Squid | MotoTrials | Shelter | Around Oz | Bruce Rock | Calendar
We spoke the other day about some
plans to give Moto Trials a bit of
a resurgence in the South West. I thought I’d give you a bit of an
update so far. If you are able to use any of it for your club
newsletter that would be great.
I see trials as a more suitable avenue of motorcycling to become
associated with for a few reasons. Firstly it is family-friendly, being
in a ‘paddock’ setting with the different sections being close by.
Spectators who are quite often friends and family can be up close to
the action. Secondly there is no real age barrier so myself as a 45
year old can still compete and I can take my young kids, put them on a
50cc and they can have a go as well.
The skills they will learn at a low speed will be invaluable if they
move on to the faster disciplines. Thirdly the sport only has a minimal
impact on the environment. There is no need for earthmoving machines to
make tracks or fences to keep the public away from fast-moving
machines. They are also comparatively quiet. This last point will make
it easier to find venues and gain the support of the non-motorcycling
sections of the public and local Shires and Councils.
The weekend of the 29th and 30th of November is the first event.
Jeremy Lowe and some other members of the AJS Moto Trials Club in Perth
are coming down for the weekend. On Saturday the 29th from 9.00am until
11.00am there will be a demo display run by Jeremy and his son Tristian
in the carpark of Rexel Electrical Wholesalers. (64 Sanford Rd Albany)
There will be some Trials DVD’s running and a ‘Q and A’ session along
with the standard ‘Sausage Sizzle Salad and Sauce’.
We have been lucky enough to get the support of Agcrete Concrete of
Albany who are positioning some of their soakwells and leachdrains to
use as obstacles.
On the Sunday morning from 8.30am until 12.30 there will be a
circuit set up on a property in Howe Rd over in Denmark. This will be
signposted from the Denmark bridge and will be open to all as a ‘Bring
a bike and have a go’ event. It will be run once again under the AJS
club banner with the assistance of the Denmark MCC.
Riders who are current members of competitive clubs are able to ride
on their licences and those who aren’t current members can be covered
by a free ‘Go Moto’ licence that Rick Gill from MCWA has provided to
use for the day.
Kerry Halse, the president of the Denmark MCC, with the enthusiastic
support of his members has agreed to have a Trials division of their
existing Enduro club. They have had a history of involvement in Trials
and are keen to see it happening once again.
I am hoping from this weekend to get a group of enthusiastic people
together who would like to see a SW series of club level Moto Trials
happening for the 2009 season. A series of 10 club events at 5
different private venues is my plan. If we schedule these in
conjunction with the Perth season and the AJS and Pathfinders clubs we
could get the support of some of their experienced riders.
There is a requirement for juniors to get organised training and
Jeremy Lowe has been in contact with the certified trainers about our
plans so once again if we get something up and running the support will
be there. I have obtained a copy through Jeremy of the step-by-step
balance and control training that Trials riders need to practice and
will be putting this into action.
In my efforts so far I have repeatedly been told about Trials being
popular here years ago and how everone would love to see it on again.
This will only happen of course if people come and have a go. I am
printing some glossy posters that will start appearing soon promoting
this weekend but one thing I am missing is proper Trials bikes! I have
a 50cc lined up for my boy but would love to find some old Trials bikes
we could use as club bikes. If anybody knows of any old TLR’s TY’s
KT250’s or the like in sheds anywhere please contact me:
baldmanfalling@hotmail.com.
There are a number of newer second hand bikes available in WA and agents for new bikes can be found on the AJS website found at www.ajsmototrials.com.