11 replies to this topic

[TJP]

Hi All,

I’ve always had great respect for what can be achieved on the older machines within trials competition and have decided I’d like to give it a try. Please forgive the naivety of this question but what bike would you all recommend for a newbie to attempt classic trials on and why?

Thanks for your time and hope to see you all trialling soon

[Beamish Owners Club]

Hi TJP, I guess it depends on what you have ridden before as to what you may feel most comfortable on - 2 stroke or 4 stroke and how physically strong you are! Have you been riding long and what is your budget? It's little use suggesting you go for a Cub if you don't want to spend around £2k or a Bantam if you are 25 stone!

[anyoldiron]

Alot of people say the Fantic 240 is a good twinshock'out of the box'.My advice would be to ride a bike that YOU like -how it feels ,sounds,looks etc.And make that bike run as sweet as it can.Compared to a moden bike,classics are a bit rubbish if you are judging them as competetive trials machines.I have a Greeves and its a heavy dinosaur thing but it is such fun to ride,but I dont really use it much because I love the rev3 and find it infinitely more enjoyable in the long run.I've always fancied a heavy british bike though,something like a 1954 Royal Enfield 500 trials.looks great sounds great,a real lump.I imagine that would be great fun in a classic trial..........

[B40RT]

anyoldiron, on Dec 23 2009, 09:27 PM, said:

I've always fancied a heavy british bike though,something like a 1954 Royal Enfield 500 trials.looks great sounds great,a real lump.I imagine that would be great fun in a classic trial..........

Not if the trial was laid out to take marks from "past masters" on very trick cubs etc.

[Marky G]

I kinda tried this a few years ago, a mate went down the same route with a very nice 240 Fantic TS.
I bought a nice TY175 and spent a few quid to make it competitive, shocks footrests etc etc, I rode it for two classic trials and hated the thing, under powered, crap suspension (even with new shocks)........I was expecting too much from the little yam.
Not sure on brit stuff, not my thing really but one chap I know has spent thousands on his cub making it 'trick'which kinds defeats the object to me.

I've had a few TLR 250's in the past and I'd love another but I'll never pay the 3k they seem to be asking for these days, even a good 240 Fantic TS fetch at least £1500 for one thats ridable....if you buy and ebay special at £500 you'll only end up spending a grand making it up to scratch........it all depends on what you want at the end of the day and how much your budget will stretch to, unfourtunatly I think the classic scene is all about how fat your wallet is

[Woody]

B40RT, on Dec 24 2009, 12:57 AM, said:

Not if the trial was laid out to take marks from "past masters" on very trick cubs etc.

But that isn't representative of the classic scene overall. Most classic club trials are on the gentle side and have 2 sometimes 3 routes, so there are plenty of events that would accomodate a bigger bike.

Things only start to get difficult in the ACU Traditional series and very occasionally, the Miller series on the hard route, but there is always the easy route - and they are National Championsip events after all. The Manx Classic is a tougher event and a standardish big bike on the hard route would be a handful for a skilled rider but there is an easier route to opt for. Pre65 Scottish is fine for a big bike as proven by the number of rigids that take part.

As far as which bike - impossible to answer really as if you don't have a favourite marque, or something you have a particular affinity for then the choice is huge. Most people gravitate to the type of bike they used when they first started riding, British from the 50s or 60s or Spanish or Jap from the 70s. If you don't fall into this niche then you have to really look at the combination of your ability, the type of events you will want to use it in and what is catered for in your area. Just because it is a 'classic' (hate that term) it doesn't mean you have to ride it in classic events, most modern trials have 3 routes these days so you can ride a twinshock or Pre65 on the middle or easy route.

Choice all depends on what you want to ride and why really

[TJP]

Beamish Owners Club, on Dec 23 2009, 09:14 PM, said:

Hi TJP, I guess it depends on what you have ridden before as to what you may feel most comfortable on - 2 stroke or 4 stroke and how physically strong you are! Have you been riding long and what is your budget? It's little use suggesting you go for a Cub if you don't want to spend around £2k or a Bantam if you are 25 stone!

Hi 'Beamish Owners Club',

I am for my sins a veteran motocross rider with 20+ years experience, however In my one year of modern trials riding I have come to realise this doesn’t count for much when guiding a trials machine that requires much more finesse (less throttle). I have ridden 2 and 4 stroke machines and have no real preference with regard to riding, but I do find working on the 2 stroke much easier. My budget would be £2k max and I’m around 10 stone dripping wet (which has happened a few times since starting trials!).

Just as a side note my first instinct was a ty175 as most of my bikes in the past were Jap machines, however I’m not adverse to trying something new

Thanks to all of you for such quick and useful responses

[Woody]

TJP, on Dec 24 2009, 01:01 PM, said:

Hi 'Beamish Owners Club',

I am for my sins a veteran motocross rider with 20+ years experience, however In my one year of modern trials riding I have come to realise this doesn’t count for much when guiding a trials machine that requires much more finesse (less throttle). I have ridden 2 and 4 stroke machines and have no real preference with regard to riding, but I do find working on the 2 stroke much easier. My budget would be £2k max and I’m around 10 stone dripping wet (which has happened a few times since starting trials!).

Just as a side note my first instinct was a ty175 as most of my bikes in the past were Jap machines, however I’m not adverse to trying something new

Thanks to all of you for such quick and useful responses

TY175 would be a good choice. Perfectly capable bike for anything up to the Miller rounds and a well prepared one owned by a good rider has won a couple of Traditional rounds in recent years. Still cheap to buy a good example and spares are no problem. Very reliable if in good unabused condition.

[bambam_n_chunx]

Suggest you try and find a good Fantic 200,at 10 stone it would be pefect for you. Plenty of spares around and not as expensive as a 240.

[tonybroad]

i trialled competitvley with a TY175 then a Beamish Suzuki 250 back in the 70's and the Suzuki made me realise what was lacking in the 175, but when the Fantics first came along they showed the way, i recently got another Beamish 250 and it still doesn't dissapoint though but there are certainly more TY's and TY parts around

i wonder if the TY175 might be a little under powered, what about a TY250 majesty ?

happy hunting

Tony

[totalshell]

have the best of both worlds a classic ie twin shock and a pre 65 so buy the p65 and ride in both.
as your such a lieghtweight you could be competative on a villers 8e or 32a powered bike give Dave a call at http://www.dcclassicmotorcycles.co.uk/4sal...alelist_all.asp the stuff he sells is usually first class ready to ride which is unusual in p65 circles.

[Marky G]

THIS could be what your after if you pockets are up for it