Jump to content

Getting Started


**torch**
 Share

Recommended Posts

I am new to the forum. I have been thinking of taking up trials for a while now and think this spring will be the one. One of the main reasons is it doesn't thrill me to ride circles in the lawn with my son. Now don't get me wrong any time on the bike is fun and I love watching him ride but I think I might enjoy it more if I could screw around with obstacles more. Anyway.

Where do you go to find out what kind of events are in your area?

Is there any good info on the web to start learning techniques before you actually get a bike?

Thanks all!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

 

My bad! I live in SouthWestern NY (not city). Actually pretty close to the PA border in a town called Olean (14760). I ride an old Husqvarna 480 two stroke! Love that bike but it is time to move on and instead of getting another regular dirtbike I don't ride much I am thinking of moving to trials!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

Welcome to the sport from a fellow new yoker.

Well an ex new yoker. I live in michigan now but I gotta tell ya you are in the best place for trails. District 4 Trials is local to you. REALLY local. Events in Cuba, Elmira, Watkins Glen, Owasso, Locke (near courtland) are at your disposal near by. To your south disctrict 6 has a great series and If you dont mind traveling district 3 eastern ny had 3d trials. I actually bought my first trials bike in olean. Small world huh?

Ok now down to the nitty gritty;

Honestly since I have been out of the area for so long your greatest trials resource is going to be Mike Komer the owner of http://www.tryalsshop.com/ the tryals shop. He is based out of locke and has a great shop along with property to test stuff out on. Worth a saturday trip but call him ahead of time. To get an idea of stuff in your area check out these pics - http://www.trials4fun.20m.com/photo4.html

The chairman for district four (regan faught) lives near bath or cuba (can't remember) I would give him a call and he will show you around. http://www.d4trials.50megs.com/contact.html

That is district 4s official website.

3D (district 3) is this http://www.dmcom.net/3dtrials/ and bob foriger (forin-jer) is the person to contact there.

As far as disctrict 6 I was not as close but i did ride down there check out this website http://mywebpages.comcast.net/cvt70/

Tell bob, mike or regan that David "biff" Knapp sent you. My father John Knapp rides down there a bit still but he is 72 now and Mainly rides Ahrma. If you need more email me at biffscell@yahoo.com .

--BIFF!

:banana:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 
 

Thanks Biff! Now I am really excited. I will definately look more into the links you gave me. When and where did you buy your bike in Olean. How long ago did you leave. I have lived in Hinsdale, Ischua, or Olean pretty much for the last 27 years (since I was 3).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

Oh yeah and speking of a small world........ I was born in Detroit Michigan where I lived until I was 3 and we moved to Olean. I have family all over the state (Detroit, Holland, lakes of the north). just thought that was an interesting aside.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 
 

I was looking for a first bike and the price was right. It's been so long that I can't remember what the shop said the actual engine size was. I believe it was a 400 or 450 or something that was bored out with new piston and such as it got older. Needless to say for a first dirtbike it was a bit much! The whole first summer I spent trying to keep the front wheel on the ground. Every summer after that I just went with it. If my buddy (XR400) and I were really get on it in the woods I would just accept that if you accelerate out of a corner your going to do it on one wheel. The second year is when things got fun. We started going up things that were pretty rediculous (hill climb stuff). Jumping like crazy. Then we got to the stuff we could do in the yard without riding miles and miles. That was wheelies, endos stoppies whatever you call them when you stand her up on the front wheel, and one of my favorites LOGS! We would drag a big ole log out with the tractor and see how many different ways we could clear it. Wheely up to it and roll over, bounce the front tire and hit it with the back tire and gas for a little jump, intentionally get hung on it and see who could get off. Now that you are picturing all that. My bike is liquid cooled from 1986 I think. I have had the bike for so long I don't even remember. So it weighs a ton. The brakes aren't crap. In order to get up on the front tire I have to compress the suspension, grab the bike with my feet, hold the front brakes as hard as I can and throw myself over the handlebars. And then I can only stand it up for a second as a stop. None of this get up on the tire and ride 10 feet or anything. Anyway I love to ride. My boy (10)loves to ride but I think I would have more fun in the yard with him if I had a lighter bike to "screw around" with. So trials sounds cool! That is a little about me and the beast and why I want to try trials. I will have to see if I can find a picture of me with the bike and post a link. It is a tank compared to the trials bikes I have been looking at.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

No death wish. I go 210 and am pretty strong. That said I hate being underpowered! My other bike is a 1200 Sportster with some performance improvements. When you convert an 883 to a 1200 you get a 1200 that is geared pretty low. So it is quite the monster too. I am going to change the gears (pulleys) this winter. I am ready to slow it down a bit and get a little more cruise speed. I am going to have to stop talking about all this. In NY the season is all but over (unless you like riding with winter golves on).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 
Oops!

Charlie you are part of d-6 arent you?

He would be the man to talk to about d-6

I live in detroit (dearborn) now and ride Mota.

If you are in the michigan area email me you number ahead of time and we will go riding.

Biff

My knowledge of D-6 is sorely lacking.

After 1.5 years here, I still don't get around much and I haven't ridden an event.

I stay VERY busy.

I do know, though, that there are several events around Williamsport, PA, and there is a thriving (relatively) trials scene up there.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 
 

**torch**

I left the area in early 2000 to come to western michigan university (kalamazoo) and I have lived in the dearborn area for the past two years (engineer for ford). I bought my Yamaha ty 350 in olean in about 1987 but I was quite a youngin back then. That bike did me well all through high school. College kinda put a damper on things...

If your in the area visiting family and you have a bike with you let me know. I am part of a club in flint but we ride all over the detroit metro area. www.motatrials.org is our club but next years schedual is not up yet.

If you can nose wheelie your 480 husky you will do fine in trials. I also ride against a guy who is about 240 and 6'2" and he continues to clean my clock every week. People think weight is a huge disadvantage in this sport but in club events its totally the opposite. As you progress in this sport you will also find that your skills on the road or on a monster of a husky will increase. Putting that foot out in turns will be a hard trend to break but you will do just fine. I ride a 650 suzuki (turned cafe racer) every day to work. I practice standing and ballancing at every stop sign and light where ever I go. Makes you realize how many people carry camera phones when you do that. ;)

Take care and every season is a good season for trials. Snow is just white mud.

Biff

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

Oops forgot again.

Mark your calander **torch**. There is a national trials this year in Alma. All of the top riders from the US will be there as will I. No where near the top but if you get involved next season you will probably be there. If your not riding next season stop on out. The dates are august 6th and 7th. go to http://www.natctrials.org/index.php for more info later on in the year. Alma south of wellsville about 10 min from your house as i see it. Cant ask for anything better than that.

-Biff

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
 Share

×
  • Create New...