jbrandt

New clutch and some Bel Ray 75w gear saver fixed it right up. No more cold drag. No need for the clutch fix.

I was being careful! that chunk was already loose, and that's just were I noticed it. I just bent it up a little to make it more obvious. Like I said, I'm pretty sure it's a 21 year old clutch, so I don't mind replacing it anyway.

So I finally get around to doing the clutch fix. I get about 3/4 through the first plate and this happens: I guess I'll be buying some new friction plates... doh! I'm pretty sure this clutch is 21 years old...

Yes, the green sticker is definitely an advantage. I was glad to get one since trials bikes are often referred to as "grey sticker" bikes. My brother is State Parks OHV law enforcement, and was telling me some DMVs are pretty strict about how the "3 or a C" in the VIn is interpreted. Some have had issues that if it doesn't have a 3 OR a C it wouldn't even qualify as a red sticker even if it's old enough like mine is to be grandfathered. Yeah, I had previously gotten ahold of a guy from Beta USA and he said the 2000's are pretty much the same as 01-03's aside form the fork. I considered converting to like a 250 since I think the bottoms are the same, but that's also a pricey option (saw cylinders for like $500+) unless I can wave a magic wand and find a used top end somewhere. Thanks for the info.

I've been considering a cylinder head spacer for my 2000 Rev3 270. When I see videos of folks (granted, on much more modern bikes) it almost seems like they just let the weight of their leg fall on the lever and it starts. And I'm jealous, I feel like I have to hulk out on mine and put my full body weight on it. I'm also coming off an injury (dual broken wrists), so I'm sure there's some strengthening to do as well, but it was a beast to start before my injuries, too. So, I'm thinking a head spacer may do the trick. I'm not worried about the loss in power, a 270 is *more* than enough for a novice trial rider like me. I found this thread from 2013 that mentioned you could go as much as a 3mm spacer (actually x3 1mm spacers) could work, but that was for a gasgas, so not sure how well that applies to my 270... The other issue is finding parts. It's an old bike so parts are always hard to find. I also live in the States, which makes parts for a 21 year old Italian trials bike even harder to find... And before anyone tells me just to get a smaller displacement bike... Look, my trials bike is old enough to buy alcohol, do you think I have the money for a another bike? lol cheers, and thanks

I know what you mean. I have a 2000 Rev3 270, and that thing seems like a beast to start. I've been considering something like a cylinder head spacer to lesson the compression a little. I hear that makes them a little easier to start. I don't mind a reduction in power, as it's got more than enough power for me already, as this is my first trials bike, and I'm coming from a 250 4 stroke trail bike. I think the problem you may run into is fitment. I know with mine it probably wouldn't fully retract into the frame in which case I'd catch my leg on it all the time. Just an idea, but it might be easiest (if you have the room) to have one made. Buy a replacement lever and cut it and have a welder lengthen it.

Oh I did that on my trail bike, well Tubliss... And yeah, it's mind boggling how much grip it has, especially combined with the gummy hybrid tire. Just need to learn to trust that the bead doesn't need a rim lock like the trail/mx bikes do.

Quite honestly I'm not sure what it has. I'm sure that at least at some point it was tubeless, but it's 20 years old, and I'm probably the 3rd or 4th owner. Could be anything inside there, maybe even rocks, lol. Again, this exposes my noob-ness, but I guess it's just a foreign concept to think about a rear motorcycle tire without a rim-lock running 4 psi... Is there just some magic trials voodoo that keeps the bead on at 4psi? My tires definitely need to be replaced sooner rather than later, they are cracked and worn down, but at this point still holding air, so I'm letting that bear sleep until I pull the trigger on new tires. I'd rather not take it off just to see what it has inside until I have a replacement on hand. My luck it wouldn't seat again or the tire would fall apart as I'm putting it back on. I found that since I used HD tubes in my trail bike, the weight penalty of Tubliss was effectively zero, and the advantages of being able to essentially run zero psi with almost no chance of blowing a bead was of great benefit.

Okay, I couldn't really find a discussion thread on tires aside from the odd mention of tire brands or tubliss here and there, and since I have a Beta, I'm putting it here. If there's a better area for this type of post, I'll certainly head over there... I'm mostly curious as to people's thoughts on the different types of tire (tyre) systems. Not brands like Dunlops vs. IRC or whatever. I'm thinking about true tubeless vs. tubliss vs. tubes (light or heavyweight) I'm new to trials (but not new to trail bikes), so I'm really curious what people are running. I recently put Tubliss on my trail bike and absolutely I love it, and I'm tending towards that when it's time for new tires. I've really been happy with the low pressure performance and the "rim lock" of the tubliss system, but it also comes at a slight weight disadvantage (unless you're running heavy duty tubes), which I'm sure I'd notice more on a trials bike. Anyhoo, thanks in advance, and happy riding

Interesting. I've heard more that you just want the front and rear to match, so that it feels balanced. Sounds like this is your first trials bike (mine too). Do you come from a trail/mx background? While this is my first trials bike too, I do come from a fairly extensive mountain bike background (and 15 years of moto trail riding, too). I used to teach maintenance classes and riding clinics thru the shop I was managing. The main thing is to not really get too wrapped up in the numbers. Suspension is so personal. Just like where you like your brake/clutch lever to sit, it's all personal preference. Just go find a bit of trail or a section where you can repeat it over and over. Ideally it will have a fairly varied terrain (rocks, ruts, jumps, whatever). For a trials bike, this mainly depends on your skill level, it may be as simple as just some slow circles, and a rocky semi-technical trail somewhere... Make sure it's something you can do fairly easily, because you want to be able to concentrate on your settings, not getting thru the section. Then start messing around with your settings ONE at a time, and repeat that section of trail. When you only change one setting at a time, you know for sure what changed and how that affects the ride. Keep changing that one thing until you feel either it getting better, or getting worse (then go back to where it felt best). This is my plan once my shoulder heals. Just get out to the local OHV park and mess around with the suspension for a couple hours. From the videos/tutorials I've seen, especially coming from a trail bike back ground, the setting will be softer than you think. Like that video I posted, you're probably going to bottom out on anything over 3 feet. Anyhoo, best of luck

Not sure if you saw my reply to your post in my other thread, but I'm running ~65mm sag in the front on my bike 2000 Rev 3 with the USD forks, and that seems perfectly rideable, but granted I haven't really ridden it since I first bought it (except tooling around in the back yard). I weigh 175ish (~80kg) without my gear on, so I'm not that different from you. So I don't think you should be trying for ~20-25mm sag with your weight on it. That seems pretty hard for a trials bike.

So the picture I posted was correct? Crap, okay, I could swear I had seen fork rebuilds with the washer between the 2 seals, so the retainer clip sits against the washer, not the rubber seal. I see my mistake now, thanks for the correction! Good thing I haven't actually ridden it... Hopefully I can get them out and redo it without ruining them. Damnit.

22mm of sag seems awfully hard. That sounds more like sag for an MX bike. I'm currently running about 65mm in the front (with my body weight). Granted, I haven't had much time (any, really, I've been dealing with a shoulder injury as of late) to mess around with the settings since I bought it, but 65mm doesn't seem too far off. I weigh almost the same as you, as well. I found this video somewhat helpful. They don't really have specifics, but a general guide to get you started.

That's pretty funny.

I gotcha. Although this is trials, so anything is possible, lol