hannon

In today's modern age, trials riders must not 100% bank on the support of factories. We see this even in Sx and Mx. Riders need to sell merch, make/sell videos, have a strong social medial following on FB/IG/YouTube with lots of followers/likes/subsribers/etc (most sponsors are looking for influence and impact on the general public for ROI), teach schools/classes, do shows, fund raise, get smaller sponsors (even maybe non moto related sponsors), have local clubs help fund raise, etc etc Just different times. The 100% factory gigs are few and far between.

It seems we are leaving an era when top riders helped sell bikes and into an era where social media influences, FB, IG, YouTube, etc are more desired to help sell, promote, or endorse, products. I think bikes are still being sold both new and used to some degree, but the number of people in competition is stagnate, if not in a decline. I see many people buying bikes to just free ride, ride trails, cross train for enduro etc. In the past most people who bought a bike joined a trials club and participated in or worked on/in events, currently more and more people are just buying bike to just ride, train, and have fun. Only the people who are really into trials are the ones competing now; the die hards.

Does anyone really know how much suspension tuning top riders are doing? I see some riders post that they are using aftermarket "factory" tech forks, but what is the different. It just seems interesting to me that in any other form of motorcycle riding, suspension is so important they are testing constantly, but yet no one is offering to valve, or spring (and as far as springs you can find stiffer than stock but not softer), trials bike suspension aftermarket; at least in the US there is 1 person I know of willing to work with the rear shock, but no one for the front forks. If anyone as had the chance to ride any off-road "big" bikes before and after having the suspension set up by someone who knows what they are doing, can appreciate the huge different in comfort and performance.

I have a friend who is about 110pounds who is having a hard time finding softer shock and fork springs for his 2017 beta 4 stroke, anyone know where to get softer springs? He has taken all the preload out and it helped.

Interesting that Casales takes a 5 where Benoit cleaned it, Fuji cleaned it, Dabill cleaned it, I wounder why as they are all rivals....time? Also looks like some spectators where in the section on Fijardo causing him to stop before doing the gap.

Am I the only one who misses the quali live stream w/ DL12? Just like anything we can check the scores, but that isn't how the drama unfolds in real time. If we are going to have it, show it. It is bad enough that they take a full day, sometimes 2 days, of 3+ classes and butcher it down to 26 min; all while the Japanese national events are putting out multiple 20+min videos every event.

It is interesting you don't hear much from the riders themselves. Not in that they should be complaining that certain riders get away with things while others do not, but as in a more open opinion about which set of rules they prefer; stop or no stop, and what difficulty is safe or not. Seems like we could easily compare and contrast the World events being no stop vs the Spanish Championship being stop allowed and see about difficulty, injuries, arguments w/ checkers, number of enters etc.

http://www.gasgasuk.com/gas-gas-is-not-closing-2/?fbclid=IwAR0chuh2mrf_qT0UdeuZRddmauxipf7VCJSmqgUkCVUiM0nprOz3e07FgG0

Similarly, you can what ever rules but if the observers are being told to "not be strict" by the FIM/authority/representative.....which resulted in nearly a 1hr discussion as to what amount of stoppage would be accepted and what constituted a 5......even for non-biased observers this creates issues

It is always easy to sit back days later and watch a video and judge what should have happened and who should have seen what etc. I would highly recommend everyone experience volunteering to work a world round. I would also add that working a world round event isn't easy. There is lots of pressure. Many of the competitors argue, minders are building kickers, keeping track of time, messing with the iPad etc. Additionally I know here at the last US round the FIM representative told us to not be strict on the no-stop rule. Personally as a rider my rule is to never argue with the workers and sometimes you win some and sometimes you lose some; thankfully I don't have much on the line like the top world riders.

Not trying to change topic to Fuji but..... What about this stall around 11:30.....any comments?

Anyone else surprised there was no team from Japan?

I've used alpinestars for many years and really liked them but haven't used the new model. Which brand of trials boots has the most toe protection, and/or strong shank, is what I would like to know.....tired of bruises

check out this article https://www.joomag.com/magazine/mag/0716551001416757092/p54