rabie

while it could be done if you wanted to, defiantly not allowed under acu rules (tyre has to be commercially available)

are you sure - the timekeeper bit is all for timing racing (ie road race, enduro and mx, etc) where accuracy to 100th of a second is needed, etc - looking at the handbook for accuracy of less than 1 second no licence is needed (p64 2009 handbook). IMHO the page needs a rewrite to cover the advent of electronic timing in mx and enduro not just road race, but it should be irrelevant to trials (no one has ever it seams written the rules down for a special test....).

it's a real pain in the a*** without a bead breaker (i remember doing it with a sledge hammer and still struggling), luckily my old man run a tyre centre and the revelation that a a tyre changing machine is (with the adapters for bike tyres) makes all the effort of doing it manually seam such a waste - often these places will fit you tyre to your wheel for a price of give free fitting if you buy the tyre from them.

we too are in a big centre with a lot of events and there is regularly more than one trial on every weekend. what they've done down here is to split the centre into regions ("groups" - East Kent, North Kent, Thames Valley, Star and South Coast) and once a month (2nd Sunday of the month) each group puts a trial on (ie 12 months x 5 groups gives 60 trials). that way the other 3/4 weekends a month are left for club trials and centre trials. it would seam the centre trials are thus a little bit harder (or group trials a little easier) and a bit more special in the scheme of things. yes we still have a crowded calendar, areas of many trails and areas of few trials. the guy guys from east Kent aren't so keen to visit deepest West Sussex and vice versa while the easily accessible areas get lots of traffic from other centres. with the wisdom of solomon the centre (which i guess is mostly trials clubs) should try and get the club to resolve their differences (it's in the club's own interests) without being dictatorial (the old ways of a holier than thou permit secretary or comps committee surely are long in the past), as if a club truly wants to clash it should be allowed to (however the clubs on the extremities will suffer in this free market - an example of market failure).

my old man runs a tyre depot and have most trials tyres; Michelin and IRC are by far the most popular for modern trials. IRC is really popular because of the mud down here (rocks, what rocks?) and make a tubed version. He has Dunlops but no one seams interested in them. He has Michelin Lights, but the verdict is still out. The Pirelli MT43 is the middle of the road it seams (in price and quality it seams), used a lot by pre65, etc type guys, the current ones are both Tubed and Tubeless. All the enduro guys who need a trials tyre tend to get these. For the budget end my old man stock Vee Rubber, and for beginers, pre65, etc he gets resonable feedback which considering it's price - circa a third of a premium tyre - seams justified. Mitas also make budget trials tyres, again similar feedback. Bridgestone used to make one (TW24), not sure if it's still available (could find out though), and i think there is another budget brand called "Cheng Shin" (defiantly do TY80 tyres). If you've a mx bike (19" rear) and need a trials tyre the cheat (other than get an 18" wheel) is to get a old speedway tyre - loads going about all the time. Think that covers it all (would love to know about any others), obviously performance on rock is key up north, less so down here ....

Pop up and watch Sidcup's centre trial on 17th and see it in action. as jordi says everything down here in the south east is paired colours (sort of like the big photo in this thread). If you are new to trials look out for local "group" trials (see http://www.nktc.org.uk/ - Sidcup are a member of NKTC) these are once a month and are easier than centre trials (like the upcoming Sidcup centre trial on 17th). Also watch out for Beginner and Wobbler trials that most NKTC clubs run, these often feature an easier route (often yellow) that real newbies can ride (ie on an enduro bike) Back to the general question of trials marking. It would appear there are 20+ ways in the 20+ centres. I think our way is great, and other think their way is great - so why upset someone to change it (what are the benefits - seams small to me, versus the enormous costs?). I have to admit, instead of square if we had triangles, so we could arrow them (like the photo) then the confusion could be avoided, but it seams most people are happy with the status quo. BTW we use red and blue (ie left and right) for our two LDT trials and the confusion that ensues by deviating from the "norm" is shocking!

we use Arrow T50 stapleguns (link) to put up our trials cards, absolutely certifiable heavy duty! top of the range stuff maybe OTT for you. also i think there is a company in TMX that do seat repairs, and/or try your local upholstery fixer (ie fix broken sofas, etc - tend to also do car interiors, etc)

Good to hear from you mate, see you about soon (you'll find me at all Sidcup events!)

as above; a) its a ***proposal*** to your centre's AGM, where you can vote against / for it because it's your local centre, there not a lot the rest of the ACU can do about it and it's your local issue (ie respect local democracy) c) the more philosophical issue is the fundamental problem/issue about how should a centre as the permit issuing authority arbitrate over dates. should they restrict the "market" (centre area) to one centre trial per weekend (or other variations as per), and whatever decision you make in this respect will upset someone. d) the alternative to this is a free for all advocated by some (which given that a club could just run the same event under another federation eg AMCA is very real), which will leave to the survival of the fittest, however this does have down sides - in the process you'll have (as the original email mentions) lack of observers as events clash, land lost as less successful clubs fold, clubs on the periphery (geographically remote) will suffer low entries (leading to less events, etc), while riders will get bored of riding the same venues in the middle/easy to reach areas all the time. e) as to traditional dates, yes many clubs have a date that works for them for a variety of reasons, and we know that some of these clubs may need a bit of a wake up call, but at the same time, tipping them off a date perhaps forgets the complex reasons why they arrived at that date in the first place. the fixed rigid nature of bits of the trials calender (ie knowing the x trial is the 3rd Sunday of y month) thus the balancing act to be struck is hard (wisdom of solomon). it is easy for outsiders sitting in their own centres where they may think things are all rosy and the different ways of doing things elsewhere seam strange (and thus wrong) but let's respect their own decisions to make.

thanks for the replies guys, i've ordered it it. phoned up John Collins MCs in south wales (who wasn't sure) and beta UK (who weren't too sure either) but we'll see if it does fit. I'm have to admit i'm in no way mechanically minded, but my old man is (but not very computer minded at all) - so we get there in the end.

in the nicest way possible they are the "budget" range of trials tyres, alongside Vee Rubber and Mitas, Pirelli's mt43 is mid market with Dunlops, Michelin (X11 and light) and IRC the top of the range. i don't think you can get the bridgestone tw24 anymore .....

my old man has got at least half a dozen with i think more at other branches - give him a shout tomorrow on 01322 615 060

it's the shaft that the flywheel sits on that is broken. my old man thinks that if the bore and stroke of a 94 is the same as a 99 (72.5mm by 60mm) it should be usable... (all sounds way to technical for me!)

I've a 250cc Beta Techno (1999), that i lent to my cousin (some time ago now) where upon he broke it at a trial. Among the things that broke, the crankshaft snapped in half. Having been paying off my student debt mountain, i haven't been overly rushed to fix it, but i now spy on ebay (here) a 94 techno 250 is being broken up, and the crankshaft is going relativity cheap (Beta UK want circa

we've phoned Michelin (4or5 times!), who saw the item can't even be pre-ordered, but if people have em then maybe we've been doing something wrong.

the few guys who have had them (best as we know - and i've spoken to michelin - only the rears are out, no fronts) is that yes they are lighter and do grip, but there was some concern about how quick one would wear out. not herd any feedback yet about use in mud at the time of year (IRC's are just so popular down here). would like to hear more as they aren't that much dearer (and ym old man has been selling a few)

check out some sites like; http://www.southeasttrialscombine.org.uk/ - site for all local (kent, sussex & surrey) acu trials clubs, got list of dates for 2010. for some more local stuff try http://www.nktc.org.uk/ - the umbrella group for clubs in west kent some local clubs; * Bexleyheath http://www.motorbiketrials.com/ * 55 - http://www.doublefive.co.uk/ * Owls - http://www.owlsmotorclub.org.uk/ * Sidcup - http://www.sidcupmotorcycleclub.co.uk/ - i'm from this club there are many others but these are the ones with websites re the classic scene many events will have a pre65 class but they'll be on the red (easy) route and most are cubs, a few big bikes (500 AJS, etc). some events have an easy route (for everything form trail bikes, kids on 50's, sidecars, and pre65 rigids). there are several specific pre65 events out there, often with a variety of routes so the rigids are on a route suitable for them. we (sidcup) have just run our big pre65 trial (have a look at the results, and the programme and see the kind of bikes being ridden). there are also some other big pre65 trials locally such as the eastern thumper up in Essex in November, the three musketeers (nr Reading) on the 1st weekend of January, the Talmag (200+ riders, 1000+ crowd the one to go and watch!) nr Aldershot at the end of January, etc (just look for pre65 events on the dates list of the first site). The other thing in particular will be to look out for when the dates of the wobbler trials the NKTC clubs will be running in 2010 (we'll - sidcup - put on 2, October and November- there is normally one a month), which will be an ideal place for you to have a play in a pressure free environment!

where abouts roughly (county/town) are you? there are many events with beginners routes, pre65 routes, twinshock routes, etc

depends upon the section. i can think of some where i've observed (under the old TSR22A) and i've said i'll give a one for any sort of stop, and while it was tight, it could be ridden non stop by the very best (so they cleaned rather than accumulated ones for stooping and readjusting themselves!) - i these circumstances some of the aspiring guys on that route will accumulate the ones because they can put all the bits of the section together into a non stop motion (ie to clean rather than get ones). but what jordi says is also true, some sections a guy riding non stop will power through for the clean, while someone trying to be too clever will loose marks. i think it very much depends upon how the course is laid out, and even then what the land allows you to do. To lay out an expert course (we typically run at least 3 routes in the South East) or even an Elite (expert route with even harder deviations) you are often struggling with the terrain that we have to get something in that is tight and hard enough for them.

re ishy's point - i appreciate the good humour you show with the question, so let phrase a counter question. Rugby League vs Union, it's all still rugby to an outsider, and certain parts of the world (wales, southern england, etc) enjoy union while others (northern england, NSW, etc) enjoy league. now does the division make their sport weaker - of course it does, on the other hand the wisdom of Solomon couldn't decide which one is right and should emerge triumphant. re down south type sections - the harder routes can be ridden non stop by the very best, but the riders who are "aspiring" need to gather their thoughts/regroup/etc after each obsticle (because they are on top of each other, round tight corners, etc).

re stress ECG and stuff, to get an FIM licence, my understanding is you need the medical that includes the stress ECG. However as John Collins is mentioning my understanding was that as a foreigners at an event all you needed was the "start permission" (ie the repatriation insurance) for around

well the Saturday is free, centre trial on the Sunday (see http://www.southeasttrialscombine.org.uk/s...2010-2009.html) might be worth asking the guys at Freestyle (http://www.freestylebikes.co.uk/) as they do an arena demo at East Sussex county show or something. obviously there are issues over insurance and stuff but it's been solved before, etc

we (as a sport of trials) fail to get all 21 centres to sit in a room, with the mandate to do something/anything - because we can't agree to give them the mandate and we can't find the time to meet. even a large committee of 8 (the trials and enduro committee) thus fails to represent us all (only 8 of them, 21 centres) effectively enough to make such decisions. Even if we could do all of the above, it's plain to see that there at least 21 different ways of running trials, meaning some sort of national grading (which enduro is also crying out for, and despite it's existence doesn't work well in mx) would require us all to agree on some sort of common standard (which plainly ain't going to happen!) a triumph of democracy and/or localism i say!

OK this is a real complex one, mostly dependant upon how much you want to wing (chance) it; as best as i understand it you should turn to page 118 of the 2009 handbook, where it talks about is more commonly know as "start permission", basically it cover your medical costs abroad and more importantly (and crucially) your medical repatriation costs (ie they send you home to a UK hospital in a private plane IIRC. because your going for in effect the international licence i thus think you have to go through the (expensive) medical including stress ECG. So veering away from the kosher way, you can wing it to varying extent; a) A lot of the mx guys who go on these mx holidays to the states, get specialist travel insurance to cover them As you say, use a French address, join a French club and get a French licence. if the French are awkward and won't give you a French licence or accept your UK (ACU) without start permission, try getting a Luxembourg licence (the lower one excludes start permission - ie the insurance) - this has been used by many riders over the years.... i know all this sounds overly complex but when Stephen Sword got really hurt at a MX GP in (what is now east) Germany, the insurance got him on a private jet back to the UK, etc. The system is not set up for guys who just hop across the channel to France/Belgium (or any Irish rider coming over here, or us over there). best bet is try speaking to the Trials and Enduro dept or licence dept at Rugby ohh and bon chance!

the "problem" (in part) with the ACU form is its a form for everything, that's why it's 6 pages long (and then there is a 2 page guide to hlep you fill it out), because you could be also getting your licence for Road Race, MX, Enduro, Grass Track, Speedway, etc, etc - where stuff like medical self certification does "waste" lots of space. In part to resolve this there is now a two page Trials only form but your concerns is still valid. The reason is as in the threads above to prove you belong to an ACU club, and for most riders it's rather simple - would help if all clubs were ready with their 2010 membership when the ACU sends out the renewals in October (because we haven't ever been at our club!). Now this and other bits of it are very OTT when compared to say the AMCA day licence (that i remember filling in when i rode an AMCA trails 3or4 years ago) or the other federations that i see through MX and Enduro (ORPA, BMSA, YSMA, IOPD, etc, etc). The reason thus that we keep it like this is from a legal standpoint we are carrying out best practice, by gathering the information and making the rider answer/declare several things. some would propose that we are too lenient - for road race they make people go on a theory course, then wear hi-vis for the first few races, and then only after several races can you race real "road" course....