MikeB Posted December 31, 2018 Report Share Posted December 31, 2018 Hello there just thinking about getting into this trial thing, have roadbikes and an enduro for greenlaning but looking fro something a little less violent lol. Don't have a bike yet but looking for a good beginners bike, 250cc 2T can't afford more than £1000 any suggestions? Cheers Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cleanorbust Posted December 31, 2018 Report Share Posted December 31, 2018 £1k is really about as low as you can go in terms of anything worth buying and more or less ready to ride. I'm in Scarborough and will keep my ear to the ground. If you get sorted out with a bike, I'd encourage joining Scarborough and District Motor Club to get access to their excellent practice facility between Scarborough and Whitby. If you get that far, pm me and I'll be pleased to show you the ropes! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeB Posted December 31, 2018 Author Report Share Posted December 31, 2018 Yep funny you should say that lol, my mate has just got a Beta Techno and has filled in his application for the Weds meeting of the club, I only have a KTM400EXC at the moment which is bit too heavy and powerful I think lol! We were there at the weekend for the competition and thats what started me thinking. Green laning is fine but as with trials its not a single person sport and you have to pay out for MOT, insurance, tax etc etc. Guy has offered me a Beta Rev 3 250 for £1000 running with new fork seals and oil, and new brake caliper seals, I thought it would be worth a look, anything in particular I should look out for do you know? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
section swept Posted December 31, 2018 Report Share Posted December 31, 2018 Suspension linkage prone to wear, mainly pivot points and bushes. If its been well looked after the bike you are considering may be a good un! Check steering head bearings for roughness and play, stiff or notchy steering. Suspension should be plush and smoothe in operation, feel for the damping effect when bouncing the suspension. In reality you arent getting a new bike and it would be reasonable to expect to find some faults at this price. Engine sgould start easily and idle well, throttle response should be crisp and almost instant at the blip of the throttle. No excess smoke, but then again some smoke is to be expected. As a rule with most older trials bikes you can expect to be spending a few pounds getting the bike the way you want it. Ive not mentioned some items as these appear to have been accounted for by the current owner. Clutch and gear selection should be relatively smooth but expect a bit of clutch drag when the bike is cold, this should ‘go away’ as the bike gets warm and the transmission oil warms up. Give the wheels a good wiggling and feel the spokes.....you should already know the ropes from your other sport.?Enjoy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeB Posted December 31, 2018 Author Report Share Posted December 31, 2018 Cheers pretty standard stuff then nothing particular to this type ( I know that some makes have specific issues, but not well up on the possible foibles of Beta specifically other than stator/CDI and carb flooding issues talked about on here) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cleanorbust Posted December 31, 2018 Report Share Posted December 31, 2018 I think you'll be on the right path following section swept's advice. Don't worry too much about cosmetic appearance, there'll be battle scars on any bike at a grand, it's the mechanicals that matter. It's possible that an old Rev3 has already had a stator replacement: worth checking if possible. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pjw123 Posted January 1, 2019 Report Share Posted January 1, 2019 A couple of additional points on the Techno / Rev 3 front, or any of earlier Betas for that matter. After EVERY ride/ wash down, take off stator cover, & remove / dry out any condensation present. It will be damp. (3 allen screws). A thin smear of grease on joint when replacing cover. I've had more than a few Betas & never had any electrical bother.. Prevention better than cure IMHO. Ask vendor if water pump casing has ever been replaced. They are sometimes prone to internal corrosion / erosion. The last one I bought was £80. Overall , Betas are well put together & earlier models should be an ideal starter bike, if reasonably well looked after. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeB Posted January 17, 2019 Author Report Share Posted January 17, 2019 Switched my focus a little and picked up a tidy well looked after Sherco 2.5 2000 vintage, bodywork a bit tatty but everything else great....£1000 including some spare fork seals, dust caps, and a litre of 2T oil! Now for some balancing practice in the gardemn...weather permitting! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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