What did you do with your Trials Bike today?

[Joz]

Originally Posted by Short'n'Spikey

Thanks to Joz I ended up buying this, amazing fun, gasgas 300
sorry, wrong login

Hey! I recognize those hills! A bit too far for a weekend drive now.
Hi Rob. Hope everything is going great for you.

I had some friends over to my new backyard trials playground today. It's the first time I've ridden a really modern trials bike since moving back to the US. Wow, we had fun! Hopefully they'll post some photos. I didn't take any - I was having too much fun riding!

[timolgra1]

I was out with mates practicing on our old twin shocks.
Here's Russ giving his old James some stick

[Charla]

Originally Posted by Joz

I had some friends over to my new backyard trials playground today. It's the first time I've ridden a really modern trials bike since moving back to the US. Wow, we had fun! Hopefully they'll post some photos. I didn't take any - I was having too much fun riding!

Joz's backyard is awesome! Too awesome for my skill level but I took adantage of the time to practice some basics.

Joz on Ben's Sherco



Joz on my Montesa



I couldn't work up the guts to even go down the stairs. I'm already dreaming about next time though!

I practiced my balance.





Ben tried an intimidating line and made it up with only a tiny dab after a few tries.





Joz claims he's rusty but he did eventually make it up this rock.



After we got tired on the motos we went to the garage for a beer and started playing on the old Monty



Soooooo can't wait for our new Echo to get here.

[grizz]

Skills Charla, Skills !!

Amazing the way you all just balance. (practice I guess, lots of it)

[Charla]

Originally Posted by grizz

Skills Charla, Skills !!

Amazing the way you all just balance. (practice I guess, lots of it)

Yesterday was the first time I was able to do that. I figured it out by watching Joz and just playing around a bit.

[Brake]

Originally Posted by Charla

Yesterday was the first time I was able to do that. I figured it out by watching Joz and just playing around a bit.

Nice Charla. I never saw the extended version of the "dead engine" balance. Good job. I am gonna head to the garage now. Gonna make you work to get that dollar from me.......Now it's on. No longer me vs. Bendejo.....It's me vs. the Smeads

[Joz]

Awesome videos! I had a blast with you guys - thanks for letting me do a bit of proper riding. I guess that I really need to compliment my new rock garden with a proper trials bike!

[Gordy]

Good stuff guys!

They grow up so fast!

[Sting32]

Originally Posted by Charla

Yesterday was the first time I was able to do that. I figured it out by watching Joz and just playing around a bit.

Holy $hit! that is pretty good balance! if you get to where you have the front wheel straight as well, (work in a hop or 2) then those guys watching you will be merely spotters for YOU, because that is awesome. BAlance, I have watched probably 50 riders get started in 35 years, few could just dead engine balance like that. I can't do it every time neither, the great ones seem to though

[brewtus]

Originally Posted by Charla

Yesterday was the first time I was able to do that. I figured it out by watching Joz and just playing around a bit.

Someone go check the tire pressures on that 315!



Very nice, Charla!

[Charla]

Originally Posted by Sting32

Holy $hit! that is pretty good balance! if you get to where you have the front wheel straight as well, (work in a hop or 2) then those guys watching you will be merely spotters for YOU, because that is awesome. BAlance, I have watched probably 50 riders get started in 35 years, few could just dead engine balance like that. I can't do it every time neither, the great ones seem to though

Thanks. It makes me feel good to know that I can at least do one thing fairly well.

Ben and I bought a balance board a month or so ago and I really think it has helped a lot.

[Sting32]

Originally Posted by Charla

Thanks. It makes me feel good to know that I can at least do one thing fairly well.

Ben and I bought a balance board a month or so ago and I really think it has helped a lot.

If you (anyone reading these posts) recall in one of my posts, just yesterday, I was able to express a term I couldn't put a word on... trials is about the gift of "nuances". So look at the videos of Charla balancing. Notice her body position, it looks like she's been riding for several months or years, instead of some wierd postures I have witnessed as beginners attempt to get going with trials, which is usually overcomming habits learned from riding dirt bikes, for a few years.

Secondly, note this other nuance: Charla "looks" as if it was effortless, to keep her balance (relatively at least). I know, and most know this is NOT the case, but what I am saying is notice that she is using very subtle corrections to keep her balance. Not big old herky jerky motions. that is hard to train.

Hey you guys, keep Charla interested in trails, don't over do it, and get her hurt somehow, as I think if balance is any indication, she'll be wanting to try stuff. I know also it was one vid, so hopefully I didnt make too much of it (for her ego sake and anyone elses) but it sure looks good to see that.

to Charla...

[NMTrailboss]

Originally Posted by Sting32

If you (anyone reading these posts) recall in one of my posts, just yesterday, I was able to express a term I couldn't put a word on... trials is about the gift of "nuances". So look at the videos of Charla balancing. Notice her body position, it looks like she's been riding for several months or years, instead of some wierd postures I have witnessed as beginners attempt to get going with trials, which is usually overcomming habits learned from riding dirt bikes, for a few years.

Secondly, note this other nuance: Charla "looks" as if it was effortless, to keep her balance (relatively at least). I know, and most know this is NOT the case, but what I am saying is notice that she is using very subtle corrections to keep her balance. Not big old herky jerky motions. that is hard to train.

Hey you guys, keep Charla interested in trails, don't over do it, and get her hurt somehow, as I think if balance is any indication, she'll be wanting to try stuff. I know also it was one vid, so hopefully I didnt make too much of it (for her ego sake and anyone elses) but it sure looks good to see that.

to Charla...

+1... to Charla!

I couldn't balance on a trials bike well until I had been riding for about 4 years...still not sure I could do it dead stick like in her video!! Awesome stuff Charla!!

[Charla]

Originally Posted by Sting32

If you (anyone reading these posts) recall in one of my posts, just yesterday, I was able to express a term I couldn't put a word on... trials is about the gift of "nuances". So look at the videos of Charla balancing. Notice her body position, it looks like she's been riding for several months or years, instead of some wierd postures I have witnessed as beginners attempt to get going with trials, which is usually overcomming habits learned from riding dirt bikes, for a few years.

Secondly, note this other nuance: Charla "looks" as if it was effortless, to keep her balance (relatively at least). I know, and most know this is NOT the case, but what I am saying is notice that she is using very subtle corrections to keep her balance. Not big old herky jerky motions. that is hard to train.

The difficult part with the dead engine balance is just getting up on the pegs. Once I realized from watching Joz that I needed to turn the bars to make the bike a little more stable, I figured out the trick. With the bars turned to the left and right hand forward, I started with my right foot on the peg. As I slowly transferred weight to my right foot, I also transferred equal weight onto my LEFT arm to keep from tilting over too far to the right.

Once you can do that smoothly then your left foot can either hang in the breeze or you can bring it up to the peg and then transfer weight from your left arm to your left foot. It's all about being smooth.

Originally Posted by Sting32

Hey you guys, keep Charla interested in trails, don't over do it, and get her hurt somehow, as I think if balance is any indication, she'll be wanting to try stuff. I know also it was one vid, so hopefully I didnt make too much of it (for her ego sake and anyone elses) but it sure looks good to see that.

to Charla...

Thanks for the encouragement.

I don't think there's anything these guys can do to turn me off of trials. I really enjoy it and I get a little bit better every time I ride. I struggle with fear of obstacles, but once I work up the nerve to try something I usually do ok. It's a good thing I'm tough though because I fall down A LOT.

[motojunky]

Working from home today and there's this funny orange thing in the sky. Decided that lunch would be best spent on the Scorpa in the driveway. I could really get used to this. I haven't ridden since before the holidays and really needed it.

Hopefully next time the ground will have dried up some - my play area is way too swampy at the moment.