Spent most of this Summer rebuilding a 1986 Honda TLR200 and now I'd like to learn to ride it. My practice area is my back yard for now. I put on about 8 miles this weekend tooling around the yard but mostly I'm making this up as I go.

Here is my first question: How much is the throttle used for level riding. That is, do you have your idle set higher so you can leave the throttle be and use the clutch/brake to control speed?

get a copy of bernie shriebers 'observed trials' or len leavitt's motorcycle trials they have loads of figure of 8 ideas and will set you on the right course.. set the idle low and smooth and rid ethe bike gently on the throttle.. you should be able to ride most twinshock and pre 65 sections without using the clutch

get a copy of bernie shriebers 'observed trials'

Thanks. Apparently this book is hard to come by but I will be on the look out for it.

Or the Mick Andrews classic trials DVD.

Or the Mick Andrews classic trials DVD.

"Mick Andrews How to Ride Classic and Twinshock Trials 2010" is even better and relevant to a TLR200

Good DVD that - I've got a signed copy His comments about working for Ossa and Yamaha are really interesting.

Glad you enjoyed it. Some of Mick's stories about his life and times especially his factory days are sooooooo interesting and sometimes have me in stitches. He is still one of the most genuine people i know and always has time to try to help anybody with a passion for Trials. Really peeves me when people see him as an easy target, as of late.

Everybody who attended the last Trials Training day with Dales Classic said what a wonderful day out it was and how helpful with their riding and machine set up Mick had been.

Perhaps the best advice we can give anybody starting out like scooterspal is to try to get to one of his Trials Training Days

"Mick Andrews How to Ride Classic and Twinshock Trials 2010" is even better and relevant to a TLR200

So are you saying this new 2010 version DVD (I think I found a place in the US that is settling it) would

be suitable for a complete novice such as myself?

So are you saying this new 2010 version DVD (I think I found a place in the US that is settling it) would

be suitable for a complete novice such as myself?

Yes it's full of relevant riding tips and techniques plus how to set the bike up and lots of footage of local wobblers to illustrate common faults then footage of Mick to illustrate how it should be done and all on Pre65 and Twinshock machines. A lot of other DVD Videos etc are more modern bike orientated and those techniques have little or no relevance to twinshocks.

Just make sure you get the 2010 version. the old one is good but the new one is better. Sammy Miller Products do copies, although not shown on their website i think they are trying to sell the last few copies of the old one first, or if not if you pm me i could find out postage costs and send you one.

Good luck with your riding

Here is my first question: How much is the throttle used for level riding. That is, do you have your idle set higher so you can leave the throttle be and use the clutch/brake to control speed?

The old wisdom was to turn the idle down so low, that the engine would not run without a little throttle. The theory was that since the brakes were so bad, you could roll the throttle off and get full engine braking, on a downhill. With no fuel going into the cylinder, there is no power output. Instead, you are fighting against engine compression, and helping to slow the bike.

Edited October 7, 201015 yr by DGShannon

Yes it's full of relevant riding tips and techniques...

Thanks. I ordered a copy of the new 2010 edition from a company here is the US that caters to vintage trials riders.

Looking forward to watching it and learning something.

Where did you order it from in the US?

When I first started riding trials in the stone age, I would set the idle stop on my Greeves for no-idle - the slide allowed to bottom out with minimum cable slack.  I did it that way all through the years, 2s 4s and including TLR Reflexes.  One reason was it acted as a crash kill mechanism.  It also taught the right hand to 'feel' for the slowest tick-over when desired and allow no-gas retardation on the downslopes.
Now I have a modern model, the TRRS 250, and it is set up by my dealer with an idle.  I rode it that way in the past club event and it seemed to work fine.  Is that how everyone is doing it now?  I was thinking of practicing with it both ways but it would be good to hear informed opinions.  I am posing this question on my club's Facebook page too.

I remember Mick Andrews telling me he also set up is bike without idle speed

Guy

One of the reasons they didn't use the clutch, back in the day, was because you couldn't 😂