every second Tuesday, whether it needs it or not