So I'm adapting to the shifting on the '13 Beta, and for riding sections, it's perfectly fine. I don't really mind the quick release/fast take up. What does annoy me to no end is the big pause I need to make when shifting gears if I'm moving (e.g. when trying to get up to 5th for example). I more or less need to come to a stop between 1st/2nd without making a rather clunky shift. After that I have enough speed to get up through the rest of the gears, but I still need to pause dramatically between shifts in order to get anything approaching a smooth change.

I'd also love to be able to reliably find neutral once the gearbox is warm, which right now is basically impossible.

While I'd like to try Dan's clutch fix, I have two kids and not a whole lot of patience for jobs that take > 1hr, even if I had the free time. So in the interests of expediency, I'm curious if anyone has had any luck with the surflex clutch and race steels making any difference. Since I can pop them all in and be done with it in 20 minutes, it's somewhat appealing despite the price tag.

I could stand corrected but I have just bought a new factory sherco and I'm sure it has the sureflex clutch you are talking about. My experience is the opposite, albeit I have never ridden a sherco before, the clutch and gearbox are impeccable with neutral as easy to find as on any roadbike. My gas gas gearbox was grossly inferior in contrast.

It sounds to me as though you may be asking too much of a trials transmission. They tend to be selective and clunky, cannot speed shift them like a MX bike. Must be moving and wait for a positive click. Pre select your gear before a section if you possibly can.

Of course that begs the question, why are trials transmissions so clunky. The Beta is chock full of needle bearings and precision machining. Why does it shift like a bag of spanners?

Good question Dan...would also like to know. Everything looks so neat and well machined.

What helped for me was polishing the clutch basket tabs. I failed to do this the first time and its been well worth doing it now. After a year, there were noticeable notches worn into the basket.

Oooh this pic is priceless. It shows the primary side flywheel weight, the shifter mechanism and the kick starter system.

Made me cringe when I saw that pic. I have replaced all those parts three times. The only remaining stock parts is the actual kick start gear and the clutch plates.

Yeah well thankfully you're the exception.

Yeah is right, usually on a Beta the only time I see that much of the engine is when the mains have finally given out on a well used bike!