Trials bike noob needs help

[Night Falcon]

Got the Rev3 back together, started 3rd kick, engine sounds sweat, not even a hint of the freaky rattle sound it previously had! took it for a quick test spin up the street - noticeable power increase and smoother power delivery. Have a mate who is looking at buying one as well, maybe we could hook up with these guys for a ride

[Night Falcon]

Went out for first decent ride after the engine rebuild - very impressed at what these bikes are capable of but theres a lot to learn, like how to bounce them to change direction, just cant seem to get the hang of that?

[DR Girl]

A matching pair. . . . they look so cute together
Give it another a couple months you will be surprised how much you advance. Especially when you have Jim to out bounce

[Night Falcon]

A matching pair. . . . they look so cute together
Give it another a couple months you will be surprised how much you advance. Especially when you have Jim to out bounce

not quite a matching pair...Jim's is a 4 300cc 4 smoker....way cool bike.

[Sidey]

Went out for first decent ride after the engine rebuild - very impressed at what these bikes are capable of but theres a lot to learn, like how to bounce them to change direction, just cant seem to get the hang of that?

Hi Falcon. You gotta get used to steering with your feet. Yup, push the bike around with your feet so that you can stay centred and keep your death grip on the bars light. Try pulling 3rd gear or 4th gear wheelies and waggle the bike around in the air while the wheel is up there. Only little to start with or you'll spear yourself into the ground and the bike will leap on you! Then ride in a straight line on flat ground but crank her over as far as you can without turning. Both sides, and then waggling from side to side. These are the baby exercises but if you can't do them you should ask why before going on to something harder! I take it you're already finding kerbs, bits of four by two and logs to ride along in order to practice holding a straight line. Yeah, of course you are. Silly me!

For the "floating turn", to get all technical on you, find a grassy uphill, not too steep, and start making up then down turns, using the feet to crank her over. When you're sick of that, start doing it with the front wheel in the air. Not too high to start! Find the balance place where you can keep the turn going. At first the bike will probably want to straighten out, then as you mess with it it will go all over the place. Keep practicing till you gain control. You're learning to direct the bike with your "body english" and balance, not by rubbing the front wheel on the ground. This is really handy when the traction is crap. You won't tuck under or highside any more. And when your front wheel is in the air you get most traction because all the weight is on the rear. Max traction happens when you first pull the wheel up. The weight transfer means you have more than the combined weight of your bike and you pushing into the ground. That's how the guys in the videos make the bike jump up big stuff. They generate max traction then pop the clutch on a revving engine.

Then learn the front wheel bounce, just little to start, and without moving to the side. One skill at a time, isolated. Then combine to get more complex stuff. Use the knees. The reason the seat is gone is to increase your ability to use the knees. Push into the forks with front brake on, bend your knees deep and forward, then snap the knees back as the forks extend. Not right back, no need to bugger your knees! Lift up with the hands but don't make the typical noob mistake of thinking it's all done with the arms and shoulders! When you're getting it up consistently (as the actress said to the bishop) experiment with being a bit off centre when you do it. Again, try to push with the feet not the hands. You have to put a bit of side force into the pegs to make the bike go to the side. Obviously I hope, by now. But you can also offcentre yourself (hips, not shoulders) and then pull the bike over with your arms so that it's back underneath you when it touches down, in order not to have to press the tyre sideways. This is harder but can be done when there's no traction.

When you can hop to the side and do a floating turn you can bounce turn to your heart's content by combining the techniques! Instead of touching down after hopping you let the clutch out and float turn out of there. There is also a rebound turn where you hit a rock, tree, policeman etc with the front wheel and use the rebound to generate a floating turn. This one is useful on the trail, and generally you pull a wheelie before bouncing in order to generate the fork compression that you just did (above) by hopping. The less that you smash the obstacle the less risk. The more you smash the more dramatic is the change in direction that you can generate. Again, start small and use a big soft obstacle like a dirt bank. Many trials riders have stifled their riding by going out and trying to do big stuff and not practicing technique. I'm as guilty as most!

I always end up writing an essay in here! I hope you don't mind, and that it is some help. I like doing it because it makes me think about what the heck I'm doing. There's quite good riding info on the trialsaustralia website too, especially the advanced stuff like japzaps and splatters that you shouldn't even know about yet. Unless you are 18 and have been trialling since you were 6 I'd recommend you don't even bother trying. I can tell you from bitter experience that it's hard to teach an old dog new tricks. The double blip is essential though.

Cheers ... Sidey

[Night Falcon]

thanks Sidey....I/we have been lurking on heaps of "how to" type threads including video's but still can't get it so yours/any advice is very welcomed

Was practicing the 3,4,5th gear wheelies yesterday (much easier with the handle bars set back a bit) and doing figure 8's on the side of a steep bank, weaving the bike between trees in tight circles so doing alot of what you suggest. Of course I've been trying the 4x2 thingy (note to self go buy some 4x2) so no worries there. Don't stop the essays on my account; I need al the help I can get! Theres a lot more happening than meets the eye when you watch the pro's manuovre their bikes around...that is for real

[george formby]

Re the "front wheel bounce".... I'm guessing this is using suspension & body weight combined with a skerrick of throttle to lift the front?

I'm spending time with my G/F teaching her the same techniques being discussed here, but she could not lift the front for toffee. Timing sucked. Then while watching Tony Bou & chewing a bowl full of nails she noticed that it's a "double bounce" to get the front wheel up. Was news to me, I've never really thought about it. But she's right. When you watch it being done their is a bend of the legs to get the suspension moving followed by the proper bounce & wheelie. We realised that Jas had been bouncing the bike & applying throttle but their was not enough momentum as the forks unloaded to lift the front, do a pre load or double bounce & up it comes.

Just an observation we made. I'm happy to be pilloried by those who know what they are talking about.

[Eddieb]

I got mine out for a play today, loads of fun but I need a better area to use it in. You might have competition for lame wheelies

[Night Falcon]

I got mine out for a play today, loads of fun but I need a better area to use it in. You might have competition for lame wheelies

I think its a tie on the lame wheelie front, but cool looking bike. Hope to get out on mine tomorrow afternoon for some more practice time if the its not to wet. I feel like I'm improving a bit with every outing so the more I ride the better. These bikes are so addictive...driving to Auckland last weekend I kept looking at the country side and thinking that'd be good spot to take the Rev3

[Motu]

Yeah, I'm always doing that in a car, everything thing I look at is a trials section. Best way to learn is to get out there and enter a trial, playing around by yourself you won't learn much. Having a section set out by someone else (a trials rider) gets you attempting stuff you wouldn't think you could manage, and seeing and talking to other riders you learn how to walk a section and plan your moves. A play rider will always be a play rider.

[george formby]

I got mine out for a play today, loads of fun but I need a better area to use it in. You might have competition for lame wheelies

I see that your washing line is inappropriately positioned. I have the same problem, it's at the top of some steps I want to ride. Damned inconsiderate.

[Night Falcon]

Yeah, I'm always doing that in a car, everything thing I look at is a trials section. Best way to learn is to get out there and enter a trial, playing around by yourself you won't learn much. Having a section set out by someone else (a trials rider) gets you attempting stuff you wouldn't think you could manage, and seeing and talking to other riders you learn how to walk a section and plan your moves. A play rider will always be a play rider.

Definitely on the cards to catch up with someone who knows how to ride these things....but as I don't want to look like a complete noob am keen to get as much time on it as I can. Had some fun today trying to hop over logs and just playing around

[Sidey]

Definitely on the cards to catch up with someone who knows how to ride these things....but as I don't want to look like a complete noob am keen to get as much time on it as I can. Had some fun today trying to hop over logs and just playing around

Hi Falcon. You and EddieB are playing in some huge areas! You both need to go to a trial to see what ordinary blokes can do with these things. Believe me, you will find someone there who rides much better than you and is prepared to spend their valuable time helping you for free. Just wander up to them and ask. Don't envy Eddie, his techno is the model before yours. Technos were pre-2000, Rev3's started in 2000 with the upside-down fork model that caused Dougie Lampkin to go to Honda. Yours is betta! If the clothesline is in the way, bounce off it! Cheese Wayne, trials riding is about obstacles!

That log: lift your front wheel a bit earlier, so that it lands on the log. Then give a second blip of throttle. When you get the timing right you will be amazed at the way it leaps over that thing! You can get Ryan Young instruction videos from Brendon Wadsitworth (Marlborough Trials Centre) in Blenheim (he's the Sherco dealer, so don't tell John that I put you onto him!) or from Paul Arnott in Sydney (the Hell Team). Ryan is a yank, and they haven't won a world champs since Schrieber in 1981 (their only world champ). But Ryan is no fool, in spite of the Tenessee accent. If you go to Brendon or Paul's sites you might find some other things that can be got. Just maybe. Especially Paul's. You can get Trial Magazine there, or just order it direct from England. Welcome to our world! Paul sent me a rear tyre in the post, coiled in three. Steve Armisted uses his frequent flyer gold status to take his whole bike to England, in HAND LUGGAGE! He buys tyres and chains and other replaceables over there, but you gotta admire his attitude.

Eddie: Your bike is jetted too rich (it goes blah-bla-blah-blah) and you are using too much two-stroke oil (by the end of your video it was getting hazy from all the oil in the air! We love the smell of that stuff but do your neighbours?). If it's a good quality synthetic oil you can mix it 75:1 or even a bit leaner. That's 15 ml per litre of gas. Or less. Don't be tempted to add a bit more. Watch the world champs on youtube again. Do you see their bikes smoking? No. They do have brand new rings and pistons, mind you. Check your float level. Then move the needle at least one notch leaner (move the clip towards the blunt end of the needle). See if it's better. The smoother it is, the better. If it is, go one more. Repeat until it stops getting better, then go back to the previous setting. I don't care if you think that getting the carb out or turned to the side enough to get the needle out is too hard or not. I just don't care. Do what I say. You will thank me later.

About the wheelies: Yes, it's a double trouble thing. Whenever you are watching Bou, Raga, Fajardo and company do anything, watch the KNEES. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! There is nothing in trials (or enduro or motocross) that is worse by using use more leg suspension. You get 180mm of rear suspension travel, but even ancient specimens such as Sidey can generate 400mm of leg movement!!!! Bou's bike is better than yours for sure (way, way better, believe me!) but the reason Honda have the world champs is not that. It's because they can afford to buy Bou. Period. Check out the diameter of his thighs. They are made of spring steel. It's not done with the arms, it's done with the legs and the hips. Like dancing.

Teeheehee. So; you thought that because trials is slow that it's for softies and old people? Well it is, just depends on what level you want to go to.

Bye for now ... Sidey

[Night Falcon]

Hi Sidey

I'm pretty knackered after 1/2 hours hooning on the Rev3 so I guess I must be soft or just old or maybe both Take on board what your saying about the knees but in my case its more like knee as one doesn't work as well as it use to...motorcycle accident-don't ask

The log hopping is certainly a challenge when you aren't use to it. My biggest problem is getting past my brains reluctance to charge at a large stationary object without picturing me flying over the bars followed closely by a 70kg two stroke motorcycle waiting to turn me into a bike stand . I did manage to overcome this terror to brave a couple of attempts at a half meter diameter log with what I would call a reasonable degree of success (I didn't end up as the feared bike stand).

In my mind I saw the front wheel lifting enough to allow the rear wheel an unimpeded opportunity to grip the said log coinciding with a blip on the throttle gracefully elevating bike and rider up and over the deceased tree to the amazement and jealous on looks of my fellow noob trials riding buddy. The reality was somewhat less dignified as I came to a complete halt as the bash plate wacked the log and Newton's 1st law of gravity tried to squash the wee fellas against the fuel tank

Undeterred and with a voice now akin to a boy soprano I gave it another crack and did manage to acquit myself a little better and even managed to get over the log....in a fashion. My giving up at that point had nothing to do with Jimmy laughing his head off at my lack of technique but rather that sagely voice in my head reminding me that discretion might be the better part of valour.

I have no illusions that becoming anything like a half competent trials rider will be easy, but at the very least it will be a lot of fun trying....which at the end of the day is the entire point of my buying a trials bike!

cheers
NF

[Ocean1]

The reality was somewhat less dignified as I came to a complete halt as the bash plate wacked the log and Newton's 1st law of gravity tried to squash the wee fellas against the fuel tank

Double blip.

Blip one: flex knees and lift the front wheel onto the log.
Blip two: pump the legs as the front touches and immediately lift the bike again.

Not a good example, but you get the timing idea...



Next week: Splatter!