charlie prescott Posted January 31, 2012 Report Share Posted January 31, 2012 Hi Guy's. Just thought I better post this into the right spot. It is time to consider every option we have to get new blood into the sport. And OTF has already said they have this type of class in the Peak Classic trials , so there is a start. Anyway this is what I posted onto Pre 65. Just think about it. :thumbup: Hi Guy's Hi ElGringo. What you have said in your piece, makes me think, that what a friend and I have been thinking, is probably one way forward to get more riders into the sport.CHEAPLY. What we were considering was a "Trick-Shock" class, where the only stipulation for the bike being built would be. "A"] to use and air cooled engine of any origin. "B"] drum brakes, and "C"] two shocks on the back, any thing else would be what you have to hand or find kicking around. Example. I have a New Chinese 230 engine sat in the back kitchen price Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
totalshell Posted February 1, 2012 Report Share Posted February 1, 2012 no. three central reasons. 1. although even rideable pre 65 bikes are not cheap and competitive bikes can be very expensive, it is still possible to have a competative ride on a 100% pre 65 bike if you choose your class and bike carefully ( yorks classic vintage two stroke classes in thier pre unit trials for 100% mechanically genuine pre 56 bikes) so a bike for a grand is possible and competitive. 2. genuine twinshock spanish italian japanese bikes are plentiful below your 'grand' self imposed minimum and are backed up by a growing number of niche and mainstream suppliers of reproduction spares to keep genuine trials bikes useable and competitive 3. your bitsa built from chinese fun bike and pre 65 spares bin with japanese front end is laudable but what about billy must win's swm motor in a t45 new built copy of a modified 240 frame with 38mm mazzochis billet yolks alloy tank and tubeless tyres that it will inevitably end up competing against.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motomike Posted February 1, 2012 Report Share Posted February 1, 2012 Would this class of bikes ride in express trials ? Forget it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grahamjayzee Posted February 1, 2012 Report Share Posted February 1, 2012 Interesting, and I like your thinking. I think the sentence to focus on here is 'gettng new blood into the sport' and therefore the main points to consider are how to inspire people, and how to avoid de-motivating them. Cost may or may not be an issue, but a modern mono can be procurred and run for less than Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bilc0 Posted February 1, 2012 Report Share Posted February 1, 2012 2. genuine twinshock spanish italian japanese bikes are plentiful below your 'grand' A few years ago yes but this is fastly becoming not the case, A good trial ready twinshock are selling well beyond the grand now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guy53 Posted February 1, 2012 Report Share Posted February 1, 2012 I think a few of you are missing the first point: the guy with an old running somewhat resembling a far cousin of a trial bike could go and try trial '' without '' spending less than a 1000 dollars euros or any other curency. Guy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monty_jon Posted February 1, 2012 Report Share Posted February 1, 2012 A few years ago yes but this is fastly becoming not the case, A good trial ready twinshock are selling well beyond the grand now. But what Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old trials fanatic Posted February 1, 2012 Report Share Posted February 1, 2012 (edited) Think it only appropriate to add why i have introduced a Trickshox class to our trials. I have noticed, not yet at our club, nationwide that the Twinshock class is starting to go the same way that "pre65" went with people "modifying" their Twinshocks more and more to get them to perform more like a modern bike and quite a few, think John Bliss Cotswold et al, are becoming a quantum leap ahead of a typical Ossa, Bultaco, Montesa etc. Now i could have just as easily called it a Specials class and on our website under machine eligability it does refer to them as Specials or Trickshox. To be honest i dont care what you call them but what i do care about is that riders of fairly genuine Spanish Twinshocks are not dissadvantaged and end up butchering them too just to stay competitive. Now i know Charlie is coming from the "pre65", god how i hate that term, point of view but i have introduced the class solely as a class for bikes that do not conform to the machine eligability rules of our club. I dont want to turn anybody away but i dont want either to see us ending up with over modified super trick bikes that cost a fortune dissadvantaging the riders of more "period", another term i hate, machinery. Lets be honest most "pre65" bikes nowadays are so tricked up and modified that they are realistically Twinshocks anyway and could compete on an equal level with and probably easily out perform a std Bultaco etc. Also we have in the past detered owners of modified air cooled monos fitted with two shocks from entering, i still have my reservations, but they now have a class that they can compete in along with all the other bikes that dont fit the eligability criteria for British Bike or Twinshock. For this year i have included the class which will ride the Expert route only as an experiment and we will see how it goes. Incidentally i have also put up a trophy for the best Pre unit over 300cc on our new Classic Intermediate and Classic Expert route to try and encourage some interest from owners of bigger machinery. Lets put it this way is it fair that a Spanish twinshock fitted with tubeless tyres and rims, modern bike front end and loads of billet or a Fantic with a late reed valve motor and modern bike front end alloy swing arm laid down shocks etc can compete on equal terms with a "std" Ossa Bultaco etc? Personnaly i think not so that is why we now have a class for the more trick bikes be they British, Spanish, Italian, Japanese or just a bitza built in the shed. Just take a look at the new elegability rules the Spanish have introduced for this year they are far more draconian that what we are proposing. Come on guys be honest for once why did you fit a Sherco, Gas Gas, Beta whatever front end if it wasnt to gain an unfair advantage and dont tell me the tubeless tyres and rims are not there for the same reason too cos i dont and wont believe you. But this is now no problem as there is a class for you at our club so if you choose to ride your Trickshox as a Twinshock and somebody protests it then on your own head be it. After all you are still riding the same trials course just competing in another class. The other reason for introducing the class was that i refuse to let mega trick bike dictate the severity of our trials, come on we have all seen it happen with more steps, drop offs, tighter and tighter turns etc, thereby affecting the less able riders who would then be put off riding. That is not what our club is about and is also the reason i have restricted the Trickshox to the Expert route. Lets hope it's sucessful but at least we at Peak Classic are trying something new to keep the sport of Classic Trials alive here in the Derbyshire Peaks. Just wanted to set the record straight. Edited February 1, 2012 by Old trials fanatic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jon v8 Posted February 1, 2012 Report Share Posted February 1, 2012 I think - and its only MY opinion,that you can fiddle around with classes,argue about eligabilty etc forever.BUT Twinshock trials must surely be the cheapest form of motorsport by a country mile.So the first point is,what does anyone expect to spend ? I'm told that fishing or say clay shooting can cost thousands,wheras trials bikes are slowly going up in value.So if you dont like it after a few trials,chances are you will only lose the cost of the fuel to get there and the entry fee's. My club,Bath Classic MCC does not have any awards,you can look at that two ways,first off it means there are no rows about using this or that on a particular bike.Secondly nobody much has ever moaned about no silverwork,a couple have suggested that a B route cup would encourage the novice riders to try harder.From a personal point of view I dont think it matters,I just like reading through the results and seeing who has beaten me or if I've trashed them.(And I think we all work out who we are similar to in terms of ability and judge ourselves against them - even if we never admit it.) I think its ALL down to marking out - put on trials that people wont find intimidating,esp the novice or clubman route.And making sure that newcomers are welcomed and helped.We try our best make sure people are included,and join in the banter during the trial,cheer them when they have a good ride or help if they are struggling.A few gentle words of encouragment esp with machine prep,tyres too hard,cant get grip etc. Nearly every trial we run I get returning or novice riders phoning and asking if they can ride and what they need to take part.Its very nice to be able to tell them how little they need,bike,helmet,boots and 12/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grahamjayzee Posted February 1, 2012 Report Share Posted February 1, 2012 Jon, I think we align! I can, however see OTF's point of view. This class is riding the EXPERT route and therefore the bike limits the severity of the sections and ensures that expert riders continue to be challenged without being killed off! The may KEEP riders in the fold, but I suspect it won't bring many new ones in, as Charlie had hoped. I can see value in ensuring an old Montesa etc is welcomed, but if that is owned by a newbie (usually because they are 'of a certain age' and the bike had some resonance with their youth, in my experience) then it is unlikely that the bike will be the limitting factor, as long as there is a route suitable for it and the rider. This comes back to the trial and how it is laid out again. So, as I said, I'm with Jon! Graham Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bilc0 Posted February 1, 2012 Report Share Posted February 1, 2012 But what Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andy m Posted February 1, 2012 Report Share Posted February 1, 2012 Everyone has a point, I am with Jon on this. Golden Valley had around 100 riders on Sunday,numbers were down, some were at the Talmag. A good mix of Brits and T. shocks, a few eligible on monos.Their next trial is fully subscribed (March Hare road trial) They are busy as it stands so they don't need other classes to confuse things, although it's understandable why in other parts it's needed, maybe the numbers are down ?? At grass roots level which we are talking about the main thing will be keeping bums on seats and everyone happy, if silverware is introduced then you will get a few chasing it. Keep the silverware for the darts brigade surely. As Jon has said before nothing seems broke down the South West so it don't need fixing. Trials can be a cheap motor sport, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul w Posted February 1, 2012 Report Share Posted February 1, 2012 BUT Twinshock trials must surely be the cheapest form of motorsport by a country mile[/quoteI must disagree with this. I recently saw an Aprilia climber change hands for Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andy m Posted February 1, 2012 Report Share Posted February 1, 2012 Road Racing see's this every season, they get round in by having a "one marque" series, CB500 honda's a cheap bike with a few tweaks and away you go, its the rider that counts. its along these lines that we need to think. Now that reminds me....... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RX0fIuJLO0M Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul w Posted February 1, 2012 Report Share Posted February 1, 2012 Ahhh.......RD250LC's..........many happy days in Louth general......."yes sir,i'm afraid its another broken collar bone"...."Oh Dear" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.