scorpa3

Can't imagine WSB without Ducati. That will be weird. I hope you put a bet on Casey winning on the Ducati.... as YOU predicted at the start of the year.

So to summarise the advice on gear selection...... Use either 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th or 5th for big climbs and you'll sail up every time.

Thanks for reminding us, it would have passed me by if you'd not said. I'm going to organise a street party now. Anyone got some bunting and know how to make jelly and cakes?

It's only April, surely this years bike is still worth gettting?

Have you got inside information Just? You were about the only person that tipped Stoner at the start of the season and it looks like you were spot on.

Do you have an item number? I was wondering what it is.

I rode in the Shinx LDT yesterday and had a thouroughly brilliant day out. We were on our bikes for seven hours and covered around 90 miles. The 30 sections were all observed and the event was superbly organised by the Cheltenham Home Guard Club. The one issue which I have, is the 'no inspection allowed' rule. Our own LDT, the OK Supreme, has also used this rule in the past but I am now wondering if it is appropriate. On the plus side, it keeps the trial flowing, there are few or no queues and sections can be wider and simpler. But on the negative side it means that you often ride into a section with no idea where you are going and what you are going to be faced with. One particular section which caught me out yesterday was a ride up a gully, which you could see from the start, followed by a tight turn on a grass bank, through a mud slot (which you couldn't see from the start) then around a tree on very tight off cambered bank. I fived this one and stood and watched for a while. About ten of the next dozen riders missed the top red marker and went the wrong way and lost fives. It's part of the skill of trials to 'not miss a marker' but when rider after rider does the same thing, perhaps we should have been given the chance to walk that section. The bigger bikes like DRZ/KTM/XR's seemed to be less common with the trend moving towards Serrow/Alp/Pampera's; bikes which can do tighter harder sections. And this got me thinking; should we continue to use the 'no inspection' allowed rule for our LDT in September? Any thoughts/comments appreciated on this one.

Thanks for that.

I got exactly the same response from Peter Luff (Cons) Worcestershire MP. Word for word!

I guess that Graham would be delighted to ride WTC if 1- he thought that he could be top five and 2- he had the backing to do it. So it is likely that one or other of those two factors may be missing.

After running vans specifically for motorsport at weekends for many years, I built myself a three bike trailer using Indespension units and 50mm angle. It carries two road bikes, a bike and a quad or three Enduro/trials bikes. The beauty of having a trailer is that I have a car for the rest of the week to drive around in and not a van.

Our local dealer has 1/2 links (a single roller) I'm sure you will be able to find one in the US if you try the better trials shops.

You're over 40 and still thinking about it!!?!??!

If we all had one of those, there'd be no excuse to call off club trials due to waterlogged car parks!

Buster Reagan clean! Shaun Fox 1 Nick Paxton 4 Ben Sprigg 5 Dave West 9 Clubman: Tom Foulkes 2 Robert Badland (TLR) 6 Colin Leese (TLR) 6 Dave Evans 6 Trevor Williamson 7 Hannah Styles had a second lap of just two, to finish on a very creditable 16 Stu, you lost 14 and as you said, that five on the last section cost you a lot of places by the look of it. But that's far better than me, I'm not even on the first page! Dudley won the trial from Bewdley. Strtaford-Upon-Avon still lead the championship but the lead has now been reduced to just 11 points

Todays trial was a huge success from what I saw. The 70+ rider entry rode two laps of 18 sections mostly following the rocky stream found around the perimeter ofUpper House Farm, near Tugford. The majority of riders chose to ride the B route leaving the big steps and waterfalls to the Experts and Youth A riders. As an early number I found the first lap quite a challenge but my Stratford Team mate John Braithwaite only dropped one mark on his first lap, so I guess the severity was pretty much spot on. The going certainly improved on the second lap as the rocks scrubbed off and personally I had a lot more cleans on the second lap. Speaking to some of the observers after the trial, a few commented that the punch card system used made things difficult on the longer sections as they had to stand near the ends cards to do the punching instead of positioning themselves at the best point to see the section. There certainly were a number of sections where riders rode right back through the section just to get their card marked. Other than this very minor point, the event could not have been better organised and run. Every section was observed and the winning scores are likely to be on the low side which shows the depth of talent now riding in the Midland Centre. Well done to the South Birmingham Club for staging such a superb event. I will post the results when they become available.

Stu, The start time is 10.00 at Upper house farm, Abdon, Nr.Tugford, Shropshire. Riders start at 1 min intervals and you are number 29 in the entry list, and the only rider from the South Shropshire club? (So officially you need to bring just one observer) I'm looking at the programme now if there's anythoing else you need to know. Pete

I must say that I find this all a bit confusing. If a Youth rider can ride as a youth upto the end of the calender year in which they are 17, then surely they can't ride as an adult as soon as they turn 16? When we run club trials, I would be most reluctant to let any rider under 17 enter on a bike over 125cc. Isn't that the whole point of the rule? Any rider under 18, even if riding as an adult must have a guardians signature on the entry form. SO how can a 16 year old ride as an adult on any size machine?

Called in at our local Trials shop today for a new IRC rear and enquired about a new front. I've been happy with the Michelin on the front but they didn't have one in stock, but they did have an IRC. I was wondering if anyone has tried an IRC on the front and if so what were your impressions?

I can remember doing all the things you mention to a Sherco a few years back. Eventually I solved the problem by turning the bike upside down (with the bodywork and mudguard off) resting the bars on a couple of cushions out of the front room, and kicking it over with the plug out. This emptied the water out of the crank case and that did the trick. After I got it started, I changed the gearbox oil and took it for a damn good ride to make sure everything was dried out. After everything else you've tried, if this doesn't work you may have blown the head gasket (O ring) so that's probably the next thing to change. I hope this helps. Good luck.

I was wondering, unless you've already got it booked (for those who are lucky enough to get an entry,) can we still get a ferry crossing? And surley there isn't any accomodation left, as it's MGP week, is there?

Spot on. A really good description of the process. They same applies to anyone wishing to register a new/newer bike. You just use the cert of newness or a letter from the importer to state the age. Andy- the above post would be an ideal one to use in a FAQ's section maybe?

I had a Bultaco Sherco in 2000 and was very dissapointed with the build quality. However, it only let me down once in the three years that I owned it from new; that was when the cyclinder head O ring failed, which can can happen to any bike. The frame went rusty the first time it got wet and there was no grease what-so-ever in the rear suspension linkage when new. These points are hardly likely to put you off one now that it's seven years old. Just try to buy by condition and forget the age.

I was trying to work out if the Scorpa T Ride, the SY250F and the WR250's all have the same engine. They certainly look the same. I assume there will be internal differences between the Enduro bike and the trials bike. Does anyone have any idea what differences there are?

Less firing strokes but a lot more moving parts causing friction. Watercooling gives the designeer far more control over temperature. On a cold day the fan stays off (or stat stays closed), whereas with an aircooled engine the fins still take away valuable heat.