feetupsbetter

The heat would really need to applied to the flywheel to expand it away from the shaft. Heating the shaft may have some effect as it’s expansion, although restricted by the flywheel, may just dislodge the corrosion enough for it to lose its grip on the flywheel. If the engines out of the bike why not put the whole thing in the fridge or freezer for a while to really cool it down then take it out & re apply very localised heat around the hub of the flywheel, preferably with a modellers type fine blowtorch. Might just work. I always put wheel bearings in the freezer for a few minutes before fitting, it just takes out the interference and saves a bit of metal to metal contact. Once back to normal temperatures where both bearing & hub are equal, then all is well. Good luck.

Ok guys here’s my two penneth, and I may be unpopular here. I’m just an average plodder,( higher end of easy course) been playing at it on & off for more years than I care to remember, and to be honest haven’t ridden for about 2 years now mainly due to house move across the country & then Covid. I have an 09 evo 250 sitting in the garage which I’ve had for about 5 years and really rode in anger for 3 years, and I really have no complaints about build quality, brakes or plastics. I’d say it’s better made than the gassers I had previously (last was an 05) so we’re talking older stuff here but who at grass roots level is so picky? I’ve never in the last 15 years of riding bust a mudguard, what the hell are you all doing ? I get that occasionally the bike might fall or crash awkwardly and that these things can happen, and I do think the price of parts is pretty huge. But, surely part of learning to ride trials is learning to fall off ‘safely’ as well ? I bought some secondhand plastics for the gassers but they ended going with the bike when I sold it. As for gearboxes & brakes, don’t they all occasionally jump out of gear ? Don’t you see a difference between each time you bleed the brakes, sometimes more successful than others ? Again part of learning is double checking when you select a gear to enter a section that you rock it and make sure it’s properly ‘in’, and also that you should be able to perform basic maintenance. (After all, trials was invented partly as a reliability event). Come on guys, stop blaming the bikes and being so picky, get real and see that they’re all pretty similar or they wouldn’t sell. God I wish I had funds to change the bike cos it jumped out of gear ! If you want a blue one buy it. If you prefer red buy that. But get back to the basics of enjoying the personal challenge that is the wonder of this sport. Sorry that this turned from a penneth to a quids worth ?.

Photos would help too, many old bikes have had mods & changes over the years so if you’re looking at originality lots of people will be able to say ‘that’s not right’ or ‘that’s the wrong colour’ etc.

Oh, one other point, I’ve never done it but I understand rim tapes are notoriously difficult to fit ! I hope you get it into a rideable state and get hooked on this great sport, assuming we will be able to get out & ride again sometime !

I ride on a budget by the sound of it similar to yourself. All my modern bikes since taking up the sport again (3 gassers and a evo), have come to me with tubes fitted in a tubeless tyre, and I’ve never had any problems with that set up. They all had rim tapes fitted although I assumed they leaked, but they help protect the tube from damage on the spoke nipples, and also act as grip to stop the tube spinning. Once the tyre is seated properly on the rim with the tube at high pressure, they can be run/ridden down to 3.5psi quite readily, without rim locks. Looking at your rim I might be tempted to apply something like a lacquer or maybe waxoyl to stop it corroding further, as once you ride it in water the area between the tube & rim stays wet forever. So I’d go with an option 3, tubeless tyre with tube, rim tape but no silicone (no risk of silicone corrosion). Good luck.

Ah I now see the problem. Not M4 at all. From dr nosh’s description they are probably Montesa supply only, to get the exact type. At least until someone gets a batch made. Having said that M7 is a defined metric thread, just not a preferred size (M6 or M8 are the preferred range), so there may be some M7 screws lurking somewhere but maybe not with the exact shape head you’d like. I just found screwsevolution.eu which stock quite a few M7 items, not quite what you want but might be worth a try as it seems old Vespa, innocenti & Citroen used them, amongst other auto industry manufacturers. Could be another search avenue.

Just occurred to me, is it just the length that’s causing the problem ? I thought at first you meant odd size by way of M4 thread with an oversize head with 7mm hex socket, that would be odd. Found M4 x 8 long, everywhere. Just grind them to length ? Good info on Westfieldfasteners.co.uk. Unbrako brand is a long established high quality fastener manufacturer.

Then try a few more suppliers, the smaller guys will only supply the run of the mill general engineering fasteners as they don’t want a load of stock lying around. These screws might be specialist but somewhere will have a load in stock, it’s finding what the special use or industry sector is that uses them regularly. Try giving a few stockist a call, eventually you might find an experienced and knowledgeable person who can point you in the right direction. Best bet is probably an old established engineers supplies - the kind where you find the staff in brown overalls. Somebody on here should be able to help. When I lived in South Yorkshire, many companies I worked at used MC Mills in Barnsley. They seemed to have, or be able to get, everything. Old school and helpful. Good Luck.

Look up your nearest industrial supplies/ fastener supplies company with a trade counter. Take one of your existing screws and they should be able to source some for you. You can probably buy a box of fifty for the retail price of a set of 8 or however many there are round your cases, but they’ll sell you a single one if you want (unless they have a minimum order). Same goes for bearings too !

I agree with everything said in previous replies. It’s a great friendly sport, take it as the fun thing it is, find some riders at your level and have your own little competition each time you ride. There’ll be lots of advice from other riders, and some laughter when you get it wrong ? I can recommend Huddersfield falcons as a friendly club, I used to ride with them for about 15 years before moving to Cornwall a couple of years ago. They have lots of venues at their disposal, many around the Holmfirth area so easy for you to get to, and they do run some ‘dead easy trials’ for beginners to get the bug. good luck & have fun Simon.

Good luck with bleeding the system. I’ve had various levels of success trying all sorts of tips & tricks, but Evo rears are notoriously awkward to bleed. Search on here for loads of tips but also loads of horror stories !

You don’t tell us where you are ? There are loads of reputable specialists in the uk for the regular service items ( like filters, pads, levers, sprockets etc), which advertise their wares on eBay if you can’t be bothered googling who’s nearby. They all post stuff pretty quickly, but compare prices because they can vary considerably. There are also lots of aftermarket manufacturers supplying all sorts of other parts, again search out trials dealers. I think the mudguard will be gas gas dealer only, but probably old stock now if you can find one. I had a 05 pro, and new guards were hard to come by 10 years ago, but there are also specialist trials breakers where you might find secondhand. I think the guards will fit 02 to 08 pro, and then the chassis & frame changed for 09/10 or thereabouts so things were different. Lots of other stuff is interchangeable though across various years & capacities, but check before buying. You can trawl the internet for all the above, but most of the dealers use ebay so it’s like a directory even if you don’t want to buy through it. Good luck.

Could be your clutch plates are stuck together. This can happen when oil soaked friction linings are left under the spring pressure of the clutch for a long period. It might help if you leave it stored for long periods with the clutch lever clamped hard up to the handlebar to take the pressure off the clutch pack. (The downside is this leaves compressed springs which some say can have a weakening effect on them). The gas gas is a unique clutch with a diaphragm spring not traditional coil springs so not sure if that’s still a concern. It probably will free off once you get to start it, but if you really want to free it off beforehand you can drain the oil & separate the clutch pack manually on the bench. No need to bleed it, the slave cylinder is part of the clutch cover, so the hydraulic system stays intact. If you’ve space you can lay the bike on its side to avoid draining oil. There’s plenty of videos out there showing how to strip the gas gas clutch,( Jim snell in USA is the guru on those bikes, look out for his videos) it really isn’t complex.

I’m sure I’ve got a photo or two from when I had one at the age of about 13 or 14 ! It was a step up from an old plunger framed bantam, which to be fair had been reasonably converted for what it was, but I was so jealous of my mates TY175. I’ll post them if I can find them.

So I got the letters bit wrong but the numbers right. It was from memory after finding the details on gas gas USA site I think. There used to be lots of good info there from the legendary Jim Snell, not sure if it’s still available. Sounds like you need mainly service parts which I think you’ll be able to source readily. It’s the ‘unique to model’ parts which become rare like plastics & the more serious engine parts, casings etc. I was surprised to find the electronic clock on the tank still worked on mine. I’d have thought the only thing which might prove tricky to find is the air box lid, but if that is the case there’s always secondhand or maybe your 3D printer mate or some other cobble together fix as a last resort. Good luck & enjoy, if the gardens too small find some other practice venue. The bike is physically the same size as any modern bike but a few kg heavier, just get out & ride it & have fun.

I stand corrected, had a trawl just on TC & found this :-

I would concur that it’s a 97 JTX. I had the 250 (there was also a 270) and it looks the same except for the silencer which I believe was bigger on the 320. Other than that I can see the frames been painted, it would have been chrome, but generally looks very original & tidy. As for the vin number, if remember correctly, it goes V (vin) TR (trials) GG (gas gas) 32 (320cc) 97 (1997 model year) then the rest is manufacture date & number which would make sense that 11/96 was a manufacture date for a 97 model bike. No doubt someone will be along soon to confirm or contradict. Good luck with it. I believe some parts are quite hard to get hold of now, (I struggled to get plastics 10 years ago !) but there’s lots of breakers out there.

I think probably yes, no doubt someone on here will be along to confirm, but I remember a guy years ago using a Honda acty to ferry his ty mono around. I think the Suzuki carry is the modern equivalent ? Always looked a bit of a faff though as it had to fit diagonally & not much room to get around the bike to manoeuvre & secure it etc. I had the same situation & went for the old type Peugeot expert/Citroen dispatch/fiat scudo, which is bit bigger but only same size as a car. I find it great as it’s just long enough to fit the bike straight, and they all come with twin side doors which means wherever you park in the field there’s always a door facing away from the wind & rain for you to get changed or eat lunch etc ! There’s still plenty of them around cheap, mines the bog standard 1.9 diesel which is slow but bullet proof, 2.0 hdi available if you want a bit more poke. I have a curtain instead of a bulkhead & leave it open when there’s nothing inside so would be thieves can see it’s not worth messing with, but close it when the bikes in so it’s not on display & they’d be taking more of a chance if had a go at it. A final point, having a van of any sort at your disposal is such a useful tool for every other fetch & carry job you can think of, without having to mess up your car !

It might well take a few weeks, but they are out there. Another good place to look is directly with local clubs, many have a ‘for sale’ section on their websites or FB pages, you could also put a wanted call out in the same. To clarify about best condition, I don’t mean newest stickers & grips ! Check the usual - chain & sprockets for wear, bearings for play (wheel/headstock/swingarm/linkage), tyres should have fairly sharp edges on the tread blocks, air filter should be clean (and the air box it sits in) and oiled. These are all replaceable/serviceable items but have a cost once you’ve bought a bike. It should start easily & go through all gears, brakes should lock both wheels, but not bind, and on water cooled bikes check the fan comes on & off as temperature rises & falls. Riders who look after their bike will keep it properly cleaned & lubricated with all the above in good order with some evidence to demonstrate such, and the honest sellers will point out if any need attention. A few scratches/dents/marks shouldn’t put you off if the bikes clean & serviced. Beware of broken (beyond repair) plastics, as they can be expensive. Mechanical noises are hard to diagnose, some are clues to wear & could be expensive, some are less significant. (I had a gas gas that ‘whined’ when driving when I bought it, but new clutch & bearings and even a replacement gear cluster didn’t change it over the course of 4 years !) Take an expert or someone with experience to look if you’re unsure. So, while you’re getting a feel for what bikes are out there, also look at price & availability of parts across the range of bikes available. Good luck & enjoy your return to a great sport.

Just to add my two pen’ uth. You say there aren’t many, remember you only want two, many bikes offered for sale at that price will be rubbish so don’t even warrant a look. I’ve just had a quick look across eBay and there’s a decent looking rev 3 200cc, a 250 gas gas, a 250 scorpa and an older, but highly regarded Montesa, to point out just 4. All are around the 2k mark give or take a couple of hundred but bear in mind that they’re all classified ads so are only asking prices. Why not make enquiries and make an offer if they sound right ? Also, be patient, there’s always more coming up every week on every platform. Have to agree with previous posts though, I’d look for Beta first, (125/200 for son, 250 for you) either the Rev 3 or Evo if you can find one ( they do turn up !) because spares are readily available, but condition is primary consideration not age. Good luck with it & enjoy.

If you’re a bit of a showman and likes to tell/show people how good you are (are like to think you are ! ) then 300 by all means. However, in the real world a modern 250 (even 10 year old! ) has plenty of power for most people. Maybe if you were riding previously at a high level then a 300 may suit. It’s only really needed if doing splats at 6 ft rock steps ! Remember, going back to basics, most of this game is about technique, not how big your engine is or how new your bike is or what gear you have ?. There is a well known phrase ‘all the gear, no idea’, in trials I often see good examples ?.

Mines an old 09 model, don’t know if newer models are any different, but it seems to just have 4 small locating clip tabs. Twice mine have disappeared during a trial because the spring tabs don’t have enough ‘hold’ to keep it place. I now have small zip ties round the frame, it’s not pretty, but saves buying new every few weeks !

I had similar on a gasser some years ago. Dropped it in a rocky stream section, picked it up & restarted but no clutch. On closer inspection there was a small impact mark on the casing just where the boss is tapped for the banjo bolt. Turns out it must have fallen on a rock just at that point, and it cracked the casing but on the inside of the tapping ( maybe the impact was on the banjo itself ). Nothing much to see on the outside unless you pumped the lever half a dozen times in quick succession and then you’d see a slight leakage. Obviously mine needed a new case, hope yours is just the washer !

Oh and that headlight is definitely from a much later bike,

Going on the forks/clamps & radiator side plastics I’d say it’s an early one, so likely 2001/2002. I had an 02 just like that, then funnily enough an 05 with that tank sticker. I also think the early pro’s had a painted steel mid silencer which yours looks like, whereas later ones, certainly my 05, were aluminium.