outlaw dave

Howard - I think you have mis-read any info on the 4T valve settings - it is the exhaust that is set at 0.15mm

Beta Rider - take the float bowl off again - check to see if the pin that holds the tangs above the needle & seat has backed out & got bent down causing the float bowl not to fit properly - had this happen to me a few years ago. aye Outlaw Dave

My 4T now has 25 hours on it - The thing that made the biggest difference was fitting the needle/seat from the Delorto 2 Stroke carb. Testing has shown that these bikes run very rich through the range, but the extra fuel from the 350 needle fitted stock seems to cause problems if you ride the bike then shut it off to look at a section etc. Since changing the above and resetting the float level to 19.5 mm - I have had no problems at all hot starting ( unless I gooffed then two kicks wide open followed by one kick closed did the job) - I use the Bosch platinum point plug equiv: to the NGK which is not available in Canada. I checked the valves at 5 hours they were fine - have checked at 23 hours & have some play in the inlet but nothing to worry about. If you take the top end off here is a tip that will save your head gasket when replacing. ( Because the frame support gets in the way) fit the top cover first, then slide the gasket over the top of the cover - lift the cover & position gasket underneath - If you try to fit the cover with the gasket, the gasket can get cut on the top of the cam chain. I have also fitted a 126 main jet ( the D/O 2Stroke fits) - my elevation is around 2000feet. I also use Chevron 94 with a small amount of VP race fuel - Hope this helps some of you enthusiasts - I had five guys try my bike at a Trial last weekend they all loved it - two stalled it but it started first kick. aye Outlaw Dave

Sendero Thanks for reminding us old buggers what a great time we had riding in the 70's - Bruce Brown really told the story of how it was. - Who can forget that famous Malcolm Smith smile and how he passed about 50 guys stuck in the mud hole ? - I even had one of those helmet peaks with the little mirrors each side that he wore at that time - Although I started riding in the Uk in 1954, my memories of the the early Canadian era are still vivid, and the mixture of bikes you saw on the start line of any Cross Country race were laughable by today's standards, but I still think everybody had more fun back then. - You " Run what ya brung" was the attitude and we sure did a lot of fixing on the trail. The Trials scene had everything from Sachs engined Saricens, and early DT Yams to the "Trick" Sherpa "T". - Most people camped out and the kids all sat around the camp fire roasting marsh mellows. ( The REAL racers were usually busy trying to outdrink their buddies, while telling tales that even Bruce Brown would have appreciated) Ah ! yes - long before Tree Huggers and a World full of terrorists - On Any Sunday tells it as it was, and in some ways, how I dearly wish it could be once again. aye Outlaw Dave.

This is really great news - the important thing I read into this is that the AMA are willing to work with your new Association. We tried a similar venture in Canada a few years ago and while very successful for approx three years, we got no support from the Eastern Provinces and with not enough funds to support a Secretary etc, the CTRA was forced to close. It appears that the Canadian Motorcycle Association, have little interest in working with the long time Trials organizers in Canada, and have a monopoly on Insurance for events. - Good luck in your new endeaver.

The best way to combat both heat and wear with any engine, is to use the highest quality oil. - and although this may come as a surprise to many people, this is not always a Synthetic.

Congrats to Dougie & Nicole - 9lbs is a big lad - Now Mart will have somebody to make a real fuss over - Grand-parents always do. I'm sure they will have "Wet the baby's head" by now in Silsden.

RE 500 - I am also curious to know exactly what you did ( As are probably all the other 4T owners) - Pleas give with more info. with pics if possible Outlaw Dave Canada

Honda RS - I've been dealing with Sammy Miller for over 30 years and the only thing that I find below par are his "made in china' gloves. - no complaints on anything else plus I get parts in approx 7 days from date of faxed order - NOBODY ELSE gives this kind of service ( I deal with lots of other Suppliers out of the UK)

I have a complete SM - front pipe & rear silencer to fit to my TY 175 - hope to get around to it this month - The system looks to be the usual high quality from Sammy and comes with instructions for cutting & welding to the centre muffler. - aye Outlaw Dave - Vernon BC - Canada

I have been a Dougie Lampkin fan for a long time - ever since I saw him and his Dad sleeping in a tent at the 1994 World Round at Donner USA. - At that same event I stood by Jordie Tarres as he watched Dougie Practicing - urged on by Mart, try to climb a vertical 12 ft rock wall. - He didn't make it, - but Jordie knew he would one day and this is the position that Dougie is in now - he knows age is not on his side - WE all know he has nothing to prove - There is nothing I would like more than to see him rebound from this injury and win again - but the odds are against him - just like Jordie saw that day in 1994 - Dougie knows time is running out. Nobody will ever say he didn't give 100% all the time.

Gaz - Save your money for your Ticket to Canada - should work out about the same - costwise !!!!

Ishy - Do you happen to know the size (diameter) of the shims for the 4T If you do can you email me at daverhodes@shaw.ca Thanks - Outlaw Dave

Sherco - 2004 - Pilot 33 - check your fuel screw should be about 3 turns out

John - If you email me direct at - daverhodes@shaw.ca - I will send you some pics - 'Fraid I'm a bit of an amateur when it comes to computers but my daughter has a digital - so we should be able to get something organized - aye Outlaw Dave

I have one of the first two units in Canada - ( about a month ago) - The bike was very impressive at the innitial start up and ride but was plagued with poor starting - I contacted Malcolm Rathmell in the UK and as he said the biggest problem is the spark plug cap - it has a resister in it and this causes problems - a new cap fixed it ( my Importer did this) - However the stock spark plug is not available in Canada - it is used only in Saab and Aston Martin turbo cars. We switched to a Bosch and appear to have the problem solved The close proximity of the fuel line to the muffler is a concern - we have routed the line around the carb which keeps it away ( a bit) from the heat plus we are using a different insulated fuel line. - The sidecase where the wires go into the flywheel should be champered ( very sharp) as this can cause the ground wire to the fan to cut through & short out -The cdi wires should also be siliconed and the plug to the cdi should be waterproofed. The bike is awesome to ride, and the other unit was ridden to first place in the advanced class of the recent Outlaw Two Day Trial - it was especially impressive on the BIG Hillclimb. ( lots of "5"s here) - We expect to see more improvements to this bike as we continue to test it. We already have a lot of data collected re: the carb etc, and everybody that rides the bike is super impressed with the throttle response - (we have ridden the 4RT and it is not as good in my opinion) - Only time will tell what other changes need to be made, but this bike is very, very, good.

He doesn't have to call Ron Como - we fix all customer bikes - this is one of mine - Outlaw Dave

Yup ! He's here all right - showed up at my Trial last weekend - luckily we had a keg on hand !!

I don't see many cleans on the old guys score sheets - Billy D only cleaned one section all day - he did it on all three loops but how about the next class up - no cleans ? Somebody got it wrong I would say.

What I would give to be there on the last day !!!! The party after will be one to remember I'm sure. Best of luck to Sam

You may be interested to know that the original Hare & Hounds was born in the USA and the idea at that time, was for a Hare to take off ahead of the Hounds ( the rest of the riders) - The hare would leave a trail (usually in the desert) of dye which he dropped at various intervals - the first guy to catch the hare won the race - I should add that the hare was usually a fast guy and the hounds sometimes numbered in the hundreds. - The modern day event is like one guy already said a long Moto X

Glad to hear you are all OK Martin - Scary stuff - Best Wishes from all of us Trials guys North of The Border. - Outlaw Dave

Hey Ringo - That is a really great write up about what sounds like an incredible ride. - Hats off to you folks for honoring Art in this way.

Kramer - You are missing the point - ( like a few other people) - Let me explain once again. You don't take a donkey to a horse race and expect to win. You take the very best you can breed ( or build) Nobody, as I said doubts the engineering brilliance of the Japananese but the big money is starting to spoil the sport of Trials - and thats just my opinion. - Especially at the World level.

Like everybody else I have been watching the Indoor Championship and also the Team Reports. - What a lot of you no what ! - Lets face it - Honda who own Montesa, made the decision to go with 4 strokes. - It was their choice to do that. - They can call it what they they want - a brave new move or whatever. - The fact remains that when you enter any competition you read the regulations and enter your best. While I have the greatest respect for Dougie Lampkin, I think it's time to recognise that we have a changing of the guard - especially at the Indoor venues. - Look at the performance by young Toni Bou - I also happen to think that 2 strokes will be around for a long time. It wasn't that long ago that Honda tried to compete with the 2 strokes in road racing - they eventually quit and built one. - not that anyone doubts the sheer brilliance of the Japanese. But having worked for one of those so called "Four Great Powers" - I think it's time to cheer the underdogs - the teams at Gas Gas and Sherco and Beta.