malibudon

I rode the Dixie Cup back in the 1990s. It was great then and it sounds like it's still great. Thanks for the report.

I am extremely saddened to hear this. When I used to travel up to NorCal more often for events, Mike Fenner was one of my favorite people to see.

"There can be some discussion there as to what 'passing through a gate' means, but it was described at our meeting to treat these gates as though they are like a yellow ribbon inside the section, dividing where the riders are to go." I would describe "passing through a gate" the same way as at a section entrance or exit--if the front axle brakes the plane, you've passed through the gate.

Hillary is correct. Unless you want to just click-and-hope, you must use an SLR. Perhaps a point-and-shoot camera that allows comepletely manual operation--both focus and exposure--might give you a fighting chance, but those features are usually in the province of more expensive point-and-shoot cameras. Point-and-shoot compact digital cameras were made for snapshots, not for shooting sports action.

You don't have to abandon the AMA to support the BRC, CORVA or other groups. If you'd like to get an example of the AMA involvement in off-road issues, you only have to look at the Riverside Co. fiasco. They were all over that. They didn't win, but they certainly fought for us. The AMA also held off the closing of much of the Mojave Desert for years, until both Feinstein and Boxer made it in. The AMA can't do it alone. They have to have support from the grass roots. People have to make calls, write letters and attend meetings--yeah, all the fun stuff. To get an idea of what the AMA is up to, you can go here: AMA Rapid Response

You may need to do nothing more than disassemble, grease and reassemble the linkage. While you're in there, you may find some parts that need replacement.

I agree. It doesn't look like a Unicam head to me. OTOH, the right side of the motor doesn't look like a two-valve design, either. I had been hoping Honda would do something really unexpected with the motor design. They have some interesting pushrod ATV motors (including a liquid-cooled, four-valver!) with dry sumps (integrated into the motor!) to help shorten the height of the motor. Or maybe a motor with an oval piston! Or, something we've never seen before anywhere. Instead, it seems the big surprise is the fuel injection system. If any trials manufacturer is going to get EFI right the first time, it's Honda. I wasn't looking forward to kickstating the bike until I kicked over a 450R ATV. It's an easy kick, if not always a first-kick starter.

You probably aren't panning the camera. You need to follow the action of the rider to reduce motion blur, especially if you aren't using a flash. The most common cause of a poor trials shot is a stationary camera. The telltale sign--everything is sharp, except the bike/rider.

Invite SOFA and perform a human sacrifice!

Here are my tips: 1. Always use a flash, no matter how bright the sunlight is. 2. Use a strong flash. Don't worry if it costs more than your camera. 3. The camera should be able to shoot flash photos at 1/250th or faster. 4. Get close. 5. Prefocus. 6. Set the exposure manually. 7. Anticipate the action. 8. Get the rider's face, unless you're shooting a shot from behind. 9. Shoot lots of frames and don't be shy about dumping the bad ones. 10. If the shot is not in focus, throw it out no matter how good the action is. Here's a typical shot of mine. Minolta Dimage 7i. Minolta 5600 HS (D) flash. f/8. 1/500th.

So, when is the Inaugural Bear Mountain Trial?