hillary

I'm an athlete - not knackered.

Both bikes need very little maintenance. The 315 has a carburettor so that needs removing every couple of trials and cleaning, whilst the 4rt has an injector so there's nothing to service. That's the main difference. Of course all the other bits, brakes, chain, sprockets, tyres, levers/grips etc need the same looking after, but as an owner of both, the fact of the matter with the 4RT is that I take the rear fender off, take out the filter and cover the airbox, wash the bike, let it dry naturally and put the filter and fender back and off to the next trial Compared to everything else, Montesas are a real doddle to look after and everything fits, every time, all the time. 'Nuff said. As far as costs go, oil for the 4RT should be cahnged frequently, but it only takes 420cc so that's about

They've all got big rocks in 'em!!

I'm observing at Black Hills and I reckon it will take you about 15 minutes to walk from the road. It's best accessed by turning right in Reeth, heading towards Barnard Castle, then after the pub on the right(3 miles from Reeth) the road forks left towards Tan Hill. Not far along this road, maybe just under half a mile, there's a track, usually with a bar across. Park there somewhere and standing at the bottom of the track and looking to the hills, walk slightly to your left in the direction of five to twelve. They are old lead workings I think and when I observed there about four years ago, the first rider came through and had an easy clean - but I had barely a clean after that. The mud soon covered the rocks and it was really viscious. I know the riders don't like it at all. You get to see a good proportion of the entry through as by then most are still going. It takes about 2hrs 20mins for the entire entry to pass through. Light is bad for pictures and there's no Little Chef up there, and it gets cold because the sun doesn't seem to penetrate. There are three sections usually, but I can't be certain, though I know there are definitely two.

It has to be a Nikon D50, superb camera - if you can get it with a 18-70 lens that's even better, but the 18-55 is plenty good enough - look at my pictures from Hawkstone in this month's TBM - all with the D50. You know my journo/photo history, so I must be right!!

I used to ride 325 Suzukis with a sidecar fitted, did five years or so of the British Championship in the early 'eighties and the Suzuki was just about the best for the job in those days. John Gaskell certainly had a special one but the standard bike was plenty powerful enough to drag two big lads along and still get up some biggish sections. Spares have been a problem for years. However, they did rattle but they were sturdy engines and I never blew one up. As a solo they were not as good, and the bike John Reynolds rode was a special magnesium one. Birks still has his and rides it once a year, though two years ago you may recall he did the Classic Championship and won the series - the only British Championship series he has ever won. That magnesium Suzuki is still superb, but it's not a standard bike. Like anything else, a 325 could be made to go well, but is it worth it??

As I've said before, whilst I prefer FIM rules (stop allowed) I ride plenty of no-stop trials. The point I'm making as some have picked up whilst others have not is that the rules (whatever are used) are not applied with equal favour to all grades of rider

Who says Doug is going to ride the 2007 Scott, he has to do the 2006 trial yet!!

I must clear things up here, this is Rappers (aka Hillary for those that don't know!) I was making the point about TSR 22A, NOT World Championship regulations which mean nothing to us that ride every week. Let me make the point very clear. In a recent trial that was non-stop, I made very good attempts at a number of difficult sections, but due to age and ability dropped into holes. Both feet went down like a flash and with a big heave I managed to extract myself with a momentary stop of about 1-2 seconds. The sections were hard and I considered my efforts better than many others and should have been well rewarded with threes instead of the fives I got. Taking a breather, I spent a few minutes watching much better riders tackle the same sections. In two cases they reached the point where I fived, but they stayed feet-up, balanced for 1-2 seconds, got onto line and continued. The stop times were the same, or pretty close, and judging from results sheets, the better riders were not fived. I don't intend to name the trial, sections or observers as that's not the point, but what I am saying is that frequently the rules are not being applied equally. Whilst I prefer "stop allowed" trials, I'm happy to ride non-stop trials as long as it's fair for all. I know I'm not alone in this belief, less able riders, particularly older riders benefit enormously when trials are stop allowed, Fact of life is that at 50 plus (and there are hundreds still doing it at this age) there is not the energy, balance and stamina of a teenage sensation, and that fact needs recognising. Many no-stop trials are totally fair for all because they are marked out with no-stop riding in mind, but for those that watched at Happy Valley in the Manx Two Day, the hard course version was nigh on impossible to achieve without a momentary stop. This is not a criticism of the Manx which was again a wonderful trial, and I have no idea how the observer at happy Valley marked the section, but I watched for the best part of 90 minutes and those that did the "hard but just possible way" through the section HAD to make a momentary stop, for if they didn't, they went over the bars. I don't know if they were fived or not, but to do the section, a momentary stop was needed. Whilst writing for a Trials website where I suppose everybody is a fan, can I just make the point that sometimes folks seem to forget that Sundays are for FUN. The working week is tough enough as it is without folks making hard work of Sundays. It'sonly a game, there's no money in it and the result means nothing come Wednesday. Sometimes, just sometimes, we need to lighten up a touch!

The best way to make section markers is to go to the local uPVC window supplier/plastic window sill/fascia board distributor and buy 25mm D-strip which is stuck onto walls and around windows when old windows have been taken out and new ones fitted - it covers up minor damage. It is sold in 5metre lengths for around

Also happens if you've been upside down, trapped under the bike with the engine still going before the angle cut out takes effect. It's not a problem (the oil that is, being upside down could be)!

I've found out that it's always better to let the engine tick over for half a minute or so before entering a section if you've been racing down a track before. i.e. don't race to the section, then ride straight in without giving it a moment or so to "do what it has to do". If you do, it seems prone to coughing and stopping on you. I'm sure it's not a problem, just seems logical to me to let it get its breath back sort of thing before asking it to do its work in a section. Suits me as I need as many breathers as I can get!

I think you mean the nickel plated bar with two flexible joints, one each end. It fits by removing the bottom clamp bolt from the leftside of the bottom fork yoke and one of the bolts from the side rail. You screw the "loose" bolts into the bike in place of the bolts you've taken out, then lock the bar to the cut outs on the bolts you've fitted. Difficult to explain but obvious if you offer it up first. It will lock the steering permanently. Don't forget to replace the original bolts when you take it off. Hope this helps.

What's stalling?? - 4RT owner x 2

Try PJ1 Clutch Tune - I used it in all my 315s and also in my 4RT - no problem in any of them and the clutch doesn't drag.

In my experience the "snapshot" style digital cameras are not quite up to the job of action shots. I started out with a Canon Powershot S50 - 5m pixels and a great digital camera but not for action. I did plenty of action with it but you can never quite overcome the shutter lag no matter what folks say and how hard you try. Impressed with digital, I eventually bought a s/h Nikon D70 with a 18/70 lens and it is brilliant. Everything about it is so good, that I have also bought a D50 which has almost as many features but with a 18/55 lens. Current price of a new D50 on Amazon is

Buy a Montesa - never a problem!

TBM (Trail Bike Magazine) continue to have a bit of trials coverage in the back (most of it being written by me) but the real problem why Trialsworld failed and YOU HAVE USED WORDS OR A PHRASE WHICH ARE NOT PERMITTED ON THIS WEBSITE. PLEASE DELETE YOUR POST/TOPIC. DO NOT TRY TO CIRCUMVENT THE FILTERS IN PLACE ON THIS WEBSITE (originally planned as a separate magazine from TBM) never got off the ground, was that the trade failed to back them with advertising. That's not a criticism, it is simply stating the facts. The trials coverage in the back of TBM is on the back of the general advertising in the mag from the enduro/trail world, so be grateful for what there is. This next month's stuff is the SSDT, Pre 65 Scottish and a regular piece entitled Trials Heroes. Whether you like my stuff or not, it is at least in there, so hand over your

Simpson is a BRILLIANT trial, but take some cash with you for food and drinks at half way point. Sensible sections, well plotted by riders who know their business. Good ride out, one of the year's highlights.

No problems at all. Just sold my first 4RT, just bought my second 4RT. What more needs to be said.

I'm secretary of Lancs County and we cater for ALL classes of rider. Our Wednesday night series begins on May 17 at Bainsbeck Farm, Arkholme where there will be 4 laps of 10 sections some of which will have an easy route - and believe me it is easy. There are 5 trials in the series on May 17, June 21, July 19, August 16 and November 11 (Saturday). In addition we run Sunday trials and a national on May 29. Everybody is welcome. Start time is 6pm and we usually get a big entry of up to 100 riders

Go to your local PVC window supplier and they sell 25mm D-Strip which is used for filling in gaps between window and wall when they fit new windows. These strips come in 5 metre lengths (I think) for about

This is what I do when I'm washing my Mont. Take off the rear fender, take out the complete air filter, stuff the airbox with paper towell, then bolt a flat alloy plate with a rubber backing over the airbox. It'll take half an hour to cut, file and drill a plate to fit, and then you can pressure wash to your hearts content and be sure no water gets in the airbox or engine. When it's all dry, take off the plate, pull out the paper, wipe round and refit filter and mudguard. Been doing that with all my Monts since 1998 and never a minute's problem

When YOU HAVE USED WORDS OR A PHRASE WHICH ARE NOT PERMITTED ON THIS WEBSITE. PLEASE DELETE YOUR POST/TOPIC. DO NOT TRY TO CIRCUMVENT THE FILTERS IN PLACE ON THIS WEBSITE (part of TBM) tested the five bikes last year, the Montesa 4RT weighed in at 78.05kg fuelled up and ready to ride, whilst the Beta, fuelled up and ready to ride, which was the heaviest of the two-strokes, weighed in at 77.4kg, therefore, the Montesa weighed just .59kg more than the Beta, and I was there to check on the accuracy of the weigh-in which was on two sets of scales so it was a fair and direct comparison.

Went out to the garage at five to seven tonight to fettle the 4RT for nest weekend. Changed oils, put filter back in and fender back on. In the warm at 7.30 - could never do maintenance that quick on any other bike I've owned. I still totally adore it!!