If you are thinking about getting into trials or are just bored and want something to read, here is a summary of my ‘two year’ experience with a trials bike. My memory sucks, but here it is as best I can remember it…
I have ridden motorbikes for many of years. A lot of riding in the mountains, woods, street bikes (sport bikes and cruisers), and even a little motocross once in a while. Although I had seen trials on TV (from Europe) I didn’t even know you could get the bikes here in North America.
Often, while riding in the Rockies, we would come to some crazy hill, fallen timber woods, or big chunky rocks. After riding as far as we could (or as far as was fun), someone would always pipe in with something along the lines of “I bet we could go up there (or further etc.) on one of those trials bikes”.
Three years ago, in January ’02, I went to the Edmonton Motorcycle show. They had a trials demo going on. A friend and I watched and thought it was seriously cool, but didn’t really think about getting into it. That summer, again while dirt biking, I would see all sorts of things I thought I might be able to do on a trials bike. Two years ago, in January ’03, there was a trials demo again. I got up the nerve and sent my friend (the same guy) to ask some questions. When they didn’t bite him (man I’m a wuss), I went over and met some of the riders. They were extremely helpful and friendly; I ended up leaving the show with a brand new ’03 270 Beta Rev3. I bought it from “Outlaw Dave”, a truly great guy.
We have an extremely short riding season here in Edmonton, and being that it was something like 30 below, all I could do was try to balance the bike in my shop, and try some hopping etc. I wasn’t having much luck, but it was fun, so I bought a training video online. The video was awesome, and after just watching it, balancing was easy.
When spring came, I made a simple trail through the trees on my acreage with tight turns and a couple of logs. I got some practice, and decided to enter a trial. It was a two day event with the Alberta Trials Riders Association (what a bunch of great people). It was a two day event, but I could only make it for the first day.
I wasn’t really prepared for how intimidating it would be. Even though there weren’t any death defying obstacles, and everyone was very friendly, it was more extreme that I though it would be for a novice class. Unlike motocross where you get wound up for an actual race 2 or 3 times in a day, I got wound up 30 times, once for every section. What a headache I ended up with… I had imagined the novice class would be like my mini-section at the acreage, tight turns with some small logs. There ended up being some fairly steep hills, large logs, a little mud (not much), and some tricky turns. In the end, despite nerves, it was awesome, exciting, fun, challenging and I did ok (they told me later I was leading the novice class at the end of the day – likely to make me feel good).
That first riding season was amazing. The first obstacle in the mountains I went to try was one we had failed many times on other bikes. I got up my courage, headed up the near vertical rock face and… just rode up like I was on an escalator. Wow, these bikes are incredible. Where regular bikes turn around and go back, the trials bike starts having a good time. Where others would have major difficulty making it up a trail, I would ride off the trail through the rough just for some kind of challenge.
Last year, my second riding season, I prepared during the winter by hopping the bike in my shop again. This time I kept at it until I was doing 500 a day, in groups of 50 or 100. Doing this I lost 30 lbs in a month! It is harder than it looks… I entered my second trial, this time I moved up to the sportsman class. Once again, I was intimidated by some of the obstacles, but our group was fairly informal and we had a blast. I did some things I hadn’t ever done before – and didn’t know I could do. When the scores were added up, I was second – I was pretty happy. When the scores were counted again, I had won the class. I’m not sure how - I’m still sure one of the other guys was ahead of me the whole time.
This year I am going to try entering a trial in the intermediate class; time to train (I’m up to 1000 hops per night, 50 per minute for 20 minutes while waiting for the snow to melt). I just ordered a new ’05 Beta (oh yeah).
Observations:
- I thought I knew how to use the clutch/throttle/brakes etc. until I got into trials. It has seriously helped out my skills in other types of bike riding.
- You can go just about anywhere on these bikes
- You can ride in your yard without bugging the neighbors (much)
- This is now my favorite form of motor biking, by a good stretch
- I haven’t (knock wood) come even close to being hurt, no sport is 100% safe, but this sure beats MX and sportbiking for safety
- If you just ride one for a minute or two, it will feel very strange; you may need to ride for an hour or two before the light bulb starts to come on and you start to ‘get it’
- The training video made more difference in my riding (in the beginning) than anything else including riding
- The bike draws attention like road kill draws flies. I have already given a lot of impromptu demos at riding areas and campgrounds. When people ask what it is, I find the easiest way to explain is to ride over a picnic table or large rock (etc.).
- Get used to “where’s the seat” type questions
- GO BUY ONE!!!!!
I have ridden motorbikes for many of years. A lot of riding in the mountains, woods, street bikes (sport bikes and cruisers), and even a little motocross once in a while. Although I had seen trials on TV (from Europe) I didn’t even know you could get the bikes here in North America.
Often, while riding in the Rockies, we would come to some crazy hill, fallen timber woods, or big chunky rocks. After riding as far as we could (or as far as was fun), someone would always pipe in with something along the lines of “I bet we could go up there (or further etc.) on one of those trials bikes”.
Three years ago, in January ’02, I went to the Edmonton Motorcycle show. They had a trials demo going on. A friend and I watched and thought it was seriously cool, but didn’t really think about getting into it. That summer, again while dirt biking, I would see all sorts of things I thought I might be able to do on a trials bike. Two years ago, in January ’03, there was a trials demo again. I got up the nerve and sent my friend (the same guy) to ask some questions. When they didn’t bite him (man I’m a wuss), I went over and met some of the riders. They were extremely helpful and friendly; I ended up leaving the show with a brand new ’03 270 Beta Rev3. I bought it from “Outlaw Dave”, a truly great guy.
We have an extremely short riding season here in Edmonton, and being that it was something like 30 below, all I could do was try to balance the bike in my shop, and try some hopping etc. I wasn’t having much luck, but it was fun, so I bought a training video online. The video was awesome, and after just watching it, balancing was easy.
When spring came, I made a simple trail through the trees on my acreage with tight turns and a couple of logs. I got some practice, and decided to enter a trial. It was a two day event with the Alberta Trials Riders Association (what a bunch of great people). It was a two day event, but I could only make it for the first day.
I wasn’t really prepared for how intimidating it would be. Even though there weren’t any death defying obstacles, and everyone was very friendly, it was more extreme that I though it would be for a novice class. Unlike motocross where you get wound up for an actual race 2 or 3 times in a day, I got wound up 30 times, once for every section. What a headache I ended up with… I had imagined the novice class would be like my mini-section at the acreage, tight turns with some small logs. There ended up being some fairly steep hills, large logs, a little mud (not much), and some tricky turns. In the end, despite nerves, it was awesome, exciting, fun, challenging and I did ok (they told me later I was leading the novice class at the end of the day – likely to make me feel good).
That first riding season was amazing. The first obstacle in the mountains I went to try was one we had failed many times on other bikes. I got up my courage, headed up the near vertical rock face and… just rode up like I was on an escalator. Wow, these bikes are incredible. Where regular bikes turn around and go back, the trials bike starts having a good time. Where others would have major difficulty making it up a trail, I would ride off the trail through the rough just for some kind of challenge.
Last year, my second riding season, I prepared during the winter by hopping the bike in my shop again. This time I kept at it until I was doing 500 a day, in groups of 50 or 100. Doing this I lost 30 lbs in a month! It is harder than it looks… I entered my second trial, this time I moved up to the sportsman class. Once again, I was intimidated by some of the obstacles, but our group was fairly informal and we had a blast. I did some things I hadn’t ever done before – and didn’t know I could do. When the scores were added up, I was second – I was pretty happy. When the scores were counted again, I had won the class. I’m not sure how - I’m still sure one of the other guys was ahead of me the whole time.
This year I am going to try entering a trial in the intermediate class; time to train (I’m up to 1000 hops per night, 50 per minute for 20 minutes while waiting for the snow to melt). I just ordered a new ’05 Beta (oh yeah).
Observations:
- I thought I knew how to use the clutch/throttle/brakes etc. until I got into trials. It has seriously helped out my skills in other types of bike riding.
- You can go just about anywhere on these bikes
- You can ride in your yard without bugging the neighbors (much)
- This is now my favorite form of motor biking, by a good stretch
- I haven’t (knock wood) come even close to being hurt, no sport is 100% safe, but this sure beats MX and sportbiking for safety
- If you just ride one for a minute or two, it will feel very strange; you may need to ride for an hour or two before the light bulb starts to come on and you start to ‘get it’
- The training video made more difference in my riding (in the beginning) than anything else including riding
- The bike draws attention like road kill draws flies. I have already given a lot of impromptu demos at riding areas and campgrounds. When people ask what it is, I find the easiest way to explain is to ride over a picnic table or large rock (etc.).
- Get used to “where’s the seat” type questions
- GO BUY ONE!!!!!
