November 14, 201510 yr Author Anybody who expressed an interest should now have had an email with dates and venues for the Vertigo test rides for those not in the "loop". Please Contact Vertigo to book your test ride at the venues I cannot expect anybody just "turning up" will get a ride as a the bike is very much anticipated. Saturday 21st November – Trials Park – NorfolkSunday 22nd November – Earl Shilton – Leicestershire Sunday 29th November – Venue TBC – Yorkshire Saturday 5th December – Bob MacGregor Trials Academy – ScotlandSunday 6th December – Venue TBC – North Yorkshire Saturday 19th December – Hook Woods – SurreySunday 20th December – Kelly Farm – Devon
November 16, 201510 yr Author Looks like Harry Lampkin took one to the Centre Trial at Addingham this weekend. There's one out there!
November 28, 201510 yr Author Well Arrived a bit early at Pratts to make sure Chris had time to get his full hour but the previous rider had had to move to 2 o'clock so Chris ended up riding for a bit longer. Bike is very nicely put together with some nice touches such as a brake lever that will be very tough to break. Power delivery can be altered by the Mapping which is a quick job to change using a button on the front of the bike. This does change the nature of the delivery of power Chris preferring map 1 which is pretty much the competition map. 2 and 3 are richer and 4 I think is leaner and for warmer climates. I stand to corrected on that as the weather was foul and conversation difficult. The grip in the stream was really good. So good that Chris ran the bike along the banking at the sides to check the stream itself was not super grippy.He was able to run it across some pretty steep banks without the Combat losing traction. If the Combat has a few extra kilos then it hides them well. The weight under your backside is also a little different but the bike felt really good on the back wheel. The clutch felt really good to Chris so he asked Doug about it and although it's a Diaphragm like the Gas Gas it's been made sightly bigger and with better "fingers" so that you don't get a "good" or a "bad" one. It's also light but pretty controllable when letting the lever out. Chris found getting Neutral easy once he worked out that you put it into first then just gently poke it into neutral. The Kick start seemed to start the bike pretty early on it's swing but no throttle while you do it. Generally Chris would adjust the Handlebars a little and also he felt the rear shock wasn't as lively as the Ohlins on his Ossa. That should only be a case of tweaking it to your riding style. It looks like the service level could be pretty good as well. Some of the servicing sounds like it has been thought out differently as well. The Mains are accessible without splitting the engine and various others parts are more easily replaced than the majority of Trials Bikes. The design of the engine basically asked the questions why is it done like that? Where the answer was it's always been done that way then a better way was found. Hence the electric water pump. It runs to keep the engine at a constant temp. The engine driven pumps cool the engine more at higher revs and less at lower ones which is not really good for the engine. Overall the Bike and Doug's approach to selling them is highly impressive.
November 28, 201510 yr Author Chris thinks it's a good idea to hang on to the Ossa until his funds are healthier and the worst of the winter is gone. The impression we got was that a initial batch of bikes should be in the UK before Christmas followed by more in the new year.
November 30, 201510 yr I wonder if anyone or Chris can comment on the difference in the way the power delivery or engine response is when compared to a bike with a carburetor..?
November 30, 201510 yr Author We already run Fuel injection on the Ossa. Basically it is smooth and progressive. The Ossa has a short "twist" on the throttle and the power ramps up nicely. The Vertigo has a more conventional "twist" but is similarly smooth. The major upsides are that it runs consistently and adjusts itself. There are other benefits to the design of the Vertigo and Ossa. In both cases the Air filter is up and away from any crap. I check the filter on the Ossa and haven't needed to change it for a few weeks. Not something that could be said of a Sherco, Gas Gas or Jotagas. The air intake is almost guaranteed to ingest mud and water. The Vertigo despite the weather at Silsden didn't need miss a beat so I would expect the filter to be as clean as the Ossa's is.
December 1, 201510 yr Author As it stood not quite as good as the Ossa but better than the JGAS and Gas Gas. There's only a bit in it and it's suspension preference rather than anything else so it could be dialled in. Engine wise the Ossa and Vertigo are easily ahead.
December 1, 201510 yr You like you;re Ossa! Much maligned but some bits are outstanding,never even looked at the filter since before the Scottish, MInes like an electric motor there's no hit never had a carb bike come close. I know it;s a few faults and at 52 years of age it takes me all my time to kick it over. Genuinely feel my bikes better than anything out there.
December 1, 201510 yr Yep, we are in minority though, yes it's had it faults, but it's a great bike, as I've said on another post, they are the best trials bike I have even ridden, and like you I am not too young and have rode everything....
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