Hey, All!!!

Please forgive me if this has been discussed before. I did a very brief "SEARCH" using "aftermarket parts", and really couldn't find what I was hoping to find.....

I just bought a used 2010 Gas Gas Pro TXT 280 a couple of days ago. Very nice bike, & I'm having fun with it, even when all I do is practice balancing it in my barn (piece of cake with the sidestand down; MUCH harder without it, I find......   ).



Please notice my incredible hand made maple stand........ Also please notice my shift lever, if possible. It's bent slightly, forward & up. No big shock for a bike that's been ridden at the Expert level (previous owner; not me......), I'd guess.....

For almost every bike I've owned in recent history, I normally buy spare levers & a shift lever as soon as I can after I purchase the bike. If you've ever seen me ride, you'd know the wisdom of that.

I found a new Gas Gas OEM shift lever sorta locally here in OR, for about $58. My friend I ride with warned me to expect trials stuff to cost more than stuff for my YZ450 I recently sold, so I'm OK with the price on the GG-brand shift lever. But I was wondering if  there are any aftermarket brands that folks may possibly feel are more durable, better, cheaper, or whatever?And I was thinking  the same for levers; any that are more easily bent back than stock (AJP?)?

Also, are the stock shifters fairly  "durable", as far as being able to bend back? I considered removing the shifter, throwing a little heat on it, and then trying to bend it back. But I'd really like to have a spare lever first, in case my well intentioned plans go gunnysack on me.....

JImmie

Edited by Mr. Neutron, 18 May 2012 - 12:24 PM.

You should check out Lewisport they have a wide selection of trials parts for all brands, including aftermarket ones. Ryan Young Products also has a good lineup, but he does mostly Sherco stuff so he usually only carries generic parts for other brands.

If you keep your lever perches slightly loose... Tight enough so you can just barely move them with two hands, then you won't really go through levers... at least that's what they tell me, fortunately I have yet to test that theory!

You're going to love your trials bike! And not just for trials stuff! I was blasting some single track just the other day, it's amazing how nimble they are!

Wrap your bar with teflon tape (same stuff you use for plumbing connection....cheap at Home Depot and the like), then put the perches on top of that.  Makes 'em spin better with a hard hit.

I've had good luck/service from the Tryals Shop in the USA, and also have gotten stuff from the UK as well, though shipping can be a bit problematic. I pined Lewisport about some stuff and never got any responses, so am not sure how good they are.

Thanks, Guys!

Yes, the teflon tape wrap does work nice. I've done that on my mx/enduro bikes for a long time. It works really well.

And thanks for the link to the Tryals Shop, andrzej! They have a shifter for $45 that is supposed to fit all Pro models.



Even with shipping, it may cost less than I could drive to the dealer here in OR & purchase one. It's 80-90 miles away from my place.......

I called Lewisport, and got their machine. I left a message, but a return call hasn't happened. Please note this isn't a "criticism" or slam on them. Their website says something to the effect that they're travelling to various events, and I'd guess communication may not be that great, temporarily..... They (Lewisport) does have some boots I'm interested in. I still wanna get ahold of them for that......

Again, thanks for your help, Fellas! It's mucho appreciated!
Jimmie

Edited by Mr. Neutron, 18 May 2012 - 06:31 PM.

I prefer the OEM notched shifters, but you can make your own with a hacksaw.

laser17, on 18 May 2012 - 07:50 PM, said:

Laser17, thanks for your post!

Is the notch there to sorta do what I envision a fuse does in an electrical circuit? Does the notch create a controlled weak point to be the place to break when stressed? I would imagine this would help take stresses off of the shift shaft itself when things go badly..... I was thinking I could drill a hole in the aftermarket shift lever for that purpose, but the filed/hacksawed notch would be even easier.....

On the positive FYI side, I removed my shifter tonight, and put it in a vise & heated it a little with my smallest gas welding tip. It worked beautifully for bending/straightening the shift lever.  

On the "negative" FYI side, I practiced balancing in my barn after I straightened the shift lever. Engine off, 5 lbs. of air in the front & rear. About 4-5 seconds, was the longest I could balance. I played around with this for 5-10 minutes, I'm guessing. It was kinda frustrating. Please tell me this gets easier with time & practice..... I want to get good at it on my concrete floor with "typical" tire pressures, hoping it'll be easier with the engiine running, on dirt.....

Thanks,
Jimmie

Lewisport never replied to my inquiries either so I gave up on 'em.  They've lost a fair bit of business that way.  If you're running a business then you should run a business. Going to races is a poor excuse, since cell phones and remote internet access easily lets you still communicate with prospective customers. Lots of North American trials vendors are tiny, and run as a sideline out of their garages, which can be frustrating.  That's one of the reasons I eat the extra shipping and deal with UK based suppliers for trials stuff....they are dedicated to trials and much more reliable, not to mention having a much larger parts availability.

I did the bending thing with mine as well....to reshape it to fit the additional width of an S3 flywheel weight.

It does get better with lots of practice....but it takes a LONG time!  Trials riding skills aren't something that you pick up in a week or two, or so I have found since I bought my bike last year.

Edited by andrzej, 19 May 2012 - 04:09 AM.

Mr. Neutron, on 18 May 2012 - 08:35 PM, said:

Your logic regarding the mechanical fuse is correct

Balancing will get easier with practice and as you get better, add more air pressure to make it harder! - then its alot easier in the dirt when you need it.  (Provided you remember to lower the pressure...)

Good luck

laser17, on 19 May 2012 - 04:43 AM, said:

Cool! Thanks for confirming that, Laser17! Living in a house with a wife & teenage daughter, it seems as if I seldom get anything right, hee hee......

And thanks to you guys for the help on the balancing act. I'll just keep plugging away at for a few minutes a day, like my Trials riding mentor out here told me I should do..... Also, I'll find somewhere to purchase my spare shift lever, clutch, & front brake levers. I appreciate the links & advice of where to look for those! I'm simpy not too familiar yet with where to find this stuff.

I guess it's okay to ask this within my own thread. I really don't want to go wild with buying aftermarket parts/doing mods, & such to the bike, until after I get some more time on it. Even then, I'd still rather spend money on maintenance items, gas, oil, & going on rides. But what are most folk's opinions about a flywheel weight for these 280s? Would a novice notice any difference? I can't notice any difference when I change the ignition maps......

Thanks again!
Jimmie

Flywheel weights do make a difference by softening the power from low revs, I used to use one and would recomend one if you are just starting trials.  

You can also change the Cylinder head insert for one that lowers the compression.

The mapping switch is more noticeable at the higher revs, on the sunny setting it should rev more at the top end.

i have had great success with chris at Tec-Cycles located in so. cal.

Hey Mr Neutron,

I just want to help you better know what you are up against in "TRIALS" and parts in General...

Trials has been a very niche sport.  Vs the mainstream.

So,To be fair, Lewisport was most likely out of the office this passed week, because of the nationals in California, they might nto be around much this week either, since they will likely be in Colorado for that nationals this weekend.  It is closer to them than some, but they might have had a few calls, hopefully they get you ironed out sooner than later this week, but I dont know that for a fact, he might go directly to Colorado.

Lewisport is one of the bigger of our sport's parts dealers, at least in the USA, but the business is actually the 2nd (and 3rd) job for that husband and wife operation.  I Don't wish to apologize for them, just trying to give them a fair chance, as they probably have more than their hands full, If it were me, I'd have the website have a popup type notice about they aren't in the office this couple weeks, if they dont already.

At any rate, Get familiar with the website GASGAS.COM.  they have some VERYusefull information and trials links, on that page, like a list of dealers that might be more local to you as well, they probably have a lot of these more likely needed parts in his/her inventory too.  Dale has done a decent job of listing where they are, some have websites or emails.  Trials Central and ADVRIDER.com also have forums where lots of nice fellow riders might point you to some resources.

Big 3 part places for trials stuff, IMHO are  http://www.tryalsshop.com/  OR  http://www.rypusa.com/ and affore mentioned http://www.lewisportusa.com/

3 big hangout/forums are:  TrialsCentral.com, of course here at TT, and Advrider.com has a trials area.

fwiw, Last week, I believe it was wednesday, I called on Ryan Young's business line to the store, to ask about a part, and forgot (brain enfartcion, forgot they too might be headed to Cali) that they too were on thier way to the nationals, but apparently he had his phone forwarding to his cell...   and when he answered, I started to ask about some parts, he explained to me, that he'd love to be able to help, but was traveling to Cali for the nationals as we spoke.  So, even though that didnt help me about my part I wanted to ask about, I at least understand and forgive, that he couldn't help right then, but he would be back in store on tuesday (today).

Edited by sting32, 22 May 2012 - 08:03 AM.

Sting32,

You are absolutely right on!

Quicly, due  to being on my lunch break, and a slow "typist".......

I've had absolutely wonderful luck now dealing with Stu, the somewhat new owner of Jack's Cycles in Main. http://jackscycles.com/ Example: I ordered a Jordi Pascuet Trials Training video from Stu. These have to come from somewhere in Europe, presumably England, for the version in English. He informed me that he would have some in early May. He then kept me informed about how the shipment he expected would be late. Everyone was watching the Scottish Six Days Trial that had anything to do with shipping the vids. But he's kept me  informed, and let me know I wasn't "forgotten". I truly appreciate that, and understand about the SSDT. I wish I were able to use that as an excuse, hee hee.... I will likely order my trials boots in a few weeks from him; he's really helpful with my question about the boots.

I got my shift lever ordered through Mike at the Tryals Shop, due to a recommendation from above. He took the time to talk to me about it last Saturday, while he was technically "not open". I ordered an aftermarket brand shift lever for my Gas Gas from him. All I want is a decent backup/spare lever, for when something happens to my stocker, so I'm not concerned if it's not o.e.m.. A nice thing about this is that with USPS shipping, that $44.95 shift lever will come from New York to my home in Oregon for $50.65. A Gas Gas shift lever, which would possibly be slightly better quality, was $58 from a dealer in Albany, OR, about 85 miles away from Sandy, where I live. Now, those guys at Gran Prix Cycles are reported to be nice guys, and I normally like to supoort the "local" dealer. But for a simple spare, the one from Mike at the Tryals Shop is much cheaper than what I could drive my diesel pickup 170 miles for a shift lever with a higher initial price. So The Tryals Shop was really good to deal with, from my experience.

They text messaged me back from Lewisport, yesterday. I called them last week, and got their machine.  So they have tried to get ahold of me. Now, the ball is in my court, and I have to call them back after this novel is done. I fully understand about being at the races. It was pointed out earlier that "If you want to run a business, run the business.". Sometimes, with a racing oriented business, you build that business up by being at Guess Where? The Races....... So, I fully understand that this probably isn't their normal way of doing business. As a "partner" in a small business (my wife runs our T-shirt biz; I work at a big aircraft manufacturer's plant in Portland, for benefits), I too understand how stuff comes up that can seemingly slow down your flow. In the future, I'll probably do some business with Lewisport. Everyone I  know personally that has bought stuff from them has always been happy.....

Anyway, I have my shift lever, as well as an education on who has trials parts. I had/have all these contacts for mx gear & parts, but they do me no good for my new sport. So I truly appreciate y'all helping me with who to get ahold of for trials stuff. Thank you all, very much.

Jimmie

Edited by Mr. Neutron, 22 May 2012 - 02:47 PM.

Jimmie,

Sounds like you have a good handle on the situation.  I know that Adrian of LewisportUSA is usually assigned the position of team support and travels to the Nationals fully stocked and is expected to act as mechanic and everything else.  Yes, there have been times when I have had trouble reaching him, but standing around in his office a couple weeks ago, I saw just how crazy it is in there even with his wife Mandy and the other lady answering phones while Adrian tries to man the shop and fill the Graphic orders for truck lettering and graphics.

You might save a day in shipping by using Lewisport USA, but if any of the dealers are out of stock or you order a big ticket item, they all have it drop-shipped from Jim Snell, the Parts Importer.  That being said, Stu at Jack's Cycles is as good as Lewisport and has more time to answer your questions. And if he doesn't know, he'll take the time to find the answer.

Also, when bending back levers, I found out a long time ago and I believe it may still be true that if you use impact force to straighten them, it works really well.  After all, it was impact force that bent them in the first place.  Steady pressure seems to break them. I set them on a block of wood and then beat them on the opposite side to straighten them.  That way I can move the hits around to help shape the process.

I'll see if I can find the photo I made for that and edit this post later.  



And don't let Laser get started about the watch again...   

BTW, I thought I saved that photoshopped watch you made..  still have it?

And Oh Yeah!  It's NOT a watch....   It's a DIVE COMPUTER...  remember?

Edited by 2PLY, 24 May 2012 - 10:39 AM.

Mr. Neutron, on 18 May 2012 - 08:35 PM, said:

It IS a little easier with the engine running due to the gyroscopic affect of the engine flywheel.   But a good way to practice balancing in a relaxed way is to start from a rolling stop...   A slight downhill is also helpful so that you can slow down to a stop, balance, and then just let go of the brakes a little to regain balance when you lose it.  You'll get more balancing practice time and get more comfortable with using clutch and brakes to go really slow as you approach the balanced stop.  

And it is indeed slowly getting better, as far as balancing is concerned. I'm not able to balance for much longer than a minute; most times for around half a minute. But that is improvement, which is all I'm looking for at this stage of the game. One thing I've noticed that makes is easier (for me, anyway), is to bend at the knees, in a sorta crouched position.  I was pretty much standing with my knees locked straight, and quite a bit of weight on the handle bars in my earlier attmpts. It seems much easier in the "Crouch" position, for whatever reason (better center of gravity?).

On the topic of "Folks-to-buy-spare-shift-levers" from, my spare shift lever got here Tuesday afternoon, from the Tryals Shop. I found this to be amazing! I ordered it online Saturday, and the US Postal Service had it here by Tuesday! All at a price for considerably less than I could have driven down 85 miles (and back) to a Gas Gas dealer. I am impressed with the service of the Tryals Shop, & speed of the part's arrival with our postal service. Laser17, this shift lever came with the little "notches" in the lever right at the folding tip, real similar to the o.e.m. part. slightly different from the photo I put in my post above here.....

I also got ahold of Mandy at Lewisport, on the telephone. She was great about the fact that I had already found myself a spare shift lever. She seemed like a nice person. I'd do biusiness with 'em.....

I still hope my posts haven't been taken as any sort of criticism of any shop I've written about here. I believe all these trials specialty places are run by some genuinely nice, hard working folks. Some just seem a little easier to get ahold of, at times. I definitely appreciate the advice & help from Stu at Jack's, and the service from The Tryals Shop. As well as all the help here! You guys are Great!!! Now, I'm goin' out to the barn to balance some more.....   

Jimmie

FWIW: I like to replace the cheap shifter bolts that come with the levers with high quality versions so there less likely to strip as they need to be fairly tight or can wiggle off. Jitsie makes a cheaper shifter that works great (maybe thats what you have), but I dont recommend there brake lever over the OEM version. It not as a strong and has a funny tip shape. While Ive had great luck with the Jitsie stuff, nobody makes the best of everything. Likewise, different shops will have different availability and inventory, so having a wide range of contacts is the best way to go. Good luck with the balance practice, but don't forget to practice turning!

Edited by laser17, 25 May 2012 - 07:42 AM.

you sold your 450!!!

haha thats awesome man, i remember talking to you about my selling it for a trials bike, way to pull the trigger and nice bike btw, i wish i could sell my rmz for a newer trials bike, but i could never do that to my rmz (i love it to much still)

ha im still trying to save for a newer trials bike, im happy you got one though i bets a blast! love the gas gas pros.

next thing to do is buy a helmet cam and show us your skills!!!!

nice job man!

Hey, Brady!!!

I hope you find you another trials bike to go along with your "fleet", hee hee! I still envy ya ridin' the TY! And you've definitely got a neater riding area than I do, too!    

Yeah, I was almost ready to pull the trigger on getting a Rekluse clutch & other stuff to make the YZ450 more of a woods bike. Then, I decided it really wasn't worth the money investment (for me, with my situation), and I had gotten the trials bug due to riding several times with a friend from work. I still have an older Yamaha TT250 thumper, and for mysef, that's actually a better woods bike than the 450 is/was. It hardly ever flames out & such, and is happier going slower.

I just decided trials riding would more fun, possibly less punishing to an Old Carp (me) than mx, and I'd get in more riding time with the trials bike, That's proven true. I have a hair over 2 acres, and I'm able to ride all over it and hardly even leave a mark. I don't have many obstacles yet, but I'm trying to work on the fundamentals first, anyway....

Which reminds me..... What are some good practice drills for slow, tight corners? I seem to have so little imagination for some stuff....

Jimmie

I know if you type in on YouTube like " trails bike drills" or "trials bike practice drills" stuff like that you can find some good stuff. Also 2PLY has a Vimeo account and he has a lot of trials videos. Practice videos and how to videos. Go to Vimeo.com and search 2PLY and I'm sure you'll find some good stuff.

Do a search on trails in here on "home obstacles" I think that's what the threads called and people have posted pics and videos of fun cheap riding arers for there trails bikes.

Thanks for the Ty comment, I love that thing. Trying my best on her but I think I'm out growing my skill level on her. Trying to get my 76 XL 125 put back together so I can put her on craigs list for a trade for modern trials bike! Haha I'm sure it won't happen but I gotta try! Ha