fulltilt

Thanks. Maybe it was common for that year?

Just for the record, the silicone held up just fine for two and a half months. I finally fixed it and have all the pictures here: http://fulltilt.smugmug.com/Auto-Mechanics/2012-Beta-300-Evo-Center-Case/ http://fulltilt.smugmug.com/Auto-Mechanics/2012-Beta-300-Evo-Center-Case/ All the bolts were loose on the center case and it looks like someone has been in there before. So far, nobody will admit to having it apart, but I believe it was the lack of properly tightened bolts that caused the problem.

I tried drilling a hole and using a rim/wheel lock and tube on my 96 Gas Gas, I had nothing but trouble. The tube walks around inside the tire until it leaks around the valve stem. I ended up getting a new (used) rear wheel. I tell everyone, NEVER go to a tube unless there is absolutely no other possible option!

That's a great idea. I put an old tube in any tire not on my bike and blow it up enough to expand the sidewall and leave it like that. When I need the tire, it's always ready and usually pops right on. The worst are the ones that get shipped UPS with the beads taped together, if I need them right away, I have to use the foam o-ring. Next time, I'll try some wood! Thanks.

I have used Michelin and Dunlop and feel the 803 is every bit as good as the X11 for almost half the price. Many National Champs use them, so they can't be all bad. This way I can afford to buy more tires and compete with a good sharp tread rather than using an old worn out Michelin. I have a 2012 Beta 300 and the rear tire leaks around the bead. I've tried two used Michelins that were not leaking before and a brand new Dunlop and they all leak around the bead. It only takes about 25 to 35 pounds to seat them as opposed to the 100+ pounds on my other bikes. I think there is something wrong with the rim. I can't afford a new Michelin just to see if it's better or not, but I doubt it would be. I tried automotive bead sealer, but it doesn't last. 10 pounds or more will keep it inflated, but it's no good for traction! The worst thing is that if it goes flat, it pop's right off the bead and the bike won't move!

I say Polaris will buy Gas Gas. They have their fingers in everything and are very strong. Soon, they will outsell even Harley Davidson!

My first Modern' Trials bike was a 1996 Gas Gas 250. After 9 years of cruel and unusual punishment, I had to replace the con-rod and bearing. I threw in a new piston for good measure. Had to jump 3 sizes to fit the cylinder. All the parts were in stock! $1500 bucks later, it was like new again and I sold it for $1800. I should have kept it. I never saw a bike take so much abuse. Broken off foot-peg mounts, 3 sets of pegs, multiple levers, perches, frame cracks, exhaust flattened, broken kick start lever, destroyed rear rim, 2 broken brake rotors, uncountable brake pads, tires, 3 handlebars, suspension bearings, rear shock, fork-seals, suspension linkage, heim joint, muffler welded, several grips, clutch discs, shift detent springs, and more. I wish I had a dollar for every time I literally threw that bike completely over my head landing it behind me! I can't say I like the new Gasers as much, but that bike took a lickin and kept on tickin'!

Level headed and logical? I was just stating facts, it doesn't get any better than that. Japan is the leader in high speed train technology, another fact. Why would you infer I have a problem with China? I just said they didn't have the fasted train. This is how gossip starts, say one thing and then someone twists it around, adds supposition, hearsay and opinion. And why would you bring war into a bike argument? That's just wrong. As for Gas Gas or EssenceEssence or گیس گیس I think they'll go the same way of Bultaco and Ossa. Disappear for a few years and then show up with an entirely new product that may or may not last.

That looks like lots of fun!!

FYI: (Fact, not speculation) The speed record for a train running on a national railway system, rather than a test track, remains in the hands of conventional rail, with a modified version of an Alstom SA TGV model reaching 575 kmph in France in 2007. Japan’s faded economic prowess received a boost after a magnetic-levitation train operated by Central Japan Railway Co. set a new world speed record of 603 kilometers per hour (375 miles) on a test run in Yamanashi Prefecture just outside of Tokyo. So much for China. I think you should stop all this speculation and go out and ride! "Build a bridge and get over it" The next GG will be FRENCH!

Gas Gas joint founder talks about how he thinks the company won't survive. http://www.retrotrials.com/-exclusiv...-pibernat.html Why did you leave GasGas? "I go because others entered the company and made it go another direction and they no understand nothing, they no have the ideas and I no have to make a lot of compromise and they lose the money. The director not understand the motorbikes, not understand the business, no have nothing clear. There was a lot of risk for me and after 3 months I get out. The result is this. GasGas company is much less business now than before . Big problems. 30% of the problem was for me , so I leave. I take out by percentage and I save the loss we were leading to. Later I get more money out also and I have no problems. GasGas is not possible. GasGas not have a future. The idea of the company and the direction is very poor. They don't have idea. They are like Ossa."

FYI; I had problems with a leaky rear wheel too. I tried the tube and rim lock method, but it DOES NOT WORK! On these low tire pressures, the TUBE will walk around inside the tire until it rips out the valve stem. It was also a problem in MX. Back in the day, we would let all the air out and roll the bike backwards until the valve stem was straight again. On my Gas Gas, I had so many flats, I finally got a new rim. My biggest problem was that every time it went flat, I wouldn't notice it right away and dent the rim. The rim had so many dents, the tire could be changed without any special tools. I also tried to seal the spokes with silicone sealant, but that didn't last either. Now I have a leaky bead problem with my 2012 Beta and I will NEVER try a tube again. I put bead sealer on it, but that just gets rubbed away as the tire WILL move on the rim, unless you run over 10 pounds air pressure. I might try "dadof2"s idea and use window sealer, that stuff is wicked sticky! I won't look forward to the next tire change!! I used "fix-a-flat" on an old tire with 4 sidewall leaks and 4 rim leaks and it actually held with 10 pounds pressure. But as soon as I went to 4 pounds pressure, the tire flexed too much and all the leaks came back.

I open the home page then the forums in a new window. Then log into the home page, and then refresh the forum page. Pain in the butt. I'm pretty sure it is because I refuse 3rd party cookies, but I'd rather log in twice then let websites set cookies in my computer!

Sounds like an intake air leak to me. The back of the frame is flexing causing an intake tube crack to open and close. I'd use brake cleaner and spray it all around the carb and intake. On my bike, just the smallest possible shot of brake cleaner under the carb and the bike stalled instantly. I found the center case gasket had blown out and it was sucking air into the crankcase. If the tail pieces on the frame are cracked or broken, the air box could be moving up and down, pulling the intake tubes apart. Dan's right about broken frames, I'd check the whole bike for cracks and breaks, loose engine mounts and anyplace that gets a lot of stress.

Be sure to have the machinist use a good quality bushing material, my first set weren't hard enough and didn't last as long as I'd like. The inner bushings are the standard bushings and the bearing replacements were made to fit them. Alternatively, I also buy the needle bearings from a bearing supplier, Eastern Bearings here in New England, for about half what Gas Gas and Sherco want. I have to replace them in my Beta very soon, so I'll buy a set from the dealer, write down all the numbers and see what I can find elsewhere. Unfortunately, the inner bushings and seals are bike specific and I've never found cheap replacements. I like to keep a spare pair of dog-bones greased up and ready to go so when I'm in a hurry, I just swap them out and clean and grease the other set in my leisure time. Until I get new grease-able ones anyhow. If you don't have a spare pair of bolts that bolt the front of the dog-bones to the frame I suggest you invest in them. They're great bolts because they fit in the frame and I don't need two wrenches like the Gas Gas and Sherco I had, but I doubt you'll get them at the local hardware store if you break one. I have a 2012 EVO 300 and have had them all apart to clean and grease and didn't notice any odd sizes on the bushings. They looked to be identical sizes on left and right, bigger in the back, smaller in the front. I'll post the bearing numbers as soon as I get them.

I believe there are master links available that you can beat the end over with a hammer and then they're as good as any other link. And, what I'm sure you all know already; I always put the clip on the inside and the open end facing back, so it's less likely to pop off it hits a rock or stump. http://www.motosport.com/did-master-link-520erv3-xring

Thanks. I'll check it out as soon as my broken ribs stop hurting.

The previous owner cleaned the exhaust and now it's really loud. I think I need to pack fiberglass in the silencer, but haven't gotten around to it yet. Thanks for the tips, I'll double check the o-rings and jet sizes.

Find a good machinist, and have him make this for you. I had this on my Gas Gas and Sherco, but the machinist has moved. So I'm looking for a new machinist to make this for my Beta. It makes it easy to grease after every ride! Top picture and second, left side, 96 Gaser, right side; original Sherco and 3rd pic is Sherco installed. As you can see, I beat the Gas Gas ones until I destroyed the links themselves (rusty ones in picture) I seem to recall someone on the internet selling these also for a lot of money, but can't remember where. Watch the clearances on the front grease fittings. They can be hard to get at if you don't put them in the right spot. Good luck!

Does it look like my Gas Gas in the above picture? If you're talking about the metal flat washer that holds the nut on, just beat it flat with a cold chisel. It should be replaced, but I have re-used them. Some clutch baskets have alignment marks on the flanges, look them over carefully, usually, they'll go on in any position. If you look at the picture closely, you can see one of the towers for the clutch springs has a line stamped across where the bolt goes in. There is a similar mark on the clutch cover and they need to be put together so the lines match. I don't know if Beta has the same marks, just look it over and check the service manual.

I live on the East Coast, and I have never heard anyone say they couldn't get someone to let them try their trials bike. I think trials riders are just like that, at least around here. If you showed up in Maine, I'd let you ride my bike until you couldn't hold on. So, go to an event, try some bikes, see what works. Then buy an inexpensive bike, when you decide if you really like it, trade it in. I bought my first trials bike in 1999 and it was a 1975 Kawasaki KT250, for $400 bucks, on the side of the road, chained to a pole. The guy said he couldn't keep it from stalling. I cleaned the carb and nothing more; ran great! I rode one vintage event and the next week bought a '96 Gas Gas for $3000 on my credit card!!! I've been hooked ever since! I wish I kept the Kawasaki for vintage events, but that's another story.

I use a few old clutch plates and hold them together with locking pliers to hold the clutch basket. If your ambitious, I suppose you could rivet them together. That's a lot cheaper than the special tool. And a penny in the primary drive gear will stop it from turning. Make sure it is an old copper penny and not the new steel/copper coated. The steel will damage the gear. I've never had a problem with copper. Goudrons is right, you definitely want to do this in the frame, much easier. I had a 96 Gas Gas that I beat the crap out of. After 9 years of abuse, it sounded like an antique sewing machine on FullTilt! So, one winter, I lugged it into my apartment, (don't tell my landlord!) and I overhauled it. The big end of the con-rod was extremely sloppy. See picture; it's hard to believe it ran OK and didn't grenade itself when I red-lined it! I replaced the rod, bearings and pins, and went up TWO sizes on the piston and rings (with NO changes to the cylinder) and it ran like new. Just be sure you replace what it needs and don't overlook anything.

Do you have to do any modifications to the bike for the heavier riders?