michael_t Posted February 14, 2016 Report Share Posted February 14, 2016 Hi All, I received a little bonus at work and decided on a whim to take the family to the UK during the school break. We are leaving Nova Scotia on the 12th of March and catching the AMA SuperCross race in Toronto that evening then flying to the UK on the 13th. Landing in London and flying home on the 22nd. That is as much as we have figured so far. Before the family fills up the agenda with touristy stuff. I am hoping to make a bid for one day of trials related activity. I tried this last year when we flew to British Columbia but was only partially successful as was only able to squeeze in a quick visit to the GasGas importer (it was fun but I would have liked more time so I could have tried out a bike or 2 ) I am coming from NS where there is only one trials dealer and they sell about 1 bike a year. I started riding trials by buying a bike and putting on events at my place. I am 53 this week and have been riding trials for 5 years but am still a novice. We now put on 4 or 5 events a year and have about 12 riders who come to the events. I have never ridden outside of NS. So is there a bike shop, an event, a training day, a demo day, or anything else trials related that I should really try to fit into our visit to the UK? At this point I am happy to hear of options anywhere in the UK. Ideally there would be something near by that I could drop my family at as there attention span at trials related things is about 30 minutes . I did use a fair number of brownie points to squeeze in the SX race so figure one day is all I have left to spare at this point . Cheers, Michael 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zippy Posted February 14, 2016 Report Share Posted February 14, 2016 Ideally there would be something near by that I could drop my family at as there attention span at trials related things is about 30 minutes . . Cheers, Michael I understand your pain................ My family can last up to 15 mins. (30 mins if I am guaranteed to crash) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arthritic Posted February 14, 2016 Report Share Posted February 14, 2016 Why not try http://www.trials-school.co.uk/. I had a half day with Stu last year and it was brilliant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stpauls Posted February 14, 2016 Report Share Posted February 14, 2016 Why not go to a UK trial. See the ACU website for a list of venues close to London - or there will be one in the south west of England. http://www.acu.org.uk/events/default.aspx https://www.facebook.com/groups/Wessextrialsrider/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hugh_b Posted February 14, 2016 Report Share Posted February 14, 2016 Not close to London at all, but inch perfect (a site sponsor) do try out/training days and have a fair bit of land for you to play on. They have a well stocked shop too! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
petert Posted February 14, 2016 Report Share Posted February 14, 2016 So really we are talking Sunday 20th March. 99% of UK trials are on a Sunday. If you can give an idea of where you are staying I am sure something could be sorted Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrsunt Posted February 14, 2016 Report Share Posted February 14, 2016 How about leave the family in london for the day, pop up to the mecca of trials, yorkshire, hire or borrow a bike and get a ride in the cleveland trial run by Middlesbrough motorclub. Proper trial with proper sections. About 25mile lap and 50 sections. I'm sure they won't mind...... too much 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rabie Posted February 14, 2016 Report Share Posted February 14, 2016 how far from London are you willing to go? us soft southern fairies are not known for our trials terrain but there is stuff out there someone like http://www.freestyletraining.net/(kent / East Sussex -SE of london) do trials training, might do bike hire - best enquire as to events on the 20th; there is a regional event just outside of canterbury - http://www.barhammotorcycleclub.co.uk/(about 1hr SE of london) there is a regional event just outside of london (not sure where "Brickmills is) - http://www.berkotrials.com/(10 mins NW of london) there is a regional event just outside of ipswich (see this page on the eastern acu website) (NE of london) there is a small classic event just outside of ipswich (see http://www.eastern-fourstroke-association.co.uk/)(about 1hr NE of london) can't find the southern centre dates list to hand (for SW of london) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael_t Posted February 14, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 14, 2016 Thanks everyone! I would be willing to go as far as Northern Scotland not shy of a little snow . Sounds like the big question for me is it better to spend a day on training or actually doing an event. 25 mile lap and 50 sections sounds a little daunting... I can't see doing too many laps that size Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
collyolly Posted February 14, 2016 Report Share Posted February 14, 2016 Well unless you are going to fly it will take you a day each way to drive to Scotland from the South East so a major part of your holiday wasted. Riding a big single lap in Yorkshire will be out of the question for a self confessed novice rider. The Barham trial mentioned above would be a good intro to competitive trials at what we call Center level although there is no Expert class there, it is relatively close to London and there are plenty of good pubs in the Kent countryside ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael_t Posted February 14, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 14, 2016 Yes I agree that getting to Scotland would be an adventure in itself, especially if I drove the whole way... but sometimes getting to a place is half the fun. Driving 12hrs with the family for a ski holiday is pretty typical for us so figured it was doable. After a little more thought if I'm going to Scotland it would be best to go for the SSDT so best to take Scotland off the plate for the time being. I do have a cousin in Yorkshire so that is probably the very furthest I would go. I am guessing that if I went to a riding school they would have all the kit so I wouldn't have to be carrying mine the whole trip which would be a big plus. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dadof2 Posted February 14, 2016 Report Share Posted February 14, 2016 Sammy Miller motorcycle museum (brilliant) and National motor museum can both be covered in a days drive south of London. You will also pass through the New Forest. I am guessing you know Sammy's history. Its the late 1990s since I visited and was fortunate enough to have quite a lengthy chat with Sammy whilst he worked on a bike. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
h62 Posted February 15, 2016 Report Share Posted February 15, 2016 Sounds like an amazing trip! The Berko trial that rabie refers to is at Great Brickhill which is about 5 miles away (taxi ride) from Leighton Buzzard station. Leighton Buzzard is about 40-45 mins by train from London Euston mainline rail station. Maybe not the most exciting trials venue in the UK (although it's a pretty rural village) but if you contact Berko Trials Club via their website they might be able to give you more info and/or connect you with bike hire (massive assumption on my part...!!!). Would offer you a lift etc but am away snowboarding that week. Enjoy London and PM me if you want any advice on where to go/what to do in London. Cheers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael_t Posted February 16, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 16, 2016 Thanks that is very helpful. I hadn't thought of the Sammy Miller option that does sound good. I just heard back from my cousin and she is heading skiing later in the week so I will most likely head North to visit her then return to London for Saturday night and am warming the family up to the idea of doing a trials on the Sunday. My cousin has a couple of Aston Martins but funny enough didn't offer one up as a loaner to strap a trials bike to . Thanks for the offer of suggestions h62 but I seem to be flooded by ideas from friends and relatives as far as non trials things that I "must" see/do . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nigel dabster Posted February 16, 2016 Report Share Posted February 16, 2016 Aston Martin works is about 5 miles from the berko trial. http://www.astonmartinworks.com/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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