Devon TRF Group Forum

Crocker · Clubman B

What new bike would you buy...beta, KTM, Honda, yam??

bombx3 · Expert

Beta 300 rr

Albert · Clubman A

40hp on a 4 stroke 250 confuse

Sounds a little highly strung for green lanes!

I rekon you should look at the 450 if you want more power in a 4 stroke, seems like the Xtrainer is your perfect bike tho

pug · Clubman B

Wanting to see this in the flesh such a light bike

-- Edited by pug on Sunday 14th of February 2016 05:26:30 PM

Blueray · Clubman A

Did I read somewhere it only had a 4ltr fuel tank smile

pug · Clubman B

4ride holds 4.4 litres about 75 miles worth plus hole under the seat can fold a litre bottle or two

Blueray · Clubman A

That's not so bad then, must admit it did look light and nimble in the video that I watched

OTT · Clubman B

Ordering one tomorrow,looks to be everything a trail bike should be,moving the CRF230 on after 8 years on the lanes,just worried about the position of the horn and gear lever, and the side stand appears to be on the right!

Blueray · Clubman A

How are they geared / for trials or trail riding , looks a nice bike

OTT · Clubman B

Geared for the trail, it's a cota 4rt underneath with revised gearing,seat and different suspension set up .

No magic button!

Blueray · Clubman A

OTT wrote:
Geared for the trail, it's a cota 4rt underneath with revised gearing,seat and different suspension set up .
No magic button!

No magic button hmm

Albert · Clubman A

sounds like a well built 4 stroke pampera, does seem like the utimate technical greenlaner

if its a sales sucess i expect they will put the RandD time into adding the button. Im not sure it will be an issue though, i dont think the 4rt is any trouble to start, and i doubt you will drop it much :p

-- Edited by Albert on Sunday 14th of February 2016 07:30:45 PM

Crocker · Clubman B

Montesa looks nice, but I'm edging closer and closer to wacking a deposit down on a XTrainer

Biff · Expert

GasGas EC300

Johnnyboxer · Clubman B

£6250 for the 4Ride + otr

My 4RT is a cinch to start, an electric start in totally unnecessary and only adds weight

I just hope the front suspension is better on the 4Ride, because anything over 30mph will be torture, otherwise

jt · Powermonger!!

OTT wrote:
Ordering one tomorrow,looks to be everything a trail bike should be

Lucky chap - I agree, and if the 4rt is to go by the build quality should be excellent - can't afford one ATM but perhaps if and when a few hit the 2nd hand market I will swap the CRF for one smile

Will be very interested to see how you get on with it - do they have any in the showrooms yet then? really want to see one in the flesh.

Tribey · Expert

OTT wrote:
Ordering one tomorrow,

Blimey you don't hang around!

While you're at the dealers, don't forget to order the size 20 left boot, to reach that gear lever!

OTT · Clubman B

4ride on left , 4rt on right

None in country till March/April according to Honda.

-- Edited by OTT on Sunday 14th of February 2016 09:38:54 PM

OTT · Clubman B

Crocker · Clubman B

Biff wrote:
GasGas EC300

delvey91 · Devon's Best

Sherco ser300 worth a look did a 4h race on a 250 version today was well impressed

Crocker · Clubman B

Thor are now a Sherco dealership, so will cast an eye! Nice looking bikes!

delvey91 · Devon's Best

Felt very compact bit like riding a push bike compared to a ktm!

SK1970 · Clubman B

KTM 300XC (has larger fuel tank and better suspension than the EXC) or the Sherco 300 SE-R would be my choice for the do-it-all enduro/lanes/whetever.
For just lanes I'd go Beta X-Trainer but I would like a bigger fuel tank on it really.

The other trials cross enduro bikes have tiny fuel tanks, low gearing, poor seating / cramped riding position while seated and are too compromised for long rides, even if they are excellent in the technical bits - I'd love to do the Ten Tors LDT on one

Johnnyboxer · Clubman B

Hope the 4Ride's grip on wet mud and leafy covered lanes.......... is better than the 4RT's biggrin

mike · Clubman A

can someone help me understand how this works,

The trial bikes seem to have really short suspension travel compared to the enduro bikes. They look fantastic and are amazingly light but I would be concerned about running out of suspension if I hit anything significant out in the lanes . I can see how they would be great on the really technical stuff (nice n slow) but what are they like on the quicker flowing lanes with the occasional surprise hazard or ploughing through the muddy stuff- especially when they have such a steep steering angle?

Mike

doug9270 · Powermonger!!

I had a road legal 4rt with the special butt rest fitted and did a days laning, at the end it felt like i cheated. All of the technical lanes were completed with very little effort.

Albert · Clubman A

mike wrote:
can someone help me understand how this works,

The trial bikes seem to have really short suspension travel compared to the enduro bikes. They look fantastic and are amazingly light but I would be concerned about running out of suspension if I hit anything significant out in the lanes . I can see how they would be great on the really technical stuff (nice n slow) but what are they like on the quicker flowing lanes with the occasional surprise hazard or ploughing through the muddy stuff- especially when they have such a steep steering angle?

Mike

An enduro bike has big, long travel suspension that lets you plow at speed through big obstacles. It needs that travel and thick rigid forks to get the wheel out of the way when you are doing this

A trials bike or hybrid on the other hand gives you much more manuverability, it has that steep teering angle and short wheelbase that lets you thread your way along weaving between the bigger rocks and picking exactly where you will mount an obstacle. They usually have great clutches that make it easy to pop the wheel up onto obstacles and prevent the suspension taking a big hit

trials bikes are much slower flat out than an enduro bike, but greenlaning you never touch "flat out" they are more than capable of dealing with lanes up to 25mph in my experience so can be great in technical laning like we have in Devon

There can be a down side too, im sure they vary but my pampera takes a lot of maintenance, is no good on roads, and needs an oil change every few rides. So is quite removed from the versatility of a true trail bike like an DR/DRZ/TTR/XR etc.

-- Edited by Albert on Tuesday 16th of February 2016 01:48:27 PM

deci · Expert

I had a Beta Rev 4T followed by an Evo 4T which were primarily for trials but I got a long range seat and tank for them and used them in the odd LDT and green laning.

It felt like cheating in the LDTs, although even then I wasn't good enough to win anything and in the lanes I had to hunt out the most technical options to keep it interesting. The suspension was crap on the lanes at speed and made a long ride really uncomfortable as it just couldn't soak up the bumps and kept bottoming out. The gearing wasn't great either even with a bigger gearbox sprocket for non-trials use.

That said, I would be interested to hear more 1st hand experience of the 4Ride to see if Honda have got it right. I gather from those who have ridden one the new 4RT is a huge improvement on the old version....

NickJ · Clubman A

As no one has mentioned the 'little' Beta's (ALP 200 and 400)...........

I have had one for the past 8 years and done over 3,500 miles on it, all either green laning or doing LDT's.
Bomb proof engine, gets an oil and filter change every summer and thats it.
Original clutch, head has never been off, and still has those simple tappet things, but not yet needed adjusting.
80 miles to the reserve, and 60 mph as long as there is not a strong headwind.
Only negative is that the air filter is not easy to get at as it's under the battery!
It will get you up any lane and never spit you off.

You can also take the seat off and use it for trials... https://vimeo.com/78540791

Or if you want more power you can have the 350cc '400'....

Oh, it's also got a 'proper' stand you can use to climb on and off with, which is great for a short arse like me, and bits don't fall off.

It's no enduro bike, but it's not intended to be, but if anyone wants to try it out, it will be at the trail bike trails practice day, or get in touch.

Nick

pug · Clubman B

Will drop a little Electric power in the pot as well you want to see the overlay show all paths Devon an see just how many miles of lane are open you to you but 10k an 2.5k for an extra battery The stealth Bomber

-- Edited by pug on Tuesday 16th of February 2016 09:09:45 PM

Johnnyboxer · Clubman B

mike wrote:
can someone help me understand how this works,

The trial bikes seem to have really short suspension travel compared to the enduro bikes. They look fantastic and are amazingly light but I would be concerned about running out of suspension if I hit anything significant out in the lanes . I can see how they would be great on the really technical stuff (nice n slow) but what are they like on the quicker flowing lanes with the occasional surprise hazard or ploughing through the muddy stuff- especially when they have such a steep steering angle?

Mike

Crap, ok up to 20mph on the rough

The heavier you are and the faster you go on dirt, the quicker they bottom out, big time

mike · Clubman A

NickJ wrote:
As no one has mentioned the 'little' Beta's (ALP 200 and 400)...........

I have had one for the past 8 years and done over 3,500 miles on it, all either green laning or doing LDT's.
Bomb proof engine, gets an oil and filter change every summer and thats it.
Original clutch, head has never been off, and still has those simple tappet things, but not yet needed adjusting.
80 miles to the reserve, and 60 mph as long as there is not a strong headwind.
Only negative is that the air filter is not easy to get at as it's under the battery!
It will get you up any lane and never spit you off.

You can also take the seat off and use it for trials... https://vimeo.com/78540791
Or if you want more power you can have the 350cc '400'....
Oh, it's also got a 'proper' stand you can use to climb on and off with, which is great for a short arse like me, and bits don't fall off.
It's no enduro bike, but it's not intended to be, but if anyone wants to try it out, it will be at the trail bike trails practice day, or get in touch.
Nick

The beta alp was to be my "alternative " bike of choice but I read one or two concerning threads about the suspension feeling harsh,clattery, bottoming too easy and not being upto the job- It put me off a bit - in truth I would love a lightweight solution like the little alp but am worried that I commit to it and it wont do the job (greenlaning) that I bought it for?

Mike

NickJ · Clubman A

Mike

Can only speak from my own experience (as a not wanting to go very fast trail rider) and I have not knowingly bottomed the suspension at either end.

It's standard apart from thinner oil in the forks, as I prefer to 'lift the front over bigger rocks / steps etc rather than just hit them. Just ordered some bearings to rebuild the rear suspension for the first time. No obvious problem but the needle bearings must be getting tired by now.

You are welcome to try mine if you want to find out what a well used version feels like.

Nick