Motorcycle Trials
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Motorcycle Trials, also termed Observed Trials or Observed Motorcycle Trials, is a non-speed event on specialized motorcycles. The sport is most popular in the UK and Catalonia, though there are participants around the globe.
Trial motorcycles are distinctive in that they are extremely lightweight, lack seating (they're designed to be ridden standing up) and have suspension travel that is short, relative to a motocross or enduro motorcycle.
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[edit] Characteristics
The event is split into sections where a competitor rides through a natural obstacle course while attempting to avoid touching the ground with the feet. In many local observed trials events, the sections are divided into separate courses to accommodate the different skill level of riders, who compete in skill-rated classes.
In every section, the competitor is scored by an observer (hence the sport's name) who counts how many times the competitor touches the ground with the foot (or any other part of the body). Each time a competitor touches the ground with a foot (commonly called "dabs" or "prods"), the penalty is one point.
The possible scores in each section consist of 0, 1, 2, 3, or 5. If a competitor makes his or her way through the section without touching the ground with a foot, a score of 0 (called "cleaning the section") is earned. If he or she touches the ground only once, the score of 1 is earned. If he or she touches down twice, the score of 2 is earned. If he or she touches the ground three times or more, the score of 3 is earned, as long as the section is completed without stalling the motor, dismounting, going out of bounds or going backward. If the competitor fails to complete the section a score of 5 (sometimes colorfully called "a fiasco") is earned. The winner is the competitor with the least points at the end of the event. Some events are also timed with penalty points assessed to late riders.
There is a world indoor and outdoor championship, as well as indoor and outdoor national team "world cups" (Trial des Nations). British competitor Dougie Lampkin is notable for winning seven world outdoor titles in the 1990s and 2000s. Previous observed trials greats include Northern Ireland's Sammy Miller (1960s), Finland's Yrjo Vesterinen (1970s), Spain's Jordi Tarres (1980s and '90s). The current indoor and outdoor world champion is Adam Raga from Spain.
In addition to the world championship events, there are other major events, such as the Scottish Six-Day Trial (SSDT) and the Scott Trial. Also, countries worldwide have national championship series.
Major current manufacturers of trials bikes are Gas Gas, Beta, Sherco, Montesa Honda, and Scorpa. In the past there have been many manufacturers, from countries such as Spain, Japan, Britain and Italy - see List of motorcycle manufacturers.
Classic classes exist for vintage bikes. Classes include pre-1965 or -1967 motorcycles (typically British), as well as newer vintage events for observed trials motorcycles with two rear shock absorbers. In most cases, twin-shock motorcycles were manufactured before 1985 and are typically Japanese or Spanish.
A competition event is called an "observed trial" or "trial" (not plural), unless referred to as an "observed trials event." A newer name for the sport, MotoTrial, is gaining popularity, but is far from universally used or accepted.
[edit] World Trials Champions
[edit] Outdoor Series
[edit] Indoor Series
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
[edit] Clubs
[edit] United States
- Tri@l Bike
- Columbia Observed Trials Association
- GAS GAS Trials Bike Museum
- Puget Sound Trialers
- International Trials School
- Wasatch Trials Association "unofficial" site
- Wyoming Motorcycle Trials Association
- Eastern Idaho Observed Trials
- Inland Northwest Trials Association
- Canada Pacific Trials Association
- Pacific International Trials Society aka Sacramento PITS
- Utah Vintage Riders
- Mid Atlantic Vintage Trials
- AMA District 6 Observed Trials
- 3D Trials
- AMA District 4 Observed Trials
- New England Trials Association
[edit] United Kingdom
[edit] Australia
[edit] Publications
de:Trial (Sport) es:Motocicleta Trial fr:Trial it:Trial nl:Trial ja:トライアル (オートバイ) no:Trial
