jon v8

"The reason for a licence (or affiliation card) is to prove that you are who you say are and that you are medically fit to ride. Its not for competence on a bike (or i wouldn't have one) - when the rider who is on for example serious heart drug, has a heart attack during the event, who performed the "duty of care" in letting the guy ride." Rabie, I only ride trials,so I don't know how the other disciplines sort out their respective cards - But I stand by what I say,the trials card proves nothing.If I choose to lie on the application form about all the medical questions etc, the ACU would be none the wiser. The £10 fee can hardly cover the admin and production costs of the cards. If the ACU have to have a card I don't object,but it would be good if it actually meant something I think. The AMCA seem happy to take money off riders and as far as I'm aware use the same insurance company. We are all volunteers,I'm about to start a new classic trials club if I can do it, just for the love of the sport and to hopefully enthuse owners of old bikes to keep using them or start again. I'm very aware that even people who don't have to work often have many things pulling on their leisure time,and I want to offer them value for money. I will be contacting the AMCA in the near future.

Yes,mostly meet them at Shepton Mallet autojumbles, they really know their stuff, will build a carb in front of you to the correct specs.Also will advise to use a cheap zinc slide to test and once you are happy they will supply either brass or hard anodised slides..Very friendly couple with an equally friendly collie dog, its a pleasure to buy stuff from them.

If it were mine I'd be talking to Surrey Cycles. http://surreycycles.com/

http://www.aspenfuel.co.uk/

Really ? After all its not a licence - it proves nothing other than a registration card.There is no proof of competence or qualification,so why should it cost any more - esp as the AMCA seem to manage happily without it. Trials has always been a low money sport,ramping up costs would spoil it,probably forever.

That's in way better nick than my current old nail of a TY, but it still goes so well I can't be bothered to do anything to smarten it up.It was out today on firewood duties,being thrashed around in the mud by my son.

Well done that man - you know it makes sense !

The two red lines through the front number plate are just like the two red lines on the number I took out of the front of my AJS before I washed it yesterday. Mine came from the Arbuthnot,would I be right in assuming that was the last trial that outfit did ?

As Deryk said it may not be a correct trials model, but you have the main elements of a load of fun there. Despite what the moaners would say about expensive "Pre65" bikes,there are plenty of trials to ride where you could have a days fun with a load of like minded folk. What you do need is the will,effort,knowledge and cash to get that bike up to scratch. It is a VERY satisfying thing to do,especially if you do the bike yourself,you don't need to spend thousands or have the very latest this or that,just make it reliable and have all the controls working smoothly.Four of us rode rigids around the South Birmingham Greensmith Memorial trial yesterday, two BSA's and two AMC's, none of them are trick,just well sorted.We had a day out I will remember for a long time,brilliant fun.

My team mate, one of the Steve's forwarded them to me by Email. They make interesting reading, I wonder,when they ask about boosting entries if maybe the lap could be made shorter. I'm sure several of the older riders find the length of the trial just too much. I was absolutely cream crackered after - I'm only 51...

Sorry Kev, that was why I mention Gerry - he rolls his own springs.

Try Gerry Minshall who runs the Kia Twinshock series.

Saw Tim today, riding his new Wasp. He is very pleased with it,he went down to Wasp to sort out all the specs. He said they were easy to deal with and he is very pleased with the bike,it all fitted together very well and I have to say it looks a real cracker.

A mate of mine has recently finished a Villiers/Wasp if I see him on Sunday at the Golden Valley trial I'll ask him about it.

Anyone seen the results ?

Yep same kit,all lubed with WD40 - don't believe in non lube.

WD40, may not be everyone's choice, but I buy in 5ltr cans to use in my business... Works well for me.

Yes Guy, I do. I also use the throttle cable kits,they work well for decompressor cables too. The kits have plenty of fittings in them,but I turn up brass ones on the lathe if there isn't quite the right type. I like to have cables well lubed and tidily fitted so they work well,these kits make that easy.

Everyone I know locally uses the Venhill universal cable kits and makes up their own. By doing it this way you can make EXACTLY what you want,for instance if you want to reroute a cable for a better run it might need to be longer or shorter than original. The kits have barrel adjuster in them so you can fit them wherever you like in the cable. On my AJS I have the adjuster up under the petrol tank out of sight and easy to keep rain/water splashes away. The cables are easy to make up,some people use a solder pot,I still use a tiny blowtorch - works very for me.

I did see you on your Panther Kev,(Several times) think I called out to you at one stage... As you know its often difficult to stop on some of those paths,especially if your eyesight is struggling through scratched goggles like mine.Must get some new ones. Deryk, it would be great if you could get some pictures for a report in ORRE, there were people who I saw taking pics in more than one place,so were clearly following the trial around. Don't really know who to suggest,other than contacting the club ? Roadster, I was one of the three clowns on AMC's who stopped and leant you a pump when you were by that big barn,well done for keeping going,that must have been hard work at times, in those overgrown lanes where you had no choice but to keep going in whatever rut you were in.

90 riders were entered in the programme for this years Arbuthnot, a great day out in the sunshine. Considering the rain beforehand it wasn't too slippery in the sections,but the tracks in between were a real challenge at times and would have made great sections in their own right.I did feel for those hardy types riding the Colonial route on road tyres ! It really is a great day out,more an adventure than a trial at times,you see some amazing bikes and ride through some very beautiful countryside. Legs and shoulders were more than stiff this morning, over 80 miles,mostly off road on a rigid take their toll. Anyone got any links to photo's, there were plenty of people taking pics and videos ?

I think its desparately unfair that Dougie Lampkin is a way better rider than I could ever dream of being,so what do I do - DEAL with it,get on and ride,pitch myself against other riders I know of similar or slightly better ability.I rode for years with very little success,but I still rode,and for the most part really enjoyed it.Still do it now,as do most other riders I know,there are more battles going on than any score sheet can show.Rider ability is what wins,not the bike. If I went to a trial and was turned away because my AJS is currently running an electronic mag and Rickman hubs, I can tell you what would happen - I just wouldn't go back,I'd ride elsewhere. The WHOLE key to this ,and always has been is in the marking of the sections,nothing more,nothing less. Using the classes I outlined anyone with a British bike of any standard can turn up,ride and enjoy themselves. Go to the Somerton Classic British 2 Day at Priddy if you want to see a shining example of how it is still being done. They get riders from all over and its more popular each year. No arguments,just an excellent weekend of trials with bikes from 1929 to the latest trick 2016 Bantam. All the Miller rounds in the last few years I have ridden,apart from one were marked out largely in an appropriate way.So the clubs clearly know what is needed, its just a simple set of easy to organise classes that are needed to sort it out.

OK, here is my proposal, its simple and easy for clubs to administer and riders to enter the right class. 1 Pre70 Sidecar. 2 Rigid. 3 Pre unit springer. 4 Pre70 unit,(including Villiers engines for those who argue they are pre-unit) 2 or 4 stroke. 5 Twinshock. Classes 1,2 and 3 ride the B or clubman route, classes 4 and 5 can choose either Expert or Clubman route. The club, at its own discretion can exclude classes 1 or 2 from individual sections or use deviations for classes 1 or 2, or both if a particular section cannot be made appropriate. I can't see any point in arguing over machine eligibility,people have spent their time and money - just want to ride,and even the best bike in the world won't make you a winner - you still have to ride the bloody thing. Plus there is often very little time before the trial to check bikes over when people have driven long distances. Lastly, its difficult enough to get help to run a club now, who is going to volunteer to take on a task of chucking out bikes and having rows with owners - its meant to be a fun pastime...

By Monday, hmm - thats not going to happen,as already said a large number will be riding in Devon over the weekend,they won't see any of this. Thinking about it I wonder if Colin Hedges got a copy of the questionnaire,Steve Allen only got one because I got a copy to him.Both Pre unit riders back from the start. An internet forum is the place for Joe Public to express their opinions - they,including mine are just opinions. The ACU ought to be listening to the club organisers,those who care enough to run and organise events.They are the ones who know what their riders want and can give an accurate and fair view. Air cooled mono's if allowed will take the problems even further for the course setters, if as I said the ACU are serious about the Miller rounds being a Pre65 or "Classic " series. Remember how the trials world changed forever when bikes like the Yam mono appeared ? I have nothing against them at all, but they need way tougher sections to test them compared to an HT5. Not all land can easily accommodate sections to be marked out to suit the range of severity this would need. A basic change of class to separate Pre units from Cubs etc, would make such a difference and its just that - BASIC. Makes me wonder what the ACU really do,very little by the look of it.For the amount of work it now is to set up a road based trial I can't see many clubs bothering much longer,the ACU should be helping with this.If they want the Pre 65 element to stay away,why don't they just say they are not interested anymore and want to concentrate on the popular twinshock classes ?

I see the main basic problem as already stated is that Pre unit bikes have to compete against Cubs/Bantams etc - Apart from Steve on his Enfield and Merv on his HT, nobody else is bothering to enter - Why would they ? Not going down the route of cost,but why would anyone start out competing in this class ? And if you look at the bikes in that class,most of them are better than the twinshocks that were built much later.Thinking of Drayton Bantams etc here, they are lighter,have better suspension,brakes,clutch and probably power too.I have nothing against them,its just natural progression,whether its home built or a kit from a supplier like Drayton or Armac I filled out the ACU questionnaire, made a separate note at the bottom,indicating that I was happy to discuss at length my feelings and thoughts about the Miller series.No reply. The Kia Twinshock series has hit its nail square on the head,you only have to look at the entries,long may it continue. The Miller series needs to sort itself out properly,I only ride the rounds I can get to sensibly,family and work are in front.But for those who want to take part and win its a mess,what does it want to be ? If its a real "Classic" or "Pre65" Championship then the classes and equally the sections need to be right. For instance the rigid class which I ride in, needs to have sections which will take marks off rigids but not have large rock steps or stupidly tight turns. So this brings the Clubman route down to a level where the Bantams may breeze through with loads of cleans.The A route has to be tough to tax better riders on Twinshocks or Draytons etc. So this puts more pressure on the course setters and makes life hard for observers having multiple routes.Giving rigids the choice of the clubman or sidecar route only complicates things further in terms of points scoring. There is no easy answer, but the ACU have not listened it seems,or made basic steps towards sorting it out.Maybe the series needs to fail, then those who want to start a series for a spread of older British bikes will come together,(As the Kia series did) probably away from the ACU to do something more inviting ?