scorpa3

Anyone still thinking of riding in the OK Supreme LDT on the 24th Sept should note that entries close on the 17th; this Sunday! So get them in the post.

Unfortunately, John Dickinson, the editor of T&MX News has written about this subject on page 3 of this weeks issue and it is less than encouraging. He says " It has recently been muted that the ACU forum now be website based. Great idea for debate but 100% unworkable in practise." Perhaps he is right, however surely it is better to give it a try than to be faced with yet another cancelled meeting?

Bought my last two cars and sold my last two trials bikes on Ebay and have been really happy. That said, I wouldn't pay for anything big without seeing it first.

Lets just hope he hasn't simply registerd a new user name and is doing the same thig again.

Thanks for the warning. You could always give us your own Ebay buying name. There would be no harm in that, if what you say is correct, I'm sure we would find the item from the big red Negative that you'd given the seller by checking your feedback score!

I must say, I can understand someone being too scared to race the Island circuit. I look back on my racing days and think I must have been mad. Joey Dunlop was incredible. I was on a fast (for me) lap on my 1000 proddy bike in 2000, I knew I could take the end of the Cronk-y-Voddy straight flat in top, but every time I just drew back at the very last moment. On this particular lap, I was determined to keep it flat... and so nearly did, but sure enough right at the last split second the wrist just unwound that tiny bit and that was just enough to let Joey pass. I thought I was on the limit but Joey had enough space to overtake. I kept him in view too.. for maybe three miles! All the time I was watching, he looked so smooth, he really wasn't trying. By Kirk Michael he was gone. A genius and truly missed.

Wrighty is on 01789 751422

The Dudley club won the Evesham round of the Midland Centre Group trials series on Sunday at Grove Quarry, a mere 4 points better than the Leamington Victory team. In third place was Evesham 39 marks back, followed by the Stratford Team a distant 214 marks behind the winners. Best ride on the day went to Dudleys Buster Reagan who lost just three marks beating Ben Sprigg by a single dab. The easier B route was always going to be tight at the top and Connor Evans matched his father Dave both on clean. A spirited ride by Eveshams Mick Chapman gave him third place, despite only loosing two marks, one better than Dave Morris who lost three. The under strength Stratford team was never in for a shout as Group trials require three experts and two clubmen entries per team. Subsequently, the three hourse race has now turned into a two horse one for the championship between Dudley and Leamington Victory who are seperated by a mere 14 ponts. Congratulation to the Evesham club for staging such a good event.

I kind of think that is a cop out, if anything is important enough people will make time. Whilst full and frank discussion is possible on the internet it is easier much easier to make a point which may or may not be noteworthy, justified or valid. I could comment on the A & B british champs for example as I have seen two this year, but are my comments relative to the whole series, or if I had an axe to grind could I make a forceful point carry much more weight on the forum? In an ideal world, the trials forum would have been well attended by numerous interested parties. This would have riased many common points for consideration and ultimately led to an improvement in the sport. This did not happen. Yes, perhaps the proposed forum it is a cop out, we (including myself. No real excuse) gave up our chance to attend this meeting and raise out points, I for one would really welcome a second chance to join in this discussion. Surely it's worth a go? Anything is better than another cancelled meeting. I'll eat humble pie and publicly appologise to John Collins and the ACU for not attending if it helps but I hope the forum idea will be given a chance.

So do tell... what was the impression?

I can put them in for the OK Supreme Trail bike trial on 24th September, you think those KTM enduro bikes will have enough poke to get to the top, or am I pushing my luck for this one?

I'm fully for this if John and the trials & Enduro committee would approve the idea.

Queue jumping. Now theres another subject for debate :-)

I have been known to speak out against the ACU a few times but its never against the people, just the organisation. Since I got back into trials and like some other people I know, I've spent a fair share of my spare time ( and considerable sums of money) doing work for the benefit of others in trials but I do it by choice because I enjoy doing it so no complaints however, If I have a gripe then I shouldn't be made to feel bad about expressing a view as long as its not a personal attack. I don

John you are right, I could and should have found time to attend, I have no excuse, it's all too easy to think someone else will attend and cover the items which concern me and a number....... infact all, of the issues you mention are important to the trials club I'm in. IF, we get another chance I won't make the same mistake in the future.

That said, I regularly get beaten by Alan Taylor and Steve Clarke on their BSA's when I am on a new Scorpa and I certainly can't bounce and hop.

Yep, I agree. I do think Non stop would be the best system to use. If it was the same for everyone, the best riders would still be the best and riders like myself would still make a mess of things but have a good days sport, which is what we all ride trials for. But is Rappers right? Do the better riders get away with stops that the lesser lights get penalised for and would the FIM rules help to prevent that happening?

Thanks for the praise, sorry about those middle two in Saintbury on the hard route, just a little bit too tight, lots of ones but no cleans, I set those out so only me to blame. The OK Supreme LDT on 24th follows much of the Sam Cooper Union Jack route... just with a little bit more at the start and at the end to make it 60 miles. Take my word for it, the view from the top of the old scramble track on Meon Hill is superb! There will be four at Saintbury for the OK and I promise there will be some cleans on every section this time. The lunch stop at Top Farm will be in as normal.

The Stratford Club resisted repeated requests to make the Union Jack classic trial harder and still welcomed trail bikes after the championship was dropped from the Miller series. This seems to have kept a reasonable number entries.

Exactly, this was the point I was thinking about when I started the topic. It doesn't matter which rules are being used if the observers use and understand them correctly. I am not criticising observers in any way here, purely stating a fact. So, is Rappers right? From the 'lesser' riders point of view, is the FIM method better than Non stop?

Sorry Hillary, when you said FIM rules in the article, I wrongly thought WTC. Isn't what you describe just down to observer interpretation and often going to be a point of contention which ever rules are used? For example, I personally have never seen a five awarded for a stationary bounce to the side.

Water pump guard also!

If you look closely at Classic road racing, there is very little on any bikes that was manufactured before 1965. Most is new components made in the style of the original. Take the Manx GP for example, who in their right mind would ride down Bray Hill on a flying lap with original wheels with original spokes made 40 years ago. There has to be some case for new components and this might actually include completely new 'pre 1965' style bikes. Otherwise the class wears itself down to nothing.

Yep, that's it. Search for paintball masks. Well spotted!