Week 154 - How Devilish Nice To Meet You Again

[Andy]

It seems to me as if everything that can be said and written about the current state of the World Indoor Trials Championship has been said and written on here, so perhaps the time has come to head off in another direction with this column.

But before that happens, I really appreciate Alexz Wigg posting on here his views

[pete_scorpa3]

The Stratford-Upon-Avon club president is Ron Langston who had some success riding sidecar trials, amongst other things in the past.

It always amazes me that Ron NEVER stood up on the bike whilst riding a section.

Here's a picture of a very light weight passenger trying one of Rons Bikes for size at a recent classic show.

[charlie prescott]

Hi Guy's

Raper's is right side car trials never leaves you once you have competed, and I too am keen to have another bash on a classic outfit (one in the pipe line).

Going on to Ron, Pete, Balance on an outfit is an all new ball game to riding solo, and don't forget two of you are riding as one (or should be) and Ron and Doug were the best. the best way I can explain it is, that say, if you are on an adverse camber both driver and passenger need to have there weight somewhere in the middle of the rig, and as low as possible, with the passenger moving his-her weight back forwards or sideways to find grip or stop the front end or chair wheel lifting, leaving the driver to control engine response, brakes, and to fine tune the balance, all this done with an imaginary line as if the plot was on the end of a plum bob, if you get my drift. There is a photo somewhere of Ron and his son John at a show, drifting the outfit in your picture right-handed at speed whilst still keeping the chair wheel just touching the ground. this is how good Ron's balance on an outfit was, or still is I bet.

Regards Charlie.

[hillary]

Talking about Ron Langston, one of my earliest memories of trials is spectating in Butser Lime Works at the Hoad Trophies Trial as a kid when I was there with my dad.

The section in question was a fabulous long hill which the sidecars used to tackle by sweeping from side to side as they climbed. Few managed the feat, but I remember Ron and Doug attacking it at a speed that mesmerised me - i remember it vividly even though it must be close on 50 years ago.

In fact, I can feel a column coming on, the all encompassing memories of the past which would mean a lot to me but nothing to most of my readers, so perhaps not until I'm totally desperate for something to write about. Could be next week!

[pete_scorpa3]

Here's a picture of Ron receiving a hand draw picture from Wrighty that the Stratford club had commissioned back in 2005 showing Ron in action.