Que pasa ?
A good question ? You may well ask but after saying sianara to the trusty Austrian steed, my tastes turned spain. Not to paella, but tp the form of a 2002 GasGas 250 trials bike. So whats up? Well I have been known for my sweeping statements (normally causing much offence) but i think i've learnt my lesson not to trust spotty youths and their own self-confessed mechanical genius.
Buying second hand is - well a lottery to be honest and should always be treated with care. Some of the more fortunate motorcyclists with the larger wallet, always buy brand new as they know that theres no dodgy history with the orange money pit they've just slung in the back of their van. This is the best way to make sure you don't find any hidden nasties or bolts missing out of your front brake disc. For those on a tigher budget, or simply just tight, buying second hand is the only way. Personally I think it adds to the ownership experience and the best way to learn about your own limits and the machine that you decide to straddle.
So far I have found that the apparently fine, "no thats a feature mate" GasGas has been treated with the "that spanner nearly fits, it'll do" approach which is fine if you're simply going to pass on your mistakes to an overly keen monkey suchas myself. Luckily I now have many a favour that I now owe lots of other people in getting the bike to something like not slung together with a bunch of cable ties ! If I ever see him round a poker table I'm going to check-raise and come back over the top with an All-in and take him to the cleaners !
I have entered one "novice" trial so far and came a respectable third. All I can say is that if that was classed as novice, I'd hate to see what the higher classes are like cause I struggled like hell ! If you've never ridden a trials bike, I'd highly recommend it as it gives you confidence to try and ride up and over things you would never think it possible to get a bike over. Then you realise you CAN'T get a bike over, and decide to go around instead, saves you looking like a fool next time !
Kieron Sykes.
Buying second hand is - well a lottery to be honest and should always be treated with care. Some of the more fortunate motorcyclists with the larger wallet, always buy brand new as they know that theres no dodgy history with the orange money pit they've just slung in the back of their van. This is the best way to make sure you don't find any hidden nasties or bolts missing out of your front brake disc. For those on a tigher budget, or simply just tight, buying second hand is the only way. Personally I think it adds to the ownership experience and the best way to learn about your own limits and the machine that you decide to straddle.
So far I have found that the apparently fine, "no thats a feature mate" GasGas has been treated with the "that spanner nearly fits, it'll do" approach which is fine if you're simply going to pass on your mistakes to an overly keen monkey suchas myself. Luckily I now have many a favour that I now owe lots of other people in getting the bike to something like not slung together with a bunch of cable ties ! If I ever see him round a poker table I'm going to check-raise and come back over the top with an All-in and take him to the cleaners !
I have entered one "novice" trial so far and came a respectable third. All I can say is that if that was classed as novice, I'd hate to see what the higher classes are like cause I struggled like hell ! If you've never ridden a trials bike, I'd highly recommend it as it gives you confidence to try and ride up and over things you would never think it possible to get a bike over. Then you realise you CAN'T get a bike over, and decide to go around instead, saves you looking like a fool next time !
Kieron Sykes.
