Phoenix Motos

23/07/2026

Volume up! Listen to this 2022 with SC3

15/07/2026

1989 1st heat cycle after full

14/07/2026

The verdict is in… and a lot of you called it. 👏

Many of you commented that this engine couldn’t possibly have been rebuilt. I agree.

Looking at what we found inside, there is simply no way a proper engine rebuild was carried out on this KTM 300 EXC TPI. Any competent mechanic would have spotted the condition of these parts long before the engine went back together.

But the bigger question is… why did it fail in the first place?

The biggest clue was inside the crankcases. They were packed with dirt and grit.

In my opinion, there’s only one realistic explanation for that amount of contamination… this engine has been run without an air filter, or without one that was doing its job.

Once dirt gets into a two-stroke engine, it doesn’t take long before the piston, cylinder and everything else starts paying the price.

This is exactly why air filter maintenance is one of the most important jobs on any off-road bike.

Did you guess it from the last video? Let me know if you got it right! 👇

11/07/2026

A lot of people asked what I meant when I said an engine sounded like “a bag of spanners”… 😂

So, thanks to my son’s mates for turning it into a meme… I thought I’d better explain it properly!

Yes… I actually put a handful of spanners in a bag and gave it a good shake so you can hear exactly what I mean. 🔧🤣

Then I compare:
✅ What a healthy 2-stroke should sound like.
❌ What a very unhappy 2-stroke sounds like.

Hopefully that’ll clear up one of the more technical workshop terms we mechanics seem to use! 😅

If you’ve ever heard another strange mechanic’s phrase that you’d like explaining, let me know in the comments.

And don’t forget to follow for more highly technical workshop terminology… explained properly! 😉

11/07/2026

Mega day out on the ‘s last weekend with Andrew Crosby

Have felt bad for him as he’s had them over a year and never used them.

Anyway we ended up at Hardwick Moto Parc which was a mega track

Was a bit gutted as even after a few years off the bike Crosby passed me!!

10/07/2026

This KTM 300 EXC TPI has quite a story…

The customer bought it from a dealer without hearing it run. The first time he started it, it sounded like a bag of spanners.

Back it went.

The dealer rebuilt the engine and charged the customer for the work.

The customer got it back, started it up again… and it still sounded like a bag of spanners. 😳

So it arrived in my workshop.

As we stripped it down, we found:
🔧 A badly scored piston
🔧 A heavily damaged cylinder
🔧 Plenty of contamination inside the crankcases

The damage is severe, but what do you think caused it?

Drop your diagnosis in the comments before I reveal the answer in the next video. It’ll be interesting to see how many of you get it right! 👇

10/07/2026

03/07/2026

After a fair bit of development, it’s time to see if the changes have paid off.

This 1979 Honda CR250 has had:
✅ Fresh top end
✅ Increased compression ratio
✅ Carburettor jetted to suit

The result? It starts easily, revs cleanly and pulls smooth and hard right through the rev range. It’s always satisfying when careful setup transforms how an old bike rides.

What would you change next, or would you leave it exactly as it is?

30/06/2026

Some just arrived at my place! Love a delivery of SmartCarb

They look great in bare but the Black & Red versions look amazing

These are going on 2022

22/06/2026

Today’s workshop lesson came the hard way! 😬

I was kicking over a 250 when the kickstart slipped and went straight through the sole of my hiking boot.

Thankfully it could have been a lot worse, but it’s a good reminder that even when you’re just moving bikes around the workshop, the right safety gear matters.

I see people kicking bikes over in trainers, flip flops and all sorts of unsuitable footwear. The reality is that a kickstart can bite back without warning, especially on older high-compression 2-strokes.

The irony is that I should know better! 🤦‍♂️

The safest option is always a proper pair of motocross boots. They might not be the most comfortable thing to wear around the workshop, but they’re a lot more comfortable than a broken foot.

What’s the worst kickstart injury you’ve seen or experienced? Let me know in the comments 👇