Has anyone done any long distance trials such as the Moor to Sea and the Ilkley Trial? I fancy a go at something a bit different. If so what sort of bike would be suitable? A pre 65,a twinshock or even a modern enduro type bike?

What sort of bikes are popular in these events and are the trials any good?

Any thoughts/comments welcomed.

There are a few LDT's. Some are more of a competitive nature than others.

The Cheltenham Home Guard club and the Stratford-Upon-Avon club both run events with 30 observed sections, these are fairly serious and are part of the ACU's trail bike championship.

To be in with a chance of winning you really need to be on a Beta Alp or a Gas Gas Pampera but if all you want to do is have a great day out on a bike then a classic trials bike or even a large enduro bike is fine.

I have ridden in a few this year on my DRZ 400 Suzuki and usually loose about 15 to 20 marks (a few more if it's a wet day.)

Yamaha Serrows are also very popular and Honda SL230's seem to do very well.

there are 3 in our centre (South east)

there are a few British bikes but it tends to be a bit hard going

in the main if you really really want to win ride a scorpa long ride

the next set of serious people are the Beta alp, pampera, ttr's, etc brigade

the majority of riders though are enduro lads on enduro bikes or green laners on stuff like DRZ's

then again I've seen just about any road legal bike take part (had a KTM 660 rally bike once

very dependant IMHO on the event - some are just fun with a few not to serious sections, other are more serious with some "proper" section

I'm not too bothered about being competitive. What I fancy is a good ride out basically on a bike that's enjoyable to ride. I'm not too keen on the Serrow, Beta Alp type thing. I'm a big lad and fancy (need) something with a bit more grunt. Quite like the idea of a biggish (400/450) trail/enduro bike.

What are the sections like? Are they tight or do you get proper natural sections?

The Cheltenham Home guard LDT is one of the more competitive events, there was only two sections that I couldn't get through on my DRZ400 this year.

The Stratford-Upon-Avon club run the OK supreme LDT in September (for which I open the course) and I got through every section in that one (apart from going the wrong way, which is a different issue)

I also competed on a Gas Gas Pampera for a few years and they are the business if you want to be competitive.

Riders on Pamperas (and Alps) regularly clean LDT's, however they are not so good on the road parts of the course.

I enjoy the challenge of riding a 400 in these trials and love having an electric start but when it falls over it's a long way down!

with that in mind, and asuming you can ride trials then there should be to much of a problem with you riding an enduro type bike

my cousin who rode a lot of youth trials back in the day has just won the centre LDT championship on a suzuki 2T enduro bike and a big 4T husky

Don't fancy the little 2 stroke but the big thumper sound good!