ErikW Posted March 12, 2007 Share Posted March 12, 2007 I am simply awestruck by the mastery of the two-wheeled vehicle, motored or pedaled, as demonstrated by trials riders. And for the grand finale... Excuse me while I pick my jaw up off the floor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merlin Orr Posted March 12, 2007 Share Posted March 12, 2007 I am simply awestruck..........Excuse me while I pick my jaw up off the floor. Wow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ima45dv8 Posted March 12, 2007 Share Posted March 12, 2007 I am simply awestruck by the mastery of the two-wheeled vehicle, motored or pedaled, as demonstrated by trials riders. Great links. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArturoJ Posted March 12, 2007 Share Posted March 12, 2007 Many years ago I had a Montesa Cota trials bike like this bike it was a blast to ride over stuff you had a hard time climbing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ihatepickles Posted March 12, 2007 Share Posted March 12, 2007 An old friend used to say "with a set of Plasmatics and a good dental plan, you too can be a trials rider...". He didn't mean it was easy, he meant it took guts. BTW, Plasmatics are a brand of brake pads for bikes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlamoShooter Posted March 12, 2007 Share Posted March 12, 2007 (edited) Makes me think about the same kind of pain a shooting buddy can inflict on you. = the video with the Victim Edited March 12, 2007 by AlamoShooter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scooter Posted March 13, 2007 Share Posted March 13, 2007 Here's a video of the pioneer of Obserbed Trials, Ot Pi. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_BgV2xIPreg Ot Pi and Hans Rey pretty much put observed trials on the map. I got into trials thing for a while, but the lack of balls to go off of high objects kind of limits you on what you can do. Plus it's really fustrating to master all the rear wheel moves since everything revolves around getting on the back wheel and doing pedal kicks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Dunn Posted March 13, 2007 Share Posted March 13, 2007 Looks like anyone could do that. The trick seems to be letting a lot of air out of your tires. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dajarrel Posted March 13, 2007 Share Posted March 13, 2007 What can you say? Those kids have amazing talent and agility. dj Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GentlemanJim Posted March 13, 2007 Share Posted March 13, 2007 Very awsome riding!!!!!! At twenty years old I did that stuff..then went to open class desert raceing. Now at 50 years old...5 crushed discs and injuries too many to mention Then 1 more mega crash at the world finals in drag boats. 1 year in a wheelchair 1more year learning to walk I question whether It really was worth it I think racing my gun is about all the racing I have left in me. Well maybe a few stop light things The smell of nitro burning still drives me insane Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Posted March 13, 2007 Share Posted March 13, 2007 Trials riding is a lot harder than it looks. It is harder than chasing someone into a 110 mph sweeper fer' sure!!! Check out the old movie from the seventies called On Any Sunday. The section on Trials riding is great stuff. If'n ya can't stand on the bike (both feet on pegs) at a dead stop and balance it for 1/2 an hour, and then without putting a foot down, stand it straight up on a wheelie then stroll it down the road and around a corner at walking speed completely crossed up and at the balance point all the way, then you ain't got what it takes to ride trials competitively. I played at it for about a year in the late seventies (Honda TL-250 with rimlocks and almost no air in the tires) but only got better at wheelies and stoppies, never made it into the top 10 at local competitions. Went back to pavement after a year and demoted the TL-250 to a wheelie bike. You gotta' be really good when the boulders and logs get really massive. I found the low speed jumps off of vertical drops to be a lot scarier that the banking at Ontario Motor Speedway at 100+ on a GP bike. DO NOT sell these folks short, they are the Olympic gymnasts of motorcycles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Front Man Posted March 13, 2007 Share Posted March 13, 2007 I wish I would have rode Trials before I tried to race MX back in the day. (Then I would have learned the fundamentals of riding a motorcycle.) Motocross tracks are easy when you have the fundamentals down. Winning races is a different story. FM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ErikW Posted March 13, 2007 Author Share Posted March 13, 2007 with a set of Plasmatics and a good dental plan, you too can be a trials rider Yeah I don't understand why they all wear open face helmets. That, and the spandex. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CenTX Posted March 13, 2007 Share Posted March 13, 2007 I was racing professional Moto X in the early 70s and was a decent rider (National #72). I could win local races and be in the money at National events. I bought an Ossa Trials bike (a Mick Andrews replica) and gave trials a try. I did manage to win one local Trial, but that because no "real" Trials riders were there. All it takes to be a good Trials rider is unbelievable balance, impeccable throttle control and practice, practice, practice. The top Trials riders are like the top GMs in USPSA. Bob Hanna Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turtle Posted March 13, 2007 Share Posted March 13, 2007 (edited) I was racing professional Moto X in the early 70s and was a decent rider (National #72). I could win local races and be in the money at National events. .....Bob Hanna As in, the "Hurricane", Supercross winner in '77? Edited March 13, 2007 by Turtle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArturoJ Posted March 13, 2007 Share Posted March 13, 2007 Good name for a MX rider. Did you ever get mistaken for Bob Hannah. I still want my old 1971 CZ 250 back. It was one of the top stupid things I ever did to sell that bike. I bought that bike from Ryan Villapoto's grandfather. Wow am I old! Art I was racing professional Moto X in the early 70s and was a decent rider (National #72). I could win local races and be in the money at National events. I bought an Ossa Trials bike (a Mick Andrews replica) and gave trials a try. I did manage to win one local Trial, but that because no "real" Trials riders were there. All it takes to be a good Trials rider is unbelievable balance, impeccable throttle control and practice, practice, practice. The top Trials riders are like the top GMs in USPSA.Bob Hanna Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Posted March 13, 2007 Share Posted March 13, 2007 Yeah I don't understand why they all wear open face helmets. That, and the spandexCan't speak to the spandex (it wasn't around when I rode Trials), but the open faced helmet thing is understandable once you do it and realize the extra vision angles are handy in the tight stuff. You don't want to move your head around to glance down and around when the balance point is tricky. I always rode with a full-face helmet back when I raced pavement, but I went out and got a 3/4 for trials after the first meet. It also gets really hot in the full face helmets when you are only crawling along with no wind speed ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Front Man Posted March 14, 2007 Share Posted March 14, 2007 (edited) I was racing professional Moto X in the early 70s and was a decent rider (National #72). I could win local races and be in the money at National events. .....Bob Hanna As in, the "Hurricane", Supercross winner in '77? Bob lives in Idaho. BobHannah.com FM Edited March 14, 2007 by Front Man Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turtle Posted March 14, 2007 Share Posted March 14, 2007 Bob lives in Idaho.BobHannah.com FM Thanks, I noticed that his name is sometimes mispelled (no 'h')... Interesting coincidence though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bp78 Posted March 14, 2007 Share Posted March 14, 2007 Trials riding and the stuff going on in British Columbia free riding is pretty amazing. Hans Rey really deserves a lot of credit, both for his early start in it and having survived doing it for so long. http://www.hansrey.com/latestadventures.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CenTX Posted March 15, 2007 Share Posted March 15, 2007 (edited) Good name for a MX rider. Did you ever get mistaken for Bob Hannah.I still want my old 1971 CZ 250 back. It was one of the top stupid things I ever did to sell that bike. I bought that bike from Ryan Villapoto's grandfather. Wow am I old! Art At the first Motocross in the Houston Astrodome, Gunnar Lindstrom was manager of the Honda team. He took me over to the Yamaha team and introduced me as the "Original" Bob Hanna (I was racing pro before Bob "Hurricane" Hannah). I quit racing about the time he started racing National events and there were more than a few people confused about who was who. I had a 250 and a 360 CZ, they were good bikes, also raced 250 and 400 Husky and my final season on a 400 Maico. Edited to add photo Edited March 15, 2007 by CenTX Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Front Man Posted March 15, 2007 Share Posted March 15, 2007 Way cool Bob! I started racing about '73 and was totally done '85. My last bike was a 1983 Maico Spyder 490. I wish my last bike was an "81 Maico because they were a superior machine. I finished my youth turning wrenches for a friend trying to go pro at AMA Supercross's and Nationals. Lots of cool stuff you never want to forget. You probably did the whole Texas winter series after the Florida series. What did they call that? The Supercross series ruined all of that fun. FM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GentlemanJim Posted March 15, 2007 Share Posted March 15, 2007 Way cool Bob!I started racing about '73 and was totally done '85. My last bike was a 1983 Maico Spyder 490. I wish my last bike was an "81 Maico because they were a superior machine. I finished my youth turning wrenches for a friend trying to go pro at AMA Supercross's and Nationals. Lots of cool stuff you never want to forget. You probably did the whole Texas winter series after the Florida series. What did they call that? The Supercross series ruined all of that fun. FM Way cool on the maico!!!!! Mine was an 81 or2 mega 2 490 Hottest bike I EVER had about 200lbs WET 50 hp at the back wheel The guy I sold it to had no respect for it(after severe warnings) On his first ride he crashed hard..spent three weeks in the hospital! jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CenTX Posted March 15, 2007 Share Posted March 15, 2007 Way cool Bob!I started racing about '73 and was totally done '85. My last bike was a 1983 Maico Spyder 490. I wish my last bike was an "81 Maico because they were a superior machine. You probably did the whole Texas winter series after the Florida series. What did they call that? FM 73 was my last season. I only rode about 1/4 of the nationals. I was 26, married and almost all the big races for 74 were a minimum of 400 miles away. Fighting all those "kids" was getting tougher and I was not in a position to cover a major injury, it seemed like a good time to quit. After chasing the big races, the local stuff wasn't fun anymore so I quit cold turkey. I liked the Maico, nice broad power band with lots of torque. I quit at the time they were trasitioning from 3.5 rear shock travel to the Mono-shock and the laid down shocks which gave 6" or more travel on the rear. Raced some of the Trans-AMA series with the Europeans, Early Texas series races with the likes of Brad Lackey, who left just after that to race in Europe and became the first US World Champion. Saw Joel Robert when he was World Champion, absolutly amazing what he could do on a motocycle. Fun stuff and great memories. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tightloop Posted March 15, 2007 Share Posted March 15, 2007 Good stuff.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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