totty79

Timing and advance may differ and would change engine character. I'm unsure if the wiring pin out changed over the years but I doubt it. On a high comp motor the wrong CDI could lead to detonation on a SS you'd probably get away with it.

The hand written 50 for link to frame bolt should be 30, I've zoomed in and it's clearly a 3 not a 5, they aren't a strong bolt the heads can break off.

Torque values attached. It says 2010 to 2014 but most figures will apply to all years, just be cautious about which parts have changed. The hand written numbers aren't changes, they're just because dirt made the printed ones hard to read.

I like the fold back type. It's common practice to leave the clamps slightly loose so when you drop it they move instead of snapping a lever. I prefer to have the clamps tight to keep the levers in a set position and you can do this with Flexi/folding levers.

Beta UK are also really helpful, worth a try. If you haven't got a copy within a few days PM me and I'll take photos of my printed copy.

There's a table of torque settings around 4 pages long, do you have that? I keep a copy of it rolled up with my torque wrench but I've just had a look and I can't find the pdf version or the link to where ever I downloaded it from - it is out there somewhere though. Caps just need to be wound fully in, they don't really need any torque they wont work loose.

I'm pretty sure I've read posts on here about this from someone a few years ago. Sorry I don't remember the outcome but it's worth trying a search. I haven't noticed any bubbling with my Evo.

Bike weight is a killer when you're learning, not because of the difficulty riding it, more the difficulty retrieving it from where ever you've got stuck. When I went from a Gas Gas 321 to an Evo 250 the main improvement in my riding came from being less knackered and from being more willing to have a go knowing that retrieving the bike wouldn't be that bad, and the 321 wasn't even that heavy it's basically only one generation old. It took me about 6 years of riding before I reached the level where many of the things that were still challenging were also a bit higher risk than what I was up for and a less capable classic bike to make the safe stuff harder seemed a good idea. Unfortunately I've regressed back to spending half the day dragging the bike about again so I'm pleased I stuck with the Evo.

Beta clutch can be made progressive (plates, spring preload, clearance and oil are all factors) but although I ride a Beta I prefer the gas gas clutch. Might be worth sticking with the rev3 if the bits that matter are in good condition, same motor as the Evo, and a 3 or 4 year old bike could easily need a couple of hundred quid worth of parts to refresh it if maintenance been neglected The other 250s I've tried were livelier than the Beta. Most 125s are compared to 250s lively rev happy things but with less power, and they feel lighter. I think they're fun to ride but not everyone gets on with them. Some 300s can plod along nicely on the torque at low revs, they aren't all beasts, but there is a more risk of them catching you out.

Nope not my bike, nothing to do with me at all. I said that it may have been done unnecessarily, I never said it should be needed so what's your point. Considering a bike abused and advising against it because it's had an engine rebuild makes no sense at all, it could be in mint condition for all we know. We have no information to go on. The advice the OP needs is on how to inspect a used trials bike, basically what is the state of all of the serviceable parts, how to gauge how much use it's had and checking receipts to see what the rebuild entailed and who did it. I'd even say there's nothing wrong with a well used bike if well maintained and priced accordingly. Hughie, listen to trapezeartist and lineaway they've given some good advice.

I don't think you can read anything into the engine rebuild, the fact that it was done implies nothing of use, any concern should be limited to was it done right and what condition is the rest of the bike in. While rare in modern trials it's very common with 2 strokes to change pistons and crank bearings as preventative maintenance, just look on the forums for any road going 2 stroke and you'll see people being advised to rebuild any newly purchased bike before riding it, I've seen it on tzr and rd sites. People come on here every now and then from MX backgrounds asking how often they should do a rebuild.

Any bike ridden in water and mud will need regular maintenance mainly to brakes and bearings, it's unavoidable. I also don't buy into carbs being high maintenance, I've needed to clean them once or twice at most in the last 10 years. Keep the fuel clean and the air filter properly oiled and they don't cause problems.

Knees need to be thought of as part of the suspension absorbing movement or loading the tyre as required so mostly bent.

125s tend to be in a higher state of tune than 250s, the performance gap is much smaller than implied by the cc. 125s can be a lot of fun and are more than adequate for most riders.

Seats just tap out from behind with a long drift. Try to keep it square as you do it. Lower bearing can be a pain to get off the stem, it's not always needed but it's common to cut the old one. Leave the new bearing seats and stem in the freezer overnight to help with reassembly. Also check dimensions of bearings, seals and spacers against the old ones before reassembly, aftermarket kits don't always get it right.

If you want lively go for a GG300 that has not had a low comp head fitted. They're too much for use in trails sections for many riders so may be the closest to what you're looking for, and for trials they're nice with a low comp head so you might see a few with one fitted. The 250 is more lively than a Beta but not by that much. I wouldn't write off the advice that it's pointless buying a trials bike for anything other than the tight and technical as snobbery though, there's a lot of truth in it.

300 GG is lively for a trials bike, but it'll still feel gutless compared to 350-450 MX bikes and it's not just the motor the suspension, brakes, cooling, tyres etc aren't built for speed.

Yes, but I'm not sure of the point of the question? I only pointed out that ethanol is not vegetable oil, just a simple correction. Nor have I tried to dissuade you from removing ethinol. I even listed it as one of the options and stated that the reduction in octane would be ok for most bikes.

Ethanol isn't a vegetable based oil it's a distillate of fermented vegetable matter. Removing ethanol lowers the octane rating of the fuel, which would be ok in many but not all bikes. Mixing is a consideration but it doesn't appear to be a problem, the can of e10 that I mixed with rock oil strawberry did not separate. (for now I'm hedging my bets with e5 but when the panic buying happened for a few days I could only get e10)

I wonder how many modern bikes actually need rather than just specify higher than 95 octane, there's quite a range of compression ratios starting as low as 8.9:1, there are other factors but shouldn't 95 octane be ok for at least 11:1

We go through this with every fuel grade change, all the same things were said when we went unleaded. Parts have always failed and that failure has always been attributed to the latest change. Rubber and plastic parts degrade, chemicals further degrade them, and if they aren't spec'd right the process can happen pretty quickly. If a part isn't suitable for use with ethanol then increasing the amount of ethanol should speed up the process, but many of us will also remember loads of hoses, seals, taps etc. failing on 4Star so failures are not new they've always been consumable parts. The choices really are to use e10 or e5 with no knowledge of the odds of parts failing early as all we have is anecdotes, to remove the ethanol or buy Aspen, or to fit compatible parts. It's not a great choice, but it is what it is. Also e5 and e10 is just the maximum allowed content it doesn't tell you exactly what you're getting, if you do the water based removal process accurately enough then you should be able to measure it.

cc is a factor in engine character and performance but it's just one factor it's not like every 200 or 300 is the same, there's a massive difference between brands and also differences between years and sometimes even between intended markets. "Instant pop" is as much carb/ignition timing/reeds/flywheel/gearing as it is cc. It's also the characteristic that doesn't work with mud.

Check the push rod clearance and bearing condition as well as clutch fluid condition and bleeding. If the release mechanism isn't in good condition you'll get drag regardless of the oil used. I'd also 2nd nano trans, 300v is also fine, ATF is good for avoiding drag but will make the clutch less progressive.

Given the age of the bike who knows what state of tune it's in, it could have a high comp head, it could even have had some porting changed. While those things would be worth checking I think it's more likely though that as you've pointed out it's just a large step away from what you're used to. The two posts above are also spot on. Read the sticky thread regarding the clutch, a less snappy and more progressive clutch will make a massive difference and allow you to use it to smooth out the power delivery. You need 300V or ntrans oil and a reduced spring preload either by removing two (if you don't use 5th gear where it's likely to slip) or by using washers as spacers, you also need to have the pushrod correctly shimmed - manual says 0.2 to 0.8mm but as close to 0.2mm without going under it is best. It may take two oil changes to get the full benefit.

While there more risk to the back and chest, I find shoulders and elbows often take more of the impact so I wear a top that protects all of these areas. The one I wear most is from Bliss Protection but it's around £160, I've got an older O'Neal one but it's back protection isn't as substantial (like the chest on the Jitsie), I don't really notice either when riding. The current O'Neal version looks better than the one I have but most companies that do cycling or motorbike protective kit do a full top. Hard to tell what chest protection the Comas one offers, I can only make out the back protector in the pics Jitsie looks like it covers a good area and also the kidneys - but it also looks like it's just embedded hard foam, only the back protector seems to be an insert.