They all are very good straight out of the box, its just that each manufacturer does things slightly differently. There will be one (hopefully) that just plain feels right for you. The bike has to be able to do want you want it to do, but also be something that 'lights you up' and is something that just makes you want to go out to the shed and ride the thing (exotic is one of the words that usually best describes my feelings on this subject).
Similarly no one bike is completely perfect, and each brand does have its flaws.
I like my Beta firstly because of the build quality of the frame (I crash a lot, so a strong frame is important), secondly because of the linkless rear
suspension, thirdly because of the feel of the motor and the type of delivery of power. Lastly because of the support of the local importer. I really
hate the silly side access air box (mines a year 2000 model), as it seems to collect water even in dry conditions (it would be possible to collect water in this air box even in the middle of the desert - such is the strength of the design - maybe they should just call it a 'water box'). I will change this for the newer '03 air box, mudguard and sub frame when I get some more money (which shouldn't be long as the whole lot including screws and bolts is about NZ$380, which works out to be about US$190). I also think the upside down forks will be a problem soon, with leaking seals as things wear out.
In NZ the support offered by each importer is patchly to say the least as each importer is basically doing it as a hobby (~300 trials riders in the whole country!!). This is to be expected as for them its a part time business, and hard to manage with other work committments, family etc (I wouldn't want to do it ;) ). This means that the relationship between buyer and importer becomes more critical, and I'm happiest dealing with the Beta importer, which has an influence on the brand of bike that I would buy. I could deal with some of the other importers with very few problems as my expectations are not very high. This becomes an issue for some of the other guys over here who have much higher expectations on the level of service that they get. Because some of the guys work in the motor industry their expectations are high from dealing with other parts suppliers, and it their relationship with their local trials importer just seems to frustrate them 9 times out of 10.
This shouldn't effect you at all because of the quantities of bikes sold in the US and the professionalism of the importers, as they are running their operations as a primary source of income. I do think however that the trails bikes are still weird and rare enough for you to research the local dealers, and deal with one that you are most comfortable with. I realise that in the States you will have overnight or next day delivery for spare parts from anywhere in the country, and also that the strength of the US$ makes air freight from Spain or Italy less of an issue (unlike the usual 6 weeks of sea freight for parts to float all the way to NZ!!!). It may be something that does effect your decision on which bike you decide to get though.
The other main influence on my decision to buy a Beta was the fact that they make a 199cc bike. The smaller displacement bikes really suit the lower grades of rider coupled with the fact that I am only 5'8" and weigh roughly 160lbs, so I don't really need 321cc to get reasonable performance. When first looking to upgrade from my old bike I didn't really think 160cc would do it for me, but after having some short rides on Dave Trustrum's 160cc Gas Gas, I believe that would've been just as good a choice. The little Beta has helped me improve my skills to the point where now I would be quite comfortable on a 250cc or larger machine, and I think that I have picked up these skills at a quicker rate than if I had been faced with more power than I needed. If you've been riding quite a while, then this sort of thing wouldn't really matter.
Another thing that would effect my decision making a little bit is that I'm sort of used to the weight distribution on the Beta, which seems to place a bit more weight on the front wheel. This makes adjusting to other brands a little bit weird for me, and it takes a while to get my body in the right place to stop plowing.
My overall thoughts on the brands are as follows; (extremely biased and not really useful because of my limited riding ability!!!)
Beta - Like the frame and feel (suits someone short like me!) Dodgy Italian electrics (!!!??!!). Had a short ride on the new '03 model and was impressed with both the suspension (much improved) and the motor (I tried a 250 which was smooth down low, and not too scary on top!), and if buying today I don't think I'd bother with the 200 and go straight to the 250 as I felt it was much smoother down low than previous models. Left hand kick is not a problem as I can easily start my bike with either foot (multi talented aren't I :silly: ). This is less of a problem than you'd think as it doesn't take long to adjust to.
Gas Gas - The new Pro's look much better, but I've not ridden a Pro as there are only about 3 or 4 in the country for some reason, and none of them are scratched enough for the owners to let me try!!!
Sherco - Don't like the frame, feel that the power is sort of smooth and progressive, but not what I'm used to - just different. Extremely light.
Scorpa - Nice, but wouldn't like to try and work on one, everything seems too cramped together. Felt really light - love the footpegs!! I would opt for the less aggressive version as the Racing version would probably be too much for me. Liked the fact that you could upgrade the fuel capacity and install a seat easily.
Montessa - Don't like the feel of the bike as they kind of feel awkward to me, I had problems turning compared to my Beta, also maybe not quite as much steering lock. I would miss my very low first gear too much as I use it in creeks a lot!!! Quality wise is the best on the market. I think these bikes would suit a taller rider compared with the Beta, which is only probably a change of handlebars anyway.
I am a Clubman level rider, which over here means that I only have to ride over very tiny obstacles and the emphasis is more on turning, and off-cambers so that would be the main priority for me. We also have lots of mud and slippery tree roots where we normally ride, so tractability is also a priority. I'm not so concerned with 12' splatters, except for finding a nice safe place to watch them from!!! :laugh: