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What did you do with your trials bike today?

Taking it down and greasing everything. The steering head had almost zero grease ๐Ÿคฆ. Also going to powder coat the swingarm. It's all dingedup.

What was it like getting to the steering head? Did you have to take everything off including the forks?
 
What was it like getting to the steering head? Did you have to take everything off including the forks?

If you can get a second pair of hands or rope from the ceiling, you can remove the upper triple and suspend it above the bike, drop the forks out to get to the bearings. It is easier if you unbolt the front brake caliper and hose from the fork.
 
Yinzer Moto have you had any of your TRSs apart yet to grease? How much lube was in there from the factory? I have a Ryan Young class this weekend at a venue I hate (it eats motorcycles so I'm bringing my power washer). Then, over the next month I'll spend a ton of time riding in the mud and water. I love the muck but I'm not really looking forward to the necessary maintenance.
 
Yinzer Moto have you had any of your TRSs apart yet to grease? How much lube was in there from the factory? I have a Ryan Young class this weekend at a venue I hate (it eats motorcycles so I'm bringing my power washer). Then, over the next month I'll spend a ton of time riding in the mud and water. I love the muck but I'm not really looking forward to the necessary maintenance.

I took the new bike completely apart and packed more grease in every bearing. Steering, rear suspension, wheels. They all had grease in them but not totally full. I like to pack bearings completely full, so there is no extra space for water to have a home.
 
Got a ride in with RideSallyRide before lunch, more New Yorker style practice. I am actually getting it. Traction is not good enough to do any big moves but it is great practice and working with extremely slippery conditions.

We had an event this past season, it rained the night before. Most of the sections were manageable but there was one, the person who set the event, said it was supposed to be the easiest section, it was just some small rises and one small log. The mud in that area turned into the worst grease ever. They were handing 5s out, left and right. Riding in the snow is very similar to that.
 
Got a ride in with RideSallyRide before lunch, more New Yorker style practice. I am actually getting it. Traction is not good enough to do any big moves but it is great practice and working with extremely slippery conditions.

We had an event this past season, it rained the night before. Most of the sections were manageable but there was one, the person who set the event, said it was supposed to be the easiest section, it was just some small rises and one small log. The mud in that area turned into the worst grease ever. They were handing 5s out, left and right. Riding in the snow is very similar to that.
Mike and I rode yesterday and it was just below freezing, so everything that melted the day before when it was 38F and sunny.... got really icy.
The big throttle and clutch moves are out of the equation, and it's all about body position, being light on the controls, and maximizing traction anywhere it is available. I ride this, so I have a fighting chance in the section you describe. Also work on trying to get a decent 3 (not just paddle around like Gordy's Dirty 3), rather than just give up and 5 it. Chances are in that kind of section, you aren't going to clean it, so you best learn how to strategically dab. The 2 points between that 3 and 5, might decide your trial for you!
 
Pics or it didn't happen.


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I cleaned it up to sell it. I've had it for about 2 years, did a low budget restoration and fuel tank epoxy coating. I've ridden it a few times, but I just don't have a lot of use for it.

A friend sold it to me for what he paid (about 20% of its value), so I'm going to sell it to our other friend for the same price. He has trails in his back yard and neighborhood, and said he'd take it off my hands. This leaves space for that KTM 500 supermoto I've been wanting. :nod

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Hey, quick question for you trials folks. As you can see, that Suzuki smokes like a train. It has a brand new piston and jug. I'm running about 30:1 mix in it, according to manufacturer's spec. It seems like too much. I'm thinking of draining the tank, and filling up with some Husqvarna pre-mix I bought for my chainsaws. It is 50:1. That should be fine for a bike that won't be ridden hard, right?

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Hey, quick question for you trials folks. As you can see, that Suzuki smokes like a train. It has a brand new piston and jug. I'm running about 30:1 mix in it, according to manufacturer's spec. It seems like too much. I'm thinking of draining the tank, and filling up with some Husqvarna pre-mix I bought for my chainsaws. It is 50:1. That should be fine for a bike that won't be ridden hard, right?

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Modern trials bikes run at 130:1 to 100:1. With a high quality oil, you are probably ok with 100:1 but I would talk to a vintage guy first. Many of the oil recommendations on those bikes were from back when the oils were not as good.
 
Modern trials bikes run at 130:1 to 100:1. With a high quality oil, you are probably ok with 100:1 but I would talk to a vintage guy first. Many of the oil recommendations on those bikes were from back when the oils were not as good.
130 - 100:1!
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I run mine at 80:1 (edit: high quality, Motul 710 in a 50/50 mix of 100LL 'octane' AvGas and 90 Octane Ethanol Free pump gas) and admittedly it smokes and generally over time can send spooge into the exhaust (which gets burned off every few weeks with a nice ride up the mountain).
 
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I don't think I'd run a vintage air cooled bike at 100:1. I'd say you should be good at 50:1. My modern bikes run at 80:1.

P.S. I love oil threads!
I run my '87 Beta TR34, with the same 80:1 Motul 710/ 100 LL Av Gas, that I use in my '21 Beta 200 Factory. Even in my old Fantics I ran 70:1....
 
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