Idiots guide to trials bikes, links, terms, brands etc?

[wrench bender]

I've heard of trials bike for years, but have never actually seen an event, a dealers with one for sale, or learned enough about them to get interested with the sport.

Can anyone shed some light on the general points of it or an events calendar I could see about going to?

I have loosely learned about gas gas brands, but nothing enough to know the pro's and con's to other brands.

We have several hundred acres of rocky ridgeline on our property in Montana, I'm considering a trials type bike to get where my current and past bikes just got scary. Some of our outcroppings are 150 to 200 ft up from the base of our road, so from what I've seen of trials type bikes, this may be a good mount for that terrain.

My goals for this type of bike is to be able to carry a backpack of tools and/or gear to setup property markers, possibly fence line in small increments, and maybe a few runs of electrical wire to allow for a remote security camera or 2 overlooking our lower developed area.

I'm also looking at the upcoming X bikes that appear to be a motorized mountain bike, very lightweight, enough to be put over a shoulder and carried. I'm undecided if it will prove to be too lightweight for my utility type tasks. The weight would be good to allow me to turn it around on a steep grade or deer path though. We have several steep and narrow mountain goat/sheep paths we usually hike, so that is a realistic thing to consider.

[creeper]

• Beta
• Montesa (HRC)
• Gas Gas
• Sherco
• Scorpa
• NATC
• ATA(SCTA)

[wrench bender]

Thank you Creeper, I'll be reading for day to come off of those links :)

The videos on a few of the sites have convinced me I am looking in the right bike category for our canyon property. Not sure if I would ever want to try competing, but one of the schools for trials riding may be in my future. The amount of control these riders are showing is incredible, I am very impressed

We're moving back west/northwest next spring/summer so I'm hoping to learn enough to buy a used bike by then. If anyone has suggestions for a newbie weekend rider, I'd appreciate. (Not new to riding, just trials category)

[creeper]

Originally Posted by wrench bender

Thank you Creeper, I'll be reading for day to come off of those links :)

The videos on a few of the sites have convinced me I am looking in the right bike category for our canyon property. Not sure if I would ever want to try competing, but one of the schools for trials riding may be in my future. The amount of control these riders are showing is incredible, I am very impressed

We're moving back west/northwest next spring/summer so I'm hoping to learn enough to buy a used bike by then. If anyone has suggestions for a newbie weekend rider, I'd appreciate. (Not new to riding, just trials category)

The Scorpa T-Ride, SY250F "Long Ride" and TY-S125F might be right up your ally. Quasi to real seats and long range tanks. the T-Ride and Long Ride are kinda pricy, but the exchange rate sucks for most all the exotics.

The TY-S125F is maybe the most bang for your buck... I wouldn't mind having one parked in the shop. If you can find one of those used and not abused, I'd buy it.

C

[GodSilla]

Hi Creeper. Question from overseas, what is a TY-S125F? Is that a Yamaha model?
I'm curious, having ridden Trials for years (not recently though). I still have a TY250 monoshock in the shed, a Majesty special from John Shirt Motorworks in the UK. I kept it because it is quite unique in this country, and a real hoot to ride.

[Mythic]

Originally Posted by GodSilla

Hi Creeper. Question from overseas, what is a TY-S125F? Is that a Yamaha model?
I'm curious, having ridden Trials for years (not recently though). I still have a TY250 monoshock in the shed, a Majesty special from John Shirt Motorworks in the UK. I kept it because it is quite unique in this country, and a real hoot to ride.

It's a Scorpa - think of a comp chassis, but with a larger gas tank & a seat.


Glad to see someone else is still riding a Yamaha TY from time to time! Rare things - The only other one I've ever seen in the US is used as a collector display item at a dealship - I keep lusting after it's non-dented gas tank when I see it

[GodSilla]

Hi Twitter. I know what you mean about TY monoshocks. I remember a time when events were flooded with them, they were out like flies, but it's almost as if the earth has swallowed them up. I see more old twinshock TY's around the traps than any other old Trials bikes, which strikes me as a bit strange as they are a full generation older, but Yamaha did sell squillions of them. Having lights and being plate-able in their day probably never hurt sales any.
I think the low weight, low top speed, soft power delivery (no nasty powerbands) and low seat height would allow them to sell like hotcakes these days but you can't plate them. It's a common refrain amongst riders I know that they would love one but don't go down that route because you can't ride them legally on the roads. A crying shame really, as they would make ideal and cheap commuters that could be taken out on weekends for a giggle.

[toolfan]

+1 for a long ride or t-ride, or an older trials bike back when they had a real seat.

I think if you are carrying much weight in your pack you'll really want a seat.

(I'm no trials expert, but my scorpa has a yamaha motor - perhaps that's why they took over the yamaha name designation?)

[creeper]

Hi GodSilla...

Competed on a TY-350N back in the mid and late 80s when I lived in SoCal. Great bike... wish I still had it.

The deal with the TY prefix on the Scorpa is that Scorpa has a very good relationship with Yamaha. Good enough in fact that they chose to use the old 'TY' designation, and the old black/yellow bumblebee graphic, on some models of Scorpa as a form of homage to Yamaha in appreciation for their continued partnership.

C

[GodSilla]

Thanks Creeper. I was competing on a 250 years ago and had to pick some guys TY350 up for him (while he was moaning on the ground - no technique) and I was rather surprised at the amount of torque on offer. In the terrain we have around here it was nearly unrideable, a bit too much power if you know what I mean. Great wheelies though.

[creeper]

Originally Posted by GodSilla

Thanks Creeper. I was competing on a 250 years ago and had to pick some guys TY350 up for him (while he was moaning on the ground - no technique) and I was rather surprised at the amount of torque on offer. In the terrain we have around here it was nearly unrideable, a bit too much power if you know what I mean. Great wheelies though.

Ha! Yeah, the were real torquers.... Not like the rev & squirt powerbands on todays trialers.
Of course, the technique of trials has changed dramatically since the 70s and 80s... as have the degrees of difficulty in expert sections.

I think it'd be safe to say that an intermediate class rider with todays skills would be a well ranked expert in the late 70s thru the late 80s.
Some of the more common place maneuvers of the modern rider would be truly exotic skills only a few decades ago.

C

[BikePilot]

That flat head gasgas four stroke looks pretty darn interesting!

[SwitchThrottle]

Too bad it is on the wrong side of the country for you. I found this beauty on ebay just now.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Motor...1%7C240%3A1318

I would love a trials someday to sharpen my skills on.

[FriedDuck]

Originally Posted by creeper

Hi GodSilla...

Competed on a TY-350N back in the mid and late 80s when I lived in SoCal. Great bike... wish I still had it.

The deal with the TY prefix on the Scorpa is that Scorpa has a very good relationship with Yamaha. Good enough in fact that they chose to use the old 'TY' designation, and the old black/yellow bumblebee graphic, on some models of Scorpa as a form of homage to Yamaha in appreciation for their continued partnership.

C

They're still out there

An 84-ish TY350 on Craigslist

I need to go see an event--it's one of my all-time favorite things to watch but I've yet to see anything but the stuff they do at the bike shows.

[creeper]

Originally Posted by SwitchThrottle

Too bad it is on the wrong side of the country for you. I found this beauty on ebay just now.

Not a serious trials bike... but damn! that is a minty nice Reflex.

Kind of a spiritual successor to the original Bultaco Alpina, and predecessor to the Scorpa. The fact that it's so stock and so clean make that a real special bike in my book.

C