January 3, 201412 yr I'd like to see a bike designed for just clubman use but with specific attention paid to the bike not being homologated (I think this is the right term) i.e. a bike that can't be road registered (most club events have no road work) and this would negate having to design & produce lights and relevent switch gear, horn, speedometer etc etc that new trials bikes come with and most folks remove. Not sure how this would work with regards to import, tax, UK regulations etc but if it could be done this could knock a grand of the price and £3k for a new decent clubman bike I think could be a goer. The other specific area I would like to see more thought put into is noise and fluid containment as this would make the sport more "friendly" in the eyes of the tree huggers and hopefully lead to new land opening up or at worst keeping hold of land we already use... For your average clubman rider any bike produced in the last 10-12 years will out perform the person riding it and there is nothing wrong with any of the current bike designs and in the right hands will do amazing things so instead of reinventing the wheel lets clean up what we already have...
January 3, 201412 yr Where were you hiding on Sunday Gary? Found a new bike yet? I'm all for companies being brave in this current climate but it is a hard market to compete. Firstly bikes aimed at clubman such as the Scorpa are excellent bikes, ride well, built as good as a 4rt but do not sell. The Jotagas looks special but they seem to (like the ossa) drop quick in value, They ride well and are good bikes but I feel they need to compete with the other brands top models so need exotic bits like a raga rep etc to justify the price. If the company stands the test of time then more people will have the confidence to buy one. Mr Saunders has faith in them and I don't doubt his judgement for a second he's a legend! But the Spanish hold the purse strings. The Ossa has been around for a bit and had problems at first but now they are almost sorted and people still don't buy enough of them. The Greeves, Don't need to say anything there. Xispa, As Greeves. The new bike buyers are mainly middle aged clubmen riders who get a new one without fail every year. Not because they all want to show off but because the body gets older and needs the lightest easiest to ride bike so as not to be too knackered at the end of a trial. I was at a trial a few weeks ago and no lie there were at least 6 or so middle aged, middle of the road clubman riders all on new Gas Gas Factory Replica's and a few more on racing and 12/13 raga models. There's some money down south! I would love to see all brands both old and new do well and keep bringing us new exciting bikes but beta and gas gas have the market share and are very much sorted, established machines and have the loyalty of hundreds of well off clubmen waving their check books at them year in year out. Am I missing somthing of am I talking Bo11ox? If So tell me to shut up.
January 4, 201412 yr I didn't ride on Sunday as had a gig in the evening and time wise it would have been pushing it but I did make an appearance to pay up for the awards night... I hear there's a magician that night and I was hoping he could magic up some "clean" score cards for this year?! Haven't sold the Sherco yet, nearly bought a new old stock 2013 Gas Gas but while I was thinking if 300cc was over the top someone else snapped it up. Was a good price... I think the biggest concern with not staying with "big four" is supply of spares in the future, say Jotagas went outta business for example and Steve, you never talk Bo11ox!
January 4, 201412 yr I think to best improve our sports sustainability a twinshock bike with let's just say ... 1 ; Fantic 200 pro geometry . 2 ; air cooled with yamaha / honda reliability . 3 ; Easily serviced by the newbie to bikes, zerk fittings , air cleaner access ect ... 4 ; 2014 technology as to suspension components , wheels , ign , fuel control ... 5 ; Start with a easily upgrade able base model , that the owner can easily improve as the need / want arises . 6 ; keep the weight around 180lbs , so no need for exotic materials ... 7 ; and start a riders series , IE everyone on the same basic bike ... 8 ; Sell a bunch and get new riders into the sport !!!! Just my pipedream .... Glenn
January 4, 201412 yr The idea that people would buy the perfect clubman bike is a farce because most people are riding bikes which are too much for them ( I was too, my last machine was Ross Danbys tuned 300 GasGas and it was way too much for me ) - In the comment above from Steve Earle, He saw many older guys on Factory rep Raga's and why are they buying these machines? I think its because their mates are buying them and because they can ride the same machine as Raga does (virtually) so its an ego thing too. Also, they have disposable income so want to show off with a top of the range machine regardless if they can ride it to its potential or not. When I got back into trials the first trial I went to I saw a 16 year old Ross Danby on a GasGas 125cc and he looked amazing and low and behold.. all the other kids were riding 125cc Gasser's like his ! I think its more to do with psychology than a perfectly engineered machine. Edited January 6, 201412 yr by atomant
January 4, 201412 yr That's so true ... Just like 7/8 of the folks that buy gxr's and the like , can really even grasp what the bike is truly capable of ... We always want the newest and best , whether we can use it or not .... I'd just love to see a proper entry level bike on the market ... But then again I'm getting old a grumpy too !
January 4, 201412 yr I probably have no business commenting because I have never owned a modern trials bike.I have been kicking around looking for a used one though and the biggest thing I see is reliability.Are any of these bikes as reliable as my trusty KDX? After cruising the forums on the various different modern brands it doesn,t seem so,except for maybe the Honda.I would think that if you came out with a new bike that had no teething problems and in two years time was known to be stone reliable that it would sell. I would think that it wouldn,t have to be super trick,just work as it should for a long time and not cost an arm and a leg.I would guess,though, that the last post by atomant is probably spot on.
January 8, 201412 yr I often read on here people saying there needs to be a clubman bike, cheaper than the current crop of gas gas, beta etc . However I don't think people want to be associated with a "clubman" or "cheaper" bike. (XISPA anyone?) Everyone knows that any current machine is far more capable than 99% of the riders competing every weekend, but the buying public seem to WANT the latest/lightest/most powerful machine, even if they have to spend time & money slowing them down. The raga/factory/cabestany versions prove there is a desire for this type of machine. The fact is, any cheaper bike with a clubman tag attached to it simply WILL NOT SELL.
January 8, 201412 yr bit like people persisting in riding the Expert route when it's patently clear they cant ride like one and then they moan it's too hard
January 8, 201412 yr Round here we get people riding the easy routes then saying it was a waste of time! Unfortunately a low spec clubman bike probably would not sell (there's not so many high spec bikes being sold) Withe the new 125cc learner limit to age 19 (throughout Europe) Dougie seriously needs to consider a bike that can easily and cheaply be changed from 125 to 200 to 250 as the need arises
January 9, 201412 yr Has it been announced yet who it is that is behind the new brand of Vertigo ? If not who are the likely candidates.
January 21, 201412 yr Composite frame, DI engine, 60Kg all up.....then we'd all pay attention ooooh so light! Now that I would like to see!
January 21, 201412 yr Has it been announced yet who it is that is behind the new brand of Vertigo ? If not who are the likely candidates. Yes, the names out there on other sites.
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