was on phone with Biffsgasgas, He says "Didja read new issue of AMA magazine?" Me: "Nope, better go to mailbox" I retrieve magazine from mailbox. hang up phone, read article. Open da interwebs, begin logging into TC and the dreamtrip website at same time. Copy link for dreamtrip website and then check out TC. I had intentions of starting a topic about it, but you beat me to it! So I had the link all set to paste, was just too easy to post a reply with the link.
Well, that was somewhat of a useless story....... so I will put this at the end
I'll take them to work with me and clean them up in the parts washer . Brake cleaner works great for alot of things, but in this case I'll only use it to rinse the solvent off , after they are clean and ready to reassemble
I don't have one of those fancy schmancy parts washer things.......yet.
Now how do I convince the wifey that it is a sound investment?
I have heard a couple different amounts. A fellow GasGas rider says 375cc and that 400cc will leak out.
So my advice is start with pouring in 375cc wait a couple minutes for it to all settle down, look in the sight glass if the level is not in the middle of the glass then add more oil in 25cc increments until it is in the middle of the sight glass. Then the trick will be to remember how much you put in for the next time you change the oil.
As far as oil type............... there are entire threads devoted to that subject.
Personally I am using GM AutoTrak II (blue stuff) because that is what previous owner was using and has had zero problems with it, I like how the clutch is working. (bike is a 2003 and kicking ass!) Also know others that have used it exclusively with no problems.
So there is much science and opinion behind oil choice.......... good luck. (use what you like and sod the rest)
Team WGASA Member (and technically ipso facto big wig dude) Biffsgasgas made this little instructional video about that very noise you speak of.
Now please bear in mind I do watch every video that is uploaded to the Team WGASA channel.................sometimes only once. This video would be a case of I watched it once.....long time ago.
Like all the posts before mine "ride a few if you can and buy the one that suits you" Also try different sized motors of those bikes and get one that fits your riding style.
All trials bikes will hold up well if proper maintenance is done, it is just different things that need to be done more often for each brand of bike. and they all have their own quirks.
I found some parts of that film to be quite hilarious, the parts where he is riding is just poetry in motion.
But I found the blatent exibition of all those to be rather disturbing. It was so disturbing I had to rewatch those parts multiple times to make sure I was offended. I am so offended I believe I must watch it again to make sure that my letter of complaint will be complete in its description.
Actually trimming the bars made my wrist "straighter", basically it kept the hand and forearm "in-line" with each other.
Also there is a slight benefit similar to raising the bars by trimming them (a little trim)
Try this: Have your bike on a stand and get on it.
Stand on the bike like normal that you are rideing.
(hand position, back position etc)
Then move your hands inward on the bars a little bit, (may need to put hands on master cylinders a little) as your hands come in your back will straighten a little bit and you will "stand up" more.
It's all about adjusting the bike to fit you, not adjusting you to fit the bike.
If you are too far forward, leaning on your arms/ bending your back forward etc.... maybe a slightly higher handlebar bend or bar risers may be in order.
I switched from low rise to mid on my last bike and that made a huge difference. Plus low back did not ache as much.
Crank Bearings are not horrible to change if you are comfortable completely dissassembling the enging. Splitting cases etc..
Also if you tear the engine down that far you may as well do a total rebuild to save having to do it later.
such as:
Crank Bearings and seals, various gaskets, Rings, Piston (if out of tolerence), small end bearing on con rod, reeds, etc.. etc.. you get the idea. It can be a bit expensive that way.
But on the plus side you would have a "new" engine!
(I would probably have looked elsewhere also )
But do bear in mind all used bikes will have a few things that need "freshening up" to make the new owner happy with the bike. The key is how much you want to deal with and how much more $$ you want to throw at it to make yourself happy with it.
I had the Crank Bearings go bad in a 2000 2.9 and if you hit the end of the handlebar in a downward motion with the bike off you could hear the crank moving and banging around in there.
Ran good, shifted fine was "rattley" when running.
(rumor has it that Shercos are known to have the Crank Bearings go bad)
So I had the link all set to paste, was just too easy to post a reply with the link.
)
I am so offended I believe I must watch it again 
to make sure that my letter of complaint will be complete in its description.
Jason Finn Had All The Luck, The Girls, The Crashes, The Laughs 1998
in Trials Videos
Posted
I may have missed that part............... I better watch it again!