Any Reviews On The Combat

[the dabster]

I have had mine for a couple of months now and I am very happy overall with the bike. I concur with what heffergm has said about when the engine almost stalls, it's like a fuel cut type feeling and its annoying but like most makes you learn quickly to ride round these circumstances.

The design is very effective from what I have experienced so far and apart from the mapping/fueling needing some minor tweaking its very very impressive. The thing is most modern bikes ride and behave well, I was looking for more and while time will tell, the vertigo has many things in its favour thus far.

[heffergm]

I have had mine for a couple of months now and I am very happy overall with the bike. I concur with what heffergm has said about when the engine almost stalls, it's like a fuel cut type feeling and its annoying but like most makes you learn quickly to ride round these circumstances.

The design is very effective from what I have experienced so far and apart from the mapping/fueling needing some minor tweaking its very very impressive. The thing is most modern bikes ride and behave well, I was looking for more and while time will tell, the vertigo has many things in its favour thus far.

 

I'm relieved I wasn't imagining the fuel cut feeling! (senility held at bay for another year)

[telecat]

We can now report that in Map4 full throttle going up hills the noise is really good!!!

 

[tahoeacr]

Hello all,

I wish I could give you a ride report but, considering my Camo is my first trials bike you all would say what the heck does he know. Seems this is the only forum with any info on the Vertigo so I joined. Took a trials class on a Raga 280. Went looking for a used Ossa and wound up with this. I ride from 6,000 ft el. on up. FI is spot on. Don't have the issue others have talked about. It runs clean all the way down to stalling the engine. I do know FI some as I tune my own FI bikes. Even went to an FI school to get certified. Anyways, I confirm that map 1 is not for me yet. The bike feels 100% right instantly for me. Been playing on a Freeride KTM the last year. Going to enter a trials this weekend. My riding buddy just bought a Beta factory so this weekend I will be able to give some feedback at least compared to a Beta. 

    

 

[goudrons]

I wish I could report what mine is like!

 

After years of Beta's I decided on a change, so rang up Vertigo UK and put a deposit on a Combat Camo.

 

As my family live close to Skipton, a visit was planned and I picked it up from Dougie and Nick.

I got it back home and planned a gentle ride to run it in the following Sunday.

 

The preceeding Saturday I gave it a polish and made sure every nut and bolt was nipped up (they were), sorted my kit out and slipped a feckin' disc in my back!

I wasn't even near the bike, I was reaching for a Greggs cream and apple danish!

 

The last couple of weeks it's just sat there :-(

I can't even lift my leg to fire it up so I can hear it run and every time I pass a Greggs I have a little cry.

 

Two of lifes little pleasures are ruined, for the time being!

[goudrons]

Finally had it out yesterday!

Apart from a couple of minor niggles, I'm well happy.

My initial worries after manhandling the bike about for loading etc was that the front end appeared to feel a little heavy (and my back still sore)

On it and riding and it handles really well, weight and balance feel right.

Turns feel stable on the tight and twisties.

Nothing overly remarkable, as you'd expect really.

I guess it's all good and working well as there wasn't any signs of any handling flaws.

Where things are really noticable is the engine/gearbox.

I spent all day in the standard map (one blink) and at first it felt like it was a bit gruff and noisy.

The first four gears appear very close together and caused me to rethink my normal gear selection once or twice.

1st feels quite low to begin with, but is still very usable, it's hard to explain, but when pushing hard in first on my Beta it was easy to max it out quickly, that the engine/wheel speed hit it's limit and was now holding it back.

Sure on the Vertigo it started to sound like it was getting near to max, but it was still offering more, even with a full handful of throttle it still didn't feel like it's hit it's wheel speed limit.

As for the next three gears, it easy to feel the EFI doing the job.

There's very need to slip the clutch to get the engine speed up to match the higher gears, it'll pick up almost instantly without the fueling pause.

So much so, I started to ride it a few section without clutch, just throttle timing, ok 4th it took a brief moment to sort it's self out, but in 2nd and 3rd I could almost stop/stall and still get an instant throttle hit.

I found it had a little bit more engine braking than my Beta, but nothing as bad as all the 4 strokes I've tried.

5th and 6th it's surprisingly quick, maybe not 4RT quick, but quick enough to notice and the motor really howls!

Niggles:

The bar grips are rough, thin and hard on my hands.

They appear at first glance to be Renthals, but are fairly nasty copies, REA or some such company.

They're now in the bin and some Dominos on the way.

Slight whiff of fuel every now and then from the engine area.

Not sure, but I think it's the tank venting.

Clutch a bit chattery, no worse than some other bikes and the lever is a little stiffer than I would like, but my hand ache might be my fault and/or grips.

As the Gearbox is quite stiff yet, I got fed up fishing for neutral while queuing and ended up hanging on to the lever in gear.

Might need a bit of fiddling of the fork settings, but I'll give it a few more rides before I start, they might break in a bit first.

Edited July 25, 2016 by goudrons

[the dabster]

The box will take a while to loosen off properly but is very positive. Second is a good gear in most things, I thought the ratios were too close initially but as I got more time on the bike I started to appreciate the gearing, it's a great bike! Did your 9v battery stay charged all that time or did you need to recharge it before you used it?

[goudrons]

Cheers, yes I think the box will loosen up a bit, but I think I need to move the lever up a spline, I just can't hook my foot under it properly.

I've tended to set all my bikes up like this.

I gather this will require a bit more of a bend on it to clear the casing.

 

No, after messing around in the garden a few times, the battery was flat.

I've stuffed a few normal 9v Duracell's (other brands are available) in my tool box.

Just start up on the normal battery, then once running, swap back to the rechargeable.

 

I am still a bit concerned about the whiff of fuel when running, I'll either get used to it or get a head buzz and not care!

Edited July 25, 2016 by goudrons

[telecat]

I have bought a Maplin Hybrid rechargeable battery. Not put it on yet but it comes charged. I have a few Duracell Akeline batteries as well. Just get them off ASAP as they get quite warm if you don't.

[island rich]

Thanks to all for posting about your new Vertigo's . Its great to hear about your experiances with this new trials bike and the first impressions i.e. its character . Im sure that there are many of us who would like to own one of these bikes, but are hanging on to see how others are getting on with theirs first.

Im sure I'm not the only one waiting for the quarterly publication  to do a comprehensive test on one, not just a quick spin !!  

Even TMX has done a reasonable test on one.   Or have I missed it ?

 

Back in the day I remember bike tests used to include things like, is it easy to take out the air filter and clean it and put it back. How easy is it to top the rad up, some recent bikes you have to nearly remove the rad to top it up! Prehaps the media are afraid of upsetting the importers in case they are not given another bike to test? This sort of testing must improve the bike a lot quicker if these small fults were said out LOUD . 

 

Looking forward to hearing more about your lovely bikes.   

Edited July 28, 2016 by island rich

[goudrons]

It's not too badly thought out for things like maintenance.

 

The air box cover comes off with one 4mm allen bolt and the filter lifts up and out on a cage, it couldn't be easier.

Though you need to make sure when pushing it back in the o ring doesn't get snagged and you have the cage rotated the right way.

As the airbox intake is so far away from the muck and dirt (just below/behind the headstock) I'm told they don't require the same sort of attention as other makes.

It's got to be better than my Evo, that seemed particularly prone to a mud splattered air filter

 

The coolant tops up via a brass nut through the side of the frame, it looks easy to get at even if the brass nut looks a bit soft.

 

Couple of things I noticed.

Some of the black coating to the crankcase, directly under the right side of the barrel is a bit flaky and I've lost a small flake.

 

I haven't found a bleed nipple on the clutch slave yet, the hose is just connected to the clutch casing via a plain banjo.

 

But I have found the reason for the fuel smell, seems the tank cap isn't sealing too well.

It's not pouring out, just a bit of dampness around the seal when the fuel sloshes around.

I might try packing a thin washer under the rubber seal inside the cap to see if I can get a tighter fit when it locks on.

 

Horrid grips now replaced with some Dominos and the gear lever raised one spline (didn't need bending), I can now find neutral a lot easier!

 

I've replaced the front light holder and replaced it with a number board.

The map switch and LEDs that were connected to the light holder are just siliconed in, so pulled them out and hot glued them into a small plastic bracket and screwed it to the back of the number board, works and looks well.

 

 

 

 

[elemetal]

I posted this about my new Vertigo Camo on another site, only  have about 5 hrs on it but you can see my thoughts on it, a great bike for sure.  I think they may sell quite a few of them....

 

All the bits (rear brake, shifter, pipe) are all tucked way back inside. 1/4"(5mm) thick bash plate protects it all and the FI lets them make a much shorter header. I compared it with some gassers and it must be 2" higher at the first turn after the exhaust port and 3-4" lower at the upper turn (by the gas tank/frame). This allows it to be tucked up and away and stay right by the cylinder. Frames are about the same width but Vertigo does a silencer that flattens out under the rear fender rather than on the side like a gasser. Again, more trim and narrow in the tail. FI is very good, way better than the Osaa, Donna started it after riding it for 3 minutes....she could never start the Ossa. Air filter is HUGE, almost the size of the gasser fuel tank, no joke; up high as well so it lasts forever before a clean. Fuel tank is below the saddle and clear so you can see the fuel level (rocket science....).

That low fuel level leads to the handling; very light with a very tight turning radius. Dan D (Beta rider) agreed with me; it is as tight turning as a Beta, maybe even more so (he thought maybe another 5 degree?). I kept jack knifing on lock turns in soft stuff, it's so much tighter than the Ossa. Peg input is sensitive, slight weight variation and the bike takes a different tack; I was over doing it all weekend. The frame felt like it had two different areas to work in; over the saddle and way forward over the bars. At first being that far forward seemed weird but the bike is so stable and turns so tight you have to put some bar pressure down at full lock to make it track.

Motor has great power and is easy to dial up as needed. Pat M rode a test section on his gasser and cleaned it then tried Rich F's Ice Hell never having ridden it before. Not only did he also clean the section but said it felt better on Rich's bike!!