cleanorbust

In my experience, lots of good riders arrive at stage 4 without being aware of going through 2 and 3. They can clean sections, but couldn't tell you how they do it.

I probably shift between all four stages depending on the actual challenge I'm faced with. I do try to make my practice sessions improvement sessions, rather than just repeating the same mistakes, but if I leave it too long between sessions I have to relearn some stuff.

Good result. Two bikes will also fit in the car version of the Doblo, facing forward, with the back seats unbolted (not a big job, I converted mine to be quickly detachable)

I think you'll be on the right path following section swept's advice. Don't worry too much about cosmetic appearance, there'll be battle scars on any bike at a grand, it's the mechanicals that matter. It's possible that an old Rev3 has already had a stator replacement: worth checking if possible.

£1k is really about as low as you can go in terms of anything worth buying and more or less ready to ride. I'm in Scarborough and will keep my ear to the ground. If you get sorted out with a bike, I'd encourage joining Scarborough and District Motor Club to get access to their excellent practice facility between Scarborough and Whitby. If you get that far, pm me and I'll be pleased to show you the ropes!

I'm sure Inch Perfect in Lancashire would provide a test ride on an Electric Motion, if you're ever in the area. They've got a good practice area. And no need to worry about a clutch lever with EM.

As a member of Scarborough Motor Club (east coast of Yorkshire) you'd get to use their Low North Park venue any time. Big area, loads of natural terrain making a great playground.

Agreed.

Maybe they just like yellow. If so, in theory they'll have the following personality traits: Impulsive, analytical, strongly independent, unemotional, spontaneous, irritable, arrogant and, though I wouldn't suggest this is necessarily related to buying a TRS but perhaps to wearing the garb, pretentious, with a tendency to spend money unwisely.

According to the ACU standing regulations, as a 16 year old now he can elect to ride either as a Youth A class rider or as an adult on an event by event basis until the end of 2019. As an adult he would have no engine size restriction, as a Youth A class rider he would be restricted to 125cc monoshock or 250cc twinshock machines. Of course, this applies to events operating under ACU jurisdiction only.

With all the courtesy in the world, and I would say this to you face to face if the opportunity was here, don't retire for the season just because it's cold and gloomy outside, you'll be squandering the best conditions to improve if you do. Nothing hones the skills like riding on ice or snow.

Next few months of no riding??? When winter closes in, it's the proper time to ride trials, or just get out on the bike.

As a rule of thumb (finger?) aim for a distance of two fingers width between chain and swinging arm mid-way along.

From the second video, looks like there could be loads of slack in the throttle cable. I'd also check the ignition timing on a bike new to me.

Can even get some improving in when it's dark outside: static balancing in the garage. Build up from balancing on one steering lock to doing it on the other side, then with the handlebars in a more straight-ahead position, and without holding the brake on. For a further challenge, inflate the tyres a bit.

I have never ridden a 300 but owned the 200 when they were new and would say don't fall into the trap of thinking the 200's (156cc) competitiveness depends on the rider's weight. That bike was a winner from the outset for any rider. Probably the first smallish capacity bike which really was equal or better than any other and could tackle any section on equal terms. I never heard any rider with a bad word for it. From common perception at the time the 300 was a less easy ride, more of expert's bike developed for the severe sections which were becoming a feature of the world rounds at the time and a bike which didn't really find favour with many clubman riders.

Round my way the clubman route I'd normally ride is usually won on low single figures, sometimes clean. Nobody seems to complain. If I had a problem with that I'd just have to ride a bit better to get closer to the winner.

I've noticed an increased tendency of late for trials to be misspelt as trails, even by experienced folk on this site who definitely know better. I've just put that down to keyboard error. What's in a name? Probably not much actually. Any title our sport may adopt wouldn't convey to a total newcomer what's actually entailed. That would require further explanation or seeing it for themselves. As such, "trial" is fine. By way of interest, when I started decades ago the ACU handbook defined trials as "a competition in which participants endeavour to fulfil prescribed conditions". So that made it clear for everyone.

Has your wife seen a trial? She might ban that as well unless she likes sheer rock steps . Sorry, just noticed where you live so you should be safe. In all honesty condition rather than engine size should be your main priority choosing a secondhand bike. Good idea to get along to a local event and chat to some riders about their bikes, even blag a quick ride if you can.

I've been through this process too and taken account of the advice points given in this thread, with little success. What eventually made the difference for me was using a brand new large syringe, providing more force in pushing brake fluid through the system (from the rear caliper towards the reservoir). This seemed to eliminate the nooks and crannies where air had been trapped.

I've run tubes on tubeless rims on my last couple of bikes, spanning a period of some 7/8 years. No rim lock used, no tyre creep experienced, no problems. Generally run 3.5 psi. Last bike I bought had normal tubeless set-up and I am unable to tell the difference from a riding point of view.

Then you can start on the rear hops

Something mildly hilarious about that video but well done for ingenuity. Could perhaps achieve the same effect by just backing the bike up to a wall and sticking a brick in front of the back wheel? Or just holding the back brake on?

Stickers will undoubtedly increase the HP of a bike. Assuming HP stands for hopeless pretentiousness.

To my knowledge there was only the SR 125 and SR 280 in 2011. I have the SR280 (actual 276cc) of that year, with the Sherco motor. It's a fine bike, plenty of plonking power (I have the ignition backed off a bit, an easy job) and doesn't fly out of your hands when you give it a handful of throttle. Good bike to own as spares are easily obtained and there are no rear suspension linkages to wear out.