manofsteele Posted November 12, 2007 Report Share Posted November 12, 2007 A female friend of mine is interested in starting to ride trials. She is very wee though, 4'11" and 6.5/7 stone. She's a good rider but finds my 315r physically too big for her. I've suggested something like a Beta or Gasser 80 would suit her. Your opinions please Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bikespace Posted November 12, 2007 Report Share Posted November 12, 2007 What age group we talking? It's not Kylie Minogue is it? Just wishful thinking. My lad is 11 year old and riding a Sherco 80. Apart from the forks being a little lighter, and I think the suspension being softer at the back, it's the same bike as the 125-290 (as far as I know). The spares all fit from my 290 anyway. The reason I mention this is my lad is about the same measurements (maybe a bit lighter) due to having legs like bambi and ribs you can play a tune on. How about a Sherco 125? GasGas125? if she's not limited by age group. I don't see many Beta 125's around so not sure whether to include, but others will pitch in with comments. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
copemech Posted November 12, 2007 Report Share Posted November 12, 2007 I would tend to agree with Bikespace, The kids that size get on with the 125's quite well it seems, but i think the Beta and Sherco are more forgiving and better torque! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
austini Posted November 12, 2007 Report Share Posted November 12, 2007 She doesn't have to look too hard, the baby scorpa is an ideal machine, a lot less maintainance than most bikes as well!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve fracy Posted November 12, 2007 Report Share Posted November 12, 2007 Hey Copey: My son is 11 and has been doing secret test rides on a GG125 Racing model for a couple weeks now. He is very light and the little GG has plenty of torque for him and he is actually riding sections as good or better than his Beta 80 in that short time. I can even ride the 125 in pretty much everything, just have to make sure its wound up for anything big! He says also that there is no noticeable difference in weight from his little 80 which was superb! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atomant Posted November 12, 2007 Report Share Posted November 12, 2007 I can personally vouch for the Gasser 125. The one that Ross was riding was a very nimble machine. Very light and had enough power for anything that I rode with me at 11.5st. Having Sherco's before that, they too were a good machine but I found the gasser much easier to ride hence I changed my Sherco for one. They also have a very good pedigree for winning and have proven to be reliable if well maintained. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete Posted November 12, 2007 Report Share Posted November 12, 2007 The baby Scorpa is nice and light and the motor is fantastic, but its still a physically large bike. The same for most 125's I think. I've tried an '04 Sherco 125 and found it to be a bit too lively really. Suits some riders but I prefer the low-revs grunt of the Scorpa. I do remember when I first started riding a full size bike (Honda TLM 50) I could never turn very tightly. Short arms and short body meant I didn'thave the reach to turn the bars more than half lock! I think you can get bars which are a bit shorter and which might help the shorter rider! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
micm Posted November 12, 2007 Report Share Posted November 12, 2007 (edited) For someone who has never ridden a trials bike you should not overlook something like the Gas Gas 80. Its great fun, smaller and lighter than a normal bike and so easy to start. My daughter has one. I have borrowed it and ridden it in over 40's trials beating my experienced chums on fulll size machinery into the bargin. If the rider is light as you say the lack of power will not be a problem. The GG 80 suspension and brakes are superb too. Edited November 12, 2007 by micm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scorpa3 Posted November 12, 2007 Report Share Posted November 12, 2007 My other half is 5'1 and seven stone, she can ride my 250 Scorpa ok but she has no chance of starting it. She tried a SY125 and still could not start that, same for a Gas Gas 200. It takes the fun out of riding together when I have to keep starting the damn thing! She's not tried an 80, but I should think that she could start that fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
littlestar Posted November 12, 2007 Report Share Posted November 12, 2007 I have a sherco 125. Love the thing to bits and its still doing fantastic even though I tend to through it about a bit with my rubbish riding. I like it because it dosent feel too powerful but is still powerful enough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bikespace Posted November 13, 2007 Report Share Posted November 13, 2007 (edited) I can personally vouch for the Gasser 125. I changed my Sherco for one. then promptly retired, must have been a dream to ride They also have a very good pedigree for winning and have proven to be reliable if well maintained. You should have been an estate agent. Can see through that blarney "If you're happy to strip it every week you'll be fine". I know Dabster's gonna be right on my heels, but he wasn't their number one fan until the day he bought one either. edit: Achhhhhh - I wanted to wind them two up but don't want to detract from the thread itself, so honestly I think the Gasser is well over it's problem years (probably 4or5 years past them. If you want low maintenance, I think the Beta is likely to be tops. Gasser is likely to need much more, Sherco somewhere in between. All of the 125's ridable for the type of rider we're talking about. Scorpa 125 - I can't stand them, I think they're old fashioned, heavy and blah blah blah, but the owners seem to love them. I'm in a mid life crisis though, so in 10 years I'll be happy with one. Edited November 13, 2007 by bikespace Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manofsteele Posted November 13, 2007 Author Report Share Posted November 13, 2007 Starting the thing would be an issue..... Sher couldn't kick my tired old Mont over.... As for age groups, she's only going to ride recreationally to start with so it's no problem. But for the record, she's very close to Kylies age and almost as cute... Thanks for all the replies, from what i've read so far I'd still be leaning toward an 80, but I know she'd prefer a 125 We'll see. Whats a sensible budget for an 80/125? secondhand of course. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bikespace Posted November 13, 2007 Report Share Posted November 13, 2007 I just bought an 05 Sherco 80, used about 8 times. Looks like new for around the Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manofsteele Posted November 13, 2007 Author Report Share Posted November 13, 2007 That looks bloody perfect Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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