need some help but it's not twinshock, it's relatively modern....

[DR]

my brother is seriously debating buying a '2 stroke' trials bike (since his nasty little bro swiped his RL a few years back ) anyway, a couple of years older he's a bit like me 'cept bigger and very much in the dark when it comes to this specialized low speed discipline. A few questions if anyone would care to comment,

Are the newer modern trials bikes as much fun to play around on? remember there's rider age involved and standing may not be an option at all times so some seating maybe preferable.

What would be roughly the average price of say a mid 80 - early 90's single shock/disc braked trials bike of 250cc or more.   

What bikes would be a decent thing excepting the regular TY (no offence but unless it's an ubber clean JC model I don't think he'll go another Yam)

Does anyone have anything for sale in the Bundaberg to Gold Coast region that may be of interest?

lastly, what are the thoughts on the bike below for roughly $4000??





many thanks in advance

Here's the blurb on the Gas Gas

Blue in colour (Nice change to the army of red gassers)
New Twin Air Air Filter.
New heavy duty front tyre tube.
Mineral Oil Master cylinder upgrade.
New clutch plates installed.
New Updated Black Crank case cover and all new seals and gaskets to suit Mineral Oil Master Cylinder upgrade.
New Updated Clutch piston (to give the clutch more throw and to suit the master cylinder upgrade).
New Shift shaft and shift shaft spring to ensure gear changes are smooth and exact.
Bike has just had a top end rebuild, including all new gaskets and piston rings.
Radiator has been drained and flushed and new MOTUL coolant used.
New NGK spark plug.
New GAS GAS Frame stickers.
New Exhaust Packing and all new exhaust seals and gaskets.
Exhaust has been de-carbonised.
Near new front and rear brake pads.
New version Kick starter and new kick starter seal.
New exhaust guard.
Domino Quick Action Throttle.
Pro-Grip handle grips.
Hebo Handle bars.
GAS GAS Bar Pad.
Michellin tyres.

Engine is mechanically A1 and has a nice and crisp tone and Plastics are in fair condition.
Bike has just been serviced and is ready to ride.
Bike also comes with the original manual plus near new front and rear VEE RUBBER tyres (3 Rides old).
Great bike for any skill level or age.

I bought this bike as my introduction into Trials riding and had full intentions of keeping this bike when i bought my other Trials bike but unfortunately I have to sell it on.

[David Lahey]

Are the newer modern trials bikes as much fun to play around on? remember there's rider age involved and standing may not be an option at all times so some seating maybe preferable.
Modern bikes ie post 2000 are brilliant to play trials on but are hard on the body if there is any trail riding involved without breaks for your legs to recover. The only rest your legs can get is if you stop and put your feet on the ground. The dip where your bum goes is comfortable if your feet are on the ground.

What would be roughly the average price of say a mid 80 - early 90's single shock/disc braked trials bike of 250cc or more. 
Bikes that age are fully depreciated so value is proportional to condition and is approx the same as for a twinshock era bike in the same condition. Trials bikes of that era are quite rare and beware that in the late 1980s the rules changed to make it OK to stop and hop and go backwards and whatever else, and as a consequence there was no attention paid to designing them for the old rules. Some late 1980s and early 1990s bikes feel terrible to ride ie they are long, don't have much steering lock, and have very snappy motors, and you still can't sit down and ride along trailriding.

What bikes would be a decent thing excepting the regular TY (no offence but unless it's an ubber clean JC model I don't think he'll go another Yam)
KT250s and TL250s make better playbikes than Yamaha TYs anyway. There are some non-jap twinshock trials bikes that make decent playbikes too but it sounds like he is after something Japanese.

[DR]

thanks Feetup, I figured the newer ones wouldn't really suit his needs. He'd really like a nice RL250 or KT250 or even a Fantic or something obscure I'd be reckoning (not the Bails as he doesn't want a 4 stroke) but we just need to find one will keep looking and again, thanks for the info

[hitatreeonce]

Doc im in the process of building 2 RL 250 one i want to keep for myself the other i was going to sell.
Im usually in the shed if you want to call and have a chat about it.
0404401928 Brett

[DR]

thanks Brett, I'll get in touch with my brother to double check but I'd reckon he'd be pretty excited if an RL were to become available

[TooFastTim]

Aaargh! It's the dreaded 02/03 model. Easily disguishable from the rad "cowling". From 04 onwards that cowling changed.

Doc, that model has a very bad repuation indeed. Major problems were the gerabox and the airbox. Some people have had no problems with them, others had nightmares.

From '04 onwards they were very good indeed.

[DR]

many thanks for that little spot of info TooFast I'll make sure to pass it on but I think he's seen the light and now thinking vintage maybe the go

[DR]

Thanks all, after a little consideration I came to the conclusion I'm being very greedy and have decided to share my RL's with big bro we struck a deal where by he'll fund the full resto and have the bike to play with when finished. I have the enjoyment of doing a 'half' decent resto on what I consider a good investment all the while spending someone elses money this is my 2nd RL which when purchased was disguised as a mild mannered TY don't ask!

[Canam370]

Doc. I picked up a very clean Gasser '97 JT270 for under 4k and its a great ride but can be snappy if you nail the throttle at an innappropriate moment, but on the whole is user friendly as long as you don't want to sit down too much. Another choice might be the Beta Synt. Honda and Montesa shared a model (the 214) which was pretty reliable, comfy and Japanese to boot. They have a mellow engine and easy ergo's. I gave myself a shock when I re-aquanted myself with my KT250(since sold) which had a hairtrigger clutch and liked to push the front. The riding position on the newer bikes is comfortable standing and while my knees aren't flash I don't end up crippled from using it. If you can find a nice 247 cota they handle a treat and made TY's feel like a brick. Hard to pass up a free RL though....

[DR]

thanks Canam, loads of options really for that money. I guess while the old trials bikes are what we're used to it's human nature to be a little interested in something modern but, while they maybe fun for a while I know the type of riding the bike will get and there won't be a great load of expectation on anything more than a glorified trail bike. It won't exactly be free but the resto won't even be near half the price of the gas gas. In my eyes probably a more suitable thing (+ it stays in the immediate family )

[TooFastTim]

Shit doc, I wouldn't get any clearisil anywhere near that rear tyre. The knobs will dry up and disappear.

[DR]

give it about a month and you won't recognize the old gurl TFTim..new tyres an' all Only thing I'm a bit dubiuos on is finding a rear guard not costing the Earth. I know from experience that the TonyD plastic fronts can be trimmed to suit just nice so not an issue really but original would be nice. $400 running and rideable as pictured. A bargain I thought. About a grand for all the bits needed but then relatively cheap in comparison to some. Not a lot of bike to play with I guess

TonyD front guard on the rear don't look too out of place..

[David Lahey]

Doc there is a batch of fibreglass replica rears being made. There is a string about it on trials.com.au if you are interested in getting one or two.

[DR]

I shall go take an optic, wonder if it's Brett from BronMoto I know he does the fronts in glass..thanks Feetup, another problem solved I'd reckon

[DR]

actually I just had a hideous thought! 'what if' like me my bro loops the damn thing like I did at CD6..it's ok, I'm a professional! anway, it was not once but about 6 bloody times!! nothing serious just run like the 6 million dollar man and jump back on making sure no-one was looking but shit..with a couple of small creases now permanently embedded if it'd been a $100 rear fibreglass gaurd back there it'd have been surely broke it :'( maybe I should fit a plastic job and supply a fibreglass job to be fitted at own risk