Bike prices?

[F5 Dave]

Yeah ok fair point, I wasn't trying to alienate people with older bikes, I've spent a lot of my life only being able to afford junkers.

What I was attempting to do is pass on my experience that if you can stretch to it the newer bikes will in fact bring more enjoyment even at my meagre skill level. I don't even bother with comps, I just mess around with a few mates seeing what we can do. I wish I'd just sumped up the money for the newer bike in the first place (thank you mortgage) it would have saved me money in parts on the old bike.

However at least it did build a bike a friend I go riding with is still riding & otherwise wouldn't have been able to afford so I guess maybe I'm not sorry after all.

[Motu]

Modern bikes are actually harder to ride than an old twinshock - more throttle,clutch and brake control required,plus all this bouncing stuff requires fitness and finesse.But they certainly do the job better,and I would go up from my comfortable Clubmans grade to Intermedite without too many problems.But my TLR200 cost me $600 seven years ago,and I really enjoyed rebuilding the bike and sorting it all out.....working on bikes is satisfying for me,part of the whole riding bikes thing.A 2003 Sherco for $1000 that needs a little bit of TLC would be perfect.....know of any around to fit my budget?

Just mucking around on a trials bike with your mates is doing you now favours at all.You will only do what you want to do - until you have to ride a section that someone else had laid out,with pegs marking where to go,you won't be challenged.And watching other riders doing the sections,seeing their lines,listening in to their discussions and asking pointers yourself will build your confidence and experience to a much higher level.Kinda like talking street racers and kids hooning around the park into track days or trail rides - you know they will do so much better in an organised enviroment....but they always know better eh?

[F5 Dave]

Actually it's doing me lots of favours. It's Mondo fun.

I get enough competition racing & to be honest that's enough for me to focus on, but I do find my road racing improves if I've spent a lot of time on the Trials & the dirt bike. Some of the Trials guys I go riding with are B grade so set the bar pretty high for things to try & coach me how to do it.

But to be honest this is just so much fun mucking around for an afternoon