March 17, 200620 yr Atom Ant, I actually think that it is the very size of the US that works against us in some ways.
March 17, 200620 yr I really do not know, and I am sure that someone will correct me here, but I would think there are 1000 to 2000 active competing Trials riders in the US. It would probably get pretty tough to define what a "rider" is, but a regional event (STRA or TI) covering riders from several states (I would imagine an area bigger then your island) will have between 50 and 100 riders. I have been to very few events with over 100 entrants. Very few. When I rode the German nationals, they were easily twice the size and participation that we had in the US at the time. And I have not ever ridden your nationals, but I believe them to be bigger then the German ones.
March 17, 200620 yr kempkes rides off and on. Never really know where he might show up other than its more probable for him to show at a midwest event.
March 17, 200620 yr Author 2000 thats much less than I expected. Edited March 17, 200620 yr by City Trials
March 18, 200620 yr We'll miss you Craig! Come back Craig!, Come Back! What will little Patrick do without you? Apologise to Craig'y, Johnny Ringo, you meanie! You boys give each other a big hug and reacharound! And let the Beav watch!
March 18, 200620 yr <{POST_SNAPBACK}> No one in the USA wants to be world champion. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Not true. Edited March 18, 200620 yr by sherco
March 19, 200620 yr 2200 spectators at a Japanese national is the topic on another trialscentral tred right now! That's a good spectator turnout for a trials national don't you think? Will some of those people buy a motorcycle? You bet they will! Yes it's true that there are very few trials riders in the USA today, under 2000 is a very good estimate. At one time one manufactuer sold that many trials machines in the USA each year, now I doubt that all the brands sell that many combined. Somehow the well was poisoned. I'm simply pointing the finger at the NATC and nobody has come up with a good defence for them yet. Keep trying though! Trials was once an extreme sport, the US federation has taken our sport and changed the US championship from that extreme sport foremat, to add old men in spandex so clubmen can ride the US national championship. Who would want to watch a bunch of old men riding on a supercross track? Nobody of course, that's why old men are not included at our Supercross events. If they did, the numbers of spectators would disappear really fast, the sport would dry up and blow away, just like US trials has! So again I point the finger at the NATC for the destruciton of US bike sales and rider participation. On the subject of ACU "English federation" support, they at least provide a proper foundation, which is an international standard class structure for youngsters to grow into the world chammpionship. It has worked well and British riders, who consistantly beat the world. That's all I'm asking for in the USA! Our kids first introduction to world standards is usally the TDN, where they are always beaten so badly they never emotionaly recover. Without our youngsters being on 125cc machines and age classes on standard with the rest of the world, they get hopelessly left behind at an early age and never recover. Now Bingo, glad to see I can still wind you up! Of course I had a plan and still do, plan B in now in progress. The US youngsters and future American world champions are worth fighting for! Our US federation MUST be forced to provide a proper class sturcture as the ACU does for the youth. Which includes 125cc machines and youth nationals with age groups similar to the Spanish and British federations. Unless they do this, they hold full responsibility for poor US rider performance. The old men's national classes must also be segrigated from the US championship so that the Extreme sport packaging can be returned to US nationals championship trials.
March 21, 200620 yr Dear Craig, I'm going to miss you very much. Will you take the Beave with you when you go?
March 22, 200620 yr 2000 - Craig = 999 ? Wow Craig, you are worth 1001 riders. Dang! How many is the Beave worth? He's out. He's an ex World guy so he's gotta be worth more riders than Craig. That automatically puts us in the red. (Hey, RED RIDERS! Now that's funny right there.) Ringo is out for a while. There goes another seven. Don't ask. Bagg got a DRZ and has been doin' some GP's, he could be out. He's gotta be worth at least 3 riders. (including the little Baggies) I'm out cuz I got a CRF450X and can't stay off of it. Lucky for Trials, I'm only worth one rider, and even less to those that have ever had to watch me ride. They're droppin' like flies! Will we have any riders left? Tragedy could be looming... Anyone else out? If so, please provide an explanation.
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