Which bike will next get an electric leg?

[F5Dave]

Only started recently but bought 2 bikes inside 2 days by, erm accident,  or overexcitment, or moon phasing.

Have a Beta 08 Rev3, and  GG TXT250 14.  I love the GG for its power and handling,  the Beta is good in a different way, but its age doesn't help.  

The GG is a 2 kick bike minimum but the Beta is a Swine.  I'm keeping it to get others interested but I have to start it for them.  3" long lever on the left! Who thought that was a good idea?

My Beta dirtbike on the other hand doesn't have a kickstart XTrainer button only) .  And its brilliant.   On a Trials bike, ride to next section.  Stop bike. Walk section often on hill. Walk back.  Kick kick, pant pant.  A button would be nice.  Never thought that I needed one on a dirtbike but you dont know what you are missing till you get it. . . And then next bike doesn't have it.

So obviously TRS now have.  I got all excited about a new bike.  Like a new one. Just concerned with reports of heavy light switch clutch and possibly raked out front that can push.

So my next thought: will Beta, GG or say Vertigo go electric next year?

 

Thoughts? Predictions? Banal banter? 

Edited March 1, 2023 by F5Dave

[johnnyboxer]

I still don't think there is a reason for ES on a trials bike

I have a 4RT and an older TYZ, both are first time starters when warm at a trial

[nhuskys]

With a duff right knee, I love my left kick Beta Evo, as it starts so easily.  If I ever go back to a right kick bike (previous bike was a Scorpa), it's going to need to be an e start one. TRS is out for me, as my dealer doesn't sell them. I'm guessing Sherco/Scorpa will be the next e start bike, as they have a new engine design. I would imagine that they designed the ability to add e start to it. The new bike is quite a bit lighter, so adding it won't be a big weight disadvantage over the old bike. Vertigo has been having rumblings that e start is coming for over 2 years, but nothing yet. Gas Gas will probably have a new EFI engine with e start to go in their new frame in a year or so.

I have a Beta X-Trainer, and the e start works better than any other 2T enduro bike I've owned. That said... I added the kick start kit, because of a bad experience with an e start only Sherco. Battery went flat, and I had to push it up a muddy hill to bump start it.

 

 

[F5Dave]

With new batteries there doesn't seem to be any weight disadvantage at all. Could consider another GG, but I'd have to pretend it wasn't ktm owned as I still have my EC300 GG in the fleet. And EFI hasn't proved itself a match for the humble pwk keihin so far.  

[trapezeartist]

Some people have the strength and flexibility in the their legs so kick-starting is no problem. For others, the high position of the kickstart shaft on a trials bike will always be a problem, whether left or right. I think there is a massive benefit in electric start, though I chose to go the whole way and bought an electric bike. I believe the TRS e-start carries less than 1kg weight penalty.

[sherpa325]

On 3/1/2023 at 9:52 PM, johnnyboxer said:

I still don't think there is a reason for ES on a trials bike

I have a 4RT and an older TYZ, both are first time starters when warm at a trial

After having four operations on one knee and at the moment recovering from an operation on my good knee I would have to disagree with you.

[mcman56]

Beta's have a reputation as an easy starting bike.  I have had 4.  Have you cleaned the carb?

[F5Dave]

Re Beta starting, I observed a Beta being started easier than mine. It is not that it won't take, it is the odd angle and gearing of lever that makes it hard to physically kick over.   My old TR34 was the same.  Perhaps the Evos became easier? 

Whenever I loan it new people cant start it. I'm 5'8 and kickstart my GG dirtbike fine,  but the lever is much longer and on the right.  With the Rev3 I find a tree for the RH bar end and have worked out to get my weight above and fall on it rather than try kick.  I took a bit out of the head to reduce the compression.   Must try an Evo for comparison.   

Either way, to finish walking a section and just go, would be psychologically easier. 

[rabie]

i'm sure i've seen the tenaci wong trials bike with an e start, one my my trail riding mates had put the S3 electric starter on hir 4ride (ie a 4rt), there is at least one trs elecctric start locally.

 

i'm on my third beta trials bike (since about 2003) but everything else is a right kickstart (although my recent enduro bikes have all had the button)

[cleanorbust]

I don't think there's a rule which says a left-kick bike must be started with the left leg. When I rode a Beta I managed fine using my left leg but standing alongside and kicking with the right leg was never a problem.

Edited March 3, 2023 by cleanorbust

[trailmeisterjoe]

20 hours ago, F5Dave said:

Re Beta starting, I observed a Beta being started easier than mine. It is not that it won't take, it is the odd angle and gearing of lever that makes it hard to physically kick over.   My old TR34 was the same.  Perhaps the Evos became easier? 

Whenever I loan it new people cant start it. I'm 5'8 and kickstart my GG dirtbike fine,  but the lever is much longer and on the right.  With the Rev3 I find a tree for the RH bar end and have worked out to get my weight above and fall on it rather than try kick.  I took a bit out of the head to reduce the compression.   Must try an Evo for comparison.   

Either way, to finish walking a section and just go, would be psychologically easier. 

Big difference in compression between Rev and Evo. I believe the Rev is 12.5 to 1 and Evo is 9 to 1 so that makes Evo much easier to kich over.

Joe

[F5Dave]

Sounds like the first measurement is full swept volume,  and maybe the 2nd is corrected for exhaust port height.  Don't know, but the first measurement is about what I got.

It might be all mute in my point.  I rang the TRS dealer yesterday afternoon for a chat, just to get the lay of the land, find out when bikes were coming in, the cost, versions etc.  and left my number as he was doing something, he called back after I was a couple of beers in.  

Turns out some have just come in, not even up on his social media.   

Said I'd think on it overnight. 

 

But let the thread continue anyway as it is still a valid question.  

Edited March 3, 2023 by F5Dave

[mcman56]

Height is a problem.  I'm 5'5" and the the top of the beta kicker is near hip height.  It is difficult to get any weight above the kicker and I would assume really bad if you have a knee issue.  I find Rev3 and Evo take about the same kick effort.  The 4t kicks over very easily.  At some point, I  heard that Beta started putting a groove in the bore of the 300s to make them easier to kick.  I did get a ride on a 300 super smooth and it was surprisingly easy to kick.  I think it was a 2018...aluminium colored frame I think.       

[F5Dave]

My GG300 dirtbike has a hole drilled above exhaust port standard.  Makes it easier to kick over but doesn't lose too much as it is small at running revs. 

[micm]

The TRS e start is excellent and works well. This is my second e start TRS and no technical hitches in over 2 years. There is a small weight penalty but I cannot notice it. My 300 RR starts easily with the kick start but it's handy to have the press button option especuially when setting out and clearing up an event carrying bags etc and many stop starts.