A new name for the oldest sport in off-road motorcycling: MotoTrial

[copemech]

WEEEEE! Here's my chance to BE LIKE LANE [you know, the guy who invented trials] when I say that I was the man who, over a decade ago, initiated 'MOTO Trial' here in America. I can't say whether or not the term was used in the UK before that but I can tell you that America's first Indoor "Moto Trial" was put on at the Cow Palace in San Fransisco California. This event was funded and hosted by our very own Ted Gansberg.

As for the squid that puts up a frown when referring to Americanism, I guess I can only say that jealousy is be a horrible thing and it can really bring a person down.

Of course Kramit will always be old school, you can't teach an 80 year old dog new tricks.

I think they should have called it RingoMoto!!!!!!! It just sounds Bad Ass and kinda rolls off the toungue, like a pubic hair!

[steve fracy]

This is purely in response to Copeys post!

Edited October 28, 2010 by Steve Fracy

[kramit]

WEEEEE! Here's my chance to BE LIKE LANE [you know, the guy who invented trials] when I say that I was the man who, over a decade ago, initiated 'MOTO Trial' here in America. I can't say whether or not the term was used in the UK before that but I can tell you that America's first Indoor "Moto Trial" was put on at the Cow Palace in San Fransisco California. This event was funded and hosted by our very own Ted Gansberg.

As for the squid that puts up a frown when referring to Americanism, I guess I can only say that jealousy is be a horrible thing and it can really bring a person down.

Of course Kramit will always be old school, you can't teach an 80 year old dog new tricks.

The 80 year old thing is an insult, but I like the dog part. Where were you and your cronies last Sunday?

[sirhc]

Where were you and your cronies last Sunday?

You don't actually expect any of them to ride a trials?

[nh014]

Sorry, but I couldn't disagree more with the term MotoTrial. As a 40+ year participant I have explained 'observed trials' countless times and almost always in response to a query of 'observed what'.

'Moto Trials' as mentioned by Dadof2 now just associates the sport with speed and motoGP, and motocross. The mere mention of Moto Trial will congure up visions of me racing around some track at break-neck speed. No further explanation required ... motocross, motoGP, mototrial, what's the difference.

I'll stick with observed trials and the opportunity it affords to explain it.

[kramit]

You don't actually expect any of them to ride a trials?

I think Ringo's Club was better when they were drinking and making tacos. I didn't think they ever rode Trials...Pit Racers maybe.

[ringo]

Of the multiple riding options I had last weekend I choose to ride 190 miles of silky smooth, whoopless, loamy single trek in the mountains which included some intense trials sections along with groomed fire roads wherein IronMonk and I rode flawlessly together, shifting in unison as we grabbed gears at WOT out of each corner, many times reaching speeds of nearly 100mph. After a week of rain followed by a day of sun, the traction was better than anything I've ever experienced.

I thought about going to the trial but the flyer I received stated that the loop would be novice friendly and would not include an Enduro Line so I opted for the above. Hats off to Chris for catering to the beginner crowd as it is exactly opposite of what the Plonkers do. It's really neat that we have different clubs for different riders.

As far riding trials, I think the last two issues of Dirt Rider might indicate that I've ridden a trial before.

Hey Copenhagen, what rider's pubic hair has been rolling off your tongue lately?

[dan williams]

Sooooo has changing the name in Europe dramtically increased the number of riders? Can it be credited with increasing the number at all?

Silly waste of time. If you want to increase the size of the sport make it fun, make it accessable. Cater to the bottom classes on a local level as that's the growth engine. More novice riders now equates to more top classes later. For every Tiger Woods there are millions of duffers that actually make golf work. If they didn't have courses cater to the duffers then golf would dry up. All this silliness about "growing the sport" by trying to make it fashionable to a mass audience at the higher levels of the sport is a poor use of resources. You may draw a few more people in but they won't stay if they're not having fun and they won't bring in their friends which is the only model of sustainable growth.

[76ty175]

Silly waste of time. If you want to increase the size of the sport make it fun, make it accessable. Cater to the bottom classes on a local level as that's the growth engine. More novice riders now equates to more top classes later. For every Tiger Woods there are millions of duffers that actually make golf work. If they didn't have courses cater to the duffers then golf would dry up. All this silliness about "growing the sport" by trying to make it fashionable to a mass audience at the higher levels of the sport is a poor use of resources. You may draw a few more people in but they won't stay if they're not having fun and they won't bring in their friends which is the only model of sustainable growth.

This past summer I attended an event back east and there were No - Zero - None Novice riders signed up. How do we grow?

Edited November 1, 2010 by 76TY175

[eastcoasthopper]

Sooooo has changing the name in Europe dramtically increased the number of riders? Can it be credited with increasing the number at all?

Silly waste of time. If you want to increase the size of the sport make it fun, make it accessable. Cater to the bottom classes on a local level as that's the growth engine. More novice riders now equates to more top classes later. For every Tiger Woods there are millions of duffers that actually make golf work. If they didn't have courses cater to the duffers then golf would dry up. All this silliness about "growing the sport" by trying to make it fashionable to a mass audience at the higher levels of the sport is a poor use of resources. You may draw a few more people in but they won't stay if they're not having fun and they won't bring in their friends which is the only model of sustainable growth.

We had the best turnout ever in Maine this year, 68 riders, but only 1 Novice. It takes more than a name change.

Personally, I like it. I'm sick of explaining what "Observed Trials" is. MotoTrials just makes sense. But I do agree that the possibility of it sounding too much like every other ground ripping sport can have negative reactions, but I'm not worried about that. If we want the sport to grow, we need more publicity and accessibility. I've always agreed with Dan on this. I've watch some events make Novice sections like hard intermediate. Some people never come back because they think it's too hard. We had a good beginner class, but that was decimated when we added the youth classes and forgot to pay attention to the beginners. It will be a long time before we see 15 Beginners at an event again, if the name helps bring one more newbie, it'll be good. Embrace change, the future is now!

[jse]

I'm still trying to fathom how a simple name change is going to attract new riders. Trials is a participant sport and most often does not attract money from spectators or promotion from aftermarket companies. What other motorsport allows a rider/driver to buy a new machine, put fuel in it, check the tires and enter a National event with a reasonable hope of winning one's class. The low cost of riding Trials can be a two-edged sword in that it must rely on promotion within the ranks, rather than outside organizations that are profit driven.

Any student of business management will tell you that word-of-mouth advertizing is the most efficient, cost-effective way to promote sales. Provide a new rider with a fun experience and he/she will tell friends. I think each club needs to take the time to actually talk to new riders and get an idea of their experience starting out. What, if anything, needs to be changed to make them want to come back? If we are more concerned about how we can join the new riders rather than how they can join us, we have a better chance of seeing them again. Do we need to back off the difficulty of some of the sections or loop? Do we want to provide a half-hour rules/riding workshop for beginning riders before the event to help them get started on the right track? Do we want to have an advanced rider take them out as a group to show them the ropes? Do we want to conduct an "exit interview" of a rider who dropped out of the sport? Lots of possibilities.

MotoTrials, Trials, Observed Trials. I think that what we call it is not nearly as important as how we do it.

Jon

[htrdoug]

I think we should have the vintage riders who want to just get out and have some fun come out and do the observing for the youth trials in the morning,then while the big bikes are out on the main loop they can put on a self scored vintage/easy short loop event that any first timer could participate in on the youth loop,modified as need be,old busted up vintage riders could acclimate the first timers without throwing them to the wolves on a 4-5 hour multi-loop trial.

[76ty175]

,old busted up vintage riders

I may be old but far from busted up.

[beta_trials]

I agree with those who are against the whole name of moto trials for the name of the sport because in reality that term does give an entirely different picture than that the sport is really about. Every time i have some one come up and ask me about the bikes i have loaded in the back of my truck Ive used the terms motorcycle trials or observed motorcycle trials. but i also take it further than that to make people understand the what the sport is. Theres more to understanding than just the name. Here in Colorado the sport is known as well as its not known at the same time. I mean to really grow the sport it needs to be advertised more. For instance when the national was here the only advertising i saw for it was on the NATC site and the RMTA site. However as far as the novice class goes for the RMTA club its actually fairly decent amount of new riders for the club. I'm even teaching my fiance who has never been on a bike for that manner nor ever even been around the sport till she met me, and she has now begun to start learning how to ride a trials bike and ride a novice section as she wants to compete right along side me. Its really all a manner of how we take the approach of our sport to bring it to others.

[sectionone]

The Europeans now have a setup that maximizes Trials exposure by combining EnduroCross and Indoor Trials (renamed X-Trials) in the same stadium. The recent Italy event has the track weaving around the sections. I'm sure the Trials purists won't like the idea, but if that combination could happen here in the States it could be the hot ticket. Most top US trials riders already race EnduroCross so it would be a good combination.