What Were Your Most Common Mistakes When You First Started Trialing?

[flyingpeach]

Hello Guys,

I've just started trialling after spending a few years racing cars and I've got a big hang up telling me that I'll never be able to trial.

I haven't ridden a trial bike before and it seems totally different to a road bike or Motorcross bike. I feel like I need to control the power with my clutch for one. Can anyone tell me where you went wrong and how did you get it right?

Cheers

Dean

Edited November 19, 2008 by FlyingPeach

[motofire]

Hello Guys,

Can anyone tell me where you went wrong and how did you get it right?

Cheers

Dean

I think the biggest mistakes new trials riders make is they try to do the big,cool things. Like big ledges or rocks.

The best thing a novice can do for practice is find a flat field and work on turning and slipping the clutch.

[fivemeister]

To a certain extent - you are right about controlling the power with the clutch.

As a beginner, you can only ride as slow as is required without stalling if you feather the clutch. Get used to ALWAYS covering it with your forefinger - ready to pull it in if the bike rears up or to stop the engine stalling when riding ultra slow or braking hard at the back.

Practice really tight turns - lock to lock - as slowly as you can by feathering the clutch.

One of my biggest faults was coming in to fierce with the power (big wristful at the bottom of slippery climbs) and braking traction before I had even got started. The secret is gently and SMOOTHLY away.

[fellonmelug]

Clutch control is very important but you should really look to the throttle for power control ! A flat bit of ground with a few old pop tins to act as flags making the turns tighter as you go . Practice really does make perfect

[andy m]

Stay off the the night before or at least keep it to a minimum.

[grahamjayzee]

Welcome!

Same old advice really. Turning, throttle and for me, back brake. One thing an old pro told me was that the front wheel is just there to put the back wheel in the right place! It didn't make much sense to me until I realised that sucess in a section is about finding and maintaining grip. If you practice figure 8s or cloverleafs and do them as slowly and as tightly as possible, you won't go far wrong.

Oh, and get trialling! One trial is worth 10 day's practice; you'll learn what you don't know very quickly, but there'll be loads of people willing to help you.

Good Luck

Graham

[wetfeet]

for me its was just getting on the bike

[copemech]

Putting my feet down too much!

Still like a dog, like to leave my mark in a section!

[bowellsyboy]

Get a slow action throttle if you havent got one already. Just put my fast action in the bin as was getting me into to much trouble!! Cant believe how much its helped my riding since changing. Everything seems that bit more smooth and less aratic

[fivemeister]

Just put my fast action in the bin as was getting me into to much trouble!! Cant believe how much its helped my riding since changing. Everything seems that bit more smooth and less aratic

+1

[nzralphy]

As a young guy i practiced by doing figure eights everywhere and on any surface/slope.

When i started to get it together the biggest error was dropping my heals and not standing upright like a tree, or dropping a sholder in a turn and not standing upright like a tree. Be like a tree.

Ralphy

[axulsuv]

Turns , turns , turns , Slow relaxed and as tight as you can , for as long as you can ... Like Bernie Schriber said , Most of what you need to learn about riding trials can be learned in a flat prking lot ... Learn to relax and let the bike work underneath you ...

[scorpa3]

It took me a while to realise that I was awlays dabbng to the inside of a turn becasue I was putting too much weight on the inside peg.

Slow throttle is good advice.

[dabber]

It took me a while to realise that I was awlays dabbng to the inside of a turn becasue I was putting too much weight on the inside peg.

Slow throttle is good advice.

Agree with all of the above, but lean into the turn whilst weighting the outside peg and really think about making the most of any dab.

[lee harris]

I did a trial school here for a weekend with Mick the Man and he had us doing 8s on flat groung with our left hand behind our backs. NO CLUTCH.

Only little throttle but all weight.

As above, in a trial you wont loose any points on big steps cos there wont be any in the starter, novice routes. You will put feet down in turns. at the bottom, in the middle and at the top of this banks!