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bigplonker
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Some time ago I read a Trials Central posting by a chap who was trying to decide which trials bike to buy. Somewhat surprisingly, the main thing stopping him making a final decision was the bike's colour scheme. If I remember correctly, the bike he was seriously considering was the TRS, but he was put off by its lemon yellow and grey graphics which I think he found a bit bland and uninspiring. As an ex graphic designer I found this interesting. It made me wonder how seriously trials bike designers take colour schemes. After all the money, time and effort invested in a bike's technical development are graphics and colours just a last minute add-on or are they the result of questioning among focus and target groups? Sadly, I suspect the former. 

Colours and graphics are emotive. While some people may like TRS's lemon yellow and grey with beige fork legs, others may prefer the bolder colour schemes of its competitors. And this could well swing a buyer's final decision. Talking of which, there certainly seem to be some garish new bikes in the showrooms! For example, the jazzy-looking red, white and blue Beta. As an ex Pre-'65 wobbler, I have to admit the colouring doesn't attract me, but I'm sure mechanically it's top notch. But, there again, I'm not target market. Mind you, having said that, how many youngsters can afford five grand or more for...? Nah, price, different topic.

So, to return to my opening gambit, if the TRS was, say, for example, purple and orange instead of lemon yellow and grey, would that prospective purchaser have parted with his hard earned cash? Who knows? Maybe someone's done some research...  

Er..., just out of interest, what do people reckon is the best looking (in terms of colours and graphics) modern trials bike (say, over the past ten years or so) and which is reckoned to be the best looker ever?      

Edited by bigplonker
To get more response to the topic of colour.
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It might have been me, there is no way I'd spend good hard earned money on a bike I didn't like the look of, and yella is not in my opinion, that great, but neither is green or orange for that matter, hence why I own a bonnie blue bike :D

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48 minutes ago, cabby said:

It might have been me, there is no way I'd spend good hard earned money on a bike I didn't like the look of, and yella is not in my opinion, that great, but neither is green or orange for that matter, hence why I own a bonnie blue bike :D

Thanks for that. I'm sure many manufacturers would be interested to know that colour played an important part in your decision making process.

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Yes, colour / design is important to me; every time I pull the cover off of any of my bikes I want to be thinking "Aww yeah, that looks so cool!"

The Repsol 4RTs are very pretty IMO, and the Sherco Factorys in fluro colours are perhaps the most eye catching.  I'm going to be doing something interesting with my old TY, too ...

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I certainly would not let colour rule over "performance" in its broad sense but it would take a lot of persuasion before I went for a Repsol scheme which, in my opinion, is a mess, the original 260 red and silver being much better.

But then again, if I was to be advertising an oil company, I would want them to be paying me rather then me paying a premium for the graphics.

 Yours

CR Mudgeon

Edited by 2stroke4stroke
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1 hour ago, spen said:

Don't give a hoot about colour or graphics, they all look the same when they're covered in mud....

Er, yes, but when they're new and in the showroom would colour or graphics influence your decision?

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14 minutes ago, 2stroke4stroke said:

I certainly would not let colour rule over "performance" in its broad sense but it would take a lot of persuasion before I went for a Repsol scheme which, in my opinion, is a mess, the original 260 red and silver being much better.

But then again, if I was to be advertising an oil company, I would want them to be paying me rather then me paying a premium for the graphics.

Interesting that the Repsol Monty divides opinion - you think it's a mess while others really rate its colour scheme. Good point about paying a premium to advertise an oil brand! However, I understand the premium is for various 'extras' on that model. 

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Partly so, but have you seen the price of the stickers if you need to replace 'em?  Appeal of a design is very much a personal thing but I still think the Repsol scheme looks like a child had access to too many crayons.  I'll ask my graphic artist pal in the pub later on.

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I think there is another factor which plays into whether colour schemes are a factor in purchasing decisions. It seems to me that a high proportion of committed riders in my area, the type who compete every week and are in the top half of the results, tend to renew their bikes every year, or two at the most, and many of these people tend to be brand-loyal. As such the committed Beta rider, for example, will replace his steed with next year's model and whether the 2018 Beta is red, white or even turquoise is something of an irrelevance to him (or her). I can believe that the rider who is new to trials could be more influenced by colour scheme, especially if they have a background in, say, mountain biking where such things seem to be of crucial importance.

Edited by cleanorbust
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I admit I love the look of some bikes over others but in the end it wouldn't be my primary cause to buy one over another. 

However, if I was new to trials I suspect it would influence at least a little what I might try first.  And then if I liked it I might get that one before trying others.  So in the end it would play a factor in what I might buy.  And as such, I can see how it could influence new trials riders more than well established riders and be well worth the forethought of the companies making them.  

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I really don't know how trials riders think. Vertigo have won the SSDT 3 times on the trot and the only Vertigo in the top 50 this year was Lampkins also there was no Montesas in the top 50 though Bou's  won everything.

Round here there's loads of Scorpas because we have a great dealer  thats the way I go support the local guy it pays in the long run.  .

 

 

Edited by breagh
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16 hours ago, cleanorbust said:

I think there is another factor which plays into whether colour schemes are a factor in purchasing decisions. It seems to me that a high proportion of committed riders in my area, the type who compete every week and are in the top half of the results, tend to renew their bikes every year, or two at the most, and many of these people tend to be brand-loyal. As such the committed Beta rider, for example, will replace his steed with next year's model and whether the 2018 Beta is red, white or even turquoise is something of an irrelevance to him (or her). I can believe that the rider who is new to trials could be more influenced by colour scheme, especially if they have a background in, say, mountain biking where such things seem to be of crucial importance.

Yes, brand loyalty is indeed an important factor in choosing a rider's next bike so, in this instance, colour may not be that important. And, as you say, it's probably more important to youngsters whose brand loyalty hasn't yet been established. Here's where a bit of research into colour and graphics might result in increased sales. 

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