My First trials bike - Beta Techno

[DrKayak]

Thanks for the input! I get the leaning the bike over in the turns. It was pretty easy after a short session. Also adjusted the bars and got a pair of S3 foot pegs that allow a wider stance on the pegs.

Creek is still up from some big rains. Can't ride down there for a few more days. The video only shows 1/4 of whats available. I need to get much better to ride the rest of it.

Not sure on how my jumps are Enduro like. I try to slow way down and lift the front wheel from a near stop.

[2PLY]

Thanks for the input! I get the leaning the bike over in the turns. It was pretty easy after a short session. Also adjusted the bars and got a pair of S3 foot pegs that allow a wider stance on the pegs.

Creek is still up from some big rains. Can't ride down there for a few more days. The video only shows 1/4 of whats available. I need to get much better to ride the rest of it.

Not sure on how my jumps are Enduro like. I try to slow way down and lift the front wheel from a near stop.

It's really quite simple but difficult to do when things get tough or there is any doubt..

We say "lean this way or that" and "lean forward or rearward", but in truth, when you are not changing speed quickly, YOU don't lean anywhere.. The bike changes attitude or leans while you just stay centered over the balance point and that is the pegs.. So leaning forward for a hill climb is really letting the bike come up to you.. YOU will look like you are forward but are not.. Going down hill is a little more difficult but ONLY because the bars are dropping away from your reach so it's more difficult to stay over the pegs while still reaching the grips.

There are a few other things that modify that statement such as: When the bike is level and straight up, the pegs are equal distance from the center of the bike's balance point. But as you tip the bike over for a turn, the pegs are no longer centered over the true balance point (the tire contact patch) .. So in a steep left turn, the right foot peg may end up totally over the balance point, so it could require ALL of your weight on that peg.

When we are starting out, it is unthinkable to stand on only one foot peg... Guys will complain: Why is the shifter so far out there? I can't reach it without lifting my foot.. ? Learn to ride on one foot and learn to move your feet around. Don't plant yourself in one spot. The shifter is way out there so that we don't accidentally shift into neutral from second on a steep hill climb or other unfortunate situation.. It gives us room to move our boots around to different positions.. I used to wear my boots out with a hole in the sole in about 1 year, now my soles never wear out before the tops come apart.

Our bikes have such a broad torque curve that there's not a lot of need to shift up and down.. Pick the best gear for what's coming and keep it there.. Lug it or slip the clutch a little to go slower when needed so that you are ready to blast or attack with the correct gear without risking a missed shift.

As far as the jumps, by "Enduro Style" I mean you are landing on the rear tire first or using the RR Ties as a launching ramp... Think of trying to "Bunny Hop" the RR ties so that your front tire lands on the ground first and your rear tire lifts off the ground BEFORE contacting the ties. Don't lift the front too high and don't carry it any higher than what will just clear the ties... You will be "Unweighting" the rear tire which is just as important as lofting the front..

Again, talk to some local Trials Riders or even print this out and see if they can explain in a more clear way as in demonstrating.. Keep in mind that we are all at different points in our learning and mastery of the sport so don't take any one person's advice as Gospel.. We are all striving for perfection, but it is unobtainable... that is what keeps us interested. ?

Edited April 17, 2012 by 2PLY

[polarity3232]

2ply is correct on all counts... These are all common and "normal" trials newby things to learn to do and to "unlearn" to do .

here(below) is a short (really short ) video of the "double blip" from trials training center videos. This may help with the "enduro "style thing.. watch him weight and unweight and listen to the motor( 2distinct ) blips of the throttle... to get over the small log.

enjoy. chad ?

[2PLY]

'other good videos there at the Trials Training Center web site... notice the knee movement and how active the rider is. he's on the bike but not locked to it.

There is a time to land on the rear tire first, and there is a video at TTC showing this.. look for the "holding pressure" jump.

BTW, I'm on the road at a rest stop just South of Roseburg Oregon at the Seven Feathers Casino.... waiting for the 4 other Vanagons following me back at Cottage Grove, OR with a distributor problem on the only 2WD vanagon in our group.. Also the only Vanagon without a Subaru motor ? They've located the problem and waiting to buy a new rotor..

While at the TTC web pagelook for a photo in the cross training section showing a bunch of riders lined up on a log, standing straight up with the rear tire on the log and the front tire on the ground. From that balanced position, they will slowly lower themselves while still balanced and try to reach the grips WITHOUT falling into the bars... Picture that and try it... THAT is a good way to feel what I'm talking about when I say stay over the pegs and don't lean into or tug on the bars to stay with the bike... you will learn later to use the bars as tools, but not as hang on devices ?

[3whlrcr]

Very nice looking Beta. A bike that clean would go for double that around here.

[DrKayak]

Very nice looking Beta. A bike that clean would go for double that around here.

I have search craigslist nation wide for fun. Seen several Techno nicer than mine all asking around $2,000. That's too close to what you could get a 01 or 02 Rev 3 for. I got luck, as we have a local trials guy that snatches up every good deal that shows and flips them for $500 or so profit. He beat me to 4 bikes in the time I was looking.

Thanks for the help on riding skils. Shot another video last night. Hard not to move the steering around a lot on such uneven terain going that slow. I can do the perfect lean the bike over turn on flat dirt, then not so good down at the creek. I think my jump is too low for the "double blip" By the time I hit the second blip the rear wheel is already on the top. Sometimes if feels smooth others it's like I'm just riding over it and I hit the skid plate as I go over.

http://youtu.be/IouW0Inlaf8

And, yea, I should have known better than ride in shorts. I got a good burn to make sure don't do it again. Classic - I rode the route 100% cean 5 times, turn the camera on and I screw up every time.

[2PLY]

Just got back from 4 weeks on the road and was going to watch your second video, but looks like you pulled it

[DrKayak]

Just got back from 4 weeks on the road and was going to watch your second video, but looks like you pulled it

Yea, It was not that good. I'm up to v3 on the backyard video. My typical session, I'm doing great then get the camera and screw up moves I had just done 10 times clean. I'm kind of past the "look at me phase". More pround of my cool place to ride than my skills at this point.

I also have video of Frank Raines. Not too proud of it. It was shot on the second lap and I was beat and going slow as hell as I had never been out of my back yard on the trials bike.

http://www.youtube.com/user/drkayak

[2PLY]

You were at Frank Raines?? !! So was I. In fact, I passed in front of your camera at 12:57 in your video. I had just crashed on that ? Hill trail and the reason I stopped and looked down was I heard a ticking noise from my flywheel which turned out to be a small hole in the cover with a little plastic rubbing on the flywheel..? You just missed my crash! I was probably crashing as you were shooting the guy with the broken fender. And there I am again at 13:58 working on that cover! ?

And at 21:49 as you stop to turn in your card, the back of my Dove Blue VW Syncro Vanagon is in the center of the video in the distance directly over your throttle at 21:52 ?

I wish I had known you were there. ?

Edited May 22, 2012 by 2PLY

[2PLY]

I also have video of Frank Raines. Not too proud of it. It was shot on the second lap and I was beat and going slow as hell as I had never been out of my back yard on the trials bike.

http://www.youtube.com/user/drkayak

That was their annual Championship Trial so they didn't offer the Novice Class. You were riding a step or two higher than you would be at a normal Trial.

When I saw your video going to that steep hill to the Creek, I was wondering how you did... Not far after you cut the video of you going down that, that's where I started to pick up speed with BOTH tires locked and skidding for my first get-off crash. How did you do on that? That was really and Expert only descent. That's why they offered the Jeep road down.

Edited May 22, 2012 by 2PLY

[DrKayak]

No problem with that down hill. I went down it both laps. I had stop and rest a few times. I have a lot of experences on much worse on my 450. I had more trouble getting the bike to go fast on the easy sections, so, going around the long way was the last thing I wanted to do.

As far as the sections, I got 4 of 7 clean on the first lap but only 2 clean on the second lap as I was getting tired. I did not think the Sportsman lines were that hard and most of my dabs were from stress of the compitition. Except for a couple sections I completely screwed up and got a 5.

Wish we had got to meet.

Edited May 23, 2012 by DrKayak

[2PLY]

The sections were not hard, but even easy sections are hard to clean every time.. And quite often, it's the easy ones that catch you by surprise. Hang a few markers and ribbons out there with a guy watching and it all changes ?

It was hard to tell from the fish-eye affect of the cam, but it appeared that your handle bars were still too far back... but again, it was difficult to tell.

[fp90lawrence]

wow!

very clean bike. i have a 96 that i bought in 98. the carb must be straight while the bike is upright. the float has to be spot on as the carb will always be tilted a little forward. shut off your gas when parked or possible flooding will result. when washing, carefull to not hit the cooling fan too hard as i have replaced this a few times from rust. check fan operation as it will overheat if it doesn't work. mine overheated bad enough to break the upper cylinder seal boss, destroying the cylinder. clean the fork seals after every ride for prevention. check your shock links...you will probably need the shock bushings. watch your air filter sealing surface as when you sit on your seat it tends to cut the filter. check all your bolts especially the upper sub frame bolts as i have lost these a couple times. after every season you should take your calipers apart and check them. the rear gets very abused and usually one piston eventually seizes

this has been the most reliable bike i have ever owned...the craftmanship is amazing. only after 13 years of not taking it apart did i have trouble when the cylinder broke. the piston still looked new!

Edited June 14, 2012 by fp90lawrence

[DrKayak]

wow!

very clean bike. i have a 96 that i bought in 98. the carb must be straight while the bike is upright. the float has to be spot on as the carb will always be tilted a little forward. shut off your gas when parked or possible flooding will result. when washing, carefull to not hit the cooling fan too hard as i have replaced this a few times from rust. check fan operation as it will overheat if it doesn't work. mine overheated bad enough to break the upper cylinder seal boss, destroying the cylinder. clean the fork seals after every ride for prevention. check your shock links...you will probably need the shock bushings. watch your air filter sealing surface as when you sit on your seat it tends to cut the filter. check all your bolts especially the upper sub frame bolts as i have lost these a couple times. after every season you should take your calipers apart and check them. the rear gets very abused and usually one piston eventually seizes

this has been the most reliable bike i have ever owned...the craftmanship is amazing. only after 13 years of not taking it apart did i have trouble when the cylinder broke. the piston still looked new!

Thanks for the info. It was not that clean when I bought it. It was sitting in a barn unused and uncared for, Low use was the best part.

I had the carb off many times getting it to not overflow gas. Last time I added a fuel filter and went from a 27.5 to 30 pilot jet. It runs so much better on trail situations in higher gears with the 30. Think it's pretty well dialed in now.

My fan is on it's way out now. I have to touch the blade once in a while to get it to start spinning.

Yea, 2 subframe bolts were missing when I got it. and I had to do a lot of work to get the rear brake to work well.

I love the bike. Best 2-stroke engine I have ever owned. Ride most every night after work.

Edited June 14, 2012 by DrKayak

[fp90lawrence]

My brother had my bike out yesterday. I went over it to make sure every thing was ready go. as I was doing this I remembered something that happened to me years ago. as the bike was so reliable,I always assumed it was good to go so i rarely checked anything. just gas and go. well, as i was attempting a steep hill climb, the chain came off and wedged itself into the case. because i was full throttle 4th gear, the chain became so stuck that i could not release it without removing the front sprocket. I found the chain to be worn out that caused this. check your chain guide for bending and chain because this happened to me again although it wasn't as bad.

to save money, the last time my fan went, i decided to take it apart. once you remove it from it's frame you can remove the fan blade. there are small tabs that can be bent over to pull the motor apart. i found the motor to be full of water and dirt but the brushes still had lots of life left. a simple cleaning and lubing fixed this. it has lasted me a couple more seasons. you cannot buy the motor seperatly and they are kind of expensive(aprox' 150.00).

my bro hasen't ridden this bike in a while and it surpised him how well it climbed. he got himself in a few scary situations once he stopped and looked down. ha.

[DrKayak]

Replaced the fan last night -- If you order a fan from Beta they send you one from a Rev 3. The mount hole pattern lines up but you need to shim the lower mounts to avoid stressing the plastic frame on the fan. The top right mount require removing the radiator hose and was still minimal clearance. Had the grind away part of the fan shroud to get the radiator hose back on. Harder than expected but not too bad.

Then came the electrical. -- The Rev 3 fan is not plug-n-play. I decided to make a new harness as to keep the OE fan intact. Made up a nice harness, fired up the bike, fan would not work at all. Spent hours trying to figure out why. Finaly realized the new fan was getting A/C current. Then I realized the little module on the old fan harness was a rectifier. I wired the rectifier in so the next fan replacment it will not be an issue.

Paid $180 (20% of what I paid for the bike) for the fan thinking I would keep the bike nice and origional. Ended up with 6 hours of work and a home made harness. At one point I was questioning why I was even bothering to fix this "old crap" bike. I should buy a newer one that you can get real parts for.

[altnow]

Jojo