Answer to the last quiz – Alexz Wigg on a crazy World Round Section back a few years – not sure if this was Ireland or the Isle of Man – Stan got in first with the correct answer.
Quiz today a bit different – Here is a group of Happy Vintage riders in Europe, with one ex World Champion in the group – Can you name him?
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We got this pic from Turk Perepalkin who says it was near a spot where he was working on Vancouver Island. Says it would make a good section!! – Reminded me of all the years I spent driving around Western Canada, and by some wonderful scenery – but what I really saw were some fantastic sections !!!
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Interesting pic of an old Beta – Nice to see Wulf stuff it’s been around for a very long time – we have been selling it since 1995.
Another golden oldie – this time from an early Indoor – look at the crowds!!
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This is an interesting shot, because it shows Sammy Miller on the first Honda he built – Note the high handlebars which were popular for that era. plus the rubber Fireman’s boots !! ( We still have ours)
Below is a photo of the Late Queen Elizabeth riding a bike during World War 2. – Note fingers on the clutch!!
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We have heard the Kids trial at Ioco last Sunday went well with about 18 youngsters out having fun – we will post pics if we see any, with more info.
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Some interesting comments on FB yesterday with regard to the latest KTM developments
Quite long – but quite a good read – Heath Brindley is our UK connection.
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Surprised they wouldn’t make Husky the enduro focus considering it’s enduro legacy.
Heath Brindley I’ve seen a few posts and heard some crazy rumors myself.
I wondered how long Husktmgasgusta would stay in trials. With Honda being the only full factory prototype weing 10 kg less than a stocker and using a never gonna be produced prototype motor and a weight limit that sese Sherco/Scopa now needing to ADD WEIGHT to their production bikes……
And 37 straight championships who wants to compete in trials?
Modern trials bikes with huge cut out seat area, powerful twitchy motors and super light weight are built for less than 1% of riders.
Oh and daddy, daddy I want a new trials bike for Christmas…which would cost a fellow 2 months salary….probly not happening.
Dee Kay .. 2 months salary!! You guys get paid a lot more than us obviously!
Heath Brindley In the states $5,000/ month is a regular fellers wage. Brand new trials bike is pushing $10,000.
Quibble with the numbers…but a new trials bike is a pretty hefty investment. One for dad another for junior…never mind mom and sis. And these are bikes that are about worthless for any other purpose.
The e-start TRS are great for women new to dirt bikes. The long ride kit is not much of a seat though. Sherco/Scorpa have a real seat but no eStart yet.
Trials has specialized itself out of financial range for many. The bikes are not practical for many.
Dee Kay .. long ride stuff not that popular here as we don’t have the land access to use them as you can in Europe and USA. If you want to do distance offroad and you are allowed in the land here you get an enduro bike.
Apart from the northern half of the uk large majority of club events, the ones that most of the normal riders enter, are on small parcels of land. Since around 1984 I’ve had trials bikes that had no seat as trial’s is all we use them for.
Average wage for average person here is £2000 or less take home a month. New trials bikes are around £7000 to £8000 now .. and of course a large percentage always go for the “factory replica” model .. and many are now purchased on finance. So add the interest rate on top.
Heath Brindley Yep…And at least Sherco and eta are propped up with Enduro bike sales. TRS and Vrrtigo are making a go….
But Husktmgas won’t play long if they cannot win.
Dee Kay .. gasgas not done themselves any favours here with the dealership requirements. When Shirty was uk distributor every trials dealer was a gasgas dealer and they were, in most areas, the bike you saw the most of at any event. KTM in their wisdom decided that if you want to sell the trials bike you have to take on the whole range .. and in general trials riders and dealers have little interest in buying motocross or enduro bikes and trials dealers are often small specialist shops. The investment would have been huge and room needed to stock all these models far too great. So most old gasgas trials dealers dropped them, or were dropped by KTM.
In my area, and we are talking about a fairly large area covered by this one dealer, it is a large road bike shop that has the KTM franchise and if you finally make it to the top floor you may possibly see a gasgas pro. You won’t find anyone that knows anything about trials or probably a trials rider looking around though!
..funnily enough they also happen to be the Honda/Montesa dealers for the whole area as well .. same thing applies.
Heath Brindley States is the same. I loved my old KTM/Husaberg dealer. But they got dumped for a ” Megalo Motorcycle Mart. The new dealer is a huge conglomerate. No one knows anything and they never have any parts. Everything is ordered.
But GG did start a program dumping trials bikes so they were $1000 cheaper than the other guys
Dee Kay .. they have done that for years here. Once a new model has been out for a while they do a “sale”. Kind of instantly devalues everyone else’s bike, and then they always released the next years model about 8 months early!
You don’t see many new gassers at club events now compared to before that’s for sure.
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