grahamjayzee

If anyone's ever read any of my comments on observers and sports officials, they'll know that I am a defender of fair play. With any sport, the rules are there to be played within and sometimes that boundary is a little 'flexible'. However, when it is deemed that the line has been crossed, there should be no argument. This is a classic example; it doesn't matter what has gone before or who has got away with what; you get caught, it's game over, take your punishment. The thing about this incident is it is so clear cut. Has anyone had a word in Mr Alderson's shell-like and suggested that unless he wants to take up gardening, he ought make some reparations? I'm sure he's no dummy, but there must be members of every club in Britain viewing this website and a kangeroo court could make his trials life incredibly difficult. There is little room for defence here, but I don't like trial by media/ web forum! It would be a very good thing for the sport if someone could put a gentle arm around this lost sheep and guide him back to the flock with some good advice and a well thought out apology. Surely someone on here is in this position? Graham

I'm always on the lookout, but you have to be patient. One poor approach and doors close for a very long time. I found some land at the weekend and met the landowners. They are very nice but it is clear that a lot of relationship will need to be built before even thinking about broaching the subject. It's a perennial problem and one that won't upset me. Until I can find somewhere to practice, I shall content myself with being pants! Graham

I don't Tom, that's the point! I could either do that, or build up brownie points at home so I can ride a trial instead. I'm fairly fond of my family, so that's what I tend to do! I ride trials every 3 weeks or so and in between think about where I could carve a legal section within a few miles of my house! It's a cross I have to bear, but it doesn't stop me enjoying my sport. It just stops me being any good at it! Graham

Thanks B40RT, I WAS having a bad day and now I have to explain to everyone why I'm sat at my desk blubbing like a baby! That's one of the most inspirational and moving things I've seen for a long time. Graham

Sorry Tombo46, I'm not particularly sympathetic! I have nowhere to practice and do sypathise that time is precious so losing a day is irritating, but you had a lot more options than me and many others on here! You got some practice in the end (I cannot practice at all without a 140 mile round trip, which I don't have time for) and as pointed out earlier, you could have helped out at the classic trial. You have much to be thankful for, let's not moan, eh? Graham

Smalley, I'm with you here. Something needs to be done because off road bikes are too easily stolen and not so easily identified. Way back when I was young, poor and naive, I nearly made a very big mistake. I'm not proud of this story, but it's worth thinking about. I was new to trials, and had a knackered fantic 175. I was offered via some friends a Beta Zero for the sum of

Congratulations Gaz and Mrs Gaz! My riding gear always smells fruity. That's fear for you...

Agree Mikey Boy. Spend a little more and be patient. There are plenty of bikes used for 5 years by clubmen and thoroughly looked after. Find one like that and you won't go far wrong. I've also found that bikes that are trialled are more likely to be looked after. You lose marks if the brakes are poor, the tyres knackerd, or rogered bushings stop the suspension working properly, so you fix them. If the bike has just been used for 'fun', these things are far more likely overlooked. You'll need to be patient with

If Greeves managed to get that far through development with just

There's still time for me telly to break. You never know... Nothing as smug as a welsh burd...

I have basic advice for buying anything secondhand; spend the most you can afford and buy the best you can. If you try to save money, unless you are in the trade or somesuch, you usually end up spending more and have a long period with a 'project' rather than a bike! I know, I had to stop trying to save money because it was costing me a fortune! That said, it sounds like bottom end, but even top end you are looking at a few hundred quid. I got a 2001 250 Rev-3 for

Look, I'm an English bloke with a Welsh wife. I'm going to have a hard enough six natoins without you picking on me as well!

Big bloke, plays outside centre for Newcastle Falcons. Don't spill his pint and if he tells you to buy a Greeves, get yer cash out...

Blimey people. I'm staggered by the negative receptions new bikes seem to get here, and from the help you guys have given me I know you are good people, so I'm guessing you are trying to be helpful! As far as I'm concerned, the more manufacturers the better. With regards the dynamic capabilities of any new bike, they are far above mine so are pretty much irrelevant for the likes of me. I would ride any bike without affecting my scores much! Having Greeves on the tank may be enough to tip it for me, you never know. I'm sure Greeves (and indeed Xispa) read all our comments and sift out relavent points, but after several pages of general negativity the marketting departments are probably juggling razor blades in the executive bogs! The timing may be unfortunate, but thank God we have entrepeneurs who are prepared to have a go regardless of market conditions; if everyone plays cautious we will be in this recession for a long, long time. Let's applaud Xispa and Greeves for providing us with another offering. After all, noone is forcing us to buy them... Graham

I'm trying a pair at the moment. I'm a returning wobbler but find them more than adequate. They gripped OK in the mud/ sand at the Cambridge Matchless trial yesterday and loss of grip was my fault. Certainly, they don't feel as horrible as I remember the Pirelli to be (fitting that WAS a mistake!). I guess it depends on your ability and the terrain. I'm not looking for the final 5% of performance yet, and these tyres are fine for me at the moment. Graham

Morning Neil and welcome. I think a call to John Lampkin (his number should be on the Trials Central homepage) should sort you out. Graham

I'm trying out a pair of Vee-Rubber tyres and they are turning out OK. I managed to find grip at The Matchless trial today and it were properly muddy! I shall keep you all posted, but with my current state of ****ness, the tyres are not a handicap!

Yamaha have just announced a 2 week suspension of production, so maybe not. It's going to be very tough this year for the auto industry in general and it is a collosal supply chain. Let's hope all our beloved automootive companies can batten down the hatches and pull through.

Does setting up cure ugliness? If so, can I have a go?

That's a shame. It does noone any good for companies to fold. Let's hope they can find a backer quickly and get up and rolling.

Yes, nearly cost me my Rev3 to the M25! Carabina straps for me...

Completely agree Wherry! I am presently working on an electronic replication of an IC powered bike! It has to have some similarities with a gas bike if it is to gain acceptance. I'll keep you posted Graham

Like the cut of your jib! Years ago when me and Skov were learning to get our knees down on road bikes, we devised the 'virtual knee slider' that would detect when it was close to the road and vibrate and emit a 'screeeeeeeeeeeeee' sound. The proximity would be pre-programmable so you could get the effect whilst virtually upright. The advantage of this system is that you could wear them on your office chair as well...

You make some good points ridgrunr. I too was involved in RC aircraft and for me the aircraft were just a vehicle to fit cool motors to! I would acquire a motor and then think about what to bolt it to, they were the main driving force in the hobby. However, whilst I never really had starting problems, the noise is always an issue. Even in a field in the middle of nowhere, the high pitched whine of a 2-stroke aero engine carries a long way. As a result, you can **** a lot of people off all at once! Do we need comparable performance? It would be nice, wouldn't it? But what if they took away our gas engines? I think I'd be a lot more tolerant of performance downgrades if it preserved my sport! Also, how many great experts take to twinshocks and pre-65 bikes when the sands of time catch up? Going from a modern mono to a 500 aerial seems to me a much bigger backwards step than the 10kg addition an E-bike may cause (That's a guess, by the way!). I'm not dissagreeing with you though, we all need convincing to put aside our preconceptions and fears and performance on a par with our current bikes means we have less to focus on and can get on with evaluating the bike. I am working on the 'transition factors' and identifying very specifically what it is about gas bikes that make them what they are to us. From then on, it's just a control issue and should be more than possible. Agree with you about tank range; I ran out on a trial before Christmas (my first time out on my Rev3 after a long lay off); that never used to happen on my Zero or Fantic 241! Graham