cleanorbust

Sorry this is a bit personal and off-topic Spen but I was wondering if your uncle, Terry Brailsford was still around or involved with trials at all. Used to ride with him in the early 80s.

That point presumably being when you attempted much more than anything deserving to be called a section. Useless tyres may be a way of deterring newcomers from taking up the sport, but I thought we were supposed to be promoting it.

Excellent picture, thanks for posting. Joe Buckworth looking on I think.

"In house" museum? Lucky guy. I get enough complaints from keeping mine in the garage.

Do you mean the Northallerton club's 2 day trial? If so it's July 30th/31st and is a round of the Kia twinshock championship.

If the petrol in the tank is old you'll need to empty it and use fresh. This can be a cause of mystifying non-starting. Choke mechanism working OK? Did you remove the jets and ensure they were clear when mucking out the carb? Tried bump starting as opposed to kicking?

Why take the risk? What, specifically, does an Ossa do for you that other makes, whose owners don't have to contemplate making their own parts, don't? What seems like a reasonable purchase price now may have a different feel when you can't sell it on when you want to replace it.

I use a Fiat Doblo (have done so for several years) which has filled several roles excellently: 20,000 miles per year work vehicle, versatile 5 seater family transport (pushchair etc fits in without need to be folded down) and weekend trials transporter. Trials bike is an easy lift into the back (no need to remove seats, just fold them forward). Transformation from family car to trials transporter with bike and gear loaded takes 2/3 minutes. Also has a very comfortable driving position, mid 50s overall mpg and low insurance. I have no concern whatsoever about having fashionable transport so any comments about its 'ugly" appearance are irrelevant to me. Similarly having a more powerful car (it has 105bhp) would have zero effect on my journey times but, I dare say, a considerable one on my wallet.

As a first approach, checking of fuel system and ignition is advisable. Have you removed the jets from the carb and ensured they are all clear? Also empty the tank and use fresh petrol, with the correct mix of two stroke oil of course. If you're trying to run it on old stuff then you're on a loser! Make sure the air filter element is clean, and that the rubber unions attaching to both sides of the carb are properly located and the clips fully tightened. Would be worth checking the ignition timing, if you're not sure on how to then check back to us here, but as a first line of approach you could clean up the faces of the points through the window in the flywheel using sandpaper over the end of a screwdriver. Also fit a new plug, easy to do and can work wonders!

I appreciate the comment Breagh - admittedly I'm only 59 (I remember you starting out in trials as I was riding in Scotland at the time) but I'm still in my prime and would certainly still enjoy the nationals of the old days!

1970s into early 80s for me. That was the period in the evolution of trials when we had a combination of bikes which had become reliable and sections that were still rideable. As a clubman I could enter a national or British championship round, queue up alongside the best works riders and have a good go at most of the sections, which were all single route. If things went wrong there was usually the hope of threeing my way to the ends cards. Moreover, the major trials of the day were usually one or two laps of a large course with groups of sections connected by tracks or road work - often a 6/7 hour adventure with great atmosphere and great memories which live on. A rose tinted view? Possibly, but today's trials, which I am still riding, could never have quite that effect for me. The few events of the type I've described which remain on the calendar are seemingly always over subscribed.

I found repacking the standard rear silencer to be effective enough.

After getting comfortable with the basic process of static balancing in the garage, I've found it helpful to refine skills by inflating the tyres a bit higher than normal trials pressure.

I've read on several occasions that the Beta is better than the 4rt. Each time was in an advert by someone trying to sell one.

Thanks brentmain for your response. Good point regarding clubs purchasing land. My club owns a superb trials park which members can use any time. An interesting result is that this has created a cohort of riders who help to keep the trials industry going by buying bikes and gear, but who have little or no interest in competing in trials: they don't think they're good enough (they are), don't like queueing at sections or, like hobby golfers, just want to get out for some fun riding sections without the stress of competition. Nothing wrong with that, but they don't swell the entries at trials.

"All, What is the average age of the competitors in your Club level/ Area trial? I'd say (and i can only look at my area) its about 45. Therefore if we carry on the way we are then in 30 or so years the sport will be virtually gone! Well done!" That could have been said of trials in my centre 20/30 years ago, yet here we are with the same level of entries despite lack of "promotion". As has been noted, generations of riders follow one another. In my opinion what will finally do for trials is the eventual expiry of access to land or oil reserves. You decide which will come first.

On the topic of promoting trials: My own experience of running trials is that the use of the land we depend on is largely negotiated with small-scale farm owners or tenant farmers. This relationship is always carefully nurtured, often over many years, eased by the handing over of a bottle of scotch or, quite rightly these days, a bit of cash. These people's livelihood depends on their land being left in an undamaged and unabused state after the event. They know this will happen with a limited number of riders who may bring along a few pals or family members. What they would not welcome would be an attempt to "promote" our sport by publicising it to an unlimited number of unknown spectators who may trample crops, leave litter or invite themselves to return to the land with their pit bikes or quad bikes. I've had to deal with all of that in the past. The farmers I've dealt with would have little interest in hosting some sort of mass participation event with its attendant risks. Dealing with the trials "family" who can be relied on to act responsibly and leave them to get on with their work when we clear off at 4 o'clock on a Sunday suits them fine. Low key = win/win.

Think you may be referring to Junior Kickstart. Kickstart was adult riders, with similar audience.

Interestingly, I don't think Kickstart had any impact on entries at any of the trials I was riding every week at that time, nor was it intended to.

Even if the ACU don't think trials should be low key, over many years I've known plenty of club stalwarts who organise events and negotiate use of land who are thankful that it is, myself included.

I recall that Dougie Lampkin once appeared on Sports Personality of the Year, for about 7 seconds of air time. A pity, as I considered his personality to be far superior to the winner's.

If you buy a brand new bike you will love it, the day you pick it up from the dealer. This elation will be diluted a bit with every minor scuff and scrape you apply to its appearance. As a beginner,if you don't find this happening it means you aren't trying stuff which, with practice, will improve your abilities, or are sticking to easy riding well within your capabilities, in which case an older and much cheaper bike would do the job anyway.

Full length alloy mudguard would be correct for a true restoration on a Mk II.

Organiser of each X-trial round can put forward a wild card rider.

...and road tax, and MOT where applicable, the absence of which would surely render the insurance invalid, which might detract from, rather than enhance, the organisers' sleep pattern.