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Anyone do classic trials?

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stinkwheel
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PostPosted: 18:29 - 06 Dec 2018    Post subject: Anyone do classic trials? Reply with quote

Just wondering really. Looks like a bit of a laugh and when I've finished my big bullet project, I'll have two road-going royal enfields.

The 350 is slow, low powered and reasonably easy to control. It wouldn't take much to convert it to a trials orientated machine (higher front mudguard, knobbly tyres, bash plate). It's on 19" wheels anyway so I'm not even convinced it would necessarily need a 21" rim.

There are a quite a few nearby to me in the North of England. WOndering if myone had any advice/stories etc. As I say, looks like a great oppertunity to spend a weekend fannying about the countryside in a manner that would normally see you arrested and your bike crushed.

For those unsure what one is, it's effectively a road route linking various offroad stages. You try to see how far you can go up a steep hill or along a mudy track. Or do a hill start on a stupidly steep and gravelly road. It's "classic" because of the format rather than the vehicle. As far as I can make out, most of them don't mind a foot-dab or general out of control slithering about. It's more a race against yourself.
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“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.
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virus
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PostPosted: 00:13 - 07 Dec 2018    Post subject: Reply with quote

Are you trying to summon a server crushing wall of Teflonian? Cause I'm pretty sure thats how you do it. Laughing
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own: 81 xs1100g...
owned: 85 rat CG (sold), 91 GS500e (stolen), 84 gsx400f (scrapped), 81 z250 (siezed, siezed, scrapped), 83 cb250rs (sold), 84 gpz750r ratfighter (killed) 84gpz400 (sold), '80 cb650 ratfighter (wrote off) 95gsx6/12f ratfighter (killed) 91 xj900 (sold)
stinkwheel Well I just had my hands up a pigs fanny. Which makes your concerns pale into insignificance.
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Ste
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PostPosted: 00:17 - 07 Dec 2018    Post subject: Reply with quote

Pass the popcorn
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stevo as b4
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PostPosted: 01:03 - 07 Dec 2018    Post subject: Reply with quote

I used to ride twin shock trials bikes as a kid, and then had a monoshock Fantic 125 for a season or two. It was fun and and interesting challenge against yourself and others in the class.

I miss the competition side of it, where you don't ride your bike all week and then turn up at an event where your trying to beat your rivals with no practice or at a track layout /venue you don't know. It was the same with MX but I didn't do much racing as I didn't have the win or die attitude to the first corner like you see all these little kids today on their KTM's etc.

Not sure I'd want to make life so hard for myself by building a trials bike from an old (pre 65?) Enfield though. Sure the pre-65 courses are much easier than the rest, but I'd want the challenge to be the sections themselves than the bike. If I got back into trials I'd probably want to ride some of the early 90's water cooled bikes that were coming onto the scene as I was riding in the school boy class.
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groovylee
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PostPosted: 16:31 - 07 Dec 2018    Post subject: Re: Anyone do classic trials? Reply with quote

stinkwheel wrote:
Just wondering really. Looks like a bit of a laugh and when I've finished my big bullet project, I'll have two road-going royal enfields.

The 350 is slow, low powered and reasonably easy to control. It wouldn't take much to convert it to a trials orientated machine (higher front mudguard, knobbly tyres, bash plate). It's on 19" wheels anyway so I'm not even convinced it would necessarily need a 21" rim.

There are a quite a few nearby to me in the North of England. WOndering if myone had any advice/stories etc. As I say, looks like a great oppertunity to spend a weekend fannying about the countryside in a manner that would normally see you arrested and your bike crushed.

For those unsure what one is, it's effectively a road route linking various offroad stages. You try to see how far you can go up a steep hill or along a mudy track. Or do a hill start on a stupidly steep and gravelly road. It's "classic" because of the format rather than the vehicle. As far as I can make out, most of them don't mind a foot-dab or general out of control slithering about. It's more a race against yourself.


yes, i regularly compete in the MCC 'big three' - the edinburgh, the exter, and the lands end. albeit in a car, not a bike, as im not quite that mad yet Laughing

the trials themselves are populated by a great bunch of guys, and the organisers of each trial are generally competitors, so they know what makes things run well.

there are plenty of rules regarding tyres and such, but i dont think there is anything too onerous.

the trials themselves run into about 200 miles in total, with about 13-15 observed sections, and a couple of tie breaker observed tests.

for the upcoming exeter trial in january, I'll be starting from poham airfield at about 19:00, and finishing some time on saturday afternoon in Torquay for a few beers, some kip, then the drive back to bedfordshire.

there is a great cameraderie between the competitors, and i regularly stop to help with mechanical breakdowns and tyre changes etc, as well as getting help from other car drivers for the occasional diff change Rolling Eyes

if you want some more info i can put you in touch with the guys at the MCC for some more info? Thumbs Up it really is worth experiencing it for yourself, and there are a few guys usually looking for a navigator if you want to get a feel for what it's about from the 'comfort' of a car before you brave it solo on a bike. there's usually a few sidecar outfits doing it too if that floats your boat....

Lee
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groovylee
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PostPosted: 16:34 - 07 Dec 2018    Post subject: Reply with quote

theres a good video here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=juLbt8L4fwE of the most notorious hill on the exeter - Simms.

believe me, it looks a lot easier than it is in real life!
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stinkwheel
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PostPosted: 20:21 - 07 Dec 2018    Post subject: Reply with quote

I couldn't see myself enjoying it in a car. I get car sick pretty bad among other things.

I believe there is a "class 0" for some of the trials which is for wimps and noobs?
____________________
“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.
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G
The Voice of Reason



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PostPosted: 23:21 - 07 Dec 2018    Post subject: Reply with quote

groovylee wrote:
theres a good video here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=juLbt8L4fwE of the most notorious hill on the exeter - Simms.

The two solo bikes there look like they are breezing it - which is what I've often though on a lot of car vs bike stuff.
Stuff that decent 4x4 need a good bit of skill to navigate, a bike with appropriate tyres needs very little skill.
(And a proper modern trials bike then adds a whole extra load of "the bike doing it for you" - stuff that looks pretty scarily steep, you just point the bike up it and turn the throttle.)
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stinkwheel
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PostPosted: 01:41 - 08 Dec 2018    Post subject: Reply with quote

G wrote:

The two solo bikes there look like they are breezing it - which is what I've often though on a lot of car vs bike stuff.
Stuff that decent 4x4 need a good bit of skill to navigate, a bike with appropriate tyres needs very little skill.
(And a proper modern trials bike then adds a whole extra load of "the bike doing it for you" - stuff that looks pretty scarily steep, you just point the bike up it and turn the throttle.)


They usually insist on less than appropriate tyres (usually Pirelli MT43s). My research indicates the bikes do not always breeze it.

https://youtu.be/VMG1-la_52c

The shear number of people (all of whom have gone out of their way to attend and specifically modified a bike to enter a motorcycle trial) apparently making an arse of this suggests it's steeper than it looks.
____________________
“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.
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groovylee
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PostPosted: 10:14 - 08 Dec 2018    Post subject: Reply with quote

G wrote:

The two solo bikes there look like they are breezing it - which is what I've often though on a lot of car vs bike stuff.
Stuff that decent 4x4 need a good bit of skill to navigate, a bike with appropriate tyres needs very little skill.


stinkwheel wrote:
They usually insist on less than appropriate tyres (usually Pirelli MT43s). My research indicates the bikes do not always breeze it.


as stinkwheel says - they are quite particular on tyres, they aren't what you would necessarily call appropriate Laughing and the lack of hordes of gold medals (all sections 'clean' and on time at route checks etc) shows that it isn't all that easy on two wheels. add in the freezing cold January weather, some rain, and a good 18-20 hours of riding, and you have quite a challenge Thumbs Up not saying it isn't doable, but it's no breeze.

for the cars, there are a plethora of rules to keep things fair (difficult) - no off road tyres, no M+S tyres, no limited slip diffs, no 4WD, rules around amount of ballast, allowable mods to suspension and wheel sizes etc etc.

if you're an insomniac, the rules for the relevant classes are here - https://www.actc.org.uk/info/association/rules-regulations/

Lee
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Current - 2002 Aprilia RSV1000R & 1999 Kawasaki ZX6R
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Ste
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PostPosted: 13:48 - 08 Dec 2018    Post subject: Reply with quote

G wrote:
groovylee wrote:
theres a good video here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=juLbt8L4fwE of the most notorious hill on the exeter - Simms.

The two solo bikes there look like they are breezing it - which is what I've often though on a lot of car vs bike stuff.

Same hill with some not 4x4s:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bAkCxvrWlXA
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groovylee
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PostPosted: 15:01 - 08 Dec 2018    Post subject: Reply with quote

me (green Rickman ranger) and my mate (white one) are on this one from 0:50 EDIT - failing miserably as we have to do a restart at the bottom, so no momentum before the really steep bit.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UytVnQ-8uqk
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stevo as b4
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PostPosted: 19:21 - 08 Dec 2018    Post subject: Reply with quote

No teffing as yet?

Is this because:
a) he's on holiday or visiting family?
b) he's sulking or can't be arsed to give his trials experience and knowledge?
c) Avoiding replying because he knows the OP won't appreciate or can't be talked down to by the (so you want to ride a motorbike/ cart in front of the horse) speech?

Or is Teff the next CANSA/ Rogerborg I.e the next one to decide life's better without BCF?
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stinkwheel
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PostPosted: 01:52 - 09 Dec 2018    Post subject: Reply with quote

My current techincal thought is if you can run a motorbike on "fat" tyres? It works well on mountain bikes.

I reckon you'd get a 4.00x19" trials tyre between the forks of a 350 bullet without fouling. Stick 10psi in that and you have an enormous contact patch compared to a 2.75x21", as well as a lower rake angle.
____________________
“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.
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G
The Voice of Reason



Joined: 02 Feb 2002
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PostPosted: 13:19 - 09 Dec 2018    Post subject: Reply with quote

stinkwheel wrote:
usually Pirelli MT43s

That tyre doesn't sound too bad to me - ie while a terrible tyre for hardcore trials from the review, one that might be reasonable for greenlaning, which the clips shown so far seem to effectively be.

Your video seems to be a bike only trial with what looks like (It's always hard to tell) a more difficult slope with less options made even more difficult by stopping half way up it - keeping momentum obviously makes a big difference when you're not too far away from grip limits.
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