alan bechard

I think what you are doing at that point is slightly flooding it too richen it up enough to start. I used to have to do that all the time on my RMX.

Do you guys have like 3 X 5 Index cards with numbers on it or something that you tape to the number plate? Hand them out at sign up or such? It sure would help to speed things along if you did not have to wait for a punch, I guess the down side would be that possibly they could write something down wrong and it would be harder to catch, but it would be worth that worry to hustle things along, especially in an evening Trials.

Ish, if I have what you are saying correct the riders would not even really stop then and get a card punched, the observer just has to have a pad of paper with numbers 1-30 down the side and 4 blocks beside to write the score in? Then they just total each rider # up for the 4 loops and be done? Sounds straight forward and functional. How many lines do you guys set for these?

Ok, Bobby said there were basicly 2 types rod used, kind of corresponding to the 4043 and 5056 One is basicly more ductile and weaker and the other is the opposite. They were a 92 and a 61 I looked in my bin and what I have is AZ92A and is a Welco. I looked around and found this http://www.jwharris.com/welref/techguide/alloy_for_mag/gtaw/ Short version of the discussion is this Make certain that they are actually Mag, Mag forks are rather unusual and would be something special, make sure you have done the Vinegar test. (drop of vinegar on clean weld prepared surface (sanded / blasted no oxidation) bubbles it is Mag, sits like a drop of water aluminum. Mag generally does not have the properties to make good fork legs. He would choose the more ductile rod, not sure which number that was at the moment. As I look at their chart though, only the 92 shows for the cast alloys, and I am not sure, but I do not believe those would be wrought, I think a lower fork leg would just be a straight casting... Add extra material, the original broke, and with the welding process they are dropping a % of strength, so you need to proportianly increase the strength or mass or design of the part to compensate. 30 to 40 % was round numbers but he was not positive on that, the number comes from Aluminum. Stress cracking as the weld area runs out of the gas envelope is always a problem. If you can, find a way to weld on a steady preheated surface such as a hotplate etc. The extreme cooling action will often get you. That one would be a tricky one at best, and you need to make sure you have everything working in your favor before you start. Hope that helps. Looking at the package I have something else hit me, it is one of the few rods that you buy by the ounce instead of the pound. Yep, bring money..... If it was mine, it would be the 92 (and I assume you guys use the same system but may not) It is an American Welding Society standard so maybe you folks use some different grades. What caused these things to shear in the first place?

OK Lane, call a name that someone can ask if their version of events jibes out with the Laneism that you are putting forth here. Who exactly is they, These, Their,,,, I think Jim Watson was with NATC at that time, I will ask him to start. Call a name as to who said this "Fact" as I somehow doubt they will agree with you and I also doubt they read, nor care much about what is wrote, on this board.

Flipping around the discussion a bit. Why is baseball so popular in the little leauges? I do not know the numbers, but in our town there are several leauges, numerous fields and all sorts of levels. ON the one hand the "Pro rider" group would have you believe that the kids are all out there playing to make it to the top high paid level. I think that is bull. I will ask my boss, but my kid wants to play baseball because little mike across the street is playing, he could not tell you national champion about nothing. I think kids (and for that matter adults) want to do what the folks around them are doing and having a good time doing. Very few of them do it with that "end goal" of being pro in mind. (I am certain there are exceptions, but in the big number scheme of things I bet it is minute) I think if somehow we can turn it around to FUN, and get others out there seeing it is FUN, then more will follow along. If an outsider see's it as Work, and a bunch of complicated rules, and no consistency between locations, and few and far between riding opportunities for this X thousand dollar special bike,,, man, that is a hard sell. As a side note, that is one of the reasons I like Hare Scrambles better than Enduro's, I get to the start time at the right time and place, then I go as fast as I can until they tell me too stop. I am sure there were other rules, but that pretty much sums up what I needed to know to run a Hare Scrambles.

Dohhhhh,,, sorry, forgot last night, sat and watched a music performance by 1,2,3,4 and 5th graders..... Will call tonight.

No, I do not think ours are much different from yours, but if you look through Waynes posts, that is one of his common themes, that he, and many others, myself included would like to see resolved. One of the first steps that the US needs to do to progress is to name the classes the same and have them in the same order, highest to lowest or vice versa. Again, that is something that the USMTA will be undertaking in an attempt to set some standardization throughout the sport in the US. And Kinnell, Nahhhhhh,,,,, I doubt the Beave actually DID it, just take credit if nobody questions, then beat a hasty retreat when you get called out is more the beav's style, then let things settle down and talk about how you were doing a good thing, and everyone was picking on you....

I have done very limited Mag welding, but all I did was ask for Mag rod's and used what they gave me. I will call a buddy of mine tonight that does that type of thing regularly (Lincoln Welding Motorsports) and ask what his reccomendation is.

I myself enjoy hearing these other ideas and outside the box thinking of how to promote trials. The Motto on our office wall is "if you keep doing what you have always done, what you will get is what you already have". (kind of along the same lines that many here have said) Ish, if I am reading you correctly, what you are basicly saying is that we need to get more volunteers out there doing the work. Is that correct?

Thanks Dave, that looks like what I will be doing this Sunday. I figure if he can take care of my daughter for this year, I can take care of his bike for a day! Those baseline #s are great, I really appreciate it.

I am headed to Germany next week and will be working on my BIL's 96 Beta, although I think often the problems will be generic to bikes. Always having lived in the south I have extremely limited experince with operating in the freezing temps. On his last ride, he would give it the gas and it would go flat. He turned in the "airscrew" (I am not sure if it is an airscrew or fuel) and it improved considerably, it is now bottomed out. My initial thoughts are a small amount of water / condensation freezing in the tubes or passageways, or possibly just some trash that is coincidental with the cold weather. My advice was / is clean carb, drain / clean tank, check internal tank fuel filter, add or replace inline fuel filter, clean and service air filter insuring airbox is up to snuff, reset carb to "normal" setting's (about 1.5 out on that screw? anyone know a baseline?) and then see where we are at? Tips, tricks, advice and suggestions from those of you guys living in colder climates?

Lane, and others following along on the thread,,, I would say that what you describe is about what the top riders now do / recieve. You have said many times that you were the top paid rider etc. I bet at that time that there were less than 6 riders in the US actually making their living riding. I think as you look at the current top riders, Jeff, Chris, Bruce etc. that they are working similar arrangements, certainly people are not falling all over themselves to hand them money, but through hard work and dedication these guys in the top of the sport are supported by the sport. (although, that being said, it sure would be nice to see them supported better) I think as you look back through the years, you will find that the top 5 or so guys were making their living, primarily through the sport. So, what is my point? My point is that Bernie, Marland et al, ascended the ranks to the world trials scene with much the same financial backing as the current riders operate under. I do think it would be better for the US riders if there was more financial backing and incentive, but I think that the real improvement in the level of riding that it would bring, would be that if there is more financial incentive, there would be more riders, and with more riders, there would be more competition and opportunities to excell, and with those additional opportunities, we would have more riders of a better caliber. I believe that the crux of improvement, and if you will, domination of the world trials scene (for those of you with kids think of fairly odd parents : Fairy world total domination) Anyway, we need to get more riders, riding together, pushing each other up the ladder to greater heights.

Wayne, neither the AMA nor the NATC are interested in promoting the sport or developing it. That is why the new organisation (USMTA) was formed to hopefully achieve some of the goals that you have laid out. http://www.usmotorcycletrials.com/ We are trying to get it up and on it's feet and running. As you can see by the mission statement, many of the items that get brought up again and again hope to be addressed by this group with the express desire and intention of promoting observed trials in our country.

I will bite in here Lane. How much money was paid to a top rider at that time by the importer. No beating around the bush or evasive answers, just straight up, how much were you Bernie, Marland or whoever making?

https://secure.rypusa.com/prodpage.cfm?cat_...d=48&startrow=1

Yup, I believe that they are slightly different as well.

It is where bolt #165 passes through the bottom of the shock, there are several parts there not called out on the drawing. I will go by our bearing house and check, they have been more than helpful in the past. Maybe it is something common that I am not realizing. Thanks Guys.

I will throw a dollar in that hat Ringo! Carefull though, that may be the top offer you get

Lane, were you looking for Deluth in Mapquest? SEQUATCHIE in May...... (Old Indian Chief) Just a little trivia to throw out there,,,, VEGETARIAN (Indian word for "Bad Hunter") I thought when Bernie hit the World scene the European's said he did everything wrong too.... Sometimes going with what has always been, or what conventional wisdom say's is right, does not always work. See you in May. This will be interesting.

Working on a 99 Techno with an original Paoili shock installed. There was an extremely thin bushing installed between the lower shock mount and the ears, it was worn through and we ended up destroying it removing this bushing. Spoke with Mr. Commo, Beta USA and that part comes as part of the rear shock only. He said there was something used on Kawasaki's that folks used but was not sure of part #s or anything. Anyone else worked on this joint and replaced parts with something non-standard maybe? Anyone replaced the lower bushing joint in the shock with something? Any advice on "tightening" this joint appreciated.

It is not a direct answer to your question, but maybe a slightly different way of looking at it. All the used bikes will have some stuff that will eventually need attention. I would suggest that you look around for who will support the machine that you are looking at, how readilly available the parts are, and if mechanical assistance is needed, where can it be locally obtained. If Ish is in your neck of the woods, you are home free.

Looking about in the Trials SA site, I saw where it said "Coaching Trial" Could someone give me a rundown on what that means please? Thanks Al B

Lane, I cannot stand it, maybe you do not even realize what he posted, or maybe you do and just choose to ignore it. Just in case you missed it, you disagreed with yourself, and proved yourself wrong, all in the same post. As I tell folks, man, when you find yourself at the bottom of a hole, the first thing to do is put down the shovel. I think you and me may have something in common though becuase my wife say's that saying never would apply too me, anyone that knows me knows there would never be a shovel in my hand, it would be backhoe controlls. I must hand it to you though Lane, you dig with that backhoe (heck, maybe you got a trackhoe with all your money) deeper and faster than anyone else around. Well, it certainly does liven up this part of the board.....