What's Happened To Trials In The Midland Centre ?

[pjr]

At our Stourbridge trial on Saturday only 14 riders turned up, even allowing for the current economic climate etc this was a very disappointing turn out

I know there was a centre trial on the Sunday but i understand earlier in the week only 16 riders had entered for this event

While we understand that we will probably never see the return to our 40-50 rider average entry there must be something we can do to increase our entries to something near a breakeven figure.

The next Stourbridge trial will be late April early May at Hanley Childe and those of you who know how good the venue is will also know how much work is needed to put a trial on there.

In an effort to increase entries we are considering running on Sunday rather than Saturday but only if there is a positive reaction to this change so please let us know your views.

Your future support is appreciated, we are running short of clubs in the centre who are willing to run trials if this continues surely there can only be one outcome !

Finally i know other centres are still attracting good entries so any suggestions would be welcome

[pears]

I know i have'nt got the answer to the reason why Midland Centre trials are so poorly attended lateley, but i offer you my opinion anyway. I think that people have become far more choosey about when and where they ride, for a number of different reasons - be they family, work commitments, the cost of getting to/from and entering events, event dates clashing, and even the choice of venue can be a sticking point for some i'm sure.

Take your trial at Shatterford for example; it was run on a Saturday, with another Midland Centre trial (road-based), being run on the Sunday. Now I appreciate that you cannot always avoid clashes, but it has to be said (speaking as a rider who preferred to ride the Kings Norton trial on the Sunday), my first thought when i saw the date clash was - that's a shame, i would have gone to the Stourbridge trial, had it not been the day before another Centre level trial. My reasons for this was primarily work commitment Saturday morning, and family commitments requiring me to be at home at least part of the weekend (in this case Saturday afternoon). Also it has to be said, that a few people feel that Shatterford, as a venue, has become over-used, and can be difficult to ride in wet conditions.

With all that said, I myself rode last Sunday at the Kings Norton road trial, and was more than disappointed to see an entry of only 24 I think. This trial normally stands out as a great trial, and to see so few competitors is very demoralising, especially for the organisers i'm sure, who have to put no less effort into organising a trial of this size, no matter what size the entry. I have no idea what kept the majority away, except for maybe another event (Sammy Miller Round at Devon) which may have tempted some away, the only other thing to my mind is the cost, mainly in registering and insuring a bike for the road.

Whatever the reasons may be, I for one hate to see the decline of numbers, because the more trials that get run at a financial loss, will surely see more clubs refusing to take the gamble, which can only lead to fewer trials. In which case we all lose out!!

I for one, am always grateful to clubs/organisers/observers etc for taking the time out of their own busy lives to make it possible for the rest of us to participate in the sport we love - basically without them, we would have no trials to speak of. So, before its too late, why not have more communication between clubs, regarding dates/venues etc. so as to avoid costly clashes for both parties, and also anyone who knows someone who has a bike but can't be bothered cos he ain't got a van, offer them a lift, and share the costs a bit!! It still has to be the cheapest form of motorsport available at around £15 per event!!

We all need to make more effort - or we will all lose out!

[paul w]

its funny but in the last 12 months i know quite a few people that have become disillusioned with the whole club trials scene, some clubs near us are down to under 20 per event with some less than 15 on the main course, why?

Lack of interest?

Finances?

Attitudes of organising club?

Rules?

I Dont know why, all i know is that in 2011 i reckon i rode 35 trials, in 2012 i rode 6,

[jam]

Basically, if everyone made more effort in all areas then trials will be held, but it's been hard work over the last 18 months hence no club trials from Bewdley.

The beginners trials in June, may run, all depends on the interest from the club members!!

It's sad but the nationals seam to be the way most are riding, 6 hrs + riding time, different venues and good value, £20 ish per entry.

Only time will tell.

[5again]

I'm pretty sure the clash with the Bemrose too would of taken many potential road registered competitors from the Kings Norton event. Communication and a bit of planning. One week later (this weekend's weather notwithstanding) might of made all the difference.

[andy m]

Can't comment on your trials as I have never ridden one, but why do you run on Saturdays?? I would have thought people arrange their trials for Sundays.(99.9%)

If we ran on a Saturday I know numbers would plummet.

Getting decent numbers to a trial in the recession is one thing but on a Saturday is another.

Just my 2p worth???

[turbo]

we have had poor turnouts at our trials on saturdays too. However another local club gets record entries on Saturdays and even Weds evenings . This club advertises as easy trials which prooves very popular and for some strange reason draws a certain band of riders ,some of which you never see at the other events locally!. Conclusion ? I can only conclude that people ride events that suit them. If we are honest with ourselves I suppose thats what we all do. Yes I know how it feels when less than 20 riders turn up to ride.

Edited March 23, 2013 by turbo

[suzuki250]

Maybe if all clubs run a novice, dead easy route it would attract more riders?

I offered to lend my friend a bike to have a go (he as been dying to have a go for a while), but he declined when he watched a trial said it looked way to hard (that was at shatterford)

[breagh]

I can only say what works for us.

We run a fun route that anyone with basic bike skills can have a go at. The "harder" route is set at a level which an average rider should clean.

That's it 2 routes where with sections that encourage everyone to have a bash.

Discriminates against the better riders but they can pick and choose there events .

Enter on the day and day membership.

[spudsdad]

Maybe if all clubs run a novice, dead easy route it would attract more riders?

I offered to lend my friend a bike to have a go (he as been dying to have a go for a while), but he declined when he watched a trial said it looked way to hard (that was at shatterford)

stourbridge trials have a reputation for having a routes suitable for all the above mentioned , cant see how they can make the easy route any easier

Edited March 23, 2013 by spudsdad

[woody]

stourbridge trials have a reputation for having a routes suitable for all the above mentioned , cant see how they can make the easy route any easier

They can't, two routes and their trials are absolutely ideal for novices and inexperienced riders, even the hard route is such that a decent novice rider can tackle it. You can ride the most clapped out ill-prepared old bike on the easy route and still get around, no need for spending thousands on a bike to compete in their events. Only if last minute weather changes occur will they turn out to be more difficult than intended, but that is a problem any club faces with that sort of terrain.

They've always run on Saturdays and used to regularly get up to 50 - 60 riders until a few years ago, sometimes more. You'd see people riding their trials that you wouldn't see at any other. Blokes with new bikes and all the gear to blokes in wellies, jeans and 70's helmets riding all manner of stuff. You'd see early 90s bikes which you just don't see anywhere else. They pitched the sections right for the standard of rider they had and it worked well.

Nothing has changed from the club's approach but what has changed is that all those 'odd-ball' riders have disappeared and in addition to that, fewer and fewer Midland Centre riders are bothering to ride now and this has been happening for years, although it seems to have increased in the last 3 or 4. We had about 16 riders at our last club trial, although a clash with another club didn't help - both trials had been rearranged from earlier cancellations.

There is no easy answer. Very few new riders are coming through, a lot of the older riders don't ride anymore and most centre trials have the same names as a riding list from the late 70s early 80s, just less of them. Life has changed, trials is no longer a family sport where mum and the kids came out with dad to watch him make a pratt of himself or help observe / organise. Therefore the kids don't get involved and take the sport up themselves. There are too many other distractions these days whereas years ago it was generally a choice between bikes or football. Most riders turn up on their own. Most families are 2 car owners and rider's wives can go their own way and do what they want and take the kids with them. Very few owned 2 cars in the 70s so a trial was a family day out.

The Kings Norton event was an unfortunate clash with a Miller round but I'd say that only took 10 riders at most. Last year it clashed with a Normandale round which would have taken more. It's a pity as it is a good trial and would actually make a good Normandale round itself. Hopefully next year, no clashes. But to get a decent entry, it is going to take riders from outside the centre to swell the numbers.

In June we (Stafford Auto) run a Saturday afternoon trial with bar-b-cue afterwards, an event originally intended for Pre65 and twinshocks although modern bikes are catered for with an additional harder route. Try as we might, there are few riders from the actual centre that come and ride. Most of the entry comes from East Midlands, Staffordshire Moorlands or local AMCA and none of the local Pre65 riders from the BMCA ever come. We put 3 routes on with a 50/50 between the easy and middle route which caters for just about anyone. Still it's a poor entry from the actual Midlands clubs despite it not clashing with other events.

What the answer is I've no idea but the future of the Midland Centre doesn't look too bright and in a few years when those remaining 70s / 80s riders begin to think twice about getting out of bed on a Sunday morning, it will look even worse.

[nigel dabster]

I wonder if its not just the midland centre but a countrywide problem that our sport is dying, just showing itself first in your centre rather than any other.

Without question younger riders even in their 30's are getting thinner on the ground in every centre, where will we be in 10 years?

[Andy]

where will we be in 10 years?

Every Trial in the world will be grossly over-subscribed with reserve lists at every event. This will be down to millions taking up the sport and bike sales going through the roof because the FIM made the world championship no-stop. 100% fact.

[twinshockdude]

**** me andy,you should be on the telly with material like that !!

[b40rt]

The Oracle has spoken.