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denill
17th August 2004, 06:20
Hey Motu, you may be interested in reading; http://www.silver-bullet.co.nz/news.php?id=3105 ????

merv
17th August 2004, 07:55
Trials was fun back then Bill and we never wore any poncy safety gear either - just had to try and keep your head away from tree branches and stay on the bike so you wouldn't hit your head on a rock either. Good training for keeping balance that's for sure.

p.s. did you ever keep any of your old trials bikes?

None left in our family.

denill
17th August 2004, 08:35
Yeah, Merv it was fun wasn't it and a lot of others must have thought so too. It was normal to get around 30 to 40 riders to a trials event........ :yes: :yes:

Quote - p.s. did you ever keep any of your old trials bikes? Un-Quote:

Don't tell any one but the bike that introduced me to Trials (and motorcycle sport) was the James Cotswold. A genuine factory trials bike!! You may remember that it was attached to the Shop sidecar, until it was replaced with one of the early XL250 Hondas. Reached some dizzy heights there........
Well it hasn't run since circa 1973 and it is still sitting in the shed????? :headbang: :headbang:

BTW Merv. Have purchased a KTM LC4 with 18L tank, like new with 4,000 clicks from the very good people at AFC, PN.

Motu
17th August 2004, 09:10
Yeah,of course I think he's right,it's central to anything you want to do on bikes,if it doesn't help your riding you are not really capable of applying skills learnt.Everyone,no matter what their experiance is always shocked at their lack of skills when first getting on a trials bike,quite a humilitating time - premadonna's will storm off saying it's not important to ride a trials bike,but those who enjoy any challenge on a bike will apply themselves and reap the benifits.

I was always a hopless trials rider and my level now in Twin shock is the same,I am at the age where I am not able to learn anymore,I just seem to be going through the motions,but I still seem to be improving anyway.It's so satisfying getting it right - your first time through a section may be real hard,you think no way can I do this,it's just not possible,why in the hell did I come today - then on your last couple of rounds you 'clean' it,hey,everyone else may have cleaned it all day,that's not important...trials is about improving your personal best,you are competing with yourself,the other guys are doing the same.

Riding off road with other guys I think trials helps me with reading terrain and picking lines - attacking a big slippery hill I ''read'' it differently than the others....going through the big puddle at the bottom,going over the big ruts instead of around them,sometimes it makes up for my lack of other skills.

A lot of the stuff being taught to road riders these days as basic and advanced skills were just common knowledge to trials riders 30yrs ago,subtle weight shifts...target steering,huh! one of the first things you learn is not to look where you are going...but where you want to go.

denill
17th August 2004, 10:54
,I am at the age where I am not able to learn anymore,I just seem to be going through the motions,but I still seem to be improving anyway.

You are wrong when you say that Motu. Every time one rides a bike one learns something.... No matter if it is a road bike or off road. Specially so if the bike happens to be a Trials bike as by it's very nature Trials bikes exist to provide the challenge of - rider against terrain. The rate of learning no doubt slows down - but it is there nonetheless.

No body, or mostly nobody buys a Trials bike to survey the scenery. You will know well that you are not satisfied with riding terrain that you have conquered as that is BORING but rather go looking for terrain that provides just that bit greater degree of difficulty.

And hey there is nothing wrong with a twin shock, in fact quite the opposite as you are not required to tackle terrain that is extremely hazardous to the health.......... As the modern bikes make twin shock country so easy but when it does go pear shaped the rider is in deep s**t :argh: :argh:

Cheers
Bill W

Oscar
17th August 2004, 12:45
Yeah, Merv it was fun wasn't it and a lot of others must have thought so too. It was normal to get around 30 to 40 riders to a trials event........ :yes: :yes:

Quote - p.s. did you ever keep any of your old trials bikes? Un-Quote:

Don't tell any one but the bike that introduced me to Trials (and motorcycle sport) was the James Cotswold. A genuine factory trials bike!! You may remember that it was attached to the Shop sidecar, until it was replaced with one of the early XL250 Hondas. Reached some dizzy heights there........
Well it hasn't run since circa 1973 and it is still sitting in the shed????? :headbang: :headbang:

BTW Merv. Have purchased a KTM LC4 with 18L tank, like new with 4,000 clicks from the very good people at AFC, PN.

I have an LC4 with the 18l tank.
It rawks...

jrandom
17th August 2004, 12:55
premadonna's will storm off

... but they usually come back when they've achieved full madonnahood?



I was always a hopless trials rider

That'd be the style where you keep both wheels on the ground at all times, right?

...

Sorry. Bad form, I know, but I just couldn't resist. :bleh:

denill
17th August 2004, 13:17
I have an LC4 with the 18l tank.
It rawks...

Well I don't actually have it yet as I am waiting for an Adv Ride in that neck of the woods and kill two birds with one stone, sort of thing. :soon: :soon:

AFC are modifying the links to drop the seat height down a couple of inches. I won't be needing 3 feet of travel !!!

Oscar
17th August 2004, 13:24
Well I don't actually have it yet as I am waiting for an Adv Ride in that neck of the woods and kill two birds with one stone, sort of thing. :soon: :soon:

AFC are modifying the links to drop the seat height down a couple of inches. I won't be needing 3 feet of travel !!!

Holy Crap!
Have you actually bought it yet?
Brucee has his for sale and it's already lowered...

Oscar
17th August 2004, 13:27
Well I don't actually have it yet as I am waiting for an Adv Ride in that neck of the woods and kill two birds with one stone, sort of thing. :soon: :soon:

AFC are modifying the links to drop the seat height down a couple of inches. I won't be needing 3 feet of travel !!!


Here's mine...(before I crashed it, breaking the headlight and splitting the front fender :baby: ).

http://oscar.smugmug.com/photos/2993610-M.jpg

Motu
17th August 2004, 13:31
Oh,so now he signs his name Bill W !!!!

Yeah,I realised I was wrong soon as I read what I'd posted,but as I said I am improving still,the very reason I still go out and do something I'm not good at is I still need to be constantly learning in my riding.What I mean,maybe...is I'm not attacking each section with aggression and 10 new ideas to apply,I'm just using what I've already got and applying that.OK...I'm getting old,satisfied?

Some of the older riders,Ray Skinner for example,won't down grade to a twin shock,spent too many years lugging those around he reckons,but they may go down a grade with a modern bike.I think my TLR200 is a nice light little bike - but a modern enduro 250 is as light,an MX 250 even lighter,I'm actualy pushing a heavy bike around by modern standards,even if it seems little to me.A modern trials bike is on a totaly different planet and if I rode one in clubmans,that's the same line I ride now,my results would improve out of sight.But there's a limit to how many bikes we can have,and the money to buy them.Good to see you putting trials out there,it annoys me that so many motorcyclists dismiss trials,anywhere cept England really.90% of the riders must be Poms.

Oscar
17th August 2004, 13:34
If you hear anyone scoffing at trials, make 'em watch the European Indoor Series. Feckin' awesome...

denill
17th August 2004, 13:53
Oh,so now he signs his name Bill W !!!!

Good to see you putting trials out there,it annoys me that so many motorcyclists dismiss trials,anywhere cept England really.90% of the riders must be Poms.

Yeah, you have rumbled me. As Bill W I post on Silver-Bullet and you're right Trials is the forgotten motorcycling discipline but getting Trials news is like draggin' teeth. NOBODY has ever sent me Trials news, ever!!! (I see Ben T and Josh are both riding trials bikes for training so maybe a turnaround will happen!)
So good on you Motu, you are on to it.............

Cheers
Bill W

denill
17th August 2004, 13:55
Holy Crap!
Have you actually bought it yet?
Brucee has his for sale and it's already lowered...

Well I haven't paid money BUT I have commited to it.

Just to perhaps p*ss me off how much does Brucee want for his LC4 ???

Cheers
Bill W

Motu
17th August 2004, 13:59
... but they usually come back when they've achieved full madonnahood?




That'd be the style where you keep both wheels on the ground at all times, right?

...

Sorry. Bad form, I know, but I just couldn't resist. :bleh:


One wheel at a time,front only I'm afraid - the rear wheel hop on a twin shock bike requires leg muscles that can push an All Back scrum off the field.

Madonna's hood? I'm sure she'd show it if she was paid enough....$5?

Oscar
17th August 2004, 14:05
Well I haven't paid money BUT I have commited to it.

Just to perhaps p*ss me off how much does Brucee want for his LC4 ???

Cheers
Bill W

I don't actually recall, as at the time I was trying to persuade him to keep it. I had a ride on it and found it was smoother than my (newer) one. I was trying to find a piccy but all I had was this'n:

http://oscar.smugmug.com/photos/6532015-M.jpg

Bruce and the Katomba in the background.

You could PM or e-mail him: DZL (http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/member.php?action=getinfo&userid=54)

DZL
17th August 2004, 14:56
In a roundabout kinda way my LC4 is for sale because of a sort-of trials bike . .. last couple years I've had a DT230 for trailriding, but then I was seduced by a GG Pampera. . which I initially had in pseudo-trials rig (T/U tyres, bashplate, ultra-low gearing, low front guard etc) but then I tried it on knoblies & stock gearing for trailriding ~ & it makes the sweet DT feel like a draft horse!

So now the DT 'looks' roadlegal for Adv Rides, & the LC4 is for sale coz I already have my G/S beemer (keeper, sorry!) for touring etc, & I dont have space enough or pockets deep enough to keep the Elsie as well.

Bloody shame too, coz the KTM has to be about the best of the (very many!) adv bikes I've owned. . . . great suspenders & widespaced gears so ya have one for everywhere from dead slow to ? highly 'Illegal'! Kickstart as well as electric is nice too .. .

. . . . mine is a 2000 with (only!) 5,000kms onna clock, USD WP's at front & Ohlins rear, an 18ltr tank, KTM bashplate & carrier rack, raised bars & lowered suspenders, headlight protector, 15 toofront as well as the stock 16, & exceptionally tidy .. . oh, & the bark busters too of course, which have had the left one extended & reshaped to go around the clutch lever properly (stock they arent long enough to fit right).

It goes in the next MC Tradermag asking $10,900. Right now it's back on the floor o/b at NPMC, who I bought it from, one previous owner from new.

Ya couldnt do better (well, unless someone will give you a silly price as 'trade-in' on some old beater . .. .. )

HTH
BrooC
;-))

PS My old topcase is NOT included . .. it fit just right onto the DT230!

F5 Dave
17th August 2004, 18:07
Getting back to the topic:
Yeah Trials is the sort of thing many people say they would like to try but never do.

I got a bit of a push from a friend & an old aircooled (but single shock Beta came up. What a bunch of fun!

Same friend then corrupted me with a ride on his modern GasGas bike & I found some more money & upgraded to a GG200. I gave the old bike to a friend & ride it occasionally, but I can’t believe I used to. New trials bikes rock!

Personally I don’t like the competition side of trials, I just like going for a play with a few mates to see what we can do, but do go to an event & get talking to some of the guys then find some money & you will have a great time just stuffing around or entering competition.

DZL
17th August 2004, 18:23
.. or just get a GG Pampera & have the best of both worlds! All the great low-grunt of a 'real' trials engine, & still fairly light (90kg!), especially considering ya get a sittable seat & a 9 ltr tank, even road-legalable if required so ya can cruise the neighborhood looking for places to play after work, ANY/EVERY day!

Unless ya REALLY want to get into competitive trials the Pamp will do all the slow-pottering ya can ask, & with knoblies it makes a briliant trailbike too . .. . as I have an acre section with tracks thru native bush, I can even have a great play in the garden any time I like .. . . & with Maxima 927 synthetic Castor EVERY ride smells like speedway night!

WeedEaters Rule OK!

;-))

NZPED
11th October 2006, 21:15
Hey, where do you get your maxima 927, im dead keen to get some, we run it on the go-ped race engines

cheese
12th October 2006, 08:17
My brother just got the new scorpia. Should be fun! WR250 motor in it.

Wellyman
12th October 2006, 08:28
How does GG bikes fair in trials? I wouldnt mind having one just to have a play around with whenever I have a bit of free time/ at our tree farm.
WM

Matt
12th October 2006, 08:47
I agree that some trials skills do really help you when you have a go on other types of bikes - although everything else seems really fast and over-geared! I recently bought a road-bike and just couldn't believe the acceleration above 100k's, my old Beta Rev3 used to be flat out (and smoking like hell) at about 80k's! (riding between sections on road trials).

Still, really want to buy another (those Montesta 4RT's look good, never ridden a trials 4 stroker though), but the missus wants a house first...maybe have to see about an older GG/Beta.

Matt

scott411
12th October 2006, 09:10
any bike shop will be able to get Maxima, if they say they don;t know where to find it tell them to ring forbes and davies

cheese
12th October 2006, 10:22
the betas problem is that bloody started on the wrong side!!!!

kiwifruit
12th October 2006, 10:33
Trails is a brilliant way to improve skills upon 2 wheels, no matter what the rider's current skill level is
bloody good fun too!