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Wouldn't think so? If he's old enough to ride on the road, he's old enough to ride anything he wants.

No Sherco dealers that I can see on the sponsors page, so I guess I'm safe in pointing you to what might be a local dealer for you, depending on what part of the North East you're in: Click Here for White Brothers Darlington

We've not noticed it down here yet, but i suppose we're right next to some of the larger refineries. Is it really hitting some parts of the country already?

Cheers Atom. You gonna have a ride this year? You still got a bike knocking about there somewhere?

As far as I know we're all OK to go. Just added it to the fixtures page on 25th May. I'll speak to Jean and see what's happening with regs. I'll also ask about the yellow twinshock/pre-65 route. It's always there as an option, but I think mainly because at our club trials the twinshocks and pre-65's run on white route they've left it there. At the very least, yes, you can upgrade to the yellow route for a more sporting day out, but award may be limited to those given out for the best riders on the yellow route. Looks like I need to look at a few days holiday to get some marking out done

I definitely don't want to discourage you, especially as trials seems to be the best possible training ground for Enduro. You wouldn't be able to guarantee turning up at a trial and getting an entry though. I'm fairly sure you'll need trials tyres fitted to be able to do it at all. If you don't want to splash out the hundred quid or so for a set of trials tyres, ask around, I'm sure someone will have part used trials tyres that will work a treat on your enduro bike (especially rears). There are some boys on here that do LDT (Long Distance Trials) which would seem to suit what you're after. Have a search for "LDT". Hopefully one of them will post a reply to help you out.

Myself and my lad rode the Cheshire Youth Trial up at Dyserth today, and, similar to my last visit there, they got it spot on in my opinion. We're on opposite routes but we both thoroughly enjoyed it - it might not be reflected in my scores, but I did I live 50 miles away, but if their weather has been anything like ours, they'll have been marking out in the dry, but the heavens opened this morning and it was definitely a WET start to the day. The grass banks held the water beautifully, and the rocks there can get like glass, which made the first lap very slippy. I know they went round and changed a few of them understandably, and it dried out later in the day, but the sections still remained tricky. Nice to see that although quite a few of the sections are in the same spots as previous trials, they don't just go round sticking flags in the same holes. One thing they mentioned today is that the land owner charges a fee per rider, but doesn't take it himself, he asks that the club send it direct to his preferred charity. The same applied to the car trial which was going on throughout today, so a great big virtual applause for the landowner - I wish I could remember what charity it was, [Edit: possibly Alder Hay Childrens Hospital] Well done chaps anyway, a great day out! Oh, and last but not least, thanks to all the observers, I thought you were going to get a soaking, but it turned out fairly nice in the end. Noticed that quite a few of the observers are there without associated riders, just lending a hand - Albert and Alun Evans that I can name, but I think some others too. THANKS to all of you from all of us

Worth mentioning your existing sprocket sizes. It may be close to 3:1 on the Beta as I know the Beta have a fairly small back sprocket as standard, but on a Sherco for instance it's over 4:1. I have a 10 on the front and a 42 on the back, so its slightly more than 4:1 ratio. (i.e 1 tooth on the front is roughly the same as 4 on the back). You may have more scope on the Beta for going up a few teeth on the back. I reckon if you quote your existing sprocket sizes, then look to Beta riders for suggested sizes (and find out what's actually available from suppliers).

I reckon that's the trick. Do they do them for all bikes, or are they universal? I use a camlback, with the 2 litre bladder and plenty of room for tools. Being bigger than the average bear, it doesn't affect me too much, but that's in trials which aren't as tough as Scotland. I'm sure the extra weight each day would take its toll in some way. The camelback is a pain in the butt to take off at each section and probably more so in Scotland where you don't want to be hanging about. Bumbag easier to take off, but easily left behind I reckon.

Not heard of this one. When, where, what, etc. Any info?

Trials advice - try to keep it up, maybe have a little break (no pun intended). I gave up at about 17 and started again 17 years later. I was gutted I'd missed out on all that trials time. Exam advice - forget the English, concentrate on the rest, you've left it too late Only joking mate - good luck!

I'd say most of the points above are fair, but don't get yourself thinking that you'll look daft with the crosser boots. I wore some at one point, after smashing and breaking my toe, then bashing it again just as it was on the mend. I stopped waxing my trials boots after that as the leather was just so soft it was like wearing trainers. The crosser boots do give more protection, and if you're just starting, you're really unlikely to notice the difference in flexibility. You might end up on yer 4r5e more often when walking the sections as the grip is usually worse.

You seem to have no grasp of reality whatsoever. I don't know of a single person who would suggest that the Novogar series might be a suitable place for the Twinshocks and Brit Specials to join in as their Championship. I'm beginning to think you're only trolling? Have you ever been to a Novogar event? I really don't understand your point at all now. One minute you seemed to say the modern bikes had made things too hard and you couldn't get your Majesty round without breaking it, and next minute you're saying with only 20 bikes (presumably the twinshocks and brit specials) sections are so easy that winners lose less than 10. I'll stay out of what you need to do with your championship, but it seems that they're not that far off already, just needs some tweaking, and a little positivity instead of constant whinging. Sounds like your aim is to drag the Championship to its knees - what is your real gripe with it? Not everybody is going to win awards - there are some very good 40, 50 and even 60 year olds out there on classic bikes. They're going to win, and most people are going to have to ride a championship for fun. Where's the problem? P.S. You were writing your replies at lunch time while the rest of us were out riding/organising

I don't understand why you think that the twinshocks and Brit specials fit in any way with the Novogar????? The Novogar is entirely modern and very successful series. A decent rider could get a good twinshock round, but you wouldn't anywhere near it with any British bike I've seen (including the sort of thing that Grant/Gaunt etc might turn up on) You are way off the mark suggesting that these should be anywhere near the Novogar. You obviously don't understand the series and you can't possibly have been to many of them or God forbid ridden one? Why don't we shove the classic championships in with the British Championships? .................Because that's an equally stoooopid idea! Edit: By the way, there's nothing stopping these elite riders you're talking about, riding the Novogar now, but they can't expect the sections to be marked out with them in mind, and there won't be any award for best rider on a dinosaur. Your suggestion was to attach the Classic Champs to the Novogar though, which is an entirely different thing.

We're just South of Oswestry - Llanfyllin club - www.trialspace.co.uk Wrexham or Llangollen may be nearest. Oswestry run 3 or 4 trials a year. South Shropshire is a solid club, based around Bishops Castle area. Market Drayton run a few trials too. Not an abundance of practice areas, but Wern Ddu is a decent place over towards Corwen, near Gwyddelwern. Links to most of these clubs from our web site.

The fact that you've asked that suggests I'm totally out of date so ignore my previous suggestion about the zip ties. I'll have to have a look at one to familiarise myself. One day I'll buy a new one - when my 04 gives up, but I can't bring myself to get rid. Had the money this year and bought a Supermoto instead. That's the trouble when manufacturers make a good sturdy one eh. Doesn't sell new bikes.

No it was a big rock, then drop to a standing start and turn up the bank. I was surprised myself at Phil's comment but he's ridden a fair few of both. I know I've seen Phil riding an older Honda 4 banger. Weight is only a problem when you can't put it in the right place. For about 3% of my riding it helps out, by getting massive weight over that back end. For the other 97% the arms can't put it where it's meant to be and I'm "Fighting with Gravity" (an adjustment of the Sherco logo for my sake).

I rode a Colwyn trial about a month ago, and was stood looking at a section when a 2 stroke (can't remember what it was) flew up a slippy bank. A rider next to me said "Hmmm 2 stroke grip that" and it surprised me as usually 4 stroke riders say the 4 bangers get the grip. This wasn't just an average novice rider, it was an 'experienced' decent centre rider. In fact it was Phil Houghton - he can defend himself I asked him what he meant (as I thought it was a bit of sarcasm at first) but he reckoned it was definitely a myth about the 4 stroke getting more grip. I suppose it depends on the conditions, but generally he reckoned the 2 banger got the grip.

How are you fixing the rear mudguard on? Mine normally wear out from wear and tear, before they snap. I use a couple of zip ties to hold mine on at the back (as most people do over here). My lads broken his once, but I decided I'd used a couple of zip ties that were a bit too strong, and I think the very cold weather influenced how brittle the mudguard was. You in a cold patch? Shove a few spare zip ties in yer pocket and a 4mm hex key and you can always fix it back on.

I tell you what if you miserable old buggers can't keep your own championship supported and free of arguments, then don't even suggest trying to bring your whinging to another championship. The Novogar is in no way related to your classic championship. There were 130 riders at the Lomax last week, (and incidentally at least one of those was on a twinshock so it is possible). I've always fancied taking a 240 round some of the Novogar rounds. But i digress. "IF" the Novogar needs to boost entries (which a lot of them don't) then they could possibly add a route for the lower clubman riders - not something I agree with as I believe it needs to stay rideable by the majority of good to average centre riders, like the Lomax (and our Mid Wales Novogar in my view). If the routes separate the top route inevitably gets harder. The Novogar allows us to use some rivers and streams that we just can't use for most of our trials because we can't get the kids, novices and old folks anywhere near them. We cater for 4 routes in all of our trials - Our Novogar is special because we go where we want - some classic sections which we'd have to miss to cater for lesser riders (not lesser machines - as I said I'd do most of our sections on a big Majesty or Fantic 240 without too much fear of denting it.) If you want to sort your classic championship out, get together with one of your local clubs and run a round of the traditional. Advertise it at the level you're talking about and if it's successful, you'll surely drive the way the championship goes. I do believe you still need to cater for the better riders on the twinshock machines. The bikes your riding are my era, I ride the expert route normally, I don't turn in to a complete spastic when I swing my leg over a twinshock. Inevitably it makes me slightly less able, but not to the level that you seem to be talking about for the classic. Normal Inter sections and most of the Novogar are still possible. Plenty of others at the same level, the way Woody throws his tank around (no offence Woody) I think he would class himself in the same category. I've already digressed - summary - Leave the bloody Novogar out of this - it sounds like you're nowhere near it.

Colwyn's lands got hills Spud Big Hills. Betwys y Coed, Snowdonia, etc. There's big 'ills round here mate. Yer Toyota van would be stuck on the A5

and I quote: Hmmmm.....

I only saw some of the sections, but looking at the results, that's exactly the spread of marks I would aim a Novogar round at. Looks like a bit of a grim stretch in the middle for some of the entry, but on the whole the scores look around the right mark. I suppose we usually have around 5 extra sections, so maybe slightly less stoppers? To me, it looks good - what's the verdict from the lads who rode? And if you leave a comment, give us a clue roughly where you finished. The main bit I saw was the last group. The second one of that group was a real tough muddy bank with roots at the top. It was a real toughie, but the thing I liked about it was, a clubman rider could have a good go, but if he fell off he wasn't really going to come to any harm.

Hotel's booked non-refundable, so we've either got a great weekends trialling or a great weekend on the pi55 Started my training today.....on my fourth can already

Dave Thorpe would never get on here then Ouch - sorry Dave couldn't resist.