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Buying 97 Beta Techno In Morning Please Help!


m82s
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Hi all, as per my other post:

http://www.trialscentral.com/forums/topic/43437-what-model-and-year-is-this-please/

im buying this tomorrow morning and im new to beta. the price is 895 for the bike and wont budge on price.

please can anyone tell me if this is a good price? apparently it says beta 352 on engine - is this a 250cc? this is my main concern.

anything else i should look out for?

cheers in advance

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make sure the coooling fan works, and if it has lights they work as well, if the fan doesnt work, and the light bulb is burnt, it has a problem. easy fix. but a problem no less, also make sure no oil is in the radiator. water pump fix isnt fun, check that the clutch works well, and doesnt stick after the bike is warm,

sticky when cold is normal, look for cacks in the frame,, and swingarm

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Sorry i cant help you on cc of the bike, it is most likely a 250 or 270. As for what to check well with a bike of that age everything !

In their day they were a well made bike as good as any other of the same era. Some of the things to look for on old Beta's, footpeg brackets can bend, break or come loose where they bolt to the frame.

Exhaust can rub through on tyre, Check rear shock damping adjustment works, linkages can wear as on any mono with this set up. Front Paoili forks are good, make sure mudguard brakets are not cracked where people slide them up for more clearance and clamp up out of grooves.

Give engine a good run to check fan cuts in when it gets warm, thermostats can go as can the fan motors.

Back brake pedals bend easily too but can be sorted cheaply enough.

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Wow cheers guys - most appreciated. god id better write all this down. im viewing at a road bike dealers who took in part exchange but is adament price is final. hope i have time to fire the bike over and let it warm up etc. surely this is minimum expectation when buying anyway.

how do i quickly check no oil is radiator please? im fairly new to bikes so god help me!

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easier to see water in the oil, take a Qtip with you, and dip in in the oil through the filler hole, if its mlky grey , walk away..

to fix the water pump on a techno, is noooo fun.

never buy a bike that you cant ride around a bit till its warmed up...and try not buying one in the Dark..

daylight is the best time too buy

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All the above applies!

In truth, it seems a bit steep, BUT, you could spend months searching out a better deal and that time is probable best spent riding.

Engine capacity is pretty much unimportant. If you call John Lampkin (search Beta UK), he'll tell you straight away if you are concerned.

Be careful about all the 'little things' though as they can soon mount up to be a 'big bill'! Just to give you some idea (and most of these things will need doing at some point on an older bike:

  • Wheel bearings about £15 a wheel
  • Swinging arm bearings/ bushes about £50
  • Linkage bearings about £60
  • Shock spherical bearings about £30 each end
  • For seals (including oil) about £40
  • Tyres about £130

All are pretty easy to do, but this will help keep the price in perspective. It is possible to buy a decent honest bike that needs very few of the above for £1k (less if you're really patient); this guy has taken this as a p/ex and may not know about trials bikes. As such, he may not know the significance of any of the above (particularly tyres; those that don't know see 5mm+ of tread and think the tyre has years left; a trials tyre is knackered when it has the same depth of tread as when you bought it, but the edge has worn!).

Control interfaces can add up; you don't want broken levers as the ball end is there to stop it puncturing you in a nasty; £15 each. Bent handlebars are £50 and plastics can cost loads. Even a pair of handlegrips is a tenner and it can all mount up.

As stated above, if you get to water pumps and pistons etc, I suggest you keep looking.

Otherwise, if it is a good, honest and sound bike, a 97 techno is a perfectly decent bike!

Remember, don't let your heart overrule your head!

Good luck

Graham

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Lads you have been bags of information - I simply cannot thank you enough! As mentioned above for the first time ever I have not let my giddy self get carried away and by on a whim! Not the exact words but I'm prone to seeing something and wanting it so therefor I did not go view the bike. Busy day so sorry only just seen all your replies now and they have really helped me out. I was afraid the bike was to expensive. They guy will not take a penny less and he took it in p/x so he is obviously making up a loss elsewhere and admits to knowing nothing about trials. I'm going to do some shopping about tonight but the money is burning a hole in my pocket as normal! I'm in Leeds west yorks if anyone comes up with any good buy suggestions :)

Thanks again guys!

Martin

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walk away....

ask yourself a couple of questions..

do you WANT a 1997 beta techno or is one just available..

is a road bike dealer the best place to buy a 15 year old off road competition motorcycle...

if your in leeds your central for buying from private sellers and dealers go for a ride round saturday and see the selection of used bikes for sale at a grand, folks will let you ride etc get a feel for what you would LIKE

keep the money in your pocket it can only grow.. as christmas and the new year comes folks will want need cash and better bikes will be for sale..

do not buy a bike tomorrow..

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