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I shouldnt have done , but i treated myself (again) to a  new Jotagas 2014 300

8/29/2013

 
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New 2014 Jotagas 300 WWW.RETROTRIALS.COM
Ok, so i didnt need to . Ok, so the 2013 Jotagas had only been ridden , lets say 15 times, You have to understand it , i had no control over anything. The little worm in my head wouldnt stop thinking about the new bike. One minute I would decide that it made no sense to get a new bike , that my old bike was only just run in , that it hadnt seen a rock let alone touched one and that the idea to buy a new Jotagas was foolish.

The next moment i had the phone in my hand calling the Steve Saunders to discover then they were going to be arriving. 
The worm just wouldnt let go . Before i knew it  i was in the van turning on the M25 droving the 80 miles to Freestyle motorcycles in Tunbridge Wells. I needed counselling. Everyone i spoke to i explained that i didnt know why i was buy a new one , but noone wanted to help me :). I arrived at Freestyle motorcycles at was incredibly impressed by the whole set up. This place is what a trials and enduro dealership is like in your dreams. Its huge , stacked with new and second hand bikes. It has a trials course right there so you can test the bike. There is a seperate coffee shop , selling proper fizz , whizz, pop, gurgle , spurt , steam coffee. There is a huge  off road clothing department , an Adventure clothing and helmet department. Its all new and up to date . It is the best dealership i have ever ever been to in this country. 
You should go there and check it out. Nooooooo ......i didnt get anything for saying this.I got a Jotagas coffee mug , but that was on my account of nagging for it and buy a new bike from them :) I dont like getting money or things from companies as you cant then tell the truth. I tell you this because its true.

Here are some piccies of this place
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New 2014 Jotagas 300 WWW.RETROTRIALS.COM
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New 2014 Jotagas 300 WWW.RETROTRIALS.COM
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New 2014 Jotagas 300 WWW.RETROTRIALS.COM
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New 2014 Jotagas 300 WWW.RETROTRIALS.COM
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New 2014 Jotagas 300 WWW.RETROTRIALS.COM
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New 2014 Jotagas 300 WWW.RETROTRIALS.COM
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New 2014 Jotagas 300 WWW.RETROTRIALS.COM
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New 2014 Jotagas 300 WWW.RETROTRIALS.COM
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New 2014 Jotagas 300 WWW.RETROTRIALS.COM
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New 2014 Jotagas 300 WWW.RETROTRIALS.COM
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New 2014 Jotagas 300 WWW.RETROTRIALS.COM
Simon Bird is a nice guy as he gave me the Jotagas mug by his left hand :)
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New 2014 Jotagas 300 WWW.RETROTRIALS.COM
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New 2014 Jotagas 300 WWW.RETROTRIALS.COM
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New 2014 Jotagas 300 WWW.RETROTRIALS.COM
I part exchanged my 2013 Jotagas at Freestyle in Tunbridge Wells for the new bike . I didnt even get a chance to give it a proper goodbye. I then drove the 165 miles to Steve Saunders Jotagas UK Importship where he had 10 new Jotagas's that had just arrived yesterday. I had a chat , as you do and then drooled a little bit at the new bikes. I then loaded her back up back off to home. Well well over 120 miles later i arrived home , tired.
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New 2014 Jotagas 300 WWW.RETROTRIALS.COM
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New 2014 Jotagas 300 WWW.RETROTRIALS.COM
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New 2014 Jotagas 300 WWW.RETROTRIALS.COM
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New 2014 Jotagas 300 WWW.RETROTRIALS.COM
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New 2014 Jotagas 300 WWW.RETROTRIALS.COM
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New 2014 Jotagas 300 WWW.RETROTRIALS.COM
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New 2014 Jotagas 300 WWW.RETROTRIALS.COM
I could keep taking photos of this bike all day long.There is so much detail that is gorgeous.


 I need to be attached to my house on an elastic band rigged up to a timer. I get 3 minutes with the bike to take photos and TWANG  - i get catapulted off to somewhere else :)
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New 2014 Jotagas 300 WWW.RETROTRIALS.COM
The crazy thing is that Simon Bird from Freestyle offered to have my bike delivered to them at Freestyle 3 days later , which would have saved myself 300 odd miles of driving and diesel  

When your desperate  and the worm is wiggling in your head , you have no choice and need it then :)

here   are   just   some   of   the   jotagas   related   links   on   this   site   -   ther  e are   many more - pls just   look   on   the   drop   down   menus    :)   
 remember to do some work or your boss will not be happy 
click here for jotagas factory tour
click here for jotagas (he designed jtg) jordi's house 
click here for steve saunders interview
click there to meet pol and francesc tarres

First ride on the 2014 Jotagas JTG 300

8/9/2013

 
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2013 Jotagas JTg 300 www.retrotrials.com
About 3 weeks ago i traded in my 2013 300 Jotagas for the new 2014 model with the same engine.
 I havent ridden it all apart from a short spin on the grass in my garden . Today i rode a Bognor Trial near Petersfield for my first ever trial on the new bike. This was the first time i had ridden in about 4 weeks or so , but i cant remember exactly. Im making excuse already ha ha for my dismal performance :)
If you want your bike to keep looking as close to new as possible I thoroughly recommend that you air dry it after cleaning. Water damages metal and leaves hard water spots everywhere.
Years ago i tried this and it made such a difference , i kept doing it.

If you havent got an air line , get you wife or child to blow on it for the evening , or use a leaf blower like my friend does ( Strange but true).
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2013 Jotagas JTg 300 www.retrotrials.com
In the garage before the trial i did the trick as last year and removed the steering stops with a Dremel grinding stone. This gives more lock and is better for clubman riders like me , you still faint with awe , when they see Tarres hop the front end.
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2013 Jotagas JTg 300 www.retrotrials.com

Initial findings

Back in the garage i found that the footrests hangers are slightly different. I didnt feel any difference in riding position. Before the kick start would come down and hit the footrest in a certain way , which would slightly scuff the foot end of the kick start. This has changed . Its only a slight change , but its an improvement
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2013 Jotagas JTg 300 www.retrotrials.com
In the garage i wound all the suspension off (front and back) to make it as bouncy as possible with no compression. Throughout the day i wound it on to 50% preload and 50% compression. This seemed to work well and i found the best compromise between firmness and the springy feel that makes me feel like im good and can hop :) - Who am i fooling !. I prefer these Tech forks. They have a nicer feel for hopping in your garage. (I cant do it in section ) 
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2013 Jotagas JTg 300 www.retrotrials.com
The first impression on the bike was that the clutch lever feel was firmer that last years bike.Its still easy and the same as a Gasser but to get this back to a really really easy (lazy boy ) pull i moved the lever up the bars and adjusted it .
This firmer feel apparently is down to a stronger clutch.  I definitely  felt this. The clutch engages after a good long throw but it definitely stronger than last years bike. The clutch is perfect for me now .
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2013 Jotagas JTg 300 www.retrotrials.com
The power delivery on the new bike is different. You must remember that this bike is not run in and is brand  new so the engine , the clutch and the suspension will change.
The new bike encourages you to hold a lower gear. It revs so smoothly that it doesnt break grip and is super smooth and revs all the ways to the moon.

The new engine is definitely more powerful that last years bike  , by 20%. The pick up immediately off the bottom is stronger. The rest of the power is the same. Last years bike was more docile , but then some people said they wanted more power. Well , it has it now :)


Im told that the 2014 300 bike has a higher compression S3 cylinder head (which i can see) as well as porting changes in the barrell increasing the power.

On last years 2013 bike you engaged a higher gear and let it pull. The engine wasn't so powerful that it would pull away from you. On the 2014 bike i found that it likes you in a lower gear and use the revs. This way , the speed is slow and even if you open it up a little too much you dont get the speed. 

The grip is still tremendous , but engage brain before you twist throttle on the 300 :). It has lots of power. Its more like the power you would come to expect from a 300.  
The brakes are superb. The carberation is spot on. 


The bottom line so far 


Jotagas have had a company reorganisation. They have lost Jordi Tarres after a fall out  but are fighting fit with a very very wealthy Trials crazy backer. I
Jotagas have a small work force and produce quality not quantity, thats why you wont see many around.  
They are already testing prototype parts for the 2015 model.



Am i happy with it - - -   yes i love the bike. It handles brilliantly well , looks miles better than anything else , is a little different (which i love) , is superbly built with quality components throughout.  The chassis is hand welded by a very nice lady !!


But .......does it have to much power for me ??? -------   I DONT KNOW !!


Its to early to say . It was slippy trial today  and i hadnt made many adjustments. Now im back home ive adjusted the clutch to how i like it .This will make a difference.


You will not have this problem. You will be a stronger person and a better rider than me.

Perhaps this will help me feel in control a little bit more , or more trial and less wine and pies ha ha.


The bike is 95% how i love it . I need to trial with it some more.



Time will tell :)

Alton and District Trials at Noar Hill - Selborne 

8/4/2013

 
On Sunday the 4th of August i took the Jotagas out for the Alton motorcycle club's non experts trial at Noar Hill in Selborne.
It was a nice sunny day with no rain , which was nice. The Jotagas 2013 300 that i am riding was all ready and prepared and i pulled into the car park. There was a nice old Aprilia twinshock there that caught my eye and the owner thought it was the only one in the country . It is certainly very rare and unusual.
The Jotagas performed brilliantly. In fact many of the sections were a little easy with only perhaps 2 sections really posing as a challenge. What usually happens to me when i go to an fairly easy trial is that i lose concentration and start dabbing on sections i have cleaned before.I kept true to my form and this is exactly what happened .
I spoke with a good rider who was present , Kevin Nolan who is organising something special for this website. Once it is finally arranged it will be announced.
I spoke with Mick Morris and as i ALWAYS DO , asked him when he can start riding at Butser Limeworks again. This was the location of the 1988 World trial. He was not able to give me an answer , but i know he has this in his mind and should an opportunity arise i know Mick will do the business :).
There was one muddy section which was great fun. We dropped down into a stream , turned right in the mud and them out of the stream. We then shot up the very slippery bank (which gave many riders fives) and the back into the stream and up out again and over a fallen tree. It was great fun.


Over all the whole event was great fun. It was nice to have a chat and get out on the bike. I do really usually ride expert in out club events in this area so i was expecting the sections to be a little easy. Saying that i dropped loads of dabs and didnt come anywhere close to winning :). Well done Alton 
Here is he only picture i have of the day
The Jotagas performed without fault. I rode a friends new GasGas Factory to see the differences. It was nice and it is Spanish , so could buy one...............


but the Jotagas was developed by my hero and that seals the deal.
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    RETROTRIALS

    Im a new 2013 Jotagas owner. This is the first new bike ive owned in 10 years. This blog will report honest feedback on the bike.Positive and negative.

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