rustystevens

Thank you all for the help. I enterend my first trial on 8/9/15 (last Sunday) and had a blast. It was mostly a climb fest, in and out of a gully with a creek and loose shale at the bottom. I tried (and failed) at some of the easier sections, and skipped others. The drop in to access the creek that the sections were based out of was intimidating. I shut the bike down and watched rider after rider dissapear over the edge. A young and inexperienced rider stopped next to me. He said " Wow! That looks scary! I'm new to this too." I agreed and tried to calm my nerves. He then started his bike, said "well here goes nothing", sat down on his bike and walked it over the edge. This was what snapped me out of the fear haze. "Oh yeah, I can walk the bike anywhere, and the points don't matter." I started up the Fantic, jumped up on the pegs and rode it down to the creek bed. The other thing that stuck with me was there was a rider that watched me make it 3/4 of the way up a hill that was required to get out of the gully. I laid the bike down to keep it from sliding back down. I got off and was able to slide back down the hill to the creekbed. I was apprently looked as defeated as I felt. The other rider parked his bike, came over, and offered to ride my bike up for me. When we got to the top his bigest concern was that I was still having fun. In fact everyone there was supportive of my lack of skill and was more interested in me having fun than what I was scoring. I've dabbled in drag racing, circle track, and having my son race karts. This was the most supportive group I've met. The event was self scored, and really laid back. Trials is the best motorsports hobby I have tried. I'm sure that at the higher levels it's cut-throat but at the club level it seems pretty mellow. All of the other motorsports are cut-throat and poitical. Not sure if the experience is the same in all trials clubs, but it seems to be that way in Western New York.

HTRDoug - Thanks I now see that you mentioned Honda CR... I'm stupid and missed this somehow. Thanks for the info. lineaway - The bike is wearing a set of Sticky/Soft Renthal grips that I had laying about. The grips that were on it were shot. I purchased a set of Domino Trials grips (from the only trials shop remotely close) and found that other than the smaller donut (the reaised portion on the inside of the grip) the length and thickness are the same. The Renthal donut isn't getting in the way yet, so I'm hanging on the the trials grips as spares for now. I haven't had an issue with the shifter where it is, but will take your suggestion on moving it up and see how it feels. My feet are so short that I have to slide the left foot out on it's heal to contact the lever and change gears. capper - What do you mean by cranked blades? The lever height is set so that my wrists/arms/fingers make a straight line from a normal riding position. Thank you all. I never thought I'd have so much fun riding so slow.

Thanks, at least I can see that there are options... So what bike should I ask for as there are no optioms when ordering levers for a '90 275 Fantic?

A picture of the new baby using my son's '90 MX-5 as a kickstand

Hello all Picked up a Fantic 247 a couple of weeks ago. Not bad on wear for a bike this old. Here is my question. I have really short fingers, and the Domino levers are nice if I was riding a regular dirtbike I might live with them. Riding slow, hard lock turns, single finger grabbing the levers... Uhg... So are there any other levers compatible with the mounts that I have or do I need to get a set of Honda CR (or other Jap) mounts and front master to put a set of close pull levers like the ASV's? Thanks Rusty PS I swore off Italian bikes after a '97 Ducati 900CR and a second job as a Guzzi mechanic to pay for the maintenence on that bike... See how well that worked.