johnnyjazz

Thanks Bashplate! kia ora! i was in wellington for 10 years... '98-07... And yes! i see..yours isnt the 'reflex US tracto'r but the UK model..my bad, apologies! but i believe (if i can be bothered) upgrading the wheels to aluminum rims can help lighten the bike....i'm looking and learning about how to lace wheels...never done it but could be fun! very best to you and thanks again, sir!

thanks lineaway, i got that it's not a trials tire. however, is it the best of the worst(?) for a plated honda tractor thats nearly 40 years old? im just looking for a DOT tyre for someone with the trials ability of a three toed sloth to play around with in the woods... but not freak me out when corning on tarmac at 30mph... just looking for something i can get currently in NY.... The Mitas tire 'feet up fun' suggested seems unobtainable here or out of stock for ever..even called the dealers listed on their website who said they dont sell them. classic. Did have MT43 on a TY250 which were good on the street in manhattan, but not so in industrial urban sections.. upstate now...mostly hilly woodland riding now..tons of roots, mud, rocks etc... i only do this so i can be a safer, better road rider on my triumph i know a DOT trials tire is an oxymoron... i get it.. everything is a compromise.... would the IRC T1 be a better shoe? its DOT...i know the T11 is the 'trials' tyre but i must needs keep the boys in blue happy to play safely and responsibly. btw, i'm guessing you are 'lineaway' of epic OJ / brewtus posts on adv rider moons ago?- fun reading fun with outright junk. thanks again for input

Anyone got any intel on the Motoz mountain hybrid? says its a DOT trials tyre...good for lower PSI... at least its available and ready to ship and can run a tube... i'm presuming its in inches as i dont see a 4.00x18...what is the size i need please and very very thank you! super gummy version not DOT but regular is.... ALSO: so sorry if all this info is regurgitated for the umpteenth time...(i try to search the forum first).. there are some epic reflex posts on line, but sometimes trawling through 39 pages of a thread from 10 years ago can get a little tiresome.

Thanks Bashplate! appreciate the concise spring advice, will def get bolt on kit or fab some similar. ....great pic too. love it! btw, noticed nzpeterb on pics...you in NZ? i like the wheels too! do you have to build new aluminum ones yourself or can you buy them pre spoked and just 'swap em out' ...?

Thank you! only real options i got here in my price range.... from their w/sites Betors 400mm @ 40 or 50 lb / NJB 385mm @45 or 60lb spring... from speed n sport. or Ozo's at either 390 mm or 400mm from Lewis sport. it doesn't allow me to select weight rather input rider stats... (i presume this is fully clothed and booted?). (currently 155lbs, plus another 15-20? for accoutrements) i'll stick with just widening the pegs for now and might get that lowering kit from fecked... thanks again friend!

hello all, (jeepers you must be thinking!! this new guy?? wtf) so sorry. BUt i do know time spent on reconnaissance is seldom wasted. Q/ it would appear my 11 tooth sprocket is catching the chain on the case despite my nitrile o ring shimming it out 3mm..i guess its compressing so im assuming the fastening plate with tabs ground off will work as a correct spacer behind with a new one to fasten? i see this is what is advertised with the 9 tooth but just wanna check with the pros! should i not even bother with the 11 and just get the 9? Thanks SO much....you're the best

Thank you so much for input B40rt! before i get to spring weight ....im not sure if i need 390 or 400mm? seems both work, is one better? - not that it would really make any difference to my terrible riding!...although the wife said i 'looked cool' so i im sure with new springs i might be allowed back in the house so its a very important decision.. currently has maxxis trial master tires which have the knobby bits almost falling off, prevous owner swapped the originals i believe for old ones off his beta or ktm or something... i think this is more of a trail tire too.. im just looking for a good all round DOT tire that will be good for pretending to do trials in the woods - think clubman class, C lines etc...nothing impressive...but handle 35mph on the road for 25% to get to spots...The previous suggestion of a Matis tire seems hard to locate here... would the IRC T1 be an ok cheap choice? i see the T11 is the better one but the T1 is DOT... And, having puttered around the yard yesterday (trying to get the back brake to create even the illusion it works) i can confirm the reflex is indeed quieter than the mower. Wish i could say the same about the missus! lol..

Hello friends! sorry if im being a nuisance or overstaying my welcome. lovely weekend tinkering..takes me about 1hr to unscrew a screw but got there in the end! Q/ swapped out 13 front for 11 front sprocket (easy honda oem with plate holes). Noticed the original 13 had some kind of spacer so i used a nitrile rubber o ring, think industrial stye.. is that the worst thing anyone couldv'e used in the history of terrible things? seems to have shimmed it out enough and i will get the 9 tooth with plate and circlip when in UK shortly....11/44 on the road gives me 40mph tops and usable 35mph. will practice with 11/44 for a bit..still too fast, but waayyy better! Q/ new shocks...400 mm betors or 390 mm Ozo ? Q/ suggested best tire pressures for 75% off 25% on road.. currently at 15/15 which i know isnt right! Q/ tickover? is it better that a 4 stroke runs a bit faster because of the oil pump etc or should i get it slow like a stroker..still fettling and feeling my way.. had to get new carb bowls as it started leaking gas...ouch! i love it. deep joy. Thats it for now! thanks so much! Johnny

Love it, timdog! Thanks u so much for great recommendation! anything cheap and effective piques my interest! ...happy weekend all!

Thank you so much Brother MichaelW! now that's what I'm talkin 'bout! .... love it - and inspiring to see its obviously NOT as terrible as the modern naysayers would have us believe! appreciate your kind reply (and previous post on your reflex). OZO shocks. great recommendation, as is everything else coming my way! Also headin to UK to see family soon so can pick up some stuff direct too. 390mm not 400mm i see falcons and betors are 400mm for the reflex..are the OZOs better at 10mm shorter? Anyway..i know if i put dougie on the 'flex -even as it is now- and i had his latest works bike, i promise he'd still clean all 'normal' sections and id be getting 5's in everything! lol.. as mentioned earlier, the modern bikes have advanced exponentially, though on the whole it seems rider health and fitness (compared to yesteryear) certainly hasn't! a quick look at a random selection of pics from a 'non pro' trial in the 70s versus now illustrates that (imho) . i think the cigarettes helped! lol! Talking of which, first ever book i got out the library as a kid in 1980s UK was Don Smiths 'learn to ride trials' . I thought it so cool as he had a fag (* UK usage) hanging out his mouth climbing some massive muddy bank on the front cover!...same with mick andrews, always smoking!.. man, i thought they were cool when i was 12...no wonder the Rothmans sponsorship on TLRs!... nowadays, no one smoking and we all little cry babies! lol...- put me at the top of the list mind you! just curious - how many people put physical workouts - push ups/sit ups/ running etc - as part of their 'trials training'? i do boxing training too (badly) and im generally more 'done in' after doing an hour of trials....Thats why i think the vtg twin shocks are an excellent investment in long term health! well, that was the excuse to the missus anyway.... lol!.. she actually said she might want to have a go on it... the bike that is, not me. sadly. Still, not many wives that barely bat an eyelid when you bring the second bike home.. So she a keeper. the bike that is! lol... you guys are great! peace and progress, Johnny

Thanks Lemur! top tip sir and i very much look forward to getting to Ontario one day to ride with ya!

David! Senor 'Feet up fun!' Hello again Sir i'm back again! this time with a honda tractor. that said, The TY you and others coached me through i more than doubled my money on, and as you know got me a nice tidy 2015 Bonneville T100 so i will always owe you a cold one my friend. Again, as stated prior, in the world of reductive thinking and generic generalizations from ill informed amateurs, i cant thank you, and others here, for your kindness and wisdom and your willingness to share it. I wish i could find this kind of support and openness to help strangers on my doorstep! lol Brilliant points all! Re shocks.. I might be light now but methinks that's only going in one direction! lol... Nah, health and fitness is pretty important to me. i'll take recommendation that 40lb might be better and thus help to keep me off the mince pies. Will widen footpegs first, then investigate the 'down and back' vibe. - luckily after moving to the 'burbs up here, met an old boy few houses down..he's an old skool Harley/Indian vet and has offered to help me fabricate and weld and change wheels etc...who is luckier than me!! - plus some of my 'secret' spots are spots he told me about where he rode dirt bikes as a kid 50 years ago! he just adores that us 'younger' ones actually care and show them respect for what they know. when i tell him how much the stealership charges for triumph stuff he starts crying and says he wishes more people could learn to do it themselves...He was going to help me reshoe the bonnie but with the spoke wheels and tubes and immaculate chrome i think he got nervous! lol.. but knocking up foot peg wideners..no probs!! However, am i correct in thinking thee are no wide foot pegs off the shelf that just bolt on -they all need a bracket anyway for modern pegs - is that erroneous thinking? Very insightful and important point about speed and tire pressures. thank you for the reminder, i guess its all a compromise. they are pretty low and cornering at 30 is a little dicey. Im certainly not a 'speed' guy. i have a great road bike for that. but i potter in the 30-40 mph range on tarmac. fully agreed that for a wee run of a few miles that could easily be 20-30mph... if i could get 35mph tops that be great as its then a beater for running to the bodega etc too.. HOwever, developing skill and technique is more important than that of course! regarding why not just get a proper trials bike and a trailer? i think im holding out for electric technology to pique my interest further when prices come down a bit... i digress.. Great tire suggestions...that would explain why the TY, which had MT43s, was a bit sucky when i was really trying to 'get into it' in my industrial sections when i was in Brooklyn...but great at 40mph! Still remember the looks i got riding through Manhattan (often standing) to go to Macy's to get the nail polish color you suggested for the chips in the tank! priceless that was genius getting that one plated! they removed that loophole of 'grandfathering in' older bikes via Vermont. i believe you can do it still in some states but its much harder and more difficult. That's why i jumped on the reflex when it came under my nose... thanks for top tips on bash plate. I think i ride in a way which is 'lets see if i can get over that big log' and inevitably often end up hitting the bash plate on something! terrible technique lol...all part the fun! i'm trying to get better!. I did the aftermarket one for the TY and it went down well (just for the fun of doing it) but i remember the one on the TY was a composite plastic type where as the honda has a metal one, pretty flimsy looking mind you! lol...we'll see on that one. Get my buddy rich to fab something up no worries!. I'm thinking (esp with your encouragement) to do what i did with the TY. take off all the original stuff (store diligently) and just go for a frankenbike that's plated. When i purchased it i thought some of the fire breaks for the electricity pylons would be ok for a bit of trailing - but man, you've never seen so many signs enforcing otherwise! hence back to dreaming of being dougie lampkin (at least dreams are free!) Thanks again dave, appreciate the time and effort it takes to reply. i posted a pic in another thread asking about a new gear lever, but so you can see my new toy, she still looks pretty nice methinks...... very best, Johnny

Thank you Lemur for such an insightful and eloquent answer. 69! damn..you go man.. i'd love to have the confidence (and skill) to ride more aggressively and try larger things but as my riding is (sadly) 100% solo and quite isolated i must needs be diligent and ride to my ability.- Will start with foot peg widening first as they are stock. most pleased to make your acquaintance, sir and thanks again

Some questions for the mechanical meastros! Please forgive me if answers are posted already. My fingers have been walking down google lane all morning but still not sure. So, despite my best intentions to enjoy the bike 'for what it is' - (a poor US hillbilly cousin of kinda decent Euro bike) my desire to practice all the trials stuff i grew up with in the UK overrides my desire to 'trail ride or green laning' which i thought would take priority. The predicted choir that shall be singing "dump the reflex and buy a proper trials bike" please remember the ONLY reason for getting this bike is it's fully street legal and i have to ride past a cop shop to my secret private trials area. Whilst seemingly happy turn a blind eye to my trials work in the woods, not so to DOT obligations, understandably. Plus for $58 Fully comp insurance and a $6 MOT cant really argue. Especially in NY state...where no one is allowed to do anything fun anymore- unless its to do with horses or mountain bikes...lol! I know there is more twin shock action (dare i say scene?) upstate near Albany but that's a wee trek from just north of the city.... All that said...trying to make a few cheap mods as i have sussed some local PRIMO woodland/industrial spots. Luckily most people here don't even know what trials is so the idea of going really slowly, quietly, not racing others is a bit of an anathema for them.... they think me very strange.. that i practice balancing in the driveway. I explain its the Tai Chi of motorcycle sport, mechanical ballet if you will. They still don't understand. i digress..any help for anything here... Q1: When i got the bike it had been fitted with bar risers which appear to push the bars forward and up. Is this the same as moving the pegs down and back? or (as i suspect) moving pegs back and down will offer a further improvement regarding the center of gravity? confirmation/denial? Q2: currently stock at 13/44 WAY too fast... not sure 9/44 will offer practical transportation on the tarmac in traffic ( its a 2-3 mile ride from home) so, is 11/44 the best compromise? or will that still be too fast? any input appreciated regarding road speeds and trials ability as i need the best of both worlds (impossible though i know! lol) Q3: If i repace shocks.. 400mm 50lb are the right ones? (5'9. 165lbs *edited after) Q4: From peoples experience, is the current skid plate acceptable enough for clubman class c line routes... im 50 this year and had waaaay to many accidents to want more so not predicting any super heavy riding... plus with US health insurance as it is... Q5: Are clutch / rear brake extenders a useful addition? Q6: I understand the best tire is the IRC trials, but as its not DOT legit im looking at pirelli MT43.. any other suggestons? Q7: Is the weight and slight power increase of say, a WES exhaust - worth losing the stealth silence of the stock? Thanks so much for any help. Its just a bit of fun, a distraction project. My inlaws have moved in for the summer. i need the distraction more than i need to 'not waste money on something that will never be perfect'. actually using that analogy, Wife comes quickly to mind .....lol! To conclude, regarding the reflex- My (very humble) overall feeling, as others have stated, is that riders were just better in the 80s! i grew up in north of England and learnt to ride in the dove holes quarry in Derbyshire on Ty80s / 250s. Fantics/ Ossas/bultacos et al as a kid.. it all just seemed more 'analogue' back then, body position, throttle control, sheer strength, AND riders health, fitness and general vitality!.... or maybe its just nostalgia as i still get excited hearing the kickstart music theme song!! Thanks for the friendship, support and encouragement from New York. Peace. Johnny

oh and this is me! ....just enjoying it for what it is...