What Got You Started

[hensley]

Its really dead here on the forum and especially dead in my area. Feel like im the last one left in Sw Missouri but I'm not ready to turn the lights off. Ive been trying to stir up some new riders mainly thru local woods and Enduro guys. Maybe the poll should have stated what would best get people involved in trials.

My personal story I read about trials bikes in dirt bike magazines in the 70s bought a used one at a local dealer was introduced to the sport events by a co worker rode one year set out 25 years went back i guess reliving my youth and have ridden 5 years since

Edited December 6, 2008 by hensley

[dabs alot]

I rode motorcycles since I was a kid, there was a local trials club here in Marshall MO in the 70's, but going slow never interested me. I got away from dirt bike riding in my 20's when my buddies all quit riding. In my 30's I was getting bored with street riding (I wasn't having fun unless I was breaking the law) so I bought a dirt bike again, before I got too old. The more I rode the more I realized that I liked the slow technical riding so I got on the internet looking at trials and found the Trials Training Center. I booked a weekend of CrossTraining 101 for vacation. Tony Bussing put me on a trials bike and he practically had to drag me to get off of it at the end of the day, the other people in the class were done, back at the lodge relaxing while Tony patiently waited for me to push my limits until I got to the point where he was afraid I was gonna trash his bike, and then he finally said we should probably call it a day. I was hooked, I cam home, called up the local trials club, MATT, came to their next meet on a Sunday, met Dale Malasek, bought a used bike from him the next day, then quickly it was an obsession.

Steve Eichelberger

[zippy]

Dad was heavily into riding trials in the 70's and early 80's. He got quite good and rode a few nationals. I started on a TY80 at 6 yrs old in 1979. rode for about 8 yrs or so. Got interested in Skateboards, guitars, and girls (not necessarily in that order) did a STUPID thing and sold my TY175 that I had at the time. Many years pass during which I married a wonderful lady (cuz she puts up with me) had the first 2 of my 3 kids. And felt the tug of trials for a long time. Wife finally got tired of me whining and gave the green light to ride again in about 2000. Kid number 3 has come along, first 2 no interest in bikes, but that's ok they said I can get free tech support with my computer from them , 3rd may be interested so far he likes anything with a motor.

[dan williams]

My first bike was a basket case Bultaco Matador that my ex-brother in law brought back from the air force in four boxes. So my parents didn't have an issue with him giving it to me as they never thought it would run again. The next two bikes were Alpinas in the same shape. The Alpinas planted the seed and then reading Dirtbike Magazine, (remember when they covered everything and not just motoX and Enduro?) fanned the flames. The clincher was a trials demo at a motorcycle show in Boston where I saw Ron Commo Jr. face plant going over a van. I said I gotta try this. So I sold the Maico and bought a Can-Am CMT-310 and headed up to my first event in Vermont run by Ron Commo of course. It was so slippery most of us beginners had trouble getting out of the parking lot and only did one of two loops with lots of entertaining crashes for the checkers. Ron knows talent because there was one young kid he personally took around on a second beginner loop while the rest of us duffers licked our wounds back in the pits.

The kid that did both beginner loops? Geoff Aaron

[axulsuv]

I started in New England too ! First bike ... a brigs&stratten powered , comet clutch equiped mail order mini bike (that had front AND rear suspension ! sorta ) Bought w/out motor and without parents knowledge with my paper route savings ... It arrived and I at about 8 years old put the kit together in our basement . Much to my dismay it sat there engine less for about about 3 months . Then came Xmas and low and behold There was a New sears craftsman 5hp B&S engine to go in it ... Then needless to say it got put together and since my big brother got home from school before me , I didn't get to ride it much ... But along came a yamaha mini enduro 60 (when they were still new !) and entries in the netra jr enduros ... Then a Suzuki ts90 (3/4 sized w/rotary valved engine ) Then we saw a trials event and watched Don Smith (his first year on a yamaha I think) and another young man battle year in year out for the championship . Dad got my brother a tl125 when they first came out ( to keep him out of trouble ). and we started riding Trials. My Brother Got a Full page photo of him in the world round in Rhode Island in Cycle World mag ... ! Back When Trials was Destined to be THE motorcycle sport of the future !!!

But life moves on and my folks got divorced , I moved to Cali with my dad . And although I never stopped riding and competing , trials just faded away for me . And then as a single dad with 3 little kids I move to SC , and see a Clip on espn of Geoff Aaron doing a show in the spring of 04 and the embers in my heart Bust into flames And I find myself back Competing with the BEST BUNCH OF ENTHUSIASTS involved in any motorsport !!!!!!!!!!!! And Don Sweet is still one of my Hero's ! I heard he's a grampa now . His Dad used to always help us when my mom towed us to a event back then with her volkswagon 411...

Glenn

[johnkennedy]

i live in the home of the scottish six days... and some family members ride aswell

[motovintage]

we used to practice trials on our bicycles to hone our skills, by the time I was 10 in 1972 I had restored my first dirt bike, I got a yamaha enduro next and these bikes were so versitile you could cross country, MX or trials ride them, I bought my first trials bike when I turned 18, and have owned a trials bike ever since, I also own enduro bikes and road bikes

[dan williams]

And Don Sweet is still one of my Hero's ! I heard he's a grampa now

Yeah Donnie's still the smoothest thing I've ever seen on a bike. When the RTL Hondas came out and Donnie got one it was poetry in motion. I saw him a few months ago when he came out to spectate and watch us duffers flail about. The man is definately a class act.

[nzralphy]

As a 10/11/12yr old delivering news papers i used to hang-out at the local small honda dealership - they imported the Ossa's and had a MA special that i used to sit on for weeks. They gave ma brochure and i was hooked. I found a couple of books in the local store - I read them for years. Finally dad an i went halfs in a new TLR200 when i was 18. Dad didn't enjoy it so i brought his half after 6 mths. Actually i don't remember paying for it. Thanks Dad. I got in touch with the local Ixion club (see it on the web). For me it took off. I loved it so much. i road all the time. I eventually got a TLR250, then TLM220, Fantic 243, 245, 240 pro (I needed the cash), 245, Techno, and now the Rev3. I have competed in the SSDT in '88, 89 & 90 with a few Kiwi mates. Can't get enough of it.... I can turn a fast time at the 6hr H&H race and am quick on a road bike.... but to be honest i love my 'Trials fix" in my own land

Ralph

[baldilocks]

Dad had a trials bike shop and I was even worse at football than I am at trials.

Holidays included the SSDT and Aberfeldy, rode them as soon as I could.

used to spend the school holidays in the workshop or testing bikes in the car park

suppose there was only ever going to be one outcome...

Ive tried to pack in trials twice but accept now that its somthing to enjoy even when your an old git.

[copemech]

Ive tried to pack in trials twice but accept now that its somthing to enjoy even when your an old git.

Agreed, the only motorsport with a class for old gits! I can go as fast as I like, and nobody cares if I have a change of undies! Or just slowly roll off some cliff, same outcome!

Going to a trials is like early onset altzheimers, every day is different!

Edited December 8, 2008 by copemech

[b40rt]

Dad had a trials bike shop and I was even worse at football than I am at trials.

Holidays included the SSDT and Aberfeldy, rode them as soon as I could.

used to spend the school holidays in the workshop or testing bikes in the car park

suppose there was only ever going to be one outcome...

Ive tried to pack in trials twice but accept now that its somthing to enjoy even when your an old git.

Are you based in Scotland/Uk ? Aberfeldy 2day was a great trial when I rode it.

[wri5hty]

my dad was m/bro club captain my mam was youth secretary and my older brother (ten years) rode trials so i just grew into it in a way. i don't know if it was because of this or the fact i was rubbish i never quite got into it as a youth and ended up quiting when i was old enough to go to the nice warm pub rather than the cold wet moors, stayed away for about ten years then got the itch again and came back on a beta synt ( now there was a mistake) helping set out and ride trials and now have a regional and national c of c badge. i got my gas gas at the start of this year and have done more trials this year than the three previous combined love being on that bike. and in some sort of strange way enjoy doing the harder trials i never thought i would have a chance of doing a few years ago. theres nothing better on a Sunday than a good trial with a few mates and a couple of pints after. i just hope the British weather might be a bit kinder to us next year

[kjax]

How the trials bug bit, I really can't say, perhaps it was a two part bite. I was hanging around a local Michigan dealer called Precision Cycle that sold Hodaka & Montesa primarily. I purchased 1971 Montesa King Scorpian (my first new bike) and shortly afterwards began looking for a used Cota. The first was 1969 (w/the big hubs) that was followed with the purcahse of a lighter 1971 Cota 247. I think the owner of the shop (who by now had finally hired me) who was big into trials at the time was a prime reason I started riding trials. Another very good friend (my age) bought a older Sherpa T so we decided to ride our first events together. We rode our first trials (I think 1972- maybe 1973) and were hooked. At that time the novice class in the MOTA was big. In fact many local events then would attract 200+ sign ups. At that time, promotion was mandated by points so Gary and I found ourselves riding the Champ class by the end of our first season. He rode on to be MOTA champ in a few years while my interest was spread over MX, off road, street and trials, so I continued to ride trials on and off thru 1976. I sold all of my toys (race cars included) in 1978 and became a workaholic business owner. I returned to off road in the early 1990's and to trials in the late 1990's. I still mix it up to this day. I ride 3-6 trials events each year while still keeping my interest in Enduro and HS events here in MI. All I know is that I can ride a trials on Sunday and still make it to work on a Monday feeling a little bit sore. After an Enduro I am in pain for 3-4 days! (and it costs a lot less to compete in trials too!)

Let's just hope that the Import Tax being discussed in the other thread does not happen! I am going online to my Congressman today!

[biffsgasgas]

My dad was riding Enduro's all through out the 70's in upstate New York. He found that a tire lasted two events. Chains lasted one event and Monday mornings were hard to move. He got my sisters to ride motorcycles but never really endorsed them riding competitions. In about 79 he was talked into riding a trials with a buddy on my sisters hodaka wombat and was hooked. I was 3 at the time and broke just about any bike i got my hands on riding non stop. In about 84 I had saved enough allowance to buy my 75 tl125. I couldn't touch the ground so to start it i used the kick stand. Broke off many o kick stands that way. I loved that bike and my parents knew it. The would punish me by draining the tank and not giving me fuel. In about 86 i started riding competitions in western new york. Eventually in about 89 i updated to a ty350. All through out highschool i was the nerd who led this double life on a trials bike. Eventually when college rolled around and several bikes later i decided that women and cars were more important and i sold the motorcycles but kept the trials bicycle. Cars were so much more important that I decided that I wanted to get into the industry. Durring my 8 year tenure I found scca and road racing. Realizing that i would never have the money for anything like that women aren't as stable as a trials bike i decided to buy myself a gasgas as a graduating present. My job allows me to ride when i need to ride and this sport allows me to keep getting to work on mondays so i am hooked. Only since college have i really taken the sport as serious.

--Biff