beta_uk Posted January 8, 2004 Report Share Posted January 8, 2004 (edited) lot of good simple ideas been posted - the trouble is manufactures dont seem to listen to joe public when designing comp bikes - why are seats so low? its only the likes of Dougie that really needs them like this - i rode an old fantic twinshock the other day and was amazed at how the high seat actually helped riding - more leverage from your feet/legs and if in bother you sat down and got the feet down - where on a modern bike you just spun out and fived - higher seats mean higher air intakes and more room for bigger fuel tanks. we are brainwashed into wanting bikes like dougie rides where what we need is something different what route are you on Edited January 8, 2004 by beta_uk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beta_uk Posted January 8, 2004 Report Share Posted January 8, 2004 all trials bikes are great maybe a bit of improvements in reliablity like the scott Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest sherco dude Posted January 8, 2004 Report Share Posted January 8, 2004 create a bike just for the scott that would be kool every part easy to change wile in the middle of no where Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beta_uk Posted January 8, 2004 Report Share Posted January 8, 2004 thats all ready been done it was called the scott Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bikespace Posted January 9, 2004 Report Share Posted January 9, 2004 We seem to be talking like we've ruined reliability by making the bikes lean mean trials machines. Bikes used to fall apart twenty years ago too, we just don't remember it as much. Maybe the engines have suffered a little through lightening but I think the rest is vastly improved. I rode a Fantic 301 in a time and observation trial around 1986. By the end of the trial I had gone through: almost total loss of front brake (which were nowhere near as good as todays) throttle stuck wide open (suspected muck got through to carb and jammed slide) about 2 inches of lateral movement in the rear wheel (build quality better now - dunno?) swinging arm bearings shot away clutch slip almost to the point where I had to push up hills Plus the odd breakage of brake lever, mudguard etc (which seemed to happen every couple of weeks in those days). Maybe I remember this particular day because the throttle wide open caused me severe pain. Back then you didn't need a kill button once you got to 17 year old and stupidly (probably to prove I was 17) I didn't have one. I shot out of the top of a wet gulley in fourth gear and throttle jammed wide open. I flew across a muddy quarry in between moments of pulling the clutch in and hearing the bike scream its head off. I could hear a big repair bill coming so I elected to let the clutch out and try to pull the plug cap off at about 40mph. Unfortunately I was soaking wet in bare hands (no gloves in Yorkshire back then) and I did about 200 yards being electricuted, before I finally managed to get the plug cap off. A few seconds of horror followed while the bike still revved with the cap off then finally died. I reckon my adrenaline shake did the back wheel in What I was saying ......I think we've got it pretty good considering I seem to remember the All New Eddie Lejeune replica Honda coming out at nearly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brian r Posted January 9, 2004 Author Report Share Posted January 9, 2004 I remember the older bikes with two spark plugs. One was just a spare and it seemed like this didn't work too good. What about two plugs that do work like in a lot of modern vehicles. Would this mess up the swirl in the head? It messes up the swirl in mine! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nuts Posted January 9, 2004 Report Share Posted January 9, 2004 Bikespace: Thanks for the laugh. The mental picture I got of a guy blasting through a quarry electrocuting himself while trying to yank the spark plug cap off his screaming bike almost caused me to snort Mt Dew through my nose. Awesome! FYI, if you ever encounter another situation where your throttle is stuck WFO, an effective way to shut ‘er down is to plug the exhaust. I know this from personal experience too. It’s amazing how fast this will shut your bike down. If you don’t believe me, give it a try. Have a buddy hold the throttle open on his bike while you plug his exhaust with a rag. Unless you have no feeling whatsoever, it’s impossible to do this with your bare hand. Personal experience told me this as well. Remember that Gestapo dude that grabbed that red-hot medallion in one of those Indiana Jones movies? Yeah, well. Fortunately reflex action took over for my rather slow noggin or I’d have a nice impression of the tail end of a Beta muffler branded into my hand. The gasses coming out of a screaming bike are HOT. Again, if you don’t believe me, have your buddy rev up his bike… Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatbikedude Posted January 9, 2004 Report Share Posted January 9, 2004 I dont think anyone is doubting that bikes are much superior in every way than they were 25 years ago - but what will they be like in another 25 yrs? Electric motors might be a way to go - lightweight power sources will be available in 25yrs to power electric bikes for hours- electric motors are smoother, rev higher and are more efficient, need no gearbokes and minimum transmission. I wonder if there will be a class for watercooled twostrokes in the pre 2000 scottish-two-day in 2035? will we have any petrol? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clarkp Posted January 10, 2004 Report Share Posted January 10, 2004 This is a partial list of some ideas that Billy T related in another thread... User programable ignition (on the fly) Rear fender attached to the swing arm (for greater clearance - and no broken rear fenders...) Foot pegs that rotate slightly for better balance. Replacable carbon fiber boot guard areas. Disc brakes that are inside the spokes attached to the hub. A single sided swing arm Gas inside the frame. Run-flat tires A weight of 120 lbs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark christopher Posted January 11, 2004 Report Share Posted January 11, 2004 Disc brakes that are inside the spokes attached to the hub. unless i am missing somthing how would you conect the caliper to the lever? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monty-python Posted January 11, 2004 Report Share Posted January 11, 2004 Maybe it would be telepathically operated??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gii Posted January 11, 2004 Report Share Posted January 11, 2004 I think the design of all of the current bikes is great, but the execution is cheap. I'd like to see the manufacturers incorporate the sort of improvements we do to our bikes as riders: I'd like to see Nuts and Bolts made of something that can be used more than once or twice without rounding off and with a coating that prevents corrosion for more than a couple of weeks. I'd like to see spokes and nipples that haven't rusted by the time you get home from your first winter trial when the roads are salty. I'd like to see bearings with the makers name and numbers on them And I'd like to see a couple of improvements that we can't do: I'd like to see plastics that don't shed their laquer and stickers when you pressure wash them or snap when you fall off and it's below 15 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beta boy Posted January 12, 2004 Report Share Posted January 12, 2004 Clarkp they have already made a bike with gas in the frame it is called a beta techno Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jtt Posted January 12, 2004 Report Share Posted January 12, 2004 Disc brakes that are inside the spokes attached to the hub. unless i am missing somthing how would you conect the caliper to the lever? I had the same question! Don't want to give anything but think "electro-magnetics" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clarkp Posted January 12, 2004 Report Share Posted January 12, 2004 How about an articulated bike that pivots in the middle for those REALLY tight turns! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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