Trials Bike Question

[rdbrooks14]

Jack, agreed... I have IRC but folks love the other brands as well. Tubeless is better and can be run at lower pressure as you know but would probably be over kill for this application AND MINE! Many are running these same tires and tubeless versions on the back in cross country - I do and it makes a huge difference IMHO. Tubeless is better for that Application for me in Cross Country on the PE250 as a lot more stress on the tire...

Any way to the question, one will not go wrong with the Modern RADIAL tire for a Trials bike....

Bob in MD

[ossa95d]

I sell a lot of trials tires and agree that the radials are the way to go. The serious trials guys use the Michelins, a lot of the serious offroad guys are using the Dunlop 804 but they break the knobs off very quickly with modern 450's, some are trying the Pirelli DOT approved MT43 on the trail. They are stiffer but last a lot longer. For Vintage trials I really like the IRC TT (tube type) tires for a great combination of performance and price.

[socalhodaka]

Jack, agreed... I have IRC but folks love the other brands as well. Tubeless is better and can be run at lower pressure as you know but would probably be over kill for this application AND MINE! Many are running these same tires and tubeless versions on the back in cross country - I do and it makes a huge difference IMHO. Tubeless is better for that Application for me in Cross Country on the PE250 as a lot more stress on the tire...

Any way to the question, one will not go wrong with the Modern RADIAL tire for a Trials bike....

Bob in MD

I run Tubless on my KTM on works great F&R

[JayLael]

Here's a glimpse of my latest project. It's an Ace 90 trials special with almost zero frame mods. It will be an attempt to replicate the bike I rode as a youngster in 1972. It was originally put together by my uncle, Whitey "Hacksaw" Hartman. I hope to have it running in time for Hodaka days 2014.

[JayLael]

I will be making a custom glass pack muffler from the Greenish Hodaka tool can, with the exit made from a piece of handlebar, behind the left rear shock.

[junker2k]

Looks great Jay.
Jack K

[Bullfrog]

Hey! Neat project Jay! Can't wait to see it.

Ed

[bobwhitman]

And ya know, Jay will kick everyone else's a## with a near stock Ace 90, no matter what they are riding. My money is on him!
Bob

[JayLael]

Aw, shucks Bob. I hope so, but I wouldn't bet too much on it. Ed: Glad to see you made it home safe from Hawaii! I bet that was just awesome! You're probably all tan like George Hamilton now.
The Ace 90 is gonna' be very low tech, using as much original type parts as I can manage. I have to admit that the original one in the 1972 picture wasn't too good compared to what we are building nowadays. When I look at the external spring forks, with something that once was oil, but by the time I had the bike, resembled the grundge on an old tractor engine, they clunk up and down like an old Indian scout on a washboard road! What amazed me was they continued to ooze this crud for years, until I upgraded to a set of "Rat" forks that were given to me by a local racer who had just got a set of baby Ceriani's.
One of the things you don't see in this photo are the absent steering head bearings. When I took it apart to see what was inside they kinda disappeared into the dirt there somewhere. I didn't think too much about it until I rode the bike without any in it. That was where I learned how to put them BACK in! I sort of inherited the bike in a basket case, and Uncle Whitey had very little time to work on it at first, so I was left to my own devices allot. This is the bike that got the very first Jay-Roller, but at that time the very first one used a Hodaka footpeg rubber, which was more of a Jay-grinder. It ground down to the through bolt in the first five minutes. It was later the idea came to me to use a skateboard wheel. In 1973, my Uncle Whitey finally realized there was something special going on here, and we created together what was probably the first "Tree-Frog". It had a lowered frame backbone, and featured 19 inch wheels on both ends! It was way prettier than this earlier example of our collaborative work.
I also really have fond memories of my Grandma's 1972 Ford Galaxy 500, which had a white interior and the first car I EVER saw that had air conditioning! My Grandma was cool, in more ways than one! I hope I'm not the only one who enjoys my meanderings about the past. See you guys later, Jay L.

[Chris41X]

Joined the club, got the articles. Have a 94 bottom end on the way. Hopefully I'll have a frame to start on soon. Just discovered that we have a vintage trials series here in Texas now. Looking forward to starting the build.

[Bruce Young]

Hello Hodaka trials world, if anyone wishs to start building a Hodaka trials bike using a modified Stock Ace 90 or 100 frame, we have some, cheap plug! great prices, hard to pass up, Good for low budget projects. Let us know. Bruce Young Hodakaparts.com IDAHO

[JayLael]

You can never have too many Hodaka trials bikes! They are all so unique! Truly a great way to express your creativity. This is what I've got so far on the Ace 90.

[Bruce Young]

Hello Again Trials world, looking for the trials peanut tank source. Does anyone have any or know where to find them. Bruce Hodakaparts.com

PS; last post showing ACE 90 trials bike what was done to frame if anything. Thanks Bruce Great looking machine. Great example of "you too can have one of these" bikes

[JayLael]

Removed tire pump and horn brackets, cut steering stop to about 22 mm wide. Create footpeg mounts in the right spot. Cut off loopy bracket so air cleaner for ace 100 would fit. Adapt sexy gas tank so it mounts on there right. That's all.