Motorcycle Trials

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Motorcycle trials, also termed observed trials, is a non-speed event on specialized motorcycles. The sport is most popular in the UK and Spain, 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.

Montesa Cota 4RT

Characteristics

A 2000 Beta Rev 3

The event is split into sections where a competitor rides through an obstacle course while attempting to avoid touching the ground with the feet. The obstacles in the course may be of natural or constructed elements. In all sections, regardless of content, the designated route is carefully contrived to test the skill of the rider. 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 Yrjö Vesterinen (1970s), Spain's Jordi Tarres (1980s and '90s). The current outdoor world champion is Antonio Bou from Spain who is also the current indoor champion.

In addition to the world championship events, there are other major events, such as the Scottish Six-Day Trial (SSDT) and the Scott Trial.

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.

Template:Motorcycle trials manufactures

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 recent addition has been a class for aircooled monoshock bikes, this covers machines up to around 1990.

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.

World Trials Champions

Outdoor Series

Year Name Country Machine Notes
2007 Toni Bou 22px-Flag of Spain.png Montesa HRC
2006 Adam Raga 22px-Flag of Spain.png Gas Gas
2005 Adam Raga 22px-Flag of Spain.png Gas Gas
2004 Takahisa Fujinami 22px-Flag of Japan.png Honda
2003 Dougie Lampkin 22px-Flag of the United Kingdom.png Montesa HRC
2002 Dougie Lampkin 22px-Flag of the United Kingdom.png Montesa HRC
2001 Dougie Lampkin 22px-Flag of the United Kingdom.png Montesa HRC
2000 Dougie Lampkin 22px-Flag of the United Kingdom.png Montesa HRC
1999 Dougie Lampkin 22px-Flag of the United Kingdom.png Beta
1998 Dougie Lampkin 22px-Flag of the United Kingdom.png Beta
1997 Dougie Lampkin 22px-Flag of the United Kingdom.png Beta
1996 Marc Colomer 22px-Flag of Spain.png Montesa
1995 Jordi Tarrés 22px-Flag of Spain.png Gas Gas
1994 Jordi Tarrés 22px-Flag of Spain.png Gas Gas
1993 Jordi Tarrés 22px-Flag of Spain.png Gas Gas
1992 Tommi Ahvala 22px-Flag of Finland.png Aprilia
1991 Jordi Tarrés 22px-Flag of Spain.png Beta
1990 Jordi Tarrés 22px-Flag of Spain.png Beta
1989 Jordi Tarrés 22px-Flag of Spain.png Beta
1988 Thierry Michaud 22px-Flag of France.png Fantic
1987 Jordi Tarrés 22px-Flag of Spain.png Beta
1986 Thierry Michaud 22px-Flag of France.png Fantic
1985 Thierry Michaud 22px-Flag of France.png Fantic
1984 Eddy Lejeune 22px-Flag of Belgium (civil).png Honda
1983 Eddy Lejeune 22px-Flag of Belgium (civil).png Honda
1982 Eddy Lejeune 22px-Flag of Belgium (civil).png Honda
1981 Gilles Burgat 22px-Flag of France.png SWM
1980 Ulf Karlson 22px-Flag of Sweden.png Montesa
1979 Bernie Schreiber 22px-Flag of the United States.png Bultaco
1978 Yrjö Vesterinen 22px-Flag of Finland.png Bultaco
1977 Yrjö Vesterinen 22px-Flag of Finland.png Bultaco
1976 Yrjö Vesterinen 22px-Flag of Finland.png Bultaco
1975 Martin Lampkin 22px-Flag of the United Kingdom.png Bultaco Title becomes "World Trials Champion"
1974 Malcolm Rathmell 22px-Flag of the United Kingdom.png Bultaco
1973 Martin Lampkin 22px-Flag of the United Kingdom.png Bultaco
1972 Mick Andrews 22px-Flag of the United Kingdom.png Ossa
1971 Mick Andrews 22px-Flag of the United Kingdom.png Ossa
1970 Sammy Miller 22px-Flag of the United Kingdom.png Bultaco
1969 Don Smith 22px-Flag of the United Kingdom.png Montesa
1968 Sammy Miller 22px-Flag of the United Kingdom.png Bultaco Title becomes "European Trials Champion"
1967 Don Smith 22px-Flag of the United Kingdom.png Greeves
1966 Gustav Franke 22px-Flag of Germany.png Zündapp
1965 Gustav Franke 22px-Flag of Poland.png Zündapp
1964 Don Smith 22px-Flag of the United Kingdom.png Greeves Title becomes "International Trial Master"

Indoor Series

Year Name Country Machine Notes
2007 Toni Bou 22px-Flag of Spain.png Montesa HRC
2006 Adam Raga 22px-Flag of Spain.png Gas Gas
2005 Adam Raga 22px-Flag of Spain.png Gas Gas
2004 Adam Raga 22px-Flag of Spain.png Gas Gas
2003 Adam Raga 22px-Flag of Spain.png Gas Gas
2002 Albert Cabestany 22px-Flag of Spain.png Beta
2001 Dougie Lampkin 22px-Flag of the United Kingdom.png Montesa
2000 Dougie Lampkin 22px-Flag of the United Kingdom.png Montesa
1999 Dougie Lampkin 22px-Flag of the United Kingdom.png Beta
1998 Dougie Lampkin 22px-Flag of the United Kingdom.png Beta
1997 Dougie Lampkin 22px-Flag of the United Kingdom.png Beta
1996 Marc Colomer 22px-Flag of Spain.png Montesa
1995 Marc Colomer 22px-Flag of Spain.png Beta/Montesa
1994 Marc Colomer 22px-Flag of Spain.png Beta
1993 Tommi Ahvala 22px-Flag of Finland.png Aprilia

See also

External links

Organizations

Training

Publications/Media

Clubs

United States

Canada

United Kingdom

Australia