scorpa3

But if you want to ride in road trials it's worth the effort. It is likely that you can get the supplying dealer to produce the certificate of newness. This makes the whole process a lot easier.

It's the luck of the draw with the inspection thing. I've registered four trials bikes and two enduro bikes myself and just the once they asked to inspect the bike. That was at Worcester. The inspection is merely a check to say that the machine is what you say it is. Engine and frame number, two wheels... yep, that'll do sir. When you do go, you will need to take a ticket and join the queue. There is a help desk who will tell you if you have the right form, so if in doubt it's worth going there before joing the queue. I've waited three hours in the past, you'd be gutted to do that only to find you've not got the right paperwork. Miss your place in the queue and go to the back. Avoid the end/begining of the month and forget the new reg weeks. 1st Sept and 1st March.

If you can get a certificate of newness and a day time MOT, it's straight forward. You will need insurance on the frame number, then go along to a DVLA office with your payment and you should come away with a tax disc and a reg number.

Ok, I'm starting to get the message that Top Gears attempt at humour is being well received. I still think the new format has lowered itself to the level of reality tv and personally I think that's a shame.

I wonder how many years it would take for a small volume manufacturer to re-coup manufacturing costs on a trials bike? With luck it wold be just before the model became obcelete.

We've always had to accept the fact that their challenges have been coreographed. I mean, who would ever believe Hammond and May had 'forgotten that they couldn't fly at night' during the episode when the plane raced the Buggatti. But I think the lastest series has spoilt the concept; it's not tongue in cheek... it's idiotic.

Yep, I agree. But one of their challenges in tonights episode was to collect road kill and eat it, so they drove along looking at squashed animals. Finally Clarkson appeared with a full sized dead cow on the roof of his car. Not taking it seriously is one thing.... I think this is now awfull and probably won't watch any more episodes which is a shame as I used to look forward to each show.

Having just watched another episode of BBC's Top Gear programme, I've come to the conclusion that the producers have made a concerted effort to 'dumb it down'.... a lot. Now in the past, Top Gear would never have been described as educational, sometimes bearly even informative, but the new series, (in my opinion) is utter garbage. If Top Gear is now a comedy programme then they need to employ some comical writers and some real actors, not Clarkson and co who merely come accross as overpaid arrogant idiots. (Actually excellent motoring journalists; just NOT comedy actors.) I thought the piece on 24 hour road repairs was dross and had reached the bottom of the barrel, but what on earth were they thinking when they filmed the American challenge that was shown tonight? What does everyone else think?

I agree with you on that issue, but the point I was trying to make is that there's no excuse for problems to continue into the next years model.

The first round of the trail bike championship has been cancelled due to venue problems. The secretary of the event, Steve Venn has just informed me that the Barrett Trail bike trial will not go ahead. The trial, which was due to run next Sunday starting from the Royal Oak near Gretton, has been dtopped due to land problems. Any trail bike riders who have entered, should contact Steve for either a refund or to transfer their entry to the Spinx LDT which the Cheltenham Home Guard club run as a 'stand alone' LDT later in the year. Sorry for the bad news. Pete

Have to say I had a new Rev3 in 2004 which needed two stators in five trials..... no excuse for the same fault occuring the following year on the '05 models! I did almost buy a Sherco 4t in '05. I really liked the way it rode when I tried it, unlike the Montesa which I didn't 'click' with. However I couldn't start the Sherco, not from cold... not from hot. I know there's a 'knack' to starting them, but if the supplying dealer has to get his mechanic to come out and start the bike and you can't get it by the end of a demo ride, then the factory haven't done their development right. At least the factories should make sure that problems don't continue for a second model year!

On the other hand........ Aren't they good value for money these days? I remember paying

Thanks everyone.

The more I think about it, the more I wonder if this is a genuine email from the ACU?

I have to say that I think the system is a good idea, yes it has draw backs for the riders 'observing' but if every rider did this once a year then the shortfall would be covered. Better that than having to give up your ride to observe once a year. That said, if I was put in that position I would probably just stay on the section and observe all day anyway. I certainly wouldn't take offence at being asked to do this for my own club.

I am entered in the Bewdley round of the Midland Centre Group trials Championship at Mamble Farm on Sunday. I was wondering if anyone had heard if it, or for that fact any other trials have been officially cancelled to to the Snow?

Tried riding the trials bike on the road today, brilliant until I tried to dab at 30 miles and hour and ended up pointing the wrong way! Went back on got the DRZ, at least you can put both feet down at the same time and still stay on!

ACU hand book arrived today.

Now I can see where the problem lies. Doing this for every member would/will take a lot of time. No wonder you want us to cancel Paypal. Consider it done.

Same experience with anets.. anesthetic here. Every time I wake up from an operation I feel happy, and really hungry. Other people are sitting around feeling sick. I must be lucky. (Or is that unlucky to have so many experiences of the stuff?)

Sorry to sound thick here Andy.... but am I correct in saying you want us to stop future Paypal payments immediately?

It's just a pity they targeted members with trials affiliation with something only useful to roadracers. Surely the quarterly glossy magazine would have been the appropriate method to pass on such an advert.

I've now got one from emma connop at the ACU. By clicking on the attachment, pages of adverts open up from a company called Calsport. Everything Calsport sell is aimed at road racers, Now I hate to be critical and I'm sure this was done with the best of intentions but... Everything Calsport sell is aimed at road racers, I must admit I find it a bit strange that the ACU are using trials affiliated members details to send out what is basically spam. Or am I being a bit unfair?

Sorry Andy, I must have miss read your email. I thought it only applied to people not wishing to re-subscribe, so I ignored it as I'm more than happy to pay

Mine has worked ok, lost my Supporters logo for a day but it's back on now. No probs through Paypal, thanks again Andy.