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Come on Heath, is this you? Looks 40 years younger than you obviously but TV does that to people, just look at Anne Robinson. I was convinced at the time, but not so sure now? I'd had a few

Was that a cacophony? I thought it was a guitar. Amazing what they can do with technology these days Nice vid anyway

He's my new hero Brilliant vid. Here's another one I love - same lad. Benelli nutter

I reckon the IOM government has got to realise that if the ferry price comes down, more visitors will come. I've done the last 5 years of Manx, and it really is an amazing trial, but not sure about 2009 yet. It's cheaper to go to France unfortunately and have 4 days over there. Maybe subsidy is the way - even nationalised ferry in the interests of the islands tourism?

I do think that snappiness can be calmed with the right gearing to a certain extent - I have a 290, and had a GasGas280 before it (also known to be a handful). I've ridden a few 250's and not found them too snappy, just a little more restricted (may be bad description that bit) I feel that a higher gear and clutch control can take a fair bit of snap out of it. I suppose you've got to know that you can control that. If you're likely to lose the strength in your arms to keep that clutch under control then maybe you'll create yourself more of a runaway bike problem while you cure the snappiness Just out of interest, maybe you'll know Cope, does the 250 have a lighter flywheel in any of the models? Just wondering if maybe that's creating some of the snap?

Jesus - the 9 and the 44 at the same time will give you the equvalent of about 10 and a 48. I suppose the fronts only cheap so you could always go back to a 10 for a few quid. Make sure you don't cut your chain too short to do that though until you're happy. I'm just concerned you may be making your 1st gear unusable? Bigger snailcams may hep you with chain length - trialcast do some decent ones that allow you to take a full link out on the Sherco between full adjustment and no adjustment. If you're asking how to change the sprockets, the rear is just 6 allen bolts (with nuts I believe rather than captive screws), so you can get some weight on with the spanner without rounding the hex keys. The front is a circlip you need to remove, then just pulls off. Measure the chain to size then cut to the length you need, or grind the link with an angle grinder if you don't have a chain cutter. The purists will cringe at the angle grinder, but does he same job if done carefuly. I've never bought a chain cutter Just don't cut too much off :-) Easy to cut again, very messy to add links back in ;-)

My 290 doesn't do it, but my lads 80 does - they're treated exactly the same. You can put it in a high gear before you start it and rock it backwards and forwards with the clutch in until it clears, or you can keep the brakes on after you've knocked it in to gear and wait for it to clear - usually about 10 or 20 seconds.

I reckon I've got an idea for one of them Top Gear type races. Let him climb his 200ft rock face, then turn the rock flat and see if I can beat his time Unbelievable he is!

At your weight, bog standard will do, so your weight isn't likely to be the important factor. What level of rider? The reason I ask is that novice riders sometimes like to tame them down a bit with things like slow pull throttle, base gasket, fly wheel. Generally I'd only mess with the throttle first and see how you get on.

I would have said probably not, but that link does look like a possibility. As far as safety gear goes, all you need is a pair of boots and a trials helmet. Trials boots are likely to cost you around

You beat me on the 300 - you never beat me before Plus you're like me - too old for the 250 ;-) Nothing like a big plonker between your legs eh!

As far as I know the Wrexham trial is still on. I was speaking to Paul Sagar last weekend, and he said Wern Ddu. Mid Wales has Rhayader trial - may be a trek for you but usually good trials territory. Edit: Hell of a trek, just noticed - Bury P.S. If nobody comes on here with more definite info about Wrexham I can ring around and find out. Was it in TMX last week? P.P.S. Rumours of good news on the horizon for Wrexham with some interest in their meeting to plan their future.

No idea whether it is or not, but I don't see that it really matters, unless she's his business partner and heavily involved with his career. She can do what she wants. Although I'd imagine that GasGas recognise that the Xispa is likely to attract more riders from other brands than GasGas in particular, so probably don't care too much. GasGas is an in-brand in my view sought after by every teenage kid because it's the best performer, not because it's cheap, or reliable or even because it will last longer than a year. Honda may be in a similar situation now - except in their case, you want quality you pay for it (and you'll probably get it these days). My views only of course

For me, it will be interesting to see how it can perform in the British, but for any kind of endurance or reliability I'll be looking to the standard clubman. Just look at what's happened with many of the other bikes, I won't quote specific incidents, although I can name a couple, where there have been major incidents such as frame snaps, swinging arm snaps that have remained almost totally unheard of with a quick replacement job from the importers. I don't reckon the Xispa will get away with the same trick, just because so many people seem to be willing it to fall on its face. Not sure why that is, but people will soon change their tone if Xispa is still around in a few years. I've wondered before why there was such a difference in price for different sized bikes. No great difference in engineering, they still have a barrel and piston, it's just a different size. How much money can be saved on a little less metal? Seems like simplifying the price structure is a good idea.

I know I know - sorry couldn't resist the age old troll. That's not you dabster, just a turn of phrase I think when Sherco went black frames it wasn't just for looks, I suppose all manufacturers have to maximise profit in this day an age. Although on a GasGas the quality's not too important, it'll all be replaced throughout the year Doh - done it again - couldn't resist. Jokin - no response needed P.S. I've seen some ****e from all manufacturers, so although public opinion does build up, I'll reserve my final judgement until I see it in the flesh and I see one perform week in week out.

29th and 30th Aug in 2009 - it's always the bank holiday weekend, which was earlier in the month this year, so may be where theconfusion's coming in. Facebook group event page

How did the GasGas compare?

Although there is a big effort made to make sure observers are up to scratch, I do think we could do a little bit more. I like to think I've got a good grasp of the rules, but I did get caught out a few years ago at Hawkstone with the rule regarding wheels crossing their own tracks. At the time I thought neither wheels could cross tracks, but as the rider calmly explained to me, both wheels have to cross tracks to give a 5. As I'd stopped the rider to punch the 5 I had a horrible decision to make as it turned out I was wrong. What I did at the time was give the rider a baulk and marked him from the point I stopped him. He was OK about it, but it was one of those situations where an observer can upset the riders day if he's not right on the ball (as I obviously wasn't). That year I was supposed to be a timekeeper and was thrust in to the observing. For the following years I knew the rules backwards, to save being put in an awkward situation. I had a similar one a year later when Raga had the tape caught on his back wheel, and the crowds were calling for a 5, but eventually he managed to get it out. I was watching for everything - wheel going backwards, minder taking the tape off, hands off the bars, Raga knew the rules exactly and did it right. I was half hoping that he ran out of time to save me the trouble, but he got out with a 2. EvenHarry Lampkin came past and said 'That were a 5 weren't it?' but thankfully it wasn't, and what's more, Dougie still won so I hadn't cost him the trial I had one thing in my mind - please don't step off the side of the bike and take the tape off with your foot. The rules say your dismounted if you have both feet on the ground on either side or behind the bike, so it seems that as long as you keep one foot in the air you can step off The crowd would have gone mad, but the rules don't say i's a 5. What would you do? It's a nasty job sometimes, but I think if you forget who the rider is, and observe fairly after studying the rules, you can't go far wrong.

This is another one that I remember well. It's easy to distance yourself from what goes on, in fact squaddies do it more than anyone. It's where the squaddy sense of humour comes from. Laugh at everything, don't think too long about the negative side. When you look at this vid, and remember that for every grave you can see, at least a few people, were heartbroken to lose their husband, son, dad(dy), brother, or indeed daughter, wife, mum(my), sister, it hits hard, and for one day a year it should. It's good to remember that many of the people we're talking about (the armed forces) will have different political views, and religions for that matter, and many of them wouldn't be in the country they're in if they had the choice, but they've signed up to carry out the wish of the government of the day, which is elected by the rest of us sat at home. If you're reading this

Remember it well. Great vid, great song, great message. Pittance of Time

Awww you've gone and made me like you now I have to admit, that I'm sometimes a little forceful when defending my non religious views and you may be taking the brunt of my previous experiences with religion, but I don't even mention it to someone who doesn't mention it to me. I do try to stay somewhat balanced - my kids don't really know my views to be honest, and I do hear them come home with some junk that they think is 'gospel' (pun intended). One of their teachers is an ex nun and doesn't seem to be able to do balanced. I absolutely agree that they need to learn about religion at school - all religions and what people believe, but not be told that one or the other is true. This is probably a slightly biassed view, but church going is not massive in the UK, certainly nowhere near US levels. Generally people in UK aren't very outspoken on religion, or lack of it, but there's been hundreds of years of persecution, so I think old habits die hard. If there wasn't any stigma behind being atheist I think there would be a lot more. My religion is conscience - I believe I'm just as good a man as most religious people - I don't need religion to know what is right and wrong, and my conscience doesn't forgive me as easily as some people believe their religion does. I do worry that the world might be even worse without the big stick of religion, but I've got to admit I'd like to see a trial period And finally, I'm pretty sure we'd get on fine in 'real life'. I very rarely have a bone with anyone, and you seem like a genuine good guy. Now can we go back to arguing Just joking

It might just seem like that from your point of view. Believe me, through years in the armed forces and during the years afterwards, I've had my fair share of what was almost religious bullying. I've had disciplinary interviews because I didn't want to go to church on a weekend. I was happy to do any other crap jobs, but was still seen as being a troublemaker, despite the rest of my career running on 'O' confidentials (outstanding reports). Didn't do me any good at all. Is that right? You brought the religion in to a mixed belief group, bu don't have anything to add to the debate? Why discuss it? Some of your comments have been pretty patronising. Should I lie down and say sorry for my beliefs, while you're allowed to air yours? Ah no, ours aren't beliefs, in your words ours are a "Lack of beliefs". I put my side of the story over and you say "Why debate it? Your too smart for religion. Gook luck my friend." If we don't agree with your views, you go back to your smug "I'll pray for you" tpe comments. Don't pray for me, I'm fine on my own, pray for the poor feckers around the world that need your help, half of them in that state because of religion. If you got rid of your superiority complex maybe you wouldn't attract the 'pompous' remarks. Politics and religion are fairly emotive subjects normally. If you don't like debating them it's probably not best to throw them in to a worldwide forum. Wherever you throw yor views you're going to get some people who disagree with you. I'll just leave that one. Pot/kettle, and we're no better, we've followed you into every country you've jabbed at. I don't have a problem with the US my comments were to you, not to the US. It's gone from tongue in cheek banter to full scale arguments and whinging about being picked on, so I think I'll just feck off. First time I've been in a majority as an evil non believer, and you've gone all sulky on me. I'm out of here.....

I thought - yeah I've seen that one, but then realised it wasn't the same one: Another one pretty similar

I don't even pretend to be too smart, but at least I'm willing to debate it, and I'm not too smug to lay my cards on the table. The 'holier than thou' phrase seems pretty apt here eh!

That is entirely possible, and I think most of the atheist, non-believing, sinners on here will acknowledge that you can't explain away everything. There's lots we don't know. I do believe that electrical energy or some form of 'memory' that we don't yet understand can have a lot to do with many mysteries. What is a little far fetched is believing that because we don't understand everything, that it must be created by God, or it's a ghost. These are just a couple of 'ideas' thought up over the centuries by people with far less information than ourselves. There are millions of other ideas too. Just look at how many other religions there are around the world including the worship of trees, statues, the sun, the moon, and monkeys. Most of what was written about 2000 years ago has now been disproven, but we're still hanging on to some of these stories. Unfortunately it's all gone a bit far now, and a large percentage of the population are going to look a bit daft just giving up on these early throries. Now most of the atheist population sit here fairly quiet, not harping on about it, but every now and then, when a poor deluded individual pipes up and tries to push a historic theory down peoples throats, those of us who've had the courage to take the flak for thinking for ourselves for most of our lives have to come out and put over our argument. Our argument has probability on it's side, and we're not having to prove anything, because we don't have a belief that any higher body exists, we're just saying, why should we believe these highly unlikely stories? And while we're asking that, if you'd like us to believe, can you explain why you believe. The answer "Because it's the truth", or "because I have faith" doesn't cut the mustard. I love talking about it - I'm totally open minded, because if anyone can provide any reason to believe that any of this is true over any of the other millions of 'stories' then I'm right there studying it. I'm an atheist, but have read about the subject in detail, more detail than most religious people. I used to have more of an open mind than I do now, because nothing about religion is very convincing if you go in to it with an open mind. It does make me chuckle when religious folk say atheists don't have open minds. Most etheists would shift their stance tomorrow if the probability shifted in favour of religion, but how many religious folk would keep up their 'faith' even once religion is disproven beyond reasonable doubt? Oooh I do enjoy debating religion The frustrating side of it is the lack of logic from the other team.