grumpyoldman

I tend to stop/stall the bike in gear and then get off and fiddle it into neutral by hand. Beginners try out time for me as well. Or just try and start it in gear with the clutch in and forget neutral altogether.

Me!! My local club has just left the ACU and the other is AMCA but doesn't require registration (as far as I can tell). I joined the ACU last year as I did an LDT and was about to get my trials bike but I didn't receive anything other than a membership card from them until a week before it expired, when I started getting the worlds most boring (for me) newsletter by email and I'm still receiving it but you need a membership number to unsubscribe, which I don't have!! I would guess the nearest you could get to a figure for annual active members is the average entry per trial over a year multiplied by the number of clubs. I have long wondered what any professional organisation does for it's grass roots members - my architectural body serve no purpose to me other than registration to trade and all for a mere £200ish per year. They like attending all the freebie shows and posh functions though.

That's the trouble with FI as there is no tap on my KTM 950 so I get out of the habit, although there is one on my trail bike but I don't seem to forget that so much. Not had any problem during a trial but if it's on it's stand then there is no reason why it wouldn't leak then. By the way, are the prop stands designed by people who live on rocks or with plenty of trees to lean against - no use in a nice muddy Sussex field as it just keeps on sinking. Sorry, getting OT.

Mine leaks if I leave the tap turned on after riding. So far I've leaked all over my nephews van on the way home from a trial and in three different places in my bike shed. Trouble is I either forget to turn the tap off or can never remember which way is off (now use 'back - off') as my reminder.

I had a days session at Tricks in the Sticks in Kent. A great introduction to riding a trials bike and really set up my confidence although I am still sadly lacking in the ability department. Jason was a good teacher and will tailor it to what you want and can do so no 3ft diameter logs in the first half hour. http://www.tricksinthesticks.co.uk/

I have the Dave Cooper rack on my Freelander and it works well (apart from it being on the limit of my lifting ability because of my dodgy back but there is no way a Mini would take the weight. Check the noseweights from this website - quite an eye opener as most cars with the racks are probably illegally loaded. http://www.caravanclub.co.uk/media/22442/thinking%20of%20buying%20a%20towcar.pdf

I can't even reverse a trailer yet . I certainly wouldn't try it your way - you wouldn't get 20 seconds down the road over here without getting stopped. If it's only 10 minutes I'd pay for the gas at your prices.

Is that gearbox sprocket small enough? The chain looks almost folded to get round it.

Clever link to another topic More valuable if that, as it runs both ways - so to speak.

I'll have the Guinness please but not the advice. All I would do would be to leave a long scuff along the drive or grass if I pushed it forwards. If the damn thing had a seat like my insurance company wanted it would be easier.

So does that mean the oil makes the clutch slip and drag? Seems like to from the myriad of clutch posts and topics. Need to un-drag mine soon.

I was pushing it backwards, not forwards, so I could put some weight on the back wheel to release the clutch.

Thanks for that reassurance - it seemed ok at the time. A hell of a shock when it started so easily though.

I have yet to get round to doing the clutch mod yet so when I ease the clutch before starting the bike I put it in 1st gear and then stand astride the bike and push backwards until it releases. Except on Saturday it fired an ran within 6" of pushing, with no choke or fuel on!!!! Never thought about until I stopped after a 5 minute run round the field but do they run backwards and did I do any damage? And NO - the gearbox didn't work in reverse!!

As a beginner, the only downside I've found is the left foot kickstart on my Rev3. All my bike kicking life had been right footed so I now have a hole in my left calf from the third attempt to start the damn thing. I have got used to it more and always use my left foot but it still feels unnatural and awkward. Trying to use my right foot from the left side resulted in a painful ankle from twisting. My 2003 Rev 3 was £1k and it is a cracking bike - but I did buy it from a known source so I knew it had been looked after far better than I will do it.

It's probably cheaper than petrol Just in case someone thinks it does - No it doesn't.

I put STP carb cleaner in my KTM tank for the winter and then take it out for a quick blat as I am a fair weather road rider and it keeps the carbs nice and clean with no running problems. Not so relevant here but it does clean the innards up a bit.

As a beginner, stopping is difficult anyway as I haven't learnt how to balance properly yet. I assume the no-stop is to prevent people standing there for half an hour trying to get lined up but equally I presume they will need to simplify some more difficult sections to compensate.

You can get gardening gloves in nice lairy colours now so they can match the bike. And wear blue surgical gloves over them to keep them dry.

Fair comment. Makes you wonder why an 'off road' dealer that covers, MX, enduro, trail and trials can't make things work off the back of a road bike shop. It needs to be dedicated otherwise you just get the 16 year old kid R1 fanatic advising on which bike to get. I will ignore the P&H's of this world as I have never been impressed with them anyway. As far as I know, there are only two trials oriented shops in the south east. One near Tunbridge Wells and the other in Maidstone, which narrows the options a bit. Ironically it's one of those situations where the little guy can't really make it work without diversifying. It's similar to my golf club...the pro only stocks expensive gear and then moans when everyone goes to M&S or Debenhams or buys discounted stuff online - it's not a moneyed club so why stock just the trendy clothing etc?

Is that really true though? I can't believe that subtle® gear wouldn't sell in sufficient quantity. The lairy stuff only sells because it's all you can get. I don't mind a reasonable price but some of the prices seem crazy - £100 for a pair of trials pants - why? I can buy good waterpoof breathable enduro trousers for less than that. I know some stuff is cheaper (Wulf) but that's about it as far as I can see. Dressing like a Lampkin and riding like a 2 year old really doesn't work. You look a pillock. I'm trying not to go there.

That sounds similar to the spiked wellies that I have seen for sale as wet weather golf shoes in France!!! My training day at Tricks in the Sticks last June was in t shirt, jeans and mx boots - I've still got the scars from the left foot kickstart in my calf.

No blonde models down here sadly. I won't even wear trials clothing as it would look stupid on my 6'3 57 year old body. And it's ridiculously expensive. I've got a plainish pair of mx jeans and some cycling tops for summer use and I wear my trail riding waterproof trousers in the winter wet or a cheapo pair of thin waterpoofs over the mx jeans. Why can't you get plain and inexpensive stuff?

As a beginner muyslef.... rule 1 is to try and practice slow riding in the garden, field or somewhere else legal just to get the feel of riding so differently. I was lucky to also have a trials instruction guy near me so a day with him made a huge difference. I was so slow first time and wanted to die by the end of it. At my age I forget the routes between laps. I often need to ask where the yellows go as they are nowhere near the good guys route and I frequently get lost half way through a section. It's great fun and everyone pretty much without exception is friendly and helpful even if they haven't a clue who you are. By the time you've done 2 laps of 4 the good guys have finished and it gets much quieter. I've done a couple of enduro practice days and hated the attitude of the quick riders who don't give a toss for your welfare and are way too aggressive for a sensitive soul like me who just wants an occasional nice run out without the restrictions of the lanes. I'm sticking with road, trail and trials.

It's just yet another unnecessary action - you should be able to SORN until you decide to re-register.