trialscot

I've heard they've toughened up the B route considerably to give Boofonts Scorpa a good workout.

To idmcc_sec - as Popeye used to say "I yam who I yam" but I don't think I yam who you think I yam!!!!. (must be a clue there somewhere). There's someone else posts on TC that I used to think might be who you might think I am but now I'm not so sure who s/he is either because it very definitely isn't who I thought it was.

Reading the story from Overthehill of the newly made Expert who was immediately allowed to downgrade, it appears that the existing SACU club award-based upgrading rules allow the creation of Experts and "experts but not really experts" which isn't a stones throw from fatbikedudes comment that the term Expert is meaningless as far as scottish trials are concerned. There is a world of difference between the man who consistently finishes in the top handful of the Scottish Trials Championship and the rider who makes Expert status by picking up the odd Best Club Member award at sparsely attended summer Nationals. I know another rider (or maybe it's the same one?) who was upgraded to Expert last year in the latter sort of way and he was very obviously far out of his depth when he got in among the big boys.It certainly wasn't his fault that he found himself in that predicament it's just the way the present "system" works. One simple solution towards making gradings "meaningful" would be for all upgrading to be done purely on results at Scottish Championship trials, with Novice to Non Expert upgrading going to the best novice on the B route ,and points towards attaining (or retaining) Expert status going to the top 10% or 15% of finishers on the A route. In this way the lads with ambition to prove themselves would know precisely what they were aiming at, instead of the present situation where some clubs give loads of qualifying awards while others give none at all. (Personally I think Scottish Championship Trials should revert to a single route but that's another story!.) Ordinary club level riders who rarely travel to trials outwith their own clubs area have no interest in upgrading anyway and are only looking for an enjoyable Sunday out on their bikes. Lastly, to IDMCCSEC, why should a rider who has attained Expert status fairly and squarely under the SACU rules be allowed,by the Trials Committee, to downgrade immediately to Non-Expert and continue to compete against other Non-Experts?. This isn't the same as an Expert riding the "B" route for no award, which is perfectly acceptable.

It's Don Smiths, in his book "Ride It!" the complete book of motorcycle trials, now changing hands on eBay for over

The Yorkshire centre grading rules appear to be very straightforward compared to the SACU ones, at least the lads (and lasses) know what they are aiming at in each Centre or Group trial they ride. As far as I am led to believe the SACU grading system depends entirely on what, if any, awards are offered by the organising club, so that the potential for being upgraded in Scotland seems to be at the whim of event secretaries(?), rather than by the Trials Committee issuing a simple standardised rule to be followed by every club, like the Yorkshire centre do. I'm sure I'll be corrected on this, I didn't realise I was such a numbskull 'till I started posting on TC !!.

At least the upgrading rules in ACU centres make sense, you should have a look at the SACU "system" sometime!. I haven't checked but I think it's somewhere in the SACU rules on Lochabers site. Apparently you get upgraded if you win a certain number of awards, but there seems to be no obligation for any club to offer any awards at any trial, i.e. there is no logical standardised upgrading system laid down by the governing body?. I heard that someone did a lot of research into ACU/SACU grading systems last year and made what he thought were sensible suggestions to the SACU trials committee to simplify and make things clearer but was basically told to p*** off (surprise,surprise). Incidentally Mark Christopher, "speaking to someone" is no substitute for digging out your Centre Handbook and checking out the rules for yourself. If it's still unclear contact your ACU Centre sec for a ruling.

Sorry idmcc sec, credit where credit is due. I've asked around and it seems that it's only in the last couple of years since a new sec. took over that Lochaber have adopted (they say adapted and improved on!!!) the IDMCC practices for rider and route identification.

Well, I've gone through all the postings on here as well as all the SACU info on the Lochaber site and here's my summing up. I note the exhortations of "Big John" and John Davies, Trials Committee Chairman, (are they the same person?) and others to get out and stick your comp. licence number on your bike without delay, but hang on a minute. This rule applies only to National/National Restricted trials so the many riders who only compete in closed to club trials are not required to display any number at all!. AND with Lochaber having used their excellent system of rider and route identification number plates for years and other clubs looking at following suit, competitors will have to wait until they get the Supplementary Regs. for any National/Nat.Restricted trial to see if the organisers are to provide number plates. As for the 10 mark penalty for failure to display a number, at what point is this judged?. If a rider (say the Scottish Championship leader) arrives at a section having lost his number out on the moor what happens?. The whole point of the rule, according to the gurus on here, is "rider identification". But does rider identification mean "Please Mr.Steward no.13 swore at me" or does it mean" Gosh that was a good clean, oh look it was no13, Joe Bloggs from Consett". If the former OK , if the latter it's only possible if every interested person attending a trial is given an entry list with rider names and numbers. And by the way, as far as I can see from all the SACU bumf, over the hill is quite right in his assertion that the information about the 10 mark penalty does not appear to have been communicated to riders. With rumblings about cheating and even proven instances of serious errors in results, even Championship results, the SACU Trials Committee have missed an opportunity to tidy up this number/route issue. It would have been a simple matter to have instructed all clubs running National or National Restricted trials to copy Lochabers example and issue numbers for their event, with the background colour to denote the route being ridden. I noticed that Lochaber not only colour code the riding numbers but for example the "A" route sign on sheets, score sheets and punchcards are all bright yellow to match the number plate. It must make the event secs. job far easier at the end of the day and I overheard some of the English riders at last years Pollock remarking on the super efficiency. I'm surprised that with all these mentions we haven't had some input from Lochaber themselves?. Finally, I know it's considered bad form to knock the SACU (don't mention Robbie Allan!.) but all this hot air about the implementation of this rule is just another example of a half thought through edict handed down to the hoi polloi. Bull**** Baffles Brains every time, eh?.

Good to see observers (bulltaco and bikespace) having their say on this one and that they have highlighted what I agree most observers find most difficult - knowing, when a rider enters a section, what route he is to ride, partly to ensure that he is competing fairly and partly because it is often necessary to stand in a different place to see riders through different routes. Riding numbers alone are no help with this. Wearing my own observers hat I have to say that the practice of using different coloured punchcards for different routes is standard for most event secs to make it all much easier when making up results at the end of the day, but from an observers point of view I would suggest that by the time the rider reaches the end of the section,especially if there is a bit of a queue, the observers mind is on getting the next rider up the section not on checking the colour of his punchcard. For this reason I'd go for the Lochaber practice, certainly for Scottish Championship events, of having the riding number (whether it is issued by the SACU or the club is immaterial as long as the system works and a particular rider can be identified) on a different coloured background according to the route being ridden, just as described by bikespace and rabie. Logically the observer is then thinking forward as the rider enters the section and not having to think backwards after checking the colour of the punchcard (if you see what I mean!!). I can't see why riders are getting uptight about having a riding number on at a trial but Big Johns' explanation of "preventing unlicenced riding" does sound a bit thin!. We haven't yet heard any answer to bulltacos question as to what has prompted the draconian implementation of this particular Standing Regulation or who "requested" it as John Davies says in his circular. Any theories anyone?.

Thanks Alan, At a quick first look I thought the sleeve went right through the delta link and the swinging arm but reference to the RYP parts book showed otherwise, so a sharp application of the Birmingham screwdriver was all that was required. The link was just squeezed a little and gripping onto the swinging arm. I reckon the rider hadn't torqued up the Allen bolt at the lower shock mount enough, the bolt unscrewed and all the weight went onto one lug of the delta which snapped off. Thanks again, I hope everyone who asks the trialscentral gurus for advice appreciates just how invaluable they really are. I'm sure we love you all (but not in a gay way!).

The lugs on the three cornered bracket on a 2003 290 , that bolt onto the bottom of the rear shock, have snapped off. What holds this bracket onto the swinging arm?. There seems to be a sleeve right through but I can't see how it comes out.

Thanks Munch.

Does anyone know if the 2003's footrests were a little lower and more rearward than previous models, or was that just a one-off mod. on Dougies bike?. I'm sure I remember somebody selling aftermarket footrest hangers modded to give that position, any ideas?.

Many years ago I was riding to work on a very cold frosty morning on my Norton Dominator when I came across a youngster ,wrapped up like a mummy, pushing an "L" plated Bantam along the road. I stopped, and a quick look showed the trouble to be an iced-up carb so I explained the time honoured fix of peeing on it to de-ice it. The learner seemed reluctant to follow the advice so I whipped out my own weapon and siphoned the python over the carb. A couple of kicks, the Bantam fired up and the owner rode off gratefully. About a week later I got a letter with a fiver enclosed from a local Police Inspector, thanking me for helping his daughter when her bike broke down!.