Also a complete trials newbie and just starting to get a feel for price/condition/vfm ahead of buying anything.
Know what you mean about soooo many 290/300s for sale compared to 125/200. I've decided, after reading the for/against posts, to avoid the larger ones and focus on 250 and under. May take longer for something to come up but I think it will probably be worth it in the long run.
At least you're in Yorkshire, the home of trials riding!
If you only intend to use the bike on the road for getting to practice areas, you could put on a totally legal to-the-letter number plate and attach the bracket with a butterfly nut. Then just take it off while you're practising, just to make sure it doesn't castrate you if things get a bit out of hand.
Honestly, I don't think it's w&^%y waving, I believe that a lot of beginners just end up with what's cheap and available and they mostly seem to be the larger capacities. If folks are like me, they will be reluctant to commit too much money when starting out and the only 125/200's I've seen have been either new or nearly new, that and what is close too - may be more choice in Yorkshire, which seems to have some special tax regime for trials as 90% of them seem to come from there!
I'll keep looking - maybe something nearly-new that I can then sell-on more easily if I change my mind is another approach to consider.
Can't help but take a look around at what bikes are available on ebay, gumtree etc.
I've read a few posts from newbies like myself about whether a 270/290/300 is too much. Seems opinion is split but it feels like most newbies would like to get a 125/200, it's just that there seem to be far fewer of these around than the larger capacities. I know I've struggled to find many, where as it's easy to find a larger cap.
I just wondered if there were any newcomers out there who had ended up with a large capacity and what their actual first hand experience has been? Doing novice sections and novice practice techniques, does capacity make much difference? Did the engine taming techniques help?
Looking at number plate hangers, there are a few about but they all say not MOT legal. Is that just the size of the board? I'm assuming you just drill through the back of the rear mudguard to attach...? Then I can order a proper number plate from one of the on-line places.
Got a TTR250 a couple of years back as a first intro to off-road in the form of Trail riding. Then discovered that the Hookwood trials centre was only 4 miles form my house so have started to wonder about having a go.
Aiming to go on a Trials experience day to see what I think.
Yet to get in to Trials and want to suss out all of the issues before I jump in... one of which is getting to/from the trials location.
It so happens that I live just 4 miles from an official trials site and so I'm wondering if getting a road-reg bike with MOT, tax and insurance and riding it to/from is a reasonable option? Had a couple of comments that have diss'ed the idea completely but thought I'd poll a wider audience and see if anyone has done this and how viable it is? Tyres seem to be the main issue, followed by knackering the mechanicals!
Obviously, if I get in to competition more seriously and want to travel off to other venues, then I'll need a van/trailer/rack, but that would be in the future. This is to get me started without having to invest in extra kit and faff.
Is it in NOVA?
in Road Legal, MOT, Insurance etc
Posted
Will a 2-3 years old Sherco likely already be in the NOVA database?