Scottish Trials to the Next Level

Scotland Trials

A couple of weeks ago I was up in Scotland with MD Racing Mike and Trials Trickster Al for a bit of trials trail riding.

It was minus 6 ovenight... open ground stayed frozen for the wholes day... but the sun was a shinin!

Getting ready in Al's uber-shed...

A 3 minute drive up the road...

"Welcome to my garden!"

Stop for a snack...

A old Beta was a champ. Since the top-end rebuild she is super-strong and will pull me up anything. Only downside is higher compression now makes kick-starting her a bit more difficult. Small price to pay :-)

A wee dram on top of the world!

There was a bit of snow as we got higher up...

Cleaning the bikes up after...

As always, the 'Socttish Trials' was an awesome trip. Great riding with fantastic guys. Thanks Mike and Al!

Indy Dealer Expo 1

Found myself in Indianapolis this weekend... visited the 2012 Dealer Expo...



Custom bike competition...



An incredibly beautiful machine

Lloyd Brothers Ducati...

...with some interesting engine mount work.

BRD electric enduro bike... the future

Gas-gas electric trials bike :-)

Beta Love

I've had the wee Beta trials bike for 3 years now. In that time, all I've done is: every 9 months fill her with premix and punish her for 2 days at a time in Scotland.

Time for some Beta Love!

On the last Scotland trip she couldn't do the big climbs in 4th with the others. She was feeling soggy and tired compared to the others' bikes and was spinning up in 3rd everywhere. Kinda spoiled the quarry day a bit.

The worst part was draining the coolant... down my sleeve... on the bench... on the floor...

Dinky carb

I've never done a carb cleanout or two-smoke top-end rebuild before. Was pretty straight-forward. Badda-bing, badda-boom... all back together... two kicks and she started then ran sweet as a nut! Result!

Tired and dirty

Shiny and new - these parts cost about 25% of the value of the bike - doh!

Also gave the brakes a service, fixed the exhaust, put on some big-ass bars and a few other bits 'n pieces. She scrubbed up real good and is feeling better than ever. Now she'll be buried in the garage for another nine months till the next Scotland trip.

Note: this is a 'Racing' bike

Scotland Trials - Day 2

On Saturday my friends and I were at the bing quarry with the trials bikes. Al showed us how it was done... taking on some big steps...

Al conquering one of many giant step-ups

Sizing up the challenge...

Attack!

Boom! He's up!

Cutting about the bing

Sunset

Mike and Ant having a chuckle

Not a boys-only event... Anita getting in on some trials malarkey

Al jumping onto a boulder...

... unsuccessful first try.

Second attempt

Victory!

In the sunshine with bikes and friends... awesome!

Thanks for another fantastic Scots weekend guys!

Scotland Trials - Day 1

Mike, Ant, Clint, Jack and I went up to Scotland on Thursday night for a wee bit o ridin on the trials bikes. Al joined us and 6 trials bikes headed out for some free-riding...

Unloading and kitted up...

It started as a beautiful day... but the weather moved in at lunchtime...

The wee Beta in the forest

Clint had never ridden a trials bike and only had road-gear... he did brilliantly!

The most scenic gas station in the world

Lunchtime!

Jack launching it over the hills!

Aaaaah! That fresh country air

Knackered!

An awesome day's trail riding with mates... doesn't get much better than this!

Trials Down the Junction

On Sunday I found the practice track my neighbor had told me about. Well... it's not a track... just a piece of unused ground right on a junction of the M1 motorway.  It's fairly big... and flat. Apparently it's been used for years and there's been no trouble with the plod. Best part... it's only 6 miles from home!

Took the Beta down for my first ride in months. Just a light, introduction back onto the dirt. Skids and wheelies! There were a couple of other lads down there with dirtbikes learning to wheelie, a pitbike and a dad teaching his son to ride. Cool.

It's not great for trials... besides a few tyres around, this whoop-like section was as gnarly as it got. But... I see potential for a wee bit o flattrackin on them plains! A bit bumpy, but should be okay. Got to get my sooper-dooper-chinese-minibike prepped and down there! Wanna get the four-fiddy down there too. No excuses now... time to start training!

Crossin' Down the Field

After all the shitty weather we've been having for the past few months, the last week has mostly been dry with blue skies. Still a bit cold with frost and frozen puddles but that didn't stop us getting down the field today...

While I hacked around the field with Jay on the four-fiddy, Ant, Mike and Andy got into the woods for a bit of trials

Ant landed up having a lie-down in a ditch with the Montessa on top of him. Not much sympathy from Mike and Andy who just canned themselves with laugher as Ant took this shot on his phone...

Meanwhile down the field... after a slippy start, the track cut in beautifully in the sunshine. Spring is on it's way!

The good 'ol four-fiddy... I love the beast!

Fourteen year-old Jay rides a 85cc KTM in Enduros... he was getting to grips and ripping it up with Ant's more than three times bigger CRF 250. He did brilliantly... only biting the dirt once... far less than me!

I managed 2 x 45 minute sessions non-stop. Making rythm and going fast. I was cream-crackered by the time the others finished trials and the 'Superpole' competition began...

 Mr. Rossi going through the pre-Superpole rituals...

 ... and then ripping it up on the sticky track!

Mike sporting his new lid (ACU approved too!). When he put it on he exclaimed "Jeez! I can hardly feel it!". Ant's reply "Welcome to the 21st century."

Heather and Saff came down to provide some much needed glamour to the event...

Max came down on his bike too.

"I was nibbling into your lead and then you went wide on turn 5...

 ... I almost t-boned you!"

Ant styling it up - eye of the tiger!

It was a brilliant day in the clay! I'm getting fitter, but I'm gonna feel this for the next few days. If I can do this every weekend till Erzberg (only 12 to go!), I'll be fit. But if we get weather like this every weekend, I must be the Pope!