I feel a new itch...

[Pittsdriverwes]

I've recently become acquainted with a group of trials riding guys here in the mid-Atlantic region of the right coast. I keep catching myself watching trials cross training videos from those whacky guys in Australia and cruising motorcycle manufacturers with weird names like GasGas and Beta. I've been doing a lot of single track trail riding this past year (300# WR250R) and there's something about the notion of a 145 lb. motorcycle that might be able to answer the call of those awful rock gardens and double black diamond type torture areas. I'm also mindful of the fact that a nasty get-off on a trials bike will happen at 1 - 2 mph. Wheelies, stoppies, and hopping around stationary sounds like it would be fun.

Do I need an intervention to stop me from this madness?

[Capnrip]

There's a Beta dealer near me, they just had a manufacturer day and had spots for 100 to demo them. I still have one of the cards in my car. I can see if there are any up near you if you want. And madness is a useful tool to keep others from getting too close.

[justjoe]

Dooo eeeet! You know they say that going slow makes you fast! And to be good at trials you must have fantastic control. I'm not there.

[cabnfvr]

I think trials riding would be super fun but like Joe said, I ain't there control wise. This all reminds me of a recent BMWMOA post. Some guy said his bike wouldn't turn over. The most helpful thread recommended a steep hill off road. Usually does the trick.

[Pete_Tallahassee]

Fast Eddie used to have a trials bike. He had a course set up on his 5 acres that we used to run around on. It will definitely help you hone your balancing skills. You can hurt yourself going slow.

[Pittsdriverwes]

Dooo eeeet! You know they say that going slow makes you fast! And to be good at trials you must have fantastic control. I'm not there.

I'm not there either but I like most fun things in life, commitment is a big part of figuring it out - one way or the other. I can crawl my WRR around at a mall walkers pace but that's a long way from doing it over boulders, piles of trees, and dirt napping bikes that failed on the obstacle. These whacky trials guys I've met here spend their winters in the garage balancing on the bike for ridiculous amounts of time while reading the Wall Street Journal.

[Oilhead]

Go for it!
My very first bike was an offroad ``thing``, at my age though, I try to keep the rubber side down.

Enjoy!!!!!

[aviator]

Go for it Wes. Its just like a stall. Recovery is sweet.

[Pittsdriverwes]

Go for it Wes. Its just like a stall. Recovery is sweet.

I have a suspicion that these trials guys in the videos make it look a lot easier than it is but there's perhaps a unique opportunity on a trials bike to practice right here in my own back yard. I'm thinking that this will be a challenge with a long, shallow learning curve since the biffs are while nearly stationary. That'll be good for a change.

[aviator]

YEah, I have watched many a trails video. I end up watching them for hours.

[Pittsdriverwes]

The weather was very cold and icy but I finally got out today to take a friend up on his offer to ride his trials bike. It looked like this when we got there and I figured this was going to be an adventure when I had to put my F-150 in 4WD to get up to the place we rode.



It looks like a lovely post card but it made my first loops out in the woods on this bike a bit challenging:



It wasn't too bad when we got up onto the ridge but some of the hills going up and down were attention getters:





I'm hooked but this kind of riding really kicked my ass today. All that time I've been spending on ADV and dual sport bikes has made me soft. He managed to catch a photo of me completely gassed and ready to call it quits:

[aviator]

Wes, that looks like me on my first day out on the Husky. It gets only better.

[Pittsdriverwes]

The trails where harder but with a fair amount of crusty ice or what would have been the easy bits looked like this:



For some reason, these last couple of years, I seem to get getting out more in the winter and riding on ice and snow:

[Flyboy]

Less traffic

[Bmorganjr]

looks like fun, did u work up a sweat