michael_t

We had 2 people join the event last weekend who had no trials experience showed up on BMW adventure bikes and so a leant them my Sherco for few sections... that was the biggest thing they had trouble with, they kept using all 4 fingers on the clutch despite what I kept telling them ... happy ending though they went out and bought a brand new Sherco the next day... The events are just that much fun.

Looks awesome... hope to see them in action this summer! BTW...try using just one finger on brake and clutch... takes a bit of getting used to but leaves more fingers for holding on, which comes in handy when trying larger obstacles

29th running - very cool ! Hope you guys have a great event - wish I could make it but I'm still feeling last weekends event plus it would be a 5,413 km drive from my house google is saying 55hrs but pretty sure that is without meal breaks . Cheers !

Hey Pat, Great looking bike!!! Guy came down from Moncton with his brand new Repsol Honda for our little event this weekend... I let him know you got a bike and will be looking for some riding opportunities. You will find riding with others will be a big help in sorting things out. Looks like 3 or 4 new bikes have been bought locally so hoping to have a good beginner class at events this year. Cheers, Michael

This might help explain things... basically we are all idiots but life is too short not to have some fun with it. https://youtu.be/lhj2QtnsA90

I agree, Here in Nova Scotia we try to do at least one "public" type event each year for 3 years we did an outdoor show which was actually in doors in the winter but there were lots of people who got to see guys riding trials bikes. This year we are doing a big biker bash called the Wharf Rat Rally in Digby they have offered to put up the riders and build whatever obstacles we want plus a nice bit of cash to support our other events. You don't need to put on a pro level show just promote the riders in the local area whatever level they are at... sometimes it is better if people can watch and say "hey I could do that". Head to head competitions (can't call them races for insurance reasons) are usually a lot of fun for people riding and watching.

Murphy's Laws _ part 2 1. Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak. 2. A fine is a tax for doing wrong. A tax is a fine for doing well. 3. He who laughs last, thinks slowest. 4. A day without sunshine is like, well, night. 5. Change is inevitable, except from a vending machine. 6. Those who live by the sword get shot by those who don't. 7. Nothing is foolproof to a sufficiently talented fool. 8. The 50-50-90 rule: Any time you have a 50-50 chance of getting something right, there's a 90% probability you'll get it wrong. 9. It is said that if you line up all the cars in the world end-to-end, someone from Texas would be stupid enough to try to pass them. 10. If the shoe fits, get another one just like it. 11. The things that come to those who wait may be the things left by those who got there first. 12. Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach a man to fish and he will sit in a boat all day drinking beer. 13. Flashlight: A case for holding dead batteries. 14. God gave you toes as a device for finding furniture in the dark. 15. When you go into court, you are putting yourself in the hands of twelve people who weren't smart enough to get out of jury duty.

Seems to be working in Canada today... that is a pleasant surprise!

It was a really close call for me between the EVO200 and the ST250. If you have been riding since the 70s I really don't think you can go wrong with any of the modern trials machines they are all great fun but giving them a try is your best bet... good luck !!!

Welcome Art, I have an X-Ride and added a ST250 (to replace my GG200) last year. It is great having a real trials bike for events and the X-Ride for trail riding... I have run the X-Ride at events but it does make it more difficult to do well... of course Jarvis can ride trials events on a full out Enduro machine so anything is possible. Are you on the Sherco forum as well? Cheers, Michael

Who needs to read Kenny the Rooster with so many jokers on here. The SSDT is certainly on my bucket list but I might be getting too old. I know we are only damn colonials but we certainly have enough miserable terrain and weather in Canada to put on a similar event here... but it could never hold the same prestige as the real thing... not sure what any of this has to do with a Honda winning though

Hi Steve, Can't you just use the "attach files" feature...

Thanks Steve, This is going in a much more productive direction, it seems I was just asking you the wrong questions. Knowing what you can and cannot share has been very helpful. Marilynn has been very helpful as well.

Yeah I found it strange that the CMA did not mention their not-for-profit status on their "about" web page. The MCC makes a big deal about it on theirs. Thanks for the additional info on how things are run in BC it is very helpful. We might try to do something similar here.

No worries Steve, I heard back from the CMA and they have answered my questions that you seemed unwilling to (see the previous page)... the answer was "yes" the CMA does charge clubs in addition to the riders fees for both insurance and sanction fees. This all started in relation to what goes into rider fees but got so far off base we got kicked off the original thread. The CMA also clarified that they are a bona fide not for profit corporation with corporate responsibilities and it that means there is a cost to have them here. It also costs them money to be affiliated with FIM. I was not aware it was not-for-profit and had stated in the past that they are a for-profit - I am sorry about that, I'm surprised nobody corrected me.

Steve, Maybe I am just overly sensitive but after 6 years of doing this you keep implying that I know nothing and am not able to comprehend what you have to say. There are completely new people getting into the sport in our area and they may very well prefer it if we run our events as CMA sanctioned events. In addition it may be a selling feature to some of our sponsors to have CMA sanctioned events. As an event organizer and promoter I need to know how to sell the CMA to the riders and the sponsors. I have asked Marilynn but despite being the head of the CMA I am not sure she knows as much as you do when it comes to Trials. 6 years ago when I started all of this and before the TAC I asked the CMA about getting sanctioned and they told me I had to join as they where the only way we could insure events so kind of had me over a barrel... I admit that has left a bit of a bad taste as they really were not doing a lot for Trials at the time. You and the TAC have brought Trials to a new level at the CMA but I do think the rider community and sponsors still need to know what the cost are and what exactly that cost covers (if it does cover insurance I would like to see the policy) and what in addition is the CMA doing for trials and what level of support are they giving the TAC (at least a rough budget number)? This is about way more than free insurance it is about the CMA asking for 1 or 2 thousand dollars I think it is fair to ask where it is going. So please what exactly is the TAC doing and what is the TAC tasked with and do they have the resources from the CMA required to do it ? I believe you put on CMA events last year so you must know what the costs where and what the CMA insurance policy covers. As the head of the TAC you must know what level of support the CMA is giving to the TAC. Maybe I am just sensitive but I do find that being told I do not yet deserve any answers to be insulting so please if you simply can't or don't want to answer just leave it at that. Thanks, Michael

Steve I am just saying that as a new person to the sport that despite the fact that we have exchanged email, talked on the phone, and I did try to meet up with you while I was in BC (unfortunately the rest of the family only had limited time for trials)... It just seems whenever I post a question you take it as an opportunity to insult me and the WTC. I admit my frustration has got the better of me but just knowing that you are not able to speak o behalf of the CMA makes me feel much better... up to this point it seemed you kind of implied you knew way more than I did but you where not willing to share. knowing that you are simply not allowed to share your wealth of knowledge does go along way in explaining things. I will be happy to share anything that I hear from the CMA for anybody that is interested... despite Andy thinking that most are not (and he is probably right) .

Thanks Andy, Hi Steve, Yes I am still relatively new to the sport it has only been 6 years that I have been involved. I hope that helps you answer my question. If you like feel free to consider me totally new to the sport. If the answer to my question was on the CMA website I would not have asked. I had assumed that since you have been around much longer than I and have put on CMA events in the past you would know if there is a CMA fee involved but I am happy to give Marilynn a call it is now very apparent I should have simply called her in the first place. It is a little weird that you see yourself as welcoming new people to the sport.

I realize others have suggested this in the past but it really is a good read about how NATC worked with many different organization to bring forward a united trials group... http://www.mototrials.com/about/history-of-natc But to get back on topic if I decide to agree that joining the CMA is the only way to move this ahead. Would all our local riders need to pay $80 to join the CMA before we could hold CMA sanctioned events? Would there be any additional cost to the club to put on CMA events that would need to be folded into the entry fees? We only have about 25 riders and only 15 show up for events today so 15X$80 would be $1200 which isn't much money... we usually send the CMA TdN team $600 anyways. So as somebody sitting here with a cheque book can you please let me know what else it would take. This is not us against them this is just a fellow rider/organizer/promoter asking for an honest answer and a little respect from the head of the CMA TAC.

Who said riders are getting free bikes??? If we landed a trucking company as a sponsor would you assume I was getting the riders free trucks? Having sponsors is a great way to grow the sport instead of having the riders always covering the costs. This can lessen or eliminate entry fees which was what this topic was about. Let me be clear I have always said and continue to say the 2 groups should work together to grow the sport... I have no idea why this is seen as an us against them. Steve is the one that seems to think the WTC should just go away or am I really missing something? Stating that anything is a "farce" and then stating that is a fact is kind of silly don't you think? sounds a lot more like an opinion to me. Exactly what "information" has been given? seems to me when questions are asked statement like that are just to avoid answering the questions... Does the CMA charge clubs for putting on CMA sanctioned events? I honestly do not know the answer as I have never put on a CMA trials event. I fully understand if they are run differently than CMA hare scrambles which I have been involved in. Since this thread is about entry fees I feel it is a reasonable question.

Still unsure if clubs need to pay anything to the CMA be part of CMA or to put on CMA events. I will say that if as Steve refers to the WTC is 2 guys and a website... then by looking at the 2015 event calendars with large number of events running right across the country from NS to BC including a national championship. I would say that if I was the head of the CMA I would be working hard to include them and not continue to down play their accomplishments and insult them... just sayin. but this has been hashed out heavily under the Canada trials section of this forum. Back on topic I do think it makes a good point that regardless of the entry fee people like to understand where the money is going and what it is covering more so than the actual amount. This has much less to do with inflation.

Just asking if the CMA charges clubs when they put on events or do clubs have to pay into the CMA in addition to having its members all buy $80 memberships? WE - are the Maritime Trials Riders MTR - and we are affiliated with the WTC and NSORRA and WE put on free events and WE are asked our opinion when rule changes are made to the WTC rule book. WE are sponsored by BETA, SHERCO, and just recently HONDA. Maybe there is a bigger picture that I am missing but after 6 years of asking to be shown it I am starting wonder if there really is... although I am starting to get the idea that it may be coming and am really hoping it will be a beautiful thing.

Sorry Steve, I got the $80 from the CMA website http://canmocycle.ca/images/web/2016comp.pdf It seems they upped the fee for 2016 without letting you know. It is interesting to note that to join ACU it is just 10 pounds... $20 and typically things are about twice as expensive in the UK (based on my trip 2 weeks ago). I am not aware of any CMA events that do not charge an entrance fee. I do know that on the hare scrambles side of things we would have to pay additional insurance fees to the CMA when putting on events. Does the CMA not charge clubs for having a sanctioned trials event if so I am glad to hear that. I guess you could call me a "private promoter" as well as the club I run really isn't a club it is just a bunch of guys putting on trials events and riding in them. As they say in the UK "it's just a giggle" If that is laughable to you... laugh at us all you like but I don't see how that encourages growth in our sport. I am truly encouraged that the CMA Trials group led by yourself is making more progress than you ever have in the past and really am not trying to diminish that. I'm just saying that it is not currently having any affect on our local riders (besides knowing there are people out there who don't agree with what we are doing)

Hi Rabie, I believe your ACU is similar to our CMA as it is the only FIM affiliated organization in the country and covers a wide variety of motorcycle sports. The CMA requires riders to pay $80 to join plus the entry fees to each of their events. The closest event they put on is about 2,000km away. We also have a National group that does not have FIM affiliation but provides the same insurance coverage and its own rule book but it is all free thanks to its sponsors. Some feel putting on events for free is undermining the sport and all things FIM but we have been actually very good at collecting money to support our FIM TdN team directly instead of paying it to the CMA (which is a for profit organization). We are really too small locally to have anybody get too fussed over so we just do our own thing. It sounds like there is a big announcement coming about the CMA Trials council is working with the States for some cross border events which is very exciting news but I am guessing they will not be too much closer than the current offering for us on the East coast. I have also heard that the CMA is having some struggles so who knows what the future might hold. As noted earlier I don't think that paying entry fees turns people that are really interested away and I don't think even paying the riders would increase the numbers by all that much... for me it is more about providing the type of fun atmosphere that people want to be a part.