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New member starting at 45yr old


LB208
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Hi, I’m totally new to trials riding but wanting to do something and get a hobby, I am 45 been round motorbikes all my life, I am worried about starting out at my age with no experience and not knowing anyone, my question is it ok to be a total novice and zero experience not wanting to embarrass myself, can you go practicing and just do easy stuff out of the way and not look silly until I get some confidence?

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Hello and welcome.

Trials, as you'll discover, is possibly the friendliest of all the motorsports fields and newcomers are always welcome. We know it's the newcomers that keep the sport alive!

Do not be worried or concerned about being "the only newbie in the village" at your first event, everyone will be helpful , offer advice and within long you'll meet some other riders who you tag along with and they will help, guide and advice you. In short you'll be accepted immediately and love the sport.

One word of advice first though, try not to practice semi difficult stuff on your own, if you fall and hurt yourself etc., then there will be no one around to help or get help. Before long however, you'll know people to practice with and join a decent club and they may have a practice ground where other riders will also be.

embrace and enjoy your new hobby, don't sweat the newness of it, just enjoy it.

Take care, keep us posted.

Edited by jonboy883
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Hi, starting trials at 45 should not be a problem with motorbike experience. I suggest doing some training/experience days. Bumpy Ltd are not far from you. This will give you more confidence and confirm that you will enjoy it before buying a bike and gears. Good luck.

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Everything Jonboy said is true, very friendly sport, lots of people take it up around this age. Details of local clubs are on acu.org in members area. You can join a club and get your licence online. One way to get a bit of practice would be to go to a trial and learn how to observe, then you can observe a few trials with your bike, have a bit of a ride round and practice off road while there.

When ready find out which are the easier venues near you and enter, you can always skip anything to really don’t like until confidence builds. Best practice will be taking part, beauty of trials is we all fall off. People will just give you help and advice. 

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Doing figures of 8 in second gear feathering the clutch a modulating the brakes is good practice if you can't get out and about at the moment. It helped me out no end. And even something as simple as a scaffolding plank on the floor to get throttle blip timeing down. blip the front wheel off it and try to bunny hop the back over it. You'll be popping little bunny hops in no time. 

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I agree with everything said in previous replies.

It’s a great friendly sport, take it as the fun thing it is, find some riders at your level and have your own little competition each time you ride. There’ll be lots of advice from other riders, and some laughter when you get it wrong ?  

I can recommend Huddersfield falcons as a friendly club, I used to ride with them for about 15 years before moving to Cornwall a couple of years ago.  They have lots of venues at their disposal, many around the Holmfirth area so easy for you to get to, and they do run some ‘dead easy trials’ for beginners to get the bug.

good luck & have fun

Simon.

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I'll go along with all of that.

I got my first trials bike earlier this year, at age 65; I didn't start riding bikes at all till age 55 when I got a dirt bike. After 10 years of riding a few enduros and doing lots of trail riding, I'm OK at going fast, but the skilled 'feet up' stuff is new to me.

The first trial I did, I was really impressed by how friendly and welcoming the other riders were. I have a practice ground nearby and very soon met up with another guy of similar ability who I now meet up with regularly for practice sessions. It is not that many sports/activities (not respectable activities anyway) where a 25-yr-old and a 65-yr-old ring each other up to arrange to go out and play ?.

Another great thing about trials is that you can practice without even needing to go anywhere. I regularly practice slow riding and full lock turns just in the driveway. Even standing and balancing on the pegs while stationary in the garage is great value - if you can balance at a standstill, you can balance while moving forwards.

Go for it, enjoy it, and don't worry if everyone else seems better than you - they won't hold it against you.

Col

 

 

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I  also have always had motorbikes of some description from a early age, never done a trial yet but will join a club next year.  Soon to be 54 and last year had a stroke that took my right leg. I have recovered but now look at things differently now. So get out there and enjoy ! 

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