hillary

When you say it fouls, do you mean it stops the bike or misfires. I had three 4RTs and they always ran very black plugs but this never caused misfiring/or poor running. As I understand it, the injection system is virtually infallible, certainly the bikes have excellent reputations. Are you looking at the plug because you want to or because you need to?

I said to Paul when it was too late (Sunday night) he should have given me a call to take over the drive, I'm sure I could still have got it round. Missed a real opportunity there. Well done, I would love to have a go again. In fact I had a very brief ride on Lee Granby's outfit on Sunday night, and I can still handle one.

There is a change to the direction of the Blackwater loop on Friday as far as I can tell in that riders do the loop anti-clockwise this year, from the top of Pipeline. Several of the sections have different names from recent years, but where they are or what they are, don't know. Which brings us back to "Buy a Programme" - sorry can't be of more help.

A great trial lap length about 10 miles I suppose (or that's what it seems), take your usual stuff, or if like me, nothing!! Sensible trial, missed it last year but going this year and looking forward to it.

Bernie Schreiber, Martin Lampkin with John Reynolds and Malcolm Rathmell, 1979. I think they were taken on Saturday, on Ben Nevis in the left hand gully on the sections near the top of the gully. It was the year Mart and Malc battled for the win and Mart lost the trial when he fived one of the middle subs on the Ben.

YOU WILL NOT be pubbing, drinking, breakfasting, telly watching, snoozing, staying dry, you WILL be out at the crack of dawn like me. Scotland is not a holiday, you have to work at it to be a conscientious spectator, so let me tell you that now Gizza.

So why did the Dabster lose 22 marks, only eight fewer than the Class F winner, and not win his class and lose a dozen more than the Pre 75 winner? Jim Royle's remark is best suited I believe!

I've just posted out the programmes for next week's Angela Redford Trial and though we put a limit on the entry of 125, we have exceeded that and there are 145 names on the programme. It has been said that clubs should stick to the cut off number, but when the event is obviously popular, it's a recognition of the club, the trial, the section plotters and the organisation, so we've taken riders until the final closing date. As Diggler has already said, all 20 sections will have one route only, blue marker on the left, red on the right, simple as that. All sections will be rideable by all classes - in fact it's a traditional trial, just like the title of the series.

Even though I'm a columnist on this website, I can't manage to originate a thread, so have added to this thread which is the nearest I can get. For those interested in the Traditional Trials Series, don't forget that the Angela Redford is on March 15, 2008, which is the third round of the series. Entries close on March 8 and already the number is up on last year, but we don't want to turn anybody away who wants to ride. So, the meassage is to get that last minute entry into Mike Rapley asap. It will be a superb trial with lots more land coming into use this year, and having been out marking out, it really will be well worth a ride.

Renthal chain certainly is made by Regina. The manufacture of chain is a highly specialised process and the costs of setting up production for a limited range of chain sizes required by the bike market could never be recovered. Renthal looked long and hard at the world's chain manufacturers before deciding to have their product made by Regina. Renthal, probably one of the most conscientious companies ever to have existed, provided the specification to Regina who make the chain to that specification, which is higher than the general specification for chain. Few people are likely to be aware that Andrew Renshaw, the Ren of Renthal, and one of the two originators of the company, served his engineering apprenticeship with Renold Chain, so he probably knows as much about chain as anybody, therefore, if he is happy to have his product made by Regina (as against any other company), then I assume he knows what he is doing. Few folks will also be aware that Henry Rosenthal, (the Thal in the Renthal name), who rides a Gas Gas, uses spockets and 428 chain, which is one size smaller than the conventional 520 chain that everybody else uses. He uses 428 chain because the loads on the chain created by a trials bike can NEVER exceed the failure strength of a 428 chain, therefore using 520 chain is simply over-engineering, whilst increasing unsprung weight. It's easy to be critical of any company, but if you look at the facts with greater circumspect, you would know that when a company like Renthal, who are without doubt the world's biggest manufacturer of handlebars, supply original equipment to the bulk of the world's off-road bike manufacturers, and who have for 35+ years built a reputation for excellence, witnessed by the hundreds of world and national titles won using their products, supplying a product that is inferior in any way is simply unsound business sense. I know this sounds like an advert for Renthal, but I have no connection with the company, except that I have used their products exclusively for 30 years and have never found them wanting. I also know Henry and Andrew fairly well and it's simply not in their ethos to produce anything (or have anything produced for them) that does not live up to their own exacting standards. Sometimes folks, you have to accept that they know best!

Thanks gents, got Nick's number and spoke to him tonight. Read all about it in February's issue of TBM.

I'm trying to contact Nick Morgan who rode British Championship enduros from about 1985 through to 1994 and was the first British rider to finish the Dakar Rally. I need his personal phone number to speak to him about an article I'm writing. The phone number I have for him is unobtainable. PM me through Trials Central. Thanks, Mike Rapley

I went all the way over to the Hull area many years ago to test one for TMX - what a waste of a journey, about as competitive as a Aspes Yak, the world's worst ever production trials bike.

Mark, we spoke recently and I thought that you would make this coming year your last, but if that's not to be, then be assured that you will really enjoy the week spectating. There is one big problem with riding - you see nothing except what is happening with the 20 or so riders around you. Go spectating and you can talk for ages with loads of folk that will know you, you get to see several sections each day and you can be a real expert, advising others on the lines etc, etc. You'll love it. Perhaps we can even spend a day together and I can bore you to death with my tales from years past - perhaps not, I'll be busy snatching pictures. I know that you think not riding will be dreadful, but that's not the case, you'll really enjoy spectating, trust me, I'm a blind man!

Don't know if this will get picked up by the classic boys as this thread has died of late, but Lancs County can confirm that next year's Angela Redford Trial will be held on SATURDAY, March 15 the day before Bootle's round of the same ACU Classic Championship. And the good news is that Lancs County will again be at Brookhouse Brickworks and they've also got a brand new piece of land across the other side of the access road to the start area on the gravel roads below the windfarm. Several members had a look at this new land they've been offered a few days ago and it should prove a superb addition to an already great trial. It has a decent hillside and some really good beck sections, probably 6 or 8 with the remainder on the land used last year, giving two laps of 20 sections as long as 20 observers can be found on a Saturday. Crossing the road isn't a problem as it's simply a case of crossing, not riding along the road, so taxation/road insurance shouldn't be a problem if you need to push the bike across. Regs will be out in the new year with all last year's riders sent a copy. Entries will be on a first come/late number basis, so be sharp with a maximum of 125 and last year we had 122. Mike Rapley

It's a sidevalve engine - as it was rumoured to be. In the past they have been sluggish and gutless, but with modern technology, who knows. It will certainly reduce weight and lower the centre of gravity.

December 8 and January 5 for Clerk of Course/National Steward seminars, classic and miller series dates also confirmed

Thankfully the majority of respondents to this original posting are very much in favour of John Shirt's reportings on this website. If you are an importer of a product, and that product is your lifeblood, then it makes good business sense to promote that product at every available opportunity. So John Shirt sensibly produces a report of events and outlines the results of his riders. If he has good business sense he also supplies regular editorial material, including suitable photographs to every other publication that is likely to use them. Let me say now, that as a long time journalist, the material that was used in the paper was that which was supplied editorial ready, well written, clear and concise with good pictures. In other words, if John Shirt had the good sense to do my job for me, then there was every chance his material would get used. He's doing that with Trials Central, and like the editorial contributed to every publication it's entirely up to you as the reader to either read it or turn over the page, or in the case of a website, click your mouse to another subject. Rather than criticise John Shirt for plugging Gas Gas, the criticisms should perhaps be aimed at the traders who DON'T promote their products. In fact, look at my user name, I have the sense (I hope) to make good use of the company with whom I am involved. As an individual I have had the occasional run in with the Shirts, and whilst I don't intend to go over that subject again, at the time the two Johns were actively protecting their product, and for that alone, they have my admiration. As the years have passed, we have all mellowed and I like to think that the relationship between us is stronger than it ever was. They realise that back in those troubled days I was only doing my job, equally, they were doing their best to protect their business. That we fell out is well known, it's also well known that we are again on good terms. I've known both Shirts for nearly 30 years. Young Shirty was a little s*** at one time, but he's grown into a superb guy and NEVER fails to be anything other than 100% with me. Equally Senior tells it as it is, and if we have to differ we do, but our interests are mutual, and that's the long term future of trials. So let me finish by saying that John Shirt should continue to do what he sees fit to promote his product, and so should anybody else. If you don't like it, don't read it, but don't waste time castigating somebody for doing their job properly.

Far too early, try about midnight. Good day, superb weather, probably the fastest Scott in recent times.

I was at the TdN as a reporter/photographer for this website and other magazines and I too was impressed by their ability. Pat Smage is a good rider on a 125 and Chris Florin too, in fact all four did well. Trouble is, they need to ride over here in Europe to progress much further I think. Well done to the lads.

Hillary, better known as Mike Rapley, columnist on Centrally Speaking, will be there for all three events, principally working for YOU HAVE USED WORDS OR A PHRASE WHICH ARE NOT PERMITTED ON THIS WEBSITE. PLEASE DELETE YOUR POST/TOPIC. DO NOT TRY TO CIRCUMVENT THE FILTERS IN PLACE ON THIS WEBSITE and TBM, but if anybody has the technology to get pics from my Nikon onto Trials Central, they are welcome to use the lot. Contact me at the Chesterhouse Hotel or spot me with the Trials Central fleece.

I have the LWB version, almost done 100,000 mile from new and it's a great van. It takes two bikes easily and three with a squeeze and there's always room for kit

I spoke with John Watterson, the motorsport correspondent for Manx Newspapers; TMX's Manx correspondent and a good friend and he told me this evening that he had heard that the trial was going ahead with some limited restrictions, quite what they were he didn't know. This is NOT official, and presumably the official news, one way or the other will come from the organisers, but John has a very good reputation on the island and I don't think he would have told me that if there was any doubt.

Time to administer a minor reprimand. Having ridden this wonderful trial and having taken the trouble to comment upon it in my column, written very late on Sunday night, I rather expected some TC registered members would also take the trouble to make comment to the club about this superb promotion. It's totally beyond my comprehension to understand just how much effort goes into plotting this event and whilst I'm sure that the 200+ riders appreciated this trial, I rather think that the Richmond guys and gals would have liked to read some positive comments about their efforts. No comment may well be a reflection of everybody's satisfaction, but even so, come on lads, have a view. Say thanks where thanks are due. Ask yourself this one question, would you undertake such a massive promotion? I certainly wouldn't.

I had a Sammy Miller hi-boy Bultaco and I have a very good black and white picture of it after I had done it up, about two years from new. Originally it had a nickel plated frame but the picture I have is with a plastic coated frame in black; the tank was painted red and black. If you contact me I will scan the picture and e-mail it to you (don't know how to scan it and post it on here!!)