ChrisCH

He had a school session booked with John Lee earlier this year that got cancelled due to the rescheduling of competition events due to Covid. I had booked up with it and both the missus and me were going. £100 a head IIRC. The wife was looking forward to meeting Adam but not entirely about his teaching ability.... I don't claim to know what sort of payment these guys get for X Trial and the like. Pat Smage did a couple in France and they are on YouTube. He slept in the van (provided by the factory) so I doubt there was a big budget for him. The GoPro footage from his helmet over the obstacles was interesting. Not for the faint hearted.

No accounting for taste I suppose. I used to go to the Le Mans 24 in my youth but the bikes go round and round and round and round. I drank a lot of beer. Never seen the point in track racing personally. My trials bike is at work (in the dry) and a huge number of people that visit us make comment about it (and my wife's Ducati, ignoring my Suzuki). I think people that like motorcycles probably would like X Trial. My nephew and his mates were keen to go to the trial at Anglesey but it was cancelled. He has graduated now and the other lads gone their separate ways. One of his mates is a keen push biker and he was looking forward to seeing the trial. The virus has changed everything now of course so I doubt we will see anything this side of the channel very soon. Shame.

Nearly all UK pumps have the ethanol content displayed on them now. Super is generally E5 the same as normal. I run the TRS on Shell V Power as it seems to run better, it has E5 on the pump. As I already have this fuel in a can I also run my plastic tanked lawn mower on it as well. It stands over the winter in a garden shed and starts first pull in the spring with no additives (Or maintenance). The "swelling tank" thing from what I have read is the water in the ethanol that makes the tank swell. So if the bike is stored in a damp place that might be a factor. If you read enough internet sites and forums you will eventually read someone telling you on pain of death they have experienced the diametric opposite of another poster with equal sincerity in their posts. The truth may well be out there but you will not find it easily. If you read up about fuel then you will understand that ethanol alters the octane rating so removing it is possible but will result in a different petrol that might not be high enough in octane for the bike. (Although you will find people that argue this is also not true of course) I have pretty much given up bothering, a lot of the people complaining online are actually fruit loops. I fail to believe that any manufacturer can produce a bike in 2020 that will not work properly with petrol from Sainsburys. If the wife's Ducati blows up when E10 comes in I will let you all know.

Its the old ones that have problems as far as I know. Lot of internet traffic about Ducati but the wife's Monster (2012) is fine on E5.

The lack of X Trial in the UK is odd. Why does it have a big fan base in the rest of Europe and not here? Is it a lack of venues or costs? I think most people would get bored watching me make a knob of myself but X Trial is designed to be proper entertainment.

As someone new to the sport my own view is that perhaps the UK weather is not the best for producing the sort of riding that you see in the competitions. I went to watch X-Trial in Rennes last year and it was very entertaining and well worth the trip, but not relevant to the sort of muddy riding I do. Our club is busy and our meetings are well attended. Everyone has a great time and it is genuinely the most friendly and pleasurable thing I have found to do since we moved here. It is not likely to produce any champions though. We have one young lad who is really good but probably a bit too old to set the world on fire. Everyone encourages him but he is late teens and so unlikely to be next world champ. He seems to me to have lots of fun and that is what is important. If you were in Spain with endless hot summers and sunshine and started when you were 3, like Tony, then you might get to be really really good. Nowt wrong with that. Nowt wrong with just having a good time. Today it is raining and cold, we are locked down and cannot ride. I don't have a private estate (like Tony) to practice in. I am missing my fun. Missing my friends at the club. Missing watch my wife fall off but have a good time nevertheless. We are very lucky to have such a good grassroots trials scene in the UK. It encourages lots of us to get out there and ride, but the friendly nature is not going to produce a massively competitive group of top riders all aching to be the next Bou. And - to be fair - I like it that way.

Gentlemen, gentlemen, how very sexist. I think you will find a UK rider is World Champion. It's the men that can't cut it. ?

Isn't the newer one (master cylinder) a braktec? I can see that there is a replacement one in that brand available. Wondered if this would help on the wife's bike. Also there is an aftermarket disc, might help. The Beta back brake is a bit wooden compared to my TRS. I find it OK but she doesn't really press it hard enough. We fitted Galfer pads on the front and this has improved the braking, but again a bit wooden compared to the TRS. A friend has a late model Factory Evo and the front brake is noticeably sharper and again a braktec master. (Std on Factory) I like the Beta but the brakes are pants. (That's "shorts" for the US contingent)

The wife and I bought a bike to share and for a few weeks it was just fine. But only a few weeks. There is only so long you can argue whose turn it is.... Probably best to start with one each if you can. ?

We import from the EU and the lack of any agreed deal on intra-community VAT will almost certainly noticeably increase prices. Some products will also be subject to tariffs, again dependent upon whether or not some sort of trade agreement is done. I think (as do most people) Johnson was waiting for the US election results and will now be forced to avoid the hard line no deal that would have been the outcome if Trump had won. I have had countless letters and emails from HMRC telling me to "get ready" but not what to get ready for. We are near the end game now and soon it will become obvious whether or not EU imports will have to go up by a tiny bit that no one much notices or a lot, or (unlikely) not at all. My best guess is that it will add maybe around four or five percent to the cost of goods to us on the warehouse floor. The primary cost will be the need to appoint an import agent and to pay bonded warehousing or other customs costs. If tariffs are imposed then you can maybe look at 10% on motor vehicle parts and complete bikes, so what, 5-600 on a Beta 250. It is harder to judge the effect on the pound and we are already pretty low in terms of the Euro exchange rate. I think it is unlikely that this will be a big factor in the short term but going forward downward pressure on GBP has to continue as exporting becomes much harder. Chinese and other non EU goods are mostly already subject to the same customs and VAT issues and so will be less affected. Time to buy a Tenaci Wong.

It is an unfortunate reality that humans are not very good at risk assessment or statistics and especially things they know little about. I would hazard a guess that doing DIY in lockdown is more "dangerous" than riding in a trial. I never know quite the right way to react to such a comment, I guess it depends on the person. You could ask her (stereotype on my part - or him) why pedestrians don't have to wear a crash helmet, but (and I guess) the irony would probably be lost.

Likewise our club. Everyone has been sensible and it has been as near to safe as you can get without a full hazmat suit (bit sweaty I think). ACU doing a good job.

ACU website still taking booking at present but I think the details are not yet fully known. My best shot at it is we will be shut down. That seems to be the news media view.

Yes, well done for that. Probably a smart move. Now you have ingratiated yourself you might want to have a trip to Dherby at some point. (https://www.dherbeymoto.com/marchand/index.php) We called in on the way down year before last to buy the missus some trials pants (women's sizes seem almost totally absent in the UK). It is a great shop. We stayed overnight in Grenoble (Holiday Inn) and the fireflies were swarming outside the building, the mountains in the background. Quite something. Then drove over the mountains past the ski slopes and some incredible scenery. The walnut orchards are impressive too. Stunningly beautiful part of the world. Incredible range of trials bikes and clothing and spares. Lovely hotel and food and a memorable trip. If only I could persuade them they need an English speaking salesman.....

My guess is when some oldie gets hugely fined for overstay one winter and then complains to the Daily Mail that that is not what they voted for... Glad you have some riding sorted out. As you say there are lots of kind and lovely people there. I cannot honestly recommend coming back here for anything. I consider it to be the biggest mistake I ever made in my life. Also I feel that in the last 5 years or so it has got much worse. All that said I would not have enjoyed the lockdown in Montpellier, at least here we live in the countryside and it was not too bad at all. If I can wangle an Irish passport we will retire to Normandy/Brittany area and buy somewhere with land round it. I will be building a trials course needless to say and hope to find some new friends to play with. I might even buy a 300 Gasser now I know how to tame it.

I wish you every success. If we did not own and run a business here I would have packed up and gone to France just in time to get the permanent residency. We lived in Montpellier for three years and really enjoyed it there. Then my wife's dad was diagnosed with cancer and she wanted to be nearer to him for his last year or so and we returned to the UK. There is a good trials club just outside Montpellier ( https://www.trial-fabregues.com/) once a member you get a key and can ride as much as you like. Prior to the vote no one seemed much to give a monkey's and be bothered by residency status and all that kind of stuff. I fear people have thrown out the baby, the pram and next week's wages with the bathwater.

Montpellier. We have not been able to get there for nearly a year now. Still got the bill for Taxe though. We think that when we go next we will leave the keys with the estate agent - not much point now and particularly as cannot work over there or stay more than 60 days next year.

Doesn't look like I am going to France for xmas then. ?

I am sad enough to look at eBay every day for that elusive project. (And it is a nice distraction from doing any work) This just in at Lee which is not massively too far from you and a bit under budget. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Beta-EVO-250cc-Trials-Bike-2017-Model-Clean-Tidy-Good-Value/324333558293

At 5 grand you have enough to buy a decent modern bike. I doubt whatever you choose will disappoint you. More a case of I wish i had tried x, y or z first. A modern 250 is a good choice of bike and the Beta 250 very much so. When I was looking for one for the other half pretty much anything decent had sold before the weekend and the chance to view it - looking at 2 - 2.5 grand at the time and Rev to trade in. If you do feel you want to change bike soon after purchase the 250 will sell quickly and easily. The 300s seem to hang around a bit longer from what I can make out looking at the websites of the dealers and what is on eBay. If you really are not sure I would keep an eye out for a late model 250 Evo. Bikes seem a bit overpriced now after the lockdown (push bike very much so) - I have been watching eBay for a year to see if a cheap project came up and they do not. Even an old heap of junk fetches a good price (who buys this rubbish?) At the higher end of the price range things look a lot better. Non stop in Wales have a factory 250 up at a bit over your budget (https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Beta-EVO-250-Factory-2020-Trials-Bike-Finance-Part-Exchange-Road-Reg/224191454947) See if you can score a test ride off them - might help you make your mind up.

The problem is the ferry costs. Though I can nearly see it from here FedEx consider the Isle of Wight to be overseas and charge me a tenner extra to deliver there. This is due to ferry costs. (UPS have a ferry contract and are no extra). I am sure Dave will send you anything you want if you pay for it, it will just be the cost issue. It might be cheaper to get someone to fabricate a carrier than try to import one.

The biggest difference I found between the Rev 3 and my missus' Evo is the Evo lifts the front wheel much easier on the clutch and is more controllable for getting over obstacles. She and I originally shared the Rev to learn on and it was not a bad machine, but the Evo is better. It is hard to find a cheap Evo (or a cheap bike at all for that matter). Realistically you need min. two grand IMHO. Prices seem to have gone up a bit this year end after lockdown looking at eBay. My TRS was newer than the wife's Evo (2014 250 2t, £2,300) and more expensive, but I have spent very little on it (rear wheel bearings 20 quid) but the Evo has had a few hundred (not counting the back mudguard which was not the bike's fault..) I read a lot of threads on here and the consensus seemed to be buy as new as you can and as much as you can afford. All I can say is that I agree with that. The TRS spat me off a few times until I got used to the power but I love it now. My wife's Beta is an old nail by comparison. She is happy enough with it but a newer bike will be on next year's list I think.

I agree with @richt the car would have the stress of the bike rack and the trailer. Plus if you are not careful reversing the trailer might damage the bike on the rack. Easier/cheaper to upgrade the trailer. The Insignia is on the limit with the bike and rack (I have Insignia also).

I hope you are correct but the wording (as I understand it) is team sports and we are not a team sport. Nothing on the ACU site this morning and still accepting entries for trials. I guess we will see. (I think we are a very low risk and the current measures are working OK and are sensible so fingers crossed)

Looks like the new rules this morning will put paid to the trials meetings for the foreseeable. Some organisers going to have to refund sharpish.