Answer to the Monday quiz – Eddie Lejeune – three time World Trials Champion – the bike is a Merlin. – It was Eddie that invented the “sling-shot” technique to get up steep sections on the small 125cc Honda under powered special that his Dad built. ( before he became famous)
Correct guess’s from Pete Varey, Brett , Harlow. and Steve ORorke.
Quiz today – Guess who?
==================================
Details and pics of the 2025 Beta Trials bikes have been released. The biggest change appears to be all new suspension front and back. – ( Good to see that)
Because the pics of the 2025 Beta Trials bike have been posted on FB – we have seen quite a few really good comments – but I had to respond to one from a BC enthusiast, who asked about Fuel Injection. – I told him that Beta have had all the technical ability on fuel injection for decades and do of course put it on their Enduro bikes. – But while new technology is great, it does not sometime come without issues, and with the latest Keihin carbs so good – why change? –
Even John Shirt the very well known Gas Gas Importer for decades – commented on You Tube – that he did not see the need at this point in time. In his words – if I get stuck out on the moors with an FI Trials bike – I wouldn’t have a clue how to fix it – John now sells Gas Gas, Beta and TRS – none of which are fuel injected.
Simply put – bikes that are hard to start are hard to sell. ( Ask me how I know) – Note ! Yes we understand that this might all change in the future – but for a sport like Trials? –
A much better idea (IMHO) is the TRS approach – fit an estart – Wow!! now all the old guys ( the only ones with money it seems) plus of course the ladies !! – push the button and save all that energy and frustration.
Getting back to Beta, obviously we have been kickstarting these (on the left side) for decades, and in fact I did not ride a Beta until they put a decent kickstart lever on for 1996 – It always amazes me that Factories build a masterpiece – but sometimes miss the main reason it doesn’t sell. – It could be just simply painting it the wrong color. – We ran into this lots in my Yamaha days.
=====================================
This neat shot just came up on FB showing Mick on a TY 500 – or to be exact a Prototype that he tested back in 1974 – He told me it was a neat bike but he did not think it would have been competitive as the trend was going to small lightweight two strokes. – Of course Mick started out his Trials career riding a 350 AJS for the factory, when Ralph Venables mentioned the name of this young 16 year old to his friend in the competition department at AJS – Jock West – -later he rode a Bultaco then Ossa – before his big break when Yamaha came calling.
I had one of the first 1976 XT 500 Yams as I was working for Yamaha Canada – – So the first thing I did was strip off all the heavy stuff, then stud it up for ice racing at Chestermere Lake Alberta – Although Ice racing was not for me, I did enjoy doing feet up slides with the big Thumper. – Later I had Gord Lalonde race it and although not competitive against the 400cc 2strokes of that time – he did well.- wish I had pics.!! ( Gord now lives in OZ )
=============================
Who remembers this old mag – now long gone?
==============================