Tryals Shop Technical Tips

The Tryals Shop
616 Route 38 Locke, NY 13092
Tel: 315-497-3268  Tel: 315-497-2904 Fax: 315-497-2905--  Mike@TryalsShop.com 

www.tryalsshop.com

 

Mike Komer

 

Owner of the Tryals Shop, has worked in the motor-

cycle racing industry as a business owner, mechanic, and trials rider for over 30 years. He has extensive knowledge in bike maintenance and repair.

His talents have allowed him to

travel with the U.S. Trials des Nations team on multiple occas-

ions acting as team captain, mechanic, and minder. Mike  has also worked with many of our nations top riders at some point as well as top world riders.

Visit our web page for

additional information about us.

www.tryalsshop.com

 

 

Tech Support - Ask Mike

  I am pleased to offer you my technical support on 

   Montesa,Yamaha,GasGas, Scorpa, Sherco, Aprilia, Fantic, and Beta trials 

    motorcycles. Our extensive inventory of vintage  and modern parts means that we

   will likely have any parts you may need for the repair as  well. 

 There are three convenient ways to get technical

  support                                                           

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Tech.Tips from the Tryals Shop

  AIR FILTER CARE AND MAINTENANCE

  SCORPA REAR WHEEL SPOKE SEAL LEAK 

 

 

  AIR FILTER CARE AND MAINTENANCE

Air Filters are available from the

 Tryals Shop web catalog

  click on: AIR FILTERS

Keeping your motor free of dirt on the inside is one of the most important factors for insuring a long engine life with good performance. There is no maintenance interval or schedule concerning your bikes air Filter because every ride can be a different environment. Frequent inspection of it's condition is required to insure proper protection. Below are some tips on cleaning method and inspection.
 
1) Remove air filter with care so you do not damage the seams or sealing area. Then with a light inspect the inside of the air box for dirt, dust, water, or mud. It should be absolutely clean.  If you see any dirt your motor has already been violated with dirt as well. The degree of damage may be slight or excessive and usually is directly related to the amount of dirt coating on the inner walls of the air box and connecting rubber going to the carburetor. If there is dirt in the air box it must be totally cleaned before running the motor again to prevent further motor deterioration. When dirt is found on the wrong side of the filter it means the filter has failed because it was left too long without service or was installed or taken care of improperly.
 
2) Gently wash your filter in hot soapy water. I like Dawn dish soap because it cuts grease and oil well but is easy on the foam and hands. Solvents or gas can damage the glue bond on filter seams and tend to shorten the life of the foam as well. After a good washing and rinsing squeeze the water out. Wrap the filter in a few paper towels and gently squeeze to absorb any excess water. Let the filter air dry for a few minutes and then check the filter carefully for any open seams where the glue is failing and make sure the foam is not starting to deteriorate. Make sure the lip of the seal is in good shape where the filter seals against the air box . Apply a good grade air filter oil. I prefer the pore on sticky type and apply a small amount to the inside of the filter. Then I put the filter in a plastic baggy and work the oil into the filter so it completely covers the inner walls. When complete if you squeeze the filter walls together you will see some little strings of oil appear as you release and a uniform color is obvious as most filter oils have color additives. An air filter without oil is like a screen door where dust, and water will pass right through. The oil is the collection point of dirt getting on the filter and also repels water from passing through.
 
3)  Some air box lids are easier to work with than others however almost all lids or covers play an important role in maintaining correct filter location. On filter covers using locating pins to position the filter it is best to install the filter on the lid and then install the assembly into the air box. If you put only the filter in first you cannot see what is happening when you put the lid on and run the risk of having one of the locating pins push a corner of the filter out of position leaving a gap for dirt to get through unrestricted. If your filter has a foam lip on it where it seals against the air box it is best to add a light application of grease on the edge or the lip for added protection. Filters with a rubber lip incorporated into the sealing design are a bit more user friendly and better protection

 

Scorpa rear wheel spoke seal

A customer has a Scorpa that has developed an air leak in the rear spokes.

He wants to know if he should apply silicone to the spoke nipple heads?

The wheel tubeless system using the rim strip is good when put on right and left undisturbed. What usually happens is when the tire gets changed the rim strip gets damaged. Extra care must be used to make sure you do not go in too deep with the tire irons. If the end of the tire iron gets against the rubber strip when your levering the tire off it can cut easily leaving a hole you can't really see to well or the strip gets pulled out of the grove that makes the seal. Then air can escape through the nipples. Silicone is your enemy when it comes to the rim strip because it only takes up precious space in making the rim strip lie in the grove right. If you see any on it that was added by someone having trouble and never is used at the factory. What you need to do is remove every bit of silicone ( not an easy or fun job, another reason not to use it, plus it usually doesn't help but always makes things worse ). Then apply a new rim strip however it can be tricky to get right. I can offer the following tips in installation.

 
Get a good rubber lubricant for mounting tires and apply it to the rim strip very generously.
 
Install the valve stem through the small hole provided in the rim strip being careful not to tear or damage the hole. If your valve stem has a small spacer on it and washer remove them and install so the rubber o-ring is against the rubber strip. Tighten the nut so the valve stem pulls down slightly on the rubber strip. Do not over tighten the valve stem as this will distort the rubber strip causing a leak and be sure the sides of the rubber strip are butted up against the extruded lip provided on the rim as the seal stop. Using your fingers only work the seal into place making sure it fits uniformly all the way around the rim with the sides butting up against the extruded lip on the inner rim wall. More lubricant may be needed at times to keep things wet and moving easily.