biffsgasgas

Greetings from an Ex-Syracusian... --Biff

Louisville is pronounced Lu-El-Vill by those that live there. Slur the word the better off you are. If you say Louie-Vill they will go out of their way to correct you... Bunton? never heard of that brand but I would pronounce that Bun-Tun but I have one of those silly east coast accents so I am probably not a good judge of annunciation. --Biff

New Ossa?!?! Must investigate. --Biff

Lately Zippy and I have been looking at the "point taking opportunities" in relation to severity. When setting up an event we generally ask what the section or sections before that one look like before and after theirs. Let's give them (them being the riders of our events) a challenge that's fun, challenging, and exciting but not to the point where they feel obligated to quit. So point taking opportunities are considered in laying out a section. What that opportunity is like for a beginner is different than an expert of course. Do you have enough opportunity to get a clean as you do a five? Does every section have to be at the maximum opportunity for a rider to get a point. Does a section have to be designed to take points or can it just be fun? We have been asking ourselves that over the past few years and have had some mixed results. For the experts and other riders we have been trying to help them get their moment in the spot light. Every one wants to feel like a hero sometimes and we usually have a good turn out of non trials riders in our events so we try and give some spectacular obstacles for those who want to showcase the skill. It doesn't get points but it sure gets people talking and interested. Stagger your section severity levels. Hard easy hard easy hard easy. One thing is consistent is that you can't make everyone happy. My sign of a good section (and we allow this in our club) is when a rider who is done riding for the day wants to come back and try your section again or wants to try the next level up. --Biff

Time on bike and pushing the boundaries makes a great rider. The bike helps but its really about works with the human. 14 years ago you could insert Dougie into this topic and you would most likely say it can't get better. 10 years ago you could insert Adam into this topic and say it can't be beat. 20 years ago Jordi... 30 Eddie... My point is that the rider is who controls the bike. An easy perspective is Jason Finn who seems to be timeless but also innovative. After drooling over Adam's bike in the US last year I noted down every modification. Small spikes under the foot peg mount, modified carb bowl, bits and pieces t make it different. That's just a visual observation. What bits are different internally? Hrmmmmm I had seen Bou on a Beta in 2006 and thought that he was over his head. He was just getting started and I am eating my words now. Regardless it's about the rider and not as much about the bike. Are other manufactures focusing on their riders as much as Honda Repsol? --Biff

"I'm thinking a good chainsaw should make short work of cutting ties?" Be careful! Some Ties have steel reinforcements inserted. Using metal strapping from Lowes or Homedepot was how we did it. we haven't had a failure in the 7 years and multiple trials attempted. --Biff

It looks like a great bike. I hope it works out for them. I was told to bring a SY250 home the other week by the boss so she would have something to ride when she visits.... I do what I am told. --Biff

Full disclosure. I am probably one of the ones that told him it was safe to remove two of the springs. It has always worked with me. Sorry if its caused confusion... MY BAD!!! --Biff

See you there Bigmark1972! --Biff

HA! Shame on me... You knew that all ready. Four more things that we have seen cause electrolysis. Block heaters (Not really a motorcycle problem. Look for voltage when plugged in to the wall) Water pump (Can sometimes be isolated by removing the belt. Usually does not have a surge of voltage when started but voltage can slowly build) Serp belt (not really a motorcycle problem. Be removed for a short while) Electric thermostats (What a horrible idea that was. You can usually see a voltage spike in the coolant when cold or activated and it goes away when unplugged or the system turns off the voltage) --Biff

Do your drain plugs have copper washers? If so whats the corrosion there? Is there corrosion where your magnesium case meets the frame? If so you can still fix this but that will be your answer. Dissimilar metal isn't as much of an issue as electron flow and the reason behind it. Here is your science lesson: Corrosion really occurs when the cathode and the anode have a path of electron flow and two metals in contact can attempt to transfer electrons. In the presence of oxygen that will cause corrosion. Your coolant shouldn't be an electrical path and when it is electrolysis will occur. If your coolant is used as electrical path it will form electrolysis. If you introduce electrolysis with oxygen you get either an alkaline or an acid which can then turn into corrosion. BAD! Here is your scientific test with a real world example: If your concerned here's a tip. In that silly blue semi round shape company that I might or might not work for we do this . The customer symptom may be: Repeat heater core failure, repeat radiator failure, block corrosion at the pump, or any coolant system corrosion. If you have this issue on any make of car or bike please read on. There is a solution to this and knowing whats broken will help fix this. Ahemmmm COPE you might learn something here! (knowing his career to date). Background: Root cause is that the engine generally does not have an electrical path to ground. Spark plugs, generators, static all needs a path to ground. Most automobiles need a ground strap to the engine to create a ground path because their drive-train is isolated to ground by dampeners. The advantage of our trials bikes is that they are directly connected to ground aka the frame of the bike. Very rarely is the engine not connected to the frame which is the ultimate ground of our bikes. If your engine is insulated from the frame then the coolant may be the path of least resistance to ground. If electricity is pushed through the coolant then it will cause a problem. What do I do to see if my coolant is being used as a ground path??? Easy! Grab a DVOM and put your positive (red lead) in the coolant and connect your negative (black lead) to the frame with the engine off. If you see more than a volt you have a problem! Drain your coolant this minute because it has become a battery and that will cause corrosion. If you don't have a volt then start your bike and look at the voltage. If it raises more than a half a volt when the engine starts then shut her down because you know that your coolant is being used as a ground path and your coolant will basically be turned into a battery source promoting corrosion. So I have voltage what do I do? MORE grounds the merrier. You can't have enough grounds. Put a ground from your engine block to the coil and frame and your mother in law, what ever it takes to get rid of your stray voltage. Automotive applications suffer more than our bikes due to people not lifting the hood and knowing that that small ground strap to the engine has left and now your heater core or radiator is the path back to the battery. Use coolant which helps inhibit not only electrolysis but also freezing. It also lubricates your spinning parts such as the water pump. Ohms law is universal. If you have any vehicle in your life that has had a failure of the coolant system make sure you check the voltage in the coolant after the repair. If you have ever replaced a heater core or radiator for damage just check to see how much voltage is passing through the coolant to the battery. What about dissimilar metal corrosion? Sure two metals of different types can corrode with electron transfer in direct contact. Your coolant hose idea isn't direct contact. Electron flow in coolant systems is usually because its forced electron transfer such as a bad ground causing the coolant to be the ground path. --Biff PS. Very few women will find this information attractive.

Today was a great day. We here in Michigan got to ride yet another good MOTA trails event. In the spirit of competition we as an organization are calling out three fellow USA trails organizations to perform the ice bucket challenge to recognize and donate to ALS. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hmO1sp4cGZI&feature=player_embedded Southern Trials Riders Association, Trials Incorporated, New England Trials Association consider yourself called out. A bunch of us took the challenge at the event today and we raised $249.63 for the ALS cause. I look forward to seeing who these organizations call out. --MOTA via Biff http://stratrials.com/ http://www.newenglandtrials.com/ http://www.trialsinc.org/

Yep i think your right. Jon.... I remember struggling with that on my TXT Edition now that you mention it. --Biff

I am not sure. I remember that some manufacture had a carbon fiber wheel set. I made my own carbon fiber ty80 fenders and gas tank cap several years ago. That's in my garage section. I wouldn't suggest carbon fiber fenders for competition. I blew through a set on my old GG pro over the course of a national weekend. --Biff

Back in 2003 I went to Sams club (big box warehouse for those who aren't merican). I decided that it was a good day to put four new tires on the trials rig. So loaded up the shopping cart with four new shoes. I went to the counter, paid for them, and proceeded to wheel them over to the installation area. I had to give them the keys to the car and wala about one hour later the high school kid finally got my car back on the road. I had just left college and before that i worked for three years in an audi vw dealership. As low man on the totem pole i had my fare share of tire installs. I get in the car and drive about 30 meters down from the said big bulk stores and realize that there is something horribly wrong. I have a massive vibration. I can't even reach 50 kph. I turn around and indicate to said high school kid that there is something wrong. My car goes back on a lift and they start the investigation. It became obvious when one of the rear wheels starts rocks back and fourth pretty easily. He removes the tire and puts it on a balancer. He spins, adds weight, spins, adds weight, spins, adds weight.... well thats about the time i ask if i can help. Very agressive this minimum wage kid indicates if i can do it better go for it. I remove the pound and a half of random weight and ask what he left in the wheel. He laughed at me and indicated that its my pos German car that's the issue. I proceed to ask to use the tire removal and low and behold we find a dead pigeon in the tire..... Ummmm we were all taken back. In Sams club they store the tires like any other but the only thing we could come up with was that it had died and none of us had caught it. Me loading the tires in the cart, lady who checked me out, nor high school kid who installed them. To put icing on the cake we put the pigeon into the, road hazard sales pitch bucket. However gross it was a defining moment my ruined afternoon. If they love that jeep or dodge then they should put that lock on a bridge in Europe. (google that if you need to know more) --Biff

Well look at that!!! As i am replying the post is been moved into the GG forum... very nice veryyyyyy nice :/ --Biff

Older gasgas require a specific ordering to the pressure plates in the cage. I would post in the gasgas forum and provide the model and year. Meanwhile remove the clutch case cover. (probably don't need a gasket or oring if its newer) and look closely at the pressure plates. --Biff

We have all been there. In the heat of battle one miss step or aggressive underestimate and wham... That ball end of your lever has departed. Now your left with a very scary spike o death. Sure you could bring the two pieces to the welder but that's very 20th century. In the spirit of all of those wounded soldiers out there I have decided to go a different route. First i had to go make a mold of a good lever bar end. Art supply stores have two part silicone easily available. I am using oom 30 from the local Blick art supply store. Then take one of our fallen soldiers and grind a few anchor points into it. Note the next ingredient in the back ground taken from my roll of carbon fiber. Then add some epoxy resin from the local auto parts store and wala you have the worlds first prosthetic lever bar end. Never forget your fallen soldiers!!! Making my own full carbon levers too... Please note that nothing i am making is for sale nor will it ever be. If you break a lever I highly suggest you go and buy a lever. I have arguably too much time on my hands with inspiration to push boundaries. People make a living off of creating things for your bike. I am not one of them. I do not endorse doing what I am doing to anybody. Support your local parts people! --Biff

Google translate helps give her ammunition in making fun of me... --Biff

I will never go back to the 280. On a hill you twist the throttle and the 280 or 250 make noise. The 300 says something but before your brain can process it you are left with arms pulled out of their socket. I am a lazy rider. I forget to twist the throttle until its too late. The 300 fixes all of that for me. If you have an opportunity ride one for a day do it. --biff

Keep the top up until outside of New Jersey. I was at the Newark airport two weeks ago. The NJ transit train system was horrible and the airport isn't the greatest. I regret not renting. --Biff

If you have a car its not too bad to get to. RI is only 52 miles from corner to corner so staying in Connecticut or Mass isn't too bad. I will be there leaching off of my sis on cape cod. Team WGASA in tow. --Biff

BigMark1972, Seemed to be fine this weekend. Bending those knees will help. More time on bike with those knees bent will help all of that hard stuff become easier. --Biff

Well we finally got BigMark1972 out to ride with us this weekend. He will be just fine. Learning curve is there but its good to have a new rider to come out with us. With a few pointers he got some confidence and was trying some big stuff. Great times. --Biff

I have had to hang my bike like a dead cow with the front tire up to bleed the master at its banjo bolt. Having some one hold the bike vertical helps. --Biff