nsaqam

Congratulations to the whole Webb family and their sponsors!! You give hope to those of us who would like to see an American rider compete against the best the world has to offer. Keep it up and keep that fire in your belly.

The US Pro's realize they couldn't hold a candle to the WTC riders so they are content to be the big fish in the small pond that is the US trials scene. Geoff Aaron is a nice guy but I think it's a shame that he doesn't want to raise his game to at least compete with the best. Every time a Euro comes over here to contest the US C-ship he wins it with Aaron dutifully following in second place. Truly saddening to me but many don't mind our position. Can anyone explain why it's OK to suck?

Jreilly, I would have loved to be in TN this past weekend but quite frankly I hope the WTC comes back to Duluth next year instead of TN! Just selfish I guess, but I live in Duluth!

Insanity is doing the same things over and over and expecting different results! I think this applies to the present US Trials scene. The NATC must have given up on ever having another US World Champion because the system they have in place hasn't worked for 3 decades yet they refuse to consider radical change. Maybe they don't care about the WTC because their mission statement says that they are only concerned with the US National C-ship. Even if that's the case, they have not been very successful in the Pro class with only 5 people competing in the 2005 series. Mich, the insanity definition applies to you as well. You've been saying that the US trials scene needs to be transformed to get results in the WTC for a long time to no avail. It's time to kick down the door and put on the full court press and gather those who support your well reasoned proposals to make the best possible effort to get this thing done. Where do I sign up and what can I do to help? Let's get this ball rolling!

Kinell, I hope you didn't mean to type nsaqam instead of Alan. I've been solidly behind a 125 National C-ship since I've been on this board. I think it needs to be adopted if the US is ever going to have another WTC contender. You were correct to type Alan because as he's stated he doesn't think that the 125 National C-ship is needed in the US.

Axulsuv, a smaller number = a leaner mainjet I.E. a 66 is leaner than a 68

Amen cope! An all ages welcome 125 class with a National Championship at the end would do just fine IMO. Nearly everyone agrees that riding a smaller displacement bike helps to build skills that often get neglected when a rider graduates to a big bore machine. Folks need incentive to stay on the small bore and a National Championship may provide enough. Alan points out that adding more classes soon makes it a trophy giving exercise. I think we're already there! The age classes for every 5 year increment is excessive and cope is right to say they should be 10 year increments. Bigger, more competitive classes and plenty of room for a valuable 125 class. Nobody gets excluded because there are still the "run what you brung" classes. Seems like a slam dunk to me but we'll have to wait and see what the NATC thinks.

Alan, that is the most helpful and informative posting I've ever read and I would like to thank you wholeheartedly for your suggestions!!! I will do those things that I can. I'll post later after I pick my kid up from school. THANKS!!!

I would like to help the sport grow and to that end I've volunteered to help the USMTA in any way can. Catherine has replied and said she would put me to work wherever she thinks I'd be useful. I wish I could go to the WR because I'd love to help out there and meet alot of the people who make this sport go. Tell me other ways that I can contribute. Mind you, I'm no millionaire and can't start a whole series or open up a trials school. I can and will do anything else within my capability though.

Yes Alan I did and it was interesting. I do remember being told to look out for him when I was working the '05 WR though.

Ringo, you wouldn't be the one of the "press credentials" would you? Something about "Full Monty" or something? Just wondering?

That's an interesting little bit of info ishy!! Those randy Spaniards can't control themselves unless they're on a trials bike I guess

We take our hunting and shooting pretty seriously up here in Northern MN but I'm sure glad we don't have any killer snakes and lizards and bugs up here! The worst we have is the occasional Timber Wolf, plenty of Black Bear and Woodticks. No gun required for these critters while riding.

Hey Brad, I don't have a link for you but there is a thing I've seen talked about on KTMTalk.com called the "Db Snorkel". It supposedly drastically reduces the sound level. It looks goofy but it attaches to the stock silencer. Go to the KTMTalk.com site and ask around I'm sure you will find what you need. Welcome aboard Ken

Alan, nice to talk to you again after the forced hiatus. My nearest and most accessible voting member of NATC is Steve Ahlers and I plan to jawbone with him at length about this issue. I appreciate your generous offer for accomodations at the WR upcoming but due to the new job and no vacation thing I don't think I'll be able to take you up on it this year. I'll try telling the boss that I have a death or a wedding in the family but I have my doubts. I will let you know for sure shortly though. I'm dying to see another WR and would like the opportunity to meet you and other movers and shakers in this sport. Either way have a load of fun and enjoy all those astoundingly talented Europeans (and 2 or 3 Japanese) riders. I'll be getting the Trialstv dvd when it come out.

My GG video owners manual specifies 300cc in each leg but I like the idea of measuring the level from the top like I do on my KTM forks. Do you do that with the damper cartridge in and the damper shaft at the top and the spring off like you do on other bikes?

TC was down for like 3 days or so! The first day it was down I only got the "this page cannot be displayed" message, so I PMed some folks on KTMTalk who also visit here to ask if it was my computer or if Alan had me cut off for some reason LOL . The KTMTalk guys told me that the site was indeed down, much to my relief. The next day there was a "this site temporarily taken offline......" message. Finally there was a good explanation from Andy as to why it was down and then, it was back up! My wife thought I was nuts because of how much I complained and whined while TC was down. She was probably right though, wives alway are!

So now Freixa is going to do the Eddie Irvine/Rubens Barrichello to Bou? Do Scorpa's suck or do they just pay lousy?

It's good that TC is back up because I've been going through TC withdrawals lately. TC being down did allow me to have a different excuse for being crabby other than quitting smoking cigarettes 3 weeks ago though. I'll blame the cigs.... Keep TC up!!!

Mike, of course you're correct about all your points but this year the only event within 100 miles or more is the event at the OHVRA in Gilbert. I know Andy Bowman and his dad but met them while working on the '05 WR. I never heard about the National event in '00 probably because I was on hiatus from bikes then. Heard about the '02 WR and planned to go but life happened and didn't make it. Went to '04 and '05 WR. The '04 WR got me hooked but didn't hear about another event until the '05 WR. I've been well aware of the UMTA for about a year and frequent their website. This reinforces my opinion that only a WTC level event gets promoted enough and is thrilling enough to attract even a motorcycle guy, let alone a regular guy, to get into trials unless you have a family connection. Once you see how cool it is you may get more involved but the promotion and the media coverage are just not there for anything less than a WTC event. I wish it weren't so but I'm afraid it may be. I don't mean to slight the UMTA at all but I sure wish we had a club in Northern MN with events less than 200 miles away like Thielman this weekend.

052.7.1.1 Age of riders Trial World Championship: 18 years old and holders of a valid driver

My goal is to have Americans competing for and winning WTC crowns. To that end, the adoption of a 125 class for our youngsters seems to be a logical step as it would put our kids on a level playing field with the dominant Europeans. Our kids would be learning on, and competing with the very same bikes they'd take to Europe in their quest for the World Youth title. Our kids would stay on the 125s throughout their youth careers and would master the intricacies of the small bore machines without the temptation to switch to larger bikes in an attempt to keep up with their peers. They wouldn't succumb to the allures of big displacement and effortless power. Once again, my goal is to have our kids winning WTC crowns. Nothing more, nothing less. The run what you brung model hasn't produced the results on the world stage. Even so, the entire Sportsman class is open to riders of any age and the bikes can be of any displacement so the run what you brung model would still exist here for those who choose not to compete for the 125 National title. But a prestigious 125 National title and the possibility of beating the best youth that Europe can offer may keep these youngsters riding 125s long after they may have moved to a big bore under the current system. This surely wouldn't hurt our chances of putting an American on the top of the worldwide podium. As for the chances of this getting adopted, I have no idea, but either way I won't lose any sleep over it.

No question that if I had an active, local club I'd have gotten interested earlier if that club did any sort of promotion. A local club would be a wonderful addition to this area IMO. I guess my point about Americans winning at the WTC level could bring mainstream media attention and a possible increase in participation nationwide as well as outside sponsorship and money. Your posts are always insightful and thought provoking sideup. I enjoy them.

After reading 54 pages of rules plus appendices I still don't see the reason for FIM adopting the 125cc class. Be that as it may, the fact is that FIM has a 125cc limit, the NATC mission statement says to compete at the world level AMA/NATC needs to comply with FIM rules. The NATC does not do that at present. As to the reason for the split series in SX, it doesn't matter why they did it. The result in SX, as it would be in trials, is that travel distances and costs are reduced. Simply a matter of geography. As I stated previously, small fields don't seem to bother the NATC. Their premier class, the "Pros" had a field of 8 pre-entries and 5 who competed in the entire series. That is in their most prestigious class. We'll just have to differ on the potential popularity of this sport though.

Brian, you're right about the commitment necessary to win a 125 National Championship. You'd almost need to home school your kids like the up and coming MXers do. Both for the travel and for the training time required. I noticed though on the NATC website that the HS class had the most competitors of any class, add to this the other youth riders competing in the Sportsman class and you may have enough to have a type of regional series where travel wouldn't be so daunting. I like the idea of local, regional and national series' Small fields have not prevented the NATC from having classes before. The lessened travel may well get even more parents to consider a run for the title for their kids. Even relatively prosperous 125 SX (SX Lites now) has a split series to make it more affordable and accessible.