I was lucky enough to get to watch the World Championship round at Tong last weekend with a couple of friends and can honestly say that in 40 years of watching all types of motorcycle sport it was the best I have ever seen. The things that Mr Bou, Raga and Dabill etc can do with a motorcycle defies belief....forget Rossi, Marquez and the like, in my opinion these guys are the true Heroes of powered two wheel sport.    

You have to wonder why real Trials is rarely/never on the TV.

"You have to wonder why real Trials is rarely/never on the TV."

It's been flogged to the highest (any old) bidder and relegated to an obscure channel, and so for a lot of TV viewers it doesn't exist as they have never heard of it. To give it a chance on TV the FIM should offer it free to air to all broadcasters in exchange for the possible publicity. 

In the UK the BBC would probably not allow it any longer (come back Kickstart) as now it is too politically incorrect (all that noisy, anti green, ground crushing, global warming) which is ironic considering it is a very pan European sport, never mind the rest of the planet, and these days has excellent female competitors too.

Agree I was an observer, the iPad scoring was interesting as well ( backed up with punchcard as stopgap until technology proven)

Not sure if 4 observers per section would work for club trials however !

you could download an app to keep up to speed on who was leading, which was very interesting. This I understand is part of big picture for mass audience appeal.

Thoughts on the future !

 

 

 

 

 

Sorry, but you can not compare different forms of motorsport just like that. 

I agree, Bou, Raga, Dabill and others are the true trial heroes of today. But at the same time, Rossi, MM, Lorenzo and others are the true road racing heroes. The ability to control and balance a trial bike is certainly an art in itself, but so is the ability to ride a 250+ hp bike at silly speeds and controlled two wheel drifts. When mentioning Valentino Rossi, he is an extreme example of commitment to his sport, riding at the top since the 90s, a position hard to find in any form of racing.

So please, enjoy them all and admire their very special skills while doing so. But do not try to compare incomparable riders and disciplines.

With the utmost of respect I was not comparing, merely stating that in my humble opinion the trials guys are true heroes. I was at Tong last weekend and have been to many World Championship rounds in the UK over recent years. The riders wearing nothing but a thin Lycra suit and open face helmet risk serious injury and possibly worse in every single section. I appreciate that Moto GP/Superbike riders travel at incredible speeds and have incredible talent but they have the relative luxury of track run offs and leather suits fitted with the very latest air bag systems etc etc.

I will stick with my opinion and you stick with yours.......        

3 hours ago, turbohead said:

Sorry, but you can not compare different forms of motorsport just like that. 

I agree, Bou, Raga, Dabill and others are the true trial heroes of today. But at the same time, Rossi, MM, Lorenzo and others are the true road racing heroes. The ability to control and balance a trial bike is certainly an art in itself, but so is the ability to ride a 250+ hp bike at silly speeds and controlled two wheel drifts. When mentioning Valentino Rossi, he is an extreme example of commitment to his sport, riding at the top since the 90s, a position hard to find in any form of racing.

So please, enjoy them all and admire their very special skills while doing so. But do not try to compare incomparable riders and disciplines.

Well said. And from the larger talent pool that motogp and motox draw from, probably more talented. but i get what the original poster says, sometimes its just easier to see the skill on show at trials