Top trail rider enduros....Feedback wanted

[MikeJ]

I`am looking for some feedback from riders who have:

A....Ridden any of the Top Trail Rider Enduros lately or,
B....Are thinking about trying one or,
C....Don't want to try one.

Any comments about how hard or easy they have been, the terrain, organisation, classes, efforts of the motorcycle clubs to make new riders welcome etc or if you haven't ridden one, then what impressions you have of what you think or have heard about them and why you wouldn't try one. ANY feedback would be appreciated to help tweak the series for next year or even for remaining rounds this year.
Thankyou,
MikeJ

[Danger]

I went out to watch the Riverhead round last year. It was my intention to do that round and this year I intended to do the whole series. But then the costs started adding up and it just got to expensive for me. Entry is $50-$60? and a day licence is $25.00, its almost $20.00 for 10 litres of fuel now, plus the fuel to travel to the events, then tires etc, at one race in Riverhead last year I ruined two brand new tires. So for me its just the cost otherwise I would love to have done the series or at least the local event. I think its a good concept. Its a shame a MNZ licence is required but I understand that it covers insurance for the club etc. If I was earning good money I guess this would not all be an issue, but I'm not. For me its a case of getting in a good all day ride on bald tires without too much traveling and not too much cost .

[Crisis management]

I'm a complete novice at this (off road) but have looked the the top trail rider series as a way of learning more skills and having a bit of fun.
At this stage I haven't attended any of the events and really don't have any idea about how hard it is, but my plan was to enter next year once I have figured out how to stay on the bike for more than 2 minutes.
So, from my perspective, I would want a class that caters to slow noobs that are over 50 or the reassurance that other riders wouldn't kill me in their enthusiasm and that there were some outs if it was over my head.
Costs of entering aren't much of an issue but time is, so I would only enter events near me. I wouldn't drive to Taupo to compete.

Hope that helps!

[chop]

i did riverhead in the first series brilliant excellent starting point and well run

[dammad1]

I'm with Danager, I think its a bit expensive if you have to pay for a day license as well.

If you want to encourage average trail riders to get out and have a go, it needs to be affordable.

I really like the way the GNCC's are run just turn up pay your $50 bucks and then ride, but even at $50 bucks it may put some people off.

I really think that if you want the series to be positioned for the average rider and to be a more social series, the whole MNZ thing is the wrong way to go.

[B0000M]

ill pretty much repeat whats above

mnz makes things expensive, but if you're riding mnz meetings regularly then the license fee once a year isnt too bad, however it is still fucken expensive, and personally im not sure what it is that my $125 a year actually does as a lot of clubs / venues seem to not be affiliated with mnz

i rode the riverhead round last year and thought it was awesome, well run, with good instruction from the regulars to people like myself who've never ridden an enduro style event. i think a lot of people will see it as just another trail ride and then wonder to themselves why pay $100~ when they could just go to the sandpit for the day for $25~

i do realise there are costs to pay, tho im not sure what they are and dont have a solution.

the track i found was mostly pretty easy for anyone to ride with the added bonus of the more challenging expert loops.

[camchain]

I got back into dirt bikes last year after over 20 years off, at 44yrs old. I can't believe it took me so long to see the light again! I did all the GNCC rounds, Rookie class (and a couple of other CC races, Bel Ray etc) and had a total blast. I'd done the odd club MX back in the day but I have to say Cross Country racing is different but just as much fun.

Racing gives the riding experience a stronger flavour. I would encourage anyone thinking about having a go to get into it. You don't have to be competetive to enjoy competing. It's incredibly satisfying just to see your name on the result list of battle participants. (Especially if you did better than you thought you would!)

My two cents worth on TTR Enduro as someone who hasn't sampled it yet:

1. Having started with some Cross Country, I was intending to have a go at TTR as an entry point into the Enduro caper this year but missed (injury prob) the Riverhead round I was aiming at. I later saw the high DNF rate and thought maybe just as well I wasn't there. (Fitness still needs work) Riverhead can be very unforgiving in the wet if you're not a Birchmeister type rider! Maybe alternative easier detours if things get tough? (like dead toad)

2. I was still keen on having a go but some rounds seem to be a bit far away from Auckland. (This is not a criticism. I just happen to live there at the moment and my thirsty Subaru is a problem)

3. The most significant off-putting aspect for me is that the Enduro format seems a bit hard to figure out and slightly daunting. I possibly haven't tried hard enough get info on it, but the info does seem a bit scarce.
I have trouble with the concept of how/why you get penalised for arriving at a checkpoint 'early' - isn't it a race? Also, how are you supposed to work out your average speed on a bike that doesn't have a computer or even a speedo on it while at the same time my pocket calculator brain is figuring out the best line across a set of tree roots or mud hole? By the same token, the results are a little hard to understand. I see riders who have obviously battled away for more than a couple of laps yet they get hammered with a big fat DNF after all their effort!

4. One of the aspects I've liked most of all about the Cross Country is the simplicity of it. No MNZ licence required (I've bought a couple of day licences = expensive). Just sign in, line up, dump the clutch, ride as fast and smooth as you can until the 'Race Over' screen flashes up (GNCC series) in the timing chute. Very shortly after finishing the results are posted and very detailed, courtesy of bar code lap timing. I've really enjoyed analysing/comparing the lap times at home. It gives you an amazing perspective of the event overall. How far behind top ten, how many seconds per km behind age class leader etc. Also I'd dearly love one of those shiny pretty GNCC medals one day. I'm probably not the only one. Even a lower level tangible momento of the TTR event eg. cheap little badge/certificate might appeal to other magpies like me. Just a thought.

I like to be prepared and have some idea of what I'm up against before I attempt it. I made some basic and frustrating beginner mistakes at my first CC events that put a bit of a damper on the enjoyment factor. I guess I'm not looking forward to 'Houring Out' (whatever that means!?) and I'd definitely like to avoid A DNF on my timecard (Do I carry a timecard with my during the race? Do I need to take a pen? Dumb questions are better than dumb mistakes!)

Sorry for the lengthy post but, having said all that, I enjoy the more technical terrain and I definitely want to have a crack at Enduro. I'm probably one of many dozens on the fringe of the scene who should be getting in amongst it but just need a bit of a prod (eg. maybe a Big TTR sandwich board at trail rides sign on tents?) and a bit more info on how to compete.

Cheers.

BTW Mike, I think the concept of Top Trail Rider Enduro is an excellent one, thanks to all who organise and put effort into making this sort of thing happen.

Mark.

[Ktmboy]

Camchain has a couple of good points.

The riding and tracks are top notch but...and a big butt is the organisation for the novice rider.
I had numerous people ask me how it works. I would have thought an information sheet written in laymans terms would be a good idea for the beginner as well as a thorough explanation from the crew.

Also the movement of the checkpoints, or rather lack of identification, well at Riverhead anyway, was annoying.
The last check of the day was in the pits area and was crowded with people hanging around. I didn't see it and sat there for a few minutes. Cost 150 points at the end of the day.

Over all the concept is great and good for the kids as well (although their races along with the novice is way too short)

[marks]

Like Camchain I am a recent return to trailbikes except I've never done anything competitive before.

My son (20) and I have been discussing having a go at one of these and intend to go to and watch one of the upcoming rounds.

Is there anywhere we can find out all the noob info like....

Do our bikes need working lights? how quiet do they have to be? How does the race format work (as Camchain elaborated) etc etc.

It would be really helpfull if the was a noobs guide to competing in the TTR on a website somewhere.

some videos of actual TTR rounds would also give an indication of what the riding is like.

cheers


Mark

[cheese]

I'll be keen to doa couple of teh GNCC series to see how I go, but yeah the MCNZ license is a killer.

[CRM]

Similar position - I'm 47, got back into riding a couple of years ago for the fitness and fun aspect but find trail rides a bit tedious now - the young fast guys on their MX bikes tend to take the fun out of it sometimes for us noobs.
Something a bit more structured would be fun. After chatting with Mike B @ The Farm and going for a ride with him I'd love to give an enduro a go but it would have to be local and relatively short for the old guys who aren't quite there yet.- but hey there's lots of us out there!

[Ktmboy]

Hope you are going to this weekends Enduro at Huka, mad if you don't as this would suit.

[camchain]

Agree with KTM Boy. If same course, I did the trailride at Hukerenui the day after the enduro there last year. It's top hill country and bush riding but serious clay, so slippery when wet. Well worth the drive up there. One of best rides I did, I rate it a lot better than Tango (which was infested with fist size gravel). It was solid riding the whole loop, no gravel roads - which to me are like annoying ad breaks in the action movie of my days riding.

Haven't been doing the gym work so may have to opt out ungracefully...

[Buddy L]

i like coming out of the trying bush section and pulling onto the gravel, chance to sit down, have a sip on the cammel back, and rest my grip on the grips a little R&R. any more then 100-200m is no good as i would have drunk all of my cammel back. But thats in a GNCC or a race against the clock, if trail riding then gravel is no good.

[ali-s]

I got back into dirt bikes last year after over 20 years off, at 44yrs old. .......
I'm probably one of many dozens on the fringe of the scene who should be getting in amongst it but just need a bit of a prod (eg. maybe a Big TTR sandwich board at trail rides sign on tents?) and a bit more info on how to compete.

Cheers.

BTW Mike, I think the concept of Top Trail Rider Enduro is an excellent one, thanks to all who organise and put effort into making this sort of thing happen.

Mark.

I havn't had a chance to actually get to a TTR but will be looking to soon as and probably don't need to add anything to camchains post as he seems to have voiced what a lot of senior (for want of a better word) riders want to say......so on that note keep the events coming mikeJ, and top post camchain