neils on wheels

The best thing about these ads is that they let you know how informed the owner is and so enable you to judge the provenance of the bike. Caveat emptor.

An interesting game indeed but somewhat undermined by the fact that the two James pictures are of different models. The 1959 picture is of an AMC engined bike (I think it was designated L25T), the 2011 picture is of a Villers engine bike, the M25T made originally from 1963-66. Nonetheless, I take your point which is well made. Having said that, the cost of a 'newly built' pre-65 two stroke or a modified 70s/80s Bultaco is not so far apart, I see the Vazquez bike for sale at Telford had a €5-6000 price tag on it. As a final point, does anyone have any information on Motak; who they are and where they are? I have come across Vazquez & Puma Racing but never previously heard of Motak.

Amusing; but that's not my experience thedbf. I have plenty of Hope parts on my mountain bikes: brakes, hubs, a set of factory built wheels, bottom brackets and various finishing components. All good quality, fairly priced, future proof, serviceable & with great spares backup.

Is that speculation or information Andy?

Mind you, if it was a healthy championship they wouldn't have the multiple schedule changes that happen each year.

I've just been looking at the Barcelona X-Trial photos. It looks like Bou now has a flat tank on his bike, whilst Fuji has a standard looking one.

Yes, there is no difference in registering a 125 compared to any other capacity. There are a few ridden in, for example, S3 Nationals but they are as you say generally ridden by Youths so not road registered.

I seem to recall reading a couple of years back that Montesa Honda were offering importers the chance to lease a factory bike for about €10k a season for selected supported riders. I don't think I dreamt it. Is that the deal to which you are referring?

I've just been reading last weeks TMX review of the Vic Brittain (I know it was ten days ago). What struck me as interesting was Iwan Roberts placing third on the A route on a 125 Beta and Chris Alford winning the 50/50 route on a 125 Gas Gas. It makes you think about how much bike you really need and how many riders might actually improve their technique and even their results on a smaller engine bike.

Daniele Maurino & their team sponsored riders will be on Ossa. I imagine they will still sell Montesa parts too, but it does not seem they will have sponsored riders on them.

It seems 2014 is the year of Ossa! Future Trial Team have announced a switch from Montesa to Ossa. This follows Top Trial Team switching from Beta to Ossa.

There has been no statement that the bike will debut at the Scottish. Rather Doug has said he will ride the new bike when it is good & ready, not before. See his press releases &'this weeks TMX

Have you seen the state of the Spanish economy?

Is this the guy that Jordi Tarres is working with, or are we now up to three new bikes in development?

Or more fairly and even more unlikely, directly relate the bike weight to a ratio of rider weight so as not to reward fat buggers.

Welcome back, you can join the growing band of grumpy old farts on here. I think one of the big problems with X-Trial is that the FIM are not sure who they are trying to attract. If they want to appeal to a knowledgable trials audience most of us are happy with every rider riding every section & the lowest score wins. At the end of the season, the rider with the best cumulative results is crowned world champion. If they want a high energy show to attract a TV audience who've been impressed by Danny Macaskill et al, then allow the riders free reign to put on a show. This could be great entertainment, but granting world championship status dampens the riders potential exuberance.

Thanks gasserguy

Fair play Andy, new rules sound like "It's a Knockout". I checked Motors TV the other day before being one of the pests asking about televised coverage. Nothing is showing in the next week, so I guess we sit & wait. Look forward to seeing the posted results later, assuming that is, you can fathom who has won!

That's better news. Hopefully the bikes won't be made heavier in the future; just removable weight added to meet FIM requirements; otherwise riders will be hindered despite national regulations, or the lack of them.

I think it is more disappointing that the 125 weight limit is increasing from 65 to 69Kg. This 4Kg increase will have a bigger impact on the lighter A & B class schoolboys than it does at adult level.

Vertigo typically arises from a problem of the inner ear balance mechanism. As a result patients commonly suffer loss of balance & in extreme cases, difficultly walking. I'm not sure that naming a trials bike after a balance problem is that smart. Then again, another symptom of vertigo is a false sense of spinning or motion; so perhaps its the perfect name to fool those poor no-stop observers!

So does that mean TTT running Ossa in the WTC, in place of the Ossa factory team? What does this mean for Johno Richardson? Is his an importers deal through Birkett?

Does anybody know if the FIM have done deal to transmit the indoor & outdoor WTC for UK broadcast?

Whilst an interesting exercise, I think most posts have assumed this is not practical. So for those riding 4RTs, what is the real weight of the bike you are riding?

I agree with Jimmy's thinking that current actual bike weights are somewhat optimistic, if not plain fictitious & probably bone dry without any homologation parts, etc. Each year bike launches quote weight savings for revised components, then give the same overall weight. Or the factory replica with magnesium engine cases that save 1.5Kg, but no difference in total bike weight, how do they arrive at that? I recall Pidcocks claimed to have weighed a 4RT on the FIM scales at Fort William to be 68Kg. That's about 10% less than standard, so frankly unlikely.