Trials Bike Purchase Imminent - But Which One?

The Reverend

The Reverend

Registered user
Joined
Jun 4, 2007
Messages
531
Reaction score
0
Location
Middle England
Right, off trials bike hunting in earnest now. What's the considered wisdom on quality across all the marques? Which is likely to be a better buy? Worth pushing a bit more cash for a Mont 4rt?

Steve
 
The Reverend said:
Right, off trials bike hunting in earnest now. What's the considered wisdom on quality across all the marques? Which is likely to be a better buy? Worth pushing a bit more cash for a Mont 4rt?

Steve
Click to expand...
Ask Johnny Boxer, if you're a beginner I think you need something less pokey.
 
What's your budget?

Around a grand will get you a good beginners bike, £1500/1750 should see you into the better 07ish bikes and over £2K will buy something very nice.

Condition over age is very important, something obviously well looked after and ridden by a 60+ sportsman rather than James Dabill's hand me down....

If you are just starting, the beginners bike makes a lot of sense. You could ride it for a year, learn your stuff (or decide it's not for you) and sell it for pretty much what you paid for it.

I would love a new Beta Evo, but I know my 08 is a far better bike than I need, it'll do pretty much all a newer bike will do, so I'll keep trying to resist!

There's no oneupmanship in trials, it doesn't matter what you turn up with, just that you enjoy the day. There's guys out there with £750 worth of junk that will beat me hands down every time.... At club level it's about skill rather than equipment.

And I'm just waiting for the skill to arrive...

:)

Jon
 
Depends on your penchant:D

I would go for a Beta Rev3/Scorpa or a Mont for build and reliability

The Beta/Scorpa are good beginner's bikes and built well, both have a couple of minor issues - but nothing serious

The Mont has the best build & suspension of all and is probably the most reliable, if not abused

The Mont 4RT is lovely bike, but is a bit heavier than most others and is pokey..........It takes a bit of getting used to and sometimes grip is an issue, despite being a 4T, but I love riding mine:cool:
 
Kinda thinking cheaper rather than diving in at the posh end.

Howsabout a Montesa 315r? Seem to have that build edge & around a grand should pick up a half decent one?

Strange to think a four banger can now be considered a bit harsh on grip over a two stroke, much the reverse of how it used to be back in the day etc.!
 
The Reverend said:
Kinda thinking cheaper rather than diving in at the posh end.

Howsabout a Montesa 315r? Seem to have that build edge & around a grand should pick up a half decent one?

Strange to think a four banger can now be considered a bit harsh on grip over a two stroke, much the reverse of how it used to be back in the day etc.!
Click to expand...

315R will be good, go for a 2002-2004 one though, again a bit heavy than the rest of the crop, but built to last

Modern Honda 4T's are more high-revving, so once the motor spins the wheel - you're out:(
 
Right, the deed is done.

After much searching, chatting, asking & feeling, I've put some hard earned dosh down with a nice chap who's selling me a little used trials iron at long last.

Finally settled on a four year old Montesa 4rt that looked shocked at being taken out into the sunshine today. A few boot scratches, and maybe a leaky fork seal and that's about it.

Off to the bank tomorrow & hopefully picking it up soon after.

Excited is an understatement just now..:JB
 
The Reverend said:
Right, the deed is done.

After much searching, chatting, asking & feeling, I've put some hard earned dosh down with a nice chap who's selling me a little used trials iron at long last.

Finally settled on a four year old Montesa 4rt that looked shocked at being taken out into the sunshine today. A few boot scratches, and maybe a leaky fork seal and that's about it.

Off to the bank tomorrow & hopefully picking it up soon after.

Excited is an understatement just now..:JB
Click to expand...

Lucky man...........make sure you get the owner's amnual
 
Great stuff, however, till you post pics, it's only in our imagination.
 
It's home! :bounce1

Three hour round trip & one knackered rear door card in the van (it's slipped the lead & stuck a bar end into the fibreboard :blast) and I'm all excited again.

Got a box of receipts, bits, spare stuff along with a manual and a set of plastics that were the original red before the current white. Looks a zillion dollars at the moment, before I manage to destroy anything!

The pic was taken before it came home. Can't wait for tomorrow, now!
 

Attachments

  • IMGP0051(b).jpg
    IMGP0051(b).jpg
    87.4 KB · Views: 161
The Reverend said:
It's home! :bounce1

Three hour round trip & one knackered rear door card in the van (it's slipped the lead & stuck a bar end into the fibreboard :blast) and I'm all excited again.

Got a box of receipts, bits, spare stuff along with a manual and a set of plastics that were the original red before the current white. Looks a zillion dollars at the moment, before I manage to destroy anything!

The pic was taken before it came home. Can't wait for tomorrow, now!
Click to expand...

Looks nice.................Hebo pegs too, if I'm not mistaken

2007 model too (had one like it too, now got a 2007 Repsol:cool:) - last of the polished alloy frame (which look much better IMHO)

2007's have a softer cam and better clutch action and a modified (quieter) exhaust, which make it a bit easier to ride

Needs a front disc protector asap, though

No doubt you'll be adding some carbon bits:augie
 
Ooooooofff !!

I like that too.

Hope you have loads of fun out there with it.
Keep us updated, no pics means it did not happen :D
 
earthmover said:
Very nice! :thumb
Not tried a four-stroke, may have to speak nicely to JB next time I see him. :D
Mark
Click to expand...

You can try mine, no problem............................an acquired taste, but I love the suspension and fuelling/motor - 110% spot on:thumb

I completed a trial the other week, with only 1 header nut on and the pipe only loosely attached to the cylinder head:eek:, fuelling adjusted to the change, no problem:bounce1:bow

Couldn't figure out why it was backfiring and popping, tried a new plug, reseated the airfilter - never thought of the pipe until I got home and the bike had cooled down (touching a redhot pipe wasn't on my mind,during the trial:blast)

Not the easiest bike to ride though, snappy instant gobs of power................makes it more fun:blast
 
Can you believe the tension - had my 83yr old dad arrive this morning for a coffee & chat, which kinda distracted from the feet up lawn practice I'd planned.

Lunchtime kicked in with a docs appointment & various other things until now, when the realisation that the jobs I'd re-scheduled (I currently work from home) are looming in the Must Do pile.

Almost 24hrs & I've not ridden it!!!!!!!!

PS - Johnny B - took your advice & just ordered a front disc protector from Pidcocks. :thumb2
 
Couldn't wait any longer, so aided & abetted by Son the Younger, we smuggled it around into the garden without Mrs Reverend knowing.

First impressions are that this thing has the ability to hurt you if you don't respect it! Soft trials tyres onto newly mown grass grip like sh*t to a blanket & any casual flick of the wrist or blip resulted in a true beginners 'lurch'.

Pic shows Son the Younger taking to it like a duck to water. I, however, wobbled round like Bambi on ice.

We had about an hour before SWMBO came back, but even she was impressed by Son the Younger. His older brother came home & had a bash, and tried showing off with a wheelie followed by the funniest panic run-with-a-bike-between-the-knees we've ever seen! :D

Can't believe how much it pumps your forearms up, although it may just be new boy syndrome.

Overall, really really pleased with it. It's a quality item & should last many years to come, and I'll never ever be competitive on it as it's too flippin' good!

All the encouragement from folks on here seem to make it all worthwhile, so thanks guys. :thumb2
 

Attachments

  • Blackberry Phone Pics April 2011 040(a).jpg
    Blackberry Phone Pics April 2011 040(a).jpg
    107 KB · Views: 81
Bloody kids !!

Always going on like they know everything..... and then showing you they do.

Glad you like it, had me and Nicola laughing about the bike between the the legs boogie.

I rode down to the woods yesterday at 6pm to look at what the local farmer had done with a chainsaw, and found a nice bit of hollow tree, brought it back on the bike, gripped with three fingers of my throttle hand, dropped it eventually close to home and managed to wheely bike about 10 meters with wheel alloft..... crappped myself, as I am not the wheely type at all.
 
The Reverend said:
Couldn't wait any longer, so aided & abetted by Son the Younger, we smuggled it around into the garden without Mrs Reverend knowing.

First impressions are that this thing has the ability to hurt you if you don't respect it! Soft trials tyres onto newly mown grass grip like sh*t to a blanket & any casual flick of the wrist or blip resulted in a true beginners 'lurch'.

Pic shows Son the Younger taking to it like a duck to water. I, however, wobbled round like Bambi on ice.

We had about an hour before SWMBO came back, but even she was impressed by Son the Younger. His older brother came home & had a bash, and tried showing off with a wheelie followed by the funniest panic run-with-a-bike-between-the-knees we've ever seen! :D

Can't believe how much it pumps your forearms up, although it may just be new boy syndrome.

Overall, really really pleased with it. It's a quality item & should last many years to come, and I'll never ever be competitive on it as it's too flippin' good!

All the encouragement from folks on here seem to make it all worthwhile, so thanks guys. :thumb2
Click to expand...

Looking good......................drop the tyre pressures

You can go as low as 2psi in the rear(with the DID rim, it's special) and should run about 4-5psi in the front
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

New GSA coming to me next week.
2
Replies
24
Views
1,901
NeilCol
capers1962
Nav 6 - Why so complex?
Replies
1
Views
472
Wapping
Wapping
O2 sensor fun
Replies
11
Views
671
Gelandestrasse
Gelandestrasse
Hartley
Nealy 2 years in, did i choose the right bike?
2 3
Replies
52
Views
6,196
JohnnyBoxer
JohnnyBoxer
PIGGLET
A buyers guide / Info for potential new bike buyers, mainly aimed at MTB.
Replies
17
Views
1,508
davidfbmw


Back
Top Bottom