He did ride in Expert B, didn't have a particularly good day but the end result wasn't too bad at 8th. Good trial, if a bit muddy, but you have to expect that at Scarborough in early March, well done to the club for the severity of the sections. Unfortunately he didn't ride Expert A so it's impossible to tell whether he would have faired better or worse on the harder course. Well done to Ricky Wiggins, another rider I am very surprised wasn't in Expert A.
Many moons ago, riding my Fantic 175 to work one freezing cold winter morning and I had to stop at a junction about a mile from home. I reached down to knock the choke off and the engine just about stalled before I grabbed a handful of throttle to keep it going. It coughed and spluttered before I gave it a big handful to launch across the junction in 4th gear, I dropped the clutch - and took of backwards straight up the bonnet of the car behind me! The engine had only fired over in reverse - didn't injure myself but the car driver wasn't too chuffed with the two grooves off my back mudguard up the middle of his bonnet.
Scarborough fairly central? That makes Birmingham deep south then?
Tell you what, tell us your riders name and we can give you our opinion as to whether you're right or wrong and this great injustice can get sorted?
Actually Scarborough is South of central - the geographical centre of the UK is Haltwhistle in Northumberland.
I didn't mention any great injustice - just fact that my son would like to ride (and is just as capable as some of the riders in Expert A and equally probably not as good as some of the riders in Expert B!) in Expert A.
Not much point naming him, it wouldn't make any difference - I'm surprised you can't work it out. I'll help you, he frequently used to be at the top of the results on the bike you hate and advise no one to ride because they're rubbish, the Scorpa 125 four stroke!
John, my remarks about ditching the riders was a bit tongue in cheek - but I did mean riders who had previously tried!
Why can't the rounds host more than 55 riders? The World round at Hawkstone catered for 77 riders, and one European round we rode in Spain had well over 100, might have been nearer 120 (the queues where stupid - good job it was hot)! But 55 seems a bit mean.
I was also thinking along the same lines as trialsnutterman that there will be a full entry at Scarborough (first round and fairly central) and also our closest trial - to which we probably won't get an entry! Next round, Lochaber, probably won't get oversubscribed due to the distance involved. So we might get an entry - but do you think my impoverished student is going to want to drive up to Lochaber for a trial when he's already one round down? Yet, there is no doubt he would (especially since its normally a good trial) if he was guaranteed a ride at all rounds. But then again, he isn't madly keen anyway since he isn't competing with the riders he wants to compete with - irrespective of whether he's capable or qualified in the mind of the ACU.
Looking down the priority list and I must say there are a few eyeopeners (in all classes). A couple in championship class! Expert A looks okay (I'm off to BetFred for an each way punt on that one) but I can see at least 6 riders in Priority 2 who will outride 6 riders in Priority 1. There seems to be a few, dare I say, no-hopers in both Expert B lists and a few who really should be in Expert A. But that's just my 'finger on the pulse' opinion. I suppose it's a thankless task - although a self imposed and needless one in my opinion. I'm sure the whole championship would be better if the riders just registered their intentions and rode the trials.
Or let 'em all ride whichever class they fancy and ditch any rider who doesn't score a point all season. That goes for all the classes. Promote the best and drop the rest.
No he didn't ride at any of the Expert rounds - its a long boring story - he was actually still a youth rider but since his birthday was early in the year opted to geta 250 and ride as an adult. Therefore not riding his last year in A class - hence no result - hence no place in expert A. Bit of a bummer 'cos had we have known then he would have contested A class.
Thanks for taking the time to reply, it is appreciated. But judging by the list of riders wishing to participate, 83 in total, and only 55 places available, low entries aren't going to be a problem. Getting an entry could be a problem for the unlucky ones at the bottom of the list especially at the more centrally located and popular rounds.
It would be interesting to know how many riders aren't riding the course they applied for. As for the selection process, as you say its not an exact science, I'm guessing last placed rider in Expert A would struggle to make top 10 in Expert B! There's a lot of good riders in Expert B that may not wish to ride Expert A. Likewise a few others lower down the ranking may relish the challenge - some riders are trying to up their game! And what would be the point requesting a move up part way through the championship - you'd just end up with two half scores.
From our own viewpoint its very disappointing for a rider to find he is suddenly no longer allowed to compete on the same stage with the same riders he has spent his entire national trials career competing with - the interest is fading already!
Just a couple of questions regarding this years solo championship, maybe John Collins or someone else at the ACU could answer. I make no excuse for asking these questions, my son wishes to ride in Expert A but has been given a very low priority in Expert B.
1) Why is there a need to split the classes?
2) Why have such a limited entry for Expert A?
3) Why did the entry rules change at the end of the season?
4) How did the ACU T&E Committee prioritise Expert B?
5) Isn't this going to stifle the development of our younger riders moving into the adult class?
ps. I've read and understood the entry 'qualifications' for Expert A - I just don't understand the relevance of them. Wasn't the whole idea to improve the entry numbers?
I was at the rear end (top) of the quarry when the flag must've gone out - if they where reading out the finishers then I just didn't here them. I searched around to see if they'd been posted anywhere but couldn't find them. I even tried asking the organisers several times. I'm sure they must have printed a copy off. It's a bit disappointing to leave an event like that and not know where your rider finished, the first thing everyone says is 'how did ya get on?' Errrr haven't got a clue.
Anyone got results from the Speed Trial? I was there but didn't here much over the tannoy and despite repeated attempts couldn't get a set of results or get them to read them out! I know who didn't win! I cant even log onto WOR Events these day for some reason. I'm sure Ross Danby was 2nd, Miles Jones 4th and thats all I know. Dale Robson is the result I'm really looking for.
I've seen the entry list via a friends pc. But for some reason cannot get onto the site from mine! If any computer boffins can explain why then I'd love to know - it seems to be the only website I can't access. Hopefully the entry list will be attached for anyone else that may be encountering problems.
I'm having some problems getting onto the WOR website, does anyone know if the site is operating at the minute?
The entry list for the event (the speedtrial at least) should have been posted on their site yesterday. If anyone does have a copy of the full entry or a reliable web address could you possibly post it on here.
Yeah, got my tax demand on Christmas Eve aswell. The cynical among us would believe they do that on purpose.....probably with their trousers around their ankles!
So I hope the same God is looking down on our SSDT entry form.
Just not true, you spend your money how you want to but I bet you could save some money on luxuries if you wanted.
No seriously it is true, simple bloody economics, if I have the same amount of money as last year and costs have risen significantly - we do less trials! No endless pot of money here and already doing two jobs. Apart from using newspaper for bog roll I can't really cut back much more. Trials is the 'luxury'!
I don't wish to get onto the debate regarding the National stewards but I do agree with Rappers concerning future National events due to our rapidly increasing transport costs. Certainly from my own perspective, for years now I have just about managed to keep up with the game transporting my son around the country competing at youth National events. Unfortunately, I think things will have to change and I think the ACU should begin to make changes to reduce the travelling involved.
Taking my own situation as an example, I don't forsee me having more disposable income than last year, in fact it will possibly be less. I suspect this will be the case for many people. Yet our transport costs, particularly for those riding nationally, have increased massively. The result being you will attend less events or certainly miss the furthest events - once you've missed one or two then whats the point in doing any?
Okay, so it isn't going to affect every rider or every trial in the same way - but I do think it will affect National championships. I suppose it already happens to some degree but the riders with the fattest wallet will be champions irrespective of their talent.
I always use the same method - just did one of our Scorpas last week and it was on in under ten minutes. Two front bolts in but leave them loose - ratchet strap around the sump guard and over the 'seat' - protect the ratchet strap with a bit of carpet on the sharp edges of the sump guard - tighten the ratchet strap 'til the rear bolts will go in. Using a screwdriver to align the holes while tightening the strap can sometimes help.
Mind, to be fair - if the committee wish to save a few bob on finishers awards they could do a lot worse than mark a few more bits of the bikes during scrutineering. I was stunned by the amount of 'outside assistance' that went in to many riders bikes. The term reliability trial seems to have got lost somewhere.
You'd need a mighty big tank to cover 100+ miles off road. My trailie does 70mpg and runs onto reserve at 120 miles - and you wouldn't want a tank that size on your trials bike, you wouldn't be able to stop a pig in a passage after a days riding! I still had to fill up every day (3 times the day I went to Rannoch - no wonder it took them so long to sort out the fuel problem there, there is nothing for miles!)
On a serious note, I agree with Baldilocks, whack the price up to cover the cost of a private outfit, trials riders maybe tight but you can't tell me that those riding the SSDT couldn't afford an extra
The simple solution is to fit better quality longer bolts with nyloc nuts on the back. The primary cause of the problem is that the original bolts are of poor quality and the 90' seating area on the bolt head does not seat snuggly on the sprocket countersinks - with the constant rocking action of the sprocket it eventually loosens the bolt and wrecks the thread. Its common for the bolt heads to then remove chunks from the swinging arm 'cos there isn't much clearance.
A good engineering machine shop will easily helicoil your hub and the thread should then be better than new - contrary to popular belief, helicoils are not just for repairing stripped threads but are frequently used in the production of alloy parts that require a strong thread. However, helicoils do work better in blind holes rather than thru holes and a badly installed one is as good as useless!
Use a ratchet strap under the sump and over the seat - might be worth protecting the strap from the sharp edges of the sump guard with a bit of carpet or cardboard.
We have a Bateson 120V van type trailer which is perfect for trials. Will carry 2 (maybe 3) bikes and all your gear with the advantage or them not getting wet (or spotted by thieves) on the road. They're not particularly cheap though and not many around 2nd hand - worth it though.
Just one thing though, to keep within the law, make sure the kerbweight of your car is 1500kg or more. You can't tow an unbraked trailer plated at more than 50% of the kerbweight of the towing vehicle (even if it isn't fully loaded!) Most trailer manufacturers will down rate your trailer if required by supplying a new plate as per your requirements.
2009 British Solo Championship
in ACU Discussion
Posted
Cripes, I didn't see that reply coming!