2stroke4stroke

To be a bit more serious and perhaps more productive than my previous contribution. Though not terribly tall I have notoriously bad posture on the bike causing similar craning and would suffer pain between the shoulders. I cured this by wearing a buff which presumably prevents draughts affecting that area. Might be worth a try?

I'd imagine the pegs are as low as they can go without going below the level of the sumpguard. I think you have to accept that it is a trials bike and just get used to it. Lots of tall guys rode 348 Montesas; try one of those then realise how good the Beta really is for bar/footpeg distance

In my experience the life of a piston in a well-maintained and looked-after two stroke trials bike is measured in decades rather than hours.

I was always quite happy with trials not being that well known and have been saved from penning anything by cleanorbust who has succinctly summed it up. A low profile is not a bad thing. But we do now seem to be suffering from individuals filming themselves using a trials bike in an urban environment doing what previously was done on pedal cycles - that will lead to problems.

You certainly never did need a Gold sticker which was for road racing with the Silver being for off road speed events. There was some discussion here http://www.trialscentral.com/forums/topic/32928-acu-helmet-transfer/

Don't run away with the idea that an electronic ignition means you can't have ignition problems though. But it's usually all or nothing.

I recall my Beamish Suzuki came with a bit Dymo tape as the frame number - don't suppose they'd get away with that nowadays.

The critical bit, often ignored, is to have enough distance between the tow ball and the axle of the trailer (and to get the fore and aft positionng of the bikes correct relative to the axle). Many build this too short for good stability. I took the measurements of my old RJH trailer when it finally went to the scrappies after 35 years but can't now find the sketch I made. It was an excellent device and was stable at an indicated 90-odd. Do a bit of research on this point. Maybe someone still has one of those trailers. Come in cleanorbust, who has.

Somewhere I have a photo of Alastair Sturrock at the Currie one riding over an 1100 that was recognised by someone else as his mother's old car. The Balerno one I don't remember a car at but there was a skip to be ridden through which, misguidedly, had been part filled with water to about six inches depth such that this was not visible to the public but there was absolutely no grip, so all they saw was a load of riders failing for no apparent reason. A good display of what couldn't be done with a trials bike. I didn't even bother unloading the bike. Dunfermline club also used to run one at a park in the town but that was limited to fairly tame constructed obstacles with no cars.

Crikey, spreading the buyers even thinner again. Good luck to all our manufacturers - they're going to need it!

The last time sidecars were in use in Scotland as far as I’m aware (I was one of the drivers at the time) was in the early Nineties when Graham Smith was getting top three placings in the British Championship and Fred Hendry and his wife were also doing a lot of those events. Not many (ie one or two) clubs up here catered for the chairs and it was often really a case of crews turning up and sorting out what we could from the solo sections laid out if I recall correctly. There were several crews in the Northeast ACU Centre so events there were reasonably common and easy to get to but that's finished now I believe. I think you’ll be struggling to find anything to be honest (and need deep pockets for the travel costs). Oh yes - it's a bit more precarious than solo trials, especially in the early days. Don't tell your girlfriend but my passenger was a female and the full length body bruising used to draw some strange looks down the swimming pool!

According to MCN there has been a merger for 2014. Nowt said as to who is the mergee but we can probably guess. Nothing on here so far this week - is this just the usual MCN sensationalism or fact?

Theoretically it's easier with the motor running as you have the gyroscopic effect of the crankshaft, therefore it's better to practice without the motor - you also save petrol and keep the neighbours happy!

Generally they only work properly when fitted the way they were designed to operate so you can't just change them round on a whim. The advantage of the so-called upside down suspension unit is the reduction in unsprung weight. In the same way, it was normal practice among those who cared to have the very best set up to fit the springs on a twin shock so that the closer wound part of the spring was at the top, which usually was not the way they were set up by the manufacturer.

Put it all back on the bike and then compress the forks with a strap to prevent the internals spinning - should let you undo the damper retaining bolt.

Even more hopeful? http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Honda-TL125s-1977-Classic-Twinshock-Trials-motorcycle-motor-bike/200999937367?rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.m1851&_trkparms=aid%3D222002%26algo%3DSIC.FIT%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D286%26meid%3D3468952557064791493%26pid%3D100005%26prg%3D1048%26rk%3D4%26rkt%3D5%26sd%3D331073166800%26

I've only ridden a TLR 200 in one trial, it had been loaned to me, and my overriding impression was how similar it felt weight wise to the (only slightly modified) Enfield that I would normally have borrowed. But other people's results can't be argued with.

First try tightening the countersunk bolt holding the pedal on - it's cured the problem several times on my Beta.

Really bad brakes are actually not bad going for an OSSA, almost non-existent was more common

I wouldn't worry too much about the jumping in to gear. We've all had it happen over the years. Usually just not quite caught neutral properly (especially on a Beta).

Yes Ross the lead was there principally to raise the octane level but we have other things to do that now and most folk ran on two star in any case. If all is correct timing and carb wise then super unleaded should cure the problem. It did on my Beta anyway.

It seems the new Minis have a badly placed oil cooler such that the motor collects all the muck and siezes up - very expensive. An IT friend whose wife had this problem just used the fan off a computer, seems to work OK and reasonably priced. Probably free out of a scrap computer near you.

I've ridden a 200 Sherco (actually approx 150cc I believe) and it is not the equal of my Beta which is the full 200 and combines all you said about the 125 with just enough extra bottom end to avoid the problems I would get in to with a125 due to my old-fashioned riding style (from such 125s as I have had a shot of). The 125 is, I suppose, essentially designed to be ridden in the modern full bore and abuse the clutch style which I can't do whereas the 200 is deliberately developed to be easy to ride (as it has no place in World events I suppose it can be just what it is).

I quite fancied an NZI at one time but when trying one on the padding appeared to be made of some species of wood. Don't think I could have worn it for long.

Ross, the "bigger picture" was (and again seemingly not communicated to members by clubs) that the ACU had pulled the plug on the SACU as far as controlling the sport in Scotland goes. Latest news today is that a meeting was held betwen the two parties and we revert to the status quo.