full_throttle Posted August 29, 2018 Report Share Posted August 29, 2018 Hi, This will be my first bike which I will be buying from 'TOR MOTO'. Has anyone had any dealings with them before? They're located just outside of Halifax. I've got my eye on a Montesa 315R 250 or a Beta Rev 3 250. Both look in good nic. I'll only be taking it easy, clubman trials ect so I don't need anything special. I just want to have fun. What would sway your decision? Anything out of the ordinary I should look out for? What're your experiences with both? Thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oni nou Posted August 29, 2018 Report Share Posted August 29, 2018 (edited) 5 hours ago, full_throttle said: Hi, This will be my first bike which I will be buying from 'TOR MOTO'. Has anyone had any dealings with them before? They're located just outside of Halifax. I've got my eye on a Montesa 315R 250 or a Beta Rev 3 250. Both look in good nic. I'll only be taking it easy, clubman trials ect so I don't need anything special. I just want to have fun. What would sway your decision? Anything out of the ordinary I should look out for? What're your experiences with both? Thank you! It does not matter where you buy from if you're buying second hand ....it is totally down to the buyer to check everything on the bike is as good as they want it to be for the money they are paying ....do not waste time asking TOR MOTO what he thinks, he is selling the bikes and will tell you exactly what you want to hear....if you have any sense you will disregard anything he says...... also knock the price down, trials bikes are selling slower at the moment. ....whatever you buy is likely to need a bit of work to make it work better and probably require a £100 or more spending on it to improve it. buy a Beta Rev3 and a later rather than earlier model 2005 to 2008;you cannot obtain piston rings easily for a Montesa 315 at present.and things regarding general spares availability for one is unlikey to improve any time soon. Edited August 29, 2018 by oni nou 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyp Posted August 29, 2018 Report Share Posted August 29, 2018 Rev3 has A reputation for being robust with lota still around and in good nick (very few problems with mine in 10 years). Plus 2 stroke simplicity. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
section swept Posted August 29, 2018 Report Share Posted August 29, 2018 Check out the private sellers before you spend your dosh. As Oni Nou states the trials bike market is slow right now and you may be able to pick up a good bike straight from the owner which is usually better than buying a bike with no history. Remember it’s only the profit that makes things expensive. The dealer you mention sells a lot of bikes not just trials, so a specialist dealer may bring more to the negotiating table. A few tips, get whoever to start the bike from cold, if you think the bikes been run just before you arrive be very cautious there may be starting issues. When the bikes running allow it to warm up, it should idle relatively consistently and the cooling fan needs to cut in and out reliably. Try the clutch when the engine is hot, cold oil will stick the clutch on many bikes so be fair to that, it should disengage or clear easily without excess effort at the lever. The exhaust will smoke a bit as the bikes been standing idling....if it keeps stopping it needs sorting before you go any further. You may be able to have a paddle on the bike....I used to have a secure compound with a skip and a few obstacles for the more able rider when trying bikes... if you are offered a go don’t think you’ve got impress anyone, no big handfuls of throttle etc. just pootle slowly and try the gears selection. Stop and find neutral now operate the brakes pushing back and forth with your legs and at the same time feel and listen to the suspension working. If there’s no test ride on offer and that may be because the dealer is unsure of you or your riding....it’s a bit scary letting a relatively total stranger hop on your stock and ride about. Bear this in mind it doesn’t have to be a deal breaker, you may even be offered a warranty of sorts but at the age of bike suggested I doubt you’ll get anything apart from fcw ( forecourt warranty) once across it you’re on your own! Should you be buying blind ie not seeing the bike personally but over the net and then courier delivery think about it carefully, the courier services....the ones that advertise do a good job mainly, one I have used a few times is excellent. But they could be delivering the biggest bag of horse manure to you, it won’t be their fault either, so for the sake of a few hours travelling make the effort see before you buy. Hope this info helps and that you buy a good bike with no issues and plenty of history?? 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ourian Posted August 29, 2018 Report Share Posted August 29, 2018 Personally the only bike I would buy from a dealer is a brand new one. Buying second hand is always a gamble, some you win and some you lose but if I'm going to lose I'd rather pay less money in the first place. Ideally get someone who knows a bit about trials bikes to have a look at what you want to buy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnnyboxer Posted August 29, 2018 Report Share Posted August 29, 2018 Are trials bikes sales slowing down? No shortage of buyers for older bikes, like twinshocks...........it seems to me Why is it slow? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oni nou Posted August 30, 2018 Report Share Posted August 30, 2018 (edited) 3 hours ago, johnnyboxer said: Are trials bikes sales slowing down? No shortage of buyers for older bikes, like twinshocks...........it seems to me Why is it slow? If you watch the sales of second hand trials bikes in the UK [not talking about new sales] on Ebay all the time then you would have noticed that people are not bidding as frantically and that bikes stay on there for much longer than earlier this year and also that sellers prices have dropped which suggests that the market is slow....there are plenty of trials specific dealers with secondhand stock on Ebuy not just private sales. twin shock trial bike prices have dropped on Ebuy and the halcyon days of stupid asking prices seem to have disappeared; at least for a while. It is probably slow because people are preparing for the sxxt to hit the fan with the Brexit farce and so they are not spending so freely....maybe they are concentrating on paying off their debts or saving for a strainy day in the near future....who knows ...but there has been a marked change recently. Edited August 30, 2018 by oni nou 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nigel dabster Posted August 30, 2018 Report Share Posted August 30, 2018 (edited) oni nou mostly talks too much but what he says above rings true to me. Edited August 30, 2018 by nigel dabster Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stpauls Posted August 30, 2018 Report Share Posted August 30, 2018 (edited) What people are asking for a bike on Ebay, and what they actually get are two different things. The only reliable indicator of price are the sales that are made via auction. To see this, go to: Select "trials bikes" (for instance), Auction, then select Completed Listings. Here is one: https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/Motorcycles-Scooters/422/i.html?_from=R40&LH_Auction=1&_nkw=trials bike&LH_Complete=1&rt=nc&_trksid=p2045573.m1684 Note that some people will get mates to bid on their bikes in an attempt to drive the price up, or encourage bidders. These bikes will often reappear the following week, claiming the bidder did not show up. Apologies if you already knew this. Edited August 30, 2018 by stpauls 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oni nou Posted August 30, 2018 Report Share Posted August 30, 2018 6 hours ago, nigel dabster said: oni nou mostly talks too much but what he says above rings true to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goudrons Posted August 30, 2018 Report Share Posted August 30, 2018 (edited) I don't know too much about the 315R other than that they stopped producing them in 2004. From what I hear they aren't bad, but I am sure parts will be getting thin on the ground now, best checking with the importer. They do feel a bit heavier and more "old school" compared to similar Betas, Shercos etc that are a bit more svelte. The Rev3 was produced from 2000 to 2008 and got progressively better as it went. I seem to think some plastics are getting hard to source, but I think everything else is pretty much available, the importer is close to you in Skipton (though they used to be closer in Silsden), might be worth a ring to John Lampkins and ask what's not available anymore. After my fair share of them in the past I think I can comment on the common problems. Stator can fail, though you can get them rewound. Check the rear shock, the bladder in them can split, if so it'll leak and/or sound all slurppy and no one will recon them. Need to run on 98 or 99 octane fuel otherwise they'll pink and knock. 2000-2007 models have Mikuni Carbs and they can suffer bad fueling if the float level isn't bang on (it's not the most sophisticated carb and it feels it!) 2008 had a Keihin and much better for it. Clutches have always been a bone of contention, they can suffer with awful drag, even the later Evos. Had a couple chew up water pump impellers, easy to replace the cheap plastic items with a larger alloy one. Another option might be the Scorpa SY250, that has a Yamaha engine with a similar linkless rear suspension setup to the Beta. I seem to remember they were pretty well built and don't remember seeing too many in bits out the back of a van! I'll probably get banned from this site, but I don't think Gasgas models around the mid '00 weren't the best. My one venture with a 2005 didn't go well, bits fell off or broke with shocking ease and regularity, same as all my riding buddies. If you've not joined a club, do so, the members will be a good source of information, with plenty of bikes to nose around and there's usually a few with bikes for sale. Edited August 31, 2018 by goudrons 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonnyc21 Posted August 30, 2018 Report Share Posted August 30, 2018 the 315R's are great bikes, they ride nice, and are as easy to work on as any other trials bike I have done work on. There clutches can be a bit quick if they are not updated to a dimpled version or run a high quality oil like the ELF 740. They are harder to find parts for than the Beta's from what I have seen and the piston and rings are the hardest part to find from what I understand and other parts are going the same direction though not as bad yet. The older Beta's turn a little better but over all are about the same. They have a different clutch problem of often being sticky to the point of not wanting to disengage and this can require a well known Beta clutch fix of pulling apart the clutch and cleaning up the friction plates. Some older Beta's can also have corrosion in cover under the water pump that can force you to replace the cover or find a way to weld/patch things up. Both are good and if in good shape will be a lot of fun. Good luck and hope this helps. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nigel dabster Posted August 31, 2018 Report Share Posted August 31, 2018 an old beta or an old mont, no contest Montesa everytime. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyhayton Posted October 26, 2018 Report Share Posted October 26, 2018 Bought a rev 3 from tor last year brilliant bike well prepared nice people to deal with bought it on credit card to get protection just in case didn’t need it only one problem bought a 250 but actually got a 270 when checked with Lampkims Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nigel dabster Posted October 28, 2018 Report Share Posted October 28, 2018 On 26/10/2018 at 7:06 PM, andyhayton said: Bought a rev 3 from tor last year brilliant bike well prepared nice people to deal with bought it on credit card to get protection just in case didn’t need it only one problem bought a 250 but actually got a 270 when checked with Lampkims Makes you wonder if the seller did not know the cc? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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