Pioneer Club Inc. Trials for New Riders

Trials for New Riders - Riding with the Pioneer

Introduction

Trials is a contest between rider and terrain, where the rider who makes the fewest mistakes wins. There are grades to suit all abilities. You can scare yourself as much as you want, but when it all goes wrong, you can usually step off and walk away. Bikes are extremely reliable and robust. Trials is an affordable sport for all people of all ages. Our riders range from nine years of age to seventy plus!

Even though you may have ridden bikes for many years, you may well have to learn many new skills. Learn to use the rear brake, fine tune the use of throttle and clutch, all whilst leaning the body the wrong way in a turn.

Pioneer Motorcycle Club is one of ten or so motorcycle clubs that runs observed motorcycle trials events in NZ. Club members take turns to “peg” (set out) the sections of a trial which can include a variety of natural terrain such as steep banks, trees and roots, rocks, rivers, mud, clay, sand, and sometimes several at the same time.

Trials consist of eight to ten different sections that are ridden four times. Your job is to negotiate your way through the section without putting your feet on the ground. Rides are not timed; in fact it’s often a case of the slower the better. Before you ride a section you can walk the section and plan your route between the pegs. Getting through the section without making any mistakes (known as a clean) results in no marks lost whilst putting a foot down once (known as a dab) will lose one mark. Falling off, stalling your machine or rolling backwards will lose you five marks; what’s known as a maximum. At the end of the trial the rider with the least marks overall in their class wins.

All ages, abilities and girls!

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Pioneer Motorcycle Club Inc. Trials for New Riders

Is Trials Your Thing?

The first step is to come along and have a look at one of our club trials. By doing this you will get a good idea of what a typical club trial is like and what grade you think you should attempt to ride. It will also give you an idea of the type of bikes that are being ridden. You will find that riders are more than willing to answer your questions. Entry for spectators is free, so there’s no excuse not to bring the family along. Trials are easy to view as a spectator; most sections are within walking distance (or a short hike) of the car park. You can get close to the action and take a few pictures for the club website if you want.

Upcoming trials: www.pioneertrials.co.nz/category/Upcoming-Events.aspx

Directions to events: www.pioneertrials.co.nz/page/Locations--Directions.aspx

Buy a Bike

If you have been to watch one of our events then you will have a good idea of what a trials bike looks like. 250cc bikes are the most popular. Second hand bikes on Trade Me start around $3k. If you spend less than $3k then you will need a good mechanic to help you prepare the bike for competition. It is important that your machine’s suspension, steering, brakes, engine, gearbox and clutch are working well. For $7k you can often buy a bike that is two years old. There are several specialist dealers throughout NZ that will gladly supply you a new bike and all the trimmings.

Buy Riding Gear

You will need some off road motorcycle boots and (open face offers the best vision). Flexible trials specific boots are available but not absolutely necessary. New trials boots will set you back $400+ and a good helmet around $300.

This elderly gentleman won’t go far without a Trials is an all year round sport. helmet and boots.

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Pioneer Motorcycle Club Inc. Trials for New Riders

Transport

You are going to require some means of transporting your machine to events. If you don’t have a ute, van or truck then you will need a bike trailer or bike rack.

Practice

If you’re not ready to ride an event straight off then you could take a trip to ECAN’s trials practice area on the north bank of the Waimakariri River. Access to the north bank road is via Wrights Road, adjacent to the Challenge Waimak petrol station on Main North road. Head west for approx. 3.5km to a car parking area after the family area but just before the main motocross tracks.

Your First Event

Most events are within an hour’s drive of Christchurch. Directions to events are on the club website. When you get close to the event location you should spot a Pioneer Motorcycle Club sign to show you the way.

Take some lunch, a flask of tea, drinking water, a five litre can of fuel (premixed if you’re two stroking), spare plug, plug spanner, tyre pump, a low pressure gauge and a change of clothing (in case it rains). Be sure that you have some cash, your helmet, boots, long sleeved top and gloves. These are really the minimum requirements for an enjoyable trials day.

Club trials kick-off at 10.30am. Riders assemble from 9am onwards. This leaves time to get a good park, change, have a warm up ride (not on marked sections) and chat to other riders before riders briefing at 10.15ish.

Trials events are held on private land, mostly farmland. Please leave dogs at home, leave gates as you find them and know where you can find a fire extinguisher in the summer.

You can enter on the day. At the club trailer you will find someone willing to take your $15 entry fee. You’ll also need $35 for a year’s membership if you’re not already a member of the club. All riders must be club members in order to be covered by club insurance. Don’t forget to sign the indemnity form at sign on. Once you have signed on you will be given a score card with your name and grade.

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Pioneer Motorcycle Club Inc. Trials for New Riders

Which Grade?

Typical club sections contain four different routes that are graded for different abilities. Routes are marked by red and white plastic pegs that are placed to force the rider over or through obstacles within the section. All grades must stay between red and white square pegs. Red on the right, white on the left.

Clubman B (beginners) Ride with red on right and white on the left .

Clubman A Ride with red on right and white on the left and follow blue arrows.

Intermediate Ride with red on right and white on the left and follow yellow arrows.

Expert Ride with red on right and white on the left and follow red arrows.

Check Your Bike

Before you ride - check your bike over. There is no “scrutineering” at club trials; no one to make sure that the motorcycle you are about to trust with your life is safe – that responsibility rests with yourself. Make sure you have at least two litres of fuel in your tank. Tyre pressures are usually a maximum of 7psi front and 5psi rear. However this is often less depending on your weight and the conditions, and may need to be as low as 5psi at the front and 2psi at the back. Check that your clutch and brake are moveable on the bars – these are often the first thing to break if your bike should fall over. If your levers are not too tight, they will slide round or down the bars rather than breaking. Make sure your brakes work well, steering is smooth and your throttle snaps shut when you let it go. Your bike should be fitted with a stop switch/button.

Riders Briefing

At around 10.15 you will hear a car horn sound, this is your call to assemble for riders briefing. The trial organiser will tell you where the sections are and issue any special instructions for the day e.g. stay clear of the bull in the top paddock. As a new rider you will be welcomed and paired with a riding buddy or two. It is usual to ride with at least one other rider so that they can observe, record your score and help you up in the unlikely event of a fall.

Find a Section to Ride

Most riders start at section one, but you can start at any section. You must then proceed to ride the sections in ascending numerical order. Each section is numbered at the start. Park your bike and walk into the section, taking care not to obstruct a rider who may be riding the section. The advice here is to look for a good line that you are comfortable to attempt. You can learn from watching other riders who are riding the same grade as you. When you have had a good look and understand which way you want to go, collect your bike and get ready to enter the section. If you feel that any section is too difficult for you then take a five score rather than ride it and hurt yourself.

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Pioneer Motorcycle Club Inc. Trials for New Riders

There may be a small queue of riders waiting to ride a section. Wait your turn and take the opportunity to chat with other riders.

Scoring starts when your front axle goes through the start pegs and finishes when it goes through the end pegs. Once you are out of the end pegs, have your riding buddy/observer record your score and move on to the next section. When you have ridden all the sections once, then you will have completed one lap. If you want, you can stop and have a rest, take a drink, a bite to eat and fill up with fuel. The next three laps usually take about the same amount of time as the first lap. On your second lap you may be confident to ride the sections without taking a look. If in doubt, you can walk the section again - it’s not uncommon for a rock to have moved since your last visit.

Walking the section and planning your route.

Complete Every Section

The time to complete the four laps varies on factors like volume of riders, amount of sections and the severity of the conditions on the day. In general it won’t be much more than a few hours perhaps as much as four. When you are riding the sections don’t be afraid to ask anyone for advice or of their opinion on the route to take. Unless you’re competing for the title of world trials champion then most people are happy to talk of their chosen lines and what’s best for you. If for any reason you cannot complete the event then tell the organiser's that you are retiring.

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Pioneer Motorcycle Club Inc. Trials for New Riders

“Presidents” taking a well-earned break between laps.

Penalty Points and the Scoring System

If you complete a section without putting your feet down, falling off, stalling the machine and or rolling backwards then you will score no penalty points. This is the best score to get.

If you put your foot down (known as a dab) once you will score one point. If you dab twice you will score two points and three dabs is three points. If you dabbed more than three times you only score three points. You can put your feet down a hundred times - you will only score three points.

If you fall off, stall the machine whilst putting your foot on the ground at the same time or roll backwards you score five points. You will also get a five if you go out of the section, run over tape or markers.

At the end of the event all riders hand score cards into to the organiser. The rider that observed and scored for you should write his/her name on the back of the score card. The rider with the least points wins the class (though in reality we are all winners on the day).

All Done

That’s it, you’ve finished. How do you feel? You’ve probably discovered that trials is much harder than it looks. Now it’s time to go to the local public house and enjoy some well-earned refreshment with riders and friends. If you get home in daylight then it’s always a good idea to wash your bike before the sheep/cow dung turns into reinforced concrete.

What next?

Trials offers a great learning curve if you can find time and energy to practice. http://www.trials.com.au/content/attachments/005_TRIALMAN.pdf http://www.nonstopadventure.co.nz/pdf/manual2_opt.pdf http://trialstrainingcenter.com/how-to-ride-motorcycle-trials/

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